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A Board Resource Tool from the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership <br />Who Should Use Consent Agendas? <br />Consent agendas are used by both non-profit and for -profit organizations whose boards are <br />trying to use members' time efficiently and that have much routine business to approve. It is <br />especially common to see the boards of governmental entities such as libraries and <br />educational institutions use consent agendas because of the volume of routine business that <br />they are required by law and regulation to approve. <br />How Can Consent Agendas be Used Effectively? <br />The key to success is to provide all consent agenda information to board members well in <br />advance of the meeting. It is essential that board members have ample time prior to a meeting <br />to become familiar with each item on the consent agenda. That way, if a member or members <br />have a concern about any item(s) that they believe need further discussion, then they will ask <br />for the item(s) to be removed from the consent agenda and addressed separately. <br />At the time in the regular agenda when there is to be action on the consent agenda, the chair <br />will first inquire whether there are any items that need to be removed from the consent <br />agenda. If any member wishes an item to be removed, it must be removed and placed on the <br />regular agenda. Immediately following the opportunity to remove any items for separate <br />discussion, the consent agenda is moved and approved as a set. (For example: "I move the <br />consent agenda." Another member: "I second the motion.") <br />It may be useful to those who plan the overall meeting agenda and the consent agenda <br />(usually the board chair and/or executive director) to have guidelines, developed in <br />consultation with the board, to clarify which types of items might be appropriate for the <br />consent agenda. <br />When Should a Consent Agenda Not Be Used? <br />The consent agenda practice should not be used unless all members of the board understand <br />and agree to its use. This approach places more responsibility upon members to prepare prior <br />to the meeting. Obviously, if members do not read the information on the consent agenda <br />prior to the meeting, they cannot responsibly agree to the inclusion of any particular item on <br />the consent agenda. The worst outcome would be to take action on a matter of significant <br />programmatic or legal importance without truly having the board's informed consent. <br />The Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership 2 <br />University of Missouri — Kansas City <br />