OnBoard AI for Nonprofits: AI-Powered Board Governance Suite
Your board secretary spends hours after every meeting transcribing notes and formatting minutes. Board members ask "Where's the agenda?" days before meetings. Your governance team needs quick answers about bylaws and board policies but doesn't have time to dig through years of documents. OnBoard AI solves these challenges with an integrated suite of AI-powered governance tools—Agenda AI creates strategic meeting agendas from prompts, Minutes AI automatically transcribes and formats meeting minutes, and Assist AI acts as your board's confidential assistant, instantly answering questions using your board's materials past and present.
What It Does
Board meetings shouldn't feel like an administrative burden. Yet many nonprofit boards struggle with scattered documents, hours of post-meeting transcription, and board members who can't quickly find the information they need to make informed decisions. OnBoard addresses these governance pain points with a comprehensive board management platform enhanced by three purpose-built AI tools.
OnBoard is board management software trusted by over 6,000 organizations worldwide. At its core, it centralizes all board activities—meeting management, document storage, agenda building, voting, e-signatures, surveys, and communications—into one secure, organized platform. Board members access everything they need in one place: agendas, board packets, past meeting minutes, committee documents, policies, and action items. No more searching email threads or multiple cloud storage folders.
What distinguishes OnBoard is its fully integrated AI-powered governance suite, OnBoard AI, built exclusively for boards of directors. Agenda AI uses natural language prompts to create strategic, best-practice meeting agendas by referencing relevant files, past agendas, and governance templates—eliminating the blank page problem. Minutes AI automatically transcribes meeting activities in real-time and transforms transcripts into professionally formatted minutes, while you retain full control over editing and finalization. Assist AI acts as a secure, confidential board assistant, instantly answering questions by searching through your board's materials—bylaws, policies, financials, past decisions—saving hours of manual research.
All three AI tools operate within a closed-loop system where no data ever leaves your board's dedicated OnBoard instance or is used for AI model training. This privacy-by-design approach ensures confidential board materials remain secure while leveraging AI to cut through complexity and help boards focus on strategic outcomes. Think of OnBoard AI as your board's intelligent governance assistant—preparing for meetings, documenting decisions, and surfacing insights without compromising security or adding administrative burden.
Best For
Organization Size
Medium to large nonprofits with active boards and governance requirements (typically 10+ board members). Particularly valuable for organizations with multiple committees, complex governance structures, or boards managing significant assets where comprehensive documentation and compliance are critical.
Best Use Cases
- Healthcare nonprofits, foundations, and membership organizations requiring rigorous governance documentation and HIPAA-aligned security controls
- Boards conducting frequent meetings (monthly or more) where automatic transcription and minute-generation save significant staff time
- Organizations with complex committee structures (audit, finance, governance, program) needing centralized document management and agenda coordination
- Boards requiring instant access to historical materials—past decisions, bylaws, policies—where Assist AI can surface information in seconds instead of hours of searching
- Nonprofits with board members in multiple time zones who need 24/7 access to meeting materials, analytics, and governance insights
- Organizations prioritizing strategic governance over administrative tasks, where AI-powered agenda creation and minutes reduce meeting prep by hours
Who Uses It
- Executive Directors and Board Administrators: Prepare agendas, distribute board packets, manage documentation, and generate minutes in a fraction of the time
- Board Chairs and Committee Chairs: Build strategic agendas with AI assistance, track action items, and facilitate decision-making with integrated voting
- Board Members: Access all meeting materials in one place, review minutes automatically generated by AI, and get instant answers to governance questions via Assist AI
- Board Secretaries: Eliminate hours of manual transcription with Minutes AI and maintain organized records with version control and retention policies
- Compliance Officers: Ensure documentation meets regulatory requirements with SOC 2, ISO-27001/27701, GDPR, and HIPAA-aligned controls
Key Features for Nonprofits
Agenda AI
Strategic meeting agenda creation
Creates strategic, best-practice meeting agendas using natural language prompts. Reference relevant files, past agendas, and governance templates to build comprehensive agendas in minutes instead of hours. Eliminates the blank page problem for board chairs and administrators.
Minutes AI
Automatic meeting transcription and minutes
Automatically transcribes meeting activities in real-time and transforms transcripts into professionally formatted minutes. Retains full user control over formatting, editing, and finalization. Eliminates 2-4 hours of post-meeting manual transcription work.
Assist AI
Secure board assistant for instant answers
Acts as a confidential board assistant that instantly answers prompts and questions using your board's materials—past and present. Search through years of bylaws, policies, meeting minutes, and decisions in seconds instead of hours. Surfaces insights without compromising security.
Privacy-by-Design Security
Closed-loop system with zero data sharing
All OnBoard AI tools operate in a closed-loop system where no data ever leaves your board's dedicated OnBoard instance or is used for AI model training. SOC 2 Type II, ISO-27001/27701, GDPR, and HIPAA compliance with Microsoft Azure encryption.
Centralized Meeting Management
All board activities in one place
Build agendas, distribute board packets, conduct virtual meetings, track action items, manage documents, and facilitate e-voting—all from one platform. Integrates with video conferencing, calendars, and document storage. 24/7 access for board members.
Meeting Analytics & Reporting
Track engagement and governance metrics
Monitor board member engagement, meeting attendance, action item completion, and document access. Skills tracking for board development. Comprehensive analytics help identify governance gaps and improve board effectiveness over time.
Real-World Nonprofit Use Case
Consider a regional health foundation with a 15-member board, three active committees (audit, grants, development), and quarterly board meetings. Before OnBoard AI, the Executive Director and board secretary spent 6-8 hours per meeting cycle on administrative tasks: compiling board packets from multiple sources, manually creating meeting agendas, transcribing 2-hour meetings into formatted minutes, and fielding board member questions about past decisions buried in years of documentation.
After implementing OnBoard AI, the foundation's governance workflow transformed. The board chair uses Agenda AI to draft strategic meeting agendas by typing "Create an agenda for our Q2 board meeting focused on grant portfolio review and strategic planning," then refining the AI-generated outline with relevant documents—saving 2 hours of manual agenda building. During the meeting, Minutes AI automatically transcribes discussions and generates formatted minutes within 30 minutes of the meeting ending, reducing the board secretary's post-meeting workload from 4 hours to 30 minutes of review and finalization.
When board members ask questions between meetings—"What was our decision on the donor privacy policy in 2023?"—the Executive Director uses Assist AI to instantly surface the answer by searching through past meeting minutes and policy documents. Committee chairs build committee agendas using Agenda AI's best-practice templates, and all committee documents live in one organized space accessible 24/7. The foundation's audit committee particularly values the platform's SOC 2 and ISO compliance, which aligns with their fiduciary oversight responsibilities.
The result: The Executive Director saves 15-20 hours per quarter on board administration, allowing more time for fundraising and program oversight. Board members report higher engagement because all materials are accessible and organized, and new board members onboard faster with instant access to historical context. The board chair says, "OnBoard AI turned our governance from a paperwork burden into a strategic advantage."
This scenario illustrates how OnBoard AI helps nonprofits shift from reactive board administration—scrambling to compile materials, transcribe notes, and answer questions—to proactive governance where AI handles routine tasks so humans focus on strategy, oversight, and mission impact.
Pricing
OnBoard offers custom pricing tailored to your organization's size and needs. They serve over 6,000 organizations globally, with 24% of their user base from the nonprofit sector. Pricing factors include number of users (board members, committee members, administrators), storage requirements, and which features you need.
OnBoard AI features (Agenda AI, Minutes AI, Assist AI) are integrated into the platform and included in enterprise plans. User reviews mention that OnBoard offers "reasonable pricing and cost-effective basic features," though some note that "additional features" and "confusing pricing" can be challenging for smaller organizations.
Free Trial: OnBoard offers a free trial so you can test the platform and AI features before committing. Contact their sales team to request a demo and trial access.
Note: Prices may be outdated or inaccurate.
Custom Pricing
- Tailored to organization size and feature needs
- Includes all core board management features: meeting management, document storage, agenda building, e-voting, e-signatures, surveys
- OnBoard AI suite (Agenda AI, Minutes AI, Assist AI) included in enterprise plans
- Microsoft Azure infrastructure with SOC 2, ISO-27001/27701, GDPR, HIPAA compliance
- Training resources, support, and onboarding included
- Free trial available to test platform before purchase
Nonprofit Discount Available
OnBoard offers special nonprofit pricing to make their governance platform accessible to mission-driven organizations.
Special Nonprofit Pricing
Tailored pricing for organizations of all sizes
OnBoard recognizes that nonprofits face unique budget constraints and offers special nonprofit pricing designed to make the platform accessible to small teams doing big work. While specific discount percentages aren't publicly disclosed, OnBoard serves thousands of nonprofit organizations—24% of their user base—with custom pricing tailored to each organization's size and needs.
How to access nonprofit pricing:
- Contact OnBoard's sales team and mention you're a nonprofit organization
- Provide information about your organization's size, board structure, and governance needs
- Request a custom quote and free trial tailored to your nonprofit
- Ask about nonprofit references and case studies from organizations similar to yours
Learning Curve
Moderate learning curve - intuitive for most users
OnBoard is designed with an intuitive interface that board members and administrators can learn without extensive training. User reviews consistently praise the platform for its "ease of use and intuitive design" that "simplifies board management tasks and enhances collaboration." If your board members can use email and a web browser, they can use OnBoard.
For Administrators & Board Chairs
Setting up your board portal, organizing documents, and creating your first meeting takes 1-2 hours of initial setup. The AI features (Agenda AI, Minutes AI, Assist AI) are intuitive—natural language prompts make them accessible even if you've never used AI tools before. The learning curve primarily involves understanding your organization's governance workflow and how to structure documents for optimal AI assistance.
- Initial portal setup: 1-2 hours
- Creating first AI-assisted agenda: 15-30 minutes
- Organizing historical documents for Assist AI: 2-4 hours (one-time investment)
- Training resources include knowledge base, video tutorials, and support team
For Board Members
Board members need minimal training—accessing meeting materials, reviewing agendas, and reading AI-generated minutes is straightforward. The platform centralizes everything in one organized space, making it simpler than juggling email attachments, Google Drive folders, and Dropbox links. Most board members become comfortable within one meeting cycle.
- Accessing meeting materials: 5-10 minutes
- Participating in e-voting and surveys: intuitive, no training needed
- Using Assist AI to search past decisions: simple question-and-answer interface
- Comfortable within 1-2 meeting cycles (1-3 months)
Integration & Compatibility
OnBoard is a cloud-based platform accessible from any device with a web browser—desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Board members can access meeting materials, review agendas, and participate in voting from anywhere with an internet connection. The platform integrates with common business tools to streamline your existing workflow.
Video Conferencing
Integrates with major video conferencing platforms for virtual board meetings. OnBoard also offers built-in video conferencing capabilities that work seamlessly with Minutes AI for automatic transcription and minute generation.
Calendar & Scheduling
Syncs with common calendar systems for meeting scheduling. Send meeting invitations and calendar notifications directly from OnBoard to ensure board members never miss a meeting or deadline.
Document Management
Centralized document storage with version control, access permissions, and retention policies. Upload documents from your computer or import from cloud storage services. All documents are encrypted and comply with SOC 2, ISO-27001/27701, GDPR, and HIPAA standards.
Security Infrastructure
Built on Microsoft Azure with encryption in transit and at rest. Role-based access controls ensure board members only see documents appropriate for their role. Audit trails track who accessed what and when.
Data Portability
OnBoard allows you to export meeting minutes, documents, and board materials. This ensures you maintain ownership of your governance records even if you change platforms in the future. Contact OnBoard's support team for specific data export options and formats.
Honest Assessment: Pros & Cons
Pros
- Fully Integrated AI Suite: Agenda AI, Minutes AI, and Assist AI work together seamlessly within one platform—not bolted-on third-party tools
- Time Savings on Administration: Automatic transcription and minute generation saves 2-4 hours per meeting; Agenda AI reduces prep time by hours
- Enterprise-Grade Security: SOC 2 Type II, ISO-27001/27701, GDPR, HIPAA compliance with closed-loop system—no data leaves your instance or trains AI models
- Instant Access to Historical Data: Assist AI surfaces past decisions, bylaws, and policies in seconds instead of hours of manual searching
- Intuitive User Experience: Praised by users for ease of use and design—most board members comfortable within one meeting cycle
- Proven at Scale: Trusted by 6,000+ organizations globally with established nonprofit user base (24% of users)
- Comprehensive Governance Tools: Meeting management, document storage, e-voting, e-signatures, surveys, analytics all in one platform
Cons
- Custom Pricing Lacks Transparency: No public pricing information—requires sales contact for quotes, which can be frustrating for budget-constrained nonprofits
- Cost for Additional Features: User reviews mention "high costs for additional features" beyond basic plans, potentially challenging for smaller organizations
- Enterprise Focus May Overwhelm Small Boards: Feature-rich platform designed for complex governance may be more than small boards (5-10 members) need
- Learning Curve for Full Feature Set: While intuitive, leveraging all AI capabilities and advanced governance features requires investment in setup and training
- AI Features Require Meeting Transcription: Minutes AI needs meetings recorded and transcribed—not useful if your board prefers no recording or in-person-only meetings
- Limited Public Information on Assist AI Accuracy: While powered by secure AI, less public documentation on how well Assist AI handles ambiguous or complex governance questions
Alternatives to Consider
OnBoard AI is a strong choice for medium to large nonprofits needing comprehensive governance software with integrated AI. However, depending on your budget, board size, and AI priorities, these alternatives might better fit your needs:
Boardable AIView Full Guide →
Board management built exclusively for nonprofits
Best for: Smaller to mid-sized nonprofits (5-20 board members) wanting transparent pricing and nonprofit-focused design. Boardable is built exclusively for nonprofits with clear per-user pricing starting at $20.99/month (Essentials) and AI features on Professional+ at $35.99/user/month. Offers 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
Key differences from OnBoard: Transparent pricing vs. custom quotes, exclusively nonprofit-focused vs. multi-sector platform, slightly simpler feature set vs. enterprise-grade capabilities. Boardable uses Claude AI for minutes/transcription; OnBoard has three integrated AI tools (Agenda AI, Minutes AI, Assist AI).
Choose Boardable if: You want predictable pricing, your board has 5-20 members, and you prefer a platform designed exclusively for nonprofits rather than enterprise boards.
BoardEffect GovernAI (Diligent)
AI governance automation for mission-driven organizations
Best for: Large nonprofits and foundations (20+ board members) with complex governance requirements. BoardEffect is part of Diligent, serving 14,000+ mission-driven organizations. GovernAI offers AI-powered governance automation, analytics, and insights.
Key differences from OnBoard: Larger enterprise focus, part of Diligent ecosystem (broader governance solutions), typically higher price point. BoardEffect emphasizes governance compliance and board analytics more than OnBoard's AI meeting assistant focus.
Choose BoardEffect if: You're a large organization needing enterprise governance tools, regulatory compliance features, or integration with Diligent's broader platform.
Google Workspace + Notion AI
DIY board management with familiar tools
Best for: Very small nonprofits (under 5 board members) with tight budgets and simple governance needs. Use Google Drive for document storage, Google Calendar for scheduling, Google Meet for video meetings, and Notion AI ($10/user/month) for agenda creation and meeting notes.
Key differences from OnBoard: Much lower cost (potentially under $50/month total), requires manual workflow setup, no specialized governance features (e-voting, board analytics, automatic minute formatting). Good for starting out; many boards outgrow this approach as they mature.
Choose this approach if: Your budget is extremely limited, your board has simple needs, and you're comfortable building workflows manually with general-purpose tools.
Choosing the Right Tool
Choose OnBoard AI if: You're a medium to large nonprofit with an active board (10+ members), complex committee structures, and governance requirements where comprehensive AI assistance—agenda creation, automatic minutes, instant answers—justifies the investment. OnBoard's enterprise-grade security and closed-loop system make it ideal for healthcare nonprofits, foundations, and organizations managing significant assets where compliance and documentation are critical.
Getting Started with OnBoard AI
1Request Demo and Custom Pricing Quote
Visit onboardmeetings.com and request a demo. Be prepared to share your organization's details: number of board members, committee structure, governance requirements, and budget constraints. Mention you're a nonprofit to access special pricing. Ask about the free trial so you can test OnBoard AI features (Agenda AI, Minutes AI, Assist AI) before committing.
Request Demo & Pricing2Set Up Your Board Portal and Organize Documents
During your trial, set up your board portal: upload bylaws, policies, past meeting minutes, and board member information. Organize documents into logical folders (governance, finance, committees, etc.). This initial organization takes 2-4 hours but is a one-time investment. The better organized your historical materials, the more effective Assist AI will be at answering governance questions. OnBoard provides onboarding resources and support to help with setup.
- Upload bylaws, policies, and historical meeting minutes
- Add board member and committee information
- Set role-based permissions for document access
- Test Assist AI by asking governance questions
3Create Your First AI-Assisted Meeting
Use Agenda AI to create your next board meeting agenda. Try a prompt like "Create an agenda for our Q2 board meeting focused on strategic planning and budget review." Refine the AI-generated outline by adding relevant documents and topics. Schedule the meeting with calendar integration, distribute the board packet, and use Minutes AI to automatically transcribe and generate meeting minutes. After the meeting, review the AI-generated minutes—edit as needed—then share with the board. This first meeting cycle helps you understand the AI workflow and time savings.
- Use Agenda AI to draft meeting agenda (15-30 minutes)
- Attach documents to create comprehensive board packet
- Enable Minutes AI during meeting for automatic transcription
- Review and finalize AI-generated minutes (30 minutes vs. 2-4 hours manual)
4Train Your Board and Establish AI Governance Workflow
After your first successful AI-assisted meeting, brief your board on the new workflow. Show board members how to access the portal, review AI-generated minutes, and use Assist AI to find information. Establish governance policies for AI usage: when to use Agenda AI vs. manual agenda creation, how to review Minutes AI drafts, and guidelines for confidential discussions. Consider creating a brief "OnBoard AI User Guide" tailored to your organization. Most boards become comfortable within 1-2 meeting cycles (2-6 months).
- Brief board members on portal access and AI features
- Establish AI governance policies and review workflows
- Create simple user guide for board members
- Monitor time savings and board satisfaction over 2-3 meetings
Need Help Implementing OnBoard AI for Your Nonprofit?
We help nonprofits evaluate board management platforms, set up governance workflows, and maximize AI capabilities.
Choosing and implementing board management software is a significant decision. Whether you're evaluating OnBoard AI vs. alternatives, need help with initial setup and document organization, or want guidance on AI governance policies, we're here to help. Our team has experience with nonprofit board operations, governance best practices, and AI implementation strategies.
Platform Evaluation & Selection
Compare OnBoard AI, Boardable, BoardEffect, and alternatives to find the best fit for your board size, budget, and governance needs.
Portal Setup & Document Organization
Get your board portal configured efficiently with proper document structure, permissions, and workflows for AI features.
AI Governance Policy Development
Establish clear policies for AI usage in board governance, including when to use AI vs. manual processes and review protocols.
Board Training & Change Management
Help your board transition from email and scattered documents to a centralized AI-powered governance platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
What AI features does OnBoard AI include?
OnBoard AI includes three integrated AI tools: Agenda AI (creates strategic meeting agendas using natural language prompts and best-practice templates), Minutes AI (automatically transcribes meetings in real-time and transforms transcripts into formatted minutes with full user control), and Assist AI (a secure board assistant that answers questions using your board's past and present materials). All AI operates in a closed-loop system where data never leaves your dedicated OnBoard instance or is used for AI model training.
Is OnBoard AI secure for confidential board materials?
Yes. OnBoard AI is built on Microsoft Azure's encrypted infrastructure with encryption in transit and at rest. The platform is independently audited for SOC 2 Type II, ISO-27001/27701, GDPR, and HIPAA compliance. OnBoard uses privacy-by-design protocols and operates a closed-loop system—no board data ever leaves your dedicated OnBoard instance or is used for AI model training. All access is controlled through role-based permissions.
Does OnBoard offer nonprofit pricing?
Yes. OnBoard offers special nonprofit pricing designed to make the platform accessible to small teams doing big work. Pricing varies based on your organization's size and needs. Contact OnBoard's sales team for a custom quote tailored to your nonprofit. They serve 6,000+ organizations globally, with 24% of their user base from the nonprofit sector.
Can OnBoard integrate with our existing tools?
OnBoard integrates with major video conferencing platforms for virtual meetings, calendar systems for scheduling, and document storage services. The platform is built on Microsoft Azure infrastructure and supports standard integrations. For specific integration questions, contact OnBoard's support team to discuss your organization's needs and technical requirements.
How does OnBoard AI handle meeting transcription?
Minutes AI automatically transcribes meeting activities in real-time during your board meetings. After the meeting, it transforms the transcript into professionally formatted minutes. You retain full control over formatting, editing, and finalization—the AI drafts the minutes, but you review and approve before distribution. This eliminates hours of manual note-taking while ensuring accuracy and compliance with your organization's documentation standards.
What's the difference between OnBoard AI and Boardable?
Both are board management platforms with AI features, but they differ in positioning and user base. OnBoard serves 6,000+ organizations (24% nonprofits) with an enterprise focus, special nonprofit pricing, and three integrated AI tools (Agenda AI, Minutes AI, Assist AI). Boardable is built exclusively for nonprofits with transparent per-user pricing starting at $20.99/month and AI features on the Professional+ plan ($35.99/user/month). OnBoard emphasizes governance suite integration; Boardable emphasizes nonprofit-specific design and clear pricing.
How technical do board members need to be to use OnBoard AI?
OnBoard is designed with an intuitive interface praised by users for its ease of use. If board members can use email and a web browser, they can use OnBoard. The platform centralizes all board materials in one organized space, making it easier than juggling multiple tools. OnBoard provides training resources and support to help with onboarding. User reviews consistently highlight the platform's simplicity and how it enhances collaboration without requiring technical expertise.