CVRI/SNMA Levi Watkins, Jr. Travel Grant for Underrepresented Populations

• The applicant must be a member of the CVRI Council at student trainee/early career level and a member of the SNMA at the time of the application. If you need to become an AHA Professional Member, you should do so no later than one week prior to the award submission deadline due to the time needed to process the membership number. Learn more about AHA Membership
• Applicant must be active in research and still be in training as an undergraduate or pre-doctoral student, or be active in research and within 10 years of completing medical fellowship (or residency as NIH states, MDs would be Fellows for 3–6 years of the 7–10), terminal degree or highest certificate (e.g., MSc, PhD), as of the award application date.
• Eligible applicants must fulfill any one or more criteria as listed below:
  • Individuals who have faced challenges or obstacles to their career due to their membership in one or more racial and ethnic groups.
  • Individuals who have faced challenges or obstacles to their career due to their
    identification as LGBTQ+
  • Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
  • Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, defined as those who meet two or more of the following criteria:
    • Were or currently are homeless.
    • Were or currently are in the foster care system.
    • Were eligible for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program for two or more years.
    • Have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor’s degree (PDF).
    • Were or currently are eligible for Federal Pell grants.
• The candidate must be a U.S. citizen, a noncitizen national (born in American Samoa or Swains Island), or a U.S. permanent resident.
• The applicant must be conducting basic science research in the field of cardiovascular disease.
• Each applicant for AHA council-sponsored awards, regardless of award category, is eligible to receive only one council-sponsored award per AHA conference per year. (For example, an Emergency Medical Services Travel Grant Awardee will not be eligible to receive a travel grant for the same meeting.)
• Previous winners of this award are not eligible to apply.

• August 18, 2025 – Deadline to have an active AHA professional membership with the council sponsoring th award. Membership must be completed online. Please note that membership processing may take 3-5 days; do not wait until the proposal deadline to Join or Renew.
• August 22, 2025, 6 p.m. (CDT) – Deadline to apply for the award in the Council Awards Application System. This deadline will not be extended.
• September 2025 – Applicants are notified of their award status (selected or not selected).

Electronic submission through the Council Awards Application System is mandatory. Hard copies of any part of the application will not be accepted.

Your application file should include the following documents in PDF format:

• Candidate Curriculum Vitae and Bibliography
• Candidate Personal Statement: Statement outlining the applicant’s research interests and long-term career goals and how receipt of the travel grant will enhance their future long-term goals (one-page limit).
• Letter of Support: Original letter on electronic letterhead, signed by the candidate’s mentor, section chief or department chair, which includes the following:
  • Candidate's grounds for eligibility, including verification that he or she is part of an underrepresented population as outlined in the Eligibility Criteria section, with identification of their specific underrepresented population(s).
  • Candidate’s key accomplishments to date (or other forms of demonstrated excellence and recognition in the case of very junior trainees)
  • Assessment of relevant scientific attributes (intellectual curiosity, drive, critical thinking, problem-solving)
  • Potential for future success as a competitive investigator

Visit the Council Awards Application System to complete an application.

A username and password previously set up through online registration at Professional Heart Daily (PHD) will be necessary to access the Application System. AHA Professional Members who are creating an online profile for the first time should make sure to register using their AHA membership identification numbers.

An active AHA Professional Membership is required of all applicants for this award. If you are joining the AHA to apply, please wait for your AHA member number to arrive from AHA Member Services via e-mail before creating an online profile and starting your application file. We suggest that new members join the AHA no later than one week prior to the application submission deadline for the member ID number to be processed and delivered in time for the application deadline. The membership number will be required on the award application form.

1. Click the link for the Council Awards Application System.
2. Sign in with your Professional Heart Daily username and password.
3. Follow these instructions to set up your profile in ProposalCentral. Setting up your ProposalCentral profile will only need to be done the first time you login to apply for an American Heart Association Council Awards. Please note that the grant maker named American Heart Association is for AHA Research Awards and is a separate log in.
4. To apply for award, follow these steps:
   • Create New Proposal: Start by selecting "Create New Proposal."
   • Filter by Grant Maker: Choose "American Heart Association Council Awards."
   • Select Program: From the Programs list, select "Scientific Sessions Underrepresented Populations Travel Grants"
   • Apply Now: Click the "Apply Now" button.
   • Choose Award: Within the application, select the award.
   • For more detailed information on ProposalCentral, also included are additional materials on specific ProposalCentral functionality.
     1. How to Create an Application in ProposalCentral (PDF)
     2. How to Register a ProposalCentral User (PDF)
     3. How To Add Publications in ProposalCentral (PDF)

Each winner will receive:

• Up to 5 winners will receive a $1,000 grant to help offset costs of attending Scientific Sessions.
• One complimentary ticket to the CVRI Reception. Attendance at Scientific Sessions and the CVRI Reception are mandatory and will be verified before the grant is awarded.

*Awardees will be required to pay their registration for the meeting at the discounted early registration rate.