Template · Governance
New board member orientation checklist
What a new board member receives and does in the first 90 days: key documents, a buddy, the first meeting and a check-in, all on one page.
The Word file opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice. Reviewed October 21, 2026.
New board members often sit quietly for months because nobody explained how things work. A short, planned orientation fixes that. This checklist covers what a new member should receive, who they should meet and what they should do in their first 90 days.
The board chair or secretary usually runs it. Fill in the names and dates, give a copy to the new member, and keep one in the board binder.
Two items link to your tax return. If you file the full Form 990, Part VI asks whether you have a written conflict of interest policy and whether officers and directors must disclose interests every year. Federal tax law generally doesn't require these policies, but the IRS says they improve compliance, so the new member's signed disclosure belongs in your records from day one. Form 990 also asks whether a complete copy of the final return went to every voting board member before it was filed, so new members should know where to find the latest one.
How to adapt it
- Cut what you don't have yet. A brand-new charity may have no Form 990 or audit. Say so, rather than leaving the item blank.
- Send documents as one link, to a shared folder, not twenty email attachments.
- Pick a buddy who likes explaining things, not just the longest-serving member.
- Give a real first task within the first 90 days that uses the member's skills.
- For background reading, point new members to what a charity board does and running a good board meeting.
Preview
New board member orientation: [NEW MEMBER NAME]
Organization: [ORGANIZATION NAME]
Elected on: [DATE] Term ends: [DATE]
Orientation led by: [CHAIR OR SECRETARY NAME]
Board buddy: [BUDDY NAME]
Before the first meeting: documents to receive
First 30 days: meet and sign
First meeting
Days 30 to 90: get involved
Day 90 check-in
Completed: [CHAIR NAME] Date: [DATE]
General information. Not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change and every situation is different, so check the official sources and talk to a qualified professional before you act. More about this.
Keep going
- TemplateBylaws for a small nonprofitStarter bylaws for a small US public charity with a volunteer board and no members. Edit the blanks, then have a lawyer in your state review them.
- GuideGolden Hint, volunteering, pro bono and barter: what's the difference?For boards deciding whether to join: how trading skills on the Golden Hint Exchange compares with volunteering, pro bono help, barter and paid consulting.
- Founder pathwayForming your charity legallyChoose a name, incorporate in your state, adopt bylaws, get a free EIN and apply to the IRS for 501(c)(3) status on Form 1023 or 1023-EZ.
- Founder toolBoard recruitment plannerSee which skills your board has, which it's missing, and where to find them.
Sources
Checked on October 21, 2026. Rules and fees change, so follow the links for the current version.
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