American Heart Association Launches Grant Program to Expand CPR Training in Schools
The American Heart Association is providing grants to 40 high school and college Heart Clubs nationwide to enhance CPR training and cardiac emergency preparedness, addressing the critical need for immediate response to out-of-hospital cardiac arrests that claim over 350,000 lives annually.
The American Heart Association has launched a new financial grant program to equip 40 high school and college Heart Clubs across the country with CPR training and resources. Announced on World Restart a Heart Day, this initiative aims to strengthen cardiac emergency preparedness in educational institutions and expand the Association's Nation of Lifesavers movement, which seeks to double survival rates from cardiac arrest by 2030.
Nayan Sapers, American Heart Association Volunteer National Youth Leadership Council member and founder of CrimsonEMS Ambassador CPR Program at Harvard College, emphasized the urgency of this initiative. "More than 350,000 cardiac arrests happen outside the hospital each year," Sapers stated. "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."
The grant program includes two distinct components. Twenty college grants provide funding for two CPR in Schools Kits, complete with manikins, AED simulators and training materials, plus $500 to facilitate CPR training on campus. These resources give Heart Club leaders everything needed to promote lifesaving CPR skills to students and faculty. Additionally, twenty high school grants offer up to $4,500 per school to develop Cardiac Emergency Response Plans, provide card-credentialed CPR First Aid AED training, raise awareness with CPR in Schools Kits, and advocate for safer school policies.
According to American Heart Association data, 9 out of every 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, partly because they do not receive immediate CPR more than half of the time. The Association, which publishes the official scientific guidelines for CPR and will release newly updated clinical guidelines on October 22, emphasizes that immediate CPR can double or triple a person's chance of survival.
Dr. Stacey E. Rosen, volunteer president of the American Heart Association, highlighted the cultural shift needed in emergency response. "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," Rosen said. "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."
All registered Heart Clubs with faculty advisors are encouraged to apply, with no prior CPR credentialing required. Recipients will receive full training and guidance from the American Heart Association. Applications are due November 20, with winners announced December 8. The Association's broader initiative aims to ensure that in any cardiac emergency, anyone, anywhere is prepared and empowered to perform CPR and become a vital link in the chain of survival. More information about Heart Clubs and grant opportunities is available at heart.org/nation.