Scale-UP Hubs' Legal Framework

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem.

Wada will create a model with which to support and onboard new hubs and partners with a template for legal and financial frameworks to set them up for success.

[GENERAL] Summarize your relevant experience.

Wada Core Team and advisors.

Network of Hubs throughout Africa.

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Wada seeks to support projects on the ground in Africa and the African diaspora through our 3 fundamental pillars: Infrastructure, Education and Dapp Creation.

Infrastructure: We have already started with the physical infrastructure (office space, equipment, furnishings, and internet) which has helped us to solidify Cardano's presence on the continent. Another support we will provide to our hubs is the legal infrastructure to ensure the longevity of our hubs by making sure that they are getting the necessary legal and structural support to make sure they last.

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

Physically setting up a hub is one thing. It is another thing to have in place a legal framework for ensuring transparent, responsible, and auditable governance of each Wada hub. Our proposed solution will deliver a legal and governance framework. It will also deliver an operating model that translates the governance framework into repeatable practices, procedures, processes, and job responsibilities. This will enable the execution of consistent governance processes and experiences at every level across all Wada hubs. The framework shall be constructed in a manner that ensures it can be white-labelled and used by other non-Wada Cardano hubs.

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

A major risk that can prevent us from successfully delivery is trying too hard at an early stage to make the Wada hubs/Wada itself into a DAO as this concept is still quite experimental. To mitigate this risk, we shall align our framework with the ways of workings of co-operative societies as these are the closest real world examples of the nirvana we call a DAO.

Another major risk would be trying to boil the ocean/building our governance framework entirely from scratch and becoming overwhelmed with the amount of work required. To mitigate this risk, we shall select as a base framework one of the many different legal co-operative frameworks that already exist today and modify and embellish as appropriate to fit our purposes. https://www.uk.coop/resources/model-governing-documents

Yet another major risk would be affording the services of lawyers and accountant who will be needed to validate our frameworks. We will mitigate this risk by firstly using as much of an existing co-operative framework as is possible. Secondly, working closely with the UK co-operative society who provide a lot of free guidance resources and workshops. Thirdly we will work with lawyers and accountant from the co-operative society who are already familiar with the underlying basis of our framework.

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

Documentation we will produce:

• Wada Internal Procedures (Internal and External handbooks)
• Hub onboarding documentation:
• checklist for Hubs
• MOU template
• suggested financial framework (based on bounty system)
• Partnership agreements
• MOU templates
• financial framework (based on bounty system)

Timeline: 6 month project

0-3 Months

• Hub and partnership templates (MOU template, hub checklist)
• Hub and partnership documentation personalized for existing hubs and partners
• Financial framework template for Wada.org and Hubs

4-6 Months

• Financial template personalized for each existing hubs
• Internal Procedures documentation
• Internal handbook
• External handbook

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

Budget (6 months):

• Project Management/Oversight: $4k
• Documentation: $12k

($1k/month for two people over 6 months)

• Legal Consult: $2k

(clarity.fm offers advice from legal experts ranging $2-$10/minute)

• Translation: $1k

(English to French -- 50+ pages at ~$20/page)

• Branding: $1k

(Wada hub branding, and Wada branded paperwork with different details such as watermark/header+footer etc.)

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

The main team in charge of writing up, organizing, and dispersing the necessary documentation. This will also involve consulting with subject matter experts before finalization (in particular legal consult either from people through our network or seek advice from professional consultants through clarity.fm).

Megan (Project Manager) - Internal Operations Lead @ Wada, will be in charge of project oversight, organizing documentation, communicating with hubs and partners to get feedback, writing up and personalize agreements.

Leo (Project Support) - Advisor @ Wada, will support with creating and editing documents, as well as advising on strategy and enabling connections with on the ground resources in the UK (such as co-op society).

Richmond (Graphic Designer) - Design & Marketing @ Wada, will support with coordinating the hub branding with Wada's own branding as well as ensuring Wada brand being appropriately represented on our documentation.

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

No, the funding requested here will cover the support we need to put in place a lasting support to our hubs and partners.

[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?

We have set goals as outlined in the timeline, we will measure these as either complete or not.

0-3 Months

• Hub and partnership templates (MOU template, hub checklist)
• Hub and partnership documentation personalized for existing hubs and partners
• Financial framework template for Wada.org and Hubs

4-6 Months

• Financial template personalized for each existing hubs
• Internal Procedures documentation
• Internal handbook
• External handbook

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

Wada Hub and partnership relationships clearly defined and transparent.

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

This is a new proposal.