Although I HEARD from one source that the upcoming space prizes will only be worth $20 million for FY 05, at least it's a [small] start...

Centential Challenges

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/55407main_24%20Exploration.pdf

Request includes funding to establish a series of annual prizes for revolutionary, breakthrough accomplishments that advance exploration of the solar system and beyond and other NASA goals. ... By making awards based on actual achievements instead of proposals, NASA will tap innovators in academia, industry, and the public who do not normally work on NASA issues. Centential Challenges will be models on past successes, including 19th centry navigation prizes, early 20th century aviation prizes, and more recent prizes offered by the U.S. government and private sector. Examples of potential Centennial Challenges include very-low-cost space missions, contests to demonstrate higly mobile, capable, and survivable robotic systems, and fundamental advances in technical areas like lander navigation, spacecraft power systems, life dection sensors, and nano-materials.

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Numerous people have been pushing for this long overdue reform, including former Clinton official Lori Garver, SFF president Rick Tumlinson and Newt Gingrich. For more details on what they've contributed, and why space prizes could seemingly help jumpstart the space industry in ways that empower YOU:

http://www.spaceprojects.com/prizes

[I was given permission by Justin to occasionally mention the SpaceProjects.com url and I think I've done it twice since then, including today].