In Planning Board Meetings, Timing and Location Matter

The location and timing of trustee meetings may not be among charity leaders’ top concerns while assembling a board. But where and when charities hold their board meetings does matter, says Kelly Kleiman, a lawyer and nonprofit consultant who writes The Nonprofiteer.

Nonprofit executives might think they are being inclusive by not scheduling meetings too far in advance. But in fact, they’re being “unintentionally exclusive,” shutting out people whose lives require advance planning, says Ms. Kleiman. She says that simply having a regular schedule for meetings makes it more likely that current trustees will attend, and new members will join.

Also important, according to Ms. Kleiman, is to schedule meetings during “business-friendly times.” Plan meetings for weekday mornings or evenings, not weekends, she says. “Scheduling the board’s work for a weekday shows a regard for board activity (and the agency as a whole) as a serious commitment rather than a social engagement or hobby.”

Finally, Ms. Kleiman advises scheduling meetings in offices, not people’s homes. Strangers’ living rooms can be unwelcoming to newcomers, she says, and “why put obstacles in the way of inclusiveness?”

What do you think of Ms. Kleiman’s advice?