Survive - Miva

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £272,092 (charitable activities expenditure)
• Success Rate: 9-10% (35-40 grants from ~400 applications)
• Decision Time: 4-6 months (Allocations Committee meets 2-3 times yearly)
• Grant Range: Varies by vehicle type (bicycles to 4-wheel vehicles, up to $50,000)
• Geographic Focus: International - developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America
• Total Income: £561,716

Contact Details

Address: 5 Park Vale Road, Aintree, Merseyside L9 2DG, UK

Phone: +44 (0)151 523 3878

Email: info@survive-miva.org

Website: www.survive-miva.org

Overview

SURVIVE-MIVA is a UK-based lay Catholic Association and Registered Charity (No. 268745) founded in Liverpool in 1974. With total assets generating an annual income of £561,716, the charity makes grants totaling approximately £272,092 annually to fund essential forms of transport for health outreach work and pastoral ministry in the developing world. Over the past 42+ years, SURVIVE-MIVA has funded over 5,000 modes of transport across multiple continents. The organization operates with a small team of 4 employees, 5 trustees, and is supported by approximately 60 volunteer speakers who fundraise in Catholic parishes across the UK. Their strategic approach focuses on rejecting dependency, strengthening grassroots initiatives, and supporting locally-identified needs through providing mobility solutions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

SURVIVE-MIVA funds three primary categories of transport:

• Health Outreach Vehicles: £5,000 - $50,000 - Four-wheel vehicles for rough-terrain mobile healthcare, child immunizations, and maternity care. Usually for trained personnel, particularly Sisters from indigenous Religious Orders. (22 vehicles funded 2019-2021)

• Motorbikes & Mopeds: £1,000 - £3,000 - For parish priests to visit isolated rural communities to celebrate Mass and Sacraments. (85 funded 2019-2021)

• Bicycles: £100 - £300 - For parish catechists and workers to make house visits and sick calls. (522 funded 2019-2021)

• Specialized Transport: Occasional grants for small boats and outboard motors for water-based access to communities. (2 funded 2020-2021)

Application Method: Written application via email or post to the charity office. The Allocations Committee meets 2-3 times per year to review applications.

Priority Areas

• Health outreach and mobile healthcare in developing countries
• Pastoral ministry and sacramental care in isolated rural communities
• Education and developmental work in underserved regions
• Poverty relief through improved access to services
• Projects led by women-led organizations are especially encouraged
• Catholic sources are prioritized for funding
• Institutional applicants only (not individual accounts)

Geographic Focus

Countries currently funded include: India, Papua New Guinea, Brazil, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Malawi, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe.

What They Don't Fund

• Individual applicants (only institutional accounts)
• Organizations outside the developing world
• Transport not directly related to health, pastoral, educational, or developmental work
• Running costs or operational expenses beyond the transport itself

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Governance and Leadership

Structure: The charity is governed by a Committee of Management (5 Trustees) that meets quarterly. An Allocations Committee meets 2-3 times annually to review grant applications. An Annual General Meeting is held for all staff and members.

Key Principles: No trustees receive remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity. Grant decisions require approval from at least two Trustees.

Staffing: 2 full-time and 2 part-time employees based in Liverpool manage fundraising and grant allocation, supported by approximately 60 volunteer speakers who conduct parish appeals.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

SURVIVE-MIVA accepts written applications via email (info@survive-miva.org) or post to their Liverpool office. There is no online application portal.

Required Information:

• Who you are and your organizational background
• Where you are based (country and specific location)
• Detailed description of your work
• Why you need transportation and how it will be used
• Type of transport needed (bicycle, motorbike, or vehicle)
• Estimated cost in local currency and USD/GBP

Important Note: “We cannot give any guarantee of help, but the more information you give, the better our chances of assessing your request.”

Decision Timeline

• Applications are reviewed by the Allocations Committee which meets 2-3 times per year
• Typical timeline: 4-6 months from submission to decision (depending on committee meeting schedule)
• At least two Trustees must approve each grant
• Successful applicants are notified and grants are paid via international bank transfer to institutional accounts overseas for in-country vehicle purchase

Success Rates

• Applications received annually: ~400
• Grants awarded annually: 35-40
• Success rate: Approximately 9-10%
• This makes SURVIVE-MIVA highly competitive

Between 2019-2021, the charity awarded 629 individual modes of transport totaling £607,892 in grants.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is published. Given the competitive nature (10% success rate) and the committee meeting only 2-3 times per year, unsuccessful applicants should consider strengthening their application with more detailed information about impact and need before reapplying.

Application Success Factors

Comprehensive Information: SURVIVE-MIVA explicitly states “the more information you give, the better our chances of assessing your request.” Successful applications should include:

• Detailed description of the specific communities to be served
• Explanation of terrain and why specific transport is needed
• Evidence of institutional capacity to maintain and utilize the vehicle
• Clear connection to health, pastoral, educational, or poverty relief work

Alignment with Mission: Applications that demonstrate:

• Work in isolated rural communities with limited access
• Direct impact on vulnerable populations
• Sustainable, grassroots initiatives led by local organizations
• Rejection of dependency - showing how transport enables local capacity building

Catholic Priority: While not exclusive, “requests from Catholic sources are prioritised.” Catholic organizations and missions should emphasize their ecclesial connections.

Institutional Capacity: Grants are only paid to institutional (not individual) accounts. Applications must demonstrate organizational legitimacy and capacity to receive international bank transfers and manage vehicle procurement locally.

Evidence-Based Examples: In 2015, SURVIVE-MIVA supplied 82 modes of transport (15 health vehicles, 37 motorbikes, 30 bicycles) to 10 countries. Successful applications likely demonstrated clear need, institutional readiness, and alignment with the three core transport categories.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Highly competitive: With only a 9-10% success rate, applications must be exceptionally detailed and compelling
• Catholic priority: While not exclusive, Catholic organizations and missions receive preference in funding decisions
• Timing matters: With only 2-3 decision rounds per year, plan applications well in advance and be patient with the timeline
• Institutional legitimacy required: Only organizations with institutional bank accounts overseas are eligible; individual applicants cannot apply
• Specificity is critical: The charity explicitly values comprehensive information - vague or brief applications are unlikely to succeed
• Transport as enabler: Frame your request around how mobility will enable critical health, pastoral, or educational work in isolated communities
• Local procurement: Grants fund in-country purchase of vehicles, demonstrating trust in local capacity and avoiding import complications

Similar Funders

These funders have a similar focus and geographic reach:

• SPICMA
• Blackfriars Overseas Aid Trust
• Sodality of St. Peter Claver
• James Percy Foundation
• The Kitchen Table Charities Trust
• The Beit Trust
• THE FRIENDLY HAND
• Tanzania Development Trust
• Christian African Relief Trust
• MESSENGER OF SAINT ANTHONY UK

References

1. SURVIVE-MIVA Official Website - About Page, https://www.survive-miva.org/about/
2. SURVIVE-MIVA Official Website - At a Glance, https://www.survive-miva.org/at-a-glance/
3. SURVIVE-MIVA Official Website - Contact Us, https://www.survive-miva.org/contact-us/
4. UK Charity Commission - SURVIVE-MIVA Charity Details (268745), https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?subid=0&regid=268745
5. Hub Cymru Africa - SURVIVE-MIVA Funding Opportunity, https://hubcymruafrica.wales/funding-opportunity/survive-miva/
6. Scotland's International Development Alliance - SURVIVE-MIVA, https://intdevalliance.scot/membership/funding-update/survive-miva/
7. Advance Africa - SURVIVE-MIVA Grants for the Developing World, https://www.advance-africa.com/SURVIVE-MIVA-Grants.html