Keys to Writing Effective Board Decision Papers

Board decision documents provide information and facts that allow directors to understand, shape and make decisions that shape an organisation’s future. They can also trigger controversy and legal action if they are written poorly or contain inaccurate or insufficient information. It is difficult to overstate the importance and value of high-quality decision papers.

What are the key elements to writing a good board paper? It is important to control the flow of information. This means nonprofit board for a fundraising campaign managing both the amount of information that is presented to a board as well as its presentation. Board documents should be brief and thorough while conveying the clear message of a call to action.

A major challenge for writers is to avoid the temptation to provide too many details in the board paper, since this could potentially take up precious time on the board and distract from what the paper actually should be saying. The other challenge is to to write the paper in a way that it is understood by all the members of a board, even those who have no or limited experience in the area covered by the board paper. This is where an official board paper process with clear guidelines and a method to review the papers prior to when they are distributed could prove extremely helpful.

Utilizing a formal business writing style and using plain English is vital to ensure that the information contained in the board papers is accessible for everyone on the board. This is especially the case if the board includes people with different areas of expertise like marketing or finance. A glossary of acronyms and terms is also useful. Getting feedback from your peers and providing comments on the paper can be extremely beneficial since it allows fresh eyes to examine the paper and find any ambiguity.