AHA Career Development Award

The AHA Career Development Award sits inside the American Heart Association's investigator-initiated research portfolio and is built for early-career faculty who are still in the first years of their first appointment. It is aimed at healthcare and academic professionals with an MD, PhD, DO, DVM, or DDS who want to pursue an original cardiovascular question while building an independent research path. The award totals $231,000 over three years, or $77,000 a year including institutional indirect costs. Applicants must be within six years of their first faculty or staff appointment at assistant professor level or equivalent, devote at least 10% effort, hold AHA Professional Membership at submission, and apply through ProposalCentral. The program runs annually, with an April posting, an October portal opening, and a December deadline. This award fits investigators who can show a clear mentoring structure, a focused career development plan, and a question that is new enough to justify the limited scope. It is strongest when the proposed work can move a promising faculty member toward independence rather than simply extending existing training.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.