Future Thinking Writing Contest
An annual essay contest offers prize money of $65,000 for original prose on a given theme. The topic for 2003 was "Do We Need Nature?" Next deadline: August, 2004. No entry fees.
http://www.shelleconomistprize.com

Cup of Comfort Collections
Seeks true stories on various topics. Winning stories are published. Each collection has a grand prize of $500. All other published contributors receive $100 each. No reading fees. Length: 1,000 to 2,000 words. Deadlines vary.
http://www.cupofcomfort.com/share.htm

Write-Way Writers' Essay Contest
Seeks short essays on the theme, "Cinema Hits and Movie Misses". This theme is open to a wide number of acceptable interpretations. Maximum length: 1,000 words. No entry fees. Cash prizes total: $225. Winning entries will be published in a "Film Index" book.
http://writenews.exactpages.com

Daniel Singer Prize
Original essays, in any language, are invited on the theme: "What Is the Soul of Socialism?" Cash prize: $5,000. Deadline: August 31st. No entry fees.
http://www.danielsinger.org

Conversely Antidote Essay Contest
Annual contest for essays about female-male romantic relationships. Word limits: 750 (minimum), 2,000 (maximum). Cash prizes total $375. Entry fee: $7.50. Deadline: June 30.
http://www.conversely.com/Masth/conte.shtml

Ayn Rand Institute Annual Essay Contests
Annual cash awards for short, original, unpublished essays on the philosophic themes in Ayn Rand's novels, "Anthem", "The Fountainhead" and "Atlas Shrugged", are open respectively to all US 9th and 10th graders, 11th and 12th graders and college students.
http://www.aynrand.org/site/PageServer?pagename=education_contests_index