ViiV Healthcare

OVERVIEW: ViiV Healthcare, based in the United Kingdom, seeks to eradicate HIV/AIDS around the world. The company, with offices in 16 countries, supports community groups working on HIV/AIDS initiatives in areas where it does business.

IP TAKE: ViiV Healthcare is on a mission to eradicate HIV/AIDS, but its approach to grantmaking prioritizes organizations that focus on a number of strategies, including AIDS prevention and improvement of well-being for HIV/AIDS positive people in some of the most marginalized HIV/AIDS populations in the world. Grant seekers whose work does not align with ViiV’s agenda are unlikely to secure a grant. Note that these funds derive from a pharmaceutical company’s profits. While accessible, this funder is not particularly transparent or approachable. Nonetheless, it is clear that this funder is an ally of organizations taking a progressive approach to LGBTQ+ issues and using a racial justice lens.

PROFILE: ViiV Healthcare is an independent, global specialist HIV company established in 2009 through a unique partnership between pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline. Shionogi joined the group in 2012. ViiV seeks “new partnerships to help strengthen education, support services, local healthcare capacity and capabilities and to reduce stigma.” Their goal is to deliver innovative new options for the care and treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS. Based in the United Kingdom, ViiV supports a variety of HIV/AIDs issues by supporting access to its medicines, community partnerships, and supporting innovative HIV/AIDS research. Although ViiV remains for profit, its philanthropic activities, currently run through its Positive Action program, are impressive and wide-reaching. Its various initiatives demonstrate an all-encompassing approach to alleviating the impacts of this epidemic.

Grants for Global Health

ViiV Healthcare’s philanthropic funding for Global Health primarily channels through their Positive Action program. While a recent annual report shows a total of 12.67 million GBP given through 137 grants in 33 countries through Postive Action globally, organizations focused on HIV/AIDS in the U.S. can apply for Positive Action Community Grants. Through these PACG grants, ViiV aims to “increase engagement in prevention and care, address stigma, and build trust in HIV care among communities most disproportionately impacted by HIV and AIDS.”

ViiV Positive Action in the U.S. boasts of several research and interest programs which grant seekers should examine thoroughly to better ascertain whether their project would be a strong fit.

  • The Positive Action for Youth initiative, initially piloted in 2017, seeks to “nourish whole-person health for young people and their communities” in the face of the continuing HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S. and beyond. Including 15+ grantees and more than $4.5 million in giving, the those interested in working in this space would be well-advised to review ViiV’s recent report “Our Own North Stars: Supporting the Next Generation of Leaders” for guidance on the funder’s current approach to grantmaking in this area.

  • Building off of the results of a prior listening initiative focused on the Latinx community, Positive Action for Latinx Men “is a community-giving initiative that supports Latinx gay, bisexual, queer and trans men” through a number of important approaches. A report on the 2021-2024 grantees for this program is available here.

  • Having invested $4.5 million since 2017 into Positive Action for Women, ViiV Healthcare is committed to “breaking down stigma and isolation for cis and trans women of color living with HIV and the organizations that serve them.” In their Risk to Reasons grantmaking efforts, focused on connecting Black women to HIV prevention, ViiV has funded $8 million to 18 projects, all led by Black women.

  • Positive Action Southern Initiative focuses on HIV communities located in the Southern U.S. Begun in 2010, this initiative funds projects in 13 southern states, and has funded $9+ million for 52 projects. Their most recent grantmaking cycle was in 2022, so be sure to check back to their initiative page often, if this is your focus region.

  • The accelerate Initiative, intended to support the health and well-being of gay and bisexual Black men, was launched in 2015 and has produced a report When We Feel Whole, which serves a source of important information for organizations designing their approaches to working with these communities.

GRANT DETAILS:

ViiV Positive Action Community Grants are available in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Canada, Australia, Italy, and France. Each country has its own grant application process. In the U.S. and Puerto Rico, applications are accepted on a rolling basis through an online grant portal. These grants are meant for organizations seeking general operating support, special events funding, or project-based support.

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