Centre For Innovation In Voluntary Action
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your work fits its stated areas (social entrepreneurship, youth participation, poor communities, early years parenting, environmental sustainability, mathematics or sustainable finance) and you work in any part of the United Kingdom, this funder is worth considering.
- Most of its grants to organisations are modest: about 8 in 10 of its 51 fell between £2,250 and £29,500, with a median of £5,000, though its largest grant was £350,000, so that band is typical rather than a ceiling.
- Its single-programme awards go up to £20,000, so a request for a defined project within that limit suits it best.
- Applications are made once a year, each January, and awards are made in May, so plan your timetable around that fixed deadline.
- The annual report does not say how competitive it is or how far relationships matter, so approach it on the strength of the fit.
Overview
Centre For Innovation In Voluntary Action is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1122095).
Centre For Innovation In Voluntary Action is a charity registered in England and Wales. Its charitable objects are to advance any purpose recognised as exclusively charitable under the laws of every part of the United Kingdom. It develops ideas into successful and sustainable programmes, promotes social entrepreneurship and supports social entrepreneurs. Its stated programmes include The Gumbi Fund, which works to transform a Malawian village through education, and it paid £932,914 in grants in its latest reported year.
What they fund
Priority Areas
CIVA develops ideas into successful and sustainable programmes and promotes social entrepreneurship while supporting social entrepreneurs. Its stated work includes involving young people in issues affecting them and wider society, enabling poor communities to address problems in their lives, supporting parents with young children during the early years, addressing environmental sustainability and climate change, and advancing mathematics. It also experiments with sustainable finance in support of these aims. CIVA collaborates with social entrepreneurs and incubates projects at an early stage. Its grants have included support for community, migrant-support, arts and educational organisations. Award winners present their projects to Conduit Club members and receive membership and access to expertise, advice and contacts.
Themes
- Social entrepreneurship
- Youth participation
- Poor communities
- Early years parenting
- Environmental sustainability
- Mathematics
- Sustainable finance
Geographic Focus
Every Part Of The United Kingdom.
How to apply
Organisations submit applications each January. Award winners present their projects to Conduit Club members at a celebratory event in May, and receive a year’s membership plus access to members’ expertise, advice and contacts.
Deadlines: Applications are submitted each January.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to Centre For Innovation In Voluntary Action.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 51 grants in year to 31 December 2025 by size
Median £5,000 (year to 31 December 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in this funder’s latest annual report:
- MathsWorld UK£350,000year to 31 December 2025
- Oxfordshire Liveable Streets£91,880year to 31 December 2025
- Pirkx Ltd£60,000year to 31 December 2025
- Charities Aid Foundation£47,455year to 31 December 2025
- Network for Social Change£30,800year to 31 December 2025
- Gower Street£29,400year to 31 December 2025
- Social Engine Ltd£25,000year to 31 December 2025
- Beyond the Bias£20,000year to 31 December 2025
Grant examples taken from the funder’s filed accounts. Not included above: 4 grants to individuals.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 December 2021 | £1,705,806 | £1,578,343 | £629,025 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2021 |
| year to 31 December 2022 | £1,504,164 | £1,506,584 | £349,025 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2022 |
| year to 31 December 2023 | £2,225,453 | £2,941,525 | £1,258,632 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2023 |
| year to 31 December 2024 | £1,150,179 | £1,032,084 | £579,366 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2024 |
| year to 31 December 2025 | £1,071,842 | £1,545,116 | £932,914 | Accounts for year to 31 December 2025 |
Income vs grants paid
IncomeGrants paid
Total value each financial year
Grants paid stayed within income across the 5 years shown.
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2021; year to 31 December 2022; year to 31 December 2023; year to 31 December 2024: grants to institutions, as reported on the charity register (Part B).
- Grants paid, year to 31 December 2025: grants paid out in the year.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- civa.org.uk
- civa.org.uk/how-we-work · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 December 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
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At a glance
Applying to Centre For Innovation In Voluntary Action?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- civa.org.uk
- Charity Commission register entryContact details as held by the Charity Commission
Applying to Centre For Innovation In Voluntary Action?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- civa.org.uk
- Charity Commission register entryContact details as held by the Charity Commission