Welcome to Steal This Template

This is a community-built library of guides and ready-to-use templates for working with consultants, from deciding whether to hire, to scoping and contracting, to managing the work, to closing it out cleanly.

If you’re here because you’re about to hire someone (or you’re in the middle of an engagement that’s getting weird), you’re in the right place.

How to use this library

You can browse in three ways:

  • Templates → copy/paste tools you can use immediately
  • Guides → the “how to think about it” articles
  • Case Files → real-world snapshots of what good (and not-good) looks like

The “I need something right now” section

If you need to steal one thing today:

If you’re deciding whether to hire

  • Decision Tree: Do We Need a Consultant? (Template)
  • Readiness Self-Assessment Checklist (Template)
  • Consultant vs. Staff: Making the Strategic Choice (Guide)

If you’re selecting a consultant

  • Streamlined RFP Template (Template)
  • Equitable Evaluation Rubric (Template)
  • Consultant Interview Question Guide (Template)
  • Red Flags and Green Flags (Guide)

If you’re about to kick off an engagement

  • Project Scope Template (Template)
  • MOCHA / RACI Roles Matrix (Template)
  • Communication Protocols and Expectations (Guide)
  • Decision-Making Cadence and Stakeholder Roles (Guide)

If the work is going sideways

  • When Things Go Off Track (Guide)
  • Problem-Solving Conversation Guide (Template)
  • Project Status Update Format (Template)

If you’re wrapping up

  • Closing Out and Transitioning (Guide)
  • Project Closeout Checklist (Template)
  • Knowledge Transfer Plan Template (Template)

Browse by stage (the “whole journey”)

If you want to go end-to-end, here’s the flow:

  1. Deciding to Hire
  2. Budget & Rates
  3. Find & Select
  4. Scope & Contract
  5. Manage the Work
  6. What Good Looks Like (Case Files + partnership health)

A note on community + credit

Every piece is written by a working consultant and properly attributed. You can browse by author anytime and follow the thread of someone’s work across the library.

Want to contribute improvements?

This library is meant to be living. If you’ve used a template and made it better—cleaner language, better structure, a missing step—send edits. The goal is to keep making the vault more useful.