The goal of the Community Services Committee is to help non-profit community agencies improve their facilities by giving back to the community our core competencies in facility knowledge and management.

In 1997 IFMA Atlanta decided to advance its community services efforts beyond a one day event to a perpetual program that kept on giving 365 days a year. Our intent was to utilize the strength of our membership to improve non-profit organization facilities in the Atlanta area and at the same time promote the profession of facility management. As a result of these efforts, IFMA Atlanta received the IFMA International award for Community Services Contributions and Achievement in 1998.

We organize each initiative with project teams to provide a detailed focus to each project which affords the opportunity for IFMA Atlanta to accomplish more for each of our partners. A team leader coordinates the associated activities of each project.

With the help, support and in-kind donations and services of our associate and professional members, we have helped complete many projects, saving thousands of dollars that enable our partners to re-channel towards their operating programs. We also serve on their Boards, and represent IFMA when needed, to aid in obtaining grants for capital projects. We have worked with the City of Atlanta, United Way, Community Affairs, and county governments in completing many projects. Over the years, our reputation has grown to such that now, each year, United Way only funds their CAP projects to those non-profit organizations that are mentored by IFMA Atlanta, BOMA (whom we mentored to help establish their community service program) and IIDA.

Annually our membership gives of their personal time to volunteer from 8.30 am to Noon. IFMA members are encouraged to join the Annual Volunteer Day. On Saturday, March 8, 2008 members worked at the Atlanta Community Toolbank. Projects such as painting, cleaning, and planting have brought professional and associate members together working to benefit the community while getting to know one another for later business successes. Member organizations that donate to help fuel our volunteers are Royal Cup Coffee and Coca Cola. Also, each year during the December holiday luncheon, IFMA Atlanta members donate unwrapped gifts for the children of our community partner groups. Mark your calendars now for Wednesday, May 20, 2009 from 12-4pm for this great day of giving back to the community!

On February 8, 2008, this committee hosted its first Nonprofit Facility Summit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. This educational event targeted to put critical facility information and tools in the hands of FM professionals working in the nonprofit sector. Topics included "How to write a preventative maintenance manual", "Energy Efficiency", "How to plan for business continuity", "Basics of environmental construction - LEED?", "When does outsourcing make sense?" and more. Look for Lunch and Learn opportunities for nonprofit facility managers to gain education in the four core competency areas. Mark your calendars for Friday, February 6th, 2009 for the 2nd Nonprofit Facility Summit. You can help by encouraging nonprofit organizations that you know to participate and/or consider becoming a session speaker.

If you are interested in hosting a quarterly lunch and learn educational session for local nonprofit professionals, please contact the Committee Chair, Christy Jellets at 404.591.1578 or by email at cjellets@atlantabotanicalgarden.org. We meet monthly on the Friday before the IFMA luncheon). Our meetings are held at Hendrick, Inc., located in Piedmont Center (off Georgia 400-Lenox/Piedmont Exit). Hendrick, Inc., is in Building 8, Suite 300 on the 3rd floor. Networking 8:00-8:30 - meetings 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Click here for a pdf application to become a Community Partner. (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this file - download it for free here: Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Our community services effort would not be where it is today without the continuous involvement and support of our associate members and their companies. Click here to view the list of our Project Team members and those companies who have contributed to our projects most generously. We hope that when you need services, you will look to these companies first for your facility needs.

Established in 1990 as a non-profit corporation, the IFMA Foundation is designed to identify, fund and promote education and research for the advancement of facility management. Funded exclusively by the generosity of individual IFMA members, chapters, councils and corporate sponsors, donations underwrite research, fund educational program development, provide scholarships to students pursuing degrees in facility management and support certification programs benefiting the profession. The Foundation invests every contributed dollar in programs that directly benefit the future of the profession. Please click here for contact information.