What's included in the evaluation form template
The template is built around four sections:
- A set of rating scales for each governance area (board composition, meeting effectiveness, strategic oversight and stakeholder engagement), so directors can score anonymously rather than debate live in the room and help measure each area consistently.
- A defined review period, so results can be compared meeting-to-meeting or year-to-year.
- A core values section, prompting directors to reflect on culture and conduct, not just process.
- An additional comments field, so nuance that doesn't fit a rating scale still gets captured, with prompts for strengths and areas for improvement.
This structure mirrors what AICD recommends for board performance evaluations: a framework that goes beyond box-ticking, covering board composition, boardroom dynamics and the quality of strategic and risk discussions.
Who should use this template
This template works for:
- Commercial boards preparing for a formal review cycle, including those needing to disclose evaluation activity under ASX governance recommendations.
- Not-for-profit and charity boards wanting a lightweight, low-cost way to check in on governance health without engaging an external consultant every year.
- School and education boards balancing volunteer directors' time against genuine governance rigour, with a structured assessment tool for board performance.
Evaluation forms are used to assess performance across workplaces, schools, and events, but this template is tailored to the board governance context.
If your board already runs its meetings, agendas and board packs through a system, the evaluation slots neatly alongside your existing decision register and annual work plan as a working document, so findings turn into tracked actions rather than a one-off PDF.
Why board evaluations matter in the evaluation framework
A board of directors that never reviews its own performance has no structured way to know whether its governance is actually working. Regular evaluation gives a board evidence and data, not assumptions, about where meetings run well, where decisions stall, and where directors need better information to do their job. Boards also get stronger analysis when they collect both rating responses and qualitative comments, backed by a specific example where needed.
Done properly, an evaluation also protects the organisation. This mix of inputs improves reliability by producing more consistency in results over time. It gives the board a documented, defensible record that it takes governance seriously, which matters to funders, regulators and members alike. See why organisations choose BoardPro to support this kind of governance discipline day to day.
What BoardPro customers say
"We use BoardPro for all our meetings and not only is it easy for us, it's proven to be easy to navigate with our not so tech savvy members as well! It's organised, it looks amazing when auditors need to confirm our minutes, and it's just that useful. All around amazing!"
- Ericka P., Secretary, Small Business
"This is an excellent board tool. Mobility, no paper, ease of navigation, brilliant note options. The ability to quickly find previous papers and minutes is also very helpful for accountability."
- Paul M., Chairman, Mid-Market
"BoardPro has proven itself indispensable. The structured approach makes it easy to compile agendas and board packs and then use this same structure for creating well-organised minutes."
- Virginia C., Board Secretary, Mid-Market
FAQs
How to create an evaluation template? Start by deciding what you're measuring - board composition, meeting effectiveness, strategic oversight and culture are the four areas most governance frameworks cover. Build in a rating scale, clear criteria so directors know what each rating means, a defined review period, and space for open comments in the evaluation form, then test it with one or two directors before sending it to the full board.
What are the 5 steps of evaluation? Set the scope, distribute the template, collect responses confidentially, discuss the findings as a board, and agree an action plan with owners and dates. The cycle then repeats at the next review period.
What are the 6 components of evaluation? A thorough board evaluation typically covers board composition, meeting effectiveness, strategic oversight, governance practice, stakeholder engagement and culture. Not every board needs to score all six every year - some rotate focus areas across cycles.
How often should a board be evaluated? Governance Institute of Australia guidance suggests a formal external review every three years, with lighter internal reviews in between. Many not-for-profit and school boards run a simplified internal check-in annually.
What's the difference between a board evaluation and a performance review? A performance review assesses an individual's contribution. A board evaluation looks at how the whole board of directors functions together, including meeting quality, decision-making and governance discipline. Feedback forms are broader and less structured than evaluation forms. Used consistently, board evaluations also support continuous improvement over time.
Is this template suitable for NFP and school boards? Yes. The template is built to work for commercial, not-for-profit and education boards, and can be scaled up or down depending on how much governance infrastructure your organisation already has. It can also be tailored to suit unique requirements.
Download your free board evaluation template
Get instant access to the free board evaluation template below, with a step by step guide included. Once your board has run its first review, explore more resources in the resource centre, or start a free trial to see how a decision register and annual work plan can turn evaluation findings into actionable insights and tracked, accountable action.
BoardPro is governance software built for SME, not-for-profit and education boards across Australia, New Zealand and the UK - see the full company profile on Crunchbase.
