Blockchain　has　received　a　lot　of　attention　recently　for　its　characteristics　of　decentralization,　immutability,　traceability,　etc.,　making　it　a　promising　technology　for　the　development　of　various　applications,　especially　the　management　of　various　digital　information.　However,　most　current　blockchain　systems　exhibit　problems　such　as　high　computational　overhead　and　centralization　of　power.　Reliance　on　cryptocurrency　in　many　public　blockchain-based　applications　is　another　factor　that　has　hindered　the　application　of　blockchain　technology　in　areas　other　than　the　financial　sectors.　This　paper　proposes　a　new　blockchain　consensus　mechanism　based　on　the　contributions　of　participants.　The　proposed　consensus　mechanism,　which　is　called　proof-of-contribution　(PoC),　quantifies　user　behaviors　and　actions　in　a　blockchain-based　application　as　contribution　values　calculated　through　an　algorithm.　The　node　that　has　the　highest　contribution　value　in　each　round　of　consensus　gets　the　right　to　generate　the　next　new　block.　PoC　preserves　the　properties　of　decentralization　and　resistance　to　hard　fork　and　does　not　rely　on　cryptocurrency,　making　it　attractive　over　cryptocurrency-based　consensus　mechanisms　like　proof-of-work　(PoW)　for　a　wide　variety　of　applications　that　do　not　have　to　involve　cryptocurrency.　Contribution　values　can　be　abstracted　from　applications　and　used　in　the　underlying　blockchain　consensus　process　to　improve　the　security　and　trustworthiness　of　the　applications.　Intellectual　property　(IP)　protection　is　one　such　application　to　apply　the　blockchain　technology　and　the　PoC　consensus　mechanism.　However,　existing　blockchain-based　IP　protection　systems　are　mostly　developed　based　on　public　blockchain　platforms　such　as　the　Ethereum　while　some　others　are　developed　as　consortium　blockchains,　thus　exhibiting　inherent　defects　such　as　high　system　requirements,　long　consensus　delay,　and　low　user　participation.　In　this　paper,　we　will　use　IP　protection　as　the　application　scenario　to　illustrate　the　development　of　our　PoC　consensus　mechanism　and　will　compare　PoC　to　some　existing　consensus　mechanisms.　Experimental　results　will　show　that　the　proposed　PoC　consensus　mechanism　preserves　most　of　the　main　security　characteristics　of　blockchain　and　is　superior　to　existing　consensus　mechanisms,　making　it　more　secure　and　efficient　to　use　blockchain　technology　for　digital　information　management.　©　2021　Elsevier　Ltd