Note: I generally don't include large, "slick" contests, however, while this one may be slick in design, its premise has tons of texture for budding and blossomed authors, alike. This is not your typical writing contest; and I always caution you, like grandma used to say, if it looks to good to be true ... but they might even get me to stop networking and just plain working long enough to enter ...
Field Report. True Life. (San Francisco, CA)
http://www.fieldreport.com/contests
A FieldReport is a true story from your life. Each month our community holds qualifying contests to determine the best FieldReport in 21 categories, with $1000 awarded in each category. In December, qualifiers will compete for grand prizes awarded January 1—including the $250,000 FieldReport Prize for Experiential Reporting, and a $25,000 TeenReport Scholarship Award. This is a worldwide competition.
2000-word maximum
$1000 prize in each category
HURRY! First deadline, September 15, 2008
NO entry fee; site registration required (they would like you to review submissions, too)