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The latest session of the Cardano Budget Committee AMA featured members of the Cardano Civics Committee, including Nico, Adam, and Jose. The purpose of this session was to provide insight into the Civics Committee’s role, their planned contributions for 2025, and their budgetary needs to support governance within the Cardano ecosystem. The committee plays a crucial role in ensuring that governance remains accessible, fair, and transparent, with a strong focus on supporting governance participants, stewarding governance processes, and facilitating improvements.
The session began with an introduction to the Civics Committee and its history. Adam and Jose provided context on how the committee was formed, initially as an informal working group focused on gathering insights from CIP-1694 and understanding governance structures. Over time, the group evolved into a formal committee within Intersect, bringing together governance actors such as Delegated Representatives (DReps), Stake Pool Operators (SPOs), and the Constitutional Committee. The committee also facilitates working groups to allow for specialization in key governance areas, including constitution ratification and governance support.
With the Constitutional Convention approaching, the Civics Committee outlined three key focus areas for 2025. The first pillar is supporting governance participants, which involves providing educational resources, improving the user experience, and ensuring that Ada holders, DReps, SPOs, and the Constitutional Committee have the necessary tools to effectively participate in governance. The transition from the Interim Constitutional Committee (ICC) to a permanent Constitutional Committee is a key priority, requiring support structures and guidance. Additionally, a major challenge is increasing governance participation among Ada holders, who may find the process overwhelming or difficult to engage with. The committee aims to address this by making governance more accessible through educational initiatives and multilingual resources.
The second pillar focuses on stewarding the governance process by facilitating key transitions and ensuring smooth governance operations. This includes preparing for the governance action that will formally update the Constitution following the convention and managing the election process for the new Constitutional Committee. The committee also aims to identify governance tooling needs, ensuring that necessary improvements and innovations are supported by the broader Cardano community. Jose emphasized that while the committee does not seek to develop these tools directly, it aims to provide a roadmap for the ecosystem, highlighting opportunities and potential funding avenues for developers.
The third pillar is facilitating governance improvements, which involves ongoing assessment of governance structures, reporting on governance participation trends, and supporting research on best practices. One of the most debated topics is the potential compensation of governance participants, particularly DReps and Constitutional Committee members. While there is strong community support for some form of compensation, the committee believes further research is required to determine the most effective and sustainable model. The role of the Civics Committee in this discussion is to facilitate structured dialogue, ensuring that decisions are informed by data and community consensus rather than dictated from the top down.
During the Q&A session, Nori from the Membership and Community Committee (MCC) raised the potential for collaboration between Civics and MCC, particularly in areas such as education, events, and outreach. Given the overlap in their objectives, both committees acknowledged the importance of coordinating efforts to maximize impact and avoid redundancy. Lloyd from the Budget Committee also emphasized the need for cross-committee collaboration, particularly in budgeting, to ensure that resources are allocated efficiently and transparently.
Another key topic discussed was the emergence of community-driven governance tools, such as the one developed by Mad Orchestra. Adam highlighted the importance of decentralized innovation, where community members identify gaps and create solutions organically. The Civics Committee’s role is to support and amplify these efforts by connecting developers with resources and funding opportunities. Jose reiterated that the committee does not act as a gatekeeper but as a facilitator, ensuring that governance tools are developed in alignment with community needs.
The discussion also addressed concerns around dispute resolution and the enforcement of governance decisions. Joe raised a question about ensuring accountability and resolving conflicts in governance. Lloyd explained that dispute resolution is being incorporated into the budget process, with contractual agreements including clear mechanisms for resolving disputes. The goal is to provide a structured framework that ensures governance actions are executed transparently and fairly.
As the session wrapped up, the Civics Committee members emphasized the importance of financial responsibility and ensuring that treasury funds are used efficiently to support governance growth. Adam reiterated that their goal is not to dictate governance direction but to create an environment where governance is accessible and participatory for all. Nico stressed the need for more Ada holders to engage in governance, whether by registering as DReps, delegating their voting power, or actively participating in governance discussions.
The next AMA session is scheduled for Friday, live from Buenos Aires, following the Constitutional signing ceremony. Updates from the event will be shared, regardless of the outcome. The community was encouraged to continue engaging in governance discussions and contributing to the ongoing development of Cardano’s governance framework.
Join us for an in-depth discussion with the Cardano Civics Committee members about their 2025 budget proposals and initiatives. The committee shares their vision for supporting governance participants, stewarding processes, and developing tools to make Cardano governance more accessible, fair and transparent.
