American Heart Association Launches Grant Program to Expand CPR Training in Schools

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 make campuses safer by providing students and educators with the tools to learn lifesaving skills and join the Association's Nation of Lifesavers movement, which targets doubling 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 importance of school preparedness for cardiac emergencies. "We all know what to do if there's a fire at school. Why should cardiac arrest be any different?" Sapers questioned. "More than 350,000 cardiac arrests happen outside the hospital each year. We all deserve someone nearby who is prepared and willing to help."

The grant program specifically targets American Heart Association Heart Clubs, which are student-led organizations on high school and college campuses that empower members to support physical and mental well-being while making meaningful community impacts. Since their inception in the 2024-2025 school year, more than 250 of these student-led groups have formed across the United States.

Twenty college grants include funding for two CPR in Schools Kits, complete with manikins, AED simulators and training materials, along with $500 to facilitate CPR training on their campuses. These resources provide Heart Club leaders with everything needed to promote the lifesaving skill of CPR to students and faculty. Meanwhile, 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 public policies that enhance school safety.

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, the worldwide leader in resuscitation science, education and training that publishes the official scientific guidelines for CPR. Applications are due November 20, with winners announced December 8.

The urgency of this initiative is underscored by American Heart Association data showing that 9 out of every 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, often because they do not receive immediate CPR more than half of the time. Immediate CPR can double or triple a person's chance of survival, making widespread training critical. Newly updated CPR clinical guidelines will be released on October 22, reflecting the Association's ongoing commitment to advancing resuscitation science.

Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association, highlighted the cultural shift needed around emergency preparedness. "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 stated. "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 represents a comprehensive effort to turn bystanders into lifesavers, ensuring that in any cardiac emergency, people are prepared and empowered to perform CPR and become vital links in the chain of survival. The program aligns with broader public health goals to reduce disparities in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes and create safer communities through education and preparedness. Additional resources for learning CPR are available at https://www.heart.org/nation and https://www.heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR.