CHAD SHEPPARD

    Claude Projects Guide

    Stop starting from zero every chat.

    A Claude Project is a room built for one goal — your files, your context, and your instructions all in one place. Here's exactly how to set one up, using the real project that helped me raise over $20,000.

    Watch the walkthrough

    A real Claude Project, opened up on screen.

    Watch the full setup: how I created the project, what files I uploaded, the exact instructions I wrote, and the prompts that turned Claude into a $20k+ fundraising coordinator.

    $20k+ case study15-minute setup

    Why this matters

    Regular chat is Groundhog Day. Projects fix it.

    Every new Claude chat, you re-explain who you are, what you're working on, and how you like things done. Projects give you a dedicated room where all of that is already loaded — so you skip straight to the work.

    Regular Claude chat

    Start from zero every time.

    Re-explain your job, your kids, your goals, your files. Every single conversation.

    A Claude Project

    Walk into a room already set up.

    Files, context, and instructions live in one place. Claude reads all of it on every prompt.

    Set the room up once. Get the payoff on every prompt.

    Easiest Path — 4 Steps

    Download. Paste. Upload. Run.

    One file gives you the Instructions template, the file checklist, and the exact prompts I ran to raise $20k+. Copy it into your own project and go.

    1. 1Download Claude_Projects_Setup.md
    2. 2Create a new project in Claude and paste the Instructions template into the Instructions field
    3. 3Upload 3–6 files from the checklist (credibility, do-not-contact, offer, details, voice)
    4. 4Run the 4 starter prompts inside the project and review the drafts

    Full Setup

    Four steps. About 15 minutes.

    Prefer to build it yourself instead of downloading the file? Here's the exact process.

    Step 01

    Create the project

    In Claude's left sidebar, click the Projects folder (right under Chat). Hit New Project. Name it after the thing you're actually doing — not "work stuff."

    Project name: Riverdale Golf Tournament 2026

    Step 02

    Write the Instructions (the job description)

    This is the governance for THIS room. Tell Claude what role to play, what the goal is, and how you want it to behave. Paste the template from the download and fill in the blanks.

    ROLE: You are my fundraising coordinator for the Riverdale golf tournament.
GOAL: Raise $20,000 by Aug 15 through corporate sponsorships and silent auction donations.
RULES: Never contact anyone on the do-not-contact list. Ask before guessing.

    Step 03

    Upload 3 to 6 sharp files

    Every file is context Claude reads on every prompt. Keep it tight. Credibility doc, do-not-contact list, offer / product info, event details, and a voice sample.

    Determination_Letter.pdf
Do_Not_Contact_List.csv
Sponsorship_Packages.pdf
Golf_Tournament_Details.docx
Voice_Sample_Emails.md

    Step 04

    Run your first prompts

    With Instructions + Files in place, ask Claude to build the prioritized outreach list, then the full script pack. Every prompt pulls from every file automatically.

    Using the sponsor info and do-not-contact list, build a prioritized outreach
list. Rank by likelihood to say yes and dollar potential. Then write the full
outreach script pack: corporate pitch, hole sponsor ask, silent auction request,
follow-up #1, follow-up #2. Match my voice sample. End each with a
"what I'd change" note.

    Real result

    One project. ~100 outreach emails. Over $20,000 raised.

    I built this Project because I needed it — not for a video. Claude read my determination letter, my do-not-contact list, the sponsorship packages, and the tournament details. Then it built a prioritized outreach list and wrote every script: corporate pitch, hole sponsor ask, silent auction letter. I reviewed each draft, tweaked a few, and sent them. That's it.

    A well built Project doesn't just answer questions. It runs a system for you.

    Don't mix these up

    Three things. All working together.

    Get all three right and Claude stops feeling like a chatbot and starts feeling like a system.

    Claude Memory

    Who you are, how you think, how you like to work. Carries across every chat and every project. Set this up once, forever.

    Set up Claude Memory →

    Project Instructions

    The governance for this specific room. Role, goal, rules of engagement inside one project.

    Project Memory

    What Claude remembers from conversations INSIDE this project over time. Builds automatically as you work.

    What's in the template

    Everything you need to set the room up right.

    • Ready-to-paste Instructions template
    • 5-file starter checklist (with what each file does)
    • 4 first prompts: outreach list, script pack, status check, ask-me-first
    • The exact structure behind a $20k+ fundraiser
    • Rules for keeping the room clean over time
    • Free — no signup, no email gate

    Want more setups like this?

    I post AI tips and workflows built for everyday people — no hype, just stuff that actually works. Subscribe and the next one lands in your feed.

    More from Chad

    Keep exploring