Decision and deadline
Write the exact action requested and the latest responsible decision date. Explain what changes if approval is deferred.
Board preparation guide
Build a board packet that leads to a clear decision.
Give directors the facts, choices, and authority they need before the meeting. Keep the record useful after the vote.
Packet structure
Put the decision first.
A long attachment list can obscure the question the board must answer. Start every substantial agenda item with a one-page brief, then link the supporting records.
The brief should distinguish verified facts, estimates, open questions, and recommendations. It should also state whether the item is for information, discussion, direction, or formal approval. A member reading it should understand the consequence of waiting.
- State the requested decision in one sentence.
- Identify the person responsible for the evidence and recommendation.
- Show the options, cost range, timing, and material risks.
- Confirm the approval authority and any required specialist review.
- Specify who will act, by when, and what proves completion.
Six-part template01 02 03 04 05 06
The minimum useful decision brief.
Verified background
Record dates, conditions, prior decisions, contract terms, and source documents. Mark assumptions and missing evidence plainly.
Comparable options
Present a realistic baseline and alternatives using the same scope, timing, pricing basis, dependencies, and service criteria.
Financial effect
Show approved budget, expected total cost, cash timing, reserve implications, and any funding decision that follows.
Risk and authority
Identify safety, insurance, legal, operational, and resident effects. Cite governing documents or professional advice where required.
Execution and proof
Name the owner, first milestone, reporting date, and evidence needed to close the item in the action register.
Board packet evidence library
Check the supporting record before a vote.
Use these 24 checks as a prompt, then select the items proportionate to the decision. The CSV checklist can be opened in a spreadsheet.
24 checks shown
| Check | Evidence to include | Board question |
|---|---|---|
| GovernanceDecision requested | One-sentence motion or direction | Is the requested action unambiguous? |
| GovernanceDecision deadline | Contract date, meeting date, or risk trigger | What happens if the board waits? |
| GovernanceApproval authority | Governing provision, policy, or delegated limit | Who can approve and sign? |
| GovernancePrior decisions | Relevant minutes and open action log | Does this supersede earlier direction? |
| GovernanceConflict disclosure | Documented interest disclosures | Does anyone need to recuse or seek advice? |
| FinanceApproved budget | Adopted budget line and current forecast | Is the item already funded? |
| FinanceTotal cost | Base scope, allowances, taxes, and fees | What is the plausible total commitment? |
| FinanceCash timing | Milestone schedule and cash projection | When will payments be due? |
| FinanceReserve effect | Current study and funding schedule | Does the choice change reserve assumptions? |
| FinanceCost of delay | Expiry dates, escalation terms, and condition record | Is postponement likely to increase cost? |
| VendorsComparable scope | Proposal scope and exclusions | Are vendors pricing the same work? |
| VendorsQualifications | Licenses, references, insurance evidence | What capability has been verified? |
| VendorsService standard | Response times and measurable deliverables | How will performance be judged? |
| VendorsContract terms | Term, renewal, termination, and warranty clauses | What future commitment follows approval? |
| ProjectsExisting condition | Inspection, photos, and engineer findings | Which facts support the proposed work? |
| ProjectsAlternatives | Repair, replacement, phased, and deferral options | Were viable options compared fairly? |
| ProjectsSchedule | Critical path and access constraints | What could delay completion? |
| ProjectsChange control | Written approval and documentation process | Who may authorize a change? |
| RiskSafety impact | Incident record and qualified assessment | Is interim protection needed? |
| RiskInsurance impact | Policy terms and broker correspondence | Does the decision affect coverage or claims? |
| RiskResident impact | Access, noise, service, and notice plan | Who needs to know and when? |
| RiskContingency | Fallback vendor, emergency steps, and escalation owner | What happens if the preferred option fails? |
| RecordsSource index | Stable links and dated document versions | Can a director verify each material claim? |
| RecordsAction closure | Owner, due date, status, and proof | How will the board know the decision was carried out? |
Quality gate
Run five checks before distribution.
- Can a director name the decision?If the request is hidden in a report, rewrite the first paragraph.
- Do the numbers reconcile?Compare proposal totals with allowances, change exposure, taxes, funding, and the current forecast.
- Are options comparable?Separate scope differences from price differences before presenting a ranking.
- Is the authority clear?Confirm who may approve, sign, direct work, and communicate the result.
- Is the record complete?Attach the final brief, supporting evidence, meeting decision, and action owner in the controlled records index.
Use it with existing tools
From packet to follow-through.
The meeting checklist helps place the brief on an agenda. The decision and action register carries its commitments forward. For a vendor choice, use the bid comparison matrix; for a project change, use the change order register.
How much detail belongs in the packet?
Keep the decision brief short enough to scan. Attach the complete evidence separately with descriptive filenames and a stable version. The right length depends on the risk and cost of the decision.
What if the board does not have enough evidence?
Record the missing information, the person who will obtain it, and the date it will return. An explicit deferral is more useful than a vague discussion with no next step.
Should the board packet include confidential material?
Use the association’s access and records rules. Distribute sensitive material only through the appropriate channel and obtain qualified advice when legal privilege, personnel information, or statutory records duties are involved.
Working method
Control versions and decision outcomes
The packet must identify the version the board actually considered.
Give each decision brief a date, preparer, source links, and a clear version label. When estimates or recommendations change after circulation, show the changed assumption and its effect on cost, schedule, or risk. Keep superseded versions in the record but mark them as superseded so members do not vote from different facts.
After the meeting, add the approved motion, conditions, delegated signer, next milestone, and unresolved questions to the same record. A one-page cover sheet can distinguish items that need a vote from items provided for information. The related board meeting checklist explains how to carry the result into the next agenda.