GMCA Retrofit Fund Application Support
Public Building Retrofit Fund application support for Greater Manchester public bodies
Mantis provides Public Building Retrofit Fund application support to eligible Greater Manchester public organisations. Window 3 of Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA) fund opens for registration on 7 September 2026.
Local authorities, schools and trusts, emergency services, and NHS community and mental health trusts across Greater Manchester now have a real opportunity to fund decarbonisation and energy efficiency work. But the application itself needs to be strong enough to get through Gateway 1 and Gateway 2 assessment.
We’ve helped 21 schools and trusts through the process across the fund’s first two windows, alongside other public bodies exploring the fund.
This is what that support looks like, and why it matters for Window 3.
Why PBRf applications need more than a form filled in
A PBRf application isn’t a checkbox exercise. Gateway 1 scores applications against carbon intensity, project readiness, strategic alignment with the GM 5-year Environment Plan, and existing building performance. Gateway 2 then puts surviving applications through full technical assessment before GMCA issues a Grant Offer Letter.
Both stages look for the same thing: a technically credible case, backed by data that holds up under scrutiny, and a delivery plan that’s actually deliverable. A genuinely good retrofit project can still fail at either gateway if the application doesn’t make that case clearly.
That’s the gap our application support closes.
How Mantis supports your PBRf application
Eligibility and project scoping. Before anything is written, we assess whether your buildings and proposed works fit PBRf’s eligibility criteria and Window 3’s revised scoring priorities. This includes the shift toward project readiness and the removal of the end-of-life boiler requirement that applied in earlier rounds.
Carbon and energy data. Gateway 1 scoring is only as strong as the data behind it. Our team builds the carbon intensity and energy performance evidence your application needs, drawn from a proper technical assessment of your buildings rather than estimates.
Application writing and Gateway 1 submission. Our team prepares the application itself: the narrative, the technical case, and the supporting evidence, structured against how GMCA’s assessors actually score submissions.
Gateway 2 technical assessment support. For applications that progress, our team helps develop the delivery plan and technical detail Gateway 2 requires. This keeps the project standing up to closer scrutiny rather than losing momentum at the second hurdle.
Registration. Every window requires registration, even for organisations that registered previously. We make sure this administrative step doesn’t become the reason a strong project never gets the chance to apply.
What’s different about Window 3
If you applied in Window 1 or 2, a few things have changed that are worth knowing before you register:
- Soft sector caps have been removed, opening the field to more direct competition across sectors.
- Scoring is weighted more heavily toward project readiness. A smaller, fully-costed scheme can now outcompete a larger but less developed one.
- Fabric-first projects, such as insulation and building envelope improvements, are eligible as standalone measures, not just alongside a heating system replacement.
Each of these changes affects how a competitive application should be built. It’s part of what we factor into our support for Window 3 applicants.
Who we support
Our PBRf application support is aimed at organisations eligible for the fund: local authorities, town and parish councils, emergency services, state-funded schools, academies and multi-academy trusts, further education providers, local-authority-maintained nursery schools, and community or mental health NHS trusts across Greater Manchester.
Talk to us before you register
Registration for Window 3 opens 7 September 2026 and closes 18 September 2026. If you’re considering an application, or want an experienced eye on a project before you register, get in touch with Mantis.