Viva Network

Analysis

Viva Network is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Oxford. It was registered in February 1996, 30 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, the prevention or relief of poverty, overseas aid/famine relief and economic/community development/employment, which this site groups under poverty relief. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03162776). It says it makes grants to individuals, makes grants to organisations and provides other finance.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Viva Network reported income of £1.2m and spending of £1.7m, spending 139% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income fell from £2.9m to £1.2m (-57%), an average of -19% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income dropped by 41%. Over the whole period it spent 102% of the income it received.

Among 15,276 England and Wales charities whose main cause is poverty relief and that reported income, Viva Network sits at the 94th percentile: it is larger than about 94% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 95th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Walthamstow and Chingford Almshouse Charity (£1.2m), Angel Welfare and Education Trust (£1.2m) and Liverpool Church of England Council for Social Aid (Incorporated) (£1.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 88% and charitable activities 12%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £5,356. Charitable activities took 80% of spending and raising funds 20%. Grants to other organisations totalled £380k. It employed 24 people.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.