Board of Directors Orientation Toolkit

The Board of Directors Orientation Toolkit shares the key elements of an orientation for new members of your association’s board of directors. With this toolkit, you can customize an orientation program that’s right for your board of directors and your association’s governance model.

These elements were collected by the Association Executives Committee’s Board Orientation Work Group, which developed this toolkit, and include sample materials for association executives (AEs) to conduct live or online orientations for new board members.

Within each section are various elements from which you can pick and choose to customize your orientation program. Some elements in each section will be “non-negotiable” items. These “non-negotiables” should be incorporated into your orientation to avoid liability against your association.

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Customize Your Orientation Presentation

The pinnacle of this toolkit, this PowerPoint presentation walks your new directors through their roles. Download the template, customize it to fit your Association's needs, and take the guesswork out of what you should/shouldn’t include in your orientation.

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Please note, as you work your way through this toolkit and begin to craft your board of directors orientation, ensure that it complies with your state laws. This is imperative as laws differ from state to state and you may inadvertently expose your association to undue liability.

To summarize, volunteer leaders provide strategic direction and objective advice that is crucial to an association’s long-term success. This toolkit provides the foundation for your directors to take their first steps in the right direction.