diff --git a/src/__tests__/project.model.test.js b/src/__tests__/project.model.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1520b36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/__tests__/project.model.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+const mongoose = require('mongoose');
+const Project = require('../models/Project.model');
+
+describe('Project model schema', () => {
+  const ownerId = new mongoose.Types.ObjectId();
+
+  it('saves with required fields and correct defaults', () => {
+    const project = new Project({ title: 'Clean Water Fund', goalAmount: 5000, owner: ownerId });
+
+    expect(project.title).toBe('Clean Water Fund');
+    expect(project.goalAmount).toBe(5000);
+    expect(project.raisedAmount).toBe(0);
+    expect(project.currency).toBe('XLM');
+    expect(project.status).toBe('draft');
+    expect(project.documents).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects invalid status enum', () => {
+    const project = new Project({ title: 'Test', goalAmount: 100, owner: ownerId, status: 'unknown' });
+    const err = project.validateSync();
+    expect(err.errors.status).toBeDefined();
+  });
+
+  it('requires title', () => {
+    const project = new Project({ goalAmount: 100, owner: ownerId });
+    const err = project.validateSync();
+    expect(err.errors.title).toBeDefined();
+  });
+
+  it('requires owner', () => {
+    const project = new Project({ title: 'Test', goalAmount: 100 });
+    const err = project.validateSync();
+    expect(err.errors.owner).toBeDefined();
+  });
+
+  it('requires goalAmount', () => {
+    const project = new Project({ title: 'Test', owner: ownerId });
+    const err = project.validateSync();
+    expect(err.errors.goalAmount).toBeDefined();
+  });
+
+  it('accepts all status enum values', () => {
+    for (const status of ['draft', 'pending', 'active', 'rejected', 'completed']) {
+      const project = new Project({ title: 'T', goalAmount: 1, owner: ownerId, status });
+      expect(project.validateSync()).toBeUndefined();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('accepts optional fields', () => {
+    const project = new Project({
+      title: 'Solar Initiative',
+      goalAmount: 10000,
+      owner: ownerId,
+      category: 'Energy',
+      currency: 'USDC',
+      stellarAddress: 'GABC123',
+      coverImage: 'https://example.com/cover.jpg',
+      startDate: new Date('2026-01-01'),
+      endDate: new Date('2026-12-31'),
+      documents: [
+        {
+          originalName: 'plan.pdf',
+          filename: 'plan-stored.pdf',
+          mimetype: 'application/pdf',
+          size: 1024,
+          url: '/uploads/plan-stored.pdf',
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+
+    expect(project.category).toBe('Energy');
+    expect(project.currency).toBe('USDC');
+    expect(project.stellarAddress).toBe('GABC123');
+    expect(project.documents).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(project.documents[0].originalName).toBe('plan.pdf');
+  });
+
+  it('has indexes on status and owner', () => {
+    const indexes = Project.schema.indexes();
+    const keys = indexes.map(([fields]) => Object.keys(fields).join(','));
+    expect(keys).toContain('status');
+    expect(keys).toContain('owner');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/models/Project.model.js b/src/models/Project.model.js
index 73c9ecf..6962112 100644
--- a/src/models/Project.model.js
+++ b/src/models/Project.model.js
@@ -3,18 +3,18 @@ const mongoose = require('mongoose');
 const documentSchema = new mongoose.Schema(
   {
     originalName: { type: String, required: true },
-    filename:     { type: String, required: true }, // stored name on disk
-    mimetype:     { type: String, required: true },
-    size:         { type: Number, required: true }, // bytes
-    url:          { type: String, required: true }, // public URL path
-    uploadedAt:   { type: Date, default: Date.now },
+    filename: { type: String, required: true },
+    mimetype: { type: String, required: true },
+    size: { type: Number, required: true },
+    url: { type: String, required: true },
+    uploadedAt: { type: Date, default: Date.now },
   },
   { _id: true }
 );
 
 const projectSchema = new mongoose.Schema(
   {
-    title:       { type: String, required: true, trim: true },
+    title: { type: String, required: true, trim: true },
     description: { type: String, trim: true },
     owner:       { type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'User', required: true },
     isActive:    { type: Boolean, default: true },
@@ -25,4 +25,7 @@ const projectSchema = new mongoose.Schema(
   { timestamps: true }
 );
 
-module.exports = mongoose.model('Project', projectSchema);
\ No newline at end of file
+projectSchema.index({ status: 1 });
+projectSchema.index({ owner: 1 });
+
+module.exports = mongoose.model('Project', projectSchema);