Given the strained finances of many schools and academies, the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) can play a vital part in balancing budgets and improving the condition and maintenance of your school estate. However, with government budgets also under increasing pressure, the threshold for CIF funding is tightening, with only around one in three applications likely to be successful. 

Unlike the School Condition Allocation (SCA), which is paid to eligible MATs and local authorities automatically, CIF funding is something you must apply for. With that in mind, here are tips and guidance to improve your chance of submitting a successful CIF bid. We also cover the basics, including what the Condition Improvement Fund covers and who can apply. 

Who is eligible to make a CIF bid?

The Condition Improvement Fund is open to schools, multi-academy trusts (MATs), standalone academies, sixth-form colleges and further education colleges that need funding to address urgent issues with their buildings. To be eligible, those education establishments must:

• Not receive the School Condition Allocation (SCA)
• Need the funds to address urgent building issues
• Need the funds to expand their facilities to prevent overcrowding or increase admissions

If your voluntary aided school or academy is part of a wider group, that group must contain fewer than five schools and 3,000 students for you to be eligible to make a CIF bid.   

What can you spend CIF funding on?

You can apply for CIF funding for three types of projects, including:

• • Condition projects – Make essential estate improvements like roof replacements, heating system upgrades, fire alarm upgrades and asbestos removal work. Condition projects also include decarbonisation and sustainability improvements, although the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) is another route you can explore to fund energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures.  
  • Condition with expansion projects – This includes estate improvements and an expansion that increases the size of a school building by at least 10%.  
• Expansion projects – High-performing schools requiring more space can make a CIF bid to build a new block that’s at least 10% bigger than the existing facility. 

Each project type has specific criteria you must meet to apply for funding. You can read more about the requirements of each project in the ‘Information for Applicants’ issued by the Department for Education for CIF 2025-2026. 

When can you make a CIF bid?

The window for making CIF bids opens in autumn each year. The deadline for submitting your application for the 2025/26 round of funding is Tuesday 17th December at 12pm. However, we recommend starting your application well in advance to make a strong, evidence-based bid with a good chance of success. 

What types of projects are prioritised?

For CIF projects in 2025-26, the Department for Education will prioritise those demonstrating the most urgent need. That includes a risk to student safety or the closure of school facilities. After that, projects will be scored on criteria such as project planning and cost to determine whether they meet the success threshold.

That means schools and academies that face a real risk of closure due to health and safety reasons are most likely to be successful in their CIF bids. Nice-to-have projects, such as the refurbishment or expansion of social spaces, dining areas and libraries, are less likely to be successful.  

How to increase your chances of making a successful CIF bid 

Prepare early  

It takes time to gather the evidence you need to create a compelling bid, so don’t leave it till the last minute. If you don’t give yourself enough time, you won’t be able to produce the supporting information to fulfil the relevant criteria.

Now is the perfect time to identify the projects you want to bid for and commission a specialist team like Eddisons Education to produce the relevant surveys and reports to support your bid.

Demonstrate need

Successful CIF bids demonstrate an urgent need for a condition, condition with expansion or expansion project. The first step in that process is only applying for urgent and high-priority work. 

We can help you identify the projects that are most likely to be funded and undertake relevant surveys, such as building condition surveys and energy efficiency assessments, that show how your project will deliver value for money. It’s also beneficial to present a ‘do nothing’ option that highlights the negative outcomes if you can’t complete the work. 

Provide comprehensive evidence

Evidence is fundamental to the success of your project. The type of evidence the assessors will want to see includes:

• Reports and surveys from qualified professionals, such as surveyors, electrical engineers and fire safety teams, detailing the current condition of your facilities and its impact
• Detailed photographs showing the extent of the project and the current condition of your facilities
• Planning approvals or any other external approvals required to complete the project
• Clear and detailed costings, including multiple tenders and quotes, to reduce the financial risk 

Make a financial contribution

Your CIF bid will be given a higher score if you make a financial contribution to the project, and the greater your contribution, the more points you’ll get. However, you must ensure your contribution is affordable or the project risks being cancelled even if your CIF bid is successful. You should also factor in the cost of any CIF loans you intend to take out. 

How we can help

At Eddisons Education, our specialist education surveyors and professional bid writers have secured over £200 million in CIF funding for schools and academies throughout the UK. We understand the process and know how to produce bids that achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients. Find out more about our CIF bidding process and get in touch to discuss your requirements with our team.