"DRMZ Academy! Grow the Cardano Ecosystem through College Workshops"

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Rodrigo Gomez

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

Entity (Not Incorporated)

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

12

[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)

"DRMZ Academy," will bring Cardano technology workshops to the San Diego Community Colleges, enhancing the web3 skills of educators, students, artists, and local entrepreneurs.

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

Yes

[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.”

Collaboration with San Diego Community Colleges

[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

Educational materials and workshop content will be accessible to the community

[METADATA] SDG rating

SDG 4: Quality Education – The workshops aim to enhance education quality by integrating blockchain technology into learning. Relevant sub-goals include increasing the number of youth and adults with relevant skills for financial success.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Through educating about Cardano and blockchain, the project can contribute to employment opportunities and innovation in the tech sector.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – The focus on emerging technologies like blockchain aligns with building resilient infrastructure and fostering innovation.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

Our collaboration with SDCCD aims to address a critical gap in blockchain understanding, focusing on the Cardano ecosystem. We will conduct workshops and panels across four campuses to provide foundational knowledge in blockchain, NFTs, and smart contracts, with an emphasis on practical applications like wallets and DApps within Cardano.

This initiative is designed to empower SDCCD's students, educators, and local businesses, turning them into knowledgeable participants in the blockchain domain, which is crucial as the world moves towards decentralized governance. It's a unique approach to broadening the Cardano community, making its technology more accessible and applicable in various domains.

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

To assess our project's impact, we'll focus on gauging the newfound understanding of blockchain and Cardano among SDCCD's participants. Key metrics will include:

• Workshop attendance rates.
• Increases in new Cardano wallet creations.
• Outcomes of follow-up surveys measuring knowledge retention and real-world application.

These findings will be communicated to the Cardano community via detailed reports, digital platforms, and at events, highlighting our contribution to expanding the network of blockchain-informed individuals.

This initiative is set to broaden Cardano's influence and practical application, catalyzing (pun intended!) both its growth and innovation in the community and beyond.

[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?

Rodrigo Gomez is an Assistant Professor at San Diego Miramar College who brings invaluable experience to this project. His proficiency in teaching, coupled with a passion for rhetoric and pedagogy, enhances our workshop's educational quality. His interests in gamification, edtech, and web3 technologies, including AI and the metaverse, ensure the content is both engaging and forward-looking.

He has also been a part of the Cardano Community on Twitter since 2021, where he has contributed to critical discussion on Cardano, web3, and education as the co-host of Cardano Ministry. He is a Cardano Ambassador

Michelle Fischthal is the Vice Chancellor of Institutional Innovation and Effectiveness at SDCCD. This blend of academic excellence, innovative tech insight, and institutional support guarantees a robust and impactful implementation of our workshops, making this project uniquely positioned for success.

Regarding fund management, we commit to transparent accounting practices, regular financial reporting, and adherence to pre-defined budget allocations. These measures, coupled with our team's experience in handling similar projects, demonstrate our capability to manage funds efficiently and responsibly, ensuring the project's success.

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

Development of Workshop Presentations

This milestone is dedicated to developing rich, in-depth presentations that encapsulate the essence of Cardano technology, including NFTs, web3 solutions, DAOs, and governance. The aim is to create materials that are not only informative but also engaging and accessible to a diverse audience.

Deliverable: A comprehensive set of workshop materials, meticulously designed to cater to both novices and those with some blockchain knowledge. These materials will be visually appealing, interactive, and user-friendly, ensuring an impactful learning experience.

Acceptance Criteria: The materials will be reviewed and approved by both educational technology experts and blockchain specialists to ensure accuracy and effectiveness. Feedback from a focus group representing our target audience will be used to refine the content, confirming its readiness for delivery.

Marketing and Promotion Strategy

This milestone involves crafting and executing a dynamic marketing strategy to maximize awareness and engagement for the workshop series. Our approach will include diverse marketing channels, leveraging social media, community outreach, and collaborations with local influencers and educational institutions.

Deliverable: A comprehensive report outlining the marketing activities undertaken, including social media campaigns, partnership engagements, and community outreach efforts. The report will also detail key engagement metrics such as reach, participant registrations, and feedback from pre-event surveys, providing insights into the effectiveness of our marketing strategies.

Acceptance Criteria: Success will be measured by achieving predefined engagement targets, evident increases in workshop registrations, and positive feedback from marketing outreach. The effectiveness of the marketing efforts will be validated through the analysis of engagement metrics and participant feedback.

Execution of Initial Workshops and Public Events

This milestone centers on the successful execution of our planned workshops and public events. These sessions will be conducted across multiple campuses, offering participants hands-on, interactive learning experiences about Cardano's ecosystem.

Deliverable: Detailed attendance records capturing the number of participants at each event, alongside comprehensive feedback collected from attendees. This feedback, gathered through surveys and direct engagement, will provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of the workshops and identify areas for improvement.

Acceptance Criteria: Achievement of this milestone will be confirmed by targeted attendance figures and our gathering of feedback from participants, demonstrating the workshops' impact and relevance.

Post-Workshop Evaluation and Community Engagement

This milestone focuses on evaluating the impact and effectiveness of the workshops through detailed post-attendance surveys and follow-ups with the community. The aim is to gather in-depth feedback from participants to understand the workshops' impact on their knowledge and perspective of the Cardano ecosystem.

Deliverable: An extensive report compiling feedback and survey results from workshop attendees, providing a thorough analysis of the learning outcomes and participant engagement.

Acceptance Criteria: The successful achievement of this milestone will be determined by the depth and quality of feedback received, indicating a clear understanding and appreciation of the workshops by participants. This feedback will be crucial in assessing the effectiveness of the sessions and guiding future improvements.

N/A

Final project completion report

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

Rodrigo Gomez: will focus on the creation of materials, help market/promote the workshops, and lead the presentations.

Michelle Fishthhall: will help with district-wide planning and help market/promote these educational workshops

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

The proposed budget breakdown is as follows:

Phase 1: Planning & Research (2 weeks)

• USD: $1,250 | ADA: 3,289 ADA

Phase 2: Creation, Illustration, Design of Materials (4-5 weeks)

• USD: $4,500| ADA: 11,842 ADA

Phase 3: Marketing and Promoting (Ongoing)

• USD: $2,000 | ADA: 5,263 ADA

Phase 4: Delivering Presentations (Duration as per event schedule)

• USD: $3,000 | ADA: 7,895 ADA

Phase 5: Printing and Production (4 weeks)

• USD: $1,875 | ADA: 4,934 ADA

Contingency Fund

• USD: $1,625 | ADA: 4,276 ADA

Participation Incentives

• USD: $1,500 | ADA: 3,947 ADA

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Grand Total:

• USD: $15,750 | ADA: 41,447 ADA

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

The cost of our project, set at $15,750 or 41,447 ADA, reflects significant value for the Cardano ecosystem. This budget is based on competitive yet reasonable rates in the educational and tech industries, where $50 per hour aligns with standard freelance rates. The project delivers extensive community outreach through workshops and panels, directly enhancing blockchain literacy and engagement.

By educating key demographics like students, educators, and local businesses about Cardano, we're cultivating a well-informed community that can contribute to and leverage the ecosystem. This investment in education and community building is vital for the sustainable growth and wider adoption of Cardano.

[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