American Heart Association

Mission

The mission of the American Heart Association is to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. As we step into our second century of impact, our vision is to advance health and hope for everyone, everywhere.

We are dedicated to ensuring everyone, everywhere has the opportunity to live a long, healthy life. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources.

We improve the health of Americans in many ways. We’re the nation’s leader in CPR education and training. We help people understand the importance of healthy lifestyle choices. We provide science-based treatment guidelines for health care professionals to help them give quality care to their patients. We educate lawmakers, policymakers and the public as we advocate for changes to protect and improve the health of our communities. We also work with partners from many different sectors to build a culture of health for all.

Our volunteer experts select the scientific research most worthy of funding — with great results. We are the largest private not-for-profit funding source for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease research next to the federal government. Thanks to the generosity of donors and supporters, we have invested more than $6.1 billion in research. We have funded 15 Nobel Prize winners and many lifesaving research advances.