A Spanish-first public-good civic workspace for community formation, civic innovation, shared resources, contests, real-time coordination, and durable learning records (huellas). A five-step workflow — Únete → Participa → Aporta → Colabora → Deja huella — structures progression from discovery to durable contribution. Node.js with server-sent events. JSON Lines content-addressed persistence. Verified identity via cryptographic proof-of-possession. Designed for NSF Smart & Connected Communities and HUD CDBG eligibility. Operated by AST Not-for-Profit Corporation (501(c)(3)). Zero tracking. No analytics. Target: 25,000 active communities across PR/US Spanish-speaking regions within 24 months.
The WorkflowMoat: Public-good civic infrastructure with community-owned data, identity, and governance — not extractive platform model. Cryptographic identity without OAuth. JSON Lines content-addressed persistence eliminates schema drift.
Traction: Node.js + SSE operational. 501(c)(3) AST NFP Corp formed. Zero tracking/analytics by design. NSF SCC & HUD CDBG eligibility aligned.
Upside: Federal funding de-risks development through non-dilutive grants. 25K communities target in 24 months as measurable milestone. Open architecture enables community contribution and translation.
PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CIVIC IMAGINATION
The platform provides found/join idea communities, discussions, resources, contests, real-time coordination, and public learning footprints (huellas). A five-step workflow — Únete → Participa → Aporta → Colabora → Deja huella — structures the progression from discovery to durable contribution. Target: 25,000 active communities across PR/US Spanish-speaking regions within 24 months.
Node.js with server-sent events, JSON Lines content-addressed persistence, and verified identity via cryptographic proof-of-possession. Spanish-first interface with English available. Designed for NSF Smart & Connected Communities and HUD CDBG eligibility. Operated by AST Not-for-Profit Corporation (501(c)(3)). Zero tracking. No analytics. No third-party scripts beyond shared Nodo navigation.
FIVE-STEP WORKFLOW
CORE CAPABILITIES
Found or join idea communities with topic, geography, and language filters. Verified identity prevents sock puppetry.
Threaded, real-time discussions with server-sent events. Markdown support, code blocks, file attachments.
Shared document libraries, datasets, code repositories, and design assets with version tracking.
Time-bounded challenges with defined criteria, community judging, and public results.
Real-time presence, task boards, shared calendars, and notification streams.
Public learning footprints — durable, verifiable records of contribution and skill development.
TECHNICAL ARCHITECTURE — PUBLIC GOOD
Node.js runtime with server-sent events for real-time updates without WebSocket complexity. JSON Lines content-addressed persistence — no database migrations, no schema drift, no single point of failure for the data layer. Verified identity via cryptographic proof-of-possession rather than OAuth dependency.
Spanish-first interface with English available. All user-facing strings externalized for community translation. Accessibility target: WCAG 2.1 AA. Zero tracking. No analytics. No third-party scripts beyond the shared Nodo Design Group, a DBA of RË Corporation (501(c)(3)).
WHY AST EXISTS — PUBLIC GOOD
Communities in Puerto Rico and across the Spanish-speaking world have been forced into proprietary platforms that extract attention, lock data, and change terms unilaterally. Ast provides a public-good alternative: the workspace is the infrastructure; the community owns its data, its identity, and its governance. Operated by AST Not-for-Profit Corporation (501(c)(3)).
NSF Smart & Connected Communities and HUD CDBG eligibility means the technical architecture aligns with federal public-purpose criteria: open access, durable records, community governance, and measurable civic outcomes. The platform does not guarantee funding; it provides the technical substrate that makes a credible application possible. Zero tracking. No analytics. No third-party scripts beyond shared Nodo navigation.
| Agency | Program | Relevance to Ast | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSF | Smart & Connected Communities | Civic innovation workspace, community governance, durable records, measurable outcomes | Planned |
| HUD | Community Development Block Grant | Low-income community access, civic infrastructure, Spanish-first interface | Planned |
| Risk | Mitigation |
|---|---|
| Community adoption — 25,000 communities in 24 months is ambitious | Public-good approach reduces barriers; Spanish-first interface; community translation; zero tracking |
| Sustainability — public-good infrastructure requires ongoing support | Federal grants preferred (non-dilutive); open architecture enables community contribution; 501(c)(3) enables tax-deductible donations |
| Identity security — proof-of-possession without OAuth has adoption curve | Standard cryptographic keys; recovery via seed phrase; community documentation |
| Competition from proprietary platforms — massive incumbent resources | Structural differentiation: community owns data/governance; no attention extraction; no lock-in |