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History

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1996

Forum One's Founding Fathers

  • Jim Cashel (right in photo) and David Witzel (center in photo) establish Forum One Communications with a total staff of two (working from basements). First clients include World Bank and Eurasia Foundation.
  • Forum One web site named "hot site" by USA Today, a considerable honor at the time!
  • Launched Online Community Report Newsletter.

 

 

 

1997

  • Chris Wolz (left in above photo) joins as CEO and third employee. Staff of three share a keen interest in how policy-focused groups in the U.S. and abroad effect change.
  • Alexandria office opens.
  • Four staff move into real office space. New clients include International Resources Group and Public Policy Institute of California.

 

 

 

1998

Forum One's original logo

 

  • Alexandria, Va., office begins recruiting.
  • Staff grows to seven. New clients include Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and Small Business Administration.
  • Original Forum One "frog" logo is retired.

 

 

 

1999

  • First office building purchased.
  • First annual staff retreat held, April 1999, at Hunter House, Vienna, Va.
  • Staff grows to 10. New clients include World Bank's "Online Media Briefing Center," ATRA, and Head Start.

 

 

 

2000

Elodie and Jo
  • Second office building purchased.
  • Staff grows to 15. New clients include African Wildlife Foundation and Economic Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
  • First database-powered web sites launched.

 

 

 

2001

Staff reaches 20
  • First Online Community Summit held in Sonoma, Ca. "Dotcom" bust, but Forum One still going strong.
  • Staff grows to 20. New clients include InterAction, Council on Foundations, and Save The Children. Backyard Jungle developed and launched.

 

 

 

2002

Third Office Building Purchased
  • Awarded 2002-2003 "Alexandria Small Business of the Year" by Alexandria Chamber of Commerce.
  • Third office building purchased. New clients include the Center for Global Development. Expansion of the International AIDS Economics Network. 

 

 

 

2003

Monthly Last Friday Barbecues
  • Monthly "Last-Friday Barbeques" started at Alexandria office. 
  • New clients include the American Academy of Pediatrics, "Education for a New Era" project in Qatar, Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), and Alliance to Save Energy.

 

 

 

2004

2004 Staff
  • Staff grows to 22.
  • New clients include World Bank/AIDS Media and the U.S. Agency for International Development's PSP-One project.

 

 

 

2005

2005 Staff
  • Named finalist for "Technology Achievement of the Year Award," City of Alexandria.
  • New version of ProjectSpaces rolled out. 
  • Staff grows to 25. Backyard Jungle licensed by PBSKids. New clients include Family Violence Prevention Fund and PEW Charitable Trusts.

 

 

 

2006

2006 Seminars
  • Online Community Camp and Web Executive Seminars series launched.
  • Staff grows to 29. New clients include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Food and Drug Administration, National Wildlife Federation, and MacArthur Foundation.

 

 

 

2007

2007 DC United Game
  • Named one of the D.C. area's Great Places to Work by Washingtonian magazine.
  • Hosts first five Web Executive Seminars at the National Press Club and launches the Online Community Research Network.
  • Staff grows to 35. New clients include the Brookings Institution, GAVI Alliance, Rebuilding Together, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

 

 

 

2008

Art on the Avenue
  • Named one of 35 "Top Small Workplaces" by the Wall Street Journal.
  • Hosts 12 events across the country on online community and other internet topics.
  • Staff grows to 37. New clients include AARP, Center for American Progress, Cisco, and KaBoom.

 

 

 

2009

Forum One 2009 Boat Ride
  • Completed more than 1,000 projects for over 300 organizations.
  • Awarded second place in the Sunlight Labs Apps for America Contest for LegiStalker.org.
  • Awarded first place in the Sunlight Labs Apps for America 2 Contest for DataMasher.org.
  • Staff grows to 40. New clients include Forest Trends, National Breast Cancer Coalition, and McCormick & Company.

 

2010

  • Staff reaches 42
    2010 Staff Boat Ride
  • County Sin Rankings awarded first place in Sunlight Labs' "Design for America" contest in the "Visualizing Health Data" category
  • Increased reach to help organizations with important projects around the globe. New international clients include IctQatar and China-US Exchange Foundation
  • New domestic clients include Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, National School Boards Association, and Education Sector