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Capital funding: condition improvement fund

Get to grips with everything you need to know about the condition improvement fund (CIF). Find out if you're eligible, what it can cover and how much you could get.

Last reviewed on 13 November 2025See updates
School types: Academy•School phases: All•Ref: 8540
Contents
  1. What is the condition improvement fund (CIF)?
  2. Who can apply?
  3. What types of project are funded?
  4. How much could we get?
  5. How do we apply?
  6. When is the deadline?
  7. How is the application assessed?
  8. You don't need to apply for RAAC-related projects

This article is based on the condition improvement fund information for applicants guidance for 2026-27.

What is the condition improvement fund (CIF)?

The CIF is capital funding for:

  • Keeping school buildings in good working order
  • Supporting a small number of expansion projects

Who can apply?

You must have been 1 of the following at the start of September 2025:

  • Single academy trust ("stand-alone" academy)
  • Academy in a multi-academy trust (MAT) with:
    • Fewer than 5 academies, or
    • 5 or more academies but fewer than 3,000 pupils 
  • Voluntary-aided (VA) school in a VA body or group with:
    • Fewer than 5 schools, or
    • 5 or more schools but fewer than 3,000 pupils
  • Sixth-form college
  • School with a signed academy order as of 1 September 2025, that is expected to convert to a CIF-eligible body by 1 April 2026

Note: pupil numbers for special and alternative provision schools (including pupil referral units) are multiplied