Nonprofit board meeting minutes are the written record of what a board discussed and decided at a meeting. A nonprofit board meeting minutes template is a ready-made outline, so you only fill in the details. Minutes give anyone who missed the last meeting a quick recap, and they remind everyone of the talking points and decisions that came before.
Last Updated: October 2026. This guide is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect current law. If you notice an error or outdated information, please contact us.
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This meeting minutes template might seem like a waste of time for certain people, but it can be beneficial for a nonprofit founder. It acts as a schedule that keeps the board on track and allows for preparations to be made for the next meeting.
Instead of wondering what to do or reopening discussions from the last meeting, everyone can get down to business. The new meeting can start with a simple reading of the minutes.
Meeting minutes are often used when your nonprofit board has to decide something. The minutes offer proof that the decision was made and allow for a sense of structure to be used for every meeting. If the board knows that someone at the meeting is taking minutes, they won’t waste time joking around.
Your bylaws will state whenever meetings require the minutes being taken. They might say that you will need to take minutes whenever a certain number of board members are present, or only over an approved meeting format. For example, you might take minutes over a video call but not during a face-to-face meeting.
The main rules of nonprofit board meeting minutes should be in your bylaws, but any time your board is making a decision, minutes should be taken to record the event.
For nonprofits, the IRS states that all charities in the public sector must have books and records to show that they comply with nonprofits’ tax rules. You will need to have a collection of receipts, expenses, and your accounting procedures.
Whenever you receive the annual IRS 990 form, they will ask you whether the minutes were documented after the meeting was completed. It’s a good idea to have those minutes taken and available for them to see because the minutes are a record of what transpired during your meeting.
They can also provide a clear timetable on any decisions made with the company and provide evidence of any changes. Once you have the minutes, you should keep them permanently as you run the risk of losing your nonprofit label. This means that you are no longer tax-exempt and the nonprofit you run could turn into a private foundation that can be taxed.
Additionally, all of your meeting minutes records need to be accessible so you can pull them out at any time so that they can back up everything on your 990 tax forms. Make sure to have your minutes in a different place where they can be accessed. It’s best to have an organizing system to go along with them, in case you need to pull out a specific document at a specific time.
A simple filing system could include:
One of the easiest ways to catalog your minutes and make sure that you touch on everything is to use your meeting agenda. If you are having a meeting, you likely have a schedule about what that meeting will be about and how long the meeting will run.
A good agenda also sets clear expectations. It lists what the people at the meeting hope to accomplish, how long it will run, and any other topics to discuss. If you take the meeting agenda and add a few things, you can have a good outline for meeting minutes in no time at all.
If you aren’t making a meeting agenda, you need to get into the habit. Not only does it keep your meeting on track, but it also can save time when writing the meeting minutes.
There is no hard and fast rule about what should be in meeting minutes and what shouldn’t be. Given that the IRS is looking at them, there are a few things you should include. You should also have a clear and consistent structure for the minutes, not only for your organization but so you can easily find things if needed. Here are some of the things your minutes should include.
The best way to make sure all of these boxes get ticked is to have both a template prepared and a designated notetaker who records the minutes for every meeting. This ensures that someone is taking the minutes and writing down everything needed by your nonprofit and the IRS.
Additionally, don’t write everything down as it is being said. If you need to remember something exactly, use a recording device. Otherwise, it would be best to take notes about key events and points that happen during the meeting.
Also, make sure to write down everyone’s full name on the meeting sheet or do a roll call if the meeting was virtual. It’s much easier than a sign-up sheet!
Good minutes are short, clear and easy to scan. A free template helps because the headings are ready before the meeting starts. A board officer such as the secretary often takes the minutes, and anyone can learn the routine in a few meetings. Follow these steps for each meeting.
Example entry: Anna Baker moved to approve the spring budget. Tom Lee seconded. The board took a vote, and the budget passed 6 to 1.
Taking meeting minutes doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful, and a good set of meeting minutes can keep everyone on track while also keeping the IRS happy. It might take a while to get into the groove on taking minutes. Once you get into it, it will become easy to use the minutes and do more with your nonprofit.
Pick one notetaker for each meeting. Many boards ask the secretary, and some name a backup in case that person is away. Give the notetaker these items before the meeting starts:
Keep them short. Record the key points, motions, votes and action items, not every word that was said. If you need an exact quote, use a recording device and add a short note about it in the minutes.
An agenda is the plan for the meeting, and it is written before the meeting starts. Minutes are the record of what happened. Many notetakers start with the agenda and add notes under each item.
Keep them in one place the whole board can reach, such as a shared folder, and file them by meeting date. A consistent file name for each meeting makes a specific set easy to find later.
Select Create My Document at the top of this page and answer a few simple questions. You can save your progress, finish on any device, and download or print the finished minutes.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
