Purpose
A concise statement describing the board's role relative to management, its core responsibilities, and governance objectives for the organization.
A clear Board Governance Charter reduces ambiguity about roles and limits, supports compliance with fiduciary duties, and creates a single reference for governance practices. It helps regulators, auditors, and stakeholders understand authority lines and demonstrates an organized governance framework that supports risk management and continuity.
Typical users include corporate boards, nonprofit boards, general counsel, governance committees, and corporate secretaries responsible for maintaining governance records.
The charter is a living document used at onboarding, annual governance reviews, committee charters updates, and whenever roles or statutory requirements change.
The Board Chair typically leads adoption and may sign on behalf of the board after a formal vote; the chair ensures the charter reflects board-approved responsibilities and meeting protocols.
The Corporate Secretary records adoption in the minutes and retains the executed charter as an official record; the secretary usually files or distributes copies per corporate recordkeeping practices.
A concise statement describing the board's role relative to management, its core responsibilities, and governance objectives for the organization.
Rules on board size, director qualifications, independence standards, nomination processes, and term lengths to guide appointments and succession planning.
Committee structure, charters, delegation of authority, membership criteria, and reporting obligations for audit, compensation, and governance committees.
Frequency, quorum requirements, notice and agenda procedures, remote participation rules, and recordkeeping expectations for minutes and resolutions.
Limits on executive powers, transaction approval thresholds, and the process for delegating authority to management or specific committees.
Conflict-of-interest disclosure procedures, related-party transaction review, confidentiality obligations, and whistleblower handling protocols.
Choose a platform that supports secure eSignature, audit trails, and the integrations your back-office systems require.
Ensure the chosen provider meets legal requirements (ESIGN, UETA) and any sector-specific needs; retain a complete audit trail and export signed copies to your recordkeeping system.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Signer Order | Chair then Corporate Secretary then Board Members |
| Authentication Method | Email link with optional SMS code |
| Template Retention | Save as governed template in document library |
| Audit Trail | Enable IP, timestamp, and action logging |
MM/DD/YYYY - activates the charter terms
At least once per fiscal year to adjust governance practices
Set annual meeting dates and notice windows
Comply with any periodic report due dates per state
Record amendments immediately and update records
Legal and governance teams prepare the draft for consideration.
Directors discuss, propose edits, and vote on adoption.
Signed charter and minutes entered into official records.
Provide approved charter to officers, committees, and auditors.
A family-owned company formalized director roles to reduce decision disputes
A midsize nonprofit added conflict-of-interest rules for grant decisions
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $14/user/mo | $19/user/mo | $15/user/mo |
| Free Trial | 7-day free trial | Varies by plan | Varies by plan | Varies by plan | Varies by plan |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Envelope Cap | No cap | 100 envelopes/user/year | Varies | Varies | Varies |