IFMA Bylaws Article VIII | Chapters & Structure

Bylaws

ARTICLE VIII: ASSOCIATION CHAPTERS

Section 1.
Purposes
Chapters are a primary means by which IFMA delivers member value at the local level within a defined geographic area, supports professional development, builds community among facility management professionals, and advances the discipline of facility management. 

Section 2.
Chapters
Chapters shall be chartered and shall be affiliated with the Association. 

Section 3.
Membership

As stated in the Constitution [Art. VII], membership in Chapters shall be restricted to Association members. The Chapter may invite non-members to attend Chapter meetings and events in accordance with such policies and procedures, if any, adopted by the Association's Board of Directors.  

Section 4.
Organization

Each Chapter shall adopt bylaws approved by the Association's Board of Directors, as provided in the following section. The Association's Board of Directors may adopt model bylaws for the advice of Association members organizing a Chapter. The Chapter bylaws shall provide that the Chapter: 

1. Will abide by applicable law, the Association's Articles of Incorporation, the Constitution and these Bylaws, and policies and procedures adopted by the Association's Board. In the event of any conflict between a Chapter’s bylaws and Association’s governing documents, the Association’s governing documents shall prevail.
2. Is organized and operated exclusively for purposes consistent with Section 501 (c) (6) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. § 501 (c) (6) or the corresponding provisions of any successor statute;  
3. Is a separate entity and the Association is not financially responsible for it;
   1. The Association reserves the right to audit or review the financial records of any Chapter upon reasonable notice where the Board determines there is reasonable cause to believe the Chapter is not meeting its financial obligations or is not complying with applicable law or Association policies.
   2. The Association shall remit to each certified Chapter dues collected from Chapter members, in amounts and on terms established by Board policy.

Receipt of dues remittances is conditioned on the Chapter’s certified status and compliance with applicable financial reporting requirements. 

4. Shall immediately notify the IFMA Global staff of the results of Chapter elections for Officers; 
5. Delegates shall be selected directly by the Chapter members or indirectly by officers or a Board of Directors elected by the Chapter members; and  
6. The Chapter shall furnish all records and reports requested by the IFMA Global staff, including regular reports on the financial condition of the Chapter, minutes of all meetings of the Chapter’s Board of Directors, meeting notices, etc. All subsequent changes in the Chapter bylaws must be approved by the Association's Board of Directors. 
7. Chapter may use name and marks solely for chartered activities in accordance with IFMA IP policies. Any other use requires prior written Association President and Chief Executive Officer approval.

Section 5.
Formation Requirements

1. The names of a minimum of twenty-five (25) Association members who are eligible for membership under the proposed Chapter bylaws.  
2. The names, addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers of the members who will serve as temporary Officers of the Chapter; and
3. A complete set of proposed bylaws. 

Section 6.
Recertification
Each Chapter shall submit a request for recertification to the IFMA Global staff each year by the date established by the Association's IFMA Global staff. The request should include such information as required by policies and procedures adopted by the Association's Board of Directors. The Association's Board of Directors shall review the request for recertification and approve or deny the request based upon the professional activity of the Chapter and its officers. The Board may grant conditional recertification upon such terms and conditions as the Board deems appropriate.  

Section 7.
Suspension and Termination
For failure:

1. To obtain recertification;
2. To meet financial obligations or;
3. To conduct itself according to the Association's Constitution and these Bylaws or policies and procedures adopted by the Association's Board of Directors, a Chapter may be suspended by the Association's Executive Committee or terminated by the Association's Board of Directors. Suspension shall result in 
   
   1. The immediate cessation by the Chapter of all activity except such activity as is necessary to maintain the solvent existence of the Chapter; and  
   2. Suspension of remittance of dues attributable to the Chapter by the IFMA Global staff.  

If the Chapter is suspended, the Association's Board shall consider Chapter termination at its next meeting. The Association's Board may reverse a suspension by the Association's Executive Committee. If the Association's Board determines that the circumstances listed in this section exist, it may terminate the Chapter and revoke its charter or choose to continue to recognize the Chapter as an active component upon such terms and conditions as the Association's Board deems appropriate. Before the Board votes on termination, the Chapter shall receive written notice of grounds and a minimum twenty-one (21) day opportunity to submit a written response or appear before the Board. 

Section 8.
Dissolution
In the event that the Board terminates a Chapter or a Chapter votes to dissolve voluntarily, the Chapter shall immediately return its charter to the IFMA Global staff. The Chapter then shall take all action necessary to dissolve. If the Chapter is unable to dissolve and liquidate its assets, the Association's President and Chief Executive Officer or designee shall be deemed the Chapter's representative and may perform all acts useful and necessary for the dissolution of the Chapter and the liquidation of its assets. Any properties, funds or moneys, securities or other assets remaining in the treasury of, or held to the account of, or otherwise belonging to the Chapter shall be disposed of as follows: 

1. All liabilities and obligations of the Chapter shall be paid and discharged or adequate provision shall be made by the members of the Chapter to do so; and
2. All remaining assets held by the Chapter shall be transferred or conveyed, without obligation or restriction, to the Association to be used in whatever manner the Association's President and Chief Executive Officer and Board shall deem appropriate. 

Section 9.
Student Chapters
Student Chapters shall foster awareness of and engagement with IFMA and the facility management profession among students at accredited colleges and universities. Student Chapters serve as IFMA’s primary means of developing the next generation of FM professionals, building early career networks, and creating a pipeline of qualified and engaged future members. Student Chapters are encouraged to collaborate with nearby IFMA professional Chapters to strengthen mentorship opportunities, professional engagement, and the transition of students into IFMA membership. 

Student Chapters may be established at accredited universities and colleges which have a facility management or related field of study. To become an Association student Chapter, the organizers of the proposed student Chapter must submit, and the Association's Board of Directors must approve: 

1. An Association student Chapter may be established upon application to the Association and approval in accordance with policies adopted by the Board of Directors. Each proposed student Chapter shall meet the following minimum requirements: 
   1. A minimum of ten (10) students who are enrolled at an accredited college or university and who intend to pursue facility management or an affiliated profession;
   2. A minimum of ten (10) students who are enrolled at an accredited college or university and who intend to pursue facility management or an affiliated profession;
      1. A minimum of ten (10) students who are enrolled at an accredited college or university and who intend to pursue facility management or an affiliated profession;
      2. Under the sponsorship or administrative support of an IFMA professional Chapter serving the geographic area of the participating institution or institutions;
   3. A faculty advisor from the host institution or, when hosted by an IFMA professional Chapter, a designated professional Chapter mentor or liaison to support the activities of the student Chapter;
   4. Proposed bylaws that meet the minimum contents required under Section 4 of this Article.
2. Upon approval of a student Chapter, the Association's Board shall grant the student Chapter a charter in compliance with adopted policies and procedures. The Association may provide financial support to certified student Chapters in amounts and on terms determined by Board policy. Receipt of any Association financial support is conditioned on the Chapter’s compliance with applicable bylaws and policies, including any fund-use reporting requirements. The Board may suspend or withhold financial support from any Chapter that fails to meet recertification requirements.

Student Chapters shall foster awareness of and engagement with IFMA and the facility management profession among students at accredited colleges and universities. Student Chapters serve as IFMA’s primary means of developing the next generation of FM professionals, building early career networks, creating a pipeline of qualified and engaged future members. Student Chapters are encouraged to collaborate with nearby IFMA professional Chapters to strengthen mentorship opportunities, professional engagement, and the transition of students into IFMA membership. 

3. Each student Chapter shall maintain appropriate academic or professional oversight. A student Chapter shall have either:
   1. A faculty advisor from the host institution’s faculty or staff; or
   2. When the student Chapter is hosted or sponsored by an IFMA professional Chapter, a designated mentor or liaison from the sponsoring professional Chapter.

The Board of Directors shall establish policies governing the roles, expectations and responsibilities of faculty advisors and professional Chapter mentors or liaisons. 

If a student Chapter loses its faculty advisor or designated mentor or liaison, the Chapter shall notify the Association within thirty (30) days and identify a replacement withing ninety (90) days. Failure to do so may result in the Chapter being placed on conditional status in accordance with Board policy. 

4. IFMA grants each certified student Chapter a limited, non-exclusive, revocable license to use specified IFMA marks solely in connection with its charted activities. The license automatically terminates upon suspension or revocation of the Chapter’s charter. Student Chapters shall comply with IFMA’s IP policies, Digital assets and social media accounts created using IFMA branding shall be transferred to IFMA or deleted upon officer transition or Chapter dissolution, in accordance with Board policy.
5. Each student Chapter shall conduct its activities in a manner consistent with IFMA’s values, Code of Ethics, and the standards expected of an IFMA-affiliated entity. If a student Chapter loses its recognized status at its host university, it shall immediately notify IFMA’s Global staff, and the Chapter’s charter shall be automatically placed under review. The Board shall establish policies for providing graduate responses to organizational conduct issues, ranging from remediation requirements to charter suspension. 
6. A student Chapter unable to maintain active operations due to student turnover or academic-cycle factors may be placed in dormant status for up to two (2) consecutive academic years. Dormant Chapters retain their charter but shall not receive financial support or House of Delegate rights. Reactivation requires demonstrating that the Chapter meets active requirements. Chapters dormant for more than two (2) years may be suspended or terminated by the Board.
7. The Board shall establish policies to facilitate the transition of student Chapter members to IFMA membership upon completion of their studies, including eligibility for Young Professional membership as provided in Article 1, Section 7.
8. Student Chapters may be organized in affiliation with an accredited college or university or under the sponsorship of an IFMA professional Chapter serving the geographic area of the participating institution or institutions.

When a student Chapter is affiliated with a college or university, the Association may enter into affiliations agreements or Memoranda of Understanding with the host institution. The President and Chief Executive Officer is authorized to execute such agreements on behalf of the Association, subject to terms and conditions established by the Board of Directors. 

When a student Chapter is sponsored by an IFMA professional Chapter, the sponsoring Chapter may provide mentorship, administrative support and professional engagement opportunities for participating students in accordance with policies established by the Board. 

The Board of Directors may establish policies governing relationships among student Chapters, host institutions and sponsoring professional Chapters. 

9. The Board of Directors shall consider and establish by policy whether and to what extent the Association’s indemnification framework extends to student Chapter officers acting in good faith within the scope of their chartered role. Until such policy is established, no indemnification is extended to student Chapter officers by operation of these Bylaws.

The following provisions of this Article apply to student Chapters: 

Section 3 (Membership) 

Section 4(c) Separate Entity Status and Section 5 Formation Requirements do not apply 

Section 6 (Recertification, as adapted by Board policy for academic-year cycles), 

Section 7 (Suspension and Termination, subject to the dormancy provisions of this Section) 

Section 8 (Dissolution) 

The Board may adopt policies further by adapting any Article VIII provision for student Chapters.