ASSESSMENT INNOVATION FUND
Get funding to bring your assessment design ideas to life
We’re dedicated to promoting and advancing learning – it’s our core purpose.
This purpose drives our commitment to deliver world-class educational services that enable learners to achieve their potential. We also believe that great innovation needs great collaborators. That’s why we launched our Assessment Innovation Fund.
To date, more than 3,000 learners and over 200 educators have participated in 12 funded projects where these findings are helping to support innovators, showcase new digital approaches to assessment and champion the need for change in assessment practices.
About the next window
Supported by NCFE and Ufi VocTech Trust, the next round of the Assessment Innovation Fund focuses on assessment within vocational education. The jointly supported fund will encourage the testing of learner-centric and adaptable assessment solutions, harnessing digital technology to create a more inclusive, robust, fairer, and reliable assessment experience.
We want to support you in testing assessment solutions that can adapt and respond to the needs of the changing UK economy and help get more adults learning.
Window 7 opens on 17 February 2025.
This window prioritises Impact Projects that aim to systematically measure change in assessment at scale, with a goal of reaching at least 1,000 learners. Projects should demonstrate measurable outcomes and align with the needs of the changing UK economy and adult learners.
Successful applicants will be eligible for funding of up to £125,000, with projects expected to be delivered over a 12-18 month timeframe.
For information about future funding windows, subscribe to email updates from the team.
What we’re looking for
We want to hear from you if you think you can help to transform the future of assessment.
During the application process, you will need to be able to demonstrate:
-
- the problem your innovation is addressing and its importance to learners, educators, or the assessment system.
- the potential impact on learners and educators, with measurable outcomes.
- that the innovation is linked to at least one of the Guiding Principles for Assessment Innovation (see our AIF Application and Scoring Guidance).
- the sustainability and scalability of your solution, showing how it could deliver long-term benefits and reach a broad audience.
- the feasibility and robustness of your methodology, ensuring your approach is practical and achievable.
Who can apply for funding?
The fund welcomes applications from training providers, awarding organisations, EdTech businesses, colleges, and other organisations committed to transforming the future of assessment. Projects must utilise digital technology to support adults in the UK aged 16+ in gaining or enhancing their knowledge and skills for the workplace.
If your project seeks to address a significant challenge in assessment, leverage digital technology, and deliver measurable outcomes, we want to hear from you.
Stay up to date
Who we’re working with…
Read about the successful applicants that are currently running pilot projects and testing ideas to change the future of assessment.
Are you eligible?
With up to £125,000 available for each of two large-scale impact projects, this eligibility checker helps you determine whether your project meets the criteria for funding.
Please note that meeting these criteria does not guarantee funding.
Assessment Innovation Fund Social Impact Report 2021-2023
Following the completion of five Assessment Innovation Fund (AIF) windows that committed the original £1m investment to 12 projects, we find ourselves at a point of reflection: What impact have our pilots to date had?
Our Social Impact Report aims to answer these questions, highlighting the AIF’s impact and opening up dialogue of what fair, open and authentic assessment might look like across the education sector.
