Governance, Mentorship and Educational Outreach in 5 Central America Countries

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Jose Ramon Velazquez Caceres

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

Individual

[GENERAL] Requested funds in ada

100000

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

9

[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)

Promote Cardano in Central America with CIP 1694 content, tailored educational resources and networking events to empower local participation, fostering sustainable and inclusive growth of Cardano

[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.”

No dependencies

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

No

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

Open source isn't always essential for developing and running educational outreach programs. Closed development environments offer benefits such as customization, ensuring content meets high-quality standards, and protecting intellectual property. Tailoring materials to participants' needs and rigorously testing them for accuracy and effectiveness is easier in a closed environment. Additionally, maintaining control over our resources allows us to protect our work and maintain our development vision.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

In El Salvador, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Guatemala, the lack of inclusive and responsive platforms for Cardano community engagement poses a significant challenge. Language and geographical barriers hinder participation, exacerbating the need for tailored events and educational outreach initiatives. Our approach focuses on implementing strategic measures to ensure meaningful engagement and valuable insights for future initiatives.

We perceive the problem as multifaceted, encompassing challenges related to accessibility, feedback mechanisms, and inclusivity. To address these issues comprehensively, we leverage tools like registration data collection, live streaming, and real-time feedback gathering. This creates an environment promoting inclusivity, responsiveness, and accountability within our event framework.

Our project engages various stakeholders, including developers, investors, users, policymakers, and enthusiasts, with a focus on enriching the Central American Cardano community. By presenting content in Spanish and providing dedicated support channels, we bridge language and accessibility barriers, enabling active participation and benefit for participants.

To demonstrate impact, we conduct rigorous data analysis of participant feedback collected pre, during, and post-events. This informs future event planning and decision-making. Additionally, we track metrics like event attendance, networking interactions, and follow-up engagement to gauge long-term impact on community building and knowledge-sharing.

What sets our solution apart is its holistic approach. Events feature mentorship opportunities, engagement with the cardano documentary film, and a blockchain-based educational game, all showcasing Cardano's technology and principles. This aligns with Cardano's values of decentralization, accessibility, and empowerment, making our proposal essential for Cardano's growth and success.

Previous sample event itinerary (this is tentative, will be modeled base of need of each country)

1. Registration and Attendance Check-in: Participants register and check-in for the event, receiving event materials and badges.
2. Breakout Sessions:
3. Workshop 1: Introduction to Cardano: Beginners' session covering the fundamentals of Cardano blockchain technology and its applications.
4. Workshop 2: Decentralized Governance: In-depth exploration of Cardano's governance model and the role of stakeholders in decision-making processes.
5. Workshop 3: Smart Contracts and dApps: Advanced session focusing on the development and deployment of smart contracts and decentralized applications on the Cardano platform.
6. Workshop 4: dRep Onboarding: Training session for potential Delegator Representatives (dReps) on how to participate in Cardano's governance processes effectively.
7. Workshop 5: Blockchain-Based Educational Game: Interactive session introducing a blockchain-based educational game designed to teach participants about Cardano's technology and principles.
8. Cocktail Time: Guests enjoy networking opportunities and refreshments.
9. Breakout Sessions
10. Workshop 6: Community Improvement Ideation: Guest speaker(s) facilitate a session where participants brainstorm ideas on how blockchain technology could improve local communities, fostering creativity and innovation.
11. Workshop 7: Current Projects in Latam through Catalyst: Presentation of ongoing projects in the Latam region funded through Project Catalyst, showcasing innovation and impact within the community.
12. Workshop 8: Community Onboarding: Session to onboard individuals to community Discord servers, Telegram groups, and WhatsApp groups, providing guidance on participation and engagement within the Cardano community.
13. Workshop 9: Minting and NFT Workshops: Practical workshops on minting NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) on the Cardano blockchain, exploring opportunities in the digital art and collectibles space.
14. Dinner: Participants engage in discussions about Cardano's mission, vision, and opportunities for collaboration in a formal dinner setting.
15. Cardano Film Showing: Screening of the F8 documentary film, providing insights into the broader blockchain landscape and Cardano's role within it.

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

To measure the impact of our project, we will implement various technical methods to gather and analyze data. Quantitatively, we will leverage event management software to track metrics such as event registration numbers, attendance rates, session participation, and engagement levels during live events. This software will provide real-time data on user interactions, allowing us to assess the effectiveness of our initiatives in attracting and retaining participants.

Additionally, we will use analytics tools to monitor website traffic, social media engagement, and email campaign performance. These tools will help us quantify the reach and visibility of our events, as well as track conversion rates and user behavior across different online platforms. By analyzing these quantitative metrics, we can evaluate the overall impact of our marketing and promotional efforts on community engagement and participation.

Qualitatively, we will gather feedback from participants through surveys, interviews, and focus groups. We will develop structured questionnaires to assess participant satisfaction, perceived value, and suggestions for improvement. Through qualitative data analysis techniques such as thematic coding and sentiment analysis, we will identify recurring themes, insights, and areas for enhancement based on participant feedback.

Furthermore, we will conduct sentiment analysis on social media mentions, forum discussions, and online reviews to gauge community sentiment towards our events and initiatives. Natural language processing (NLP) algorithms will help us categorize and analyze text data to identify trends, sentiments, and sentiments expressed by community members.

By combining quantitative data from event analytics and qualitative insights from participant feedback and sentiment analysis, we aim to gain a comprehensive understanding of the impact of our project on the Cardano community. This data-driven approach will enable us to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement, ultimately guiding our future event planning and community engagement strategies. Additionally, we will track the changes in the number of proposals from Latam, the number of new members to the Catalyst Proposer Telegram chat, and the number of new members of the Cardano Latam Townhall. Increase in ADA traffic and wallet creation will also be utilized as measurements of impact, providing valuable insights into the growth and engagement of the Cardano community in the Latam region.

[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 extensive experience in community engagement and event management is evidenced by our successful organization and hosting of 24 events through our F7 project. These events have provided valuable opportunities for knowledge-sharing, networking, and collaboration within the Cardano community. Additionally, our team is well-connected across Latin America and has successfully completed projects such as the F8 Documentary (https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/8/f8-film-media-fam-creatives-unite/documentary-south-america) and is currently working on completing projects like F7 dTeach dApp Ayllu (https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/7/f7-grow-latin-america-grow-cardano/new-d-edtech-platform-for-latam) and F11 Blockchain Voting System dApp (https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/11/cardano-use-cases-concept/blockchain-voting-system).

For more information about our past events and their outcomes, please visit the following link: https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/7/f7-grow-latin-america-grow-cardano/networkingeducation-latam

Our proven track record of orchestrating successful events demonstrates our capability to deliver impactful projects and engage stakeholders effectively.

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

Month 1-4

A: Milestone outputs:

1. Development of a comprehensive educational curriculum for dRep onboarding, tailored to the specific needs and interests of each country.
2. Creation of training materials, guides, and tutorials covering essential topics related to Cardano's governance, technology, and community engagement.
3. Secure event location for all 5 countries with dates
4. Secure catering and vendors for all 5 countries

B: Acceptance criteria:

1. The educational curriculum must address key aspects of Cardano relevant to each country's context, including language, cultural considerations, and regulatory frameworks.
2. Training materials should be well-structured, accessible, and engaging, ensuring effective knowledge transfer to participants.

C: Evidence of milestone completion:

1. Documentation of the developed curriculum, including detailed outlines, lesson plans, and educational resources.
2. Samples of training materials and guides, along with feedback from subject matter experts and stakeholders involved in the review process.
3. Finalized itineraries for all 5 countries
4. Finalized data collection mechanisms as well as data analysis mechanisms for events
5. Purchase all necessary equipment

Month 5-6

A: Milestone outputs

1. Host event in El Salvador and Panama

B: Acceptance criteria

1. Provide sufficient evidence of event in El Salvador and Panama
2. Livestream
3. Attendance
4. Data collection and analysis

C: Evidence of milestone completion

1. Event livestream for El Salvador and Panama event with data collection and analysis of data with reports
2. Onboarding onto socials
3. Individuals added to dRep registry

Month 7-8

A: Milestone outputs

1. Host event in Costa Rica and Nicaragua

B: Acceptance criteria

1. Provide sufficient evidence of event in Costa Rica and Nicaragua
2. Livestream
3. Attendance
4. Data collection and analysis

C: Evidence of milestone completion

1. Event livestream for Costa Rica and Nicaragua event with data collection and analysis of data with reports
2. Onboarding onto socials
3. Individuals added to dRep registry

9 Month

Final Milestone: Project Close-out

A: Milestone outputs:

1. Compilation of a comprehensive project close-out report summarizing the activities, outcomes, and lessons learned from the initiative.
2. Production of a video documenting the project journey, featuring highlights, interviews, and testimonials from participants and stakeholders.
3. Last event in Guatemala

B: Acceptance criteria:

1. The project close-out report must provide a detailed overview of the project's achievements, challenges, and recommendations for future initiatives.
2. The video should effectively capture the essence of the project, showcasing its impact and significance within the Cardano community.
3. Last event hosted in Guatemala

C: Evidence of milestone completion:

1. Submission of the project close-out report, including all relevant documentation, data, and analysis.
2. Sharing of the video on appropriate platforms and channels, reaching a wide audience of stakeholders and supporters.
3. Event livestream for Guatemala event with data collection and analysis of event

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

Jose Velazquez- Marketing / Legal / Project Management

Jose posses a well connected network within the New York Cardano community with mentors from Milkomedia and Merchify. Jose has legal and governmental connections within xentral America allowing for project implementation. Jose has Project Managament experince maniging funds from F6 Projects, F7 projects, F8 Projects, F11 Projects. Jose is active within the catalyst proposers, catalyst network and latam cardano network within telegram. Jose has facilitated hosting 24 events across Ecuador and Paraguay providing catering, guest speaker logistics, event venues and itineraries as well as managed and completed 5-figure and 6-figure catalyst proposals

linkedin.com/in/jose-velazquez-809665186

David Tacuri- Developer / Lead Full Stack Developer / Smart Contract Developer

David possesses technical expertise in various programming languages and databases. David has experience educating about block and is the CEO of his own blockchain educational game Cardania. David has experience building dApp. David has many years of experinece as a developer, coding and managing electoral systems within Ecuador. Currently, David is in the end stages of building a blockchain voting system and a dTeach learn=to-earn modality platform. Dabid is cctive within the catalyst proposers, catalyst network and latam cardano network within telegram

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-patricio-tacuri-lema-256a08b1/

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

Total Budget per Country: 20,000 ADA

1. Venue Rental: 4,000 ADA

• Conference hall rental: 2,000 ADA
• Breakout room rental: 1,000 ADA
• Catering preparation area rental: 500 ADA
• Outdoor space rental (if applicable): 500 ADA

1. Event Materials (e.g., badges, banners, printed materials): 3,000 ADA

• Name badges and lanyards: 800 ADA
• Event banners and signage: 700 ADA
• Printed agendas and information packets: 500 ADA
• Branded promotional items (e.g., pens, notebooks): 1,000 ADA

1. Catering (for dinner and cocktail): 5,000 ADA

• Formal dinner catering: 3,000 ADA
• Cocktail reception catering: 1,500 ADA
• Beverages (non-alcoholic and alcoholic): 500 ADA

1. Marketing and Promotion: 2,000 ADA

• Social media advertising: 800 ADA
• Printing flyers and posters: 500 ADA
• Digital advertising (e.g., Google Ads): 300 ADA
• Email marketing campaign: 400 ADA

1. Transportation (for speakers, staff, etc.): 2,500 ADA

• Speaker transportation (flights, accommodation): 1,200 ADA
• Staff transportation (local travel expenses): 800 ADA
• Guest transportation (if applicable): 500 ADA

1. Technical Equipment Rental (e.g., projectors, microphones): 2,500 ADA

• Projector and screen rental: 800 ADA
• Microphones and sound system rental: 900 ADA
• Lighting equipment rental: 500 ADA
• Laptop and AV equipment rental: 300 ADA

1. Printing Services (for promotional materials): 1,500 ADA

• Flyers and brochures printing: 500 ADA
• Posters and banners printing: 400 ADA
• Event programs printing: 300 ADA
• Name badge printing: 300 ADA

1. Miscellaneous Expenses: 1,500 ADA

• Event insurance: 500 ADA
• Security deposit for venue rental: 500 ADA
• Emergency fund: 500 ADA

5 countries total x 20000 ADA per country

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

The costs outlined in the budget are carefully considered to ensure that they represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem. Here's how the project's costs align with value delivery:

1. Budget Justification: Each expense listed in the budget serves a specific purpose in facilitating the successful execution of the events across the five countries. For example, venue rental costs are allocated to secure suitable spaces for hosting workshops, breakout sessions, and networking events, ensuring a conducive environment for knowledge-sharing and collaboration.
2. Cost-effectiveness: The budget reflects a balance between quality and cost-effectiveness. By leveraging local suppliers and negotiating competitive rates, we maximize the impact of each expenditure while minimizing unnecessary expenses. Additionally, the allocation of funds considers prevailing market rates and average wage levels in each country, ensuring that costs remain proportional and reasonable.
3. Investment in Community Growth: The project's costs represent an investment in the growth and sustainability of the Cardano ecosystem in Latin America. Through targeted marketing and promotion efforts, we aim to reach a wide audience of developers, investors, policymakers, and enthusiasts, fostering greater awareness and engagement with Cardano's technology and principles.
4. Long-term Impact: While the initial costs may seem significant, they are justified by the long-term impact and benefits generated for the Cardano community. By hosting educational workshops, networking events, and onboarding sessions, we lay the groundwork for continued community development and participation in governance processes, ultimately driving the adoption and success of Cardano in the region.
5. Transparent Budgeting: The budgeting process is transparent and accountable, with clear breakdowns of expenses and justification for each cost item. This transparency instills confidence among stakeholders and ensures that funds are allocated responsibly and efficiently, maximizing the value derived from the project's budget.

Overall, the project's costs are carefully evaluated and justified to ensure that they represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem. By strategically investing in community engagement, education, and outreach initiatives, we aim to foster a thriving and sustainable Cardano community in Latin America.