The Biggest CIF Mistake? Choosing the Wrong Bid

With competition for Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) remaining high, academy trusts need to do more than simply identify a problem and put together a CIF bid. As trusts prepare for the 2027/28 funding round, choosing the right project can be just as important as how the application itself is written.

According to our Director of Bids and Funding, Mark Jackson, the most important decision can come before a CIF bid is even written: choosing the project that gives the trust the strongest chance of securing funding.

“It's determining what bid is going to get you the best chance of funding,” says Mark. “If you don't do that, then you could be wasting your time and others' time.”

So, what should schools and trusts consider when preparing their next CIF bid for 2027/28?

Start early

The first mistake is leaving everything until the CIF guidance is published. This is usually released mid to late October.

Mark recommends allowing at least three months to develop a robust application, with earlier preparation giving trusts more time to gather evidence, develop the project scope and obtain tendered costs.

Waiting until the guidance is released can leave schools with only around six weeks to determine the project, develop the scope, procure contractors and prepare the application.

For smaller trusts, where estates and funding responsibilities may sit alongside wider operational roles, that is a significant workload.

Start with the evidence

Schools should not begin by asking, “What do we want to improve?”

Instead, they should look at their existing condition and compliance information and ask, “Where is the strongest evidence of need?”

Mark recommends reviewing core documents including Fire Risk Assessments, electrical reports, Legionella Risk Assessments and Condition Data Collection reports.

These can help identify projects where there is clear evidence of risk or non-compliance that aligns with CIF priorities.

A school may want to refurbish its toilets, classrooms or playground, for example, but if the available evidence does not demonstrate sufficient need, it may not represent the strongest funding opportunity. It is also important to understand whether the proposed project aligns with the current CIF guidance and funding priorities.

“Sometimes schools won't look at their data or seek that independent expert advice and rather, ‘this is what we think we need, or this is what we want. Let's put a bid in for this,’” says Mark.

The question should therefore be: which project is most likely to meet the funding criteria and demonstrate a clear need?

Evidence needs to stand up to scrutiny

Once the right project has been identified, the supporting evidence needs to be robust.

The type of evidence required will depend on the project. A Fire Risk Assessment might identify an issue with fire doors, for example, but a specialist fire door survey can provide much more detailed evidence about the condition of individual doors and the remedial work required.

The same principle applies to mechanical, electrical and structural projects.

The stronger the evidence, the clearer the link between the existing condition, the risk and the proposed solution.

Don't underestimate the detail

A strong case for investment is only part of a successful CIF bid.

Trusts also need to demonstrate that the project has been properly developed and can be delivered.

That means having the appropriate costs, options appraisal, programme, risk register, procurement information and supporting documentation in place.

Contractor costs should be obtained against a clear and robust specification from a minimum of three contractors, ensuring comparable pricing, with tendered costs held until the bid outcome, rather than relying solely on a budget estimate.

“These are all essential elements of a strong and compliant CIF bid,” says Mark. “Without the right supplementary information, it becomes much harder to demonstrate value for money for the project and how it will be delivered.”

Learn from previous applications

An unsuccessful CIF bid should not simply be abandoned.

AEC reviews feedback from previous bids to identify what could have been improved and, importantly, whether there are patterns in the feedback across applications.

That creates a valuable source of learning for future funding rounds.

As Mark explains, the aim is to continually improve the quality and completeness of applications by understanding what assessors are looking for.

CIF should be part of the wider estates strategy

Finally, CIF should not be treated as a reactive funding exercise. 

The projects a trust is considering for CIF should form part of its wider asset management and estates strategy, with schools looking ahead at their condition priorities over the coming years.

“CIF can't be seen as a reactive kind of bid; it has to be forecasted still,” says Mark.

Ultimately, successful CIF funding starts well before a CIF bid is submitted. 

It starts with understanding the condition of the estate, identifying the strongest evidence of need and making an informed decision about which project is actually worth bidding for.

For academy trusts, that early strategic thinking could make the difference between simply submitting a CIF application and submitting one with a real chance of success.