Research and Grants

In 1968 a small group of enthusiastic New Zealand cardiologists and dedicated business people banded together to form the Heart Foundation.

They had a vision and the confidence to develop a viable charitable organisation that could make a strong impact on the heart disease ‘epidemic’ of the 1960s.

Since its inception, more than 45 years ago, the Heart Foundation has provided in excess of 40 million dollars for heart research, to enable young cardiologists and researchers to carry out research and undertake training.

During this time, heart disease death rates have fallen by more than 50 per cent.

Currently, we award approximately two million dollars worth of project grants, fellowships and scholarships each year to help Kiwi researchers contribute towards world-class heart care for all New Zealanders.

The Heart Foundation needs ongoing donation funding to ensure the momentum and ongoing success of this vital research. 

These project grants and fellowships are strategically targeted to make the most effective gains in understanding and preventing heart disease and the discovery and testing of improvements in heart care. In this brochure you’ll see how this funding is being used.

Our objective is not only to sustain existing research funding, but to grow our programme to ensure we continue to reduce heart disease. The potential alternative, an increasing mortality rate, is a real threat to our country right now.

Despite the dramatic improvements in death rates over the last 45 years, cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) still causes 38 per cent of all  deaths in our country – approximately 9,600 deaths each year. 

Heart disease is the single biggest killer of both menand women, and many of these deaths are premature and preventable.

We need your help to do everything we can to secure the ongoing funding of this work. Future generations of New Zealanders – our children and grandchildren – will thank us for this investment.

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