Governance Documentation: Articles, Bylaws, and Policies

All boards (even the most organized, responsible, and congenial ones) need to document their activities, internal rules, and processes. Some of the documentation is legally required; some is simply helpful to have. Some documents are public; some must be kept confidential. Some serve as guidelines for decisions; some are part of the record keeping. For a board that takes its fiduciary role seriously — and they all should — written rules and documentation of activities are simply part of ongoing, everyday risk management.