Invention Grants, do they exist for us?

BluToad

I am only asking innovators and such that know the answer.
Invention grants form the government, the kind of grants you hear about for starting up businesses, do they exist where the average potential inventor can quality for any kind of grant, especially one they do not have to pay back.
Basically I am saying free money to invest in your great idea, does it exist and how hard is it to get?

robertj

The Federal Government has the SBIR /STTR programs. These grants are awarded throughh about a dozen different departments/agencies.
Take a look at http://www.sba.gov/sbir/indexsbir-sttr.html</A>
 Robert Johnson

Innovator7

Grants are mostly for very advanced R&D that only governments can afford, such as new nuclear devices, or things that don`t exist yet.And it takes many months, easily years, to get a grant via a lengthy application process.  Academic credentials are also very important in getting grants.