Meeting Agenda Template
Structured agenda for effective staff meetings
The Prompt
The Prompt
Create a reusable, nonprofit-ready meeting agenda template for [MEETING TYPE] at [ORGANIZATION NAME] that improves outcomes while respecting small-team capacity.
The agenda template should:
- Start with a one-line purpose: “By the end of this meeting we will [OBJECTIVE]” (1–2 sentences max).
- Include a header block with fields: [DATE], [TIMEZONE], [MEETING LENGTH], [LOCATION/ZOOM LINK], [FACILITATOR], [NOTETAKER], [ATTENDEES/ROLES], [ACCESSIBILITY/INCLUSION NOTES].
- Use an agenda table with columns: Time (mins), Topic, Lead, Purpose (Decision/Discussion/FYI), Pre-reads/Links, Desired Outcome.
- Time-box items to total [MEETING LENGTH] (60–90 minutes for weekly staff; add a 5-minute break if 90+ minutes). Put decisions before updates.
- Add a 2–3 minute grounding check-in (mission/values or equity moment) and a 2-minute closing (next steps + appreciation).
- Include a “Parking Lot” with Owner + Follow-up Plan to capture off-topic items without derailing.
- Add “Decisions Made” and “Action Items” (Owner, Due Date, First Next Step) plus “Comms Out” (who needs to be informed: board, funders, volunteers, partners).
- Include a “Risks/Blocks/Resource Needs” section to surface capacity constraints early.
- Specify pre-work with due-by dates: [PRE-READS] with links; limit live updates to 10–15 minutes total.
- Provide distribution instructions (send 2–3 days in advance; attach pre-reads; file name: “[ORG]_[MEETING TYPE]_Agenda_[YYYY-MM-DD]”).
- Word count: keep instructional/explanatory text to 120–180 words; include a 60–90 word agenda email blurb.
- Tone: [TONE] = FORMAL (board/funder-facing); WARM (staff/coalition partners); CASUAL (volunteers/peer teams). Apply consistently.
- Prepared by [FACILITATOR]; Reviewed by [EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/OPERATIONS COORDINATOR].
Produce concrete, plain-language fields and example entries (e.g., “Decide whether to submit the [GRANT NAME] by Friday” with 12-minute timebox). Avoid jargon, clichés, or vague topics (“updates” without outcomes). Limit to 5–7 agenda items. Use realistic nonprofit scenarios, prioritize mission-critical decisions, and make it easy for attendees to arrive prepared and leave with clear ownership.How to Customize
- Replace all [BRACKETED] fields with your specific information
- Adjust tone and length as needed for your audience
- Review and personalize before using
Pro Tips
- Test this prompt with your preferred AI tool before using in production
- Always review AI output for accuracy and appropriateness
- Customize outputs to match your organization’s voice and brand
Related Prompts
(See other prompts in the operations category)
Example Outputs
Compare scenarios: We tested this prompt with 3 different nonprofit contexts. Each scenario shows outputs from GPT-5, Claude, and Gemini. Select a model above each scenario to compare.
Small Community Org
Rural food access nonprofit in northern New Mexico serving farmworker families and elders; mix of small family foundations, county mini-grants, and local donors.
View scenario details
Purpose By the end of this meeting we will align the week’s distribution plan, resolve delivery gaps, and decide whether to submit the Fresh Food Access mini-grant by Friday.
Header - Date: Tuesday, March 18, 2025 - Time zone: America/Denver - Duration: 75 minutes - Location: Rio Verde Community Center, 12 Camino Plaza, Rio Verde, NM 87001 - Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/9843217650 - Core team: Ana Morales (Operations Coordinator); Devin Yazzie (Program Assistant); Marisol Trujillo (Executive Director); Luis Ortega (Driver Lead); Carla Benally (Volunteer Lead); Mateo Cruz (Pantry Coordinator) - Accessibility: Spanish/English interpretation; Zoom auto-captions; step-free entrance; fragrance-free request; large-print agendas available
Agenda (75 minutes total; decisions first) | Time (mins) | Topic | Lead | Purpose (Decision/Discussion/FYI) | Pre-reads/Links | Desired Outcome | |-------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3 | Grounding check-in (mission/equity moment) | Ana | Discussion | — | Shared focus and respect for community impact | | 12 | Mini-grant: submit by Friday? | Marisol + Ana | Decision | San Miguel County Fresh Food Access RFP: https://sanmiguelcounty.gov/grants/fresh-food-access-rfp.pdf | Clear yes/no; if yes, assign writer, budget source, signatory, and timeline | | 18 | Weekly distribution plan and delivery gaps | Devin + Luis + Mateo | Decision/Discussion | Weekly Schedule Draft: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/rvfs-week-2025-03-18 | Final routes, quantities, cold-chain plan; assign fixes for any gaps | | 10 | Volunteer coverage and safety for the week | Carla | Decision/Discussion | Volunteer Roster & Shifts: https://drive.google.com/file/d/rvfs-vol-roster | All shifts filled or contingency set; safety lead and briefing plan confirmed | | 15 | Budget snapshot + risks/blocks/resource needs | Ana | Discussion/Decision | Feb Budget-to-Actuals: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/rvfs-b2a-feb2025 | Agree on spends (fuel/ice), flag constraints, decide mitigations or escalations | | 15 | Partners/donations/pickups + comms needed (updates capped) | Devin | FYI/Discussion | Weekly Schedule Draft (same as above) | Confirm pickups/deliveries; list who to inform (volunteers/partners/board/funders)| | 2 | Closing: next steps + appreciation | Ana | Discussion | — | Owners and due dates repeated; gratitude shared |
Pre-work (Due by Mon, 2025-03-17, 5:00 PM MT) 1) Weekly Distribution Schedule Draft — https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/rvfs-week-2025-03-18 2) San Miguel County Fresh Food Access Mini-Grant RFP — https://sanmiguelcounty.gov/grants/fresh-food-access-rfp.pdf 3) Feb Budget-to-Actuals — https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/rvfs-b2a-feb2025 4) Volunteer Roster & Shifts — https://drive.google.com/file/d/rvfs-vol-roster Note: Limit live updates to 10–15 minutes total.
Parking Lot (off-topic items) - Item / Owner / Follow-up plan and date - Example: Food safety signage refresh — Owner: Mateo — Plan: Draft options and bring next week
Decisions Made - Grant submission: [Yes/No]. If yes: signer, amount, match source, internal deadline. - Route changes approved: [List]. - Spend approvals: [List caps or exceptions].
Action Items - Action / Owner / Due Date / First next step - Example: Draft grant narrative sections 1–3 — Ana — Thu 3/20 — Outline key outcomes and budget notes
Comms Out (who must be informed) - Board (e.g., Grants Committee): [What, by whom, by when] - Funders: [What, by whom, by when] - Volunteers: [Shift or safety changes; owner; send date] - Partners/Donors: [Pickup/delivery confirmations; owner; send date]
Distribution instructions (send this agenda 2–3 days in advance) - Email the agenda and attach all pre-reads. Use file name: RioVerdeFoodShare_Weekly Operations Huddle_Agenda_2025-03-18. - Keep decisions early; adjust timeboxes but do not exceed 75 minutes total. - During the meeting, record Decisions, Action Items, and Parking Lot in real time; confirm owners and dates before closing.
Agenda email blurb (copy/paste) Team, here’s Tuesday’s Weekly Operations Huddle (75 min). We’ll decide on the Fresh Food Access mini-grant, finalize the distribution plan and routes, confirm volunteer coverage, and review budget risks. Please complete the pre-work by Mon, 3/17, 5:00 PM MT so we can keep updates to 10–15 minutes. Join in person at the Community Center or via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/9843217650. Accessibility: Spanish/English interpretation, Zoom captions, step-free entrance, large-print agendas.
Prepared by: Ana Morales, Operations Coordinator Reviewed by: Marisol Trujillo, Executive Director
AI Evaluation Details (Score: 9/10)
This is an exceptionally well-crafted nonprofit meeting agenda that demonstrates deep understanding of small-team operational realities. The warm, accessible tone is pitch-perfect for a rural community organization, and the concrete examples (route planning, volunteer coverage, grant deadlines) feel authentic. Minor deductions only for slight template rigidity in some sections.
- • Excellent tone calibration—warm, respectful, and culturally appropriate with Spanish/English interpretation and fragrance-free requests that reflect real community needs
- • Highly practical structure with decisions prioritized first (mini-grant, distribution gaps) before updates, respecting the 75-minute constraint
- • Concrete, actionable agenda items with realistic timeboxes (12 min for grant decision, 18 min for distribution planning) that avoid vague 'updates'
- • Outstanding accessibility considerations that go beyond boilerplate (step-free entrance, large-print, auto-captions)
- • Smart pre-work system with specific due date (Mon 5PM MT) and realistic links that would actually help attendees prepare
- • The email blurb is genuinely useful—concise, informative, and ready to copy-paste
- • Parking Lot with owner/follow-up structure prevents scope creep while capturing ideas
- • Comms Out section addresses a critical nonprofit pain point (who needs to know what) that's often forgotten
- • The 'Example:' entries in Parking Lot and Action Items sections could be removed in final template to avoid confusion about whether they're real or placeholder
- • Grounding check-in could benefit from one concrete example prompt (e.g., 'Share one family or elder we're serving this week') to make it less abstract
- • Minor: The table formatting may not render perfectly in all email clients—could note 'view in Google Docs for best formatting' in distribution instructions
Mid-Size Professional Org
Urban arts education nonprofit in Chicago delivering in-school residencies; funded by corporate sponsors, city arts agency, and individual donors.
View scenario details
Program Operations Weekly Review — Purpose By the end of this meeting we will finalize spring residency schedules, prioritize supply orders within budget, and decide whether to pursue the Illinois Arts Council Project Grant this cycle.
Header - Date/Time/Zone: Thursday, April 10, 2025, America/Chicago - Duration: 60 minutes - Location: Metro Arts Lab HQ, 214 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654 - Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/7712230098 - Title: Program Operations Weekly Review - Facilitator: Jordan Lee (Director of Operations) - Notetaker: Priya Patel (Program Coordinator) - Attendees (requested): Elena Sosa (Executive Director); Jordan Lee (Director of Operations); Marcus Hill (Artistic Director); Priya Patel (Program Coordinator); Dana Ortiz (Finance Manager); Tasha Kim (Development Manager); Andre Walker (Teaching Artist Rep) - Accessibility & Inclusion: Live captions enabled; gender-inclusive restrooms; quiet room available; nut-free snacks; materials shared in 12pt and large-print on request
Pre-work (due by Wed, 2025-04-09, 3:00 PM CT) - Spring Residency Grid: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/mal-residency-grid-spring2025 - CPS Vendor Renewal Terms: https://drive.google.com/file/d/mal-cps-vendor-terms - Supply Order Prioritization List: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/mal-supplies-q2 - Weekly Ops Dashboard: https://datastudio.google.com/reporting/mal-ops-dashboard - IAC Project Grant brief and guidelines: attached to agenda Note: Limit live updates to 10–15 minutes total; bring proposed decisions in writing.
Agenda (60 minutes total; decisions first) | Time (mins) | Topic | Lead | Purpose | Pre-reads/Links | Desired Outcome | |-------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|--------|--------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3 | Grounding check-in: mission/values moment | Elena | Discussion | — | Shared focus; name one way today’s decisions support equitable arts access | | 12 | IAC Project Grant: go/no-go by Friday | Tasha | Decision | IAC brief (attached) | Decide whether to submit the Illinois Arts Council Project Grant by Friday | | 18 | Finalize Spring Residency schedules (CPS + partners) | Priya | Decision | Spring Residency Grid | Approve final site-by-site schedule; confirm teacher assignments and start dates | | 12 | Prioritize Q2 supply orders within $7,500 cap | Dana | Decision | Supply Order List; Ops Dashboard (budget) | Agree on purchase list by priority tiers; assign buyer and order dates | | 6 | CPS Vendor renewal: confirm path | Dana | Decision | CPS Vendor Renewal Terms | Approve renewal as-is or authorize legal review; set owner and deadline | | 7 | Ops Dashboard spotlight + risks (attendance, cash flow) | Jordan | FYI/Discussion| Weekly Ops Dashboard | Align on top 2 risks; assign mitigation owners; add non-urgent topics to Parking Lot | | 2 | Closing: next steps + appreciation | Jordan | Next steps | — | Confirm owners/dates; one appreciation shared |
Decisions Made - 1) - 2) - 3)
Action Items - Item | Owner | Due Date | First Next Step
Comms Out (who needs to be informed) - Board: - Funders (incl. IAC if applicable): - Volunteers: - Partners/schools:
Risks/Blocks/Resource Needs - Risk/Block | Owner | Support/Resource Needed | Target Resolve Date
Parking Lot (off-topic or future items) - Item | Owner | Follow-up Plan | Due
Distribution instructions (for the organizer) - Send agenda and attachments 2–3 days in advance; recommended send-by: Tue, 2025-04-08, 10:00 AM CT. - Attach all pre-reads and clearly mark any decision proposals. Keep live update sections short; use links for detail. - Use file name: “MetroArtsLab_Program Operations Weekly Review_Agenda_2025-04-10”. - In the meeting: timebox firmly, capture decisions/action items live, and confirm “Comms Out” before closing.
Agenda email blurb (60–90 words) Subject: Thurs 4/10 Program Ops Review — spring residencies, supplies, IAC grant Hi team—Thursday’s 60‑minute Program Ops Review will focus on three decisions: finalize Spring residency schedules, prioritize Q2 supply orders within budget, and go/no‑go on the IAC Project Grant by Friday. Please complete pre-work by Wed 3:00 PM CT (links in agenda). Join at MAL HQ or via Zoom; live captions enabled. We’ll keep updates brief and leave with clear owners and dates. Thank you for coming prepared so we can move quickly.
Prepared by: Jordan Lee, Director of Operations Reviewed by: Elena Sosa, Executive Director
AI Evaluation Details (Score: 8.8/10)
This is an exceptionally well-executed nonprofit meeting agenda that demonstrates deep understanding of organizational operations. It balances professionalism with warmth, includes all required components with realistic detail, and would be immediately usable by a mid-size nonprofit. Minor deductions only for slight template-like feel in some sections.
- • Excellent adherence to all prompt requirements including header block, time-boxed agenda table, parking lot, decisions/actions/comms sections, and distribution instructions
- • Realistic, concrete agenda items with specific outcomes (e.g., '$7,500 cap', 'go/no-go by Friday') that reflect authentic nonprofit operations challenges
- • Strong warm tone throughout—professional but accessible, with inclusive language and practical accessibility notes
- • Smart prioritization putting three decision items first (18+12+12 mins = 42 mins of 60) before FYI updates, respecting small-team capacity
- • Practical pre-work structure with realistic links, clear deadlines, and explicit instruction to 'bring proposed decisions in writing'
- • Excellent email blurb that's concise, action-oriented, and emphasizes preparation to respect meeting time
- • Thoughtful grounding check-in tied to mission ('equitable arts access') rather than generic wellness prompt
- • Distribution instructions are actionable and include specific send-by recommendation with timezone
- • The 'Decisions Made' and subsequent sections are left as blank templates rather than showing example entries, which slightly reduces immediate usability for first-time users
- • The 'IAC brief and guidelines: attached to agenda' in pre-work list introduces a fifth document not mentioned in the original PRE-READS variable, creating minor inconsistency
- • Could benefit from one concrete example in the Parking Lot or Action Items section to model the level of specificity expected
Large Established Org
Statewide immigrant and refugee services organization based in Newark, providing legal aid and case management; funded by federal contracts, major foundations, and hospital partners.
View scenario details
Purpose By the end of this meeting we will review Q2 operational KPIs, resolve compliance gaps ahead of site visits, and confirm go/no-go on the ORR Refugee Support Services Grant renewal strategy.
Header - Date/Time/Zone: Thursday, May 22, 2025, 9:00–10:35 AM, America/New_York (95 minutes) - Location: ARIS Main Office Board Room, 125 Broad St, Newark, NJ 07102 - Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/5522104488 - Facilitator: Samuel Okoro, Chief Operating Officer - Note-taker: Linda Nguyen, Compliance Analyst - Attendees: Nadia Rahman (Executive Director); Samuel Okoro (COO); Carla Romano (Finance Director); Hector Alvarez (Programs Director); Mei Chen (Grants Manager); Aisha Williams (HR Director); Victor Torres (IT Manager); Rina Das (Quality & Compliance Manager) - Accessibility & hospitality: CART captions; ASL interpreter available upon request (48 hours’ notice); step-free access via elevator; halal/vegetarian options
Pre-work (Due by Tue, 2025-05-20, 12:00 PM ET; limit live updates to 10–15 minutes total) 1) Q2 KPI Dashboard — https://tableau.aris.org/views/q2-ops-kpis 2) ORR RSS Compliance Checklist — https://drive.google.com/file/d/aris-orr-rss-checklist 3) Audit Prep Timeline & Owners — https://docs.google.com/document/d/aris-audit-prep-q2 4) Client Satisfaction Summary (Jan–Apr) — https://drive.google.com/file/d/aris-client-survey-q2
Usage and distribution notes (keep this section when reusing) - Send this agenda 2–3 days in advance with all pre-reads attached/linked. Use file name: “ARIS_Quarterly Operations & Compliance Review_Agenda_2025-05-22.” - Decisions go first; move off-topic items to Parking Lot. Time-box tightly and name an owner for each outcome. - Keep live updates to 10–15 minutes and focus on what’s changed, what’s off-track, and what decision/support is needed. - End with clear owners, due dates, and “Comms Out” so the board, funders, volunteers, and partners hear consistent messages. - If we cannot finish an item, capture the next concrete step and who will drive it offline.
Agenda (95 minutes total; includes a 5-minute break) | Time (mins) | Topic | Lead | Purpose | Pre-reads/Links | Desired Outcome | |-------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 3 | Grounding check-in (mission/equity moment) | Samuel Okoro | Discussion | — | Shared focus anchored in client impact and equity commitments | | 32 | Decision block: ORR go/no-go; approve ORR corrective actions; authorize short-term staffing/OT to meet targets | Nadia Rahman; Samuel Okoro; Carla Romano | Decision | ORR RSS Checklist; Audit Prep Timeline | 1) Go/no-go on ORR RSS submission by Fri; 2) Approved corrective action plan with owners/dates; 3) Resource shifts authorized | | 12 | Pre-read highlights: Q2 KPI outliers + Client Satisfaction insights | Hector Alvarez; Rina Das; Mei Chen | Discussion | KPI Dashboard; Client Satisfaction Summary | Top 2–3 focus areas confirmed; any needed drill-downs assigned offline | | 5 | Break | — | — | — | Quick reset | | 31 | Site-visit readiness tabletop (run-of-show, doc room, mock Q&A, comms) | Rina Das; Linda Nguyen | Discussion/Decision | Audit Prep Timeline | Agreed day-of roles, document checklist, mock Q&A assignments; finalize internal/external comms plan | | 10 | Risks/Blocks/Resource Needs | All | Discussion | — | Top risks logged with owners and mitigations; confirm any budget/IT/HR needs | | 2 | Close: next steps + appreciation | Samuel Okoro | FYI/Decision | — | Owners and due dates confirmed; “Comms Out” list agreed |
Parking Lot (off-topic or time-limited items) - Item / Owner / Follow-up Plan - Example: “Intake form revision” / Rina / Draft change and consult legal by 5/29
Decisions Made (capture verbatim) - Example: Proceed with ORR RSS submission by Fri 5/23; Carla to confirm budget adjustments same day
Action Items - Item / Owner / Due Date / First Next Step - Example: Site-visit doc room setup / Linda / 5/28 / Send checklist to program leads by 5/23 - Example: Hire 0.5 FTE temp case aide / Aisha / 6/7 / Share short-term JD to recruiter by 5/23
Risks/Blocks/Resource Needs - Example: Interpretation vendor capacity at peak times; Owner: Hector; Mitigation: add backup vendor by 5/30 - Example: Data privacy training overdue for 3 new staff; Owner: Victor; Mitigation: schedule make-up session 5/27
Comms Out (who needs to be informed and by whom) - Board: 3-bullet progress note on compliance readiness (Nadia) - Funders (ORR/state): confirmation of site-visit readiness points (Rina) - Volunteers: adjusted clinic schedule for week of visits (Hector/Aisha) - Partners: referral pause window and who to contact (Mei)
Email blurb (for sending the agenda) Subject: Thurs 5/22 – ARIS Quarterly Ops & Compliance Review (95 min) Hi team, please review the attached agenda and pre-reads before Thursday’s 9:00 AM ET meeting. We’ll make three key decisions (ORR go/no-go, corrective actions, and short-term staffing), align on Q2 KPI priorities, and finalize site-visit readiness and comms. Pre-reads are linked for quick review; keep live updates brief. Accessibility details are below. Thanks for arriving prepared so we can leave with clear owners and deadlines.
Prepared by: Samuel Okoro, Chief Operating Officer Reviewed by: Nadia Rahman, Executive Director
AI Evaluation Details (Score: 8.8/10)
This is an exceptionally well-crafted agenda that demonstrates deep understanding of nonprofit operations, particularly in the compliance-heavy refugee services sector. It balances formality with practicality, includes all required elements with realistic detail, and would be immediately usable by the target organization. Minor weaknesses in authenticity relate to slightly mechanical phrasing in a few sections.
- • Excellent sector-specific realism: ORR compliance, site-visit prep, CART captions, halal/vegetarian options, and interpretation vendor capacity issues are all authentic to refugee services organizations
- • Outstanding decision prioritization: places three critical decisions (go/no-go, corrective actions, staffing authorization) in a 32-minute block at the top, exactly as the prompt requires
- • Highly practical action items with concrete first steps: 'Share short-term JD to recruiter by 5/23' and 'Send checklist to program leads by 5/23' are realistic and actionable
- • Strong compliance with formal tone throughout: professional language, proper titles, structured format appropriate for executive-level operations review
- • Comprehensive 'Comms Out' section that demonstrates understanding of stakeholder management across board, funders, volunteers, and partners
- • Realistic time-boxing: 32 minutes for decision block, 31 for site-visit tabletop reflects actual complexity of these discussions
- • Excellent pre-work structure with specific due date/time and realistic document types (Tableau dashboard, compliance checklist, client satisfaction summary)
- • The 'Usage and distribution notes' section, while helpful, reads slightly more like template instructions than organic organizational guidance—could be condensed or integrated more naturally
- • Email blurb is functional but somewhat generic in voice; could benefit from one organization-specific detail or warmer closing to feel less AI-generated
- • The grounding check-in outcome ('Shared focus anchored in client impact and equity commitments') uses slightly stilted language that sounds more like a rubric than how staff would actually describe this moment
Test Summary: Generated Nov 2, 2025 • 3 scenarios • 9 total outputs • Average quality score: 8.93/10 • Total validation cost: $0.3461