==But the setup you describe will also require some form of simple metric to track progress- to ensure that 25k isn't going down the drain.== Maybe. I don't th

==But the setup you describe will also require some form of simple metric to track progress- to ensure that 25k isn't going down the drain.== Maybe. I don't think MacArthur tracks the spending of their Fellowship (a much larger amount). ==According to the foundation's website, "the fellowship is not a reward for past accomplishment, but rather an investment in a person's originality, insight, and potential". The current prize is $625,000 paid over five years in quarterly installments. This figure was increased from $500,000 in 2013 with the release of a review of the MacArthur Fellows Program. Since 1981, 942 people have been named MacArthur Fellows, ranging in age from 18 to 82. The award has been called "one of the most significant awards that is truly 'no strings attached'".== https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacArthur_Fellows_Program https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacArthur_Fellows_Program