AGM Planning Checklist

Who this is for

The annual general meeting, one stage at a time. The checklist runs from booking the room and sending the notice, through gathering reports and nominations, to counting the quorum on the night and circulating the minutes, so the secretary can see at a glance what is done and what is still waiting.

Secretaries of clubs, societies, small charities and community groups organising an AGM, and committee members sharing out the jobs.

What this helps you track

• The date, venue, chair and secretary for this year's meeting
• Notice, agenda, reports and nominations prepared in good time
• Attendance, quorum and voting arrangements for the day
• Minutes, officer changes and any filings after the meeting
• Who on the committee is doing each job

How to use it

1. Write the organisation, AGM date, venue, secretary and chair at the top.
2. Check your constitution for notice periods, quorum and voting rules, and write your own dates against the tasks that depend on them.
3. Tick each item as it is done, crossing out any that do not apply to your group.
4. Agree who is doing each job at a committee meeting and write their initials beside the item.
5. Take the sheet to the meeting and finish the after section in the weeks that follow.
6. The browser version saves in your own browser and lets you add your own items.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How much notice do we have to give for an AGM?

That is set by your own constitution or rules, and sometimes by the rules for your type of organisation where you are. The checklist has no notice period in it; check your governing document and write the date on the sheet.

What counts as a quorum?

Your constitution sets the number or proportion of members who must be present. Write it down before the day and count attendance against it when the meeting opens, recording the number in the minutes.

Do we need to send anything to a regulator afterwards?

It depends on how your group is set up and where it is. Some bodies must report officer changes or file accounts; many small clubs have nothing to file. Check the rules that apply to you and note any filing on the sheet.

Can we use this for a special general meeting?

Yes. Most of the stages are the same. Cross out the annual reports and elections if they are not on the agenda and add the motion being considered.