AHA Research Grant Funding Opportunities
Research: The Foundation
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.
AHA's Commitment to Research Funding
We are pleased to announce that the American Heart Association’s Board of Directors allocated an all-time high in research funding for this year. The Association anticipates funding more than 1,000 new grants, which exceeds the number awarded last year. Our volunteer and staff leadership have worked to assess our research offerings to determine which programs would have the greatest impact at this time.
Due to recent changes in federal funding for biomedical research, the American Heart Association has strategically adjusted its research program offerings. The goal of the American Heart Association's Research Committee and National Board is to maximize its resources to continue driving groundbreaking research, which remains central to our mission.
As part of these adjustments, some of our recurring research program offerings will be temporarily paused. The Association wants to emphasize that no currently funded research awards – including those recently activated – will be impacted. All currently funded research grants will continue as originally awarded.
As an additional effort to support the research enterprise and in alignment with the Association’s research mission, our commitment to currently funded awardees remains steadfast. Investigators from a number of programs may have the opportunity to apply for limited, one-year bridge funding to continue current projects. Specifically, investigators with grants ending in calendar year 2025 for the programming noted below may be eligible to apply. The AHA will contact eligible individuals directly regarding available bridge funding within these programs.
We remain committed to supporting trainees, early career investigators, mid-career researchers, and institutions that typically receive less federal funding. The American Heart Association is continuously monitoring and evaluating both federal and non-profit research funding landscapes to address evolving challenges and uphold our dedication to funding the most impactful science.
We are excited about this robust slate of research programs available for this year and look forward to continuing our legacy of building research careers and funding mission-critical science.
Questions? Please email our [email protected]
- AHA Predoctoral & Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Career Development Award
- Institutional Award for Undergraduate Student Training
- AHA Institutional Research Enhancement Award (AIREA)
- Innovative Project Award
- International Visiting Professorship (continued pilot)
- Ralph L. Sacco Scholarships in Brain Health
- Strategically Focused Research Network
These research programs are on hiatus for the FY25-26 cycle (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026). No new awards will be activated within these programs only.
- Collaborative Sciences Award
- Established Investigator Award
- Transformational Project Award
- Merit Award
- Research Supplement Award
Current awardees of these research programs may be eligible for limited bridge funding. The AHA will contact eligible individuals directly regarding bridge funding within these programs.
- AHA Institutional Research Enhancement Award (AIREA)
- Career Development Award
- Collaborative Sciences Award
- Established Investigator Award
- Innovative Project Award
- Transformational Project Award
Investigator-Initiated Research
Topic-focused Funding
Data Science Grants
AHA Registry Research
Investigator-initiated Research Opportunities
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AHA Predoctoral Fellowship Within this award, additional collaboration money has been designated through the AHA/CHF Congenital Heart Defect Research Awards, Autism Speaks, the Barth Syndrome Foundation and the California Walnut Commission. |
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AHA Postdoctoral Fellowship Within this award, additional collaboration money has been designated through AHA/CHF Congenital Heart Defect Research Awards, the AHA/VIVA Physician Research Award, Autism Speaks, the Barth Syndrome Foundation and the California Walnut Commission. |
| Institutional Award for Undergraduate Student Training Proposal deadline: Wednesday, September 10, 2025 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) Proposal deadline: Thursday, September 11, 2025 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. |
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Career Development Award Within this award, additional collaboration money has been designated through the California Walnut Commission and the AHA/VIVA Physician Research Award. |
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Innovative Project Award Within this award, additional collaboration money has been designated through the American Headache Society. |
| International Visiting Professorship Award Deadline for 2026 funding to be announced Novel pilot program to bring internationally based scientists to the U.S. for one week to foster scientific exchange -- to expand research experiences and collaborative opportunities for the awarded Visiting Professor and their U.S.-based host in research that aligns with the AHA mission |
| Ralph L. Sacco Scholarships in Brain Health Deadline for 2026 funding to be announced Jointly funded by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, with funds from a generous bequest by Dr. Ralph L. Sacco, this program enables early career trainees to undertake a mentored two-year research project targeting various aspects of brain health. The 2025 awards are for MD or PhD (or equivalent doctoral degree) applicants in postdoctoral fellowship training with a focus on brain health as of July 1, 2025. Projects for this cycle must focus on prevention. |
Topic-focused Funding Opportunities
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2026 Strategically Focused Research Network One network program will be offered for funding to begin in 2026. Details and deadline information will be announced. |
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Novel Artificial Intelligence Approaches to Advance Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular/Brain Health A total of $12 million is available to fund three investigators / investigative teams proposing novel uses of Artificial Intelligence to revolutionize cardiovascular and cerebrovascular / brain health and health care delivery. |
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Strategically Focused Research Network (SFRN) Cardiovascular Kidney Metabolic Syndrome: Heterogeneity in Women This initiative will support a collaborative network of researchers whose collective efforts will address critical questions and stimulate significant advances in our understanding of Cardiovascular Kidney Metabolic (CKM) Syndrome in women and the related contributing factors. CKM Syndrome is a health disorder due of connections among heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes and obesity. Health outcomes are poor and affect multiple organ systems, and the considerable heterogeneity seen in CKM is not well understood. Outcomes from the SFRN should facilitate improved approaches for both prevention and treatment of CKM. |
Data Science Grants
AHA Registry Research
2025 Holidays