Free template
Project charter template for a side project
One page that says what you are building, what you are not, what it may cost and when you stop. Write it before you buy the domain.
A planning document, not a legal one. It does not assign ownership of code, brand or equity, and it does not create a company. For that, use a founders agreement and get advice for your country.
What a project charter is
A project charter is a short document that defines a project before work starts: the goal, the scope, the money and the time. Big organisations use long ones. A side project needs one page.
It answers questions that otherwise come up as arguments in month two: Are we building this feature? How much can this cost us? When do we call it done, or stop?
Project charter or team charter?
- The project charter is about the work: goal, scope, deliverables, budget, milestones, risks and the stop rule.
- The team charter is about the people: who decides, who approves spending and who can recover each account.
Do the project charter first. Then the team charter, once you know what you are building together.
The template
Fill in the form. The charter below updates as you type. Print it or save it as a PDF.
Project charter: PROJECT NAME
Date: DATE
People: NAMES
1. Goal
one sentence.
2. Scope
In scope: what we will build.
Out of scope: what we will not build.
3. Deliverables
At the end there will be: what exists at the end.
4. Budget and time
Money cap: amount. Time cap: weeks and hours. Anything above a cap needs a new decision from everyone involved.
5. Milestones
milestone and date, one per step.
6. Risks
top three risks. We check the risks at every milestone.
7. Success
It worked if: a measurable result.
8. When we stop
We stop or change course if: a clear condition. When we stop, we decide together whether to archive the project, hand it over or let one person continue. Before we do, we use the handover checklist.
9. Who owns what
This charter does not decide ownership of code, brand or income. We record that in a separate agreement.
A filled-in example (illustrative)
The numbers and dates below are made up to show the method.
- Goal: launch a waitlist page for a booking tool and get 50 signups.
- In scope: landing page, signup form, confirmation email. Out: payments, user accounts, a mobile app.
- Deliverables: a live page on the project domain, a working form and an export of signups.
- Caps: EUR 300 and six weeks at about five hours a week each.
- Milestones: design done, page built, launch.
- Success: 50 signups and five replies to the first email.
- Stop rule: if the budget is spent, or there are fewer than 10 signups two weeks after launch, we meet and decide to change course or stop.
Five tips for a charter that gets used
- Write the out-of-scope line first. It prevents most arguments.
- Make success a number. "Good feedback" cannot be checked.
- Set the stop rule when you are calm. It is hard to set one later.
- Keep it to one page. If it grows, you are planning, not chartering.
- Review it at each milestone. Change it in writing if reality changed.
Do it with AI
Have an AI interview you
Let Claude or ChatGPT ask the questions and fill in the charter for you.
Act as a practical project coach. Interview me, one question at a time, to write a one-page project charter for a side project. Cover: the goal in one sentence, what is in and out of scope, what exists at the end, a money cap and a time cap, milestones with dates, the top three risks, a measurable definition of success and a clear stop rule. Push back if the scope is too big for my caps. Do not invent facts about my project. When you have enough answers, write the charter in numbered sections, then list the two assumptions most likely to be wrong.
Frequently asked questions
What should a project charter include?
The goal, scope, deliverables, budget and time caps, milestones, risks, a definition of success and a stop rule.
How long should a project charter be?
One page for a side project. If it needs more, the project probably needs splitting.
Is a project charter the same as a project plan?
No. The charter says what and why, with limits. The plan says how and when, task by task.
Do we need a project charter for a hackathon?
A short one helps. Fill in the goal, scope and stop rule, then use the hackathon kit for ownership and costs.
Next steps
- Team charter: who decides and who approves spending.
- RACI matrix: who is accountable for each task.
- Founders agreement: shares, costs, accounts and leaving.