5 Things Every Nonprofit Board Report Should Include
Most board reports are either too thin or too long. Here is what actually belongs in one and what you can cut.
Board members are volunteers. Most of them have full-time jobs. They are not going to read a 20-page report, and they should not have to. A good board report gives them exactly what they need to govern the organization effectively, nothing more.
Here are the five things that should be in every nonprofit board report, and a note on what you can safely leave out.
1. A short executive summary
Three to five sentences. What happened this quarter, what matters most, and what the board needs to act on. Write this last, after you have assembled everything else, so you know what actually belongs in it.
Most EDs write executive summaries that are either too vague (everything went well) or too detailed (a full program narrative). The goal is to give a board member who skips the rest of the report a clear picture of where the organization stands.
2. Program updates with actual numbers
Not just descriptions. Numbers. How many people were served? How many events happened? What was your attendance rate compared to last quarter? What outcome did you hit or miss?
Program updates without numbers are not useful to a board. They read as reassurance rather than information. Give board members something concrete to react to.
3. A clear financial picture
Revenue vs. budget. Expenses vs. budget. Cash on hand. Any significant variances and a plain-language explanation of why they happened.
You do not need to include every line item. You need to include enough that a board member who is not a financial expert can understand whether the organization is in good shape or has a problem that needs attention.
4. Staffing and operations notes
Any changes to staff or key volunteers. Anything significant that happened operationally. If someone left, if you hired, if there was a facilities issue, if a major partnership changed, put it here. Board members need to know what is happening in the organization, not just the programs.
Keep this section short. One to three paragraphs is usually enough. If nothing significant changed, say so and move on.
5. What you are asking the board to do
This is the most important section and the one most often missing or buried. Every board report should end with a clear list of action items: what needs a vote, what needs input, what you need guidance on.
Do not make board members hunt for what they are supposed to decide. Put it at the end in plain language. Vote to approve the budget amendment. Provide feedback on the proposed hiring timeline. Approve the new conflict of interest policy.
What you can cut
You can cut detailed program narratives. You can cut lengthy financial analysis that belongs in a finance committee meeting. You can cut a history of decisions already made. If a board member has to scroll past three pages to find out what they are voting on, the report is too long.
A good board report takes under 20 minutes to read and gives every board member everything they need to participate fully in the meeting. That is the goal.