Condition Improvement Fund (CIF)

The Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) is an annual government funding scheme for academies and sixth form colleges. The funding is designed to help upgrade and maintain building fabric, mechanical and electrical systems, and to provide staff and students with a suitable and safe working environment. For academies or sixth form colleges rated as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, the CIF also supports a small proportion of expansion projects.

We believe in getting to know the needs of the Academy and how to be school-specific in our bids. We will consult you to assess your site and make recommendations for the priority of works and advise on those that are likely to be successful. As we can advise you on the best projects to bid for and guide you on the best strategy for submission, we are able to provide you with the best chance of success.

The CIF guidelines are very clear about the amount and level of detail required and we completely understand that this may seem daunting to some Academies. We will guide you through this entire process and submit comprehensive bids, which will be carefully targeted to the ESFA guidelines, ensuring the best possible outcome.

Much of our bid writing process is done upfront and free of charge, giving a low-risk option to Academies who want to apply for funding, but do not have the time or technical knowledge to develop their own bids.

The Department for Education (DfE) publishes an annual guidance document which is made available for all to review to enable successful bids to be submitted. The guidance changes year on year in certain areas, whilst the base structure has remained consistent for several years.

At Roger Hannah we ensure that all the latest guidance is considered to ensure a robust bid is submitted with the best possible chance of being a success.

Our education lead is involved throughout the process and brings valuable experience of the bidding process. They will collaborate with schools and Academies on all aspects of good estate management.

The aim of bid writing is to set out a compelling case in order to increase the likelihood of the funds being awarded. While the required works may appear obvious even to the untrained eye, for example in the case of a leaky roof or faulty central heating, it’s essential a qualified surveyor identify the problem in full, along with any other issues that pose safety issues, or are in general need of refurbishment. In addition, the bid will outline the impact the issues are having on the wider school, and the expected improvements remedial work will achieve. Bid writing is meticulous in nature, and with so much competition to contend with, no relevant detail can afford to be overlooked.

We have an in-depth understanding of each process and can guide you through this, producing the bids on your behalf, usually on a no win, no fee basis. We help you to gather the crucial data and evidence required to support your bid and provide accurate project costings and programme information.

We manage successful projects with our resolute project management team, ensuring that time, cost, quality and risk are all managed throughout the project, minimising disruption to the Academy.