Business communities across the country are beginning to recognize the value of independent inventors and offering research and development (R & D) money to inventors in a variety of ways. The Amarillo, Texas, inventor club has partnered with the Small Business Development Center and community leaders to establish a fund from which they award grants to deserving independent inventors. The State of Oregon also recently offered grants to deserving independent product developers. There are similar programs in other parts of the country. The availability and requirements for each of these programs varies from community to community. Contact your local inventor club or Small Business Development Center to see if such a program exists for inventors in your area.