The American Heart Association has awarded Nation of Lifesavers financial grants to Heart Clubs at 33 high schools and colleges across 20 states and the District of Columbia to expand CPR training and emergency response capabilities on campuses. This initiative addresses a critical public health challenge: according to Association data, 9 out of 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, with more than half not receiving immediate CPR from bystanders.
The grants support the Association's nationwide movement to double survival rates from cardiac arrest by 2030. American Heart Association Heart Clubs are student-led organizations that empower members to lead activities supporting physical and mental well-being while making meaningful community impacts. Started in the 2024-2025 school year, there are now more than 250 of these student-led groups across the United States.
For colleges, the Nation of Lifesaver grants include funding for two CPR in Schools Kits with manikins and training materials, plus $500 to facilitate CPR training on campus. These resources give Heart Club leaders everything needed to promote the lifesaving skill of CPR to students and faculty. For high schools, the grants provide funding to develop Cardiac Emergency Response Plans for individual schools, provide card-credentialed CPR First Aid AED training for students and faculty, raise awareness with CPR in Schools Kits, and advocate for public policies that make schools safer.
The importance of such preparation was highlighted by Pia Scarfo Allocca, whose son Francesco experienced sudden cardiac arrest at tryouts for the Locust Valley High School basketball team in November 2025. "Once people knew what was happening, their training kicked in. Someone started compressions. Someone grabbed the AED. My son is alive because his school was prepared," Allocca stated.
"Preparation should be the norm, not the exception," said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association. "These Heart Club grants will support the student volunteers and teacher advocates across this country working to save lives through CPR training and education."
The American Heart Association is the worldwide leader in resuscitation science, education and training, publishing the official scientific guidelines for CPR. The latest CPR clinical guidelines were published October 22, 2025 in the Association's flagship journal, https://www.ahajournals.org/journal/circ. The Association's Nation of Lifesavers initiative is committed to turning a nation of bystanders into lifesavers, with the long-term goal of ensuring that in the face of a cardiac emergency, anyone, anywhere is prepared and empowered to perform CPR and become a vital link in the chain of survival.
This initiative represents a strategic investment in community-based health infrastructure that could have significant implications for public health outcomes. By embedding CPR training and emergency response planning within educational institutions, the program creates sustainable systems that extend beyond individual training sessions. The focus on both high schools and colleges allows for intervention at multiple life stages, potentially creating generations of CPR-trained individuals who can respond effectively in emergencies.
The business and technology implications extend to workplace safety standards, insurance considerations, and the growing recognition that health preparedness is both a social responsibility and a practical necessity. As organizations increasingly prioritize employee well-being and community engagement, programs like the Nation of Lifesavers provide models for how institutions can contribute to public health infrastructure. The initiative also highlights the importance of evidence-based guidelines, with the Association's research driving practical implementation through resources available at https://www.heart.org/nation.
