Free kit · Board and governance
Board Onboarding Kit: free board onboarding checklist template in Word and PDF
Turn a new board member into a contributor in 90 days, not the reader of a binder. The board chair welcomes them within a week of the vote, the executive director runs a two-hour orientation, check-ins follow at days 30, 60 and 90, and the board keeps a one-page plan to recruit, orient and renew itself each year.
Word and PDF · 12 pages · For board chairs and executive directors
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What is inside
- 90-day onboarding checklist. Every step from the vote to day 90 with who does it and when, the first-week packet, and the extra steps for a new chair or treasurer.
- Welcome letter and email. A letter from the board chair and an email from the executive director, both ready to send within a week of the vote.
- Orientation and check-in guide. A two-hour orientation agenda, the three duties of a board member and the questions for the check-ins at days 30, 60 and 90.
- New board member announcement. What to confirm with the new member first, then a note to staff, a website bio, a newsletter item, a social post and a press release.
- Board development plan. One goal for each of five stages – recruit, orient, engage, evaluate and renew – with a sample, a progress log and the seats that open next.
How to use it
- Before the welcome: the board chair chooses a board buddy and fixes three dates with the executive director.
- Within a week of the vote: the chair's letter, the executive director's email and the first-week packet go out.
- First month: a two-hour orientation, a program visit and the buddy's first call.
- Days 30 to 90: a check-in at days 30, 60 and 90, and a committee seat or named task by the third meeting.
- Each January: the board chair or governance committee drafts the board development plan, then checks it at every meeting.
Questions
Is the kit free?
Yes. Enter your name, email and organization once, and every kit in the library opens on this browser.
Can I edit it?
Yes. The Word file is fully editable: fill in the brackets in the letter, the email and the announcements, and fit the 90-day timing to your meeting schedule.
Does it work in Google Docs?
Yes. Upload the Word file to Google Drive and open it with Google Docs; the tables and ruled lines carry over.
Can I share it inside my organization?
Yes. Copy it, adapt it and share it with your board and staff.
Read the guide
More kits for boards
Board Recruitment KitA composition matrix, job and officer descriptions, a board member agreement and the candidate conversation
Board Self-Assessment Kit26-statement questionnaire, scoring workbook, retreat guide and action plan
Conflict of Interest Policy and Disclosure FormA policy based on the IRS sample, an annual disclosure statement and the minutes for a member who steps out
With a new board member, the checklist is rarely where it goes wrong. The working relationship is. A coach helps the executive director build each new relationship with a board whose role on paper is not always the one it plays in the room.
Six sessions of executive coaching: $300, $400 or $600, set by your organization's yearly operating expenses.
