The Global Implementation Initiative began in 2008.  In April 2012, the GII was incorporated as a non-profit organization to establish an administrative home for GII activities.  Based on feedback from the field, the GII Board approved three major initiatives to further the development of the field. The major initiatives are the biennial Global Implementation Conference, the development of a Global Implementation Society, and establishing Global Implementation Education resources.

The first biennial Global Implementation Conference (GIC) was launched in Washington, D.C., USA in August 2011. The purpose of the GIC is to provide an educational forum to advance the state of implementation practice and science and its use in applied settings. Subsequent conferences include GIC 2013 in Washington, DC USA, GIC 2015 in Dublin, Ireland, GIC 2017 in Toronto, Canada.  Participants at each GIC reflect the transdisciplinary, cross-sector, and global nature of implementation.

The GIC provides a platform for developing global networks to rapidly advance implementation practice, science, and policy. Networking at the GIC attracted leaders in the field of implementation who returned to their home countries and launched “regional” (e.g. Australasia, Nordic Countries) implementation networks. The demand for linking individuals, groups, and nations has prompted the formation of a Global Implementation Society (GIS). The purpose of the Global Implementation Society (GIS) is to help define, support, and expand professional roles related to implementation practice and science in human service organizations and government systems.

Demands from the field made it clear that professionals and others want access to organized professional development opportunities. In response, the Global Implementation Education (GIE) initiative was developed by GII. GIS will continue to organize efforts to establish coursework, certificate programs, and degree programs to strengthen professional knowledge, skills, and abilities to support implementation, improvement, and scaling effective innovations.

The GII represents an emerging worldwide platform for discussion and action to promote effective approaches to implementation practice, science, and policy. GII provides a platform to share critical information, evolve a common language for research and practice, and identify and respond to challenges that need to be met. In the next decade, science-based implementation will be on a par with science-based interventions as the “gold standard” for progress across the spectrum of human services globally.