# Intersect 2026 Budget Proposal

{% hint style="info" %}

## Where to read the full proposal

You can review and comment the latest version of the Intersect Budget proposal on the Intersect Hydra-Voting tool

<a href="https://hydra-voting.intersectmbo.org/votes/cardano-budget-2026/69e7a834d6a29288536b1200" class="button primary">Read the full proposal</a>
{% endhint %}

## Proposal overview

This proposal funds Intersect’s core operating model for June 2026 to June 2027: the Member Based Organization that supports open ecosystem coordination, a reserved capacity to address critical unowned processes, and critically technical stewardship, incident response, and release coordination required to help keep Cardano secure, reliable, and operationally resilient.

This proposal reflects how Intersect has evolved to better match the needs of the ecosystem. Over the past two years, Intersect has matured from a new coordination body into a more focused operational layer for Cardano. That includes supporting committees and working groups, stewarding the core Haskell repositories, coordinating upgrades and incident response, and administering community-approved initiatives through a distinct and more scalable model.

Our proposal is more focused than last year’s. Compared to last year, the overall ask has reduced from $7.875M to $6.35M, while preserving the functions that are most critical to Cardano’s continuity and maturity.

That technical remit should not be underestimated. Intersect has already coordinated two network upgrades, is preparing for a third, and led ecosystem coordination during the November 2025 chain partition incident. As Cardano moves further into decentralized governance, a multi-client future, and the advancements of AI models this function becomes more important, not less.

Funding this proposal means Cardano retains an open coordination layer for governance participation, a mechanism to respond to critical unowned issues, and a technical stewardship function covering release coordination, incident response, repository management, and security initiatives such as bug bounties. Together, these functions provide the operational backbone that helps Cardano evolve with resilience, accountability, and confidence.

## FAQs

<details>

<summary><strong>What is this proposal trying to achieve?</strong></summary>

This proposal funds Intersect as a **coordination and technical stewardship layer** for Cardano, ensuring governance works effectively and the network remains stable, secure, and operational over the next 12 months.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Why does Cardano need this?</strong></summary>

In a decentralized ecosystem, many critical functions (coordination, incident response, upgrades) **don’t have a single owner**. Without a coordination layer, these become fragmented and risky.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>What are the main components of the proposal?</strong></summary>

The proposal is structured into **three work packages**:

* Governance & ecosystem coordination (MBO operations)
* Technical stewardship & incident response
* Coordination of critical unowned processes

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>What is actually being funded?</strong></summary>

Funding covers:

* Operational infrastructure (legal, finance, governance ops)
* Committee and governance support
* Technical coordination (repos, upgrades, incident response)
* Security (bug bounties, response teams)
* Ecosystem coordination tools and processes

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>How much is being requested?</strong></summary>

The total ask is **\~$6.35M (down from \~$7.875M last year)**, with detailed breakdowns across work packages and cost categories.

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>What value should DReps expect?</strong></summary>

Expected outcomes include:

* Better coordination across ecosystem actors
* More reliable upgrades and incident response
* Higher-quality governance proposals
* Increased participation and ecosystem alignment

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>How will success be measured?</strong></summary>

Key metrics include:

* Participation in governance (committees, working groups)
* Successful upgrades and incident response
* Output quality (proposals, reports, initiatives)
* Ecosystem trust and feedback

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>What has Intersect delivered so far?</strong></summary>

Track record includes:

* Coordinating multiple network upgrades
* Managing the 2025 chain partition incident
* Supporting governance structures (committees, constitution, budget process)
* Maintaining 100+ repositories

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>What are the risks if this is NOT funded?</strong></summary>

Potential risks:

* Fragmented coordination
* Slower or ineffective incident response
* Poorly aligned upgrades
* Reduced governance effectiveness and participation

</details>

<details>

<summary><strong>Are there safeguards or accountability mechanisms?</strong></summary>

Yes:

* Milestone-based delivery and reporting
* Public updates each quarter
* Measurable KPIs and outputs
* Unused funds can be returned to the treasury in specific cases

</details>


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.intersectmbo.org/intersect-knowledge-base/cardano-facilitation-services/cardano-budget-2026/intersect-2026-budget-proposal.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.