An £86 million grants programme to support trust growth and development across England has opened a new application round.

The Trust Capacity Fund (TCaF) will award funding to support trust growth and development across England.

The TCaF provides grants to help trusts develop their capacity to grow. It has a particular focus on supporting strong trusts, and strong schools forming trusts, to take on underperforming schools in education investment areas (EIAs).

For this funding round, TCaF will have three strands:

• A: For projects in which trusts will take on at least one additional inadequate or requires improvement school from one of the areas listed in the guidance
• B: For projects in which a trust takes on either at least one inadequate or requires improvement school outside of an EIA or any school within an EIA
• C: For trusts taking on good or outstanding schools outside of an EIA.

Academy trusts or local authority maintained schools in England are eligible to apply.

There are three strands of funding:

• Strand A: grants of £50,000 to £300,000
• Strand B: grants of £50,000 to £200,000
• Strand C: grants of £50,000 to £100,000.

Applications for the second 2022-23 funding window are now open until the deadline of 16 December 2022.

How To Apply

Applications for the second 2022-23 funding window are now open until the deadline of 16 December 2022.

An accounting officer in the applicant organisation will need to ratify all applications. This individual will be accountable for delivery, ensuring funding is used correctly and that the terms of the grant funding agreement are met.

For more information, visit the UK Government website.