Navigating Nonprofit Boards
If the Chair keeps the board moving, the Secretary is the one who keeps the board organized. Every board needs someone who pays attention to the details—what was decided, what needs follow-up, what documents matter, and where everything lives. That’s the Secretary.
Their most visible job is taking minutes. This doesn’t mean writing down everything everyone says; it means capturing the important parts: what was discussed, what decisions were made, and what actions people agreed to take. Good minutes help the board remember what actually happened—especially when everyone’s memory gets fuzzy a month later.
But the Secretary’s role is bigger than note-taking. They help prepare agendas with the Chair, make sure people get meeting materials on time, and double-check that the board is following its own rules and bylaws. They’re the keeper of the organization’s records: bylaws, policies, past minutes, signed resolutions, annual reports, membership lists—basically all the paperwork that gives the organization structure and continuity.
In many groups, the Secretary is also the person who handles official correspondence—sending notices of meetings, filing required documents, or keeping track of who needs to sign what. They make sure decisions are documented properly so the organization stays accountable and legally sound.
A good Secretary makes the board feel grounded. When questions come up—“Didn’t we vote on that already?” “Where’s that policy?” “Who was supposed to follow up?”—the Secretary is usually the one who has the answer. It’s a quiet role, but an essential one. Without someone keeping the records straight and the process organized, it’s easy for a board to lose track of itself.
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