American Heart Association Grants $1.1M to Boost CPR Training and Cardiac Emergency Plans in 30 States

More than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur annually in the United States, and survival often hinges on immediate recognition, calling 911, starting CPR, and using an automated external defibrillator (AED). Yet many community organizations, schools, and public facilities lack a coordinated response plan. To address this, the American Heart Association has awarded grants to community-serving organizations to implement Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (CERPs) at 185 sites in 30 states, impacting approximately 400,000 people.

The grants, totaling more than $1.1 million, include CPR training kits, AED installation and maintenance, and on-site CPR training to support comprehensive CERP development. Sites were selected through a spring application process, with priority given to organizations serving youth and families in areas of greatest need. A CERP is a written, site-specific plan that outlines exactly how an organization should respond during a cardiac emergency, ensuring staff and volunteers know their roles, how to activate emergency medical services, begin CPR, and access an AED quickly. The plans also encourage regular practice and evaluation of response procedures.

Last year, the Association worked with community leaders to implement 794 CERPs, impacting more than 1.6 million people. With these grants, the Association is on track to implement more than 1,000 CERPs this year, helping more people have the best chance of survival. The initiative reflects the Association's Nation of Lifesavers™ movement, which seeks to change the idea that CPR is a skill only medical professionals can perform to a shared human responsibility.

"The real heroes of this work are the communities choosing to take action before an emergency happens," said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. "By working directly with communities we're hoping we can create a culture where training and preparation are the norm. Because the truth is when people prioritize CPR training and preparedness as a shared responsibility, more lives can be saved."

The effort reinforces the Association's vision of creating communities where lifesaving skills and preparedness are accessible to everyone. As a founding member of the NFL's Smart Heart Sports Coalition, the American Heart Association also champions state policies that require schools to implement cardiac emergency response plans. For more information about CERPs and CPR education, visit heart.org/nation.

Additional resources include the release link with multimedia and the 2025 CPR Guidelines Highlights. Learn CPR at heart.org/nation and join the Heart Powered national grassroots network at heartpowered.org/cerps. For bystander CPR information, visit Bystander CPR and download the Bystander CPR Infographic (PDF). Hands-Only CPR resources are available at Hands-Only CPR Resources, and a comparison of Hands-Only CPR vs CPR with Breaths is also available. Learn about Women and CPR and the difference between Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack. Reducing disparities toolkits are offered in English and Spanish. Take 90 seconds to learn how to save a life at www.heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR.