What is a Meeting Agenda?

An agenda is a chronological list of meeting activities, beginning with the call to order and ending with an adjournment. Agendas focus the direction of a meeting, including where and when the meeting shall take place, and contain discussion items such as committee and departmental reports, previous meeting minutes, old business and new business, and a consent agenda.

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Usually the Chairperson is the keeper of the Agenda and manages and allocates the time to each section of the Agenda.

Meeting Agenda Best Practices

During board meetings, the agenda follows a logical format, guiding the meeting: approval of the previous meetings minutes, committee reports, departmental updates, and old and new business. “New business" is where the bulk of the discussion as well as decisions in the meeting usually takes place.

How Agendas Work in a Board Portal

A board portal agenda presents the same information one would encounter on paper but with additional benefits. Often, you can set time parameters for each section, who should speak, and attach digital approvals, items in need of pre-meeting discussion, key documents, and items needing an electronic signature.

Further Reading

• [eBook] How the Best Boards Do It, From Preparation to Meeting Execution: Step by Step