The Non Profits Night Out (NPNO), now in its third year, is expanding its reach. The annual gathering of nonprofit event professionals and fundraising strategists that meets yearly in New York City, has now added a Miami event to connect those operating in the thriving Miami charity scene with one another. The premise of NPNO is threefold: to recognize and honor the work that nonprofits do; to raise money for a local cause; and to offer a networking opportunity and night out for the local special event community.
The annual event is the brainchild of Reed Baker, founder of Sophist LLC and creator of Text-to-Pledge®, and Steve Paster, owner of bespoke stationer, Alpine Creative Group. They conceived the event with a core value that there be no fee to attend — for event professionals or for nonprofit community members. The event stands out as the only no-cost industry gathering — a perfect fit with the altruistic sector it serves. That means, from the venue to the food, drinks, décor, and entertainment, everyone involved is donating their goods and services. This model serves the dual purpose of allowing the event community to give back as well as offering the opportunity for the professionals to exhibit the quality of their work to fundraising strategists.
The event team is continually tweaking its formula each year to offer more elaborate celebrations that reach greater numbers of guests — and has added a local fundraising component. This year is the first year that the lauded event has been held in Miami, and it drew 175 guests to network and celebrate. The city threw its support behind the event, with participation and guidance from the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Miami Beach Restaurant & Hotel Association.
Everyone from prominent South Florida event planners and premier venue representatives to New York event luminaries like Claudia Warner from Gourmet Advisory Services and Arthur Backal of Backal Hospitality Group (whose NYC venue, CNVS Events, played host for the January 2019 NPNO), attended Miami’s first Non Profits Night Out with the aim of inspiring successful charity event planning in the new year.
The group gathered at W South Beach for a lovely evening planned by Carrie Zack Events, with design and décor by J GROUP EVENTS. The vision for the event was a beach party — held poolside. Guests appreciated not only the well-thought-out details like palm-laden floral and chic tropical lounge areas, with rentals and furniture from Nuage Designs, but also that the beachy theme allowed for more casual and comfortable attire (a perk at the end of a long workday).
Partygoers registered at the event via Checkin Tech’s seamless on-site service, before enjoying curated bites catered by the W South Beach’s skilled catering team and dessert from DOUGHEES BY M.DOUGH.W. Ipad centerpieces from Keep Interacting donned tabletops for an interactive décor element and PSAV provided their usual high level of service, producing the technical aspects of the event. Meanwhile, music and entertainment from the ever-popular Élan Artists kept everyone entertained, and Suzanne Delawar Studios beautifully captured smiling attendees, as well as the décor elements that transformed the space.
As mentioned, this is the first NPNO to highlight a fundraising component. Specifically, the team wanted to raise money for a local nonprofit, and this year chose Safe Schools for Alex, an organization dedicated to protecting schools and teachers through spearheading and nationwide school safety commission. The evening’s speaker and Safe Schools founder, Max Schachter, lost his son Alex in the Parkland shooting. He spoke movingly about his experience and the room was rapt; the resulting donations made via Text-to-Pledge® totaled almost $5,000 to support the charity. NPNO organizers have decided to add a local charity component to all future gatherings.
Speaking of the future, New York’s annual NPNO will again be in January in New York at New-York Historical Society, with the date to be announced. Meanwhile, the South Florida event was so successful that a new NPNO event is being planned for September 2020, with the planner and venue having already been secured — long-revered planner Jeff Fowler will produce the event at the Norton Museum of Art in Palm Beach. Additional future plans include curated events at several Constellation Culinary Group venues in both New York and South Florida.
If you’re an event professional or member of a nonprofit organization and are interested in attending next year’s NYC or Miami events, please submit a request to events@alpinecreativegroup.com.
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