For almost 50 years the Heart Foundation has played a vital role in funding research into the causes, treatment and prevention of heart disease and stroke to combat this. Over this time, we have invested more than $189 million in lifesaving research. This ongoing investment has led to important breakthroughs in our treatment of heart disease, has improved our understanding of the basic causes of cardiovascular disease and developed treatment and prevention strategies that not only support individuals but whole populations. 

The Heart Foundation Research Program is acknowledged as an important source of funding for research into the causes, diagnosis, management and prevention of cardiovascular disease. We provide funding to researchers working in recognised research institutions across Australia including universities and hospitals.
 
We support early to mid career researchers through the provision of funding for both people and projects.  We support biomedical, clinical and public health research through Scholarships, Fellowships, Travel Grants, Summer Scholarships and Grants-in-Aid.

In 2009, thanks to ongoing support from the Australian public and our funding partners, we have allocated over $13 million to research - including over 210 awards. We help develop the best and brightest cardiovascular researchers, offering skills and experiences that they can use in their future careers and in the fight to reduce suffering and death from heart disease in Australia.

Since the 1960s, age-standardised deaths from coronary heart disease and stroke in Australia have dropped by 70 per cent (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report, 2004). Despite these advances, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in Australia, claiming a life every ten minutes. It is estimated that around 50 per cent of the health gains achieved over the past 40 years are a result of research outcomes.