October 13, ISC Meeting
Agenda:
Committees Update
ISC Actions/Update from last week
Budget Process 2026 Proposal
Committee Election Update
AOB & Meeting Close
Attendees:
Name
Attendance
Role
Voting Seat (Y/N)
Jack Briggs
Yes
Interim Executive Director
Y
Nick Cook
Yes
Director - Operations (Interim)
Y
YUTA
Yes
Community Member Seat
Y
Phil Lewis
Yes
Community Member Seat
Y
Sheldon Hunt
Yes
Community Member Seat
Y
Fred Tanaka
Yes
Community Member Seat
Y
Elaine Cardenas
No
OSC Chair
Y
Samuel Leathers
No
Product Chair
Y
Darlington Welsh
Yes
MCC Chair
Y
Kristijan Kowalsky
Yes
CBC Chair
Y
Kevin Hammond
No
TSC Chair
Y
Wes Parkison
Yes
GMC Chair
Y
Nicolas Cerny
Yes
CCC Chair
Y
Christian Taylor
Yes
Head of OSO
N
Lorenzo Bruno
Yes
Head of Product
N
Matt Davis
No
Head of Tech Operation
N
Tim Richmond
No
Head of Comms
N
Lloyd Duhon
Yes
Secretary of Budget Committee
N
Larisa Mcfarlane
Yes
Secretary of CCC
N
Terence McCutcheon
Yes
Secretary of OSC
N
Additional Attendees:
Adam Rusch - Member of the Board
Adam Dean - Vice Chair of TSC
Megan Hess - Vice Chair of Budget Committee
Kyle Solomon - Vice Chair of Product Committee
Valeria Devaux - Observer
Thiago Nunes - Observer
Discussion/Actions
1. Committee Updates
Civics Committee Reported strong participation in a recent X Space session and receipt of the first applications for the CIP-149 grant (optional DRep compensation). The first meeting of the Constitutional Amendment Working Group is scheduled this week. Coordination with Intersect communications will support broader awareness and outreach for the working group launch.
Product Committee Provided updates from workshops held across Asia (Singapore, Osaka, Tokyo), where a shared draft version of the Cardano 2030 Vision has been reached. The updated draft will be reviewed by the committee and published shortly. Additional remote and regional workshops are planned, including one later this week. The goal remains to have the Vision info action submitted on-chain by the end of October, followed by continued work on the strategy and 2026 roadmap.
2. ISC Updates
The Committee Rewards Policy has passed legal review without major changes. Only minor checks regarding taxation remain, expected to conclude by the end of the week. Implementation can begin once confirmation is received.
The ISC also reviewed participation in the Executive Director (ED) Panel. Three members have confirmed interest, and two additional nominees are still being sought. Final names will be sent to the Board next week.
3. Budget Process 2026 Presentation
Representatives from the Budget Committee presented the proposed 2026 Budget Process Roadmap, now approved by the Board and prepared for community dissemination.
Mandate: The process stems from the DRep-approved treasury withdrawal for Intersect, mandating the creation of a 2026 budget framework.
Structure: Five steps (Step 0–4) define the cycle:
Step 0: Current phase — gathering feedback and DRep ratification of the process before execution.
Step 1-4: Preparation, review, off-chain voting, proposal consolidation, and final on-chain approval.
Timeline Highlights:
Nov: Info action for budget process and six-month Net Change Limit (NCL) to be published.
Jan–Mar 2026: Proposal collection, off-chain DRep voting with a 67% approval threshold.
April: Consolidation and submission of the 2026 Budget Governance Action for DRep approval.
Key differences from last year include early DRep ratification, removal of redundant pre-pivot phases, and introduction of clearer templates for proposals. The NCL will be calculated based on actual ADA received, reducing uncertainty.
The committee emphasized coordination between the Budget and Product Committees, ensuring the roadmap aligns with the finalized Cardano Vision and Strategy. Discussion highlighted the potential for future multi-year (three- or five-year) budgeting to increase predictability and maturity across programs.
Members discussed how committees could be more directly involved in the 2026 budget process, suggesting roles as subject-matter experts and oversight bodies supporting DReps. The conversation also focused on improving strategic alignment between the budget, roadmap, and Cardano Vision; ensuring realistic committee funding levels; and assessing Intersect’s operational capacity to manage execution. It was agreed that clearer coordination between committees, DReps, and the executive team will be essential for efficiency and transparency in future budget cycles.
4. Committee Elections
An update was provided on the 2025 Oct Committee Elections:
As of the meeting date, 17 candidates had applied, with the Budget Committee and TSC still lacking applicants.
The application deadline has been extended to 24 October to improve participation.
Members were encouraged to share the election announcement on social media. Templates and translated materials (Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish) will be circulated.
A new blog post highlighting committee benefits and impact is also planned.
Discussion acknowledged broader challenges with engagement and voting fatigue. Some members suggested two-year mandates for committees and a small operational fund sourced from membership fees for committees without budget coverage.
5. Next Steps & Actions
ED Selection Panel: Confirm two additional ISC representatives and forward final list to the Board.
Last updated