What's new for CIF 2022-23
The latest guidance has been published for academies wanting to apply for government funds to improve their buildings, and there are a few changes from last year.
The application deadline is only a month away, so make sure your institution is up to speed.
Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) money is available for projects to keep school and college buildings safe and in good working order. Most CIF funding addresses issues with poor condition, building compliance, energy efficiency or health and safety, with the highest priority going to projects that address structural safety, fire protection systems, gas safety, electrical safety or emergency asbestos removal.
The guidance for the 2022-23 financial year (April 2022 to March 2023) includes these updates:
New assessment and scoring model
This has removed the weightings used for all condition projects and condition with expansion projects. The proportion of the overall score available in each section remains unchanged: Project Need: 60 points, Project Cost: 25 points, Project Planning: 15 points.
Expansion projects will still have a weighting applied in the Project Need section, but Project Cost and Project Planning will now be unweighted.
The new model will allow a wider range of scores to be applied in assessing projects, but overall requirements will remain the same. Some projectswill continue to be moderated to ensure assessments are accurate and fair.
Note: “condition with expansion” is when a new block is up to 10% bigger than a building it replaces; “expansion” is more than 10%.
Funding sources
The number of points that can be achieved for a contribution from reserves or through a loan has been reduced to a maximum of six points.
Environmental sustainability/energy efficiency
With COP26 highly topical, a new assessment criterion to assess Environmental Sustainability has been included this year, worth a maximum of four points. This is intended to dovetail with the Government’s targets on climate change, including net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Applicants should consider environmental sustainability, carbon reduction and energy efficiency to develop solutions aligned to Government targets, and refer to statutory sustainability and design standards when preparing their project.
Expansion projects and selective schools
For CIF 2022-23, selective schools are eligible to apply for both added-place expansion projects and overcrowding projects.
Who can apply?
As in previous years, schools can either attract direct School Condition Allocations (SCA, allocated to local authorities, multi-academy trusts (MATs) and Voluntary Aided (VA) bodies with five or more schools and at least 3,000 pupils) or be eligible for CIF, but not both.
To be eligible to apply for CIF funding, you must have been by 1 September 2021 either a:
Stand-alone academy
School in a MAT with fewer than five schools or fewer than 3,000 pupils
School in a VA body or VA group with fewer than five schools or 3,000 pupils
Sixth-form college
School with a signed academy order as of 1 September 2021 that the Department for Education expects will convert by 1 April 2022.
Key dates
Deadline for new applicants to register for an account: 12 noon, 9 December 2021
Deadline for all applicants to submit applications: 12 noon, 15 December 2021
Deadline for obtaining Regional Schools Commissioner significant change approval for expansion projects: 31 March 2022
Applicants notified of outcome: Spring 2022
The majority of funds will be allocated for projects that complete by 31 March 2023. Larger projects may last up to two years, but all projects must complete by 31 March 2024.
Overcoming the hurdles
The regulations around CIF funding are complex, and making an application can be a daunting process. For the best chance of success it is advisable to seek professional support. Experienced chartered surveyors for education such as S2e can advise on all aspects.
If you require any further information please contact us on 01530 877969or email enquire@s2e.org.uk.
