Bylaws serve as the "rules" or "blueprint" of shared governance in your organization. At a minimum, one set of bylaws oversee the shared governance model. The bylaws outline the purpose of shared governance, the purpose of each council and the function of the councils. Bylaws include membership (roles, not names), term limits, expectations, meeting times, ground rules, and the decision-making model.   The charter is a set of guidelines based on the bylaws that states the individual council's purpose, membership, guiding principles, responsibilities, and goals. Some organizations choose to combine these into one document; some may use different terminology. Keep in mind that shared governance is not a one-size-fits-all approach and should be tailored to meet the unique needs of the organization.   Both bylaws and charters should be reviewed annually and amended, as necessary.