  A ring $R$ has {\it unbounded generating number} (UGN) if, for every positive
integer $n$, there is no $R$-module epimorphism $R^n\to R^{n+1}$. For a ring
$R=\bigoplus_{g\in G} R_g$ graded by a group $G$ such that the base ring $R_1$
has UGN, we identify several sets of conditions under which $R$ must also have
UGN. The most important of these are: (1) $G$ is amenable, and there is a
positive integer $r$ such that, for every $g\in G$, $R_g\cong (R_1)^i$ as
$R_1$-modules for some $i=1,\dots,r$; (2) $G$ is supramenable, and there is a
positive integer $r$ such that, for every $g\in G$, $R_g\cong (R_1)^i$ as
$R_1$-modules for some $i=0,\dots,r$. The pair of conditions (1) leads to three
different ring-theoretic characterizations of the property of amenability for
groups.
  We also consider rings that do not have UGN; for such a ring $R$, the
smallest positive integer $n$ such that there is an $R$-module epimorphism
$R^n\to R^{n+1}$ is called the {\it generating number} of $R$, denoted ${\rm
gn}(R)$. If $R$ has UGN, then we define ${\rm gn}(R):=\aleph_0$. We describe
several classes of examples of a ring $R$ graded by an amenable group $G$ such
that ${\rm gn}(R)\neq {\rm gn}(R_1)$.
