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Ellen Glasgow
General Manager, Mission Driven Organizations

Why board development matters now, easy digital voting and more

March 10, 2025
0 min read
Diligent Minute Latest insights and news for mission-driven boards

Why board development matters now

Upskilling your board members isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s essential for driving better governance, stronger community relations and improved outcomes.

Regular training and development programs provide board members with the tools and insights necessary to navigate complex legislative changes, manage community relations and uphold effective governance. And equips them to make informed decisions that shape the future of our schools and communities. Learn more about best practices for training for board members.

Our primers for trustees are designed to help your board members stay focused and manage challenges like limited time, compliance and cybersecurity. They include strategies for better preparation for meetings, communication and positive dialogue.

Download the primer today to help you improve your efficiency and boost your impact.

I’d love the school board member primer

I’d love the local government council member primer

Learn from Sun Prairie School District

From our recent webinar on board alignment, "Getting your school board on the same page", the Sun Prairie School District governance team shared insights from their experience as well as practical tips for keeping your board strategically aligned.

Customized digital voting to reflect your board

Streamline your board or council decisions with digital voting aligned with state rules and board policies. Improve accuracy and efficiency with real-time vote recording and adoption of signed minutes documents.

Administrators can also customize language, motion outcomes and responses, all with professional workflows for good governance.

How Resolute Bay has boosted community involvement and stakeholder trust

The Municipality of Resolute Bay in northern Canada faced the challenge of modernizing its local government operations. With the recent introduction of internet access, the community prioritized digitizing workflows, improving citizen engagement and ensuring meeting minutes were available in the local language.

Adopting Diligent Community has already delivered measurable improvements for the municipality, including smoother administrative processes and increased community participation through a transparent public website.

“With this new application, it has solved many problems for us; the [meeting preparation] process now runs much smoother and organizing a meeting is a pleasure now.” — Ian Dudla, Chief Administration Officer for the Municipality of Resolute Bay

Read more about this customer's success story.

News & Events

Webinar May 20, 2025 1PM EST

Join us for our next webinar on the topic of board development in public education. Our expert panel will explore the critical skills and strategies needed to future-proof your school board. Register here.

Other events

Connect with us in person! We’ll be at these upcoming events and look forward to seeing you.

  • Community College League of California Annual Trustees Conference May 9–11, 2025 in Lake Tahoe, CA
  • IIMC Annual Conference May 18-21, 2025, St Louis, MO
  • More events for public-facing board members to attend this year can be found here.

Coming next month

Teacher Appreciation Week runs May 5–9, 2025. Here are four ideas for school boards to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week and show their gratitude to educators in their district:

1. District-wide email campaign

Arrange to send out personalized emails from the school board to all teachers, expressing gratitude and highlighting their contributions. This can be done centrally and ensures every teacher receives recognition.

2. Virtual workshops

Organize a virtual workshop or webinars that can be accessed by teachers across the district. For example, it could focus on teacher wellness or an area of professional development.

3. District newsletter feature

Include a special section in the district's newsletter dedicated to Teacher Appreciation Week. Feature stories and quotes from administrators and school board members about the impact of teachers.

4. Virtual appreciation assembly

Host a virtual assembly where district administrators and school board members can express their gratitude. This can be streamed, ensuring all teachers across the district can enjoy a moment of thanks.

These ideas can help make Teacher Appreciation Week special and memorable for the educators who make a difference every day.

International Municipal Clerks Week and Global Accessibility Awareness Day also take place during May, more seasonal events for your calendar here.

Celebrating our Community Champions

Congratulations to Michelle Dawson, Clerk to the Board of Trustees, GoTriangle! Michelle is being recognized this month as one of our Community Champions.

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Meet our Champion

Do you know someone making a difference? Nominate them today to recognize their incredible impact!

People of Purpose

Every month, we highlight an employee who works to improve your experience, help you reach your goals and make an impact in communities around the world. This month, meet Meghan Broddy, Customer Success Manager at Diligent looking after iCompass and Diligent Community customers. Find out how she spends her time inside and outside the office!

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What’s trending

Our pick of the newest and most popular items on our blog this month.

Give your feedback and win!

We love to hear what leaders think about issues and key topics that affect mission-driven organizations. Please take a moment to fill out our latest quick survey on the topic of keeping updated on regulations for meetings for the chance to win a $50 gift card!

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