IFMA publishes annual report for fiscal year 2019-2020

IFMA has released its annual report for fiscal year 2020 (July 1, 2019-June 30, 2020). The digital report is available for ​download at ifma.org/about/about-ifma/year-in-review-annual-reports.

Following one of the most profitable years in IFMA’s history, the association entered 2020 with an eye toward building on the momentum of its achievements. As risks presented by the COVID-19 pandemic heightened, IFMA quickly positioned itself to support the facility management community through an ever-changing environment and remained stable going into the 2020-21 fiscal year.

In his opening message in the report, John Carrillo, CFM, IFMA Fellow, 2019-20 chair of IFMA’s global board of directors wrote, “A strong strategic plan combined with deliberate cost-cutting measures and the overwhelming support of our members and volunteer leaders have kept the association secure.”

Wrote IFMA President and COO Don Gilpin in the report’s President’s Message, “From a financial and organizational standpoint, we survived the initial impacts of COVID-19 as a united front. We asked for the support of our community in order to be here for our community, and you came through.”

Despite canceling four global events in March, April and June 2020, IFMA focused its efforts on providing valuable online resources, creating beneficial ways to keep members informed and connected. Between January and July 2020:

• IFMA launched a comprehensive online COVID-19 Resource Center, featuring curated articles, checklists, guidelines, tools and links to the latest discussions on Engage;
• IFMA introduced a series of weekly FM + COVID-19 webinars and hosted two virtual events;
• Live virtual courses were added to the self-study options for the Facility Management Professional™ (FMP^®) program;
• IFMA’s COVID-19 Rapid Response Team published a Strategic Framework, including a project plan template for facility re-entry;
• IFMA’s BETA community sponsored a series of prospective technology solutions for a socially distanced world;
• IFMA offered discounted pricing on IFMA credential programs and Knowledge Library subscriptions and announced an extended grace period for membership renewals;

• Together with the IFMA Foundation and ESUS Community, IFMA published a Pandemic Manual and a climate change report, both free of charge to the FM community.

Additional highlights contained in the FY20 report:

• Senior staff member Don Gilpin was promoted to President and COO in March 2020;
• In June, IFMA joined in peaceful protest against reprehensible acts of racial discrimination and injustice in the U.S.;
• IFMA’s CFM^® program joined IFMA’s FMP^® and SFP^® credential programs in achieving ANSI accreditation;
• IFMA welcomed 6,706 new members, a 4 percent increase over FY19;
• In January 2020, IFMA added Instagram to its social media channels.

“Even amid disruption and worry, we continued doing what we’ve done for the past 40 years, providing training, knowledge sharing and support to help FMs create and maintain safe, sustainable and resilient workplaces,” wrote Gilpin. “That’s IFMA’s calling – our reason for being – to be a source of information, direction and inspiration for FMs worldwide, especially in times of crisis.”

Carrillo concluded, “What lies ahead in a post-pandemic world will change the FM conversation even more so. IFMA is positioned to guide and support the FM industry through this, as well as the next phase of change.”