IFMA
IFMA is a Houston-based non-profit professional association serving 25,000+ facility management professionals across 140+ countries through credentials (CFM, FMP, SFP), conferences, training, and benchmarking research for the global FM profession.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What IFMA does
IFMA (International Facility Management Association) is a US-based non-profit professional association founded in 1980 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and currently headquartered in Houston, Texas. It serves more than 25,000 facility management professionals across 140+ countries through a portfolio of credentials, training programs, conferences, research, and member services. The association operates three proprietary credential programs — Certified Facility Manager (CFM), Facility Management Professional (FMP), and Sustainability Facility Professional (SFP) — built on an 11-core-competency body of knowledge, and recognizes an exclusive Fellow designation held by only 0.5% of members. Technology platforms include the FM.Training learning management system, a credential registry, a Knowledge Library, a Job Board, and the Engage Forum community platform.
IFMA's revenue model is diversified across six streams: recurring membership dues (across Professional, Associate, Student, Young Professional, Retired, Fellow, and Educator classifications), credentialing and certification fees, event registration and sponsorship (World Workplace, Facility Fusion, World Workplace Europe, IFMA Global Africa, IFMA Global LATAM), a tiered Corporate Partner Program (Platinum/Gold/Silver with logos including Amazon, JLL, Johnson Controls, OfficeSpace Software, Planon), bookstore and publications, and professional development courses. Pricing is set by the Board of Directors based on classification and geographic needs; specific dues are not publicly disclosed. The association monetizes its research and benchmarking data through the FM Market Pulse Report and the Facility Management Workload Index (FMWI), co-developed with the Simplar Foundation.
IFMA distributes its services through a global chapter and council network, regional operating entities (EMEA, LATAM, Global Africa), corporate partnerships, and direct membership enrollment via the my.ifma.org portal. Strategic partnerships include MoUs with ASHE, ASHRAE, USGBC, ISSA, the European Facility Management Network, and Singapore's Building & Construction Authority, as well as a flagship training partnership with JLL that has trained 1,700+ professionals since 2023. The organization operates through a Board of Directors chaired by Luis Viña, with President and CEO Michael V. Geary leading a 101–250 employee team. The IFMA Foundation operates as an affiliated charitable entity supporting workforce development and research.
IFMA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IFMA
- Legal name
- International Facility Management Association
- Website
- https://ifma.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- IFMA is a Houston-based non-profit professional association serving 25,000+ facility management professionals across 140+ countries through credentials (CFM, FMP, SFP), conferences, training, and benchmarking research for the global FM profession.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IFMA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Association Services for Facility Management
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)
Keywords
Where IFMA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
IFMA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from professional, associate, retired, Fellow, student, young professional, educator-head of FM program, and limited members. Dues reflect membership classification and global/geographic needs as set by the Board of Directors.
- Credentialing and Certification Fees: Fees for CFM, FMP, and SFP credential programs, including exam development, certification maintenance, and credential registry access.
- Event Registration and Sponsorship: Revenue from World Workplace, Facility Fusion, and regional events including registration fees, exhibit sales, sponsorship packages, and advertising opportunities.
- Corporate Partner Program: Platinum, Gold, and Silver tier corporate partnership sponsorships providing marketing visibility, exhibitor access, and engagement opportunities.
- Bookstore and Publications: Sales of FM books, research reports, and publications through the IFMA bookstore, with member discounts.
- Professional Development Courses: Fees for individual courses, online training, partner courses, and CFM Knowledge Workshop.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Professional Membership - Open to individuals with primary FM responsibilities |
| Subscription | Annual | Associate Membership - Open to consultants, vendors, product/service providers |
| Subscription | Annual | Student Membership - For full-time students in FM or related programs |
| Subscription | Annual | Young Professional Membership - For members 35 years or younger |
| Subscription | Annual | Retired Membership - For professional/associate members in permanent retirement |
| Subscription | Annual | Fellow Membership - Highest honor, exempt from annual dues |
| Subscription | Annual | Educator-Head of FM Program Membership - Leaders at accredited institutions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels9 records
Marketing channels13 records
IFMA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IFMA is a member-based international professional association that delivers facility management credentials (CFM, FMP, SFP), professional development training and online courses, annual and regional conferences (World Workplace, Facility Fusion, World Workplace Europe, IFMA Global Africa, IFMA Global LATAM), industry research and benchmarking, and networking through local chapters and councils for over 25,000 FM professionals across 140+ countries.
Product overview
IFMA (International Facility Management Association) is the world's largest and most widely recognized international association for facility management professionals, supporting over 25,000 members in more than 140 countries. The organization operates as a professional association ecosystem rather than a single product company, offering a comprehensive portfolio of member services including three core credential programs (CFM, FMP, SFP), major annual events (World Workplace, Facility Fusion, regional events), content channels (FMJ Magazine, Knowledge Library, Research & Benchmarking), an online learning platform (FM.Training), a job board, a Corporate Partner Program, and the IFMA Foundation for workforce development. The association's offerings are interconnected through its membership structure, enabling professionals to access credentials, training, networking, research, and career resources through a unified membership framework.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 2% increase in promotions among FMP-certified employees through IFMA-JLL training partnership
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use IFMA
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
IFMA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature4 records
IFMA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Simplar FoundationcoreIFMA and Simplar Foundation released the Facility Management Pulse Report, a comprehensive survey-based analysis of the global FM market drawing on 1,400+ responses from practitioners across 80 countries managing 3.2 billion square feet. The partnership produces ongoing benchmarking research including the FM Workload Index.
- JLLflagshipIFMA and JLL collaborated to train over 1,700 facility management professionals through IFMA's programs since 2023, leading to 2% increase in promotions and nearly 14% improvement in retention rates among FMP-certified employees. JLL represents a key strategic training partner addressing industry workforce challenges.
- Johnson ControlscoreJohnson Controls is a Platinum Corporate Partner and co-hosted an IFMA webinar debunking four common AI myths in facility management. Partnership focuses on education around AI effectiveness, data quality, and human judgment in FM technology adoption.
- EFSIM Facilities Management Company / EFS Facilities Services GroupcoreCEO Tariq Chauhan appointed to IFMA's Global Board of Directors for 2025-2027 term, recognizing over two decades of FM leadership. EFSIM operates 75 service lines with 8,400 employees in Saudi Arabia and 27 countries globally, representing a USD 2 billion FM powerhouse.
- FMN (Facility Management Network)flagshipFMN is an IFMA Alliance Partner representing the pinnacle of IFMA's organizational relationships with the closest ties to other professional groups. Alliance Partners determine their own information sharing arrangements while maintaining organizational identity.
- Global Regional FM AssociationscoreIFMA collaborates with regional FM associations across Europe (EMEA), Latin America (LATAM), Africa, and Asia Pacific through regional sites and affiliates, sharing research, training standards, and industry insights across geographies.
- IFMA FoundationcoreIFMA Foundation is a affiliated organization supporting workforce development, scholarships, and FM research. Executive Director Rachel Biundo leads workforce development initiatives including U.S. Veterans in FM salary report.
- ISO TC267coreIFMA supports FM Standards development through ISO TC267, contributing to international facility management standards that define professional competencies and operational frameworks.
- American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE)coreMemorandum of Understanding for information exchange, advancing FM profession, and sharing educational initiatives between IFMA and ASHE focused on healthcare facility management.
- ASHRAEcoreMemorandum of Understanding with ASHRAE for exchanging information and sharing educational initiatives related to building systems and HVAC in facility management.
- U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)coreMemorandum of Understanding supporting sustainability and green building initiatives within FM operations, aligning ESG goals with LEED certification and sustainable facility practices.
- European Facility Management NetworkcoreMoU supporting European FM professional development, research sharing, and collaborative initiatives across the European FM community.
- ISSAcoreMemorandum of Understanding for cleaning and maintenance industry collaboration within facility management operations.
- Building & Construction Authority (Singapore)coreMoU supporting FM professional development and building standards collaboration between IFMA and Singapore's BCA.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
IFMA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CoreNet Global: Global association for corporate real estate (CRE) professionals, with membership, credentials (MCR), and major events. Overlaps with IFMA in serving enterprise workplace and real estate executives and competes for the same corporate partner dollars.
- Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM): International membership association for real estate management professionals with credentials (ARM, CPM, AMO). Closely comparable member-based credentialing model for property and facility managers.
- Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS): Global professional body for land, property, and construction professionals with chartering, credentials, and standards authority. Comparable international standards-setting role in built environment, with similar revenue model of membership, credentials, and standards.
- BOMA International: Building Owners and Managers Association International is the closest US-based peer — a membership association serving commercial real estate and building operations professionals with credentials (BOMI), advocacy, and events. Directly comparable member-based professional association model for adjacent built-environment functions.
- Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM): UK-based professional body for workplace and FM professionals, with credentialing, standards, and policy advocacy. A direct peer in the FM-specific professional association space, particularly in the UK/Ireland market.
Emerging players
- ISSA: Global cleaning and sanitation industry association with training, certification, and events. IFMA has an MoU with ISSA; comparable standards/training role within a sub-discipline of FM (cleaning and maintenance).
- APPA (Association of Physical Plant Administrators): US-based membership association for educational facilities professionals. Overlaps with IFMA in FM credentialing and standards but focused on higher education; addresses a meaningful segment of the FM profession.
Broad incumbents
- ASHRAE: Global built environment society for HVAC/R and building systems with standards, credentialing, and large membership. IFMA has an MoU with ASHRAE; comparable in standards authority and member-based model, with overlapping technical content.
Regional players
- European Facility Management Network (EuroFM): European FM research and networking organization collaborating with IFMA via MoU. Comparable FM-focused association model but regionally focused on Europe, competing for IFMA's EMEA foothold.
- Facility Management Association of Australia (FMA Australia): Australian FM industry association with credentials, events, and advocacy. Comparable professional association model for the APAC region, with strong local accreditation that limits IFMA's pricing in Australia.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
IFMA social profiles
Digital presenceIFMA compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
IFMA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IFMA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
IFMA subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
IFMA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IFMA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IFMA
What does IFMA do?
IFMA is a member-based international professional association that delivers facility management credentials (CFM, FMP, SFP), professional development training and online courses, annual and regional conferences (World Workplace, Facility Fusion, World Workplace Europe, IFMA Global Africa, IFMA Global LATAM), industry research and benchmarking, and networking through local chapters and councils for over 25,000 FM professionals across 140+ countries.
Is IFMA a public or private company?
IFMA is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was IFMA founded?
IFMA was founded in 1980. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is IFMA based?
IFMA is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does IFMA make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are credentialing and Certification Fees, event Registration and Sponsorship, corporate Partner Program, bookstore and Publications and professional Development Courses.
Who are IFMA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CoreNet Global, Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), BOMA International and Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM). Emerging players are ISSA and APPA (Association of Physical Plant Administrators). ASHRAE is listed as a broad incumbent. Regional players are European Facility Management Network (EuroFM) and Facility Management Association of Australia (FMA Australia).
Does IFMA have an API?
No public API is recorded for IFMA.
What industry is IFMA in?
IFMA's product category is Professional Association Services for Facility Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADANAB, Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels. Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.