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If you want to show your stuff and get a bit of moola in return, the Information Architecture Institute is interested.  Considering the geekery we all participate in for free, this is a great opportunity to explore an idea and share it with the community.  Details below: 

The Information Architecture Institute (IAI) is pleased to announce the Information Architecture Progress Grants for 2006. The purpose of the program is to twofold: to encourage researchers and practitioners to investigate IA-specific issues, and to publicize useful work that furthers the information architecture body of knowledge.

Two progress grants are available, each for US$1000. The IAI Progress Grant Committee will review the proposals and select those with the highest potential to benefit the information architecture field. Half of the grant amount will be awarded when the grant recipients are announced and half when the work is completed. Progress grants will only be awarded to proposals of sufficient quality, clarity, and originality.

Applications should propose work that will forward the theory and practice of information architecture. This can include original research, a synthesis of important existing research, or the development of an innovative new technique.
Work supported through this program will be published on the iainstitute.org website, but it should have relevance beyond the Tools and Library collections. For instance, the work could inform future IAI workshop curricula, tie in with potential Institute publishing projects, be responsive to issues raised by members in the email discussion list, or support other Institute activities, such as Local Groups and International initiatives.

Further information about the IA Progress Grants, including previous progress grant reports, are available at http://iainstitute.org/pg/ia_progress_grants.php

Timeline:

+ August 1, 2006 - Grants announced
+ October 15, 2006 - Application deadline
+ November 1, 2006 - Grant recipients announced and first half of grant awarded
+ December 15, 2006 - Grant recipients submit brief progress report to the grant committee
+ May 1, 2007 - Completed work submitted to grant committee, work published on iainstitute.org, and second half of grant awarded

Applying:

Applications should be 2,000 words or fewer and must contain:

+ Description of the problem or hypothesis
+ Methodology to be used
+ Explanation of how the resulting work will forward the theory or practice of IA
+ Conditions under which others can use the results (e.g. Creative Commons license)

Questions can be directed to the committee chair, Eric Reiss (elr [at] e-reiss [dot] com).
Grant applications should be emailed by October 15th to grants [at] iainstitute [dot] org.