Next-Gen Donors: Investable Impact with On-Chain Treasuries
Around the world, donor cuts are reshaping the humanitarian and development landscape. Yet, Cardano’s on-chain treasury and staking rewards are fueling a new generation of initiatives—bootstrapping innovation where traditional donors fall short.
This session brings together pioneers using this funding to scale their work: Plastiks’ plastic credit marketplace for circular economies, Eco & Agri Trust’s environmental oracle for agricultural empowerment and environmental conservation, UNDP’s SDG Blockchain Accelerator for impactful startups, and UNHCR’s groundbreaking impact stake pool and associated ETP.
Together, they show how blockchain-native capital is already scaling positive outcomes for people, planet, and profit – becoming the next generation of donors.
Framing this topic
This short section provides context for the event to ensure all participants, regardless of prior knowledge, are equipped to engage with the discussion.
Donor cuts are leaving a widening chasm between needs and resources. Cardano demonstrates an alternative: a blockchain treasury that grows with network use and redistributes value to mission-driven projects. Staking rewards and treasury allocations are already financing solutions across development and humanitarian actions. This session equips participants to see on-chain treasuries not as experimental finance, but as structural funders of global good.
Project Catalyst, a key Cardano instrument that has enabled funding for the organisations speaking at the session: https://projectcatalyst.io/reports/horizons2025.pdf
Switzerland for UNHCR’s impact staking and associated ETP: https://unrefugees.ch/en/news/groundbreaking-partnership-new-etp-supports-refugees-through-blockchain
