Their support can take the form of time, expertise, meeting space, office equipment and services, and even money donations. A solid connection formed with one of these could be a long term source of help for your group and an ongoing source for member referrals, which is the lifeblood of your group. Now that you're thinking in the right direction, it may be very helpful to contact someone who has already started and maintained a successful inventors group in another location. Contact a leader of another inventors group and obtain a copy of the group's Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws and rely on that person for feedback along the way. Groups around the country vary widely in the amount of membership fees charged.
Most groups meet once or twice a month and have two different program agendas.
Finding good speakers is an ongoing responsibility and one that is best shared by the entire membership. A great source for speakers is the recommendation of tried and true service providers, such as patent attorneys, prototypers, manufacturers, business accountants, etc. Make a list of the topics you want to address and seek these names from your membership's personal experiences of reliable and effective services. Here is where the experience and support of the seasoned inventors in the group is of greatest value. Some inventor groups offer their members a discount for certain inventor services that can be accessed through the group's network.