Welcome to Intersect’s Development Update #59! This week, we introduce Cardano’s newest website, budget reconciliation workshops, the latest on the committee elections, Treasury NCL, and a wealth of exciting community news. Let’s dive in!

Cardano’s new dawn

Last year was a momentous year for Cardano, and upcoming developments are expected to make 2025 even more exciting. This week, Intersect, in conjunction with Scribe3, launched a new microsite, celebrating the evolution and future direction of Cardano's community-driven governance.

This site is hosted by Intersect, but it’s built for the widest possible community. It highlights the diverse individuals and groups actively contributing to Cardano's governance ecosystem, showcasing their innovative ideas, research, and frameworks. By making governance processes more transparent and more accessible, especially for passive ada holders, we hope to foster broader community participation and engagement.

We invite everyone to explore the site, where you can also learn more about the proposed product and vision roadmaps. There is also more information on how to get involved in governance, whether through delegating your ada or more active participation through Cardano Improvement Proposals and Governance Actions. We plan to add to this resource over time and make it as valuable as possible, so do share your thoughts. Together, we continue to build a transparent, inclusive, and resilient governance system, ensuring Cardano's sustained growth and success.

Budget Reconciliation Workshop Series for DReps (April 26–28)

As part of the continued evolution of Cardano governance, Intersect is hosting a 3-day Budget Reconciliation Workshop Series tailored specifically for DReps.

These interactive workshops aim to align participants on priorities, funding principles, and practical mechanisms that will help shape the budgetary process moving forward. DReps will collaborate, debate, and explore proposals that should be included in a Budget Info Action and contribute directly to the design of the governance tooling.

📆 Schedule & Registration:

• Day 1 – Friday, April 26, at 4 PM–7 PM UTC
  👉 Register here
• Day 2 – Saturday, April 27, at 4 PM–7 PM UTC
  👉 Register here
• Day 3 – Sunday, April 28, at 4 PM–7 PM UTC
  👉 Register here

This is a unique opportunity to help build and validate the governance processes from the ground up. Whether you're an active DRep or just getting started, your participation makes a difference.

Net Change Limit Governance Action Passed

We're excited to announce that the Cardano Budget Committee's 2025 Net Change Limit governance action has successfully passed with overwhelming community support, receiving a substantial supermajority of over 69% DRep stake approval. Full details are available.

Why is the Net Change Limit Important?

The Cardano Constitution mandates establishing a Net Change Limit, setting a clear ceiling on the maximum amount of lovelace that can be withdrawn from the Treasury within a defined period. This is a prerequisite for passing Cardano budgets.

This governance action ensures transparency, accountability, and alignment across the ecosystem, allowing stakeholders to have formal input on fiscal governance.

This limit serves as a financial safeguard—it represents the maximum allowable Treasury spending this year, rather than an expenditure target. Setting this threshold is essential before proceeding with any further Budget Info Actions.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to foster community-driven governance and transparency at Intersect.

Intersect releases 2025 budget proposal

Intersect has submitted a $10M proposal to support Cardano’s governance infrastructure through 2025 and into early 2026. This funding request builds on a year of significant milestones, including the Chang upgrade, Constitution ratification, and the launch of GovTool, and aims to scale ecosystem coordination, elections, and tooling.

Key deliverables include:

• 2026 product roadmap and budget submission
• Intersect and committee elections
• Expansion of regional hubs
• Open Source Fellowship launch
• Ongoing support for working groups, events, and governance tooling

You can read the full proposal here, and an FAQ on Intersects budget submission is available on our knowledge base.

The Intersect committee elections vote is now at the halfway mark!

We are officially at the halfway mark, and so for those of you who signed up as a member before noon on April 11, and you haven’t yet participated, please head over to the Intersect member portal and cast your vote. If you need help, we’ve covered you with a simple step-by-step guide in our latest blog: https://bit.ly/4lsLHlv. We strongly encourage all members to participate!

Voting period:

• Open: April 16 at noon UTC
• Closes: May 7 at noon UTC

As voting begins, we want to highlight the importance of Intersect committees. Intersect committees specialize in their respective areas to offer precise and valuable advice.

The official numbers as of 10:00 UTC April 25 are as follows: 

Join the conversation — meet the candidates.
Intersect hosts a series of X Spaces to help voters connect with applicants. These sessions provide an opportunity for you to hear directly from the candidates and engage in the discussion.

Event Schedule:

🟣 April 29, noon UTC - AMA/Applicants Spotlight *Updated Time*
🟣 May 1, noon UTC - AMA/Applicants Spotlight
🟣 May 6, 4 pm UTC - AMA/Applicants Spotlight 

(Each link shows the event in your local time zone and includes a registration button — bookmark them!)

Let’s make this a strong and inclusive election — get involved, ask questions, and, most importantly, vote! Also, if you've voted, why not share your experience with the rest of the community by posting our badge and tagging us on X? 

Download your “I Voted in the Intersect Election 2025” badge here

Candidate campaigning
If you are a candidate, we would like to thank you for standing and offer the following advice on achieving the best possible result. These tips should help you. We wish you the best of luck!

Boost your visibility

• Introduce yourself clearly: Share who you are, your background, and why you're standing. Keep it concise and authentic.
• Explain your vision: If elected, outline what you aim to accomplish. Be clear on the values and goals you will represent.
• Engage on intersecting channels: Post your message in the Intersect member forums, Discord, and relevant town hall chats.
• Create short videos or graphics: Visual content helps people remember you. A 30—to 60-second video introducing yourself can go a long way.
• Be available for dialogue: Attend the virtual town halls or AMAs, and be open to questions and discussion.
• Use your networks: If you’re part of any working groups or are known in the community, ask people to share your message.
• Keep it positive: Focus on what you bring and avoid negative campaigning. The goal is collaboration.
• Consistency is key: Reinforce your message across different platforms. Repetition helps people remember your candidacy.
• Encourage voting: Remind members how and when to vote and that their voices matter.

Candidate Application CSV
We’ve also released a new feature in the Members Area: candidates can now share their application forms directly. This is especially useful if you're actively campaigning. Just look for the share icon at the top right of your application.

As requested by the community, Intersect has created a spreadsheet with all the candidates’ profiles in one place. It is accessible from the members’ voting area; just press the ‘Learn more’ button. CSV files are also available on our knowledge base.

For those running for multiple committees, please review our updated policy regarding dual nominations. Candidates elected or nominated to the ISC and another committee are encouraged to prioritize their seat on the ISC. This helps ensure precise and focused representation across all groups. You can find the complete guidance in our FAQ here.

Constitution

The upcoming CC election is approaching. The candidate registration period will commence next week. Eligibility is open to all ada owners. Registrations will be accepted throughout May. Detailed information regarding the application process will be published early next week.

Membership and community

Legal Support for Catalyst-Funded Projects (Funds 9–13) — In Partnership with Storm Partners 

We’re excited to share that Storm Partners, an Enterprise Member of Intersect, is offering free legal support to all projects funded under Catalyst Funds 9 through 13.

They’ve generously donated 13 confidential 90-minute legal consultation slots, available on a first-come, first-served basis. If your project was funded in one of these rounds, this is a great opportunity to get expert legal advice at no cost.

Spots are limited, so don’t wait act fast to secure your session.

Legal support may include:

• Contract Review & Protection – Ensuring your agreements safeguard your team and IP.
• Global Dapp Compliance – Helping you launch Dapps globally with legal clarity.
• Crypto-Friendly Incorporation – Guidance on choosing jurisdictions with favorable tax and regulatory conditions.
• Decentralized Payment Compliance – Navigating AML/KYC requirements.
• Smart Contract Legal Advice – Understanding enforceability and regulatory implications.
• Token Classification Support – Determining whether your token is a utility, security, or something else.

If you’ve been funded in Catalyst Funds 9 to 13, this is your chance to get expert legal guidance from an Intersect Enterprise Member committed to supporting the Cardano ecosystem.

Reach out to book your session today by emailing: natcha.chaiprasit@storm.partners 

And our membership numbers to date are:

Enterprise membership spotlight: ​​Gimbalabs

Gimbalabs is an open-source platform dedicated to accelerating Cardano adoption through hands-on, project-based learning. With initiatives like the Plutus PBL course, Cardano Starter Kits, and the Dandelion infrastructure project, Gimbalabs empowers developers to build real-world blockchain solutions. By fostering a collaborative and supportive environment it plays a key role in growing a global network of builders, educators, and innovators in the Cardano ecosystem.

Community hubs

This week, our community hubs are hosting the following events:

Japan hub

X Space to be held on April 25 at 12 UTC. The link to join is here.

LATAM hub

A virtual budget proposal review event was held in Spanish on April 22. An in-person Budget Proposal Review Event was held in Spanish in Argentina on April 23. A virtual budget proposal review event was held in Portuguese on April 23. An in-person Budget Proposal Review Event was held in Portuguese in Brazil on April 24.

Sri Lanka hub, led by CoinCeylon

An in-person Budget Proposal Review Event was held on April 20, with 21 attendees. You can watch the highlights of the event here. A virtual budget proposal review event was held on April 24, with 41 attendees.

Africa hub, led by WADA

An in-person Budget Proposal Review Event was held on April 22 in the DRC with 11 attendees. An in-person and virtual Budget Proposal Review Event was held on April 23 in Cameroon. An In-person Budget Proposal Review Event was held on April 24 in Nairobi.

Europe hub, led by Clay Nation

A virtual budget proposal review event was held on April 23, with seven attendees in attendance. A Virtual Budget Proposal Review Event was held on April 24. Meetup in Brussels, scheduled for April 26. You can view the invitation here.

North America hub, led by AWEN

A virtual budget proposal review event was held on April 23, with eight attendees in attendance. A Virtual Budget Proposal Review Event will be held on April 24.

Governance tooling

This week, GovTool development continued to be focused on refining the budget proposal feature, resolving key bugs, and enhancing the user experience. The Lido Nation team has built CLI support for voting and commenting on Budget Proposals using the GovTool API.

Additionally, several impactful community tools have launched utilizing the GovTool APIs, further enriching the ecosystem:

• Cardano Africa Budget Tool
• Governance Space Budget Discussions
• Cardano Budget Tracker

These tools showcase the creativity and collaborative spirit of the Cardano community, significantly expanding the reach and usability of GovTool.

Governance in numbers

As we press ahead following Plomin, follow the progress of governance actions on-chain here every week. Since Friday, April 18, 2025: 

• We've advanced from epoch 552 to epoch 554
• Unique delegators increased by 3755 (155,096 -> 158,851)
• The total number of vote delegations increased by 4805 (175,194 -> 179,999)
• Total DRep votes increased by 215 (2242 -> 2457)
• The total number of DRep registrations increased by 10 (1224 -> 1234)
• DReps who have attached metadata increased by 10 (758 -> 768)

To learn how to start using Cardano GovTool, explore the GovTool documentation. Here, you'll find everything from step-by-step guides to detailed explanations of its features.

On the Intersect Discord server, you can connect to the core maintainers of governance tools via the new request and new help & support channels under Core Governance Tools in Discord. 

Governance tools working group

This week’s session focused on the current state of the GovTool budget proposal feature, its known issues, and broader questions around overlap with Catalyst projects. The team discussed ongoing UI/UX improvements, a bug affecting proposal editing, and upcoming plans to enhance security and user verification. Concerns were raised about user confusion between on-chain and off-chain elements, as well as the need for improved data accessibility and enhanced community engagement. The group explored opportunities for integration with Catalyst, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, avoiding duplication, and leveraging open-source infrastructure to achieve these goals. Follow-up meetings will be scheduled to define the integration paths between GovTool and Catalyst, involving key contributors from both platforms.

GovTool is fully open source and maintained by Intersect members. The working group continues to invite community members to participate in discussions and contribute to the development of the Cardano GovTool. All feedback is welcome (see guide on feedback), and ongoing conversations are held in the wg-governance-tools Discord channel, where new feature ideas are regularly triaged and implemented.

Important member resources

• Do you want to catch up with the latest happenings with the Cardano budget, constitution, and hard forks? This page is for you!
• Intersect knowledge base - our frequently updated knowledge base provides granular detail on our internal governance structure, committees and working groups, funding opportunities, and other topics.
• Intersect website - the latest news, roadmap, and more.
• GovTool - take part in testing governance actions on the SanchoNet testnet.
• Intersect events calendar - keep up-to-date with all events Intersect hosts, such as working group and committee meetings, X Spaces, and more.
• Support - Please always use your membership email address and contact Intersect for support with any application errors, login issues, or questions without answers.
• Social: Join our lively community and interact with committees, working groups, and other members on Discord. We are also continually active on Twitter (X) and LinkedIn, so follow us there to stay updated on our latest news and insights.

Well, that’s it for this week's update. Thanks for reading! 

Finally, we would like to hear more from you about subjects that are important to you. Your ideas and suggestions are crucial to us. If you have any questions, ideas, or suggestions, please contact us via email, X, or LinkedIn.