2027 Innovative Project Award

The American Heart Association's Innovative Project Award funds highly innovative, high-impact research that could lead to critical discoveries or major advances in cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular research. Projects may introduce a new paradigm, challenge current paradigms, look at existing problems from new perspectives or show other uniquely creative qualities. The award promotes unexplored ideas: a solid rationale is required, but preliminary data are not required and proposals that include preliminary data are disqualified. Awards provide $100,000 per year (including 10% indirect costs) for two years, $200,000 in total, for salaries and fringe benefits of the principal investigator, collaborators and other faculty-level participants and for project costs. A required one-page pre-proposal is due by 3 p.m. Central Time on 9 December 2026 and is assessed by double-blind distributed peer review in which every applicant reviews and scores 8-10 other pre-proposals within about 30 days; invitations to submit a full proposal follow on 21 January 2027, invited full proposals are due on 4 March 2027 and awards start on 1 July 2027.

The principal investigator must hold a post-baccalaureate PhD or equivalent, or a doctoral-level clinical degree such as MD, DO, DVM, PharmD or a PhD in nursing, public health or another clinical health science. There is no limit by career stage, academic rank or discipline; it requires only evidence of employment at a qualified institution beyond the fellowship or training stage. Awards are limited to U.S.-based non-profit institutions. At proposal submission the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or pending permanent resident (filed Form I-485 with an I-797C receipt), or hold an E-3, G-4, H1-B, O-1 or TN visa, or DACA status, and must keep one of these designations throughout the award. Applicants must be American Heart Association Professional Members at pre-proposal submission, register as peer reviewers, and complete their assigned pre-proposal reviews by the due date or have their own pre-proposal withdrawn.