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Team Charter

Why should you complete a Team Charter?

A “team charter” is a document that clearly outlines a team’s purpose, goals, values, roles, responsibilities, communication protocols, and decision-making processes. Creating a Team Charter helps multi-organizational teams establish clear roles, shared values, and mutual expectations. This foundational document promotes accountability, aligns team members on health equity goals, and fosters a respectful, collaborative environment. With a charter in place, the team is better positioned for coordinated, impactful action on health equity initiatives.

How should you work through this component?

Teams should start with the Team Charter sub-component by working through the Base Deck (Presentation), reading through the Team Building Definitions and Explanations, and then working together to actually create your Team Charter.

When does it make sense to work through this component? 

More than once! Ideally, the work in this sub-component should be revisited at least once a year to update the Team Charter as teams evolve.

Curriculum to be completed for this component:

Team Charter (Base Deck – Presentation)

This Presentation walks through the steps a team can take to set itself up for success. Teams will learn how a team charter can help them:

  • Align the team’s mission and goals
  • Allocate roles
  • Identify timelines
  • Establishing a shared language, and
  • Setting expectations for meetings and teamwork

To be used in tandem with the Team Charter Template, and the Team BuildingDefinitions and Explanations.

RIC – FA – TeamCharter (Base Deck) PDF 6.2025Download

Team Building Definitions and Explanations (Includes Accountable Spaces Framework Example)

The Team Building Definitions, Concepts, and Guidance for Creating a Team Charter document discusses the importance of creating a team charter, how to create a team charter, and tips for creating alignment among your team as they work toward health equity. 

To be used in tandem with the Team Charter (Base Deck-Presentation) and Team Charter template.

RIC – FA – TeamBldg Definitions 6.2025Download

Team Building Facilitator Guide

This resource will help you plan a training/information session with your team to help them create a charter to guide their work.

RIC – FA – TeamBldngFacilGuide 6.2025Download

Team Charter Template

Download the Team Charter template to fill in.

RIC – FA – Team Charter Template (PDF) 6.2025Download
RIC – FA – Team Charter Template (Word Version) 6.2025Download
Recommended timeline/allotment for this component: 

Self-Assessment Topics and Questions:

Already have a Team Charter? Work through the following questions to determine if it would be beneficial to update the Team Charter:

Team Charter Review

Which of the following best describes the composition of your team or collaborative?

A. All partner organizations and individuals on the team have a history of working together on this initiative.
B. Some, but not all, of the individuals and/or partner organizations have a history of working together on this equity initiative.
C. Most or all of the individuals and/or collaborative organizations are new partners.

If you answered “A”, ensure that all team members are oriented to each component of the Team Charter and have opportunities to ask questions and seek clarification regarding the goals of the initiative and their specific role.  This is especially important for newer team members.

If you answered “B”, conduct a SOAR analysis if you have not done so already.  If you completed a SOAR analysis in the past, review the results and determine as a group if it would be beneficial to update the analysis. After reviewing and updating the SOAR analysis, review and update your Team Charter. Then, assess if partner organizations and team members are still aligned on each component of the Charter, a minimum of once every three months; make updates and revisions as necessary. 

If you answered “C”, consider conducting a SOAR analysis and then using the information gathered from the analysis to complete all the components of a Team Charter.  Then, assess if partner organizations and team members are still aligned on each component of the Charter a minimum of once every three months; make updates and revisions as necessary.

Goal and Objective Setting:

About the Roadmap Goal and Objective Setting Tool

This tool is designed to facilitate goal setting and completion for your team. The tool will allow your team to:

1) Record goals that align with the various Roadmap components; 

2) Record objectives, time frames, and target completion dates, among other important items for each goal; and 

3) Monitor progress of goals per Roadmap component

Your team is welcome to engage with this tool as much or as little as it would like, and is helpful in the development, implementation, and evaluation of your health equity initiative. We encourage you to use this tool to ensure clear goal setting and promote consistent communication, accountability, and progress within your team. This tool is designed to be used over time as your team progresses through the Roadmap and your initiative. This is in no way intended to be used one way by all teams. This is meant to help you progress through the Roadmap component(s) on which you are working at a given time, and you may reach your goals in any order.

Each Roadmap component is listed as a separate tab. Navigate to the desired Roadmap component via the taskbar at the bottom of the webpage to add, edit, or view goals. Hide certain tabs as needed to narrow your view to specific Roadmap components or the snapshot. Changing the status of a goal will automatically shift the Snapshot view for the specific Roadmap component.