The condition improvement fund
WHAT IS CIF (CONDITION IMPROVEMENT FUND)?
The simple answer to this is provided by gov.uk which states:
“The Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) is an annual bidding round for eligible academies, sixth-form colleges and VA schools to apply for capital funding. The priority for the fund is to address significant condition need, keeping education provider buildings safe and in good working order. This includes funding projects to address health and safety issues, building compliance and poor building condition.”
CIF also supports a small proportion of expansion projects. These are for academies, sixth-form colleges and VA schools rated good or outstanding by Ofsted that can demonstrate a need to expand.”
Project thresholds are typically £20,000.00 - £4,000,000.00 for Primary and Special Schools and for Secondary Schools, all-through Schools and Sixth Form Colleges £50,000.00 - £4,000,000.00.
You may submit up to two projects per academy, sixth form college or VA school on the CIF portal but only one of these may be an expansion project so you can not apply for two expansion projects. The two projects should not be linked as there is no guarantee if one project is successful the other will be too.
SO WHO CAN APPLY?
Single academy trusts, small multi-academy trusts and companies (MATs & MACs), sixth-form colleges and eligible VA schools can apply for CIF. To be eligible to apply for the coming round, you must have been:
An open academy, sixth-form college or VA school as at 1 September 2021
A school with a signed academy order as at 1 September 2021 (if successful, you must have converted to academy status and had a funding agreement in place by 1 April 2022 to receive funding)
MATs/ MACs with 5 or more academies and more than 3,000 pupils cannot apply for CIF. These trusts will receive a School Condition Allocation (SCA) to invest across their estate.
In addition to CIF, there is also the Urgent Capital Support (UCS) which is specifically for urgent condition issues that threaten immediate school closure. This is normally only provided in exceptional circumstances. You can apply if you are an academy, sixth-form college or VA school and you meet these 2 conditions:
You do not receive school conditional allocation (SCA)
You need funding assistance to address urgent building condition issues that either:
Put the safety of your pupils or staff at risk
Threaten the closure of the whole, or a significant part, of your school
Your application will only be considered where there is a genuine and immediate need for urgent support, and you cannot wait until the next round of CIF. It’s worth noting that this type of funding is primarily offered as a loan, subject to an assessment of trust finances. Trusts will almost certainly be required to contribute but is dependent on the financial situation. As such Grant funding may only be provided in exceptional circumstances and should not be expected.
TOP TIPS
There are three essential tips we can offer when you’re looking for a successful CIF application.
1. Identify the need & Prepare Early.
The amount of work involved in preparing a successful CIF bid should not be underestimated. The amount of evidence and supporting information to justify CIF funding is extensive, so it is never too early to start the process. If you haven’t already, you should have an independent condition report carried out for your site which will identify the key needs of the site. You shouldn’t rely on the CDC or other government provided surveys as evidence of project need as it is a requirement to have an independent report to support any CIF bids. Following the outcome of the independent report you’ll then be able to identify what you’ll be bidding for and can start to compile the supporting documentation required.
Every year, the CIF release a new set of criteria under which bids will be considered for the new round of funding. It is always worth checking that the bid you are planning on submitting falls in line with the current guidelines. In no particular order typically criteria for bids include:
o Health and safety or safeguarding issues
o Emergency asbestos removal
o Fire safety works
o Leaking roofs, cladding and windows
o Heating and hot water systems
Competition to obtain CIF funding is extremely tight and massively oversubscribed so there is no point applying for an exciting off-the-wall project just because the school prefers it as its extremely unlikely to be awarded any funding.
2. Employ/ Appoint Professional Services to provide the right evidence & support
It’s important for academy schools to appoint a professional building consultant (e.g. a Chartered Building Surveyor) who has significant experience of working in educational environments. There are many consultants with a proven track record of both assisting academy schools to obtain CIF funding and specifying, procuring and project managing large construction contracts at schools. Obtaining CIF funding approval is all about the evidence.
You could have the best bid writer in the world but without the right evidence it won’t be approved. Building surveyor’s reports, formal tender prices, Gantt charts, options appraisals are just a small selection of the type of evidence required and a professional consultant will ensure the information is adequate for a CIF bid. The main stumbling block we are often asked about by schools is the limits on the size of documents that can be uploaded.
Our template for the uploads has been refined over the past rounds of bids so that we can ensure that all the relevant supporting evidence can be uploaded, and nothing missed which will adversely affect the bid.
3. Contribute
A CIF funding application will have a much better chance of approval if the academy or school makes a contribution.
This can be directly out of the academy budget, you could take out a loan contribution, or contribute via a SALIX funded element. Last year the threshold for receiving the highest points in value for money section was a 10% contribution and its likely to be the same again this year.
These extra marks can be the difference between approval and refusal so should be consideration from the outset.
CONCLUSION
To conclude, start early, appoint a professional to help you, be successful.
All too often we are contacted by a school that has left their bid to the last minute which adversely affects the chances of a successful bid. Allowing enough time is critical with any bid preparation.
And always remember that many bids every year are unsuccessful. If your bid is unsuccessful for any reason don’t give up, request feedback and speak to a construction professional.
Written by Ryan Edwards of Spicer Surveys Ltd.
