SPARTANBURG, SC -- Commercial floor and textile care expert milliCare is offering grants for professionals interested in pursuing the Certified Facility Manager (CFM) credential from the International Facility Management Association (IFMA).

milliCare is dedicated to helping facility management industry professionals advance their careers by making a generous pledge to assist 13 individuals, who meet the requirements, to prepare for the CFM Exam.

"milliCare has been working with IFMA and facilities managers on both the national and local levels for decades," said Geoff Snavely, vice president and general manager for milliCare by EBC Carpet Services, a milliCare franchise with offices in a number of mid-Atlantic locations. "We are passionate about the idea of finding ways to help our customers -- not only through the services that milliCare can provide, but also by providing resources that can drive career development with our key contacts.

"Helping facility managers earn their CFM credential is a powerful way to support this critical community," Snavely added. "It feels great to work closely with the IFMA team in an effort to help advance the facilities management profession."

This is milliCare's third year in offering this professional development program to the industry. The program brings contemporaries together for a unique, relationship-building experience that includes a seat in the one-day CFM Exam Prep Workshop; "what keeps you up at night” networking roundtable discussion and reception with peers and members of the milliCare franchise network; a tour of the Roger Milliken Center, home to Milliken & Company; travel to and from Spartanburg, SC; as well as lodging, airfare, all transfers and meals.

"Facility management credentials like the Certified Facility Manager are more valuable than ever, both for the individual FM professionals who hold them and for the organizations they serve," said Tony Keane, IFMA's president and CEO. "I congratulate milliCare for their forward thinking investment in the development of a unified global facility manangers' industry and encourage facility manager professionals to take full advantage of this exciting opportunity to advance their own careers while better serving the men and women who occupy their facilities."

Applications for the 2017 program are due on Friday, Aug. 4. Honorees will be notified on Sept. 6, with a program event from Nov. 9 to 10.

To be considered for a grant, candidates will need to complete the CFM application in the Credentials Application and Maintenance Program (CAMP) as well as a short, online application for milliCare, also found in CAMP.

Please contact IFMA's credentials department at credentials@ifma.org with any questions about the application process.