Equity Incentive Plan
(Public Company)


Summary

This template equity incentive plan provides a framework for a U.S. public company to grant various types of equity or equity-based awards to its employees, non-employee directors, consultants, and other service providers. This template includes practical guidance, drafting notes, and alternate and optional clauses. For a full listing of key content covering equity incentive plan considerations, see Equity Incentive Plan Resource Kit. Public companies generally must obtain shareholder approval to adopt a new, or materially modify an existing, equity incentive plan in accordance with the listing rules of the applicable exchange. For more information on this requirement and process, see Shareholder Approval of Equity Compensation Plan Preparation and the template Shareholder Approval Proposal for Equity Incentive Plan. This template also notes certain plan features and grant practices endorsed by Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS). For a similar template plan that also specifically...