Last updated 3 months ago
Cardano has world-class tech, but many projects fail to gain traction. Weak branding undermines trust and credibility, limiting adoption and keeping strong ideas from reaching their potential.
An open-source Brand Kit Library will give Cardano projects templates, design assets, and guidelines in GitBook. Core kits are free and open, with simple verification for customization access.
This is the total amount allocated to Shine up the Ecosystem.
Please provide your proposal title
Shine up the Ecosystem
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
55000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
9
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
Cardano has world-class tech, but many projects fail to gain traction. Weak branding undermines trust and credibility, limiting adoption and keeping strong ideas from reaching their potential.
Supporting links
Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
Yes
Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'
The project depends on trusted external tools and services: GitHub for versioning and downloads, GitBook for publishing guidelines, and Airtable for intake and tracking. A simple verification process (stake pool ID, Catalyst proposal ID, or Cardano wallet address) is required before customization access. All are licensed, accessible, and widely used, minimizing risk.
Will your project's outputs be fully open source?
Yes
License and Additional Information
License: CC BY 4.0. All core templates and guidelines will be open-source in a public GitHub repository, ensuring transparency and accessibility. Customized packs are distributed via secure links, with a contribution guide and roadmap included to support community growth and sustainability.
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal
Community Outreach
Who you’re targeting, how you’ll reach them, and why this matters for Cardano.
Target: SPOs, grassroots projects, and small teams lacking design resources.Reach: Outreach through Catalyst forums, Cardano community channels, and partner networks.Why it matters: Strong branding helps grassroots growth and onboarding by building trust, increasing adoption, and enabling collaborations. This leads to more wallets created, more community participation, and stronger connections with local organizations.
Provide a list of key activities of your project?
What are your success metrics?
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
We perceive the problem as weak branding limiting trust, credibility, and adoption. Our approach—an open-source, reusable, and sustainable brand kit—is chosen to address this by providing equal access to professional design. The project engages SPOs, grassroots teams, and the broader Cardano community. Impact will be demonstrated through adoption metrics, feedback, and community contributions.
We will publish an open-source Brand Kit Library for Cardano: a curated set of high-quality, reusable assets to raise visual standards across the ecosystem. The initial scope includes one typography system, 10+ social graphics templates, a website starter kit (homepage + landing), a 25+ image library, social profile assets, and GitBook guidelines. Core templates and guidelines are publicly accessible; a verification-gated flow allows eligible participants to generate lightly customized packs. Hosting and distribution are via GitHub for versioning, releases, and downloads.
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
The project strengthens credibility and adoption across Cardano by giving smaller teams access to professional, consistent branding. This lowers barriers to entry, helps grassroots initiatives look legitimate, and supports wider ecosystem growth.
Value to the community: Equal access to design resources allows projects to attract delegators, investors, and users more effectively, leveling the playing field for SPOs and innovators.
How impact will be measured:
How outputs will be shared: GitHub releases, GitBook updates, Airtable exports, community calls, and public Catalyst update posts. These ensure transparency, reuse, and opportunities for collaboration.
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?
**Team capability: **The Hodler Coalition has delivered multiple Cardano-facing projects, including brand and web design, delegation portal design/development, Lucem Wallet interface, and Climate Neutral Cardano websites and portals. This demonstrates proven experience in design systems, community resources, and ecosystem tools.
Execution and accountability: We will use Airtable for transparent tracking, GitHub for releases/issues, and GitBook for documentation. All progress and deliverables will be logged, published, and shared publicly, providing accountability to the community.
Risk management: Key risks include outreach challenges, misuse of templates, rights consent, queue/volunteer/bounty management, multi-platform distribution, and long-term sustainability. These are addressed with template guardrails, explicit rights consent in intake, and a sustainability plan built on open licensing, contributor guides, quarterly refreshes, and potential DAO handoff.
Validation of feasibility: Our past work shows we can deliver high-quality outputs. Success will be validated through measurable adoption, community contributions, and transparent reporting, ensuring funds are used responsibly and effectively.
Milestone Title
Publish v0.9 kits
Milestone Outputs
We will deliver three fully developed core kit components: a typography system, a set of 10+ social graphic templates, and a website starter kit (homepage + landing). These will be supported by brand guidelines published as version 0.9, providing a working draft for community feedback and refinement. In addition, we will publish the initial GitHub repository with downloadable assets and documentation. This ensures teams can begin using the kits immediately while also helping us validate the structure and usefulness of the resources before the full v1.0 release.
Acceptance Criteria
For this milestone to be considered complete, the three core kit components (typography system, social graphic templates, and website starter kit) must be functional, downloadable, and accompanied by a clear usage guide. Draft brand guidelines (v0.9) should be accessible in GitBook, providing structure and initial direction for users. The GitHub repository must be live with versioning enabled, public access available, and at least one tagged release published. Together, these criteria ensure the community can begin using, testing, and giving feedback on the resources before the v1.0 release.
Evidence of Completion
To confirm milestone delivery, we will provide multiple forms of proof accessible to the Catalyst community. A tagged GitHub release and public repository link will demonstrate the kits are functional and downloadable. Draft brand guidelines v0.9 will be published in GitBook and viewable to all. A short tutorial video will walk through how to access and apply the kits, ensuring usability. Finally, a Catalyst update post will summarize the release and invite community feedback. Together these provide verifiable, transparent evidence of completion.
Delivery Month
3
Cost
16500
Progress
30 %
Milestone Title
Adoption & iteration
Milestone Outputs
We will deliver 6–8 customized brand kit packs tailored to SPOs and grassroots projects. A candidate version of the guidelines (v1.0) will be drafted and published for review in GitBook. We will host community office hours to provide direct support, gather feedback, and encourage contributions. A digest of feedback, including highlights, recurring issues, and potential improvements, will be compiled to guide the next iteration. This ensures real-world adoption, practical testing, and iterative refinement of the kits.
Acceptance Criteria
To be accepted, at least 6 customized packs must be completed and delivered to verified participants. Updated guidelines (v1.0 candidate) must be published in GitBook with clear revisions noted. Office hours must be held with notes or recordings published for transparency. A feedback digest must be compiled and shared with the community. These deliverables ensure adoption, support, and iterative improvement.
Evidence of Completion
Evidence will include Airtable exports of delivered customized packs, community showcases (with participant consent), GitBook updates showing the v1.0 candidate guidelines, closed GitHub issues documenting feedback, and session notes or recordings from office hours. This provides transparent and verifiable proof of iteration and adoption.
Delivery Month
6
Cost
16500
Progress
30 %
Milestone Title
Final library v1.0
Milestone Outputs
We will publish the completed brand kit library v1.0, including 8–10 fully developed core kits, 25+ curated images, a refined website starter kit, and a set of social profile assets. Contributor guides will be created to encourage community participation in future iterations. A quarterly refresh plan will be published to ensure ongoing sustainability. The final documentation set, including guidelines and usage notes, will be consolidated in GitBook and GitHub.
Acceptance Criteria
For acceptance, the v1.0 library must be released in GitHub with downloadable kits and release notes. All supporting documentation, including the contributor guide and refresh plan, must be published. The GitBook must reflect the final guidelines. All assets must be accessible and verifiable by the community.
Evidence of Completion
Proof will include a tagged GitHub v1.0 release with downloadable kits, updated GitBook guidelines, a merged PRs list showing contributions, a roadmap post outlining refresh cycles, and a final documentation PDF. These will demonstrate transparent and complete delivery of the final milestone.
Delivery Month
9
Cost
22000
Progress
40 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
Breakdown
Transparency & Value: For comparison, typical agency brand kits cost ₳12k–24k per client. This budget delivers dozens of kits across the Cardano ecosystem at a fraction of that cost.
Commitment: All funds will be allocated to deliverables only. No additional hardware, software, or licensing costs are required. Marketing, promotion, and community reporting are included within engagement and documentation. No shortfalls are anticipated, but if they occur, we will cover them through Hodler resources to ensure delivery.
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
This project delivers broad ecosystem impact at a fraction of commercial cost. Professional design kits that normally cost ₳12k–24k per client are made freely available to dozens of Cardano teams for only ₳55k total. That represents strong leverage of treasury funds.
Cost justification:
Ecosystem value:
Overall, this proposal represents a cost-effective way to multiply Cardano’s visibility and credibility globally.
Terms and Conditions:
Yes
Design Director – Lauren ZawodniHandles UI/UX design and creative direction.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-zawodni-008bb6135
Lead Software Engineer – Ben ZawodniResponsible for backend development, integrations, and testing.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bzawodni
Additional Roles: We may recruit a Community Manager to coordinate user feedback, testing, and communications if needed.
Commitment: Both team members are fully committed and capable of delivering the project as scoped. Additional help will be brought on if needed.
Prior Projects
Disclosure: Roles and contributions are fully disclosed to remain Catalyst compliant.