Project Charter Template
Create a sponsor-ready project charter that documents the business problem, business case, measurable objectives, scope, deliverables, milestones, budget, resources, stakeholders, risks, project manager authority, governance, benefits and formal authorization.
Created by experienced project management professionals for sponsors, project managers, PMOs and business owners who need clear project authorization before detailed planning begins.
$24.99 • Word (.docx) • 5-page editable document • Download within 30 days of order confirmation
What's Included in the Project Charter Template?
The five-page Word template contains 16 charter sections covering project justification, measurable outcomes, high-level scope and delivery commitments, governance and sponsor authorization.
Business Need & Case
State the problem or opportunity, explain why action is needed and summarize the purpose and business case.
Objectives, Scope & Deliverables
Define measurable KPIs, in-scope/out-of-scope boundaries, deliverables, acceptance criteria and target dates.
Milestones, Budget & Resources
Capture charter-level timeline gates, estimated costs/funding, key roles and capacity commitments.
Stakeholders & RAID
Identify stakeholders and record risks, assumptions, constraints and dependencies with impact and owner/action.
Authority, Governance & Benefits
Define project manager authority, escalation thresholds, expected benefits, owners, measures and target realization dates.
Quality Check & Authorization
Use the charter quality checklist, sponsor authorization record and worked example before approval.
A Sponsor-Ready Charter That Goes Beyond a One-Page Summary
The template keeps charter information high-level while adding the fields needed to make authorization meaningful: measurable outcomes, explicit exclusions, funding, resource commitments, project manager authority, governance triggers and benefit ownership.
Authorize With Clear Boundaries
Document in-scope and out-of-scope work, deliverables and acceptance at the level needed before detailed planning.
Make Authority Explicit
Record the project manager’s authority for resources, budget, scheduling, escalation and change decisions.
Tie Approval to Value
Assign benefit owners, measurement methods, targets and realization dates before sponsor authorization.
| Capability | Basic Template | PMWorld360 Template |
|---|---|---|
| Business need and purpose | ✓ | ✓ |
| Measurable objectives/KPIs | Sometimes | ✓ |
| Explicit out-of-scope | Sometimes | ✓ |
| Budget and funding source | Limited | ✓ |
| Resource commitments | Limited | ✓ |
| Stakeholder analysis | Sometimes | ✓ |
| RAID summary | Sometimes | ✓ |
| Project manager authority | Rarely | ✓ |
| Governance thresholds | Rarely | ✓ |
| Benefits realization | Rarely | ✓ |
| Sponsor authorization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Quality checklist and example | — | ✓ |
Project Charter Example Snapshot
The worked example shows the level of specificity intended for the business problem, measurable objective, explicit exclusions and key risk.
| Charter Element | Example Entry |
|---|---|
| Business problem | Customer onboarding takes 12 business days and generates repeated manual rework. |
| Objective | Reduce median onboarding time to 7 business days within 90 days of launch. |
| Out of scope | Replacement of the CRM platform and redesign of post-sale support processes. |
| Key risk | Business SMEs may not be available during design workshops. |
What Is a Project Charter?
A project charter formally authorizes a project and establishes its high-level purpose, boundaries, leadership and success expectations.
It is normally completed before detailed planning. The charter aligns the sponsor, business owner and project manager on why the project exists, what it is expected to achieve, what is and is not included, what resources and funding are anticipated, what authority the project manager has and who can make key decisions.
When Should You Use a Project Charter Template?
Project Initiation
Authorize a new project before detailed planning and delivery begins.
Sponsor Alignment
Confirm business need, value, objectives and decision rights with the sponsor.
Funding Decisions
Summarize budget estimates, funding sources and confidence at charter level.
Cross-Functional Projects
Clarify roles, stakeholders, dependencies and escalation across business and technical teams.
High-Visibility Initiatives
Create an auditable authorization record for major initiatives and governance reviews.
Pre-Planning Gate
Establish enough clarity for the team to proceed into detailed planning without over-engineering the charter.
Who Is This Project Charter Template For?
Project Sponsors
Authorize the initiative and define executive expectations.
Project Managers
Confirm mandate, authority, scope and success measures before planning.
PMO Teams
Standardize charter content and governance gates across projects.
Business Owners
Document the business problem, expected value and benefit ownership.
What Should a Project Charter Include?
Business Problem & Purpose
The current problem, opportunity or mandate and the business case for action.
Objectives & Success Metrics
Specific objectives, KPIs, baselines, targets and measurement dates.
Scope & Deliverables
In-scope/out-of-scope boundaries, key deliverables, acceptance criteria and target dates.
Timeline, Funding & Resources
High-level milestones, estimated costs/funding and key role commitments.
Stakeholders, RAID & Governance
Stakeholder needs, project uncertainty, project manager authority and escalation thresholds.
Benefits & Authorization
Expected benefits, owners, measurement, realization dates and sponsor approval.
Project Charter Sections Explained
The template contains 16 numbered sections from business need through sponsor authorization and a worked example.
| Section | What You Record | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1–5 | Business problem/opportunity, business case, objectives/KPIs, high-level scope, deliverables and acceptance. | Define why the project should exist and what success means. |
| 6–10 | Milestones, budget/funding, resources/key roles, stakeholders, risks/assumptions/constraints/dependencies. | Establish the charter-level delivery picture and uncertainty. |
| 11–13 | Project manager authority, governance/escalation, benefits/value realization. | Clarify authority, decisions and value ownership. |
| 14–16 | Charter quality checklist, sponsor authorization, worked example snapshot. | Validate completeness and formally authorize the project. |
How to Use the Project Charter Template
Complete the charter before detailed planning. Keep estimates and milestones at authorization level, then review the full charter with the sponsor before approval.
State the Business Need
Describe the problem, opportunity or mandate and why action is needed now.
Define Purpose and Outcomes
Set the business case, measurable objectives, KPIs and success targets.
Set Scope and Deliverables
Clarify in/out boundaries, key deliverables and acceptance expectations.
Estimate Timeline, Funding and Resources
Capture high-level milestones, costs, funding and role commitments.
Identify Stakeholders and RAID
Surface key stakeholders, risks, assumptions, constraints and dependencies.
Define Authority and Governance
Document project manager authority, escalation thresholds and expected response times.
Confirm Benefits and Approve
Assign benefit ownership, run the quality checklist and complete sponsor authorization.
Project Charter Best Practices
The charter authorizes the project; detailed execution planning belongs in the project management plan.
Include baselines, targets and measurement dates wherever possible.
Out-of-scope statements reduce ambiguity before planning expands.
Clarify resource, budget, scheduling, escalation and change authority before delivery begins.
Common Project Charter Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid detailed task schedules and operating procedures at the authorization stage.
Replace vague outcomes with KPIs, targets and measurement dates.
Record the level of commitment and uncertainty known at the charter stage.
Specify who decides, what triggers escalation and how quickly decisions are expected.
Project Charter Template Format and Download
The product is a five-page editable Word document with 16 charter sections, structured tables, a quality checklist, sponsor authorization and a worked example.
| Template Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Editable Word document (.docx) | Yes |
| 16 numbered charter sections | Yes |
| Objectives/KPI and scope tables | Yes |
| Budget, resources, stakeholders and RAID tables | Yes |
| Authority, governance and benefits sections | Yes |
| Sponsor authorization and quality checklist | Yes |
| Worked example | Yes |
| Download access after purchase | Download within 30 days of order confirmation |
Get the Project Charter Template
Use a structured sponsor-ready charter to secure alignment and authorization before detailed planning begins.
$24.99Download must be completed within 30 days after order confirmation.
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Learn How to Use a Project Charter
See how to define purpose, scope, deliverables, success criteria, milestones, funding, authority and sponsor approval at the right level of detail.
Read the Project Charter How-To GuideChoose the Project Charter or Full PM Toolkit
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