What is the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF)?

The Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) is an annual bidding round for eligible Academies, Sixth-Form Colleges and Voluntary Aided (VA) Schools.

The fund is available to address significant condition needs to aid keeping education providers’ buildings safe and in good working order.

What types of projects are successful in gaining CIF funding?

Examples of typical successful projects are:

• Fire Safety
• Electrical Safety
• Heating, Hot Water Systems and Heating Distribution
• Safeguarding Compliance
• Asbestos Removal
• Structural Safety and Condition

Can I apply for CIF funding myself?

Yes, an Academy or MAT can submit their own CIF bid.

However, as RICS qualified surveyors specialising in the education sector, we have years of experience and a proven methodology in place to maximise the chances of success for each and every bid we submit.

Make tailor their service offering dependent on each Client’s needs.

For the Academy experienced in the CIF process, Make will review your existing estates information along with previous CIF applications (both successful and unsuccessful) to ensure that we are improving your chances of success. You will receive professional support that compliments your in-house knowledge and offers non-bias analysis of your progress so far.

For an Academy new to the CIF bidding process, Make’s service can be all-encompassing. We are able to support you with every element of the bidding process, from providing advice on whether you are following the DfE’s GEMs Guidance to providing guidance on the specific evidence that will increase your chances of success.

For every Client, communication is paramount and each Academy will receive a Director level point of contact who will stay with you for the duration of the project.

Make can take away all of the stress of completing a CIF bid to vastly improve your chances of success.

When do we apply for CIF?

Typically the DfE announces the opening of the CIF bidding round in October, with a deadline of mid-December and results generally announced the following Spring.

For the 2024 bidding round, The DfE announced the opening on 22nd October with the below key dates to note;

What are the top 5 things that could improve my CIF bid?

The five key elements to any CIF bid are:

1. Independent, expert, technical advice supporting the Project’s need. For example, a Structural Surveys, a Mechanical and Electrical Surveys or a Fire Risk Assessment and the subsequent interpretation of its findings.

2. Documentation that explains the overall Estate Strategy and how the project in question fits in to this process; further demonstrating its urgency and need. For example, does the Estate Strategy identify the Project in question as a Year One priority rather than a Year 3 or 4 priority?

3. Show that consideration has been paid to all other options for remediating the issues and how the proposal being included within the CIF bid offers optimum value for money, a long term solution to the problem and the least disruption operationally to the Academy. For example, ensure that the application is supported by a costed Options Appraisal that demonstrates that sufficient consideration of alternatives has been given before reaching the preferred solution.

4. Consider financially contributing to the project as this will significantly increase your chances of success. For example, if you are able to contribute more than 5% of the project’s value, you will score additional marks that could be the difference between failure and success.

5. Evidence, evidence, evidence! Ensure the need for the project is fully backed up by strong evidence. For example, a Safeguarding Compliance application could include Police Crime Numbers for incidents that have occurred.

What types of project are most likely to succeed?

It will be familiar with many that the condition of the school estate nationally has led to the CIF process being hugely oversubscribed. The last round of CIF funding (CIF 24/25) was the lowest allocation so far with only £450 million allocated to just 866 projects.

With this in mind, it is of paramount importance that applications are aligned to the priorities of the fund.

Highest Priority – Legislation Compliance and Health & Safety

The most important part to note is that projects falling into this category must have a risk of school closure.

Examples of project types:

• Asbestos Removal
• Gas Safety Issues
• Electrical Safety Issues
• Water Services and Drainage
• Ventilation / Air Quality and Thermal Comfort
• Fire Safety
• Security and Safeguarding

High Priority – Life Expired Condition Replacement

Similar to highest priority, projects falling into this category must have a risk of school closure.

Examples of project types:

• Building Structure
• Mechanical Systems
• Electrical Systems
• Utility Capacity and Connections

Medium Priority – Life Expired Condition Replacement

You will note an element of repetition when comparing medium priority projects with highest / high priority projects. The key difference is that if the need doesn’t threaten school closure, it will often deemed a medium priority.

Examples of project types:

• Internal or External Building Fabric
• Building Structure Mechanical Systems
• Water Services Drainage Ventilation / Air Quality
• Thermal Comfort
• Fire Safety
• Security and Safeguarding

If I engage Make Consulting, how much will a CIF bid cost me?

Make work on a no win, no fee basis; all professional fees are included within the CIF bid and will be recovered should a successful outcome be achieved.

If a bid is unsuccessful, there is no cost incurred. Instead, Make will work with you to look at ways of improving your application for the next year and can advise on ways to gather additional evidence during the months leading up to bid submission.

We are continually looking into the future and once relationships have been established, we like to nurture and grow them. If initially the results aren’t quite what we wanted, we will always look at ways to improve your chances of success referring back to DfE feedback on any unsuccessful bids.

Fees included within the CIF Application are based on a scale that is adjusted based on size and complexity of the project.

What is your success rate?

Make have been submitting CIF bids since their existence and have accumulated a significant amount of data regarding project success rates and, more specifically, responses to changes in government policy and guidance and the effect of that on the education funding landscape.

Focusing on the last five years, Make’s annual successes range from achieving 75% to 95% of bids being successful, per round. This is based on bids which were made with a funding contribution from the school.

Have you had success with other funding streams, outside of CIF?

Make are expert education funding advisors, and have had success with a number of different funding streams that sit alongside CIF.

Given the complex nature of challenges that the School Estate are currently facing, it is important that we are able to offer a variety of solutions that are targeted to an individual Client’s problem.

A few examples of the funds that we have helped secure for the benefit of our Clients are listed below:

• Low Carbon Skills Fund
• Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme
• Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC)
• Urgent Capital Support (UCS)
• School Condition Allocation (SCA) Management
• School Rebuilding Programme
• Section 106 Funding
• Education Regeneration Funding Development
• Funding for the Development of SEND Schools

Do you review unsuccessful applications?

Until our Client’s problem is solved, the job isn’t done. If a CIF bid isn’t successful, we review feedback on the failed application and provide an assessment about whether we feel sufficient additional marks could be gained by submitting an appeal.

Together, we will decide with our Client whether to submit an appeal. Make will prepare all required information and will complete the process. There is no additional charge for this service.

In parallel with this, while the outcome of appeals is awaited, Make will continue discussions as to how to address comments from the DfE on the failed CIF submission. Starting this process early is paramount as often, it is further evidence that is required and this can often take time.

Getting ahead of the game is key and looking forward to the next bidding round begins as soon as the outcomes are released for the prior year.

Why should we use Make Consulting?

Along with our supply chain partners, Make are able to support an Academy from start to finish (and finish is only when a Project is completed).

Unlike most consultants, we have a non-jargon, approachable and straightforward way of working and we pride ourselves in supplying quality managed services on time and on budget. Our significantly high number of repeat commissions is a testament to the high level of service we continue to deliver.

Make have secured millions of pounds for projects such as roofing works, replacement windows, safeguarding, fire safety, heating upgrades and electrical safety, utilisng the CIF fund.

We understand the complexities of the busy, day-to-day school life and seek to alleviate these pressures from the internal team. By providing robust and measured advice, we ensure that the school’s requirements and overall Estates vision are balanced against the Department for Education’s guidance.

Make have been securing funding for Academies, Colleges and Schools for nearly 10 years and know the CIF process like the back of our hand. Our Team have extensive experience in successful applications and delivery.

Can you provide references?

We would be more than happy to share references with you should you require them.

In the meantime, here are a few testimonials from some of our recently completed projects.

Testimonial One – Multi Academy Trust in the West Midlands

“Make Consulting successfully secured some much needed Fire Compliance works for four of our schools. Make project managed the full contract of works, ensuring the projects kept within timescales and budgets.

Communication with Grace and the contractors was excellent, with particular attention given to Health & Safety and site access. The progress reports were very detailed and informative.

Co-ordination of all projects has been thorough from the start. Detailed pre-start meetings and regularly kept up to date with progress/changes.

Our Lady of Grace’s safeguarding project was delayed due to an issue with the delivery of the fencing, however the project manager worked with the school in order to arrange a convenient time for the works to go ahead in the following half term.

The fire compliance projects had no issues at all and works were completed on time and as expected to a high standard.”

Testimonial Two – Multi Academy Trust in the West Midlands

“Make Consulting have proven to be the best Project Managers we have used over the last 10 years. Always focused on delivering excellence to the client whilst ensuring Contractors are held to account where necessary.

We have used several Consultants over the years to deliver a variety of projects ranging from toilet refurbishment, flat roof replacement and new classroom blocks before we moved to Make as our preferred provider. Make have proved to be excellent value for money and provided a first-rate service since our first introduction to the company. We have seen a significant improvement in the number of successful bids over this period and will continue to work with Make for the foreseeable future.

Make Consulting have always acted with the best interests of the client ensuring the finished product is delivered to the client’s expectation and to a high standard. Contractors have always been held to account where necessary to ensure quality is paramount.

Reports are always clear and direct with supporting photographs where necessary ensuring that there is no scope for mis-interpretation.

Both Grace and Jarrad are very professional when dealing with the client and contractor(s) alike.

Make Consulting have always responded quickly to both written and telephone enquiries.

Project updates are provided promptly following site visits (usually with 24hours).

Communication has been excellent throughout all the projects undertaken with MAKE Consulting.

There have been several unforeseen challenges with some of the projects managed by Make Consulting, however, issues were quickly addressed and solution/options presented to the client for final confirmation/approval.

All project bid documentation was compiled accurately and presented in an easily interpreted manner. Following award of CIF funding, Make Consulting engaged with both the client and selected contractor to ensure all project needs are clearly defined before works on site commenced.”

Testimonial Three – Multi Academy Trust (National)

“Make have ensured that projects are delivered on time, to a high standard and within budget. They communicate effectively with schools throughout the project and offer professional, technical advice, responding promptly to any questions.”