Available Funding Streams for Academies
Salix currently has multiple funds open for Academies and Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) to apply.
Both the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) 2020/21 and the Salix Energy Efficiency Fund (SEEF) 2020/21 are now open and Academies can also currently apply for the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS.)
Please note, you cannot apply to more than one scheme for the same project unless you’ve already been made aware of the outcome and been unsuccessful.
Interest-free loan schemes
Salix Energy Efficiency Fund (SEEF)
This scheme is available for energy efficiency projects such as LED lighting and Solar PV projects. A full list of technologies can be found here.
Application deadline Outcome Project completion date
11th January 2021Announced March 2021 Projects must be completed by December 2021
Condition Improvement Fund (CIF)
CIF funding aims to address building issues with a significant condition improvement need. This includes issues with poor building condition, building compliance, energy efficiency or health and safety.
If there is an energy-saving aspect to the project, Academies and MATs can apply for a Salix loan to cover this cost as part of the CIF bid.
The scheme is available for eligible technologies such as replacing a roof, replacing broken boilers or gas to gas boiler replacements.
Application deadline Outcome Project completion date
14th January 2021Announced Spring 2021 Projects must be completed by March 2022/23
Grant Schemes
Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS)
The PSDS is a grant scheme available for capital energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation projects in England only.
The scheme is available for eligible technologies such as heat pumps, insulation, glazing, battery storage and connection to low-carbon heating. A full list of eligible technologies can be found on page 16 here.
More information about the PSDS can be found here.
Application deadline Outcome Project completion date
11th January 20213 weeks after the submission date Projects must be completed by September 2021
Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund (LCSF)
If you need support identifying projects in your Academy or MAT, funding is available through the Low Carbon Skills Fund for you to engage specialist and expert advice in order to identify and develop energy efficiency and low-carbon heat upgrade projects with the aim of applying to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.
Additionally, Academies can apply for LCSF funding to engage the specialist and expert advice and skills required to enable the delivery of projects funded by the main grant scheme and to put in place a Heat Decarbonisation Plan, or, to improve an existing plan.
More information about the LCSF can be found here.
Application Deadline
Project development support 23:59 4th December 2020
Project delivery and heat decarbonisation plan support 23:59 11th January 2021
Further information on compliance
Please note the carbon factors used in the SEEF and the PSDS are different.
For SEEF projects to be compliant, the cost to save a tonne of carbon (/tCO₂) over the lifetime of the project must be no more than £222 and for the PSDS no more than £500. This is calculated automatically in the relevant application tool.
The carbon factors used in the PSDS mean that for electricity saving measures, the forecasted annual carbon savings are reduced in line with the expected decarbonisation of the electricity grid over the lifetime of the technology, however, gas-saving projects assume a constant amount of annual carbon savings over the lifetime of the technology.
This means that an application to the grant scheme for electricity saving measures alone will find it challenging to meet the £500/tCO2 limit. For example, if you are only looking at LED or Solar projects, then they may be more likely to receive funding through SEEF.
The PSDS application form combines the cost and savings of all measures, and based on that average, Salix can fund up to the £500/tCO2 limit. Therefore, higher carbon savings measures can offset lower carbon measures and we encourage that you take a holistic approach across schools for this reason.