American Heart Association

COVID-19 Updates

Dear AHA Research Community:

We know many of you are experiencing significant challenges conducting research at your institutions during the coronavirus pandemic. You no doubt have questions about steps the AHA is taking to support your research programs.

First and foremost is the safety of you and your research teams. We anticipate you are following the direction of your sponsoring institutions with regard to access to laboratories and research clinics. We are aware there are varying responses to the pandemic, ranging from all research activities being suspended indefinitely, to reduced operations and remote working until further notice. We understand the need for decisions to be made at the local level, with fluctuating degrees of interruptions on a daily and weekly basis. The AHA has adopted flexible grants management policies in recent years and will expand that flexibility and support as much as possible.

Disruptions to Ongoing Research Projects

  • Inform AHA if your funded projects are placed on hold indefinitely. This could take the form of restrictions on human subject recruitment or visits with enrolled subjects, as well as inaccessibility to laboratories.
  • AHA will support interim-year carryover requests due to the suspension of research projects and allow rebudgeting.

Reporting

  • Currently pending deadlines to submit scientific progress reports and patient recruitment/retention reports should proceed in a timely manner. The AHA is not extending these deadlines at this time.
  • Contact awards@heart.org if submission of upcoming expenditure reports will be impacted by closure and/or reduced staffing of institutional accounting offices.

Award Extensions and Salary Expenditures During Work Stoppage

  • No-cost-extensions (NCE) are available as always. Please submit a Change Request in Grants@Heart. Awards currently on NCE may qualify for additional extensions.
  • AHA will also allow payment of salaries on grants and fellowships for up to 60 days without pre-approval during periods of work stoppage. Should inability to conduct research exceed 60 days, please contact AHA.

Expenditures Related to Cancelled Travel

  • Unrefunded charges (conference registration, airline ticket, etc.) incurred with the intent to attend a scientific conference that was subsequently cancelled can be charged to an AHA grant.

Deadlines for New Applications

  • AHA’s next proposal deadlines for research funding will be in August.
  • Any changes to upcoming deadlines will be announced by July 1.

AHA Research Information will be constantly updated at:professional.heart.org/research.

Additional relevant resources can be found at the following sites:

Stay safe and healthy,
AHA Research Administration Team

For assistance, please call (214) 360-6107 (option 1) or email apply@heart.org.

Last Updated on September 18, 2023