IFMA Foundation - Monthly Board Update – September 2015
In an on-going effort to keep IFMA Foundation constituents of all kinds informed of the activities of the IFMA
Foundation, we are pleased to present the September 2015 board update. These updates provide a quick
overview of key board and committee actions and program results.
Global Workforce Initiative (see GWI section of www.ifmafoundation.org)
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San Bernardino / Riverside California Pilot:
o Significant connections made with “Doing What Matters”, a coalition of the state’s community
colleges. A grant has been secured to create FM educational pathways and contextualize existing
course content to be FM specific in line with the FM ADP standard. Meetings in the region with
key constituents scheduled for week of Oct. 19th. Expected outcome: FM programs at
community colleges throughout the state and accredited two and four year degree programs and
IFMA credential offerings.
Development of High School FM student modules
o Foundation Director of Accreditation and Academic Affairs, Steve Lockwood, CFM, IFMA Fellow is
continues working with High School teachers and the San Bernardino County Alliance for
Education to develop content the Foundation will provide to high school teachers for use in the
classroom. Late 2015 deployment targeted.
Bay Area Pilot:
o Additional connections through “Doing What Matters” in Northern California at Foothill College
for FM offerings there.
o The Bay Area IFMA Chapters continue to work with NFTE to engage 19 High Schools and over
1,500 students by mentoring, providing facility tours and business plan coaching. Hayward and
Silver Creek High School students travel to New York October 6th for the National Business Plan
Competition.
o Oakland School District has created a proposed plan to help at risk youth through a Facility
Management Career Pathway for future consideration.
New York City Chapter pilot
o The Foundation is working with chapter volunteers at creating pathways into FM for
professionals looking to transition out of related careers. An “FM Readiness Assessment” is
being investigated.
Outreach Materials
o Gamification Team – continue to investigate the possibility of a “SimCity-style” FM educational
game. The team has connected with gamification experts and are looking for affordable
development resources and better defining the storyboard, user scenarios, graphic styles, etc. to
better set the scope and resources necessary for the project.
FM Accredited Degree Programs (ADP) / FM Accreditation Commission (FMAC)
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Academic Registry Launch
o The new on-line global resource is launching at World Workplace. It will catalogue every FM
Degree available in the world. Students, parents and employers will be able to quickly and easily
search this free database to locate and obtain information on two-year, four year and graduate
Facility Management Degrees available worldwide. Search criteria includes on-line, on-campus
and combination programs, areas of focus and geographic. The site started with listing the 30
Accredited Degree Programs and anticipate more than 50 non-accredited listings in the coming
weeks. This is vital information for students considering making FM a career of choice, and a
one-stop resource that is greatly needed. The Foundation thanks FM:Systems for underwriting
the development of this new important tool.
New Accreditations, Re-accreditations, and upgraded Accreditations
o Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis’ (IUPUI) 100% on-line FM Masters Degree from
Purdue University was approved for accreditation by the FMAC.
o Hong Kong Polytechnic’s Masters Degree in FM program was approved for re-accreditation by
the FMAC.
o Also being recognized at World Workplace as Re-accredited are Ferris State University’s
Bachelors Degree and Brigham Young University’s Bachelors Degree. Upgraded to Full
Accreditation are Florida A&M University’s Bachelors Degree, Kennesaw State University’s
Bachelors Degree, Arizona State University Masters Degree and Temple University’s Bachelors
Degree programs.
Student Programs and Scholarship Awards
o The 2015 IFMA Foundation scholarship and student programs processes have completed with 43
students being awarded at World Workplace. 2015 Scholarship program total value of more
than $150,000. This year’s awards bring the grand total for the Foundation’s scholarship
program to more than $1.5 million USD since inception.
New ADP seal
o A new seal for FM ADP accredited institutions has been
developed for the Accredited Degree Program.
Accredited institutions will be encouraged to use the logo
in their related marketing and information materials. It
will be prominently displayed in appropriate pages and
sections of the new FM Registry and Foundation Website.
It is intended that the ability to use the FMAC/IFMA/IFMA
Foundation branded seal will be a significant benefit to
ADP institutions and provide exposure for the
FMAC/IFMA/IFMA Foundation with students, employers and parents.
New Academic Journal and related events
o There will be 17 presentations by academics and researchers in the Academic Research Track to
be held at World Workplace. Papers will be published via the ijfm Journal by calendar year end.
o New FM academic journal development continues with the core development team - target
launch in conjunction with Facility Fusion USA in May, 2016.
ADP Pipeline
o Twelve re-accreditations are scheduled for calendar 2016.
o 6-8 likely new accredited programs anticipated for calendar 2016.
Fundraising
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Affinity Program Launch – GenZe by Mahindra
o GenZe will contribute $200 to the IFMA Foundation for each e-bike sold through the program.
GenZe completed a program brochure and landing page/website for the program. A GenZe ebike will be on display in the Foundation booth at World Workplace with a press conference.
Initial program prospects look promising in the Bay Area of California.
Chapter Engagement and Fundraisers
o Another significant chapter fundraiser was held in September. The Orange County and San
Fernando Chapters co-hosted a wine tasting event at the Long Beach Yacht Club. Raising nearly
$4,000 for the Foundation, the event also gave members the opportunity to build community,
understand the Foundation’s Global Workforce Initiative and rally around a common goal.
o Many chapters upgraded their annual support of the Foundation through sponsorship of the
Celebration. Significant new gifts came from the Kansas City and Los Angeles Chapters.
o The Utilities Council and Foundation issued a challenge to all chapters to help the Doug
Underwood Memorial Golf Tournament hit its $25,000 scholarship goal in observance of the
Council’s 25th anniversary. Chapters were challenged to donate $250, and the Utilities Council
would add $100 for each chapter that participated. If 25 chapters participated, the Council
would double their match to $5,000. 31 Chapters ended up participating!
Other updates from the Executive Director, Jeffrey J. Tafel, CAE
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Marketing and Communications
o World Workplace messaging – in 2014, the Foundation introduced the GWI and what the
initiative had planned. In Denver this year, the message will revolve around what the GWI pilots
have already accomplished. The goal is to have attendees leave knowing that the Foundation is
already making an impact towards making FM a Career of Choice by getting into high schools and
has initial resources in place.
o The Foundation is pleased to announce that Eileen McMorrow of the McMorrow Report has
volunteered to help lead the Foundation’s execution of the Marketing and Communications Plan.
The Foundation will be actively recruiting for this committee at World Workplace.
o The Foundation’s Annual Progress Report will be published in November, 2016 and will include
audited financial information, GWI and World Workplace recaps and reviews. Again this year,
the FMAC’s annual report will be included in the progress report.
Strategic Planning Oversight Team (SPOT) Concept
o Foundation Trustee Tom Mitchell, former Association Chair and currently serving on the
Association’s SPOT, met with Jeff Tafel and John Carrillo about establishing a SPOT for the
Foundation similar to the Association’s. Tom will make a presentation to the Board of Trustees
at the October board meeting to introduce the idea. The goal is to improve focus, track and
report results and improve communication of performance with donors and constituents.