American Heart Association launches financial grant program to teach CPR in schools

Today on World Restart a Heart Day, the American Heart Association, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone everywhere, launches a new financial grant program to equip 40 high school and college Heart Clubs across the country with CPR training and resources. These grants will make it easier for students and educators to learn lifesaving skills and add more people to the Heart Association's Nation of Lifesavers™ movement, which aims to double survival rates from cardiac arrest by 2030.

We all know what to do if there's a fire at school. Why should cardiac arrest be any different? More than 350,000 cardiac arrests happen outside the hospital each year. We all deserve someone nearby who is prepared and willing to help. These Heart Club grants will empower students and teachers to take control of their own lives, learn CPR, develop cardiac emergency response plans, and advocate for public policies to ensure all schools are prepared for cardiac emergencies."

Nayan Sapers, American Heart Association Volunteer National Youth Leadership Council member and founder of CrimsonEMS Ambassador CPR Program at Harvard College

American Heart Association Heart Clubs are student-led organizations on high school and college campuses, empowering members to lead activities that support physical and mental well-being while making a meaningful impact in their communities. Started in the 2024-2025 school year, there are now more than 250 of these student-led groups across the U.S.

Twenty college grants include funding for two CPR in Schools Kits, complete with manikins, AED simulators and training materials, and $500 to facilitate CPR training on their college campus. These grants give Heart Club leaders everything they need to promote the lifesaving skill of CPR to students and faculty.

In addition, 20 high school grants provide funding to help create safer school environments. A high school Heart Club can apply for up to $4,500 to develop a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan for their school, provide card-credentialed CPR First Aid AED training for students and faculty, raise awareness with CPR in Schools Kits, and advocate for public policies that make schools safer.

All registered Heart Clubs with a faculty advisor are encouraged to apply. No prior CPR credentialing is required - recipients will receive full training and guidance from the American Heart Association. Applications are due Nov. 20, and winners will be announced Dec. 8.

The American Heart Association is the worldwide leader in resuscitation science, education and training, and publishes the official scientific guidelines for CPR. Newly updated CPR clinical guidelines will be released on October 22. According to American Heart Association data, 9 out of every 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, in part because they do not receive immediate CPR more than half of the time. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a person's chance of survival.

"We know Hands-Only CPR is a simple two-step skill that could save someone's life in an emergency, but not everyone gets the help they need when they need it," said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association and senior vice president of women's health and executive director of the Katz Institute for Women's Health of Northwell Health in New York City. "Learning CPR should be a part of our culture, like getting your driver's license, or going to prom. These grants will help us transform the way we think about how to respond in an emergency and help us save more lives."

The Association's Nation of Lifesavers initiative is committed to turning a nation of bystanders into lifesavers. The long-term goal: to ensure that in the face of a cardiac emergency, anyone, anywhere, is prepared and empowered to perform CPR and become a vital link in the chain of survival. Join the Nation of Lifesavers by learning CPR.