BDB Next Step Award
A $500 community award helping Black students, entrepreneurs, and first-gen wealth builders take their next step.
Black Dollar Blueprint™ is building more than financial guides, templates, and resources. We are building a community rooted in education, ownership, financial confidence, and forward movement.
The BDB Next Step Award is a $500 community award created to support one person working toward a meaningful next step, whether that is school, business, certification, credit reset, homeownership preparation, professional development, or another wealth-building goal.
First Award Goal: $500
Funded by: 5% of Black Dollar Blueprint™ product sales
What Is the BDB Next Step Award?
The BDB Next Step Award is a community award from Black Dollar Blueprint™ designed to help someone move forward with a financial, educational, business, or life-building goal.
This award is not limited to traditional college expenses. Wealth-building can start in many ways. Sometimes the next step is a certification. Sometimes it is business supplies. Sometimes it is books, training, credit education, homeownership preparation, or a tool that helps someone get closer to stability.
The purpose is simple:
Help someone take the next step toward building a stronger financial future.
Current Award Goal
Goal Amount: $500
Black Dollar Blueprint™ will set aside 5% of product sales to help fund the first BDB Next Step Award.
Once the award fund reaches $500, applications will open for the first award cycle.
Current Funded Amount:
$0 / $500
Who This Award Is For
The BDB Next Step Award is designed for:
Black students
Black entrepreneurs
First-generation wealth builders
Adults pursuing education, training, or certification
People working toward credit improvement, homeownership, financial stability, or business ownership
Community members taking a serious next step toward their future
Applicants must be U.S.-based and at least 18 years old.
What Can the $500 Be Used For?
The award may support goals related to:
Education or school expenses
Trade school or certification programs
Business startup costs
Books, tools, software, or supplies
Credit reset or financial education resources
Homeownership preparation
Professional development
Application fees or program fees
A personal wealth-building goal with a clear plan
Award funds may be paid directly to the recipient or directly to an approved school, program, vendor, or service provider.
How the Award Is Funded
The BDB Next Step Award is funded through two sources:
5% of Black Dollar Blueprint™ product sales
A portion of every BDB product sale is set aside for the award fund.
Optional community support contributions
Supporters may also purchase a BDB Next Step Award Support Contribution through the BDB store to help move the fund closer to the $500 goal.
Every purchase helps build more than your own financial blueprint. It also helps support someone else who is working toward their next step.step.
How the Winner Will Be Selected
Applications will be reviewed based on:
Goal clarity
How clearly the applicant explains what they are working toward.
Impact
How the award would help move the applicant forward.
Mission fit
How the goal connects to education, business, ownership, credit, financial stability, or wealth-building.
Use of funds
How specific and realistic the applicant’s plan is for the $500.
Story and effort
The applicant’s commitment, purpose, and reason for taking this next step.
The first award will go to one selected applicant once the fund reaches the $500 goal and applications are reviewed.
View full award rules and eligibility details
Applications Opening Soon
Applications are not open yet.
The first application cycle will open once the BDB Next Step Award fund reaches $500.
When applications open, this page will include the application link, deadline, review timeline, and winner announcement date.
Support the Award
Want to help fund the first BDB Next Step Award?
You can support the award by purchasing a BDB Next Step Award Support Contribution through the BDB store. Support contributions help move the award fund closer to the first $500 goal.
Suggested support options:
$5 Support Contribution
$10 Support Contribution
$25 Support Contribution
$50 Support Contribution
Support contributions are optional. You can also support the award by purchasing any Black Dollar Blueprint™ guide, workbook, template, or resource.
Important Note
Black Dollar Blueprint™ is not a nonprofit organization. Purchases, sales, and community support contributions are not tax-deductible charitable donations.
The BDB Next Step Award is a community award funded by Black Dollar Blueprint™ product sales and optional support contributions as part of our mission to support financial education, ownership, and wealth-building.
Support contributions help fund the BDB Next Step Award and related program costs, including payment processing fees.
Help Build the First Award
Every guide, workbook, template, resource, and support contribution helps move the first BDB Next Step Award closer to the $500 goal.
When you invest in your own financial growth, you help create room for someone else to take their next step too.
Black Dollar Blueprint™
Where Black Wealth Begins.