Initiatives of Change is an international movement, active in 60 countries and formally incorporated in 39 countries. Each national body is independent but may affiliate to the International Association of Initiatives of Change, which was founded in 2002. On the international level, IofC's work is coordinated by an International Council and by regular global consultations, attended by representatives from all parts of the world.

Evolution of the organization

This structure has evolved gradually over the 70 years since IofC - then known as The Oxford Group and later as Moral Re-Armament (MRA) - first began. The movement's energy has always derived from the spiritual inspiration and inner transformation which motivate its adherents. IofC is a way of life rather than a membership organization, and formal structures have been kept to the minimum. In the early days there was little thought or intention of founding an organization. Those who came into contact with the movement's founder Frank Buchman and his colleagues were typically encouraged to form local “teams”. These met regularly to support each other in the new way of life they had embarked on. Often they were assisted by one or more full time workers, who felt a calling to devote themselves voluntarily to this work and who typically were housed and supported financially by members of the local team. This tradition of unsalaried full time workers still continues in many countries. As World War II loomed, increasing attention was given to strategic activities aimed both at reaching individuals and at affecting the course of events. Through the late 1930s there were mass meetings in Europe and America. During and after the war, travelling groups, often with stage productions, campaigned in many parts of the world. Permanent centres were established for conferences and other purposes. These developments still relied on voluntary effort in an unstructured network, but also required a level of organization, manning and finance unforeseeable in the early days. Large sums of money were raised, almost entirely by individual donation and often at great sacrifice on the part of the donors.

Formal incorporation

Beginning in 1939, various national groups incorporated MRA formally, usually as an ad hoc response to circumstances - the need for a legal entity which could own property, for example. A series of independent national bodies grew up, conforming to local laws and traditions. They were responsible for the work of MRA in their own country, but had no formal co-ordination or international accountability. These national bodies still bear the ultimate legal and financial responsibility for all that is done in the name of IofC in their countries. In a world-wide network characterized by commitment to divine will and by strong friendships, this worked well, with a minimum of organizational structure – and the 1940s and 50s saw the great expansion of MRA in many parts of the world. But after the deaths of Frank Buchman and Peter Howard in the ‘60s, the sudden absence of an agreed world leader as a focus for decision-making and direction led to a painful split between several national bodies, some of which put their energies into a US-based youth program, which evolved into Up With People. Following a period of adjustment and re-grouping, IofC leaders from a number of countries began to develop a system of global consultations, the first of which took place in 1989.

Global Consultations

These Consultations last for a week, and are informally charged with the task of identifying issues of importance to IofC world-wide and recommending courses of action. Typically a Consultation has 30-35 participants, representing all parts of the world. They are chosen partly through national or regional nomination and partly through an individual's conviction to take responsibility. The Consultations set up an international council of 7-9 people to offer leadership in setting priorities for global action and solving problems. Members serve for 3-5 years. This international council (known as the 'IofC Council') plays an important role in setting IofC's global agenda, but has no powers other than its own moral authority.