The available fund for financial year 2025/26 is £200k. UK members of the Vivensa Academy are able to apply for up to £5k for a clearly defined activity or series of activities which:

• are linked to the aims of the Vivensa Academy and/or one or more of our key priorities for research, as set out in our strategic framework;
• considers relevant aspects of our key principles for research which are:
  • involvement, engagement and creating real impact;
  • capacity building and career/professional development;
  • equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Community Organisations  – We welcome applications from community organisation working with older people. The Ignition Fund in conjunction with the Academy Capability Development resources for community organisations can be used to help you with the development of your organisation.  These resources help community organisations to develop capacity, resilience, effectiveness and strategy.   

The funds can be combined with other sources of funding or be used as seed funding.

If you are successful in receiving an Ignition Fund award, then we will ask that you contribute to the development of the Academy by providing a short article or other resource which will be helpful to other Academy members.

What the fund can be used for

Applicants are asked to define the proposed activity and briefly outline the costs (maximum £5,000) with appropriate justification. The award is intended to be flexible, and some examples of how the funds could be used include, but are not limited to, the following:

Clinical and academic researchers:

• Developing initiatives that connect researchers and community organisations, such as pre-funding relationship development.
• Carrying out patient, carer and/or public involvement and engagement (PPIE)-related activities in advance of developing a research funding application (i.e. to test a research question has validity in the community, gain feedback from relevant stakeholders etc.).
• Seed funding to foster industry collaborations.
• Bringing a range of stakeholders together through initiatives such as the development of communities of practice or place-based hubs to drive evidence-based good practice and/or policy change.
• Establishing local networks to develop leaders in ageing research through capacity building.
• A short secondment of a researcher to a community organisation or company to work on a question with them/learn more about the sector/share skills and knowledge etc.
• Developing hubs to promote community cohesiveness to tackle an issue such as health inequalities in coastal, rural or other under-served communities.
• Facilitating visits to other laboratories or institutions to learn new techniques or to host visiting researchers from other institutions.
• Developing new skills and knowledge through courses, workshops and conferences.
• Developing transferable skills such as writing, presentations, social media, leadership or management skills.

Once awarded, the grant will be paid in full in advance. We will, however, require you to contribute to the development of the Academy by providing a short article or other resource which is useful to other members of the Academy to show how the funds have been used.

This fund will not cover the cost of Open Access fees. If you are a current or previous Vivensa Foundation grant holder and need help with Open Access fees for publications directly related to your Vivensa Foundation award, please contact grants@vivensafoundation.org.uk as we have an alternative arrangement for meeting this expenditure.

The fund cannot be used to fund or subsidise the costs of Masters or PhD degrees/projects/studentships.

Requests for conference costs will only be considered where you are presenting or contributing a poster. If you are a PhD student, you  may apply to cover such costs if you are in your final year of study.

If you are applying for seed funding  for a piece of research, please do  not include conference fees. There is a separate mechanism to support Vivensa Foundation awardees with such costs, details of which will be provided to you at the appropriate time.

Community Organisations:

Community Organisations:

• Meeting with your local authority, commissioner or researchers to explain more about the work of your organisation;
• Stakeholder engagement to demonstrate your impact or share best practice;
• Focus groups with your beneficiaries to co-produce the services you offer;
• Meetings to bring together other local organisations to collectively address a problem affecting older people.

Academy Capability Development resources for community organisations can be used to help you with the development of your organisation.  These resources help community organisations to develop capacity, resilience, effectiveness and strategy.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Clear Focus on Ageing / Older People’s Health, Well-being or Social Care Needs

Projects must address ageing, frailty, age-related disease, age-related conditions (e.g. hearing loss, vision loss, musculoskeletal disease, respiratory disease, social care needs) or interventions to improve quality of life for older adults. 

For social care or service-innovation proposals: improving care systems, housing, social inclusion, and community support for older people. 

Predictor: The more directly your proposal addresses age-related issues or the lived experience of older adults, the better.

2. Alignment With Vivensa’s Strategic Priorities & Thematic Focus (2025–2030 Framework)

Recent calls highlight priority themes such as:

Biological mechanisms of ageing and inequalities in biological ageing.

Under-addressed conditions in older age: e.g., age-related vision, hearing loss; infection; respiratory diseases; musculoskeletal conditions.

Person-centered interventions or community-based solutions that can prevent, delay, or reduce health and social care needs.

Housing, community design, and living environments suitable for ageing populations, including underserved or disadvantaged communities. 

Predictor: Proposals directly matching one or more of these themes are prioritized.

3. Multidisciplinary, Translational or Intersectoral Approach

Vivensa encourages collaboration across disciplines: biomedical, social care, public health, community organisations, housing, policy, etc. 

For many of their funding schemes, they explicitly support research that combines science + social innovation or partnerships between academia, health/social-care, and community/VCSE (voluntary/community sector) organisations. 

Predictor: Proposals that integrate multiple disciplines — e.g. clinical research + public health + community engagement + social care / housing — tend to stand out.

4. Equity, Inclusion & Focus on Underserved / Vulnerable Populations

Vivensa’s charter includes strong equity, diversity, and inclusion commitments. 

For social-care / community-level interventions: interest in underserved, disadvantaged or marginalised older populations, reducing inequalities in ageing, and promoting inclusive care/housing/participation. 

Predictor: Projects that consider social determinants, inequality, vulnerability, and inclusion — especially for older adults from under-served groups — are more competitive.

5. Feasible and Well-Designed Research or Intervention Plan + Realistic Budget/Scope

For translational, biomedical or clinical proposals: clear hypotheses, measurable outcomes, realistic timelines — especially given that Vivensa is a charity and may fund seed-to-mid scale work. 

For social-care or community projects: realistic delivery plan, stakeholder engagement, sustainability or scalability potential, and clarity on how the intervention will improve care or quality of life.

For small / seed grants or “Ignition Fund” proposals: clear, focused aims (e.g. building partnerships, pilot data collection, stakeholder engagement) matched to modest funding (often <= £5,000).

Predictor: Projects that balance ambition with realistic scope, clear planning, and feasible deliverables are more likely to get funded.

6. Strong Emphasis on Impact — Health, Social Care, or Community Benefit

Vivensa expects funding to lead to tangible benefits: improved understanding of ageing, better health outcomes, enhanced care models, or improved living conditions/housing for older people.

For research: ideally with prospects for translation, application, or next-phase funding; for social innovation: with real-world applicability and community / policy relevance.

Predictor: Demonstrated potential for meaningful, practical impact — not purely academic interest — is a major strength.

7. Capacity-Building, Collaboration and Engagement with Community / Stakeholders

Vivensa supports building research capacity — early-career researchers, partnerships between universities and community organisations, public/patient involvement (PPIE), collaborative networks via their “Academy.” 

Their “Ignition Fund” encourages seed projects that build collaboration, engagement, and groundwork for larger studies. 

Predictor: Proposals that incorporate stakeholder engagement, capacity building, cross-sector collaboration, or community organisation involvement tend to be well-received.

8. Good Governance, Ethics, and Long-term Vision for Sustainability

Vivensa requires good governance from organisations it funds; for community-level or social-care projects, evidence of safeguarding, equity, diversity, responsible practices — particularly when vulnerable older adults are involved — is expected.

For funded biomedical or clinical research: adherence to ethics, transparency, and commitment to dissemination or future translation — consistent with their charitable objectives. 

Predictor: Proposals that demonstrate ethical integrity, good governance, and sustainable or scalable vision tend to succeed.

🎯 What This Means — If You Plan to Apply to Vivensa Foundation

If you are preparing a grant or fellowship application to Vivensa, you should:

Frame your project around ageing, older adult health, social care, or improving quality of life for older people.

Ensure your topic aligns with Vivensa’s strategic themes (biology of ageing, under-addressed age-related conditions, social care/housing, equity, inclusion).

Build a multidisciplinary or collaborative team, possibly including clinicians, social-care experts, housing/society researchers, community organisations.

Design a realistic, feasible plan with clear aims, timeline, outcomes, and budget appropriate to the grant mechanism.

Emphasize impact and translational potential — how will this benefit older people, care systems, or policies.

If relevant, embed equity, inclusion, and community engagement into your research/intervention design.

For social / care-based projects: ensure good governance, safeguarding, sustainability and a plan for scale or wider application.

For career development proposals or early-career researchers: highlight capacity building, future independence, collaborations, and potential to contribute to ageing research long-term.

Consider applying for seed / ignition / small grants if you’re doing preliminary or pilot work; but lay the foundation for larger applications or follow-on funding.