In order to provide additional funding to trusts to help improve schools and increase social mobility, the DfE has created the Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) Development and Improvement Fund (MDIF).
However, there are strict guidelines for what the funding can and cannot be used for, and what must be done in order to acquire it. In this blog, we aim to breakdown the requirements to provide an understanding of whether or not you should apply.
The MDIF is a new funding round that aims to provide trusts with extra income to support activities that usually cost between £50,000 and £100,000 to help improve standards.
The activities must start before 31st March 2018, and successful applicants will be notified no later than this date.
Those awarded with the fund must then provide evidence of the activities effect on the school for 12 months after receiving the funding, and demonstrate how they will continue to pay for the activity once the funding has ended.
Applications for the funding MUST be submitted before 27th November 2017.
The MDIF has strict guidelines for what the trust can and cannot use it on. The funding can be used for:
The funding cannot be used for:
When assessing your application, the Regional Schools Commissioners will follow specific criteria of 5 main areas:
Click here to see a breakdown of these 5 areas.
All trusts, including those awaiting sponsor or trust approval, are eligible to apply for the funding, under the condition that they plan to undertake one of two actions:
IMPORTANT NOTE: You can still apply for the MDIF if you are receiving funding from the Strategic School Improvement Fund (SSIF), but your application must include a description about how this funding will be used to produce different results to the SSIF.
Even though all trusts can apply for this funding, the Regional Schools Commissioner will consider applications from trusts in priority areas first, and trusts who are planning to do one of the following:
This does not mean that if you don’t fall into these criteria your application will be refused. In exceptional circumstances the Regional Schools Commissioner will consider applications that fall outside priority areas.
If you are planning to apply for the MAT Development and Improvement Fund, then click here to take a look at the application process and form.
SAAF Education are experts in MAT set up and expansion. If you require guidance or support, please contact us.