Since the wider recognition of the importance of sanitation, marked by the UN declaring 2008 as the Year of Sanitation, there has been a steady increase in commitment, uptake, implementation, and knowledge generation in non-sewered sanitation. The incorporation of the entire sanitation management service chain in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, as opposed to just providing access to toilets, has further established acknowledge of the importance of FSM. The SDGs were launched in 2015, and SDG 6 is for "clean water and sanitation for all by 2030"), launched in 2015, has further established acknowledgement of its importance. There has also been an increase in the incorporation of fecal sludge management in national regulations and development agency agendas, increased funding from foundations and governments, and implementation of infrastructure and service provision.
There has been a rapid increase in evidence-based research and journal publications on the topic (e.g. for Africa and Asia). There are rapidly evolving technology developments along the entire service chain. Some have the potential to alter the existing service chain, such as container-based sanitation, decentralized options, and innovations developed through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Reinvent the Toilet Challenge since at least 2012.  
Curriculums have been, and are continuing to be, developed and implemented. Initiatives include the Global Sanitation Graduate School, and freely available online courses, such as the Sandec MOOC series.