{"id":64672,"date":"2025-06-05T08:01:30","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T12:01:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.grantwatch.com\/grantnews\/?p=64672"},"modified":"2025-09-29T04:32:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T08:32:12","slug":"what-are-the-actual-odds-of-getting-a-grant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grantwatch.com\/grantnews\/what-are-the-actual-odds-of-getting-a-grant\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the Actual Odds of Getting a Grant?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Grants are often seen as a golden opportunity – “free money” for individuals, small businesses, and nonprofits (with the average grant size varying greatly depending on the type of organization and the source of funding). But while the appeal is clear, the actual odds of securing a grant can be far less so. If you’re thinking about applying for a grant, you’re already on the right track! Understanding how opportunities vary by grant type and applicant profile can give you a powerful edge in the process. GrantWatch<\/a><\/strong> has some important information to relay on the topic. Read on to find out more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


What Percentage of Grant Applications Get Funded?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Success rates for winning grants can vary dramatically depending on the funding source, the type of applicant, and the competitiveness of the specific program. Here’s a breakdown of average success rates across key categories based on recent data from the United States:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funder Type<\/strong><\/th>Small Businesses<\/strong><\/th>Nonprofits<\/strong><\/th>Notes<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Local Government<\/a><\/td>25%\u201350%<\/td>approx. 52%<\/td>Higher odds due to fewer applicants and local focus<\/td><\/tr>
State Government<\/a><\/td>25%\u201350%<\/td>approx. 52%<\/td>Moderate competition, often sector-specific<\/td><\/tr>
Federal Government<\/a><\/td>5%\u201320%<\/td>approx. 25%<\/td>High competition, larger awards<\/td><\/tr>
Foundation Grants<\/a><\/td>15%\u201330%<\/td>approx. 30%<\/td>Values funding projects that match their mission and values.<\/td><\/tr>
Corporation Grants<\/a><\/td>15%\u201330%<\/td>approx. 22%<\/td>Often tied to the corporations goals or branding strategies<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n


How Likely Are You to Win a Grant?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

On average, grant approval rates vary depending on the funder type and applicant:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many federal<\/a> <\/strong>government grants, which are highly competitive, small businesses get approved about 10% to 20% of the time. That means roughly 1 out of every 10 to 5<\/strong> applications is successful. Nonprofits usually have a bit better chance here, with about 25% of applications approved – or 1 in 4<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grants from local<\/a> <\/strong>and state<\/a> <\/strong>governments often have higher approval rates. Nonprofits sometimes get funded nearly half the time, or 1 in 2<\/strong> applications. Small businesses usually see success rates between 25% and 50%, which means 1 in 4 to 1 in 2 <\/strong>applications get approved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foundations<\/a><\/strong> typically fund between 15% and 30% of applicants. This means about 1 in 7 to 1 in 3<\/strong> grant proposals from both nonprofits and small businesses are successful. Even with these differences, competition for grants is still strong across all types of funders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Common Reasons Grant Proposals Are Rejected<\/strong>:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n