Access to state-controlled resources can be a major source of firm-level competitive advantage. However, we know little regarding which firms are most likely positioned to capture the state and access resources beyond what their rule-complying merits command. This is partially due to the challenge in identifying irregular state funding that violates official resource-allocation rules. We study a leading innovation grant program in China, and we leverage unique access to the focal grant agency’s administrative data to trace its grant allocation process. We observe occurrences of rule-violating funding and show that firms vary in capability to influence the agency’s funding decision, depending on geographic proximity, as well as other institutional variables. The observed irregular awards are most likely associated with crony capitalism rather than bureaucratic heroism.