Cardano Impact Tracking Hub

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

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

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

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

Develop a web-based platform that streamlines Africa's funded Catalyst projects. This will enable us track, monitor and measure the impact and success of catalyst on Africa and to Cardano ecosystem.

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

[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.”

NO

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

The project will fully be open source since is a website development

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

In the absence of a central hub, stakeholders are forced to rely on scattered information from project websites, social media, and other sources, making it time-consuming and difficult to gain a comprehensive understanding of the progress and impact of funded projects on Africa and the growing catalyst community in Africa. This lack of centralized data also hinders the ability to identify trends, success factors, and areas for improvement across funded projects in Africa.

Moreover, the absence of a dedicated hub limits the visibility of funded projects and their achievements to the wider Cardano community. This makes it challenging to attract new participants to Project Catalyst and raise awareness of the positive impact of funded projects on the African continent.

To address this gap, we propose to develop a comprehensive hub that will aggregate all funded projects in Project Catalyst in Africa, monitor and track their deliverables and implementation, and measure their success and impact to the Cardano ecosystem. The starting point of this project is Ghana. One crucial step involves leveraging existing data sources, such as project reports, beneficiary surveys, and impact evaluations conducted by individual organizations or agencies. These sources, while scattered and inconsistent, can provide valuable insights into project outcomes, particularly when analyzed in conjunction with other available data.

The development and maintenance of this hub will be carried out by a team of experienced and qualified individuals with expertise in project management, software development, data analytics, and web design. We will employ a collaborative approach, involving stakeholders from the Cardano community to ensure that the hub meets their needs and effectively serves the Cardano ecosystem. This hub will serve as a central repository of information, providing stakeholders with a single, easy-to-navigate platform to:

•   Discover and learn about funded projects: Stakeholders will be able to browse a searchable database of all funded projects in Africa, filtering by sector, location, and other relevant criteria.

•   Track project progress: Project updates, including deliverables, milestones, and achievements, will be regularly updated on the hub's project pages.

•   Measure project impact: The hub will provide dashboards and reports that track the impact of funded projects, including metrics such as social impact, economic impact, and technological impact.

•   Share project stories: The hub will feature success stories, testimonials, and videos from project teams and beneficiaries, showcasing the positive impact of funded projects on individuals and communities.

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community.

Benefits

The main benefits of this project to the Cardano Catalyst ecosystem include:

Centralized Information Access

•  Stakeholders will have a unified platform to access comprehensive and up-to-date information on funded projects in Africa.
•  Eliminates the need to rely on scattered sources, saving time and providing a consolidated view of project progress.

Enhanced Visibility and Awareness

•    The hub will increase the visibility of funded projects, attracting new participants to Project Catalyst.
•    Raises awareness within the wider Cardano community about the positive impact of projects on the African continent.

 Informed Decision-Making

•    Stakeholders can make informed decisions by easily discovering, tracking, and measuring the success and impact of funded projects.
•    Identifies trends, success factors, and areas for improvement, contributing to more effective decision-making within the Cardano ecosystem.

Community Engagement and Collaboration

•   Fosters collaboration by involving stakeholders from the Cardano community in the development and maintenance of the hub.
•    Encourages community engagement through a collaborative approach to ensure the hub meets the needs of the Cardano ecosystem.

 Comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation

•   The hub provides a centralized platform for monitoring and tracking project deliverables, milestones, and achievements.
•    Offers dashboards and reports to measure the social, economic, and technological impact of funded projects.

Storytelling and Showcasing Success

•   Showcases success stories, testimonials, and videos, creating a positive narrative around funded projects.
•  Highlights the tangible and positive impact of projects on individuals and communities, fostering a sense of accomplishment within the Cardano community.

 Scalable and Replicable Model

• Establishes a scalable model that can be replicated in other regions, further expanding the impact and reach of Project Catalyst globally.
• Sets a precedent for creating similar hubs in different locations, contributing to the growth and success of the Cardano ecosystem.

Measuring impact

The success of the hub will be measured by tracking the following metrics:

•  Unique visitor traffic to the hub: This metric will indicate the level of interest and engagement with the hub's content.

• Social media engagement: Engagement on the hub's social media pages will indicate the level of interest and awareness generated by the hub's content.

•   Downloads of reports and other resources: This metric will assess the demand for the hub's valuable insights and data.

• Updates posted to project pages: This metric will track the level of activity and engagement on project pages, indicating the extent to which the hub is being used to track project progress.

In addition to these quantitative metrics, we will also conduct qualitative assessments to gather feedback from stakeholders and project teams on the usefulness and impact of the hub. This feedback will help us continuously improve the hub's functionality and ensure that it remains relevant and valuable to the Cardano community.

We believe that this comprehensive hub will play a transformative role in the success of Project Catalyst in Africa, providing a valuable resource for stakeholders, enhancing transparency and accountability, and showcasing the positive impact of Cardano on the African continent. By fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing, the hub will help to create a thriving ecosystem of innovation and impact in Africa. We will share the outputs and opportunities that result from our project with the Cardano community through the following channels:

• The hub's website and social media pages.
• Regular reports and updates to the Cardano community.
• Presentations at Cardano meetups and conferences.
• Collaboration with other Cardano projects and initiatives.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Timeline:

Roadmap for the Project Catalyst Hub

Development and Testing (2 Months)

•  Team Formation: Establish a team with expertise in project management, software development, data analytics, and web design.

• Feasibility study

• Requirements Gathering: Conduct stakeholder interviews and surveys to understand their needs and expectations for the hub.

• Data Mapping: Identify existing data sources and develop a plan for data collection, integration, and cleaning.

• Platform Design: Design the user interface and user experience (UI/UX) for the hub.

• Development Start: Begin software development for the core functionalities of the hub.

Data integration and integration Month 2:

• Data Integration: Integrate data from existing sources into the platform.

• Feature Development: Develop key features such as project search, filtering, progress tracking, impact dashboards, and storytelling tools.

• Testing: Conduct internal testing to ensure the functionality and performance of the platform.

Content creation & Testing Month 1:

• External Beta Testing: Invite a limited group of stakeholders to test the platform and provide feedback.

• Refine and Improve: Address feedback and implement improvements based on beta testing results.

• Content Creation: Develop content for the platform, including project descriptions, success stories, and impact reports.
• Final Testing: Conduct final quality assurance testing to ensure the platform is ready for launch.

Launch and Marketing (1 Month)

• Launch Preparation: Develop marketing materials and prepare for the official launch.

• Platform Launch: Launch the Project Catalyst Hub to the public.

• Marketing and Promotion: Implement marketing campaigns to raise awareness of the hub and attract users.

• Community Building: Organize events and workshops to engage with stakeholders and foster a sense of community around the hub.

Monitoring

• Monitor and Analyze: Monitor platform usage and analyze data to identify trends and improve user experience.

• Content Management: Regularly update the platform with new project information, success stories, and impact reports.

• Gather Feedback: Conduct ongoing surveys and collect user feedback to identify areas for improvement.

ACCOUNTABILTY AND CAPACITY

We have a team of experienced and qualified individuals with a proven track record of success in developing and delivering complex projects. We are also committed to transparency and accountability in all aspects of our work.

To validate our approach, we will conduct a thorough feasibility study and develop a detailed project plan. We will also engage with the Cardano community to get feedback and input on our plans.

1. What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

The key milestones for our project are as follows:

• Conduct feasibility study and develop project plan (2 weeks)
• Develop hub website and social media pages (4 weeks)
• Begin listing funded projects and tracking their progress (6 weeks)
• Develop and publish first impact report (8 weeks)
• Continue to track and update project information (ongoing)

[Project Milestones] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Conduct feasibility study and develop project plan

OUTPUT

• To have the feasibility conducted

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

• Report on the feasibility study

Website design and development

OUTPUT

• Website design and development

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

• To at least make the website accessible

Creation of social media accounts for marketing and engagement

OUTPUT

To have social media account created (twitter)

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

To make social media account visible

Close out report

Close out video

OUTPUT

• To create Close out report
• To create Close out video

ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

• Evidence of Close out report
• Evidence of Close out video

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Kingsley Mensah – Developer

Kingsley Mensah is a blockchain enthusiast and his contributions to the field have been widely recognized. Kingsley is also the C.E.O of Kingscel and the Cofounder & CEO of Speso. In 2019, he was honored with the prestigious Star of Innovation Award by Hubei University of Technology in China for his groundbreaking work. The following year, he received the Young Achievers Award at the Pride of Africa Awards in Asia, presented by the Appreciate Africa Network, highlighting his remarkable accomplishments. He has also acquired a Master's degree in Computer Science & Technology. Kingsley combines his technical expertise with a passion for ideas that promote a free society, making him a prominent figure in the blockchain community.

 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kingsley-mensah/

Asare Emmanuel - Researcher and Administrator

Emmanuel is currently a National Service Person at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ GmbH) Ghana, after a successful completion of his Bachelor's degree in Commerce, Accounting at the University of Cape Coast, UCC. He worked as a part-time administrative assistant at a firm called Concomitant Initiatives Ltd. His roles included scheduling and reminding the CEO of meetings, taking minutes of daily meetings, as well as filing, typing, and copying files related to research projects. He also interned with the Audit section of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) at the North Kaneshie Area Branch. During his internship, he learned about the practical aspects of audit procedures and how to use Excel to enter and format client details. Finally, Emmanuel interned at Npontu Technologies in Accra. He was tasked with producing a manual for a newly developed enterprise resource planning (ERP) system called Kedebah.

www.linkedin.com/in/asare-emmanuel-26146b218

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

The following is a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources:

• Website development: 5,000
• Feasibility study : 2,500
• Project management: 7,500
• Data collection and analysis: 5,000
• Reporting and dissemination: 2,500
• Marketing:1000

Total cost: 23500

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

COST OF THE PROJECT

Ensuring cost-effectiveness and maximizing value for the Cardano ecosystem is at the forefront of our project proposal. With meticulous consideration of prevailing market prices, our budget breakdown reflects an accurate representation of the resources required. We understand the inherent volatility of ADA prices and have factored in this fluctuation when devising our budget, guaranteeing its adaptability to changes in the price levels of ADA. By incorporating strategies that are mindful of cryptocurrency market dynamics, we have pegged our allocated budget amount to a price between 0.15 and 0.2. Therefore, we believe the budget remains resilient and capable of supporting the successful implementation of our project, regardless of any variations in the price levels of the Cardano coin. 

Beyond financial considerations, our project offers substantial value to the Cardano ecosystem. By harnessing the transformative potential of blockchain technology and the Cardano platform, our project aims to deliver sustainable and long-lasting benefits, creating a positive ripple effect for the Cardano community and its stakeholders. We are confident that the value generated by our project surpasses the allocated budget, representing a compelling proposition for the Cardano ecosystem.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agrees to Fund 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.