Blockchain 4 Good Research

[GENERAL] Name and Surname of Main Applicant

Impact Web3

[GENERAL] Email address of Main Applicant

impactweb3@gmail.com

Additional Applicants

Razali Samsudin

Sustainable ADA

Cole Bartlett

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

6

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

No

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.” in this field.

No dependencies.

[GENERAL] Will your project outputs be fully Open Source?

Yes

[GENERAL] If NO, please describe which outputs are not going to be open source. If YES, please write “Project will be fully open source.” in this field.

Project will be fully open source.

[METADATA] Category of Proposal

Education

[METADATA] SDG rating

Connected SDGs

Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

SDG subgoals:

4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship

4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations

4.7 By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development

8.6 By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training

Key Performance Indicator (KPI):

4.7.1 Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Pre-Funding:

We would like to highlight some of the achievements our team has had thus far:

• The research analysis of the proposals in Fund 6, shows a vast relationship to SDGs. 27.5% of the proposals are directly related to SDGs and 68.5% are indirectly. The reason is that Blockchain technology in general and the objective of Cardano in particular is making the world more transparent, traceable, and accessible, which all support SDGs objectives.
• As a result of our previously funded proposals and the tireless work of committed members of the Cardano community, the SDG Proposer Tool is now part of the Proposer Submission Form since Fund 7.

We have developed a SDG Proposer tool to help proposers integrate SDGs into proposals https://cardanocataly.st/proposer-tool-sdg/#/ and a SDG Search tool to search for funded proposals that connect to SDGs in Fund 6 and 7: https://cardanocataly.st/sdg-search-tool/#/

• The results were presented at the Catalyst Sustainability Goals Conference meetup (November 2021):

https://youtu.be/AxtZ8dd4V6I?t=91

• Sustainable ADA have been continuing to map the Cardano ecosystem of Catalyst impact projects that connect to SDGs, and porting them over into the open access Positive Blockchain database as part of a partnership and collaboration with https://positiveblockchain.io

Cardano Impact Report

A testament and example of our dedication to Blockchain4Good Research is with our Cardano Impact Report. During 2022 and part of 2023 Sustainable ADA undertook a great journey in creating the very first Cardano Impact 2023 “Recalibrating Value, Identity & Impact Through the Blockchain”.

What is it?

The Cardano Impact Report is a comprehensive publication that aims to capture and showcase the positive impact generated by the Cardano community. It is designed as a book NFT (Non-Fungible Token) to leverage the unique features of the blockchain technology, ensuring authenticity, transparency, and immutability of the content.

Why it's important?

The Cardano Impact Report plays a crucial role in highlighting and celebrating the social and environmental outcomes achieved by the Cardano community. It serves as a testament to the transformative power of blockchain technology and its potential to drive positive change in various sectors, including finance, governance, sustainability, and social impact.

The Goal of the Impact Report

The primary goal of the Cardano Impact Report is to provide a comprehensive overview of the value, identity, and impact created by the Cardano ecosystem. It aims to showcase the accomplishments, innovations, and initiatives undertaken by individuals, organizations, and projects within the Cardano community, highlighting their contributions to sustainable development and positive societal change.

Sustainable ADA’s long-term goals with the Impact Report

Sustainable ADA, as the social enterprise responsible for the Cardano Impact Report, has several long-term goals associated with this initiative. These goals include:

1. Creating a repository of success stories: The Impact Report aims to compile a collection of success stories, case studies, and best practices from the Cardano community. By sharing these experiences, it seeks to inspire and empower others to leverage blockchain technology for positive impact.

2. Building a comprehensive knowledge base: The Impact Report serves as a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals interested in understanding the potential and impact of blockchain technology. It aims to foster knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovation within the Cardano ecosystem.

Community Collaboration

The Cardano Impact Report is a collaborative effort involving active participation from various stakeholders within the Cardano community. Sustainable ADA invites community members, project leaders, developers, researchers, and enthusiasts to contribute their insights, success stories, and expertise to make the Impact Report a comprehensive and inclusive representation of the community's achievements.

An Annual Report/Book

The Cardano Impact Report is published annually as a book NFT, providing a consolidated account of the progress, milestones, and impact generated by the Cardano ecosystem throughout the year. By adopting an annual format, it ensures that the Impact Report remains up-to-date, relevant, and reflective of the community's continuous growth and evolution.

Drive Cardano's Impact Ecosystem

The Cardano Impact Report aims to play a crucial role in driving the impact ecosystem of Cardano. By showcasing the positive outcomes and contributions of the community, it seeks to attract more stakeholders, investors, and collaborators to Cardano, fostering a vibrant and sustainable ecosystem that can address real-world challenges and create lasting change.

Inspire and Onboard From Proof of Impact

Through the Cardano Impact Report, Sustainable ADA aims to inspire individuals, organizations, and projects to adopt a "Proof of Impact" mindset. By highlighting the measurable and meaningful impact achieved by the Cardano community, it seeks to onboard new participants who are motivated to create positive change and contribute to the sustainable development goals of Cardano.

Project Highlights 

Sustainable ADA did an in-depth analysis of the Cardano4Good community. We highlight over 65+ projects building within the Cardano and Singularitynet ecosystems, and those working to create a more equitable world for all through blockchain.

We showcase the values-driven approach of Cardano and its community's commitment to sustainability, regeneration, social impact, governance, and innovation. We highlight projects that exemplify the potential of blockchain technologies and their ability to foster transparency, traceability, and trust, ultimately leading to meaningful change.

Testament to the Impact of the Report:

“For those who are not in the Cardano community, this report is not just about Cardano. This is about an awakening to the wider global issues we face today, and a clear call to action, that our time has come to address these issues, head on. The report offers a path forward towards a sustainable and equitable future. By engaging with the innovative projects and initiatives presented here, you can also contribute to positive change and find solutions to the complex issues that burden our world, and at a minimum get inspiration to create your own projects, wherever you are in the world, and you can count on our community to guide you.” - Dr Mihaela Ulieru, Blockchain Pioneer, President at IMPACT Institute, World Economic Forum Expert and Chief AI Alchemist at SingularityNet

How can we ensure future efforts benefit from the work that is funded today?

Our research proposal seeks to continue the work of fund 6, 7 and 8 and build upon the current research we are carrying out this fund. We will analyze Fund 9 and Fund 10 funded proposals, and present our analyses in an accessible database format search tool, which is currently live as and open access:

https://cardanocataly.st/sdg-search-tool/#/

It will continue to be open access, and richer with up to date proposals that have been evaluated as to their connections to UN frameworks (SDGs, Human Rights, planetary pressures adjusted HDI) providing stakeholders with insights into how Project Catalyst is financing projects, the type of projects, impact both actual and forecasted.

This open access data and information can help inform decision making within the Cardano ecosystem, and across the different open source communities and sectors to facilitate multi stakeholder decision making, problem sensing and solving using the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Human Rights and planetary pressures adjusted Human Development Index as common frameworks.

 

How do we align between different open source and cross chain community efforts?

We include a quote from SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals:

"17.18 By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts"

Essentially, open source data is KEY to achieving all sustainable development goals: https://blogs.worldbank.org/digital-development/sustainable-development-goals-and-open-data

"We must undertake a concerted global effort to encourage and invest in the creation of digital public goods: open source software, open data, open AI models, open standards and open content." (United Nations, 2020)

"Even when the relevant digital public good or open source solution is found, support and additional investment are still required to scale them up and successfully implement them" (2020, p. 9). Hence here we are, in this decentralized innovation fund experiment that is Project Catalyst! *- https://www.un.org/en/content/digital-cooperation-roadmap/*

 

What are the next steps to fuse IOG development with the community?

We have successfully collaborated with IOG with integrating the SDG Proposer Tool into the Fund 7 proposer submission form. Now, we want to carry out continued research into the activities of our Cardano community of Catalyst stakeholders for Fund 9 and Fund 10, and in conjunction with the wider Blockchain4Good community, and share the learnings with Cardano entities, #Blockchain4Good actors and public benefit to catalyze a positive multiplier effect.

How can we encourage experts to collaborate and share their knowledge and work?

We are actively working on this front. Our team is currently wearing several hats, part of interconnected teams and projects that make up a constellation of Impact oriented projects. We are in talks with, and have developed working relationships and partnerships with stakeholders within the Cardano for Impact ecosystem, and the wider Blockchain 4Good Collective, and Impact Investor world. Examples include:

• Cardano4Climate
• Blockchain4Good Collective
• Cardano AIM
• Frontiers in Blockchain - Blockchain for Good - UN Sustainable Development Goals Journal
• Climate Neutral Cardano 
• Veritree
• erable (formerly known as Cardashift)
• Accelerate 2030
• Seedstars
• Positiveblockchain
• wada
• Catalyst School
• Cardano Foundation
• The Commonwealth Online Learning Platform
• UNESCAP
• IOG
• Blockchain Learning Centre

 

How can we develop a sustainable ecosystem while sharing knowledge and efforts?

• We are actively working on this front with our research and bridge building collaborative activities. Opening up new avenues for impact changemakers to find like minded individuals and teams, and access alternative sources of finance and resources in addition to Catalyst.

As we approach the community to fill out a voluntary survey to evaluate their own project proposals, and self-report how it connects to the UN frameworks, there is the risk that proposers don’t complete the form due to a lack of capacity and time. Also there may be a gap in understanding the UN frameworks and how they connect to their projects.

We factor this in our research approach and methodology, by triangulating with our own team of experts evaluating each proposal, and interviews with the teams where appropriate.

Stakeholders and members of the Cardano community may be sceptical of the relevance of UN agencies, frameworks and concepts in this decentralized community of changemakers. As we are focusing on impact related collaboration, and have developed strong multisectoral relationships, with a common vision to build a better world FOR ALL, we are building bridges for global communities to connect, and collaborate for impact and at scale. Working together on projects that are inclusive and diverse builds trust. We propose to facilitate a continuation of this.

The UN SDGs framework has its critics for being too overwhelming, too ‘big picture’ and with too many indicators that can be worked on in siloes . Challenging to measure and translate into measurable, easy to communicate and understandable impact on the ground. Furthermore, research that seeks to carry out an analysis of the connection to SDGs across chains including Cardano’s Project Catalyst, and another blockchain is an unventured field of research.

Our research used mixed research methods; qualitative and quantitative, and we accept that evaluating a proposal and how it connects to UN frameworks can be subjective, but we have endeavored to use a scientific approach and will make all resources and results of the study open access.

We have a globally diverse, multicultural and multisectoral team, who have been funded across Funds 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, and as such we have a deep understanding of the needs and challenges within the Catalyst and Cardano community. In addition, the needs and challenges in synergistic, interrelated networks that stand to mutually benefit with a clear and coherent plan of action to collaborate and share resources and knowledge, to move the needle and reach a tipping point whereby our collective intelligence feeds a movement that not only thinks, but acts, with integrity. We propose in both word and deed to bring together people to tackle real problems, create new and leverage existing solutions. This research is intended in this spirit. 

We encourage the creation of new key performance indicators that align with the global SDGs e.g. Quality Education for All, and to provide an open access educational resource that can provide a fertile ground for further impact and research.

[IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

Our proposed solution addresses the challenge of fostering a thriving developer ecosystem within Cardano by focusing on several key initiatives and collaborations. 

Here are the ways in which our solution aligns with the challenge and the benefits it brings to the Cardano ecosystem:

SDG Integration and Impact Analysis:

• We have developed the SDG Search tool, which allows proposers to integrate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their proposals. This tool enhances the alignment of Cardano projects with global sustainability objectives.

• Our team has conducted in-depth research and analysis of proposals in Fund 6, 7, and 8 to assess their relationship to the SDGs. This research provides valuable insights into the impact and contribution of Cardano projects to the SDGs.

• By analyzing and evaluating Fund 9 and Fund 10 funded proposals, we will contribute to a cross fund comparative analysis, demonstrating the alignment and impact of Cardano projects with global frameworks.

Cardano Impact Report:

The Cardano Impact Report serves as a comprehensive publication that showcases the positive impact generated by the Cardano community.

Through this report, we highlight success stories, case studies, and best practices from the Cardano ecosystem, inspiring and empowering others to leverage blockchain technology for positive impact.

By creating a repository of success stories and building a comprehensive knowledge base, the Impact Report fosters knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovation within the Cardano ecosystem.

Community Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement:

We actively collaborate with various stakeholders within the Cardano for Impact ecosystem, as well as the wider Blockchain4Good Collective, Impact Investor world, and relevant organizations such as the United Nations.

By encouraging experts to collaborate and share their knowledge and work, we promote a sustainable ecosystem that benefits from collective efforts and expertise.

Our research, partnerships, and collaborations aim to bridge different open-source and cross-chain community efforts, ensuring alignment, knowledge sharing, and synergistic collaboration.

Open Access Data and Decision Making:

Our open-access data and information resources, such as the SDG Search tool and research findings, facilitate informed decision-making within the Cardano ecosystem.

By providing stakeholders with insights into how Project Catalyst finances solutions that address global challenges, we enable multi-stakeholder decision-making and problem-solving using common frameworks like the UN SDGs and UN Human Rights.

Ecosystem Growth and Attraction of Stakeholders:

The initiatives we propose, including the Cardano Impact Report and the extensive amount of research findings, helps attract stakeholders, investors, and collaborators to the Cardano ecosystem.

By showcasing the positive outcomes and contributions of the Cardano community, we foster a vibrant and sustainable ecosystem capable of addressing real-world challenges and creating lasting change.

Our proposed solution enhances the alignment of Cardano projects with global frameworks, promotes knowledge exchange and collaboration, and contributes to the growth and positive impact of the Cardano ecosystem. It provides a platform for stakeholders to engage, share insights, and inspire others to leverage blockchain technology for social and environmental good.

[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

We will be looking to measure the following KPIs

Adoption and Engagement:

• Number of proposers using the SDG Proposer Tool: This metric will indicate the adoption and utilization of the tool we have developed.
• Number of projects integrating SDGs into proposals.

Research and Knowledge Exchange:

• Number of partnerships established with organizations such as Positive Blockchain, Frontiers in Blockchain, and others, to foster knowledge exchange and collaboration.

Funding and Proposal Success:

• Number of funded proposals influenced through awareness and exposure to impact frameworks such as UN SDGs

Impact and Sustainable Development:

• # of proposals directly and indirectly connected to the SDGS
• # of environmental and social impact projects

[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

We plan to share the outputs and results of our project through various channels, including social media platforms, community forums, and the Sustainable ADA website. 

We will publish regular updates of discussions held in Cardano for Good twitterspaces, and feature the achievements of the showcased projects. We will share updates on our milestones and increase marketing efforts to provide insights and encourage more participation in our educational content.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

We have been a part of the Cardano ecosystem since 2020 and helping educate community members on the connections Cardano has to sustainability and social and environmental impact.

The Cardano Impact Report 2023 is a testament to how dedicated the Sustainable ADA team is to helping grow and expand the Cardano ecosystem.

https://sustainableada.com/cardano-impact-report

Sustainable ADA are a registered LLP in USA

Sustainable ADA is expanding under the framework of Impact Web3. Sustainable ADA will be an educational partner and key part of the Impact Web3 ecosystem.

Pre-funding activities: 

We have had a lot of success while growing Sustainable ADA over the last few years. We have been closely connected to the Cardano community through our Project Catalyst proposing experience. 

Learn more about all of our past funded projects here: https://sustainableada.com/catalyst/

Sustainable ADA has created: 48 individual stories on projects building in the Cardano community and making the world a better place.

More info here: https://sustainableada.com/news/

Sustainable ADA also created the Cardano Impact Report where they highlighted over 65+ Impact Project buildings on Cardano to make the world more sustainable and equitable for all. 

Free Version can be found here: https://sustainableada.com/cardano-impact-report/

More work we have taken part in:

Impact Measurement research: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFC7zRNrdg/em1s_yQDnNU6sPW6KJ8hnA/view?utm_content=DAFC7zRNrdg&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink

Positive Blockchain Cardano Integration and Project Catalyst Support:

https://positiveblockchain.io/

Partners, advisors and supporters:

Dr Mihaela Ulieru - Chief AI Alchemist SingularityNET | Former Head of Strategic Impact at IOG

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mihaelaulieru/

Alex Ross - Talk to Loop Lead | Former International Director of Programs and Partnerships at British Red Cross

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-ross-61453a3b/

https://talktoloop.org/

Sunny Basra - CEO of SoundRig

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunnybasra/

https://linktr.ee/soundrig

Affendi Samsudin - Co-Founder at Streets of ADA - A Samsudin Brothers Projek team

https://twitter.com/TR1PL7

https://asamsudinbrothersprojek.gitbook.io/streets-of-ada/

Alain "Fusion" Clapham - FRSA | Curator | Educator | Public Speaker | Facilitator

The self-professed ‘Transformative Storyteller’ has presented shows for MTV and Sky, hosted events at Wembley Arena, interviewed the likes of Beyoncé, Dr Dre and Marvel-mastermind Stan Lee, and shared his story on the TED stage.

An experienced public speaker, educator and creative producer, he is now a lead facilitator for YouTube, empowering thousands of young people to become better Internet Citizens, and helps award-winning CEOs discover their own stories of transformation.

The driving force behind creative currency initiative #IITSPIRATION and founder of BMT and BWT – an immersive live experience celebrating the ‘awesome everyday’ stories of black men and women - Alain takes on all challenges with irrepressible energy, curiosity and a desire to get to the heart of the matter.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alain-fusion-clapham-b8824b29/

https://www.instagram.com/iitstagram/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/bmtstories/?hl=en

Sarah Margono-Samsudin | International Development Practitioner - Education for Sustainable Development Section@UNESCO and Secretariat Member of Mission 4.7 Organisation -

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-margono-samsudin-a1b41b99/

Fabrizio Shao - Adaptive Athlete | Disability Advocate | Web3 Brand Ambassador

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fabrizio-shao/

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CYHlrYXIEwC/ - Cardano Summit 2021 Keynote Speaker

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

The main goals of the project are as follows:

The project aims to analyze the proposals funded in Fund 9 of Project Catalyst and evaluate their connections to UN frameworks, specifically the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Human Rights, and the planetary pressures adjusted Human Development Index (HDI). This analysis will provide insights into how Project Catalyst is financing projects and their potential impact.

Develop an accessible database and search tool: The project intends to create an accessible database and search tool that showcases the analyzed proposals and their connections to the UN frameworks. This tool will serve as a resource for decision-making within the Cardano ecosystem and other open-source communities, facilitating multi-stakeholder collaboration and problem-solving.

Conduct cross-fund comparative analysis: The project proposes to conduct a cross-fund comparative analysis, analysing Fund 9 and Fund 10 funded proposals from Cardano's Project Catalyst with proposals. This analysis will explore the similarities, differences, and potential synergies and provide insights into the broader impact of blockchain technology on sustainable development.

To validate the feasibility of the approach, the project will undertake several steps:

Methodological rigor: The project can ensure a rigorous and scientific approach to the analysis by using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The use of mixed methods will provide a comprehensive understanding of how proposals align with the UN frameworks.

Expert evaluation: We mention that our team includes globally diverse, multicultural, and multisectoral experts who have been funded in previous funds. We will be leveraging the expertise of our partners.

Open access and peer review: The project emphasizes making the research resources and results open access. Our commitment to transparency allows for peer review and validation from the broader community, ensuring the credibility and robustness of the project's findings.

User feedback and engagement: The accessibility of the database and search tool will provide an opportunity to gather feedback and insights from users within the Cardano ecosystem and other blockchain communities. User feedback can help identify any potential challenges or areas for improvement, contributing to the continuous refinement and feasibility of the approach.

By implementing these steps, the project can validate the feasibility of its approach and ensure that the analysis and tools developed provide valuable and accurate information about the connections between funded proposals and the UN frameworks.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

(3 milestones over the course of 6 months)

Month 1-2 Milestone #1:

• Go through all Fund 9 and 10 funded proposals, in addition to a voluntarily completed survey by proposers. Determine and assess the current state of Catalyst proposals using the sustainable theoretical framework lens. Analyze the results and compare to previous fund’s results.
• Add official company projects to the Cross-Chain Blockchain for Good Positive Blockchains Database.

Month 3-4 Milestone #2:

• Collate results into a publicly accessible database (SDG Search Tool) and prepare a written paper and PowerPoint to share the findings internally in the Cardano ecosystem, as well as with related journals, media, and potential partners (coordinated with Cardano foundation & IOG)

 

• Continue improving the open access database and SDG proposer tool and promote through our network, blockchain4good and SDG networks.

• Partner with a university or academic institution 

• Create social media promotion plan for the launch and disbursement of the research findings.

Month 5-6 Milestone #3:

• Release findings in a report and share findings 
• Add research to the Sustainable ADA education repository

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Previous section

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The cost of the project represents value for money as it enables the creation of the Blockchain4Good research for the entire Cardano and Catalyst community. This will allow us to share how groundbreaking tools and projects building in Catalyst are connected to the Sustainable Development Goals.

The promotion and use of the SDG Proposal Tool will help community projects put the SDGs and impact frameworks and KPIs at the forefront when building a new tool or product for the Cardano or wider web3 ecosystem.

By providing this data and content on blockchain projects connecting to the SDGs, it can also open the door for a new way to onboard users to Cardano. The community will gain access to valuable insights, collaboration opportunities, and inspiration to drive positive change. 

The costs are justified and a modest ask given the average salaries for a graduate, and postgraduate researcher and Teacher in our sectors, and given our track record in and out of the Cardano community to date based out of USA (Salt Lake City), and western Europe (London and Paris).

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agreed to Fund10 rules and also that data in the Submission Form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.

I Accept