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Terms of Reference

Free terms of reference template for defining the scope, objectives, and governance of a project, committee, or working group.

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This free terms of reference covers 1. Background, 2. Purpose and Objectives, 3. Scope, 4. Roles and Responsibilities, 5. Governance and Decision-Making with 13 clearly marked [placeholder] fields to fill in — built for founders, freelancers, and small business owners formalizing a business decision or agreement without paying a lawyer to draft it from scratch. Copy it into your own word processor, fill in the placeholders, and review it — or adapt it — before use. It's part of docstoc's free document template library, alongside business, legal, real estate, finance, and HR templates. Every template here is free to copy with no signup required, and each one carries a plain disclaimer: this is a starting point for informational purposes, not a substitute for advice from a licensed professional in your jurisdiction.

Template — click to edit

Terms of Reference: [Project/Committee Name]

Prepared by: [Name/Title] · Date: [Date] · Version: [1.0]

1. Background

[The context that led to creating this project or committee — what problem or opportunity prompted it.]

2. Purpose and Objectives

[What this project or committee exists to achieve, stated as specific objectives.]

3. Scope

[What is in scope and, just as important, what is explicitly out of scope.]

4. Roles and Responsibilities

Role	Name	Responsibilities
[Chair/Lead]	[Name]	[Responsibilities]
[Member]	[Name]	[Responsibilities]
[Sponsor]	[Name]	[Responsibilities]

5. Governance and Decision-Making

[How decisions get made — e.g. consensus, majority vote, sponsor sign-off — and who has final authority.]

6. Meeting Schedule

[Frequency, format (in-person/virtual), and expected duration of meetings.]

7. Deliverables and Timeline

[What will be produced, and by when.]

8. Reporting

[Who this group reports to, how often, and in what format.]

9. Review and Amendment

This Terms of Reference will be reviewed [frequency, e.g. quarterly] and may be amended by [approval process].

*This document is provided as a general planning guide and does not constitute legal advice.*

Edit directly in the box above. Download PDF anytime — the docstoc.io footer is always included and cannot be removed.

What's included

Edit online — click the document, fill in placeholders, download a PDF
9 standard sections: 1. Background, 2. Purpose and Objectives, 3. Scope, 4. Roles and Responsibilities, 5. Governance and Decision-Making, 6. Meeting Schedule, …
13 clearly marked [placeholder] fields for quick personalizing
Free to use — no account or signup required
Fully editable — adjust any clause to match your actual situation
Fixed docstoc.io footer on every PDF (not removable)

Who this template is for

Freelancers & solo founders

Handling routine business paperwork without commissioning custom legal drafting for every document.

Small businesses

Standardizing recurring documents — leases, agreements, notices — across a growing operation.

Anyone reviewing before signing

Using a clear starting structure to understand what a document should cover, even if a lawyer finalizes it.

Early-stage businesses

Getting the basics documented before things get more complex.

FAQ

Is this terms of reference template really free?

Yes — this Terms of Reference template on docstoc is free to view, edit online, and download as a PDF with no account or signup required.

What does this terms of reference cover?

This business template includes 1. Background, 2. Purpose and Objectives, 3. Scope, 4. Roles and Responsibilities. Fill in the [bracketed] placeholders, edit any clause online, then download a PDF — the docstoc.io footer stays on every export.

Is this legal advice?

No. This is a general-purpose starting structure, not advice for your specific situation. Business agreements can hinge on details — state of formation, industry-specific regulation, how a dispute would actually play out — that a template can't account for. Have a business attorney review anything that involves real money or real risk before you rely on it.

Can I edit the wording?

Yes — edit directly on the page, adjust any section or clause, and re-fill the 13 placeholder fields to match your situation before downloading a PDF. It's a starting structure, not a rigid script.

Where can I find more free templates like this?

Browse more free business and related document templates in the docstoc library at /document-templates/.

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