Who Says Program Grants Are the Best?

As commendable as program grants are, you could be leaving lots on the table with other types of grants.

We analyzed 91,000+ grants from Instrumentl users.?

It was interesting what we found.?

Across all types of grants, success rates hover between 43% and 46%.

By far, most nonprofits pursue project/program grants.?

Very few pursue grants for training, capacity building, general operating expenses, and capital projects.?

We know that success rates alone don’t tell the whole story. And the success rates we found are general benchmarks, not a guaranteed outcome.?

Likewise, while training and capacity-building grants have a slightly higher success rate, note that fewer nonprofits pursue this type of funding compared to more popular categories like project and program grants.?

There are also fewer available from funders.

With this in mind, it might not be an outlier that there are higher success rates for training and capacity-building grants.

So, what should you do with this insight?

We encourage you to broaden your horizons. Don’t limit yourself to the same funders. There’s much to gain by exploring the different grant options available.?

Use a tool like Instrumentl to match you with relevant grants for your various initiatives.

That said, below are some key factors to help boost your win rate in 2025.

?? Prioritize Research and Alignment

You don't have to apply to every open grant opportunity. Success isn’t just about the number of applications; it’s about quality and alignment. As Shavonn Richardson, MBA, GPC (Grant Writer) of Think and Ink Grant Consulting? says,

“A few well-aligned funders are better than a list of hundreds.”

?? Build Relationships with Funders

Relationships are your secret weapon. Invite-only funders are coveted. But you have to get your foot in the door. Dr Bev Browning notes,

“The best time to build relationships was yesterday. The second-best time is today.”

?? Stay Organized

We surveyed 300 grant professionals, and 25% of them said managing multiple grant applications is their biggest challenge when it comes to grant writing.?

A disorganized grant professional may not enjoy as much success as others who leverage grant management platforms like Instrumentl, which help you track deadlines, submissions, and reporting requirements.?

?? Final Thought: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Diversify, build relationships, and stay organized. With the right strategy, we'll be here to help your nonprofit find untapped opportunities.

We dissected this deeper in our full report, 91k Grant Applications Reveals Success Rates For Nonprofits.?

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