We offer professional expertise, unrivalled knowledge in putting together a successful CIF application, and bid writing based on a no-win-no-fee basis.
We also know how difficult and time-consuming this can be for individual academies and Business Managers. At Barker we take responsibility for putting together the applications for Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) bids, leaving academies to concentrate on their core activities.
CIF 2024-25 Application round is now open. Submission deadline is 14 December 2023, 12 noon.
If you are considering submitting a CIF application fill out the form, or call us on 01279 647111 and ask to speak to our CIF team.
Barker is an integrated property consultancy and trusted advisor to schools, trusts, colleges and universities across the country.
We are affiliated partners to the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) , Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) and The Trust Network (TTN) giving you the peace of mind that you are working with the sector experts.
We are proud to work with thousands of schools and many of the largest Multi-Academy Trusts in the UK.
Barker will consult with you to assess your site and discuss the priority works. We advise you on the best projects to bid for and guide you on the best strategy for a successful condition improvement fund submission.
We will guide you through the whole application process and submit comprehensive bids carefully targeting the ESFA guidelines ensuring the best possible outcome.
We work on a NO WIN NO FEE BASIS giving a very low-risk solution to academies who want to apply for funding but do not have the time or technical knowledge to develop their own bids. The Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) guidelines are very clear about the amount and level of detail required and this can seem daunting to academies.
Most importantly, we are not just bid writers, but expert project managers so when you secure your funding you can rest assured your project is in the best hands.
The Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) supports projects that address compliance, health and safety issues, and maintenance needs. Only projects that demonstrate a high project need and those that align with CIF priorities are likely to be successful.
Condition Improvement Funding also supports a small proportion of expansion projects for Ofsted-rated good or outstanding academies and sixth-form colleges that need to expand their existing facilities.
The fund is administered by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) which is part of the Department for Education (DfE). Applications can be made through the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) Portal.
In our experience, every academy should be looking to submit two CIF Bids per year unless you are in a very modern and well-maintained building In order to prepare high-quality bids, it is essential that academies start this process as soon as possible and in September/October at the latest.
Barker is one of the country’s leading Education specialist consultancies. We have a track record of preparing CIF bids and delivering successful projects that have made a real difference to the academies.
