The BDB Next Step Award is a $500 community award from Black Dollar Blueprint™ created to support one Black student, entrepreneur, or first-generation wealth builder taking a meaningful next step toward education, business, credit reset, homeownership preparation, certification, professional development, or another wealth-building goal.

The first BDB Next Step Award goal is $500.

Black Dollar Blueprint™ may adjust future award amounts based on sales, community support, program costs, and program growth.

The 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
Community members may support the award by purchasing a BDB Next Step Award Support Contribution through the BDB store.

Support contributions help fund the BDB Next Step Award and related program costs, including payment processing fees

No.

Black Dollar Blueprint™ is not a nonprofit organization. Purchases, sales, and community support contributions are not tax-deductible charitable donations.

Applicants must:

Be at least 18 years old
Be based in the United States
Be a Black student, entrepreneur, first-generation wealth builder, or community member pursuing a qualifying next step
Submit a complete application
Provide accurate contact information
Use the award for an approved education, business, financial, professional, or wealth-building purpose

Employees, owners, household members, and immediate family members of Black Dollar Blueprint™ are not eligible.

The award may be used for:

Education expenses
Trade school or certification programs
Business startup expenses
Books, software, tools, supplies, or equipment
Credit reset or financial education resources
Homeownership preparation
Professional development
Application fees or program fees
Other wealth-building goals approved by Black Dollar Blueprint™

The award may not be used for illegal activity, gambling, alcohol, tobacco, recreational drugs, weapons, or any purpose that conflicts with the mission of Black Dollar Blueprint™.

Applications will open once the award fund reaches the first $500 goal.

When applications open, the main BDB Next Step Award page will include the application link, deadline, review timeline, and winner announcement date.

Applicants may be asked to provide their name, email address, city and state, goal category, and short written responses about the next step they are working toward.

The application may ask:

What next step are you working toward?
How would the $500 award help you move forward?
How would you use the funds?
Why does this next step matter to you?

Applicants may also provide an optional website, social media page, business page, school, or program link.

Applicants will not be required to submit a long essay. Short, clear, thoughtful responses are encouraged.

Incomplete applications may not be reviewed.

Applications will be reviewed using this scoring guide:

Goal clarity: 25 points
How clearly the applicant explains what they are working toward.

Impact: 25 points
How the award would help the applicant move forward.

Mission fit: 25 points
How the goal connects to education, business, ownership, credit, financial stability, or wealth-building.

Use of funds: 15 points
How specific and realistic the applicant’s plan is for the $500.

Story and effort: 10 points
The applicant’s commitment, purpose, and reason for taking this next step.

Total possible score: 100 points.

Black Dollar Blueprint™ may verify application information before issuing the award.

The selected recipient will be contacted by email.

The recipient must respond within 5 business days. If the recipient does not respond within that time, Black Dollar Blueprint™ may select another applicant.

Only if the selected recipient gives permission to be featured.

Choosing not to be publicly featured will not disqualify an applicant.

If the recipient agrees to be featured, Black Dollar Blueprint™ may share the recipient’s name, photo, business name, school/program, general goal, and award story for promotional and community transparency purposes

Award funds may be paid directly to the recipient or directly to an approved school, program, vendor, service provider, or business expense.

Black Dollar Blueprint™ may request basic proof of the intended use before payment is made.

Payment method may include Zelle, PayPal, Cash App, check, or direct payment to an approved provider, depending on the situation.

Yes.

Black Dollar Blueprint™ may update award rules, application dates, award amounts, eligibility requirements, funding language, or selection timelines as the program grows.

Any updates will be posted on the BDB Next Step Award page or this FAQ and rules page.

For questions about the BDB Next Step Award, contact:

Black Dollar Blueprint™
Email: blkdollarblueprint@gmail.com
Website: blackdollarblueprint.com