News

The Silk Road Project, a not-for-profit artistic, cultural and educational organization under the artistic direction of acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, has won a national award for its website, which was developed by Embolden and designed by an Arlington, MA, firm.

The DotNetNuke ® Corp., the company behind the most widely adopted web content management system (CMS) and application development framework for building websites and web applications on Microsoft .NET, announced on Friday, November 6, 2009, that the website won its Community Choice Award for the Most Creative/Original Site.

Embolden, which developed the Silk Road Project website in conjunction with Hecht Design, will receive the award on Wednesday, November 11, 2009, on behalf of the Silk Road Project in Las Vegas at OpenForce ‘09 Connections, a professional conference where DotNetNuke and Microsoft .NET developers learn about the latest developments in the DotNetNuke world.

A catalyst for promoting innovation and learning through the arts, the Silk Road Project has a vision of connecting the world’s neighborhoods by bringing together artists and audiences around the globe. The Project takes inspiration from the historic Silk Road trading route — what founder Yo-Yo Ma has called “the internet of antiquity”— as a modern metaphor for multicultural and interdisciplinary exchange.

The site stood out in one of four categories awarded in the OpenForce Connection Division. Winners were nominated and voted on by the DotNetNuke community for being the best websites created using the DotNetNuke platform.

Embolden collaborated with Hecht Design to marry great design with best practices for web development and usability. The site also showcases creative ways to display information and integrates Silk Road Radio; an MP3 player where visitors can listen to performances; and Postcards from the Road, a dynamic photo gallery with “postcards” from the Project’s programs around the world.

Embolden, based in Rhode Island, is a premier full-cycle and full-service web development, design and consulting firm specializing in community foundations and nonprofit organizations. DNN is at the center of Embolden’s development strategy, where custom web applications benefit from the power, stability, and extensibility that DNN offers.

Embolden’s clients include The Rhode Island Foundation, The Philadelphia Foundation, The Leadership Alliance at Brown University, New York Community Trust, Baltimore Community Foundation, The Vermont Community Foundation and The Alaska Community Foundation.

Hecht Design creates websites, brand identities, and print collateral for notable academic, arts, research, corporate and consulting organizations. Hecht’s clients include Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, The Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, The David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Massachusetts, Boston Community Capital, and Pathfinder International.

Providence, RI - April 13, 2009 - Read an interview with Embolden's President and Founder, Ann-Marie Harrington, about nonprofits and the Web.

Click here to read the interview.

Providence, RI - October 2008 -  Embolden Design, one of New England’s premier web design, development and solutions companies, and Ann-Marie Harrington, its founder and president, were recently selected to receive three prestigious awards.

The U.S. Small Business Administration presented Embolden with the Rhode Island Minority Business Enterprise of the Year Award; the Northern Rhode Island YMCA selected Harrington for a Women of Achievement Award; and, for the third year in a row, Embolden won the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility.

As part of a Rhode Island salute to small businesses, Embolden, a woman-owned business, received the Minority Business Enterprise of the Year Award for 2008 “in recognition of your success within a highly competitive industry, and your efforts in fostering the development of other minority and women-owned enterprises by having demonstrated a willingness to assist these firms whenever possible.”

The YMCA’s Women of Achievement Awards are recognized nationally and are intended to increase awareness and appreciation of the diverse contributions of women. The 15 award-winners this year were selected for their work toward the economic empowerment of women. The YMCA said of Harrington: “She practices an entrepreneurial spirit.” It also cited her achievements in winning the Sloan Award for Business Excellence.

As a winner of the Sloan Award, Embolden ranks as one of the country's leading practitioners of progressive workplace policies.

The Sloan Award is part of When Work Works, a nationwide initiative to highlight companies that have made real commitments to using workplace flexibility as a tool to enhance the success of businesses and employees. 

Providence, RI – Aug. 26, 2008 – New York Community Trust, the country’s second-largest community foundation, has hired Embolden, one of the country’s fastest-growing web design, development, and consulting firms, to lead the continuing development of its online community. 

The appointment bolsters Embolden’s position as a leading web support and service provider for large community foundations and nonprofit organizations.

In all, more than 30 new clients have hired Embolden through the first half of 2008. These leading organizations include Baltimore Community Foundation, Jewish Family and Children’s Services, The Wildlands Trust, Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, currentcare, Building Futures, The Rhode Island Chapter of American Association of Pediatrics, and Sargent Rehabilitation Center.

“We continue to have tremendous opportunities to serve community foundations and nonprofits with the knowledge and expertise we have developed over our 10-year history,” said Embolden president Ann-Marie Harrington. “Our focus will remain on delivering the highest-quality online community building services and solutions available through Web 2.0, and the flexible, scalable, and customizable DotNetNuke (DNN) framework - combined with offering consultation and insight that ensures our clients’ success in reaching and helping their communities.”

In addition to New York Community Trust, Embolden’s large community foundation clients include The Rhode Island Foundation, The Philadelphia Foundation, and Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

Providence, RI, - June 2008 - Some of Embolden's latest work was showcased in the Project Spotlight section of DotNetNuke^®, Inc.'s latest e-newsletter.

This recognition is an honor for Embolden, as the company began developing websites on the DNN framework more than two years ago. DNN has since taken its place at the center of our development strategy, enabling us to deliver to our clients cutting-edge websites with enterprise-level Web 2.0 capabilities.

Our custom web applications benefit from the power, stability, and extensibility that DNN offers.

We are honored to be recognized by our peers and look forward to many years of building upon the ingenuity of the DNN development community.

Providence, RI, - June 2008 - The Wildlands Trust, a nonprofit conservation organization based in southeastern Massachusetts, launches a new Embolden-designed and developed website. 

Embolden is proud to have played such a vital role in helping the Trust to articulate its mission of maintaining our region's natural beauty for generations to come. The photos speak for themselves; Visit Wildlands Trust. 

Providence, RI – June 10, 2008 - Embolden, one of New England’s premier web design, development and solutions companies, today announced the launch of a new web presence - built for The Philadelphia Foundation, featuring state-of-the-art DotNetNuke^® (DNN^®) and Web 2.0 technology.

The new site demonstrates the company’s leadership in building high-quality DNN^® websites in the nonprofit arena.

“The Philadelphia Foundation engaged Embolden with the charge to create a powerful web presence that elegantly reflects our newly developed identity and speaks to our many constituents,” said Heather Moody, Project Systems Analyst for The Philadelphia Foundation.

“Embolden's years of experience, and deep understanding of the needs of community foundations has yielded a product that not only stands out, but provides a solid base upon which we will be able to broaden our online strategies in the years ahead. They are truly partners in our success,” Ms. Moody added.

As community foundation web programs continue the evolution from static annual report publications, to dynamic, interactive, marketing channels, Embolden continues its growth and leadership in providing full-service web consulting and development for leading organizations.

“The Philadelphia Foundation is a great client, and a significant and important organization for good in our world. We are honored and thrilled to have them as a client,” said Embolden president Ann-Marie Harrington.

Embolden is increasing its ability to serve the marketplace by growing and developing its staff and infrastructure. The company has added four new staff members in the last year, broadening and deepening its talent base. Embolden has also promoted two of its many stellar performers to new roles within the company.

Sara Betnel has joined Embolden as Web Application Project Manager/Architect. Sara was previously with Bizzy Bee Design, the company she founded and owned. Sara earned her BA in Drama from the University of Washington and recently completed her MFA in Theater Education at Boston University. She is an active Providence-area theater artist.

Marco Andrade has joined Embolden as .Net Developer. Marco joins the company from the nonprofit organization AIPSO, where he served as a Programmer Analyst. Prior to working at AIPSO, Marco was a Systems Developer with W.A. Wilde Company. Marco earned his BS in Computer Information Systems  from the New England Institute of Technology.

Sheryl Carter has joined Embolden as Project Manager. She was previously responsible for web design, strategic planning, and technology consulting for best-selling author and neurologist Oliver Sacks. Sheryl received her BA in Theater and Film from Columbia College, and holds advanced degrees and certificates in web development and interactive telecommunications.

Agnieszka Rosner has joined Embolden as Assistant to the President. Agnieszka comes to the company from Quick What’s Up.com, where she was a Staff Captain. She was previously with Computer Logistics, where she was a Project Manager with new business development responsibilities. Agnieszka earned her BA in Communications/Public Relations from Rhode Island College.

Additionally, Embolden has announced recent promotions of two of its senior staff. Suzanne Jordan has been promoted to Senior Web Developer, and Elisa Del Bonis has been promoted to Senior Project Manager. The two have been with the company for 6 and 3 years, respectively.

Providence, RI - April 15, 2008 - Embolden, one of New England’s premier web design, development and solutions companies, today recognizes its 10-year anniversary, and acknowledges the significant role of the New England nonprofit community in its success. Founded in 1998, Embolden has grown into a national presence – as a provider of web services to the community foundation, nonprofit and professional services sectors. 

To celebrate its success, and to thank the nonprofit community, the company and many partnering entities will award a “Radical Makeover – RI Nonprofit Edition” to one lucky nonprofit organization – valued at more than $20,000.

“Our very first major client was The Rhode Island Foundation,” said Embolden president and founder, Ann-Marie Harrington.  “Many years later, The Rhode Island Foundation is still a major client.  As they have grown in sophistication, in using the Internet as a powerful tool to improve life and work, so too has the breadth of integrated and interactive solutions Embolden provides.”

In addition to The Rhode Island Foundation, Embolden enjoys client relationships with a number of the country’s largest community foundations, including The Philadelphia Foundation, and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. Rhode Island-based nonprofit clients include Rhode Island KIDS COUNT, Greater Providence YMCA, and Rhode Island Local Initiatives Support Corporation.

Continuing its stellar growth, Embolden added numerous new clients in the first quarter of 2008, among them Planned Parenthood of Rhode Island, AAA of Southern New England, the Museum of Yachting, New England Ophthalmology Society, and the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Association of Pediatrics.

As in years past, Embolden will host an annual party for family, friends, and clients. To celebrate the 10-year mark - and to give back to the nonprofit community - this year’s event will be a substantially larger, broader, and more significant affair. In addition to clients, family and friends, Embolden will be inviting nonprofits to join them for an evening of food, fun, live music, and entertainment. In the highlight of the evening, Embolden will award a major giveaway to one nonprofit winner. The company will host a free drawing, and will present a “Radical Makeover – Rhode Island Nonprofit Edition!” 

The gift consists of goods and services from Embolden, and a group of partnering organizations. The makeover includes:

• New or redesigned website by Embolden
• An office redesign by At Home Redesigns, and Consignments Ltd.
• Communications review by Rick Schwartz/StraightTalk
• Financial consultation by David Lucier & Company
• Public relations review by Griffin MarCom
• Nonprofit strategy consultation by Orange Square Design
• Attendance for two at the four-session Fidelity Investments Board Development Program donated by The Rhode Island Foundation/Initiative for Nonprofit Excellence, Providence, RI

Additional gifts, available from Embolden partners, will be awarded throughout the evening. Attendance at the event is by invitation. 

“The nonprofit community, here in Rhode Island in particular, has given Embolden a tremendous opportunity to provide service - and to grow into a positive force for good. With this event, we celebrate the community, 10 years of doing business, and a bright future that allows us to continue giving back locally and nationally,” said Harrington.

Providence, RI - May 2008 - The grand prize of a "A Radical Makeover: RI Nonprofit Edition!" that is worth at least $20,000 went to Options Magazine of Providence. Included in the prize are:

A new or redesigned website by Embolden:

• Two strategy sessions with the Embolden team
• Fabulous project manager during the lifecycle of the project
• Two graphic design concepts of homepages, key content pages and enewsletter pages
• Architecture consulting and design
• Enewsletter system design, setup and training (subscription paid for one year - up to 2,500 emails)
• Matriarch Content Management System - powered by DotNetNuke (and training)
• Up to three streaming videos, using the BrightCove system
• Rotating images on homepage
• Up to 50 pages on site (includes lay out of all pages)
• 10 hours of content editing
• Online giving/donation, e-commerce form (and training)
• Contact us form
• Google Analytics (and training)
• Google Map API
• Powerful searching on site
• Search Engine Optimization
• One year of hosting

An office redesign by At Home Redesigns, South Kingstown, RI, and Consignments Ltd., Wakefield, RI

• A redesign of an office space or a common space at your organization by certified interior redesigner who specializes in reusing what you own to create beautiful and comfortable spaces in a day.
• Consignments Ltd., an upscale home consignment store in Wakefield, RI, will provide up to $500 in merchandise that the designers will select and use in transforming your space.

Communications audit by Rick Schwartz/StraightTalk, Sharon, MA

Rick will personally conduct one of his expert reviews of your operations to determine if you are successfully communicating with your chosen audiences. Components include:

• A copyrighted audit tool designed specifically for you, measuring six topics
• A two-hour session to discuss your communication goals, with as many staff and board members as you choose
• A comprehensive review of all your communications, from logos and business cards to newsletters and annual reports, to advertising and media
• A two-hour in-person meeting to present the findings (with the option to commission a written report)

Financial consultation by David Lucier & Company, Johnston, RI

Public relations review by Griffin MarCom, Rhode Island and Atlanta

• 10 hours of consulting on PR strategy and tactics
• 1 400-word press release - with regional distribution media outreach, coordination
• Post-release follow-up
• Ongoing PR opportunity sourcing and referral

Nonprofit strategy consultation by Orange Square Design, Pawtucket, RI

Attendance for two at the four-session Fidelity Investments Board Development Program donated by The Rhode Island Foundation/Initiative for Nonprofit Excellence, Providence, RI

Other Prize Winners

Cutler & Company
2-hour review of inventory of assets (i.e., marketing collateral, web content and other communications assets you are currently using); and 2-hour offsite communications strategy session (at the offices of Cutler & Company) designed to help you create a year-long communications strategy for your agency:
WINNER: Sophia Academy

Peter Goldberg Photography
A 45-minute photo session at your nonprofit that will result in several low-resolution selections for your new website.
WINNER: Amos House

Precision Web Marketing
Email marketing strategy session to determine how the organization can use permission-based email communications to reach out to various stakeholders (donors, board members, press and community members) on a regular basis to help achieve marketing and business goals
WINNER: Planned Parenthood of RI

Engage Fitness
Five training sessions at the work place for up to 6 people.
WINNER: The Providence Center

Migliori Design
A two-hour publication design consultation.
WINNER: Marriage Equality of RI

Mystic Aquarium
A meet-and-greet with a beluga whale at the aquarium for two.
WINNER: Youth in Action

Gamm Theatre
Pair of tickets good for any play next season.
WINNER: RI ACLU

New Commons
“Strategic partnerships/building a network of tiered partners" with an executive director and 3 to 4 others for about 20 hours, Map of current strategic partners , Focus and action plan ,Consultation on approach to weave strategic partnerships as your strategy.
WINNER: The Providence Center

Gora Communications
A new identity design, or a print ad, or a mounted (color) 11x17" poster featuring your organization.
WINNER: Marriage Equality of RI

Hecht Design
A branding, print, or website design review.
WINNER: Family Resources Community Action

Sassy Ladies
A two-hour publication design consultation.
WINNER: The Met School

Punch Gym
Workout DVD and kettlebell.
WINNER: Sophia Academy

MadCreative
Stationery package design to include letterhead, envelope and business card.
WINNER: The Women’s Fund of RI

Amos House More than a Meal
Catered dinner for 10 as a prize for your event
WINNER: The Providence Center

Secured Network Services, Inc.
Security audit and a free small office/home office security router/access point/firewall, the Cisco 871W.
WINNER: Youth in Action

Providence, RI – Feb. 27, 2008 – Gilbane Development Company, a privately owned real estate development firm, has chosen Embolden to establish the online presence for one of its newest luxury properties – Surfside Narragansett. The recently launched site features robust information and visual imagery, representing the relaxed, upscale attitude of the new complex.

“The Embolden Team took the time to understand our Surfside Narragansett project and translate our vision into a visually striking and user-friendly website” said Robert Gilbane. “Visitors to the site are quickly able to understand the unique nature of Surfside’s oceanfront lifestyle from the website’s elegant presentation and are able to easily access information about each condominium and all of Surfside’s amenities. The Embolden Team was a pleasure to work with.”

Embolden is one of New England’s premier web design, development and solutions companies. The company recently announced stellar growth and performance in 2007 – with the signing of more than 40 new clients.

“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to support Gilbane’s web and business objectives,” said Embolden president Ann-Marie Harrington. “We believe Liveatsurfside.com brings the spirit and energy of their Surfside property to the web in a meaningful way.”

The informational Liveatsurfside.com site is built on Embolden’s state-of-the-art technology infrastructure, and its design aesthetic incorporates the company’s many years of consultative expertise.

About Gilbane Development Company
Founded in 1970, Gilbane Development is the project development, financing and ownership arm of Gilbane, Inc. Developing a wide range of projects for both institutional and corporate clients; Gilbane Development integrates the myriad components of the project delivery and ownership structure and guarantees the results. It utilizes its experience in finance, alternative transaction structures, tax and project management to provide customer-focused solutions that reduce costs and maximizes value. Completed projects incorporate every aspect of real estate including: residential communities, mixed-used developments, garage/parking areas, corporate headquarters, operational | data | distribution centers, R&D | manufacturing facilities, and schools and other public facilities.

Providence, RI – Jan. 7, 2008 - Embolden, one of New England’s premier web design, development and solutions companies, announces stellar performance in 2007. The company continued its rapid growth over 2006, adding more than 25 new Community Foundation, Non-profit and Professional Services clients, and winning the coveted Sloan Award - for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility - for the second year in a row.

“Our 2007 results continue to reflect our strategy and vision of providing world-class web solutions for our clients, and remaining as a great place to work and grow,” said Embolden president Ann-Marie Harrington.

In addition to increasing service and solutions to many of its existing clients, Embolden expanded its reach to more of the country’s largest non-profit entities – extending into the West, Midwest, and throughout the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic states. New clients added over the year include:

• Utah’s Park City Community Foundation
• Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration
• YMCA of Greater Providence
• New Jersey After 3
• Home and Hospice Care of RI
• Amos House
• Newport Bermuda Race
• KVH Industries

Embolden continued in keeping a sharp focus on providing web solutions that address the unique and acute issues of Community Foundations in particular. Through its years of experience in helping large foundation clients, the company has developed much-needed products and services – and highly-regarded consultative expertise.

“What we value so much about Embolden is their ability to help us take a thoughtful, strategic approach to engaging our audiences,” said Donna Jolly, Director of Communications Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. “There are many options for creating dynamic, interactive Websites. Embolden helps us focus on solutions that are appropriate for us and our diverse audiences. They help us maximize our technology investments,” Jolly said.

Other 2007 highlights include - company president, Ann-Marie Harrington, served as a judge for Rhode Island’s Annual Business Plan Competition, and spoke at a number of New England conferences. The company was an exhibitor at the Council on Foundations’ Annual Conference, and added 3 new staff members in critical growth positions.

On the product and solutions front, Embolden launched an improved version of its content management offering, Matriarch, now powered by DotNetNuke (or DNN). The company also improved its Web 2.0 and portal offerings, and increased its FIMS integration capabilities, to help community foundation clients manage the latest in the ever-changing web environment.

“The best thing about growth is it allows us to help more clients, and to bring more talented professionals into our company. We look forward to doing even more in 2008,” said Harrington.

Embolden is featured in the January 2008 issue of Rhode Island Monthly Magazine.

Providence, RI - September 2007 - Working with our new client, KVH Industries, Embolden creates a new website geared toward the growing phenomenon of High-Tech Tailgating (HTT). HTT fuses mobile technologies with a growing culture of sports fans as they partake in the spirit of their games in parking lots across the nation. Visit High-Tech Tailgating.

Pawtucket, RI - Aug. 6, 2007 - Embolden has developed a new online presence for the Greater Providence YMCA Association and its nine branches throughout the state. The new Association site www.ymcagreaterprovidence.org will, for the first time, link to standardized feature-rich portals for each of the nine branches. All portals will be consistently branded with the same design and architecture.

“The Greater Providence YMCA Association has a long term commitment to being the most valued resource for people in the community seeking healthy lifestyles and wellness,” explained Karen Leslie, President/CEO, YMCA of Greater Providence. “With the new Association site, weare extending this commitment online by enriching our already highly trafficked branch sites. Members and potential members will be able to go to our home page, get a sense of who we are and then use it as a jumping off point to explore the offerings of all area branches.

She continued, “Embolden had a clear vision for tying the Association together aesthetically and technically and a vision for the future for integrating the site within our existing systems.”

Although all branches will be consistently branded, through similar layout, design and architecture, they will all feature distinct, dynamic content which will be regularly updated by administrators at each branch using Embolden’s enterprise-level content management system powered by DotNetNuke (www.dotnetnuke.com).

One of the most useful features on the main portal is a facilities grid which enables visitors to search for a specific site feature - such as an aerobics room, swimming pool, rock climbing wall or lake - across each branch. Other new features include: a downloadable membership application form; downloadable schedules for each branch; a virtual tour of each branch; and an opportunity to sign up for e-newsletters published by the Association and individual branches.

“Embolden specializes in developing custom applications for large nonprofits,” offered Ann-Marie Harrington, President of Embolden Design, “and we are really excited to be able to create an online presence for the Association that will be even more responsive to the way people process and search for information.We’re big fans of the Y and its mission and proud to be part of this project.”

Providence, RI - July 2007 - Embolden launches a new website for The Newport Bermuda Race, a world-famous 635-mile ocean race that takes place every two years in mid-June, with over 180 boats starting from historic Newport, Rhode Island. Visit Newport Bermuda Race 2008.

Providence, RI - July 2007 - Embolden launches a new website for the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) in Newport, Rhode Island. The website is designed to reflect the unique mission and culture of IYRS, combining an old world aesthetic with a cutting-edge, modern sensibility. Visit IYRS.