ESCO Questions How Cardano’s 2027 Budget Stewards Should Be Selected

The proposed Cardano Ecosystem Budget Process (CEBP) for 2027 has prompted a debate over how organizations responsible for coordinating Treasury funding should be selected. During the “Da Waffle House” X Space, Cardano community member ESCO questioned whether an open application process should precede the designation of budget stewards.

Intersect published the proposal on October 28, outlining a model built around annual objectives, seven funding domains, and designated coordinating organizations.

ESCO Calls for an Open Selection Process

ESCO supported the broader idea of dividing Cardano’s budget into defined categories but challenged the process used to identify the proposed stewards.

He compared the approach with Cardano PRIME, where AlphaGrowth invited developers and companies to submit applications through a request for proposals (RFP) process. That model allowed applicants to compete for specific development opportunities before selections were made.

In ESCO’s view, a similar approach could be used when appointing organizations to coordinate major areas of Treasury spending. His concerns centered on the selection procedure rather than opposition to structured budgeting itself.

The discussion also addressed how much influence a steward could exercise over funding priorities. Participants distinguished formal authority to approve withdrawals from the ability to shape application criteria, evaluate proposals, and prepare recommendations for DReps.

The Proposed Roles and Their Limits

Intersect's CEBP assigns coordinating responsibilities across six domains. Intersect is proposed for core development and maintenance, applied research, and governance coordination. PRAGMA would oversee developer support, while Cardano Foundation would coordinate marketing, analysis, events, adoption, and ecosystem growth.

A seventh domain, Open Contributions, would remain available to applicants seeking Treasury funding directly through DRep approval without a designated steward.

Under the proposal, stewards would develop domain strategies, recommend budgets, establish submission and assessment procedures, and support the preparation of funding proposals. Depending on the domain, they could also help oversee delivery and performance requirements.

The framework explicitly separates facilitation from approval authority. DReps would retain responsibility for voting on annual objectives, funding allocations, steward appointments, and individual Treasury withdrawals.

Stewards would not automatically receive funding from the domains they coordinate. They could, however, submit proposals within those domains if their interests were disclosed and appropriate safeguards were applied.

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DReps Face a Staged Approval Process

Intersect is seeking community feedback before submitting an initial governance information action, tentatively targeted for November 10, 2026.

That first stage would seek DRep support for the framework’s direction, more detailed domain definitions, and proposed stewards. Intersect is targeting at least 51% DRep support, but approval at this stage would not commit representatives to the full 2027 budget process.

A second round of information actions is planned for December 2026 or January 2027. Those submissions would describe the funding strategies, budgets, and operating arrangements for the individual domains, alongside a proposed Net Change Limit.

Intersect considers at least 60% DRep support necessary for each domain to receive a sufficient mandate. If a proposed steward and domain fail to secure approval, the corresponding budget could instead move into Open Contributions.

The proposed stewards would also be subject to a public code of conduct. Their appointment and operating procedures remain part of the consultation ahead of the planned November governance submission.