Vivensa Foundation grants
Vivensa Foundation is a national family foundation that gave around £3.4m to organisations in its latest year, funding research and services to help people in the UK age well.
Guidance last checked 16 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
Vivensa Foundation is a family foundation that funds the remarkable science and social change needed for people in the UK to age well, giving around £3.4m to organisations in its latest year. Its work spans disability, the advancement of health, and accommodation and housing. It runs several named programmes, including the Joint BGS Undergraduate Research Placement and the Academy Ignition Fund, alongside broader research and capability-building grants.
What they fund
Vivensa Foundation funds disability, the advancement of health or saving of lives, and accommodation and housing, focused on the science and social change needed for people in the UK to age well.
Who and where
It funds other charities, voluntary bodies and research organisations across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Vivensa Foundation says in its own guidance
Quoted directly from the funder’s own website, with a link to the page each quote came from. Always the most current word is theirs — check the source before you apply.
What they say they're looking for
“We fund the remarkable science and radical social change needed for people in the UK to age well”
Source: vivensafoundation.org.uk — Home - Vivensa Foundation →
What they say they won't fund
“Organisations based outside the UK, or whose work primarily benefits people outside the UK”
Source: vivensafoundation.org.uk — Funding FAQs - Vivensa Foundation →
“Proposals relating to the research or treatment of cancer.”
Source: vivensafoundation.org.uk — Funding FAQs - Vivensa Foundation →
Grant sizes they mention
“The maximum funding available* is as follows: £11,475 for centres, departments or institutes outside of London £12,325 for centres, departments or institutes within London”
Source: vivensafoundation.org.uk — Funding opportunities - Vivensa Foundation →
Deadlines they mention
“Now open – deadline for applications 22 July 2026 (5pm)”
Source: vivensafoundation.org.uk — Funding opportunities - Vivensa Foundation →
“This route is accessed through prior discussion with the Vivensa Foundation's Grants Team. If you believe the PhD by Prior Publication route may be suitable for you, please review the information above and contact the Grants Team at grants@vivensafoundation.org.uk for further guidance”
Source: vivensafoundation.org.uk — Funding opportunities - Vivensa Foundation →
How they say to apply
“Applications are open year-round and can be submitted at any time; however, completed and submitted applications will be considered by the assessment panel on the following dates:”
Source: vivensafoundation.org.uk — Funding opportunities - Vivensa Foundation →
“We will only consider the resubmission of an application that was previously unsuccessful—following peer and committee/panel review—if the resubmitted application clearly addresses the feedback and comments received during the original review process.”
Source: vivensafoundation.org.uk — Funding FAQs - Vivensa Foundation →
What a typical grant looks like
| Typical (median) grant | £30,250 |
|---|---|
| Middle half of grants | £15,000 – £60,000 |
| Grants published openly | 455 |
| Most recent published grant | 2026 |
Recent grants
- Inspiring Housing Community Land TrustAcademy Ignition Fund£48,000January 2026
- The Queens Nursing Institute ScotlandQNIS Queens Nurse Programme£120,000December 2025
- Health Innovation WessexPolypharmacy Programme£115,100December 2025
- Age UK CroydonCapability Development Programme£15,000September 2025
- Bexley MencapCapability Development Programme£15,000September 2025
- Harmony House Dagenham CIOCapability Development Programme£15,000September 2025
From grants Vivensa Foundation publishes openly via 360Giving (the UK open grants-data standard), used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
To advance the understanding of human health and the prevention or relief of sickness, disease, ill health and human suffering for those in need by reason of advancing age including, but not exclusively, by funding research and the innovative development of health and social care services and publishing and…
How to approach them
Start with the official sources — they’re always more current than any directory, including this one.
Common questions
How much does Vivensa Foundation typically give?
Across 455 recorded grants (the latest from 2026), the median award was £30,250, with the middle half falling between £15,000 and £60,000. Its Joint BGS Undergraduate Research Placement offers up to £11,475 for centres outside London, or up to £12,325 for those within London.
What does Vivensa Foundation fund?
It funds work relating to disability, the advancement of health or saving of lives, and accommodation and housing, with a focus on the science and social change needed for people in the UK to age well.
What won't Vivensa Foundation fund?
It does not fund proposals relating to the research or treatment of cancer, nor organisations based outside the UK, or whose work primarily benefits people outside the UK.
How do I apply to Vivensa Foundation?
Its Academy Ignition Fund accepts applications year-round, with completed applications considered by an assessment panel on quarterly review dates. Its PhD by Prior Publication route requires prior discussion with the Grants Team before applying, and a previously unsuccessful application will only be reconsidered once it clearly addresses the feedback received. As an example of how dates change, its Joint BGS/Vivensa Undergraduate Research Placement had a deadline of 22 July 2026 (5pm). For current details, check the foundation's website (vivensafoundation.org.uk) or its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1140372).
Is your charity a fit for Vivensa Foundation?
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Contains public sector information from the Charity Commission for England and Wales licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, and grants data from 360Giving used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Figures are derived (filtered and summarised by TrusteeMeetings), not republished unchanged. About the data · Terms of use. This page is a starting point for your own research, not a promise of funding, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with Vivensa Foundation.