AHA Institutional Research Enhancement Award (AIREA) Grant

The AHA Institutional Research Enhancement Award (AIREA) aims to bolster cardiovascular and brain health research at smaller educational institutions that lack significant NIH funding. With a budget of $100,000 annually over two years, the award supports various research areas, encourages student involvement, and strengthens institutional research environments. Eligible applicants include accredited U.S. non-profit institutions with specific funding limitations, ensuring that deserving projects receive vital support for advancing health-related research.

The purpose of the AHA Institutional Research Enhancement Award (AIREA) is to support small-scale research projects related to cardiovascular diseases and brain health at educational institutions that provide baccalaureate or advanced degrees but that have not been major recipients of NIH support. The award supports any part of the full range of basic, clinical and population research and development.
The goals of the program are to:

• Support meritorious research
• Expose students to research
• Strengthen the research environment of the institution.
• Budget
• Award: $100,000 per year, including 10 percent indirect costs

Aside from the cap on indirect costs, there is no limit on budget categories. Funds may be used as the principal investigator deems necessary, in accordance with institutional and AHA policies.AHA does not require use of the NIH salary cap.Budget items may include: salary and fringe of the principal investigator, any collaborating investigators, and other participants with faculty appointments
salaries of technical personnel essential to the conduct of the project
volunteer subject costs
publication costsNo minimum effort requirement. Special consultative services from individuals may be requested, provided the circumstances are fully described in the application. International travel is permitted without prior AHA approval.All subcontracts for AHA funds used in collaboration with other institutions require prior AHA approval. No more than 10% of total AHA AIREA funds may be requested for use for collaboration with non-AIREA institutions.Duration: Two years Total Award Amount: $200,000

Eligibility

An applicant may submit only one AIREA application per deadline.AHA research awards are limited to U.S.-based non-profit institutions, including medical, osteopathic, and dental schools, veterinary schools, schools of public health, pharmacy schools, nursing schools, universities and colleges, public and voluntary hospitals and others that can demonstrate the ability to conduct the proposed research. For undergraduate schools, the following eligibility criteria apply:The applicant institution must be an accredited public or non-profit private school that grants baccalaureate degrees in biomedical sciences.At the time of application submission, all the non-health professional components of the institution together have not received support from the NIH totaling more than $6 million per year (in both direct and F&A/indirect costs; i.e., the Total Federal Award Amount cited on a Notice of Award) in 4 of the last 7 years. A year is defined as a federal fiscal year: from October 1 through September 30. Note that all activity codes are included in this calculation except the following: C06, S10, and all activity codes starting with a G.Qualifying academic component (school, college, center, or institute) within an institution (e.g., School of Arts and Sciences) has an undergraduate student enrollment that is greater than graduate student enrollment.For health professional schools and graduate schools, the following eligibility criteria will apply:The applicant organization must be an accredited public or non-profit private school that grants baccalaureate or advanced degrees in health professions or advanced degrees in biomedical and behavioral sciences.The applicant organization may not receive research support from the NIH totaling more than $6 million per year (in both direct and F&A/indirect costs) in 4 of the last 7 fiscal years. A year is defined as a federal fiscal year: from October 1 through September 30. Note that all activity codes are included in this calculation except the following: C06, S10, and all activity codes starting with a G.Health professional schools are accredited institutions that provide education and training leading to a health professional degree, including but not limited to: BSN, MSN, DNP, MD, DDS, DO, PharmD, DVM, OD, DPT, DC, ND, DPM, MOT, OTD, DPT, BME, MSEE, MS-SLP, CScD, SLPD, AuD, MSPO, MSAT, and MPH. Eligible health professional schools/colleges may include schools or colleges of nursing, medicine, dentistry, osteopathy, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, public health, optometry, allied health, chiropractic, naturopathy, podiatry, rehabilitation medicine, physical therapy, orthotics & prosthetics, kinesiology, biomedical engineering, occupational therapy and psychology. Accreditation must be provided by a body approved for such purpose by the Secretary of Education.Principal Investigator EligibilityThe PI must have a primary appointment at an NIH R15-eligible institution.While no minimum percent effort is specified, the principal investigator must demonstrate that adequate time will be devoted to ensuring the successful completion of the proposed project.This program places no limit on eligibility based on career stage, academic rank or discipline. It requires only evidence of employment at a qualified institution, beyond the fellowship/training stage.Applicants must have one of the following designations at the time of proposal submission – not award start date, depending on career stage and each individual’s situation. An awardee must maintain one of the designations listed below throughout the duration of the award. Please consult with your institution’s grant officer.U.S. citizenPermanent residentPending permanent resident (must have filed Form I-485 for permanent resident status and obtained an I-797C Notice of Action that the application has been received by USCIS and case is pending)E-3 Visa - specialty occupation workerF-1 Visa – student (for predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows only)G-4 Visa - family member of an international organization employeeH1-B Visa - temporary worker in a specialty occupationJ-1 Visa - exchange visitor (pre- and postdoctoral fellowships only; all other awardees must obtain an H-1B or equivalent by the award activation date)O-1 Visa - temporary worker with extraordinary abilities in the sciencesTN Visa - NAFTA ProfessionalDACA - Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
You must be a member of this organization to apply for this award - become a member. Join or begin the membership process well before the deadline. The AHA expects all mentors associated with training/mentored research awards to maintain active AHA membership, as well.

Ineligibility

The PI may not be the PI of an active NIH research grant at the time of award activation.An AHA AIREA awardee may not transfer this grant to an AIREA ineligible institution.All subcontracts for AHA funds used in collaboration with other institutions require prior AHA approval. No more than 10% of total AHA AIREA funds may be requested for use for collaboration with non-AIREA institutions.Awards may not supplement or duplicate currently funded work.