What the Trust Capacity Fund means for Schools
The Trust Capacity Fund (TCaF) is a competitive grant fund that will award up to £24 million over the 2021-2022 financial year to help trusts develop their capacity to grow. It’s focussed on supporting strong trusts to take on underperforming schools in areas of higher need.
The fund supports the government’s vision for every school to be part of a family of schools - or academy trust, so that every child can benefit from a high-quality education.
Why apply?
Applicants can apply if they are establishing new central systems and processes such as IT, finance and HR, as well as training and professional development for staff.
Those looking to fund new staffing within the central trust team, or to cover relocation costs of moving staff to new regions can also apply.
Activities funded by the TCaF must have started on or after the 19th May, completed by 31st March 2022 and be focused on strengthening the trusts’ central capacity.
Who can apply?
The TCaF is organised into two strands, each with its own minimum and maximum grant values.
Across both strands, applications that involve taking on underperforming schools in areas of higher need will stand the greatest chance of success.
Strand A is aimed at projects in which a trust takes on at least one additional ‘inadequate’ or ‘requires improvement’ school. The minimum grant value is £50,000 and the maximum grant value is £310,000.
Strand B is for all other trust capacity building projects, the minimum grant value is £50,000 and the maximum grant value is £100,000.
Academy trusts and local authority-maintained schools can apply for either strand, if they are considered by the Education and Skills Funding Agency to be of sound financial health.
Those with a ‘Financial Notice to Improve’ cannot apply. You can view the trusts and school's eligibility criteria here.
What information is required?
To be successful, you must be able to demonstrate a good track record of meeting school standards and driving improvements.
You need to clearly outline the strand of funding you are applying for, the details of the school or schools that you are proposing will join your trust and when your growth project was discussed by the headteacher board (HTB).
Applications must also include an action plan for the project, including costs, value for money and an outline of how the plan will be delivered. Details around compliance, governance and resource management are also required.
To apply, applicants need to download and complete the application form. Before submission, all application forms should be ratified by the accounting officer – headteacher (if it’s a school) or chief executive (if the organisation is part of a trust).
Key dates
The first application window will close on the 25th June 2021. Additional windows will run from 26th June to 30th September 2021, and from 1st October to 30th November 2021.
