What is a Meeting Charter?

A meeting charter refers to the formal document that outlines the purpose and structure of a recurring meeting or committee. It defines the “why,” “how,” and “who” of a meeting series, ensuring consistency and accountability over time. Unlike an agenda, which is meeting-specific, a charter is overarching and foundational. It is particularly useful for standing meetings such as governance boards, project committees, or cross-functional teams, where structure is imperative.

What is the purpose of having a meeting charter?

The primary purpose of a meeting charter is ensuring alignment among participants on both the intent (why the meeting exists) and the methodology (how the meeting will be conducted). By explicitly stating objectives and expected deliverables, the charter reduces ambiguity, prevents scope creep, and improves operational efficiency. In other words, it serves as a mechanism for continuous improvement by establishing review cadences and feedback loops.

What are the contents of a meeting charter?

A meeting charter typically includes the following components:

• Meeting Purpose and Objectives: Include a clear and concise statement that outlines the meeting’s function, may it be strategic planning, risk review, or operational alignment. Make sure to also set specific, measurable goals that the meeting is intended to achieve.
• Scope and Boundaries: Define the subject matters that fall within the meeting’s purview, such as project milestones and performance metrics. At the same time, define issues outside the remit of the meeting to prevent agenda drift and guarantee focus.
• Roles and Responsibilities: List the designated attendees by role and a short definition of their role in the meeting (e.g. chairperson, facilitator, recorder/scribe, decision-makers, subject-matter experts).
• Cadence and Duration: Define meeting interval, whether weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. For meeting duration, make sure to add buffer time for setup or overrun, if necessary.
• Decision-Making Framework: Outline the process by which decisions are reached (e.g. consensus, simple majority), and escalation path for handling unresolved decisions. 
• Ground Rules: Establish the expectations for conduct like punctuality, active participation, and use of collaborative tools. Also add meeting etiquette to ensure productive and respectful interactions.
• Communication Protocols: Describe the timeline for distributing pre-meeting materials (e.g. agenda, pre-reads, and supporting documents), in-meeting or real-time information sharing methods (e.g. digital whiteboard, collaborative note-taking tools), and post-meeting needs (e.g. minutes, action items with owners and deadlines).

How to create a meeting charter?

To create an effective meeting charter, clearly define each element for optimal meeting efficiency and productivity:

1. Anchor the meeting to real goals: Don’t just say “status updates.” Define how this meeting moves the needle—whether it’s unblocking deliverables, aligning teams, resolving issues, or making high-impact decisions. Be specific. A vague purpose leads to a vague (and useless) meeting.
2. Use a clear, repeatable structure: Draft your charter using a consistent, no-fluff format. Think: section headers, bullet points, and version control. This should be easy to skim and easy to update as your team or organization evolves.
3. Assign real ownership: Every key function in the meeting—facilitating, note-taking, tracking actions—should have a name next to it. No “someone will follow up.” Put it in writing and make sure those roles are clear before the first session kicks off.
4. Test it, don’t just publish it: Run a few trial sessions using the draft charter. Treat them like a live prototype: check how the flow works, where people get confused, and whether the meeting delivers value. Adjust based on what you observe, not just what you assumed in the draft.
5. Make it visible and official: Once refined, finalize the charter and distribute it to everyone involved. Store it somewhere accessible (not buried in someone’s inbox). Walk the team through it so there are no surprises, and everyone starts with the same expectations.