Template for the minutes of an association's general meeting
A complete template for general meeting minutes: what to include, the attendance sheet, and declaring the new officers within three months.
The general meeting went well, the new board has been elected, everyone has gone home. Three weeks later, the bank asks for the minutes, and nobody knows who was supposed to write them. Here is a template for the minutes of an association's general meeting, to fill in that same evening.
[Nom de l'association] — Association régie par la loi du 1er juillet 1901 — Siège : [adresse] — RNA : [numéro]
Procès-verbal de l'assemblée générale ordinaire du [date]
Le [date], à [heure], les membres de l'association [nom] se sont réunis en assemblée générale ordinaire à [lieu], sur convocation du président adressée par [courrier électronique] le [date], conformément à l'article [numéro] des statuts.
Il a été établi une feuille de présence, signée par chaque membre présent en son nom et, le cas échéant, au nom des membres qu'il représente.
L'association compte [nombre] membres ayant le droit de vote. [Nombre] sont présents et [nombre] représentés, soit [nombre] voix.
What the minutes are for
The minutes are the document that proves what the meeting decided. The French law of 1 July 1901 on associations sets neither their form nor their content; in most cases it is the bylaws that require them to be written. In practice, they are asked for everywhere:
- by the bank, to change the signatories on the account;
- to declare a change of officers or an amendment to the bylaws;
- by the school, to update the association's file;
- by a funder, in support of a grant application;
- by the next board, to find out what was voted and why.
What to include
The 1901 law requires no particular content. Solid minutes let a reader check three things: the meeting was properly convened, it was entitled to deliberate, and each decision obtained the required majority. They therefore contain:
- the name of the association and the address of its registered office;
- the type of meeting (ordinary, extraordinary, founding), its date, time and place;
- how and when the notice of meeting was sent;
- the number of members entitled to vote, the number present and the number represented, and the quorum required by the bylaws;
- the names of the chair and the secretary of the meeting;
- the agenda;
- for each item: a brief summary of the discussion, the text of the resolution and the vote count;
- the full identity of the people elected and their role;
- the closing time, the date the minutes were written and the signatures.
Template for the minutes of a general meeting
The passages in square brackets are to be filled in.
Template translated for reference: the document you file or sign in France must be written in French.
[Name of the association]
Association governed by the law of 1 July 1901 — Registered office: [address] — RNA number (national register of associations): [number]Minutes of the ordinary general meeting of [date]
On [date], at [time], the members of the association [name] met in an ordinary general meeting at [place], convened by the president by notice sent by [email] on [date], in accordance with article [number] of the bylaws.
An attendance sheet was drawn up and signed by each member present, in their own name and, where applicable, on behalf of the members they represent. It is appended to these minutes, together with the proxies.
The association has [number] members entitled to vote. [Number] are present and [number] represented, making [number] votes. The quorum of [fraction] set by the bylaws, that is [number] members, is reached: the meeting is entitled to deliberate.
The meeting is chaired by [surname, first name], in the capacity of [role]. [Surname, first name] is appointed secretary of the meeting.
Agenda
- Activity report
- Financial report and approval of the accounts for the [year] financial year
- Election of the board
- Any other business
1. Activity report. The president presents the activity report for the financial year. [Two or three sentences of summary.]
First resolution: the general meeting approves the activity report.
For: [number] — Against: [number] — Abstentions: [number]. The resolution is adopted.2. Financial report. The treasurer presents the accounts for the financial year ended [date]: €[amount] in income, €[amount] in expenditure, giving a result of €[amount].
Second resolution: the general meeting approves the accounts for the financial year and gives the treasurer quitus (formal discharge) for their management.
For: [number] — Against: [number] — Abstentions: [number]. The resolution is adopted.3. Election of the board. The following stood as candidates: [names]. The vote is held by secret ballot. The following are elected for a term of [duration]:
— President: [surname, first name], [number] votes;
— Secretary: [surname, first name], [number] votes;
— Treasurer: [surname, first name], [number] votes.
The new board takes office on [date].4. Any other business. [Summary, without a vote.]
There being no further business, the meeting is closed at [time].
Done at [place], on [date].
The chair of the meeting — [name, signature] / The secretary of the meeting — [name, signature]
For an extraordinary meeting, the outline is the same: cite the article of the bylaws that sets the higher quorum and majority, and reproduce each amended article in its old and its new wording.
The attendance sheet
The 1901 law does not require an attendance sheet. Without one, it is impossible to prove that the quorum was reached. Prepare it before the meeting, from the list of members entitled to vote.
| Surname and first name | Present | Represented by | Signature |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Member 1] | Yes | — | [signature] |
| [Member 2] | No | [Member 1] | [proxy holder's signature] |
| [Member 3] | Yes | — | [signature] |
At the top: the name of the association, the type and date of the meeting. At the bottom: the totals, and the signatures of the chair and the secretary of the meeting. Staple the written proxies to it: a proxy given orally cannot be proved.
A completed example
The association has 86 members whose membership fee is paid up. The bylaws require a quorum of one quarter, that is 22 members, and a majority of the votes cast.
The association has 86 members entitled to vote. 31 are present and 7 represented, making 38 votes. The quorum of one quarter set by article 8 of the bylaws, that is 22 members, is reached.
Second resolution: the general meeting approves the accounts for the financial year ended 31 August 2026, which show €14,320 in income and €13,870 in expenditure, giving a surplus of €450.
For: 33 — Against: 2 — Abstentions: 3. The resolution is adopted.
The reader can check everything: 31 + 7 = 38 votes; 33 + 2 + 3 = 38; 35 votes cast, so a majority of 18. Writing only "the accounts are approved by a majority" proves none of this.
Writing, signing, keeping
Who writes them? The secretary of the meeting, from their notes. Appoint them when the meeting opens, not at the end.
When? Within the week.
Who signs? Whoever the bylaws say; failing that, the chair and the secretary of the meeting. If the meeting elected a new president, it is still the person who chaired the meeting who signs.
What style? Factual: the minutes summarise the discussion and reproduce the decisions exactly.
Where to keep them? With the bylaws, for the whole life of the association: the 1901 law sets no retention period, and old minutes can be requested years later. Keep the signed original and a digital copy, including the attendance sheet and the proxies. They are among the first documents to pass on during the board handover.
Declaring changes of officers within three months
Minutes filed away in a binder are not enough. Article 5 of the law of 1 July 1901 requires the association to make known, within three months, every change in its administration, as well as every amendment to its bylaws. The declaration is made online or at the greffe des associations (the associations registry office) of the département where the registered office is located.
The same article states that these changes are enforceable against third parties only from the day they are declared. Until the declaration is made, the former officers remain, for the bank, the school or a supplier, the people responsible for the association. Failure to declare is also punishable by a fine (article 8 of the same law).
The minutes, or a signed extract, are the central document of this declaration. On the evening of the meeting, collect from each elected officer the civil status details the form asks for.
Before signing: the checklist
- the date and method of the notice of meeting are stated, with the article of the bylaws;
- the number of voting members, of members present and of members represented is given;
- the quorum required and the quorum reached are stated in figures;
- each resolution is reproduced word for word;
- each vote is itemised: for, against, abstentions, and the total matches the number of votes;
- the people elected are identified by surname, first name and role;
- the attendance sheet and the proxies are appended;
- the declaration of the changes is scheduled.
Frequently asked questions
Are general meeting minutes compulsory?
The 1901 law does not expressly require them; the bylaws almost always do. Without them, the association can neither prove its decisions, nor declare a change of officers, nor update its bank signatories. They are indispensable.
Who must sign the minutes?
The people named in the bylaws. If the bylaws are silent, the chair and the secretary of the meeting. The members present do not sign the minutes: they sign the attendance sheet.
Can minutes be corrected afterwards?
A clerical error, such as a misspelt name or a wrong total, is corrected by a dated correction notice signed by the same people and kept with the original. The meaning of a decision is never altered: it has to be put to a meeting again.
With toGaether
In toGaether, the minutes and the bylaws are stored in the association's documents, the list of members and their membership fees shows who was entitled to vote, and the roles of the new board are assigned without losing the history of the previous one. For preparing the meeting itself, read organising your association's general meeting.
This template gives a general outline; the content and signatures required are first and foremost those set by your bylaws.
