Board Audit Template

Email Template 1: Introducing the Board Audit
Instructions: Send this email to your entire board of directors. The goal is to frame the audit as a positive, strategic, and collaborative exercise. Attach the link to your Google Form at the end.

Subject: An Exciting Next Step: Strengthening Our Board for the Future
Dear [Board Member Name],
I hope this email finds you well.
As we continue to drive our mission forward, I’ve been thinking a lot about how we can ensure our leadership body—our Board of Directors—is as strong and effective as it can possibly be. To that end, I’m excited to invite you to participate in a confidential Board Audit.
This is a positive, forward-looking exercise designed to help us understand our collective strengths, identify opportunities for growth, and ensure we are all aligned for the future. It's a chance for us to hear directly from you about your experience, your interests, and your vision for the board. Your honest and thoughtful feedback is the most critical component of this process.
Please take 10-15 minutes to complete the confidential audit form by [Date, e.g., Friday, July 18th]. All responses will be reviewed to help us prepare for a productive discussion about our path forward.
Here is the link to the form: [Insert Link to Your Google Form Here]
Thank you for your continued service and for your partnership in this important initiative. I am truly excited about what we can build together.
Best regards,
[Your Name] Founder/Executive Director

Email Template 2: Invitation for a One-on-One Conversation
Instructions: Send this email individually to each board member after the audit submission deadline has passed and you have reviewed their specific responses.

Subject: Thank You & Next Steps Regarding Your Board Feedback
Dear [Board Member Name],
Thank you so much for taking the time to complete the recent board audit. I've read through your feedback, and I truly appreciate your thoughtful and honest reflections.
As a next step, I would like to schedule a brief, confidential one-on-one conversation with you to discuss your responses and to hear more about your perspective on the future of the board and your role within it.
Would you be available for a 20-30 minute chat sometime next week? Please let me know what day and time works best for you.
I look forward to connecting.
Best regards,
[Your Name] Founder/Executive Director

Email Template 3: Invitation for a Full Board Meeting (Post 1-on-1s)
Instructions: Send this email to the group of board members who have recommitted to serving after your individual conversations. The purpose is to bring the core group together to discuss the collective findings and decide on next steps as a team.

Subject: Moving Forward Together: A Strategic Discussion for Our Board
Dear Board Members,
Thank you all for your invaluable participation in our recent board audit process and for our individual conversations over the past couple of weeks. Those discussions have been incredibly insightful and have reinforced my excitement for the dedicated leadership team we have in place.
The next step is for us to come together as a group to discuss the high-level, anonymized themes that emerged from the audit. The goal of this meeting will be to collectively own the findings and collaboratively decide on a strategic path forward for strengthening our board, our culture, and our impact.
Please join me for this important strategic meeting on:
Date: [Date of Meeting] Time: [Time of Meeting] Location: [Location/Zoom Link]
An agenda will be sent out prior to the meeting. I look forward to working with all of you to build the powerhouse board our mission deserves.
Best regards,
[Your Name] Founder/Executive Director

The Board Ultimate Fix: Founder's Private Audit Tool
Instructions for the Founder: This form is for your eyes only. Its purpose is to help you gain clarity before engaging your board. Be radically honest with yourself. This is your "Mirror Test" and your initial gap analysis.

Part A: The Mirror Test (Founder's Self-Evaluation)
Answer these questions based on your most common behaviors and honest self-perception.

My Leadership Style:
When I run board meetings, do I primarily facilitate discussion by asking questions, or do I primarily give instructions and present decisions that are already made?
In the last three board meetings, what was the ratio of me talking versus my board members talking?
When a board member disagrees with me, is my first instinct to defend my position or to get curious about theirs?
My Perception of the Board:
In my mind, do I see my board members as my strategic partners (Co-Architects), or do I see them as volunteers who are here to help me with my to-do list?
Have I ever assigned a board member a task (e.g., social media, designing a flyer) that should have been handled by a staff member or volunteer?
Do I trust my board with high-level strategic challenges, or do I only bring them problems I already know how to solve?
Inspiring Confidence:
Do I consistently report both good and bad news to my board with equal transparency?
Do my board members see my passion for the mission, or do they primarily see my frustration with the challenges?
Based on my leadership, why would a busy, successful person be inspired to follow me?

Part B: Board Gap Analysis (Founder's Perspective)
Assess your current board as a whole. This will help you identify the gaps you need to fill.

1. Board Skills & Expertise Matrix: For each area, rate your board's collective strength on a scale of 1 (Very Weak) to 5 (Very Strong). Then, list any board members who have this skill.

   Skill Area
Strength (1-5)
Board Members with this Skill
Partnership & Business Dev.

Marketing & PR

Fundraising

Building Fundraising Systems

Strategic Planning

Community Outreach

Project Management

Program Execution/Oversight

Human Resources

Financial Accounting

Legal & Governance

2. Culture & Composition:

What three words would I use to describe our current board culture? (e.g., "Supportive," "Skeptical," "Passive," "Engaged")
What three words describe the culture I want to have?
Does our board's diversity (in terms of profession, background, age, ethnicity, etc.) reflect the community we serve? Where are the biggest gaps?

3. Support Systems:

Does our board have a clear and effective onboarding process for new members? (Y/N)
Do we have clear role descriptions for board members and officers? (Y/N)
Do we have active committees (e.g., Governance, Finance, Fundraising) that do meaningful work between meetings? (Y/N)

The Board Ultimate Fix: Official Board Audit Form
A Message to Our Board Members: Thank you for your service and commitment to our mission. As we look to the future, we are launching a strategic process to ensure we are the strongest board we can possibly be. This confidential audit is the first step. Your honest and thoughtful feedback is crucial for our growth and will help shape our path forward. Please complete all three sections.

Section 1: Founder's Leadership Review
Your confidential feedback will help our founder/ED grow as a leader and better support the board.

On a scale of 1 (Directive - gives instructions) to 10 (Facilitative - asks questions), how would you describe the founder's leadership style in board meetings?
Do you feel that your opinions and expertise are genuinely sought after and valued in board discussions? Please explain.
How has the founder's leadership style impacted your personal engagement and effectiveness as a board member?
What is one thing the founder could start doing, stop doing, or continue doing to better support you and the board as a whole?

Section 2: The Complete Board Audit
Your perspective on the board as a whole is invaluable. Help us see our collective strengths and weaknesses.

What do you believe are the top 3 strengths of our current board?
What are the most significant gaps on our board right now? (e.g., specific skills, diversity, community connections, etc.)
On a scale of 1 (Toxic/Frustrating) to 10 (Supportive/Energizing), how would you rate our board's culture? What is one thing that could improve it?
What support, information, or resources do you need to be a more effective board member?
Section 3: Your Personal Self-Evaluation
This section is about you. Your honest self-reflection will help us understand your interests and how you see your future role with the organization.

Part A: Your Skills & Interests For each area, please check the box that best describes your skill level and your interest in contributing in this area.

   Skill Area
My Skill Level is...
I am Interested in...
Marketing & PR
[ ] Expert [ ] Proficient [ ] Novice
[ ] Leading [ ] Contributing [ ] Not Interested

Partnership & Biz Dev
[ ] Expert [ ] Proficient [ ] Novice
[ ] Leading [ ] Contributing [ ] Not Interested

Fundraising
[ ] Expert [ ] Proficient [ ] Novice
[ ] Leading [ ] Contributing [ ] Not Interested

Strategic Planning
[ ] Expert [ ] Proficient [ ] Novice
[ ] Leading [ ] Contributing [ ] Not Interested

Community Outreach
[ ] Expert [ ] Proficient [ ] Novice
[ ] Leading [ ] Contributing [ ] Not Interested

Project Management
[ ] Expert [ ] Proficient [ ] Novice
[ ] Leading [ ] Contributing [ ] Not Interested

Program Execution
[ ] Expert [ ] Proficient [ ] Novice
[ ] Leading [ ] Contributing [ ] Not Interested

Human Resources
[ ] Expert [ ] Proficient [ ] Novice
[ ] Leading [ ] Contributing [ ] Not Interested

Financial Accounting
[ ] Expert [ ] Proficient [ ] Novice
[ ] Leading [ ] Contributing [ ] Not Interested

Legal & Governance
[ ] Expert [ ] Proficient [ ] Novice
[ ] Leading [ ] Contributing [ ] Not Interested

Finance & Accounting
[ ] Expert [ ] Proficient [ ] Novice
[ ] Leading [ ] Contributing [ ] Not Interested

Part B: Your Commitment & Future Path This is a critical question that allows us to plan effectively. Please choose the option that best reflects your current position. There is no wrong answer.

[ ] I want to recommit and step up. I am excited about the future and ready to take on a more active role in governance, fundraising, and strategic work.
[ ] I am open to stepping down. I believe in the mission, but due to current constraints on my time or interest, I believe my board seat could be better filled by someone else. I am open to discussing a graceful transition to a different role (e.g., volunteer, donor, advisor).
Thank you for taking the time to complete this vital exercise. We will be in touch shortly to discuss the results.

How to Administer the Board Audit
Now that you have the content for your audit, the next step is to deliver it to your board in a way that is professional, easy for them to complete, and easy for you to analyze. You have two primary options.

Option 1: Direct Email (The Simple, But Messy Approach)
You can simply copy the text from the "Official Board Audit Form" and paste it into an email to your board members.

Pros: It's fast and requires no special tools.
Cons: The formatting can get messy. More importantly, collecting and comparing responses from multiple email replies is difficult and time-consuming. It can be challenging to spot trends when you're toggling between different email threads.
If you choose this path, be sure to ask members to reply only to you and assure them their responses will be kept confidential.

Option 2: Google Forms (The Professional, Recommended Approach)
Using a free tool like Google Forms is the highly recommended method. It allows you to create a clean, professional-looking survey, ensures responses are anonymous (if you choose), and automatically organizes all the data for easy analysis.

Here is a step-by-step guide to creating your audit in Google Forms.

Step 1: Create a New Form

Go to forms.google.com.
Click on "+ Blank" to start a new form.
Step 2: Title and Introduction

At the top of the form, where it says "Untitled form," give it a title, such as "Confidential Board Audit & Self-Evaluation."
In the "Form description" box below the title, copy and paste the introductory message:
"A Message to Our Board Members: Thank you for your service and commitment to our mission. As we look to the future, we are launching a strategic process to ensure we are the strongest board we can possibly be. This confidential audit is the first step. Your honest and thoughtful feedback is crucial for our growth and will help shape our path forward. Please complete all three sections."
Step 3: Create Section 1 (Founder's Leadership Review)

Click the "Add section" button (it looks like two rectangles) on the floating toolbar on the right. Title this section "Section 1: Founder's Leadership Review."
For Question 1 (the 1-10 scale), click "Add question" (+ icon). Write the question and select "Linear scale" from the dropdown menu. Set the range from 1 to 10 and label the endpoints (1 = Directive, 10 = Facilitative).
For the other questions in this section, use the "Paragraph" question type to allow for detailed, open-ended answers.
Step 4: Create Section 2 (The Complete Board Audit)

Add another section and title it "Section 2: The Complete Board Audit."
Use the "Paragraph" question type for the questions about strengths, gaps, and culture.
For the culture rating question, you can again use the "Linear scale" type.
Step 5: Create Section 3 (Your Personal Self-Evaluation)

Add a final section and title it "Section 3: Your Personal Self-Evaluation."
For Part A (Skills & Interests): This is the most important step.
Click "Add question" (+) and choose "Multiple choice grid" from the dropdown.
In the "Rows" section, list all the skill areas (Marketing & PR, Partnership, Fundraising, etc.), one per line.
In the "Columns" section, you will create two sets of answers. First, for skill level: "[ ] Expert", "[ ] Proficient", "[ ] Novice". Then, for interest level: "[ ] Leading", "[ ] Contributing", "[ ] Not Interested". Correction: Google Forms doesn't allow two separate answer sets in one grid. The best practice is to create two separate "Multiple choice grid" questions.
Question 1 Title: "For each area, please indicate your Skill Level." Rows are the skills, Columns are "Expert," "Proficient," "Novice."
Question 2 Title: "For each area, please indicate your Interest Level." Rows are the same skills, Columns are "Leading," "Contributing," "Not Interested."
For Part B (Commitment & Future Path):
Click "Add question" (+) and choose "Multiple choice."
Enter the two options: "I want to recommit and step up..." and "I am open to stepping down..."

Step 6: Configure Form Settings

Click on the "Settings" tab at the top of the form.
Under the "Responses" section, make sure the toggle for "Collect email addresses" is turned OFF. This is crucial for ensuring anonymity and encouraging honest feedback.
Under "Presentation," you can write a custom "Confirmation message." A good message would be: "Thank you for your thoughtful feedback. Your response has been recorded confidentially. We will be in touch soon to discuss the next steps."
Step 7: Send the Form

Click the purple "Send" button in the top-right corner.
Select the email tab (the envelope icon).
Enter the email addresses of your board members. The subject line will be pre-filled with the form's title.
Write a brief, personal message in the "Message" box, framing the audit as a positive, forward-looking exercise.
Click "Send."
By following these steps, you will have a professional, easy-to-use audit form that organizes all the data for you, making your job as the "master mechanic" much, much easier.

How to Use AI to Interpret Your Board Audit Results
You've collected the responses from your board. Now, you have raw data. While your personal insight is invaluable, using an AI model can help you see patterns you might miss, challenge your own biases, and give you an objective starting point for your analysis. Think of it as getting a second opinion from a data-savvy, unbiased consultant.

This guide will walk you through how to use a large language model (LLM) like Google's Gemini or OpenAI's ChatGPT to make sense of the audit responses.

Step 1: Prepare and Anonymize Your Data (CRITICAL)
Trust is your most valuable asset. Before you copy and paste anything into an AI, you MUST protect the confidentiality of your board members.

Open a blank document (Google Docs, Word, etc.).
If you used Google Forms, go to the "Responses" tab and click "Individual."
For each board member's complete response, copy the text.
Paste it into your blank document and REMOVE ALL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION. Do not include names, email addresses, or any specific anecdotes that could reveal who said what.
Label each anonymous response clearly (e.g., "Board Member A," "Board Member B," etc.).
You should now have a single document containing all the anonymized responses, one after another.

Example of Anonymized Data:

Board Member A: Founder's Leadership Review: "Style is a 7. Mostly facilitative but sometimes gets excited and takes over. I feel heard most of the time." Complete Board Audit: "Strength is passion for the mission. Gap is fundraising experience." Self-Evaluation: "Skill: Expert in Marketing. Interest: Leading. Commitment: I want to recommit and step up."

Board Member B: Founder's Leadership Review: "Style is a 4. Tends to be more directive. I don't always feel comfortable pushing back." Complete Board Audit: "Strength is our community connection. Gap is a lack of financial oversight." Self-Evaluation: "Skill: Proficient in Finance. Interest: Contributing. Commitment: I am open to stepping down."

Step 2: The Prompting Process: Having a Strategic Conversation with AI
Your goal is to guide the AI to act as your strategic advisor. You do this by giving it a role, providing the data, and then asking targeted questions.

Prompt 1: Set the Context

First, tell the AI what you want it to be. Open a new chat with your chosen AI model and start with a prompt like this:

"You are an expert nonprofit board consultant. I am the founder of a nonprofit, and I have just completed a confidential board audit. I am going to provide you with the anonymized responses from my board members. Your job is to help me analyze these responses to identify key themes, skill gaps, leadership feedback, and individual commitment levels. Do not make up any information. Base all your analysis strictly on the data I provide. Do you understand your role?"

Prompt 2: Provide the Data

Once the AI confirms it understands, simply copy all the anonymized text from your document and paste it into the chat. End the prompt with:

"Here is the complete, anonymized data from the board audit:"

[Paste all your anonymized data here]

Prompt 3: Ask Targeted Questions for Analysis

Now you can begin asking specific questions to get the insights you need. Start broad and then get more specific.

To Analyze Your Leadership:

"Based on the 'Founder's Leadership Review' sections, what are the main themes and patterns in the feedback about my leadership style?"
"What are the biggest perceived strengths and weaknesses of my leadership according to the board?"
"Provide 3 actionable suggestions for me to improve my leadership based only on this feedback."
To Analyze the Board as a Whole:

"Summarize the collective strengths and weaknesses of the board as identified in the 'Complete Board Audit' section."
"Based on the skills matrix in the self-evaluations, what are our top 3 most significant skill gaps as a board?"
"Analyze the comments about board culture. What is the overall sentiment, and what are the common suggestions for improvement?"
To Analyze Individual Commitment:

"Categorize each board member (A, B, C, etc.) into one of two groups: 'Indicated desire to recommit/step up' or 'Indicated they are open to stepping down'."
"For the members who want to step up, what specific skills and interests did they highlight that I can leverage immediately?"
"Is there a correlation between a board member's feedback on my leadership and their desire to stay or leave?"
To Get Strategic Advice:

"Imagine you are me, the founder. Based on this complete data set, what are the top 3 priorities I should focus on to improve my board's health and performance?"
"Create a summary I can present to my board (without revealing individual responses) that captures the key findings of this audit."
Step 3: Synthesize and Use Your Judgment
The AI's output is a powerful tool, but it is not the final word. It provides data-driven insights, but it lacks the human context that you have.

Review the AI's analysis. Does it align with what you know about your board members?

Look for surprises. Did the AI spot a connection you missed?
Use the insights to prepare for your one-on-one conversations. The AI's analysis will give you a clear, objective foundation for each meeting, allowing you to go in with confidence and a clear purpose.

By combining the power of AI analysis with your own human wisdom, you can turn your board audit from a simple survey into a transformative strategic process.