The Trust Capacity Fund (TCaF)
The Department for Education's Trust Capacity Fund (TCaF) is designed to support the growth and development of academy trusts in England, offering financial assistance for trusts to enhance their capacity for managing more schools effectively. This funding aims at encouraging trusts to expand and improve, particularly by taking on underperforming schools in areas of high need, thereby raising educational standards.
TCaF funding supports a range of activities designed to build the central capacity of trusts, enabling them to manage additional schools effectively. Eligible activities include the implementation of new central systems for IT, finance, HR, training and professional development for staff, provision of new staff within the central team, relocation costs, and more.
TCaF 2025
The current iteration of TCaF, covering the years 2023-2025, has introduced four distinct strands of funding to cater to various expansion and improvement scenarios for academy trusts and local authority maintained schools across England.
• Strand A1 (£50,000 - £750,000):
Focuses on trusts that will take on or form from at least five schools, including at least one school rated as 'inadequate' or 'requires improvement' in an Education Investment Area (EIA).
• Strand A2 (£50,000 - £500,000):
Targets trusts taking on at least one 'inadequate' or 'requires improvement' school within an EIA.
• Strand B (£50,000 - £250,000):
For trusts taking on either at least one 'inadequate' or 'requires improvement' school outside of an EIA, or any school within an EIA.
• Strand C (£50,000 - £100,000):
Supports trusts taking on 'good' or 'outstanding' schools outside of EIAs.
To be eligible for the upcoming window (open from 1st March 2024), trusts must not have an open Financial Notice to Improve and must have an eligible growth project approved by a Regional Director (RD) from 1 January 2024.
PAG's TCaF Record & Support
PAG has a hugely successful track record when supporting our clients' TCaF bids and has secured over £5 million during past rounds, including over £1 million in the previous window alone. Our substantial experience of the bidding process, the sector, and in working closely with the DfE mean there's genuinely no one better suited to support your bid.
If you'd like to speak to an expert about how we could help you secure the funding for your trust's growth, please get in touch using the contact page above and we'll reach out shortly to arrange a call.