Impact Creating NFTs for Causes

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem.

Create a system for creators to designate their favorite social, enviro causes to receive an amount of their revenue on a transaction.

[GENERAL] Summarize your relevant experience.

I have been involved in social service projects of all sorts for over 36 years, Have been on planning committees and packing teams for distributing dry rations, clothing, medicines, for natural disasters ,in the tsunami as well as lockdowns. Also painting of hospitals regularly

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

There is no NFT marketplace that is dedicated to NFTs with Social and Environmentally Impacts. Socially, Environmentally and Spiritually Conscious creators who want to use their creations to help their favorite social, environmental and charitable causes have no dedicated marketplace to sell their NFTs. Buyers who are looking for Cause related NFTs have no way to know what artists stand for nor which artists are supporting their favorite Social, Environmental and Charitable Causes. Also NFTs are primarily based on artwork, and a whole wide world of creativity is available which have not yet been brought into NFT space or marketplaces.

The Solution

Create a system by which creators can designate their favorite social, environmental or charitable causes which would receive a designated amount of their revenue on every transaction. Social , Environmental and Charitable causes can feature their favorite content creators who are featured on their pages. Purchasers can identify their favorite Social , Environmental and Charitable causes and see which artists are supporting those causes, and thereby purchase from such artists. Creators from a wide array of aesthetic areas can create content. These would include art, music, poetry, spoken word, dance and many other areas.

Create a system whereby any social service project can establish transparency, trackability and auditability using the Blockchain. Every NFT can be tracked from the artist to the buyer at every stage. Its contribution to the chosen Social , Environmental and Charitable cause can also be tracked. The NFT marketplace will also give emphasis to collectives of rural artists, craftspeople, and rural communities who could use this NFT marketplace as a means of community empowerment and growth.

Current NFT collections are of low standard, and have no social or charitable value.

There is no NFT marketplace that is dedicated to NFTs with Social and Environmental Impacts. Currently NFT marketplaces are purely commercial ventures which generate revenue for their creators. Socially, Environmentally and Spiritually Conscious creators who want to use their creations to help their favorite social, environmental and charitable causes have no dedicated marketplace to sell their NFTs. Buyers who are looking for Cause related NFTs have no way to know what artists stand for nor which artists are supporting their favorite Social, Environmental and Charitable Causes. Also NFTs are primarily based on artwork, and a whole wide world of creativity is available which have not yet been brought into NFT space or marketplaces.

More on the solution

Content NFT Creators can link their work to a favorite Social Environmental or Charitable Cause

Social , Environmental and Charitable causes can feature their favorite content creators who are featured on their pages.

Social Environmental and Charitable Organizations can easily launch and host their own NFT collections.

Purchasers can identify their favorite Social , Environmental and Charitable causes and see which artists are supporting those causes, and thereby purchase from such artists.

Creators from a wide array of aesthetic areas can create content. These would include art, music, poetry, spoken word, dance and many other areas.

This market platform need to have the following categories

Artwork - Paintings, Drawings, sketches, Charcoal etchings, Photographs

Music - Songs, instrumental pieces, Lyrics, Spoken word, Rap

3d stuff like sculpture - a video, 3d representation, plan for a 3d print of the object

fashion collections, every new fashion line has an NFT line alongside every footwear, swimwear, lingerie, evening wear collection

sculptures, and welded art, and pottery, mosaics, painted glassware, bronzes, ceramics,

comedy routines, slapstick, improv, standup comedy

dancing items- people dancing, kids dancing, social dancing and ballroom dancing contests, salsa, bachata contests, hip hop contests, dance battles, band routines, dance troupes, cheerleader routines at events, dance troupe performances at concerts, gymnastics, ballet dancers, ice skating, NFTs of solo dancing, couples dancing, salsa bachata kizomba zouk and of course jive, waltz, rumba, samba, chacha, tango etc, with clips of dancers

Choral work NFTs, Ethnic music performances for each country, we get feedback on the categories of art, sculpture, music, crafts, from each country whereby we create NFT categories of each as relevant or under the above categories which are already there, we create a section for each country where people can list art/music/crafts/all above-mentioned performances under specialized country or ethnic categories.

Poetry NFTs, spoken word performances, standup comedy and any spoken word content, can be made into an NFT.

Sports commentaries of specific events can be made into an NFT - The entire commentary of the event OR a highlight moment and how the commentator captured it e,g the last 5 minutes of Sri Lanka winning the 1996 world cup, for example.

Girls laughing, boys laughing, babies laughing, gurgling, cooing, talking

Sound effects - people making unique recordings of nature sounds and man-made sounds from Animal sounds, both generic and unique

Bird sounds, Whale sounds all could be accompanied by video all over the world. - perhaps accompanied by a photo or video of the sound being generated

Sounds of couples talking love words and other romantic sounds to each other.

Children talking.

Historical audio clips - recordings of events from the past, great speeches,

Answer

 Does this proposal fall within the scope of the challenge brief?

This proposal falls within the scope of the challenge brief because it sets up and lays out a system whereby multiple stakeholders are benefitted.

Creates a method where NFTs have real social, environmental and charitable value.

Creates a real time verifiable system by which any NFT can be tracked and can be sold for a designated charitable cause. ( Proposal Link here)

Benefits the environment by generating revenue for social, environmental and charitable causes.

Benefits poor and hungry, orphans, elders, disabled, low income housing dwellers, street people, stray animals, trees, forests, oceans, endangered species, biodiversity, reduces pollution, plastics, and many other causes.

Provides highly satisfying employment for the artists and everyone involved in the supply chain

.

Our values:

Enabling Content Creators to benefit from their creations and uplift their favorite social environmental and charitable causes

Enable Causes to benefit from NFTs

Enabling Causes to promote and support the content creators who support them

Creating a model of Transparency and Trackability that can be implemented with any NGO, any charity, Any socially uplifting project

Enable Customers to support their favorite Content creators and Causes

Building meaningful, long-term relationships with Creators, Causes, private, corporate and NGO donors, Clients

Demonstrating professional excellence.

Empowering team-members to do their best work and be the best versions of themselves as possible.

Empowering rural artists and craftsmen and women.

How the solution relate to the challenge success (Impact)

Solution will enable rapid, systematic, ability to generate revenue for social environmental and charitable causes through NFT sales.

Transparency, Trackability and Auditability for every stage of the operation.

Creates new categories for NFTs and opens the minds to both artists and collectors as to what is possible in NFTs

[IMPACT] Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.

This project will add value to the Cardano Ecosystem by providing benefits to the environment, stakeholders such as artists, social environmental and charitable causes and beneficiaries. It will also be a model by which any organization can easily achieve Transparency, Trackability and Auditability

There are various Blockchain based components here. They include

The NFT marketplace allowing Creators and Causes to list and sell their NFTs and clients to buy and build up collections of NFTs.

The NFT based system to tag each NFT with a specific cause. The Smart Contract which will allocate part of the primary sale revenue and the recurring resale revenue to the specified cause.

The Smart Contract can designate percentages not just to one but to multiple causes.

The Reputation system which can be used as a badge of honor to show how a person is socially environmentally and charitably conscious. It will enable his causes to reach out to him with special offers and VIP deals, invites for conferences or special events etc.

We will calculate carbon offsets of each of our projects and sell the resulting Carbon Credits. We will do this in partnership with Block Carbon who is already a funded proposer.

Benefits to Stakeholders

Content Creators - Earn Revenue, Support their desired causes

Purchasers- Support their favorite causes, Own collectibles that rise in value

Causes- Have revenue coming in from artists' work and purchasers who support their cause.

Benefits to the Blockchain community

This will add huge amounts of goodwill to your Community and your own community members will be motivated that they can purchase meaningful NFTs from a project with so much social value and meaning. They will be motivated to hold meaningful NFTs. Media publicity will result in a huge goodwill for your community as well as sales of NFTs bringing more income to impoverished artists and artist/craftsman communities. This would result in rises in NFT value as well as increase in community members who purchase NFTs.

Carbon Credits

We have talked to BlockCarbon and will talk to any other Carbon credit blockchain companies in order to figure out the best way to obtain carbon credits for our operation.

Benefits to the Stake Pool Operator if you support this project.

This will add huge amounts of goodwill to your Stake Pool and your own delegators will be motivated that they are supporting a project with so much social value and meaning. They will be motivated hugely and delegation will rise. Media publicity will result in a huge goodwill for your stake pool resulting in increase in delegators and as a result more rewards. You can also use us to set off your carbon emissions and buy our carbon credits and support us that way. This in addition to supporting our work with some portion of your profits.

How would I measure the impact of this project?

Number of Causes onboarded

Number of Clients onboarded

Number of NFTs created per cause

Number of NFTs created per month

Number of Content Creators onboarded

Number of NFTs sold on the CNFT marketplace

How this proposal meets Fund 9 Objectives

Prepare a group of people willing and able to make contributions to the ecosystem.

This proposal will enable many people who want to support people who are NFT creators by buying their art, and helps creators find new clients and customers. IT also helps NGOs find suitable NFT creators and projects. These all make contributions to the ecosystem.

Turn Cardano into an open source project & attract more developers..

Making this open source would help new developers to come in and build more functionality

Build real-world solutions based on the Cardano blockchain.

This project to help various NFT projects such as Five Loaves Two Fish - feed the hungry, and as a use case to enable NGOs to get new artists. . Artists can create more work knowing theres a marketplace which helps them find new clients. Therefore this proposal is very valuable

Improve tooling to support human processes in Catalyst. Accelerate the growth and evolution of developer & app ecosystem.

Getting the right information helps build this tool to help the process of onboarding new music, artwork and other NFT types. More developers would use the code to bring new functionality to their own NFT marketplaces.

[IMPACT] What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?

The proposal can be scaled to address future challenges by bringing on board more content creators, purchasers and Causes. It can also scale up by increasing the Categories of NFTs

Will the project have a positive impact on the Cardano system?

This project will have a positive impact on the Cardano system because it will enable a new Cause driven marketplace which will create huge positive publicity for Cardano blockchain and ecosystem. The accompanying publicity will bring more content creators onto the marketplace. . It will also have a positive impact in terms of the massive goodwill generated towards Cardano from the various stakeholders

Outcomes would be marketed through social media campaign on FB, Instagram, Youtube, TIktok as well as mass media promotion campaign through press releases, radio and TV ads, press releases to online media outlets as well as reaching out to tech groups who would invite me to talk about the project and thereby create massive awareness.

Answer

Challenges and risks relevant to a successful implementation might include how to onboard Creators and Causes in a simple and standardized manner.

More Risks and Challenges

These would include another Covid variant causing lockdowns and where Artists Craftspeople and Content creators ( sculptors etc) cannot access raw materials and dancers etc cannot have classes or go to their studios to do content creation. Or else they cannot work for some reason due to illness.

Volatility of ADA may result in our being unable to meet our budgetary expenses due to rapid fall in value of ADA. The value of ADA may go down.

It takes a long time to convert ADA into local currency as its completely dependent on Binance's P2P marketplace. This can cause slowdowns or delays in getting LKR and thereby in the project implementation.

When currency is finally converted, prices of goods and services may be different from what we budgeted because prices have increased.

How to overcome these challenges.

Create a standard template to follow with each category. Content Creators, Causes, Clients, Corporate sponsors.

How we would deal with this challenge is that we would have many alternative craftspeople who can pick up the load of work if someone is unable to do so due to illness.

One way to overcome this contingency is to add a contingency fund of about 10% on top of the total cost. Another option is to find a trusted network of ADA holders who want to increased their investment in ADA without going through Binance P2P marketplace.

Possible hurdles, challenges and difficulties include further lockdowns due to an outbreak of Covid

We will overcome this by enabling content creators to courier their work to us or use high quality cameras to photograph their work for the NFT creation

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed plan, including timeline and key milestones for delivering your proposal.

Roadmap (Feasibility) with Deliverables and Outputs

Month 1 - Commencement of the NFT marketplace. Commencement of NFT transparency tracking system. Commencement of Reputation system

Month 2 - Completion of NFT marketplace and testing phase starts. Completion of NFT tracking system. Commencement of Reputation System.

Month 3 - Completion of NFT Tracking system, Completion of Reputation system. Testing is concluded with data analyzed for areas of improvement. Marketing Campaign starts

Functional Requirements

Customer Functions

1. Registration

1. Verify Email and password

1. Add items to cart

1. Selecting a payment method

1. Verify payment method

Administrative Functions

1. Manage payment details

1. Update item details

1. Manage items

1. Manage users

4.1 Non-Functional Requirements

Safety requirements

When there is extensive damage to the database due to failure, disk crash, the recovery method restores a copy of the backup database to archival storage and reconstructs the failure.

Security Requirements

Account security authentication is given two-factor authentication at the time of account creation to both admin and customers.

Performance Requirements

Normalization and ER

Software Quality

Usability and Availability, Maintainability

We don't foresee additional funding being needed for this programme since we have clearly defined the functionality of the NFT generation and creation of the Marketplace. If further funding is needed we will take it out of our own funds and make an application in Fund 9.

Marketing plan

● Connect With Blockchain Associations

There are local and global associations, as well as ones built around specialized interests. Some blockchain associations are forum-like and easy to join; others require specific business partnerships or living in a geographic location.

● Concentrate on the Basics

Websites, social media channels, email newsletters, and blogs may seem like overly simple marketing strategies. Instead of considering these strategies simple, think of them as fundamental: most businesses may do them, but few businesses do them truly well.

● Connect With Blockchain Visionaries and Experts

The blockchain space is typically very open and welcoming — experts who have solved some of the space’s biggest problems will happily converse with beginners online.

● Visit Blockchain and Industry Conferences

If you go to an industry conference to speak, awesome! If not, go to make connections — get into conversations with your colleagues, competitors, and potential customers.

Partner With Industry Leaders

Older tech titans such as IBM, Microsoft, and Apple, are interested in potentially disruptive and profitable innovations. That means they’re already looking for someone like you. Get yourself found, and pitch influencers on partnerships that they will find valuable.

● Create Trust and Build Authority

The blockchain space is sometimes compared to the Wild West. Blockchain has a reputation for being riddled with crime and underhanded dealings.

● Explain Your Value Proposition

Customers need to understand your value proposition. There is a mass of projects that insiders know as BINO – “Blockchain In Name Only.” These so-called “blockchain” projects provide little actual innovation or value.

● Forge Connections With Blockchain-Friendly Institutions

Public and private institutions worldwide offer encouraging environments for blockchain-based enterprises. It’s worth making connections with these institutions.

● Employ Blockchain Ambassadors

Blockchain ambassadors share their knowledge and expertise with the wider blockchain and business world.

● Social media Marketing

Many firms and people utilise social media marketing as their primary NFT marketing strategy. Because the majority of the world’s population uses social media platforms on a daily basis, the value of these platforms is enormous. Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are just a few of the social media channels that are ideal for adopting NFT marketing.

Interface and Back-end Setups

User Interface

•

Front end software: .net, PHP,HTML, CSS, Java script

Hardware Interfaces

•

Windows, Android

•

A browser that supports PHP and HTML

Software Setups

Operating system - Android operating system and Windows Database - MySQL database to store customer Details. Plutus, Marlowe is the main programming languages for Cardano

HOW CAN WE DO MULTIPLE PROJECTS AT THE SAME TIME.

If we are considering translation projects, each language pair (e.g English to Hindi ) has one or two Master Translators and one or two Proofreaders. The Master Translators are native speakers and experienced in the translation field They would do the translation and its given to the proofreader for quality checking. Any modifications are given back to the Master Translator who then amends the text and finalizes the text. If the workload is large we would use two Master Translators and two proofreaders instead of one.

As such , since each language pair has a dedicated team we are able to concurrently do 1, 2 5 10 or 100 language pairs at the same time. NO team is working on multiple projects. Each is dedicated to their project.

Same applies to dev projects. We have teams working on each project or app. No one is overstretched for time or energy. Therefore we can confidently undertake multiple projects at the same time

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

Budget (Feasibility + auditability)

Creation and Deployment of NFT based Marketplace 24200 USD

(includes

The NFT marketplace

The NFT based system to tag each NFT with a specific cause.

 The Smart Contract which will allocate % of revenue to one or more causes. )

3 month Marketing budget 6000 USD ( This will be split between Facebook, Instagram and Youtube)

3 month Administration and Client Service 8000 USD

Creation of a video documentary detailing how this entire process was done. 8000 USD

Contingency 2500 USD

Total 48700 USD

Budget Breakdown

2 Blockchain Developers 60$ per hour -160 hours (each) = 9600 * 2 = 19,200 USD

1 UI/UX Developer 50$ per hour 50 hours = 2500 USD

Quality Assurance Developer 50$ per hour 50 hours = 2500 USD

Total Development Cost 24200 USD

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide details of the people who will work on the project.

DImitri Fernando https://www.linkedin.com/in/dimitrifernando777/

Active member of Catalyst Community - Former General ADA Holder in Catalyst Circle V3, Community Advisor in Fund 6 and 7 and 8, Veteran Community Advisor in Fund 7 and 8 , VCA in Flash Assessment in Fund 7, Cardano4Climate, Cardano Creatives, Founder of South Asian Town Hall, Active in Eastern Town Hall, Pacific Town Hall, European Town hall, Gimbalabs Playground

Serial Entrepreneur, INFJ, Marketer by profession, Creative by passion, Strategist, Writer, Poet, Storyteller Has background in multiple sectors and has run several companies with groundbreaking technologies in Sri Lanka. Having his first job as a department store Santa at age 12, he learnt how bringing joy to kids and the less fortunate would bring unspeakable joy to life. He worked at Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation on various radio channels under the English Service, and learnt the art of communication, presentation, audio and radio production, and program compilation. Working often in highly tense security situations due to the ever present threat of terror attack on the SLBC by the LTTE he learnt to be cool under immense pressure and not let any crisis affect him. He is a Chartered Management Accountant, and Chartered Marketer. He has also completed MBTI and FIRO-B certifications and is currently becoming an ICF accredited Coach and DISC certified trainer and consultant. He has experience in multiple sectors, including Business Development on a national scale for global brands. He has been involved in social service projects for 35 years. He has been distributing food to the hungry since July 2018. Even during lockdown he was able to get a special pass for essential food distribution services.

Uditha Bandara https://www.linkedin.com/in/udithabandara/

Uditha Bandara (MVP) is an expert in specializes in Microsoft , AI and Blockchain Technologies . He is an author in AI technologies, an international speaker and the founder/CEO of Blue Chip Asia and South East Asia`s First XNA/DirectX MVP (Most Valuable Professional)

Rishantha Welikadage https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/daforce

RIshantha has been involved in multiple business sectors including State Government in Minnesota USA as a Hardware Technician and Entrepreneur. He has also worked in software development in the logistics industry. Being involved from the inception of a freight logistics company he grew it from 2 employees to over 30 and developed a proprietary system which was better than ready built systems available for a UK logistics and courier company. He has obtained his MBA in Business Management from Australia and has also been involved in many Social Service organizations such as the Lions Club as well as food distribution on his own.

 Cyrus Viccajee https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyvic/

Cyrus Viccaji is a specialist in developing highly curated communication films for the development sector. He draws on a broad skillset that includes reporting, cinematography, video editing, music production and theater.

This informs 12 years of experience leading teams and personally engaging with diverse stakeholders to develop genuine and persuasive original content that drives engagement and participation for his clients.

He has personally conducted close to 500 interviews of various stakeholders, from chief ministers and educational leadership to teachers, students and community members in Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pahtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan in his work for GEO News, the BBC, British Council Pakistan, Adam Smith International and Cambridge International.

Chamarie Ranasinghe https://web.facebook.com/designerchamari

Chamari Ranasinghe has been involved in multiple entrepreneurial businesses for the last 25 years. She is highly experienced in managing complex projects and has a skill of connecting with all strata of society and can motivate any group of people. She has a down to earth quality about her that serves her well in her social service work which also brings her closer to her passion of helping people. She is also a qualified Ayurvedic Physician. She is Sri Lanka’s first Certified Outward Bound Trainer. She is also a Motivational Speaker and Trainer and a Reiki Healer.

D M Saman Chandana https://web.facebook.com/saman.c.dissanayake

Saman has been working in the areas of technical maintenance and management for over 20 years. His skill sets bring needed planning and operations management to the entire operations of the company.

The type and number of team members required to implement the proposal

This project needs two Blockchain developers, UI/UX developer, and a Quality assurance Engineer to complete this project, and there is no need to take external developers. We have this team in house.

One Marketing person to onboard new Creators Causes and Corporate Sponsors

One Admin and Accounts Person

One Social Media and Content Creation person

One person to manage Client servicing. This will grow as number of clients grows

[FEASIBILITY] If you are funded, will you return to Catalyst in a later round for further funding? Please explain why / why not.

Yes to develop further functionality

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or any member of your team working on any other proposals in this Fund9?

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or your team working on any other proposals from previous Funds?

[AUDITABILITY] Please describe what you will measure to track your project's progress, and how will you measure these?

Number of Causes onboarded Can be tracked by the NFT having a unique identifier for the Cause

Number of Clients onboarded. Each client gets a unique NFT which is an Identity NFT. Or we will use Self Sovereign Identity

Number of NFTs created per cause - Can be tracked from the marketplace

Number of NFTs created per month - Can be tracked from the marketplace

Number of Content Creators onboarded - Each content creator has a unique Creator NFT

Number of NFTs sold on the CNFT marketplace - Can be tracked from the marketplace

Challenges and risks relevant to a successful implementation

These would include another Covid variant causing lockdowns and where Artists Craftspeople and Content creators ( sculptors etc) cannot access raw materials and dancers etc cannot have classes or go to their studios to do content creation. Or else they cannot work for some reason due to illness.

Volatility of ADA may result in our being unable to meet our budgetary expenses due to rapid fall in value of ADA. The value of ADA may go down.

It takes a long time to convert ADA into local currency as its completely dependent on Binance's P2P marketplace. This can cause slowdowns or delays in getting LKR and thereby in the project implementation.

When currency is finally converted, prices of goods and services may be different from what we budgeted because prices have increased.

How does the proposer plan to deal with these difficulties?

How we would deal with this challenge is that we would have many alternative craftspeople who can pick up the load of work if someone is unable to do so due to illness.

One way to overcome this contingency is to add a contingency fund of about 10% on top of the total cost. Another option is to find a trusted network of ADA holders who want to increased their investment in ADA without going through Binance P2P marketplace.

Possible hurdles, challenges and difficulties include further lockdowns due to an outbreak of Covid

We will overcome this by enabling content creators to courier their work to us or use high quality cameras to photograph their work for the NFT creation

[AUDITABILITY] What does success for this project look like?

What does success for this project look like?

Success looks like

a. Completed NFT marketplace, NFT transparency Tracking and Auditability system in place and Reputation system in place for Causes, Creators and Clients.

Many new categories of NFTs created and at least 5 creators listed on each of the new categories

At least 20 clients onboarded per month with at least 10 new content creators onboarded per month. At least 5 new Causes onboarded per month.

Create an open source tool where we can offer Software as a Service for other NGOs who want to track their Transparency

[AUDITABILITY] Please provide information on whether this proposal is a continuation of a previously funded project in Catalyst or an entirely new one.

New project