AHA Research Grant Funding Opportunities
The American Heart Association is the largest non-profit, non-governmental funder of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research in the U.S.
Many research programs are offered annually and others are one-time grants. Some programs require pre-proposals, with full proposals by invitation only.
Watch this page for updates on funding opportunities and proposal deadlines.
Please visit the Application Resources page for answers on AHA policies and restrictions, application preparation, and general guidelines.
Investigator-Initiated Research
For these funding opportunities, applicants initiate the research focus. Qualification for these awards is largely based on the principal investigator’s career stage.
Topic-focused Funding
These programs support specific areas of science deemed critical to achieving our mission and strategic objectives. The AHA co-funds some projects with other organizations to advance common goals.
Data Science Grants
These opportunities fund researchers from anywhere in the world working in the field of data science. Grants support investigators in all career stages, from trainees to senior scientists.
AHA Registry Research
AHA/ASA Quality Programs produce data from millions of patient records in vast databases for advancing scientific research. Investigators can submit proposals to conduct research using this data.
Investigator-initiated Research Opportunities
Innovative Project Award |
Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Science |
Career Development Award |
International Visiting Professorship Award |
Transformational Project Award |
Submission deadlines have closed for 2024 funding for the following programs: |
AHA Predoctoral Fellowship Enhances the training of promising students in pre-doctoral or clinical health professional degree training programs and who intend careers as scientists, physician-scientists or other clinician-scientists, or related careers aimed at improving global health and wellbeing. Within this award, additional collaboration money has been designated through the AHA/CHF Congenital Heart Defect Research Awards and by the Barth Syndrome Foundation and California Walnut Commission. |
AHA Postdoctoral Fellowship Enhances the training of postdoctoral applicants who are not yet independent. The applicant must be embedded in an appropriate investigative group with the mentorship, support, and relevant scientific guidance of a research mentor. Within this award, additional collaboration money has been designated through the AHA/CHF Congenital Heart Defect Research Awards and AHA/VIVA Physician Research Award and by the Barth Syndrome Foundation and California Walnut Commission. |
Institutional Award for Undergraduate Student Training This award is made to qualified institutions that can offer a meaningful research experience that supports the AHA mission that encourages undergraduate college students from all disciplines to consider research careers. |
AHA Institutional Research Enhancement Award (AIREA) Stimulates research at educational institutions that provide baccalaureate or advanced degrees related to scientific research training. Eligible institutions may not have been major recipients of NIH support. Awards provide funding for small-scale research projects related to cardiovascular diseases and brain health, enhancing the research environment at eligible institutions, and exposing students to research opportunities. |
Merit Award Funds investigators with stellar track records of accomplishment, demonstrated by federal or equivalent funding from multiple sources and excellent publication records with substantial impact, who have the potential to move a field of science forward with creative approaches that are aligned with the AHA's mission. |
Collaborative Sciences Award Fosters innovative collaborative approaches to research projects that propose novel pairings of investigators from at least two broadly disparate disciplines. The proposal must focus on the collaborative relationship, such that the scientific objectives could not be achieved without the efforts of at least two co-principal investigators and their respective disciplines. Within this award, additional collaboration money has been designated through the AHA/VIVA Physician Research Award and by the California Walnut Commission. |
Established Investigator Award Supports established investigators in rapid career growth phase, with records of accomplishments and showing extraordinary promise. Candidates will have a demonstrated commitment to cardiovascular or cerebrovascular science disciplines that support the AHA’s mission, as indicated by funding and publication history and scientific accomplishments. Candidates should propose an innovative/novel research direction that challenges existing paradigms and employs novel concepts, approaches, or technologies. |
Topic-focused Funding Opportunities
AHA and Additional Ventures Collaborative Science Awards in Single Ventricle Heart Disease |
AHA's Second Century Clinical Fellow Research Education Program DEADLINE EXTENDED: Thursday, February 8, 2024 Provides funding for cardiology and select neurology fellows in accredited fellowship programs to attend an AHA scientific meeting (Scientific Sessions or the International Stroke Conference, respectively) and gain other training and experience integral to development of research acumen. |
Submission deadlines have closed for 2024 funding for the following programs: |
Strategically Focused Research Network (SFRN) on Inflammation in Cardiac and Neurovascular Disease This SFRN will consist of at least three centers, each of which will propose novel research studies to address this issue. Funded centers will be expected to collaborate on solving the core issues underlying this problem, including via development of a common network-wide collaborative project. |
AHA's Second Century Early Faculty Independence Award |
AHA/ASA/ABF Lawrence M Brass, MD Stroke Research Awards |
AHA/Enduring Hearts Translational Research Awards in Pediatric Heart Transplantation Enduring Hearts and the AHA provide funding for research on improving the life expectancy and quality of life of pediatric heart transplant recipients. |
Food is Medicine Initiative |
Data Science Grants
AHA Travel Grant for Data Bootcamp Proposal Deadline: Friday, January 5, 2024 Learn how to use the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Get With The Guidelines® (GWTG) Data for Research Awards |
AHA Data Grant: Debiasing Clinical Care Algorithms |
Supplemental Grants for Research Goes Red Awardees |
Using GWTG Data to Further Address Gaps in CVD |
AHA Registry Research
AHA Travel Grant for Data Bootcamp Proposal Deadline: Friday, January 5, 2024 Learn how to use the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® (GWTG) Data for Research Awards |
Using GWTG Data to Further Address Gaps in CVD |
2023 Holidays
AHA offices will be closed on the following days: | Altum/Proposal Central offices will be closed on the following days: | |||
Jan. 2 | July 3 & 4 | Jan. 2 | Sept. 4 | |
Jan. 16 | Sept. 4 | Jan. 16 | Oct. 9 | |
Mar. 31 | Nov. 23 & 24 | Feb. 20 | Nov. 23 & 24 | |
May 29 | Dec. 26 - Jan. 1 | May 29 | Dec. 25 - 29 | |
July 4 |