1 - Charter

In software, version control (like Git) allows teams to safely experiment, track every change, and maintain a single source of truth.

The Living Charter applies this same powerful logic to your organization's strategy. When you make a strategic pivot, you don't just send an email; you release a new, versioned update to your Charter (e.g., from v1.2 to v1.3).

This creates a transparent, auditable history of your organization's evolution.

A new organization doesn't need to build all 22 components at once.

We encourage the practice of a 'Minimum Viable Charter.' Start with the absolute essentials, typically Vision, Mission, Challenge, and Scope. This gives you enough clarity to begin.

You can then add the other components progressively as your organization matures and the need arises. The goal is to build the charter you need, right now.

This component is the historical, locked record of the organization's original "seed idea" and founding context. It is a foundational touchstone created at the inception of the journey and is not meant to be changed. It preserves the initial spark of inspiration and provides a clear point of origin for all future stakeholders.

Example A new social enterprise documents its Seed component by recording the notes from the three-day workshop where the core idea was born, a list of the five founding members, and the initial, one-page concept overview that secured their first grant.

This component is the high-level, at-a-glance summary of the entire Living Charter. It outlines the "what, why, how, and who" of the organization, functioning as a dynamic executive summary. It is designed to give any stakeholder a rapid and comprehensive understanding of the entire venture without needing to read every component in detail.

Example Before a meeting with a potential new partner, the leadership team shares a link to the Overview component of their Charter.

The partner can quickly grasp the organization's vision, mission, and core strategy in minutes, allowing the meeting to focus on deeper, more productive conversation.

This component is the organization's guiding North Star. It defines the desired future state the organization is working to create in the short, mid, and long term. The Vision is the ultimate measure of success and the primary source of inspiration for the entire ecosystem.

Example During a difficult quarter, a team revisits their Vision component. Reconnecting with their long-term goal of "a world with zero food waste" re-energizes them and provides the clarity needed to make tough strategic trade-offs in their current projects.

This component is the path the organization walks to achieve its Vision. It defines the organization's core purpose, its primary pillars of action, and the specific role it plays within its ecosystem. It is the clear and actionable statement of what the organization does.

Example A non-profit uses its Mission component to clarify its role. It defines its primary pillar of action as "Empowering local leaders through training," which helps them say "no" to a funding opportunity for direct service delivery that is outside their core mission.

This component is the moral and operational DNA of the organization. It codifies the non-negotiable beliefs and values that guide the organization's culture, actions, and decisions. These principles are the "tie-breakers" when faced with difficult choices.

Example A tech startup is choosing between two software vendors. One is cheaper, but has questionable data privacy practices.

Referencing their Principles component, which includes a principle of "User Sovereignty First," makes the decision clear: they choose the more expensive but more ethical vendor.

This component is a deep, systemic diagnosis of the core problem the organization exists to solve. It moves beyond a simple market analysis to provide a data-backed understanding of the challenge, from its macro root causes down to its real-world impact on individuals.

Example A health organization updates its Challenge component with new research showing a link between social media use and teen anxiety. This new, deeper understanding of the problem directly informs the design of their next intervention program.

This component contains in-depth profiles of the key actors the organization serves, collaborates with, and is accountable to. It is designed to build deep empathy and a granular, shared understanding of the needs, motivations, and pain points of the people within the ecosystem.

Example Before designing a new feature, a product team spends a full day reviewing the Stakeholders component, immersing themselves in the detailed profiles of their primary audience. This ensures the feature is built from a place of deep user empathy, not internal assumptions.

This component is the overarching approach for achieving the mission. It outlines the organization's strategic pillars, its theory of change, and the key outcomes it is working to achieve. It is the bridge between the high-level Vision and the concrete Program.

Example A new organization defines its core Strategy as "Equip, Connect, and Amplify." This simple, memorable framework then becomes the basis for all of their programs and activities, ensuring everything they do is aligned with their core strategic approach.

This component defines the clear boundaries of the organization's work. It clarifies what the organization does and, just as importantly, what it does not do. This ensures focus, prevents resource drain, and provides strategic clarity for the entire team.

Example A consulting firm's Scope component explicitly states that they "advise on strategy but do not manage implementation." This clarity prevents misunderstandings with new clients and allows the team to focus on its core area of expertise.

This component is the high-level blueprint of how the organization functions. It outlines the core processes, the structure of the A-B-C layers, and the key workflows that enable the organization to deliver on its mission effectively and coherently.

Example An organization is experiencing communication breakdowns. They review their Operating Model component and realize their process for cross-team updates is poorly defined. They design a new, clearer workflow and update the model.

This component is a map of how value—both financial and non-financial—is created, exchanged, and sustained within the ecosystem. It moves beyond a simple revenue model to a holistic understanding of the multi-flow value the organization circulates.

Example A community platform uses its Value Models component to map out its "Social Flow" model, which is designed to build trust and connection. This helps them justify investing in a community manager, even though the role doesn't generate direct revenue.

This component is the portfolio of core programs and initiatives that deliver the organization's value. It details the overarching structure and goals of the primary offerings, such as a core product, a key service, or a recurring event series.

Example A non-profit's Program component details their flagship "Leadership Academy." It outlines the program's curriculum, its target audience, and its long-term goals, providing a single source of truth for the entire program team.

This component is the registry of specific, time-bound initiatives that build and improve the organization's programs. It provides a high-level overview of all key projects on the current roadmap, including their status and objectives.

Example The leadership team reviews the Projects component at the start of each season to ensure their portfolio of active projects is still aligned with their current strategic priorities, and they decide to pause a project that is no longer relevant.

This component provides an overview of the core team, key roles, and the strategic partners that make the work possible. It is the "who" behind the work, defining the structure of the human systems.

Example A potential new hire is given access to the Team & Partners component. They can see the clear role definitions and the structure of the team, giving them a much deeper understanding of the organization they are about to join.

This component is the framework for how the organization makes decisions. It outlines the decision-making processes, the roles and responsibilities of different bodies (like a Stewards' Circle), and the protocols for ensuring coherence and accountability.

Example Two teams disagree on a key product decision. They refer to the Governance component, which outlines a clear "advice process" for resolving such disagreements, allowing them to move forward without escalating to senior leadership.

This component contains the essential legal frameworks and policies that govern the organization's work. It includes policies on data privacy, intellectual property, and other key compliance requirements, ensuring the organization operates with integrity.

Example When launching in a new country, the legal team creates a new element within the Legal & Compliance component to document the specific data residency and privacy laws (like GDPR) that the organization must now adhere to.

This component is the articulation of the tangible, positive change the organization aims to create in the world. It defines the desired outcomes and effects on the audience, partners, and the broader ecosystem, moving beyond simple output metrics.

Example A foundation reviews the Impact component of a potential grantee. They are impressed that the organization has a clear and sophisticated model for the long-term, systemic change they are trying to create, not just a list of activities.

This component defines how success is measured. It is the home for the organization's Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) that track progress against the goals defined in the Strategy component.

Example During a weekly team meeting, the dashboard on the screen displays the live KPIs that are pulled directly from the Metrics component. This ensures everyone is looking at the same numbers and has a shared understanding of success.

This component is the financial plan that ensures the organization's long-term sustainability. It includes the operational budget, financial projections, funding sources, and core economic assumptions.

Example The leadership team uses the Financials component to run a scenario analysis, testing how a potential downturn in revenue might impact their ability to fund the projects on their roadmap.

This component is the strategy for how the organization communicates with all of its stakeholders. It details the core messaging, tone of voice, key narratives, and the primary channels used for engagement.

Example The marketing team is preparing a new campaign. They consult the Communication component to ensure their copy and visuals are perfectly aligned with the organization's established tone of voice and core messaging pillars.

This component is a clear-eyed assessment of the key risks that could impact the organization's mission. It includes a registry of potential strategic, operational, and financial risks, along with the proactive strategies in place to mitigate them.

Example Before launching a major new product, the team holds a "pre-mortem" workshop and updates the Risks component with all the potential failure points they identified, along with a clear plan to address the most critical ones.

This component is a map of the broader landscape in which the organization operates. It includes an analysis of key partners, competitors, and the major technological, social, and political trends shaping the field.

Example During their annual strategy retreat, a team uses the Ecosystem component as their starting point. They review the map of current trends to identify new opportunities and threats that should inform their strategy for the coming year.

This component is the living log of the organization's strategic evolution. It functions as a changelog, tracking all significant updates to the Charter over time. This provides a clear, transparent, and auditable record of how the organization's strategy adapts.

Example A year after a major strategic pivot, a team member consults the Evolution component to read the original rationale for the change. This helps them understand the historical context and the "why" behind the organization's current direction.

The 22 standard Charter Components are intentionally organized into five distinct categories. This structure is not arbitrary; it is designed to mirror a logical and intuitive journey of organizational creation and evolution.

The flow creates a narrative arc:

1. Core Identity & Purpose First, you define the organization's essential "soul", its timeless reason for being.

2. Strategic Context & Scope Next, you look outward to understand the world you operate in and the specific problem you aim to solve.

3. Operational Model & Governance With your purpose and context clear, you then design the internal "engine" for how your organization will function.

4. Value, Performance & Risk You then define how that engine will be sustained, how its success will be measured, and how you will navigate uncertainty.

5. Context & History Finally, you place your organization in the broader flow of time and space, tracking its evolution and its relationship with the wider ecosystem.

This layered structure helps to ensure that your practical, operational decisions are always grounded in a deep and coherent strategic foundation.

The Charter is the ultimate source of authority and guidance for all other B - OPERATION domains.

The B1.7 - Strategy component directly informs the design of the B3 - Projects portfolio. The B1.11 - Program component sets the timeline and rhythm for the B4 - Program domain.

The B1.17 - Metrics component provides the specific KPIs that the B5 - Impact layer is responsible for tracking. The Charter orchestrates the entire operational stack.

The Charter ensures that your capabilities and your strategy are always aligned. The Organizational Alignment Protocol (OAP), a key component within the Charter, directly references the A1 - Core Infrastructure Protocol (CIP).

This creates a powerful bi-directional link: the organization cannot set a strategy in its Charter that its infrastructure is incapable of supporting, and the infrastructure cannot evolve in a way that is misaligned with the Charter.

The Charter is not created in a vacuum. Its core strategic components, such as the B1.5 - Challenge and B1.21 - Ecosystem, are directly informed by the deep analysis and sense-making performed in the C - ECOSYSTEM layer.

This ensures that the organization's strategy is always grounded in a clear-eyed, real-time understanding of its operating environment.

Before writing a single line, host a series of collaborative workshops with your team to co-create the foundational components like B1.2 - Vision and B1.4 - Principles.

Using a shared canvas like a Miro board to collectively brainstorm and refine these ideas is what builds the shared ownership necessary for the Charter to be truly adopted.

Establish a clear cadence for reviewing and updating key Charter components. For example, schedule a "Strategy Review" at the start of each new Season in your B4 - Program.

Use a version control system (like the history feature in GitBook) to track all changes to the Charter, ensuring there is always a clear, auditable history of your organization's strategic evolution (B1.22 - Evolution).

Embrace the principle of a "Minimum Viable Charter." When you are just starting out, focus only on the most critical components (Seed, Vision, Mission, Challenge, Scope).

Build out the other components progressively as your organization matures and the need for more detail arises. Prioritize clarity at every stage.

Integrate the Charter directly into your core operational rituals. Start your weekly team meeting with a quick review of the key Metrics (B1.17).

When a new project (B1.12) is proposed, the first step in the review process should be to hold it up against the Strategy (B1.7) and Principles (B1.4) components. Weave the Charter into the fabric of your daily work.

As short as possible, but as long as necessary.

For a new organization, a crisp "Minimum Viable Charter" focusing on 4-5 core components is far more effective than a 50-page business plan. The goal is clarity, not exhaustiveness. You can add more components as you grow.

While the process should be led by a designated steward (often a founder or leader), it is critical to involve a cross-section of your team in co-creating the foundational components.

Gaining diverse perspectives and building shared ownership is the key to ensuring the Charter is a living, respected document.

We recommend a formal review of key strategic components (like Strategy and Program) at least once per "Season" (every three months).

However, the Charter is a living document. It can and should be updated any time the organization makes a significant strategic pivot or a key learning invalidates a previous assumption.