Benefits of Being a CFaR Researcher

The mission of CFaR is to advance the body of knowledge of facilities management through research, discovery, and innovation.  Following are the benefits and opportunities provided by APPA for its CFaR researchers.

1. If relevant, CFaR researchers may have access to APPA’s membership for surveys and other data collection efforts to assist in their research. APPA’s communication to its members will publicize the planned research under the CFaR logo and provide a link to the survey. APPA will assist the researcher in determining the appropriate audience, such as all 17,000+ facilities professionals that comprise APPA’s membership, or a targeted portion such as all Primary Reps (one per member institution), public or private institutions only, or by APPA region, for instance.
   
2. APPA provides guidance and mentoring assistance, if requested, during the research and report-writing process.
   
3. Upon submittal of the researchers’ final report, APPA will gather an anonymous peer review panel who review and provide comments on the content, research process, and findings of the research report. The CFaR researcher has the opportunity to revise the report for final submission to APPA for approval.
   
4. Upon APPA approval of the final CFaR research report, APPA publishes the report on its CFaR web page and considers further publication of the work, such as in a monograph or excerpted for APPA’s Body of Knowledge (BOK) content.
   
5. After final approval, CFaR researchers may present their research findings and recommendations at a future Spring APPA Conference, generally held in March or April. The researcher does not have to submit a proposal to be accepted for the conference program.
   
6. CFaR researchers will write an 1,800-2,000-word summary of the report and findings for publication in a future issue of Facilities Manager, APPA’s bimonthly digital magazine.  Authors will prepare the summary as a magazine feature article and not an academic research report.  Emphasis should be given to the research findings and recommendations for campus facilities professionals.  View the current and past issues of Facilities Manager.
   
7. APPA presents a CFaR Research Award to those who have completed their CFaR project in the previous year. The awards ceremony usually takes place during the Spring APPA Conference.
   
8. Completing a CFaR research project is a key step in your journey toward earning the APPA Fellow designation. The Fellow is APPA’s highest individual achievement award.  Learn more here.

If you are ready to become a CFaR researcher, we invite you to complete the application form.

Questions? Wish to discuss further? Contact Steve Glazner, APPA’s director of knowledge management.