Blueprint Investment Fund is a 501(c)(3), non profit economic development corporation who serve Low-income, disadvantaged, minority and women entrepreneurs with financial and technical resources. The mission of the blueprint investment fund is to alleviate poverty, chronic unemployment, and economic inequality in America's urban and rural centers.  Blueprint investment funding accomplish this mission by providing private equity investment and micro lending services to entrepreneurs and small businesses.    Blueprint received then subsequently disbursed a grant from Google in the amount of $500,000 in advertising dollars to nine French Market vendors.  Each vendor was awarded up to $50,000 in advertising.  For those of you who do not know, Google advertising dollars is a form of currency used to buy a variety of services such as advertisements from simple text ads to display and mobile advertising.

The requirements for selecting a vendor were based on (1) the need of the business (2) its current web presence, (3) ability to handle increased sales, (4) is the business a full-time operation and (5) is the product being sold made by the business. Blueprint executive director Lawrence Williams said “Each one was selected on their ability to have mass appeal and how well a managed advertising campaign could increase their sales.”  Blueprint estimates the advertising campaign could bring in an additional $40,000 to $50,000 in additional revenues for the vendors.  Charles Robinson of French Quarter Candles is a French Market vendor and a recipient of the award.  “Someone who is in a competitive market like home decor, it’d be hard for Charles to sell $50,000 per year without advertising,” Williams said. “And he could handle that increase in sales.”