[4] IFMA was founded in 1980 by a group of people led by David Armstrong of Michigan State University, George Graves of Texas Eastern Transmission Corp. and Charles Hitch of Manufacturer's Bank.

Originally held in the U.S., the event series has expanded to Europe, the Middle East, India, China and Asia.

[10] Established in 1990 as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, the IFMA Foundation promotes educational opportunities to advance the facility management profession and make FM a career of choice.

The foundation's work is supported by contributions from the facility management community, including IFMA members, chapters, councils, corporate sponsors and private contributors.

This includes sub-groups by region (136 local chapters), facility type or area of practice (16 industry councils) and specialization or core competency of focus (7 communities).