What Do Grant Winners Have in Common? We Analyzed 410 Winners to Find Out
We analyzed hundreds of grant winners — and found three clear patterns that separate them from the rest.
The data on how to win grants is clear. Do this one thing and you'll exponentially increase your odds of winning a grant for your business or side hustle.
If you're an entrepreneur or small business owner looking for free funding, this report should give you comfort: Despite the hyper-competitive grants landscape (who doesn’t want free money?) — you have more control over winning than you might think. Let’s dive in.
📌 Pro-tip: See the latest grants due soon on the Skip Dashboard
How Skip Conducted This Research on Grants
Skip has helped nearly 1 million entrepreneurs and business owners track and apply to grants and funding opportunities. To date, Skip users have tracked over 1.2 million combined funding opportunities, representing billions of dollars in value.
Skip has also awarded nearly $1 million in direct grants to around 1,000 entrepreneurs, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. This report is based on an in-depth look at 410 recent Skip grant winners — primarily instant grant winners, with some larger winners included — and the characteristics they shared.
The Skip data team asked a simple question: What do grant winners on Skip have in common?
Why Is Skip Publishing This "Winning Grants" Report Now?
The #1 question Skip gets from business owners is: How can I win grants? Closely followed by: What can I do to improve my grant applications?
This report answers both questions with data — and offers a roadmap for increasing your chances of winning funding for your business.
How to Win Grants for Your Business: The 3 Takeaways
1. Tracking More Fundings = Higher Odds of Winning
Among the 410 grant winners we studied:
- 96% had tracked at least 5 funding opportunities
- 94% tracked 10+
- 89% tracked 20+
- 69% tracked 50+
- 39% tracked 100+
By the way, if you're wondering: What's the baseline of these numbers for non-grant winners? For Skip's recent grant entrants entire pool, only around 55% have tracked 5 or more fundings. That's a difference of over 40% between winners and everyone else.
Takeaway 1: Apply to more grants to meaningfully increase your odds of winning. The tipping point starts at 5 applications.
2. Power Users Rely on Application AI Tools
As grant activity increases, so does usage of Skip Plus tools — which include AI-powered application support, auto-fill features, and personalized feedback.
Here’s the breakdown of Plus membership by grant activity level:
- 22% of those who tracked 5+ fundings were Plus members
- 30% at 10+
- 41% at 20+
- 54% at 50+
- 65% at 100+
Takeaway 2: Serious applicants rely on Skip Plus to boost their chances and save time. Try Skip Plus for free if you haven't yet.
3. Winning Isn’t Random — It’s Repeatable Behavior
Even for Skip’s instant grants — which may seem random — the data shows a clear pattern: Winners are consistently more engaged. They track more grants, they use more tools, and they treat funding like a process, not a one-off shot.
This means that even in drawings where anyone could technically win, the odds tilt heavily toward those who are showing up, applying consistently, and using every advantage available. It’s not about writing the perfect application once — it’s about building momentum, improving over time, and staying active in the ecosystem.
Takeaway 3: Success with grants isn’t luck — it’s repeatable behavior. You win by staying consistent, using the tools, and applying widely.
📌 Ready to increase your chances of winning? Start by applying to more grants on your Skip dashboard — and if you're not using Plus yet, consider trying it to accelerate your progress.