Connected FM: A Blog by IFMA

How IFMA Moved Facility Management Forward in 2025

Written by Chablis Lindquist | 17 December 2025

Staying power. It’s not just about having the strength and determination to persist, but to maintain an enduring impact — to remain resilient, relevant, trusted and treasured over time. The brands you grew up with and still reach for today have it. Classic stories with universal themes that resonate across generations have it.

Facility management has it. Almost half a century after IFMA set out to define, unite, support and elevate an indistinct profession, FM has come into its own as an essential, game-changing global industry — its lasting influence on organizational productivity, performance and progress resonating across sectors, cities, people and the planet.

The IFMA community has it. We began with 25 members. Today, more than 25,000 professionals in 140 countries shape our community — a collective force with the passion and expertise to continue advancing the profession and optimizing the built environment. As we wrap up a year of 45th anniversary celebrations, here’s a look at how all of us continued moving the industry and individual careers forward together.

Support when & where you need it

You work at all hours, on every floor of the building, with a range of tech, tools and teams. There’s no telling when or where you’ll need professional guidance, clarity or inspiration; so, we’re making sure you can get the right resource at the right moment — tailored to the reality of your minute-to-minute, rooftop-to-blacktop work.

Expanding resources for every FM

Organizations are looking to FM for practical and creative ways to survive and thrive. With expanded and upgraded resources that directly support your professional progress, you have more pathways to build skills, strengthen your network and position yourself as a strategic leader — even as industry demands accelerate.

  • Assess your skill gaps with an improved Self-Assessment platform that provides customized learning resources;
  • Access free, open-source articles, updated weekly in IFMA’s FMJ Magazine anytime, anywhere;
  • Advance your career without disrupting your workday in virtual evening Facility Management Professional™ classes;
  • Get paired up with practiced professionals who’ve been where you are via Mentor Match;
  • Easily find content that interests you on IFMA’s revamped Connected FM Podcast page, built around user-friendly browsing;
  • Join targeted communities in the Engage forum, including new groups for Spanish-speaking FMs and arena/stadium managers;
  • Ensure uninterrupted access to exclusive member benefits with a convenient, cost-effective two-year membership renewal option;
  • Broaden your opportunities with an expanded FM job board, listing positions and internships worldwide, plus tools to give you an edge in securing your desired role;
  • Turn vision into reality by partnering with the IFMA Foundation to help build strong career pathways for the next generation of FMs.

“Becoming part of a community of like-minded individuals who not only became friends but also mentors played a significant role in my personal and professional growth. Whether it was receiving expert guidance or being introduced to the right specialist, having those trusted contacts made a real difference. Knowing I had a network I could lean on propelled me forward.” – Katerina Karasyova, President of IFMA’s Greater Toronto & South Central Ontario Chapter, Chair of IFMA’s Young Professionals Network, Recognized as an IFMA’s Forty Under 40 and Top Global Influencer

Expanding global reach & local support

IFMA continues to build and strengthen our network of chapters and partners worldwide so that you benefit from a membership experience that delivers personal, professional and organizational value. You stay connected to the trends, standards and people shaping the built environment — and you have a local system of colleagues that understands the regional imperatives and barriers for FM.

“What’s kept me here is how genuine everyone is about sharing knowledge — what works, what doesn’t, what to avoid. That spirit of openness exists across every area of the profession. Whether you’re in Rotterdam, Phoenix or Hong Kong, you’re tackling the same challenges. Being part of a group that understands and evolves together — that’s where the real impact happens.” – Ted Ritter, IFMA Fellow, Global Co-chair of IFMA’s IT Community, Past President of IFMA’s Phoenix Chapter

Key insights shaping the future of FM

Shifts happen. You don’t have time to track and analyze ongoing business trends and risks; but we do. This year’s research and benchmarking reports are helping you gain clarity amid uncertainty — and evidence-backed guidance you can use to influence decisions, secure resources and elevate your organizational role, including:

Moving the industry forward

The IFMA community spans years, miles and disciplines, reflecting a strong culture of collaboration, inclusion and friendship. Each of us is part of a collective, global force shaping the future of the industry and the built environment itself. IFMA’s staying power is a direct reflection of FM’s commitment to not just stay the course but blaze the trail. We can’t wait to see what the next year — and the next 45 years — will bring.