The American Heart Association is offering local not-for-profits the opportunity to apply for Community Action Grants of up to $5,000. The purpose of the Community Action Grant initiative is to help the American Heart Association achieve its 2020 impact goal to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent. 

Projects should address one or more of the following focus areas and may target the public or health professionals: 

• Life’s Simple 7 - American Heart Association’s focus on the seven key factors to good health heart.org/mylifecheck
• Advocacy
• CPR & First Aid
• Quality and Systems Improvement
• Health Equity

The grants are intended for non-profit organizations for a program/project that will broadly serve the community. Collaboration between non-profits, or between non-profit and for-profit entities, is encouraged, however, the grant can only be awarded to a non-profit partner. Programs should have broad, community-wide impact and not be limited to the members of a specific organization.

Inclusion of social media/networking strategies to reach the intended audience is encouraged, as is the use of American Heart Association tools and resources as part of the project.

Applications are available at www.heart.org/communityactiongrant. The deadline for applications is Feb. 14. Applicants receiving funding will be notified by June 15 with funding to being July 1.