American Heart Association

Funds cardiovascular science and prevention programs, helping investigators develop better care and treatment for heart disease and stroke.

The American Heart Association is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1924 by six cardiologists and headquartered in Dallas. It is the largest non-government funder of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research in the United States, with more than $6 billion invested since founding and more than 2,200 active projects totaling over $584 million.

Its portfolio centers on cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and brain health research at U.S. nonprofit institutions. The main individual awards are the AHA Predoctoral Fellowship, with a $29,364 annual stipend plus health insurance and project support; the AHA Postdoctoral Fellowship, with an annual stipend of $63,480 to $77,076 plus health insurance and project support; and the Career Development Award, with $231,000 over three years. The index also includes institutional awards, the AHA Institutional Research Enhancement Award for institutions with limited NIH funding history, the Innovative Project Award, and Ralph L. Sacco Scholarships in Brain Health. All submissions run through ProposalCentral, and Professional Membership is required at proposal submission.

The association's process favors applicants who can show strong mentorship, protected research time, and a clear fit to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, or brain-health priorities. U.S. citizenship or qualifying visa status is required for several individual awards, which makes the portfolio especially relevant for trainees and early-career investigators already working inside U.S. nonprofit research settings.