LP. Activations
Bespoke Events & Programs
Curated by the LP., Activations are tailored to your goals to build relationships and engagement for your fundraiser, work, project, or mission.
What We Bring to the Table
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The LP. living room accommodates a 60 guest capacity.
Event hosting also includes catering and event management.
Want to host your event or program in the community? The LP. helps you find + coordinate the perfect space for your event in Chicago and beyond.
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The LP. consults on programming for your event, with your specific goals of connection, fundraising, and engagement in mind. This includes the curation of an invitation list for your focus.
Some past programs:
Panels + Speaker Series
Roundtables or Talkbacks
Presentations or Performances
Site Specific Tours, Visits, or Meetings
Virtual Gatherings
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The LP. works as a connector for sustained relationships. Mirja is committed to using her development and non -profit expertise to facilitate regenerative relationships for your mission well after your event. Your Activation with the LP. is just the beginning.
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In collaboration with Do You Ever, every Activation Event includes a development marketing package tailored to your event.
Invitation Suite
Web // Event Landing Page
Social Media // Pre Event Marketing + Post Event Storytelling
E-mail // Post Event Fundraising Emails
The LP.’s email audience is very active, with a 60% or higher open rate.
How We Build
1.
Once you submit the form below, you will meet for a call with Mirja to assess if your goals are a good match for an Activation event or program. If an Activation is an aligned fit, we set your date, and begin!
2.
Bespoke curated events are designed with the goal of introducing your organization or project to a new supporting audience.
As such, the programming is built specifically for the audience invited.
With the added strategy and support of the LP., an Activation will cultivate new relationships and opportunities for engagement.
3.
We work together over a two to three month period through Zoom and email.
During our engagement, we also meet for a 60 minute planning call, a 30 minute event prep call, and a 30 minute post event briefing.
FAQ’s
Your gathering questions, answered.
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Activations were born from requests of the LP. to create bespoke events. As such, there is a fee to support the work of the LP. in planning and executing an Activation event.
Activation contracts start at $2,500 for a two - three month working relationship.
The LP. is committed to facilitating engagement for your mission in the long term. As such, Mirja often provides additional consultation support and follow up touch points within an Activation package that can be applied to your holistic fundraising and development strategy.
If you have an annual development budget, or a donor who would like to sponsor the event, an Activation is a great investment.
The LP. is committed to supporting your mission. If the fee is a barrier, please reach out and we can discuss options.
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Activations are ideal for small organizations, businesses, institutions, or individuals looking to deepen their connection with Chicago audiences through a bespoke program or event.
Activations are usually most successful with an organization, business, or alike entity working with the LP. to bring the event to life.
When we meet for our initial call, we will determine if an Activation event serves your goals.
If you would like explore other options of support, you can learn more here.
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Once you submit the form below, you will meet for a call with Mirja to assess if your goals are a good match for an Activation event or program. If an Activation is a good fit, we set your date and begin!
Book your Activation with the LP.
Now booking Activation events for Winter 2026/27. To preserve the integrity of our events, we only book one Activation each quarter.
Lula Cafe x The Laksmi Project
The Chicago staple and award winning restaurant, Lula Cafe and their event space, LOULOU is the LP’s official food and beverage partner.
In 1999, Lula Cafe opened in a small storefront on Kedzie Boulevard with a four burner home stove and a dented collection of thrifted pots and pans. Today, stretching three storefronts, it is the founding member of the nationally recognized Logan Square culinary community and a celebrated forerunner of the ‘farm to table’ movement in Chicago. With self taught chefs and a willingness to cook against categorization, the menu at Lula has grown into a kind of humble maturity, risky but grounded, a boheme bistro of the unclassifiable kind.
Chef Jason Hammel has been nominated three times as a finalist for James Beard Best Chef Great Lakes and in 2024, Lula Cafe won the James Beard award for Hospitality.
Mirja Spooner // Curator of Connection
Meet Your Host
For the last 20 years, Mirja has created a robust community in Chicago within the non-profit space. Thoughtful gathering and program curation, centered around community and collaboration, is at the forefront of all she does.
Mirja is deeply passionate about engagement, knowing anyone can step into this work. There are many ways to engage; volunteer, sit on a board, work on a committee, or attend programming. Mirja and The Laksmi Project are passionate about opening doors so anyone can engage with Chicago non-profits, building new audiences for organizations, and regenerative relationships for all.
Mirja is a development leader, host, and founder of The Laksmi Project. Mirja works as a connector to cultivate relationships, engagements, and opportunities that contribute to a more abundant world. Her work lives at the intersection of community connection, strategic development, and financial engagement.