I'm a big believer that if you need someone else's money just to get something off the ground, it doesn't mean enough to you. I think people are too quick to give away all their work.
You've got a consulting income, which you admit you could increase if you take focus off your project. Is it a bad thing to do this if it means you remain self funded?
How long does $25K buy you? 3-4 months? What could you do in 1 month? Could you release? Why/Why not?
The lack a money is a wonderfully powerful constraint in proving your idea. It's better to force you product to confront the realties of the market it is in (i.e., is it going to float or will it sink) as fast as possible. Taking capital can sometimes delude you into believing answers to this question that aren't necessarily the correct ones. It gives you an inflated sense of positivity.
Good luck to you, either way!