Proposal For A Bitshares Foundation

This is a living document and may be subject to change. The author is open to criticism and welcomes suggestions as well as contrary points of view.

The Problem
Because of the forthcoming Billion Dollar Challenge Bitshares is about to be thrust upon the world stage. I submit that we should, as an organization, present a public face that is professional, helpful and welcoming to new members of the Bitshares Community. Unfortunately, this is currently not the case; there are broken links on the homepage of the official Bitshares website and the official Bitshares Facebook page has not been updated since 2016. Information about the network, its health and what it can do are thinly spread over a number of platforms, perpetuated and maintained by a number of diligent community members. While this was probably the only option when the network was small, we should use some of the organization's resources to fund a foundation which can professionally maintain the network's social media presence.

About Myself:
My name is Joshua Kegode and I am in the US Navy, currently stationed in San Diego on shore duty. I have been in the Navy since I was 17 and I have done two deployments to the Mediterranean on Ballistic Missile Defense missions. I have been a 2nd Class Petty Officer (the equivalent of an NCO in the Army) since 2014 and as a technician, my responsibilities lead me to organize and lead teams inside and outside of my work center. Currently, I am an instructor, responsible for training the next wave of sea warriors on the intricacies of maintaining and repairing our equipment. My responsibilities now also include running a duty section - organizing and tasking over 90 people. This experience makes me well suited to the task of running the Foundation and I am confident I can find talented staff that will add immense value to the community as a whole.

My Proposal:
I propose that Bitshares provide funding to incorporate a Non-Profit Organisation who will act as the social media wing for the community. The NGO will hire two full-time employees who tasks will be to:

• Administrate, update and develop an active community on Facebook
• Regularly tweet about Bitshares and expand followers and reach
• Maintain a list of “Steemit posts of the day” making information about Bitshares easy to find.
• Discover and bring to light any misinformation being perpetuated about Bitshares
• Maintain an official Bitshares Steemit Blog
• Provide a help chat
• Foster creative discussion in Bitshares online communities
• Create and respond to posts on Reddit
• Design informational youtube videos and maintain the Official Bitshares Youtube channel.
• Develop and implement marketing strategies

As Director I would incorporate the NGO in San Diego, source and hire the employees, secure a shared office space for them to work in and oversee their tasking and productivity. The Director and President positions I would be assuming will be unpaid.

A California NGO requires these additional positions be filled which I leave open to community suggestions:

• Treasurer
• Secretary

Budget Proposal:

• Incorporation costs: $350 - $3500 (legalzoom/lawyer)
• Shared office space Budget: $6000 (per employee)
• Employee equipment Budget: $1500 (per employee)
• Employee salary: $42,000 - $70,000 (per employee including benefits)

**Total for first year funding: **

• One Employee: $49,850-$81,000
• Two Employees: $99,350-$158,500

Oversight and funding
To maintain oversight of the foundation's spending practices the NGO’s funds will be kept in a wallet with the necessary protections to ensure at least two trusted 3rd parties must sign to release funding for the next month. These trusted third parties could be committee members or just persons with high standing in the community. The foundation will submit operational reports once a week and a financial report once a month.

The Foundation will also periodically present workers for funding to outsource the production of informational youtube videos and facelifts to the Bitshares Homepage.

In closing
With the creation of the Bitshares Foundation and adequate funding, Bitshares will be able to present a professional appearance to the world on par with the most successful ICO’s of late. It is not good enough to just be the best blockchain on the block. People have to believe it too.

Please comment below, I'd love to hear your thoughts. =)