Built for the community By the community

Cardano is developing the most secure and decentralized governance model in the world. A model to give everybody a voice, and control over the future development of the platform and the applications and services that emerge from it.

A model to marginalize none,

and give power to all.

Our current systems do not work for everyone. A better, more positive future is possible. If the world is to serve the many, it must be agreed to by the many. Consensus must drive progress and where disagreement occurs, it must drive creative solutions.

Cardano is defined by its community. Its governance model shows that true democracy - in which individuals are incentivized to play a role and votes are immutably recorded - is possible. It is a way for token holders to decide the future of a platform, and for the community to dictate the use of Cardano’s treasury funds.

This model and the pioneering technology that underpins it can be applied to any application, system, or even society. It is a blueprint for change that is decided by the many, as well as the few, and which will redistribute power, eliminating intermediaries, to improve the lives of all.

Change begins with one voice - but is realized through the combination of many

Decentralization begins with the technology - with Shelley - but is only truly achieved when no single entity is in control. The governing principle of decentralization is the redistribution of control: global networks that are defined not from the middle, but by every participant. This is the purpose of Voltaire.  

Voltaire adds the ability for the Cardano community to make impactful decisions about software updates, technical improvements and funding decisions. Known as Cardano Improvement Proposals (CIPs) and Funding Proposals (FP's) together, these allow the future of Cardano to be determined by its community and funded from the platform's treasury. 

The era will also play host to a series of experiments, as we discuss topics such as decentralised governance, the dynamics of democracy and consent, evolving Voltaire from research to reality. If Shelley is the foundation of a globally coordinated network without a central authority, then Voltaire will explore the apparatus for shared decision making: the language of decentralization.

Funding Proposal (FP)

A formal request or proposal to build something that is not yet covered by the Cardano protocol.

Cardano Improvement Proposal (CIP)

A formally structured proposal touching the Cardano Ecosystem. CIPs are publicly visible to the community for discussion, and are located in the Cardano Foundation GitHub CIP repository.

Governance refers to the mechanisms through which a system makes decisions. In Cardano, every token holder holds a stake in the network, and is entitled and incentivized to vote on proposals to develop or upgrade the blockchain and ecosystem. For FPs, this is done through a dedicated voting app - and, for CIPs, via the CIP GitHub repository.

Voting on FPs

A FP, also known as a ‘Funding Proposal’ are proposals submitted by members of the community to enhance the ecosystem. An example may include funding future platform development, developing new capabilities or integrations. FPs are voted on using an application, which is currently being developed and will be available on iOS and Android.

Once a proposal is submitted, it can be voted on by any ada holder; no technical knowledge is required. Each vote requires a temporary deposit of ada, to ensure the votes made are considered. The most successful proposals will receive funds from the treasury, in accordance with the amount specified within the proposal.

Voting on CIPs

A CIP, or a 'Cardano Improvement Proposal' is a structured proposal- publicly visible to the community for discussion, located in the Cardano Foundation Github CIPs Repository. A CIP might describe a Cardano specific process, provide information, or propose protocol-level changes.

Explore current CIPs