Exceed expectations.

​The Blackbird nonprofit and corporate events team works hand-in-hand with clients to conceptualize and customize a living experience. Each event tells a story through a variety of touchpoints and details designed to engage the senses from the venue to curated entertainment, venue, and culinary selections. With an extreme eye for detail, Blackbird works closely with clients to make sure your special event is a smashing success from conception to wrap up. Our pulse on the competition, market trends, logistical production, timing, and budgeting, and a deep understanding of guest experience will catapult your event to be one for the ages. 

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Indiana Michigan Events Planning & Management

Take the guesswork out of hosting an event.

​The Blackbird nonprofit and corporate events team works hand-in-hand with clients to conceptualize and customize a living experience. Each event tells a story through a variety of touchpoints and details designed to engage the senses from the venue to curated entertainment, venue, and culinary selections. With an extreme eye for detail, Blackbird worked closely with clients to make sure your nonprofit event is a smashing success from conception to wrap up. Our pulse on the competition, market trends, logistical production, timing, and budgeting, and a deep understanding of guest experience will catapult your event to be one for the ages. 

Corporate Events	Fundraisers	Cocktail Parties	Golf Outings
Private Events	Open Houses	Launches	Grand Openings
Staff Outings	Holiday Parties	Entertainment	Social Events

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Services and Fees

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• Consultation

• Full Service

• Event-Day Coordination

• Post-Event

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  Meet 1:1 and push your event off in the right direction. 

  Cost: $350 flat fee

  ​A one-hour meeting with our consultant will include a structured discussion of the overall vision and specific needs for your events. Together, we will discuss vendors, budget, and general planning tips to leave you in a good spot to decide to move forward on your own or not. 

  • 1-hour face-to-face meeting
  • Budget development
  • Timeline development
  • Vendor and location recommendations
  • Contract review
  • Expert advice and planning tips
  • Cost savings tips could save you $1,000s

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  Complete, full-service event management from start to finish. 

  Cost: Quote Required

  For our full-service offering, we are integrally involved in all aspects of an event from sound and lighting to party favors, menu, and in room gifts, as well as budget and rsvp management. 

  • Venue scouting and management
  • Vendor referrals
  • Event concept and design
  • On-site event coordination
  • Menu and catering planning
  • Contract review and negotiation
  • Planning timeline development
  • Event timeline development
  • Budget management
  • Collateral materials
  • Post-event wrap up
  • Committee and volunteer management
  • Media relations
  • General consulting

  
  All event costs are billed directly to the client. 
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  Please review our FAQs below for more information.

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  On-site event coordination for your big day. 

  Cost: Starting at $1,500

  On-site event coordination for large events, galas, golf outings can be a life-saver for you. If you're someone who feels comfortable putting together the details but needs help with the day-of production, then this package is for you.

  • Two one-hour in-person meetings
  • Availability on phone, email, texts leading to the event
  • Timeline and event schedule development
  • Floor plan
  • Recommend local vendors
  • Create checklist
  • Rehearsal Director
  • A/V protocols and direction
  • 1 Event Coordinator and 1-2 Event Assistants
  • Volunteer management
  • Vendor coordination
  • On-site direction of main event

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  ​All event costs are billed directly to the client.
  
  Please review our FAQs below for more information.

  Book Your Event
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  The party's not over 'til it's over. 

  Cost: Starting at $500

  There's a significant amount of work required after an event ends. This is the part everyone hates doing and rarely thinks about. We provide a variety of services to pitch in for event wrap-up tasks. 

  • Vendor feedback meetings
  • Stakeholder feedback meetings
  • Guest surveys and analysis
  • Budget summaries, gross v. net / budget v. actuals
  • Thank you cards and gifts

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  All event costs are billed directly to the client.
  
  

  BOOK YOUR EVENT

Impact Story

READ THE FULL IMPACT STORY

“Blackbird was crucial in helping us navigate some potential pain points and ensure that the event was executed flawlessly. That’s the key thing that I like about working with Caitlin. She’s anticipating where those pain-points might be and helping us come up with solutions prior to the issue."

Jacqueline Kronk, Executive Director
Jaxson William Augustus Swank Foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

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​Who handles my events?
We have a qualified event designer and day-of-event staff to help you with your events! Depending on the availability and the needs of your event, you will be paired with the corresponding event planner. Everyone at Blackbird has over ten years’ experience working on events are wonderful to work with. We are all obsessed with customer service and making sure your guests and team feel like they are treated like gold.
 
How do I know if Blackbird Philanthropy Advisors is a good fit for us?
It’s hard to begin planning an event while doing everything required of you for your normal job too. It’s too much! If you want to host an amazing event for your employees/peers/clients/donors and get the credit without the work -- we can help! We are a social enterprise which means you’re the fees you paid are leveraged to promote philanthropy and volunteerism in our community through our 501c3. Fill out this quick form and we'll touch base to learn more. 
 
How many events should I have per year?
That all depends on your goals and how often you’d like to engage your staff or donors. From our experience, most company events happen quarterly, but you can do as many as you’d like according to your budget and goals.
 
How many people can we have at an event?
We serve events from 25-600 people on average. If you have a special circumstance that falls outside of this category, we are happy to see if it is a good fit!
 
Will I be a part of planning the event?
You can be involved or hands off as you would like. Ideally, we have an initial call or meeting with your vision and we take it from there. We will continuously update you as items are books, RSVPs are made, etc. We keep you in the loop and stay in communication to update you but you won’t have to worry about a thing!
 
How many times do we need to meet with you before the event?
We meet with you for an initial call, send you confirmations when each vendor is booked, meet in person or on the phone again once more a week before the event, and then you can show up the day of the event. We truly do take care of it all.
 
What support do you have for events?
Most vendors set up their own decor, food, etc. so they come with an extension of staff typically Additionally, we typically have one or two event staff (event planner and an assistant) the day of the event. The number of support staff will be determined by the complexity of your project.
 
Are you there during the event?
Our Blackbird Philanthropy Advisors team is present during the entire time. We set it up and take it down so you don’t have to worry about a thing – we just want you to have a good time with your guests and staff!
 
How available are you on the day of the event?
Corporate events typically last about three hours. Our team arrives to the venue two to three hours before the event to set up and stays one to two hours after to take down everything for a total of six to eight hours. However, if it is a larger event, we may be there longer to set up. Golf outings and galas, for example, require a different level of commitment.
 
What is the difference between an event planner and a venue coordinator?
Venue coordinators are employed by your venue to make sure you have the location to host your event and will let you know what items they include or they currently have. They usually are a great point of contact to help understand the logistics of bringing in entertainment, lighting, A/V, and setting up the layout. When there is a venue coordinator on-site, we work closely with them as a team but venue coordinators are one small, but important, detail of event management.
 
What type of events does Blackbird Philanthropy Advisors plan?
Here at Blackbird Philanthropy Advisors, we work on corporate events and experiences for non-profit companies and for businesses engaging in philanthropy. Some examples of events include:

• Appreciation dinners
• Receptions
• Team happy hours
• Team building retreats
• Gratitude and gift campaigns
• Promotion, retirement, welcome, and exiting events
• Holiday parties
• Galas, auctions, and dinners
• Cocktail parties

 
Why do we need an event planner?
An event planner can give you peace of mind to enjoy your evening without worrying about going through the motions of planning an event. We are professional and good at what we do. We find that many times people spend more time and money trying to DIY a project that comes out subpar rather than paying someone to create a better experience quicker and headache free.
 
 What event management services do you provide?

• Event planning
• Day of coordination
• Experience design (engaging the five senses)
• Event timeline and program / "run of show"
• Budget planning
• RSVP tracking
• Communications with sponsors and guests
• Vendor management (food, drink, a/v, entertainment, etc.)
• Décor design and selection
• Venue selection
• Print collateral and design
• Catering consultation
• Stationery
• Light and A/V consultation
• Venue selection and management
• Entertainment planning
• Guest gifts
• Meeting planning
• Post-event survey to gauge success

 
How early should I start planning an event?
We recommend smaller corporate events at least 3-6 months before the event. If you’re wanting to host a gala or larger event, we recommend contacting us at least 10 months to 1 year before the event. However, feel free to contact us no matter your time frame and we will see if it is a good fit and point you in the right direction.

We will accept a client in as little as a week depending on the scope of the project and availability. However, to get all of your preferred vendors, we recommend booking at least three to six months out. You may need to book a year or more in advance for more competitive venues.
 
What are some of the additional costs for hosting an event outside of your services?
Budgets range widely depending on the type of event. It’s up to you and what level of detail you’d like the experience to include. We can meet with you for a consultation to get a basic idea of your vision to help you understand what your budget would need to look like. When making your budget on your own be sure to include these basic costs:

• Venue
• Food
• Drinks
• Entertainment
• Décor
• Photography
• Party Favors

 
How far will you travel for an event?
We are based in South Bend, Indiana and serve clients in northern Indiana (including South Bend, LaPorte, Elkhart, Goshen, Plymouth area) southwest Michigan (including St. Joseph, Benton Harbor, New Buffalo, Dowagiac area). 
 
What are your favorite aspects of event planning?
Our team loves taking the stress out of events for the hosts. A lot of people really like the idea of hosting fun events but the burden of time and lack of expertise really freaks them out. We’re here to take that on for you. We also like thinking through the details and special touches that will make your unique and memorable.
 
What are some general tips you have to help us prepare for our event?
Here’s some tips for planning your first event:

• Have a task list and save all your notes and records to reuse in the future.
• Think about your guest experience through your five senses. What will people hear, smell, taste, feel, and see.
• Keep things fresh. Do something new -- don’t just do what everyone else does.
• Remember the work of the event doesn’t end the evening of the event. You’ll need to spend the next several days or weeks after the event evaluating what worked and thanking your sponsors and guests for attending.

 
What are the fees for planning and coordinating an event?
Please refer to our outline of fees for services above. No two events are the same, however, with a one hour consultation, we will sit down with you and talk to you about your goals. From there, we will make recommendations and point you in the right direction to either hire staff, re-allocate staff, or do it yourself. For a little extra, we can create a custom task list and budget for your event. On-site day-of event coordination starts at $1,500 for the day. We arrive two hours early and stay until two hours after the event ends. Usually, business events last around three hours and longer galas last around five hours.

When considering the cost of hiring a planner to management your event, you have to take into account the time it will take you to coordinate and plan, how that drags you away from your normal work duties, takes you out of your expertise which causes even more stress and dissatisfaction, and then you have to factor in your lost productivity. Suddenly, hiring a professional isn’t too expensive after all… and the results are likely going to be much better. Fill out this quick form and we'll touch base to learn more. 
 
What does it cost for the entire event?
There’s no way for us to determine the cost for your event before talking to you. Some people have an event budget of just $1,000, others may be willing to spend $250,000. Typically, the largest expenses are related to food and drinks. We would need to sit down and have a good idea yours goals to help give you a better idea of what an overall budget would like.   

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