Founding Documents
Founding Documents
Section titled “Founding Documents”Written agreements prevent misunderstandings. Draft these early, even if they feel premature — it’s easier to modify a document than to resolve a conflict that a document would have prevented.
The Community Charter
Section titled “The Community Charter”Your charter is the foundational document. It defines:
- Mission — Why this community exists
- Values — How members are expected to behave
- Membership — Who can join, how they join, how they leave
- Governance — How decisions are made
- Meetings — Format, frequency, expectations
- Confidentiality — What can be shared outside the group
- Amendments — How this document gets updated
Use our Charter Template as a starting point.
Code of Conduct
Section titled “Code of Conduct”Separate from the charter, a code of conduct specifies:
- Acceptable and unacceptable behavior
- Reporting process for violations
- Consequences (warning, suspension, removal)
- Who enforces it
See our Code of Conduct for a model.
Meeting Norms
Section titled “Meeting Norms”Some groups codify their meeting norms separately:
- Phones away / cameras on / mute when not speaking
- Timekeeping expectations
- How to signal disagreement constructively
- What happens when someone misses meetings
When to Write Them
Section titled “When to Write Them”Before your first meeting: Draft a minimal charter and share it with founding members.
After 3-4 meetings: Revise based on what you’ve learned about how the group actually works.
Annually: Review and update. Communities evolve; documents should too.