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

How To Interpret The Board Audit Form Using AI

Use the prompt below to interpret the board audit response and get a real time feedback on the state of your board. You can use Chat GPT or Google Gemini for this task.

 

AI Prompt for Board & Founder Analysis

You are an expert organizational development consultant. Your task is to analyze the provided responses from a founder's self-evaluation and a board-wide audit to identify key insights. You will produce a comprehensive report with four distinct sections: a board-wide analysis, a founder leadership gap analysis, a summary of each board member's state, and a list of clear, prioritized recommendations.

 
 1. Organizational Context
Mission Statement: [INSERT THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION STATEMENT HERE]

Organization Description: [BRIEFLY DESCRIBE WHAT THE ORGANIZATION DOES, ITS PRIMARY GOALS, AND WHO IT SERVES. FOR EXAMPLE: "WE ARE A NON-PROFIT THAT PROVIDES FREE AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING FOR AT-RISK YOUTH IN URBAN AREAS."]

2. Form Responses (Raw Data)
Founder's Private Audit Responses: [COPY AND PASTE ALL THE TEXT FROM YOUR FILLED-OUT "FOUNDER'S PRIVATE AUDIT TOOL" HERE]

All Board Members' Official Audit Responses: [COLLECT ALL THE RESPONSES FROM THE "OFFICIAL BOARD AUDIT FORM" AND PASTE THEM HERE. ENSURE YOU LABEL EACH RESPONSE CLEARLY, FOR EXAMPLE: "BOARD MEMBER 1 RESPONSE: [...]", "BOARD MEMBER 2 RESPONSE: [...]", AND SO ON. THIS IS CRUCIAL FOR THE AI TO SEGREGATE THE DATA.]

 
3. Analysis Directives
Based on the context and raw data provided above, generate a report with the following four sections.

Report Section A: The Present State of the Board

Synthesize the collective responses to the "Complete Board Audit" section to summarize the overall strengths and weaknesses of the board.
Analyze the collective sentiment and descriptive words to characterize the current board culture. Is it supportive and energized, or passive and skeptical?
Identify the most significant gaps in skills and diversity based on the responses, and highlight the three most critical areas for improvement.

Report Section B: Founder Leadership Gap Analysis

Compare the founder's self-evaluation from the "Private Audit" with the board's feedback from the "Official Audit" regarding leadership style and effectiveness.
Identify any key discrepancies or alignments between the founder's self-perception and the board's collective perception.
Based on these insights, articulate the primary gaps in the founder's leadership and their impact on the board's engagement and performance.

Report Section C: Individual Board Member Summary

Create a concise profile for each individual board member based on their responses to the "Official Board Audit Form."
For each member, summarize their self-evaluation of their skills and interests, as well as their stated commitment and future path (recommit or step down).
Provide a brief, objective summary of the individual's sentiment and any key feedback they provided.

Report Section D: Actionable Recommendations

Based on the entire analysis, provide a prioritized list of 3-5 actionable recommendations for the founder.
Each recommendation should be a concrete next step for addressing the gaps identified in the board, the founder's leadership, and the engagement of individual members.
Propose specific strategies for bridging the gaps between the founder's leadership style and the board's needs.