diff --git a/apps/backend/db/db_setup.sql b/apps/backend/db/db_setup.sql
index 0cef946..8143e3e 100644
--- a/apps/backend/db/db_setup.sql
+++ b/apps/backend/db/db_setup.sql
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ CREATE TABLE users (
 CREATE TABLE projects (
     project_id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
     name VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
+    description TEXT NOT NULL,
     total_budget NUMERIC(12,2),
     start_date DATE,
     end_date DATE,
@@ -71,10 +72,10 @@ INSERT INTO users (name, email, is_admin) VALUES
 ('Renee Reddy', 'renee@branch.org', TRUE),
 ('Nour Shoreibah', 'nour@branch.org', TRUE);
 
-INSERT INTO projects (name, total_budget, start_date, end_date, currency) VALUES
-('Clinician Communication Study', 500000, '2025-01-01', '2026-01-01', 'USD'),
-('Health Education Initiative', 300000, '2025-03-01', '2026-03-01', 'USD'),
-('Policy Advocacy Program', 200000, '2025-06-01', '2026-06-01', 'USD');
+INSERT INTO projects (name, description, total_budget, start_date, end_date, currency) VALUES
+('Clinician Communication Study', 'Study of clinician-patient communication patterns', 500000, '2025-01-01', '2026-01-01', 'USD'),
+('Health Education Initiative', 'Community health education and outreach', 300000, '2025-03-01', '2026-03-01', 'USD'),
+('Policy Advocacy Program', 'Advocacy and policy change efforts', 200000, '2025-06-01', '2026-06-01', 'USD');
 
 INSERT INTO donors (organization, contact_name, contact_email) VALUES
 ('NIH', 'Dr. Sarah Lee', 'sarah@nih.gov'),
diff --git a/apps/backend/lambdas/auth/db-types.d.ts b/apps/backend/lambdas/auth/db-types.d.ts
index 3d190d8..5ca734e 100644
--- a/apps/backend/lambdas/auth/db-types.d.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/lambdas/auth/db-types.d.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export interface BranchProjects {
   created_at: Generated<Timestamp | null>;
   currency: Generated<string | null>;
   end_date: Timestamp | null;
+  description: string;
   name: string;
   project_id: Generated<number>;
   start_date: Timestamp | null;
diff --git a/apps/backend/lambdas/donors/db-types.d.ts b/apps/backend/lambdas/donors/db-types.d.ts
index b2bc948..a44eaf8 100644
--- a/apps/backend/lambdas/donors/db-types.d.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/lambdas/donors/db-types.d.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export interface BranchProjects {
   created_at: Generated<Timestamp | null>;
   currency: Generated<string | null>;
   end_date: Timestamp | null;
+  description: string;
   name: string;
   project_id: Generated<number>;
   start_date: Timestamp | null;
diff --git a/apps/backend/lambdas/expenditures/db-types.d.ts b/apps/backend/lambdas/expenditures/db-types.d.ts
index b2bc948..a44eaf8 100644
--- a/apps/backend/lambdas/expenditures/db-types.d.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/lambdas/expenditures/db-types.d.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export interface BranchProjects {
   created_at: Generated<Timestamp | null>;
   currency: Generated<string | null>;
   end_date: Timestamp | null;
+  description: string;
   name: string;
   project_id: Generated<number>;
   start_date: Timestamp | null;
diff --git a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/db-types.d.ts b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/db-types.d.ts
index b2bc948..a44eaf8 100644
--- a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/db-types.d.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/db-types.d.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export interface BranchProjects {
   created_at: Generated<Timestamp | null>;
   currency: Generated<string | null>;
   end_date: Timestamp | null;
+  description: string;
   name: string;
   project_id: Generated<number>;
   start_date: Timestamp | null;
diff --git a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/handler.ts b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/handler.ts
index 49ccc05..75554d6 100644
--- a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/handler.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/handler.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<APIGatewayProxyResult> => {
         .updateTable("branch.projects")
         .set(body)
         .where("project_id", "=", Number(id))
-        .returning(["project_id", "name", "total_budget"]) // control returned fields
+        .returning(["project_id", "name", "description", "total_budget"]) // control returned fields
         .executeTakeFirst();
       if (!updatedProject) return json(404, { message: `Project not found for id: ${id}` });
       return json(200, updatedProject);
@@ -73,11 +73,15 @@ export const handler = async (event: any): Promise<APIGatewayProxyResult> => {
       if (!currencyResult.isValid) return json(400, { message: currencyResult.error });
       if (currencyResult.value !== null) values.currency = currencyResult.value;
 
+      const descriptionResult = ProjectValidationUtils.validateDescription(body.description);
+      if (!descriptionResult.isValid) return json(400, { message: descriptionResult.error });
+      values.description = descriptionResult.value;
+
       try {
         const inserted = await db
           .insertInto('branch.projects')
           .values(values)
-          .returning(['project_id','name','total_budget','currency','start_date','end_date','created_at'])
+          .returning(['project_id','name','description','total_budget','currency','start_date','end_date','created_at'])
           .executeTakeFirst();
 
         return json(201, inserted);
diff --git a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/openapi.yaml b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/openapi.yaml
index 7b45fbb..7e60194 100644
--- a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/openapi.yaml
+++ b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/openapi.yaml
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ paths:
                   type: string
                 total_budget:
                   type: number
+                description:
+                  type: string
       responses:
         '200':
           description: OK
diff --git a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/test/crud.test.ts b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/test/crud.test.ts
index 70a2200..202b987 100644
--- a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/test/crud.test.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/test/crud.test.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ test("get projects test 🌞", async () => {
   let body = await res.json();
   console.log(body);
   expect(body.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+  body.forEach((project: any) => {
+    expect(project.description).toBeDefined();
+    expect(project.description).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(typeof project.description).toBe('string');
+  });
 });
 test("update project test 🌞", async () => {
   let res = await fetch("http://localhost:3000/projects/1", {
@@ -49,6 +54,20 @@ test("update project test 🌞", async () => {
   expect(body.project_id).toBe(1);
   expect(body.name).toContain("Project 1 Updated");
   expect(Number(body.total_budget)).toBe(Number(2000.00));
+  expect(body.description).toBeDefined();
+  expect(body.description).not.toBeNull();
+  expect(typeof body.description).toBe('string');
+});
+
+test("update project with new description test 🌞", async () => {
+  const newDesc = "Updated project description";
+  let res = await fetch("http://localhost:3000/projects/1", {
+    method: "PUT",
+    body: JSON.stringify({ name: "Project 1", description: newDesc }),
+  });
+  expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+  let body = await res.json();
+  expect(body.description).toBe(newDesc);
 });
 
 test("project put 404 test 🌞", async () => {
diff --git a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/test/projects.e2e.test.ts b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/test/projects.e2e.test.ts
index cacc763..88f7178 100644
--- a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/test/projects.e2e.test.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/test/projects.e2e.test.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ describe('POST /projects (e2e)', () => {
         start_date: '2025-03-01',
         end_date: '2025-09-30',
         currency: 'EUR',
+        description: 'End-to-end project description',
       }),
     });
     expect(res.status).toBe(201);
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ describe('POST /projects (e2e)', () => {
     expect(json.start_date).toContain('2025-03-01');
     expect(json.end_date).toContain('2025-09-30');
     expect(json.currency).toBe('EUR');
+    expect(json.description).toBe('End-to-end project description');
   });
 
   test('400 when name missing', async () => {
@@ -72,5 +74,42 @@ describe('POST /projects (e2e)', () => {
       body: JSON.stringify({ name: 'Minimal' }),
     });
     expect(res.status).toBe(201);
+    const json = await res.json();
+    expect(json.description).toBe(''); // description defaults to empty string
+  });
+
+  test('201: creates project with empty string description', async () => {
+    const res = await fetch(`${base}`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ name: 'EmptyDesc', description: '' }),
+    });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(201);
+    const json = await res.json();
+    expect(json.description).toBe('');
+  });
+
+  test('400: description exceeds 1000 characters', async () => {
+    const longDesc = 'a'.repeat(1001);
+    const res = await fetch(`${base}`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ name: 'LongDesc', description: longDesc }),
+    });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(400);
+    const json = await res.json();
+    expect(json.message).toContain('1000');
+  });
+
+  test('201: creates project with exactly 1000 character description', async () => {
+    const desc1000 = 'a'.repeat(1000);
+    const res = await fetch(`${base}`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ name: 'MaxDesc', description: desc1000 }),
+    });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(201);
+    const json = await res.json();
+    expect(json.description).toBe(desc1000);
   });
 });
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/test/projects.unit.test.ts b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/test/projects.unit.test.ts
index 04ac428..f6a9770 100644
--- a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/test/projects.unit.test.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/test/projects.unit.test.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,22 @@ test('201: creates project with numeric string budget', async () => {
 test('201: creates minimal project with only name', async () => {
   const res = await handler(event({ name: 'Minimal' }));
   expect(res.statusCode).toBe(201);
+  const json = JSON.parse(res.body);
+  expect(json.description).toBe('');
+});
+
+test('201: creates project with empty string description', async () => {
+  const res = await handler(event({ name: 'EmptyDesc', description: '' }));
+  expect(res.statusCode).toBe(201);
+  const json = JSON.parse(res.body);
+  expect(json.description).toBe('');
+});
+
+test('201: creates project with whitespace-only description', async () => {
+  const res = await handler(event({ name: 'WhitespaceDesc', description: '   ' }));
+  expect(res.statusCode).toBe(201);
+  const json = JSON.parse(res.body);
+  expect(json.description).toBe('');
 });
 
 test('201: creates project with all fields', async () => {
@@ -45,8 +61,9 @@ test('201: creates project with all fields', async () => {
       name: 'AllFieldsUnit',
       total_budget: 12345.67,
       start_date: '2025-01-01',
-      end_date: '2025-12-31',
-      currency: 'USD',
+        end_date: '2025-12-31',
+        currency: 'USD',
+        description: 'Unit test project description',
     }),
   } as any);
   expect(res.statusCode).toBe(201);
@@ -56,6 +73,15 @@ test('201: creates project with all fields', async () => {
   expect(json.start_date).toContain('2025-01-01');
   expect(json.end_date).toContain('2025-12-31');
   expect(json.currency).toBe('USD');
+  expect(json.description).toBe('Unit test project description');
+});
+
+test('201: creates project with exactly 1000 character description', async () => {
+  const desc1000 = 'a'.repeat(1000);
+  const res = await handler(event({ name: 'MaxDesc', description: desc1000 }));
+  expect(res.statusCode).toBe(201);
+  const json = JSON.parse(res.body);
+  expect(json.description).toBe(desc1000);
 });
 
 // Validation errors (400)
@@ -86,3 +112,11 @@ test('400: currency empty or too long', async () => {
   const tooLong = await handler(event({ name: 'X', currency: 'ABCDEFGHIJK' })); // 11 chars
   expect(tooLong.statusCode).toBe(400);
 });
+
+test('400: description exceeds 1000 characters', async () => {
+  const longDesc = 'a'.repeat(1001);
+  const res = await handler(event({ name: 'LongDesc', description: longDesc }));
+  expect(res.statusCode).toBe(400);
+  const json = JSON.parse(res.body);
+  expect(json.message).toContain('1000');
+});
diff --git a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/validation-utils.ts b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/validation-utils.ts
index b2124ec..16cb9b8 100644
--- a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/validation-utils.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/validation-utils.ts
@@ -72,4 +72,19 @@ export class ProjectValidationUtils {
     }
     return { isValid: true, value: c };
   }
+
+  // validates description field - required, defaults to empty string if not provided
+  static validateDescription(input: unknown): ValidationResult<string> {
+    if (input === undefined || input === null || input === '') {
+      return { isValid: true, value: '' };
+    }
+    if (typeof input !== 'string') {
+      return { isValid: true, value: '' };
+    }
+    const d = input.trim();
+    if (d.length > 1000) {
+      return { isValid: false, error: "'description' must be <= 1000 chars" };
+    }
+    return { isValid: true, value: d.length === 0 ? '' : d };
+  }
 }
diff --git a/apps/backend/lambdas/users/db-types.d.ts b/apps/backend/lambdas/users/db-types.d.ts
index b2bc948..a44eaf8 100644
--- a/apps/backend/lambdas/users/db-types.d.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/lambdas/users/db-types.d.ts
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export interface BranchProjects {
   created_at: Generated<Timestamp | null>;
   currency: Generated<string | null>;
   end_date: Timestamp | null;
+  description: string;
   name: string;
   project_id: Generated<number>;
   start_date: Timestamp | null;