CVSN Underrepresented Populations Travel Grant

The American Heart Association’s Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing proudly supports the research efforts of early career investigators and trainees of all backgrounds. The CVSN Council is offering travel grants to outstanding underrepresented populations early career investigators and students interested in attending AHA Scientific Sessions.

Eligibility Criteria

• All applicants for the CVSN Underrepresented Populations Travel Grant must be members of the CVSN at the time of application. If you need to become an AHA Professional Member, you should do so no later than one week prior to abstract submission deadline. Learn more about AHA Professional Membership.
• Applicants must represent nursing, by meeting the following criteria:
  • Applicant must be a full-time employee as a registered nurse or nurse practitioner.
  • Applicant must be involved in the care of patients related to stroke or conduct research related to stroke
• 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.
• Previous winners of this grant are not eligible to apply.
• 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 Early Career Investigator Award finalist will not be eligible to receive a travel grant for the same meeting.)
• Candidates should apply for only one of the travel grants that the council offers to Scientific Sessions.

How to Apply/Required Documents

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

• A letter of recommendation by a mentor, section chief or department chair, which includes the following:
  • Candidate's grounds for eligibility, including verification that he or she is a registered nurse or nurse practitioner involved in the care of patients related to stroke or conduct research related to stroke. The candidate must also be 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

• Applicant’s personal statement (no longer than one page, double-spaced), outlining your research interests and long-term career goals and how receipt of the travel grant will enhance future long-term goals.
• Curriculum vitae and bibliography

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 the 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.
4. Once logged in, you may apply for the Scientific Sessions Underrepresented Populations Travel Grants and select the CVSN Underrepresented Populations Travel Grant from the award drop down list.

For more detailed information on ProposalCentral, also included are additional materials on specific ProposalCentral functionality.

• How to Create an Application in ProposalCentral (PDF)
• How to Register a ProposalCentral User (PDF)
• How To Add Publications in ProposalCentral (PDF)

Prizes

Each winner will receive:

• $660 grant to help offset costs of attending Scientific Sessions.
• One complimentary ticket to the CVSN Dinner. Attendance at Scientific Sessions and the CVSN Council dinner are mandatory and will be verified before the grant is awarded.

Awardees will be required to pay their registration for the meeting and should register prior to the discounted early registration rate deadline.

Questions