Cardano Online Bootcamp for Non-Developers

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

John Ndigirigi

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

Individual

[GENERAL] Co proposers and Additional applicants

Ebiyenrin Edmund

[GENERAL] Requested funds in ada

18500

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

An online Cardano Bootcamp for non-developers, offering verifiable credentials and incentives to participants on completion promoting sustainable solutions on Cardano and wholistic ecosystem growth.

[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.”

The project outputs, including educational materials and resources, will be open source. We plan to use a permissive license such as MIT to encourage collaboration and widespread use. All code, content, and materials produced as part of the Cardano Bootcamp for non-developers will be freely accessible and modifiable by the community, fostering a culture of knowledge-sharing and inclusivity.

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

Yes

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

The project outputs, including educational materials and resources, will be open source. We plan to use a permissive license such as MIT to encourage collaboration and widespread use. All code, content, and materials produced as part of the Cardano Bootcamp for non-developers will be freely accessible and modifiable by the community, fostering a culture of knowledge-sharing and inclusivity.

[METADATA] SDG rating

The "Cardano Online Bootcamp for Non-Developers" aligns with various UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably:

SDG 4: Quality Education

Subgoal 4.4: Increasing the number of individuals with relevant skills for employment and entrepreneurship.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Subgoal 8.6: Reducing the proportion of youth not in employment, education, or training.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Subgoal 9.5: Enhancing technological capabilities, especially in developing countries.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequality

Subgoal 10.2: Empowering social and economic inclusion irrespective of various factors.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Subgoal 17.17: Encouraging effective partnerships across sectors.

These goals emphasize education, economic empowerment, technological advancement, reduced inequality, and collaborative partnerships—all of which your project aims to contribute to through the Cardano Bootcamp for Non-Developers.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

The "Cardano Online Bootcamp for Non-Developers" introduces verifiable credentials as incentives to overcome limited blockchain education for non-developers. This online, self-paced program uniquely combines accessible content, community engagement, and verifiable credentials. By targeting non-developers, we ensure a broader understanding of blockchain, promoting sustainability and growth within the Cardano ecosystem. This innovative approach not only provides tangible rewards but also fosters inclusivity, aligning with Cardano's commitment to a diverse and empowered community.

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

The "Cardano Online Bootcamp for Non-Developers" aims to positively impact the Cardano community by:

Increased Knowledge and Adoption:

• Success will be measured by the number of non-developers completing the bootcamp, indicating increased understanding and adoption of Cardano.

Diverse Community Engagement:

• Monitoring participation from diverse demographics will showcase the project's success in engaging a broad spectrum of individuals within the Cardano community.

Verifiable Credential Utilization:

• Tracking the use and verification of credentials within the community will indicate the project's impact on incentivizing learning and fostering a sense of achievement.

Ecosystem Growth:

• Success will be demonstrated by the extent to which bootcamp graduates actively contribute to the Cardano ecosystem, whether through community initiatives, educational efforts, or other forms of engagement.

Sharing Outputs and Opportunities:

Public Reports and Analytics:

Regularly publish reports detailing participant demographics, completion rates, and community engagement metrics, providing transparency and insights into the project's impact.

Collaboration with Existing Community Platforms:

Collaborate with Cardano community platforms to share success stories, feature verifiable credential holders, and encourage ongoing dialogue about the bootcamp's impact.

Social Media and Newsletters:

Utilize social media channels and newsletters to showcase project milestones, highlight participant achievements, and promote ongoing opportunities within the Cardano community.

Feedback and Improvement Sessions:

• Organize feedback sessions to gather insights from participants and the broader community, fostering continuous improvement and adaptability.

The success of the "Cardano Online Bootcamp for Non-Developers" will bring value to the Cardano community by fostering a more knowledgeable, engaged, and diverse ecosystem. The impact will be measured through both quantitative metrics and qualitative feedback, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the project's influence. Outputs will be shared openly and collaboratively, encouraging ongoing participation and contribution within the Cardano community.

[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?

Our capability to deliver the "Cardano Online Bootcamp for Non-Developers" with high levels of trust and accountability is demonstrated through:

Experience and Expertise:

• Our team comprises professionals with a proven track record in blockchain education, community engagement, and project management, ensuring a robust foundation for successful execution.

Transparent Budgeting:

• We will provide a detailed budget breakdown, clearly outlining fund allocation for educational content creation, verifiable credential development, community incentives, and operational expenses.

Regular Progress Reports:

• Commitment to regular progress reports, sharing updates on bootcamp development, participant engagement, and credential utilization. This transparency ensures accountability to the community and fund contributors.

Community Involvement:

• Demonstrated commitment to community involvement by actively seeking feedback, incorporating suggestions, and fostering collaboration. This approach ensures the project aligns with the needs and expectations of the Cardano community.

Collaboration with Experts:

• Engaging with experienced individuals and organizations within the Cardano ecosystem, leveraging their expertise to enhance the quality and impact of the bootcamp.

Validation of Feasibility:

Pilot Program:

Conducting a small-scale pilot program to validate the feasibility of the bootcamp model, gather feedback, and make necessary adjustments before scaling up.

Collaborative Prototyping:

Collaborating with the Cardano community to prototype verifiable credentials, ensuring technical feasibility and community acceptance.

Risk Mitigation Strategies:

Developing comprehensive risk mitigation strategies to address potential challenges, ensuring adaptability and resilience in the face of unforeseen circumstances.

Engagement Metrics:

Implementing robust metrics to measure participant engagement, completion rates, and credential utilization, providing real-time insights into the feasibility and effectiveness of the bootcamp.

Continuous Improvement Framework:

Establishing a continuous improvement framework based on iterative feedback loops, allowing for ongoing adjustments and enhancements to optimize project outcomes.

Our commitment to transparency, community involvement, and a systematic validation process ensures that the "Cardano Online Bootcamp for Non-Developers" will be delivered with accountability and feasibility, effectively contributing to the growth and education of the Cardano community.

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

Milestone 1: Planning and Content Creation (25% completion)

• Develop a detailed project plan, including content outline, bootcamp structure, and verifiable credential prototype.
• Engage with community stakeholders for feedback on the proposed curriculum.
• Completion Criteria: Finalized project plan and curriculum outline, initial verifiable credential prototypes, and community feedback summary.

Milestone 2: Bootcamp Launch and Pilot Program (50% completion)

• Launch the Cardano Online Bootcamp for Non-Developers on a small scale.
• Collect participant data, engagement metrics, and feedback.
• Evaluate the technical feasibility of verifiable credentials in collaboration with the community.
• Completion Criteria: Successful bootcamp launch, participant engagement data, initial feedback, and verifiable credential prototype validation.

Milestone 3: Scaling and Community Incentives (75% completion)

• Scale up the bootcamp based on lessons learned from the pilot.
• Introduce community incentives and giveaways to boost participation.
• Further refine verifiable credentials based on user feedback.
• Completion Criteria: Increased participant enrollment, enhanced community engagement, refined verifiable credentials, and positive feedback.

Milestone 4: Finalization and Impact Assessment (90% completion)

• Finalize the Cardano Online Bootcamp for Non-Developers curriculum.
• Conduct a comprehensive impact assessment, measuring knowledge gain and community contributions.
• Share detailed progress reports and findings with the Cardano community.
• Completion Criteria: Completed bootcamp curriculum, impact assessment results, and comprehensive progress reports shared with the community.

Milestone 5: Project Completion Report and Video (100% completion)

• Compile a detailed project completion report, summarizing achievements, challenges, and insights gained throughout the project.
• Produce a video presentation highlighting key project milestones, impact, and participant testimonials.
• Share the final report and video with the Cardano community and the Catalyst Fund.
• Completion Criteria: Finalized project completion report, video presentation, and successful dissemination to the community.

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

John Ndigirigi

Project lead

Bsc. Computer Science. Atala Prism Pioneer. Fund 9 Atala PRISM Catalyst solution contributor, Software Developer DirecteEd Development Foundation. Self-sovereign identity fund 9 close out demo

LinkedIn

Github

Edmun Ebiyenrin

Project co-lead

Software Engineer, Cardano developer, Contributor Catalyst fund 9, BSc.Computer Science, GDSC ex-lead, community builder.

github

LinkedIn

Discord

Emmie Sonnie

Technical Writer

Technical Writer, Crypto Journalist, PR Agent

LinkedIn

Simon Sällström

Advisor.

MPhil in Economics, University of Oxford. Founder and CEO, DirectEd Development Foundation with several open-source contributions to the Cardano ecosystem including NFT gating, wallet-connect and two general-purpose smart contract primitives. PA and vPA in Catalyst F6-F9. Chair, Cardano RealFi Consortium Spring 2023. Workstream lead, Oxford Blockchain Society. Founder, Cardano Student Hub Oxford. Speaker at NFT.NYC and Cardano Summit 2023. 5 completed Catalyst proposals, 1 project submission completed, and 1 closeout remaining (Cardano student hub where the last deliverable is co-reviewing of proposals for Catalyst Fund 11). Most recent close-out video.

LinkedIn

Twitter

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

Content Creation and Curriculum Development (31%):

• Hiring content creators, educators, and subject matter experts: 3,500 ADA.
• Designing and developing educational materials: 1850 ADA.
• Third-party tools and platforms for content creation: 500 ADA.

Verifiable Credential Development and issuing (26%):

• Collaborating with self-sovereign identity experts: 3,000 ADA.
• Prototyping, testing, and refining verifiable credentials for issuing: 1750 ADA.

Community Incentives and Giveaways (14%):

• Cardano-branded merchandise and giveaways: 1,500 ADA.
• Incentives for participant completion (NFTs, tokens, etc.): 1,000 ADA.

Marketing and Community Engagement (10%):

• Social media campaigns and promotions: 1,150 ADA.
• Community workshops, webinars, and events: 750 ADA.

Project Management (14%):

• Project management, oversight, and coordination: 2,500 ADA.
• Tools and software for project management: Included in project management budget.

Operational Expenses (5%):

• Administrative and overhead costs: 500 ADA.
• Miscellaneous expenses (e.g., communication tools, hosting): 500 ADA.

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

Use the response to provide context about the costs you listed previously, particularly if they are high.

It may be helpful to include some brief information on how you have decided on the costs of the project. 

For instance, can you justify with supporting evidence that costs are proportional to the average wage in your country, or typical freelance rates in your industry? Is there anything else that helps to support how the project represents value for money?

The costs outlined in the project budget represent a judicious allocation of resources to ensure maximum value for the Cardano ecosystem. Here's how the project offers value for money:

Expertise and Quality:

The budget allocates funds for hiring experienced content creators, educators, and subject matter experts, ensuring high-quality educational materials. This expertise is crucial for delivering content that meets the community's standards and fosters a deep understanding of Cardano.

Innovative Verifiable Credentials with Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) Technology:

The allocation for verifiable credential issuing underscores our commitment to leveraging self-sovereign identity (SSI) technology. By collaborating with self sovereign identity esperts, we aim to create unique and collectible credentials that not only add value and exclusivity to the bootcamp but also drive adoption of SSI technology within the Cardano community. This strategic focus on SSI emphasizes the importance of decentralized, user-centric identity solutions, fostering a paradigm shift towards privacy, security, and empowerment. Through this innovative approach, we not only incentivize learning but also contribute to the broader adoption and understanding of SSI technology within the Cardano ecosystem.

Community Engagement:

Funds allocated for community incentives, giveaways, and marketing contribute to increased participation and engagement. Cardano-branded merchandise and completion incentives create a sense of community and pride, fostering a positive and vibrant ecosystem.

Project Management and Oversight:

The budget includes a dedicated allocation for project management, demonstrating a commitment to effective oversight and coordination. This ensures that the project stays on track, milestones are met, and community expectations are consistently addressed.

Cost Justification:

The costs are justified by industry standards for content creation, blockchain development, and project management. They are proportionate to the expertise and quality required for each component of the project. The budget has been carefully crafted to optimize the use of funds, avoiding unnecessary expenses while prioritizing impactful deliverables.

Transparent Budgeting:

The transparent breakdown of costs provides clarity on how funds will be utilized at each stage of the project. This transparency builds trust within the Cardano community, ensuring that contributors understand the value they will receive in return.

In summary, the project budget reflects a well-considered distribution of resources, with a focus on delivering valuable educational content, engaging community incentives, and fostering a vibrant and knowledgeable Cardano ecosystem. The costs are justified by industry standards, and the budgeting approach prioritizes efficiency and impact, ensuring optimal value for the Cardano community.

[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.

I Accept