[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

Our proposed solution aims to leverage the growing momentum of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) on Cardano, driven by emerging tools like Agora (<https://github.com/Liqwid-Labs/agora>), to further enhance the ecosystem.

While projects like Clarity (<https://www.clarity.vote/>) and Summon (<https://summonplatform.io/>) have already simplified the creation of Agora-based DAOs, the focus is now on advancing the developer ecosystem to push the envelope of what is possible with DAO treasury management.

Agora-based organizations offer the unique ability to execute code automatically after a vote passes, enabling a wide range of treasury effects such as withdrawals, governance parameter updates, asset swaps, and even staking ADA within treasuries.

However, the potential for what DAO treasuries can achieve on behalf of their communities is limitless, and we aim to engage the community in realizing these possibilities.

To achieve this, we propose hosting an open-source DAO treasury effect hackathon. The budget allocated in this proposal will cover the event space and provide the necessary resources to bring together the most talented developers within the Cardano ecosystem. This event will serve as a platform for brainstorming, collaboration, and the development of open-source tools. Our goal is to ensure that Cardano emerges as a robust and innovative ecosystem for the creation, management, and operation of DAOs, solidifying its position at the forefront of decentralized governance and organization management.

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

1. Advanced DAO Tooling: The project will lead to the development of advanced open-source tools, making it easier for anyone in the Cardano community to create and manage DAOs effectively. We will measure this by tracking how many new treasury effects come from this event.
2. Community Engagement: It will foster increased engagement and collaboration within the Cardano community, as developers and stakeholders come together to shape the future of decentralized organizations.
3. Innovation: The hackathon will encourage innovation by providing a platform for developers to explore and implement creative treasury effects, pushing the boundaries of what Cardano DAOs can achieve.
4. Educational Opportunity: It will serve as an educational opportunity, allowing participants to learn and share knowledge about decentralized governance and treasury management on Cardano.
5. Robust Governance: The resulting treasury effects will enhance the robustness of governance mechanisms within Cardano DAOs, ensuring transparent and efficient decision-making.
6. Cardano Adoption: By strengthening Cardano's capabilities for DAOs, the project will attract more projects and organizations to choose Cardano as their blockchain platform, driving adoption.
7. Increased Transparency: The open-source nature of the project will promote transparency, making it easier for the broader community to understand and participate in DAO operations.
8. Community Empowerment: It will empower community members to actively contribute to and shape the direction of DAOs, fostering a sense of ownership and empowerment.
9. Diverse Use Cases: The hackathon will explore a wide range of use cases for DAO treasuries, potentially addressing community needs in various sectors, from finance to governance.
10. Cardano Ecosystem Growth: Overall, the project will contribute to the growth and maturity of the Cardano ecosystem, positioning it as a leader in decentralized governance and organization management.

[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?

Ability to Deliver:

Our team has a proven track record of delivering on proposals within the Cardano ecosystem, as demonstrated by our past participation and successful outcomes in Cardano Project Catalyst. Notably, we have succeeded in delivering on the Clarity DAO Infrastructure proposal passed in fund9. <https://projectcatalyst.io/funds/9/f9-daos-less3-cardano/clarity-dao-infrastructure>

Here's how our team ensures high levels of trust and accountability in project delivery:

Experience and Expertise:

• Our team members possess extensive experience and expertise in their respective domains, including decentralized governance, smart contract development, UI/UX design, and Cardano ecosystem integration. We have been working in the Cardano governance niche since 2020, and have shipped multiple products that help Cardano communities.
• We have a deep understanding of the underlying technology and best practices, enabling us to make informed decisions and deliver reliable solutions. Our team includes core contributors to the Agora Protocol and Cardano domain experts who help ensure project delivery.

Transparent Communication:

• We provide weekly development updates, transparent progress reports, and hold interactive sessions to address questions, gather feedback, and ensure alignment with project goals.

Commitment to Documentation:

• Our team produces comprehensive documentation, including technical specifications, user guides, and project reports. These are all made public for streamlined user adoption and to make it easy for stakeholders to review and verify the project's progress.

Adherence to Best Practices and Standards:

• We follow industry best practices, adhere to established standards, and conduct thorough testing and security audits to ensure the reliability and robustness of our solutions.
• We prioritize the security of DAO treasuries and stake pool operations, implementing safeguards and risk mitigation strategies to protect funds and maintain trust.

Past Success and References:

• Our successful track record in delivering on previous proposals in Cardano’s Project Catalyst serves as a testament to our ability to fulfill our commitments and achieve desired outcomes.
• Communities using our platform already can be found here (<https://www.clarity.vote/>), and are a great reference for our past work.

By combining our experience, transparent communication, documentation practices, adherence to standards, and past successes, we are confident in our capability to deliver the proposed project with high levels of trust and accountability.

Validating our Approach is Feasible:

We have conducted initial research into the plausibility of such an event. Our team of highly qualified smart contract developers have confirmed this is feasible and will be worth while. We are confident is the feasibility of this event to happen and push the ecosystem forward.

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

• Venue Confirmation:
• Identify and secure a suitable venue for the hackathon.
• Negotiate and finalize venue contracts.
• Ensure the venue is equipped with necessary facilities and technical support.

>Developer Recruitment:

• Develop a clear selection criteria for the 10 developers who will participate.
• Open applications for developers to apply for the hackathon.
• Review applications and select participants based on criteria.
• Notify selected developers and confirm their participation.
• Coordinate travel and accommodation arrangements for the selected participants.

>Event Marketing:

• Develop a comprehensive marketing plan for the hackathon.
• Create promotional materials, including website content, social media posts, and press releases.
• Launch marketing campaigns to attract participants, sponsors, and attendees.
• Continuously promote the event in the lead-up to the hackathon.
• Monitor the effectiveness of marketing efforts and adjust strategies as needed.

>Event Day:

• Ensure all logistical arrangements are in place, including registration, catering, and technical setup.
• Facilitate the opening of the hackathon with an introduction and agenda.
• Provide necessary resources and support to participants.
• Organize judging panels for project evaluations.
• Host closing ceremonies and announce winners.
• Collect feedback from participants for future improvement.

>Documentation and Results Sharing:

Objective: To compile comprehensive documentation of the hackathon's outcomes and share these results with the wider Cardano community for transparency, knowledge dissemination, and future reference.

Tasks:

• Document all projects developed during the hackathon, including code repositories, project summaries, and technical specifications.
• Compile a detailed report highlighting key insights, innovations, and lessons learned from the event.
• Create user-friendly guides or tutorials related to any new tools or solutions developed during the hackathon.
• Host a post-event webinar or presentation to share findings, project outcomes, and insights with the Cardano community.
• Publish all documentation, reports, and presentation materials on the Cardano ecosystem's official channels, such as websites, forums, and social media.
• Encourage community feedback and engagement by opening discussions and forums for participants and stakeholders to share their experiences and insights.

Timeline: This milestone should be completed within 1 month after the hackathon event.

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

• Logan Panchot: Logan is a recent graduate at Stanford University and has been part of the Catalyst community since fund4. Logan is a deep believer in the potential of decentralized communities to create a better world. At Clarity, Logan is responsible for business operations, community growth, and client adoption. (<https://www.linkedin.com/in/logan-panchot/>)

• Justin Schreiner: Justin has a background in Computer Science and is a Plutus Pioneer. At Clarity, Justin is responsible for business operations, talking with users, and implementing improvements to the platform. (<https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinschreiner/>)

• Matt Laux: Matt is an engineering graduate from Texas A&M with experience in full-stack development. Matt is responsible for creating a scalable and secure Governance application for the Clarity community. (<https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-laux/>)

• Chris Borders: Chris is a lawyer and advisor to blockchain projects. He has over 30 years of experience practicing law. His experience in the blockchain industry began in 2015 when he joined what would become Chainlink. He remained at Chainlink until 2018, eventually serving as their interim General Counsel. Currently, Chris spends most of his time in the Cardano ecosystem, advising other projects including Liqwid, Indigo, and SundaeSwap. (<https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherjborders/>)

• Shannon Wu: Shannon is an investor and entrepreneur in the blockchain space. I love working with and investing in transformative technologies in Defi, Big Data, Blockchain, Automation and AI. She was an early team member of MakerDAO and part of the founding team for Bloom Protocol. For Clarity, Shannon advises on go to market strategy, fundraising, and strategic decision making. (<https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwu/>)

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

Venue Confirmation:

• Identify and secure a suitable venue for the hackathon (10 hours) Cost: $50/hour * 10 hours = $500
• ADA: $500 / $0.24 = 2083.33 ADA (rounded to 2083 ADA)
• Negotiate and finalize venue contracts (4 hours)Cost: $50/hour * 4 hours = $200
• ADA: $200 / $0.24 = 833.33 ADA (rounded to 833 ADA)
• Ensure the venue is equipped with necessary facilities and technical support (1 hour)Cost: $50
• ADA: $50 / $0.24 = 208.33 ADA (rounded to 208 ADA)
• Venue booking cost: $10,000
• ADA: $10,000 / $0.24 = 41,666.67 ADA (rounded to 41,667 ADA)

Developer Recruitment:

• Develop clear selection criteria for the 10 developers (10 hours)Cost: $50/hour * 10 hours = $500
• ADA: $500 / $0.24 = 2083.33 ADA (rounded to 2083 ADA)
• Open applications for developers to apply (5 hours)Cost: $50/hour * 5 hours = $250
• ADA: $250 / $0.24 = 1041.67 ADA (rounded to 1042 ADA)
• Review applications and select participants (10 hours)Cost: $50/hour * 10 hours = $500
• ADA: $500 / $0.24 = 2083.33 ADA (rounded to 2083 ADA)
• Notify selected developers and confirm their participation (3 hours)Cost: $50/hour * 3 hours = $150
• ADA: $150 / $0.24 = 625 ADA
• Travel and lodging expenses for 10 participants: $2,000 * 10 = $20,000
• ADA: $20,000 / $0.24 = 83,333.33 ADA (rounded to 83,333 ADA)

Event Marketing:

• Develop a comprehensive marketing plan for the hackathon ($10,000)
• ADA: $10,000 / $0.24 = 41,666.67 ADA (rounded to 41,667 ADA)

Event Day:

• Ensure all logistical arrangements are in place (20 hours)Cost: $50/hour * 20 hours = $1,000
• ADA: $1,000 / $0.24 = 4166.67 ADA (rounded to 4167 ADA)
• Facilitate the opening of the hackathon (10 hours)Cost: $50/hour * 10 hours = $500
• ADA: $500 / $0.24 = 2083.33 ADA (rounded to 2083 ADA)
• Organize judging panels for project evaluations (20 hours)Cost: $50/hour * 20 hours = $1,000
• ADA: $1,000 / $0.24 = 4166.67 ADA (rounded to 4167 ADA)
• Host closing ceremonies and announce winners (1 hour)Cost: $50
• ADA: $50 / $0.24 = 208.33 ADA (rounded to 208 ADA)
• Collect feedback from participants for future improvement (estimated cost of $500 for surveys and analysis)Total Cost: $500
• ADA: $500 / $0.24 = 2083.33 ADA (rounded to 2083 ADA)

TOTAL: 186332

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

The cost of the project represents value for money by advancing Cardano's capabilities, fostering community engagement, promoting innovation, and positioning Cardano as a leader in decentralized governance within the blockchain ecosystem.

1. Strengthening DAO Infrastructure: The project's investment in developer recruitment, venue booking, and marketing represents a strategic allocation of resources to advance Cardano's DAO infrastructure, making it more robust and accessible.
2. Community Engagement: By hosting a hackathon that brings together developers and community members, the project promotes active participation and engagement within the Cardano community, fostering a sense of ownership and collaboration.
3. Innovation and Tooling: The funds allocated for the event encourage innovation and the creation of open-source tools, enhancing the Cardano ecosystem's capabilities for decentralized governance and organization management.
4. Adoption and Attraction: The project's focus on advancing DAOs on Cardano makes the ecosystem more attractive to projects and organizations looking for a platform that supports transparent and efficient governance, potentially leading to increased adoption.
5. Educational Opportunity: The event serves as an educational opportunity for participants, enabling them to acquire and share knowledge about decentralized governance, which can further benefit the Cardano ecosystem in the long run.
6. Cost-Effective Resource Allocation: The budget is allocated efficiently, with careful consideration of costs, including venue booking and travel expenses. This ensures that resources are used wisely to achieve the project's objectives.
7. Transparency and Accountability: The project's commitment to transparency, as demonstrated by budget allocation and reporting, aligns with Cardano's values and builds trust among stakeholders, showcasing responsible resource management.
8. Community Empowerment: By involving the community in the hackathon and treasury effect development, the project empowers individuals to actively contribute to Cardano's growth and evolution.
9. Competitive Advantage: Investing in the development of innovative DAO solutions can provide Cardano with a competitive advantage in the broader blockchain space, attracting developers and projects seeking advanced governance tools.
10. Long-Term Sustainability: The project's focus on improving DAO tooling contributes to the long-term sustainability and viability of the Cardano ecosystem, making it more adaptable to future challenges and opportunities.