American Heart Association Research (AHA) has officially opened applications for its 2027 Research Grant Funding Opportunities, providing financial support to researchers, scientists, healthcare professionals, and academic institutions working to advance cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and global health research.
As one of the world’s largest non-profit, non-governmental funders of heart and brain health research, the American Heart Association invests in innovative scientific discoveries that improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term outcomes for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The organization funds research across basic science, clinical medicine, public health, population science, and data science while supporting researchers at every stage of their careers.
About the American Heart Association Research Grant Program
The American Heart Association Research Grant Program is designed to strengthen the global research community by supporting promising students, postdoctoral researchers, early-career scientists, and research institutions committed to advancing cardiovascular and brain health.
The program provides competitive funding opportunities that encourage innovation, scientific excellence, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Several research awards also include additional funding through partnerships with leading medical foundations and healthcare organizations focused on congenital heart disease, autism, pulmonary hypertension, sarcoidosis, and other health priorities.
Available Research Funding Opportunities
Applications are currently open for several major funding programs beginning in 2027, each designed to support different stages of academic and professional research careers.
Predoctoral Fellowship
Application Deadline: Tuesday, August 4, 2026
The Predoctoral Fellowship supports students enrolled in doctoral or clinical health professional degree programs who intend to pursue careers as scientists, physician-scientists, clinician-scientists, or researchers dedicated to improving cardiovascular and global health.
The fellowship enhances scientific training by providing financial support for mentored research projects that contribute to the prevention and treatment of heart and brain diseases.
Additional collaborative funding is available through partnerships including:
- Children’s Heart Foundation Congenital Heart Defect Research Awards
- Autism Speaks
- Barth Syndrome Foundation
- California Walnut Commission
- Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Application Deadline: Wednesday, August 5, 2026
The Postdoctoral Fellowship supports researchers who have completed their doctoral training but have not yet established independent research careers.
Applicants must work under the supervision of an experienced research mentor within an established investigative team. The fellowship provides advanced research training while helping fellows develop the expertise necessary to become independent investigators.
Additional collaboration funding is available through:
- Children’s Heart Foundation
- VIVA Physician Research Award
- Autism Speaks
- Barth Syndrome Foundation
- California Walnut Commission
- Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research
- Pulmonary Hypertension Association
Institutional Award for Undergraduate Student Training
Application Deadline: Wednesday, September 9, 2026
This award supports qualified educational institutions that provide undergraduate students with meaningful research experiences aligned with the American Heart Association’s mission.
The program encourages undergraduate students from diverse academic disciplines to explore careers in scientific research while strengthening institutional research capacity.
Institutional Research Enhancement Award (AIREA)
Application Deadline: Thursday, September 10, 2026
The Institutional Research Enhancement Award (AIREA) is intended to strengthen research capacity at eligible colleges and universities that provide undergraduate or graduate education but have historically received limited funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The program supports:
- Small-scale cardiovascular research projects
- Brain health research
- Institutional research development
- Student involvement in scientific research
- Research infrastructure enhancement
Career Development Award
Application Deadline: Tuesday, December 1, 2026
The Career Development Award supports outstanding early-career healthcare professionals and academic researchers during the initial years of their first professional appointments.
The program helps recipients establish successful long-term research careers focused on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases while promoting scientific independence.
Additional funding partnerships include:
- California Walnut Commission
- VIVA Physician Research Award
Research Areas Supported
The American Heart Association funds research across a broad range of scientific disciplines, including:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Cerebrovascular disease
- Stroke prevention
- Heart failure
- Congenital heart disease
- Clinical research
- Population health
- Public health
- Data science
- Biomedical research
- Translational medicine
- Prevention science
- Global health
- Precision medicine
- Health equity
Who Can Apply?
Eligibility varies depending on the funding opportunity, but applicants may include:
- Predoctoral students
- Clinical doctoral students
- Postdoctoral researchers
- Early-career faculty
- Physician-scientists
- Clinician-scientists
- Academic researchers
- Universities
- Research institutions
- Healthcare organizations
Applicants should carefully review the eligibility requirements for their chosen funding program before applying.
Benefits of the Research Grants
Successful applicants may receive:
- Competitive research funding
- Mentored scientific training
- Career development support
- Opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration
- Access to the American Heart Association research community
- Increased research visibility
- Professional development opportunities
- Support for innovative cardiovascular and brain health research
Research Review Process
Applications undergo a rigorous peer-review process conducted by experienced researchers and subject matter experts. Funding decisions are based on:
- Scientific merit
- Innovation
- Research significance
- Feasibility
- Investigator potential
- Research environment
- Alignment with the American Heart Association’s mission
Why Apply?
The American Heart Association has funded groundbreaking research that has transformed the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases worldwide. Receiving an AHA research grant provides not only financial support but also recognition within one of the world’s most respected scientific funding organizations.
Whether you are an emerging researcher beginning your scientific career or an institution seeking to strengthen research capacity, these funding opportunities provide valuable resources to advance discoveries that improve global heart and brain health.
Interested applicants are encouraged to review the detailed application instructions, required documents, eligibility criteria, and submission requirements before the relevant proposal deadlines.
Application Deadlines:
- Predoctoral Fellowship: August 4, 2026
- Postdoctoral Fellowship: August 5, 2026
- Institutional Award for Undergraduate Student Training: September 9, 2026
- Institutional Research Enhancement Award (AIREA): September 10, 2026
- Career Development Award: December 1, 2026
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