diff --git a/backend/app/schemas/project.py b/backend/app/schemas/project.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0975a6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/app/schemas/project.py
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+"""Project schemas."""
+from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
+from typing import Optional, List
+from datetime import datetime
+
+
+class ProjectCreate(BaseModel):
+    name: str = Field(..., min_length=1, max_length=300)
+    description: str = ""
+    start_date: Optional[datetime] = None
+    end_date: Optional[datetime] = None
+    budget_limit_cents: Optional[int] = None
+    acceptance_criteria: str = ""
+    tags: str = ""
+
+
+class ProjectUpdate(BaseModel):
+    name: Optional[str] = None
+    description: Optional[str] = None
+    status: Optional[str] = None
+    start_date: Optional[datetime] = None
+    end_date: Optional[datetime] = None
+    budget_limit_cents: Optional[int] = None
+    acceptance_criteria: Optional[str] = None
+    tags: Optional[str] = None
+
+
+class ProjectResponse(BaseModel):
+    id: int
+    name: str
+    description: str
+    status: str
+    owner_id: int
+    tenant_id: int
+    start_date: Optional[datetime] = None
+    end_date: Optional[datetime] = None
+    budget_limit_cents: Optional[int] = None
+    acceptance_criteria: str = ""
+    tags: str = ""
+    created_at: datetime
+    updated_at: datetime
+
+    model_config = {"from_attributes": True}
+
+
+class ProjectStats(BaseModel):
+    """Project-level statistics for dashboard."""
+    total_tasks: int = 0
+    pending_tasks: int = 0
+    in_progress_tasks: int = 0
+    review_tasks: int = 0
+    done_tasks: int = 0
+    total_cost_cents: int = 0
+    total_artifacts: int = 0
+    pending_reviews: int = 0