Hi everyone,
Welcome to the third issue of The Seven Pillars, where we focus on doing good while living well.
Last week, we looked at the Horseless Carriage trap of AI. This week, we’re shifting gears to a topic that is unfortunately very relevant right now: finding ways to make an impact when you don't have a full-time role.
Reconnecting with Your “Spark”
2025 was a bad year for those of us in the non-profit sector. Even those of us who thought we were insulated from the unilateral actions of the United States found that the ripple effect was real.
I don’t know what the unemployment numbers are for those formerly working with humanitarian NGOs, international development organizations, UN agencies, and the web of contractors and sub-contractors. Honestly, the specific numbers don’t matter. We can feel it. Even those of us who are still working feel it.
This issue is about getting unstuck from the doom and gloom. It’s about finding alternate paths to do what we love, even when the traditional doors are temporarily closed.
For many of us, we got into the work for personal, not financial, reasons. Whether it’s pure altruism, an interest in solving complex problems, or a love of international affairs. We feed off this work and we love being involved in the world.
I know that’s true for me. I never saw myself working for international NGOs when I was back in college. But looking back, it seems inevitable–or at least makes sense. I first studied Russian language and history. But with two wars raging in Iraq and Afghanistan at the time and the world’s attention being pulled more and more to the Middle East, I traded Russian for Arabic and never looked back. My motivation was to be at the center of global events and make a difference.
Maybe with everything going on in Ukraine, I could have stuck to Russian studies and done fine.
So a lot of us are not able to find the impact job that we want right now. Fine. And yes, we need to make sure we’re making responsible decisions in the meantime for how we manage our money, apply for new jobs, etc. But we don’t have to sit on our hands.
There are so many ways that we can still feed that part of us that needs to be involved. Here are 3 categories of actions that can help get you unstuck, keep you engaged in social impact, and maybe even help you connect to the next great job.
1. Put Your Expertise to Good Work
Non-Profit Board Service: You may think of board membership as something reserved for retired CEOs, but organizations big and small are looking for help from people like us. Check out resources like BoardSource and Boardable to get comfortable with the idea. Then, instead of cold-emailing organizations, use matching services that treat board placement like executive recruitment.
Actionable Resource: Check out Cause Strategy Partners (specifically their BoardLead program) or Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU), which connect professionals to non-profit boards and other volunteer opportunities based on skills.
Grant Review Panelist: There are tons of foundations and NGOs out there that rely on community members or subject matter experts to review grant applications.
Most that I’ve found have been local, like the Community Foundation of Johnson County or the Community Foundation of Northern Virginia, but there are other opportunities at places like the National Science Foundation as well.
Award Judge: Industry bodies often need judges for excellence awards. It’s a low-commitment way to network and see best-in-class work.
Example: CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) recruits volunteers to judge their "Circle of Excellence" awards.
2. “Micro” Engage as a Volunteer or Consultant
UN Volunteers (UNV): You’re probably familiar with UN Volunteers, but did you know they have an "Online Volunteering" service? It allows you to take on task-based projects (e.g., "Design a monitoring framework for an NGO in Sudan") that last a few weeks.
Insight: As of 2024, age limits have been removed (18-80 are eligible), and they have unified their platform for easier application.
Pro Bono Expert Consulting: Impetus has a pro bono network that places experts into high-potential non-profits for specific strategic projects (e.g., developing a 1-year communications plan).
"Flash" Consulting: This was new for me, but got me really excited once I started exploring it more. These platforms slice big NGO consulting projects into bite-sized tasks and farm them out to subject-matter experts Taskrabbit-style.
Actionable Resource: Catchafire matches professionals with non-profits for specific, time-bound projects. For example, right now the Special Needs Support Center needs someone to help mentor their staff on elevator pitches.
Translators Without Borders: If you have language skills, this is a flexible way to contribute to crisis response remotely.
3. Become a Thought Leader
Humanitarian Journals and Blogs: Instead of starting a personal blog for which you have to build your own audience, pitch to established platforms.
ReliefWeb: They have a specific "Submit" service where you can upload assessments, maps, and reports. If you have done independent analysis, this is the place to host it.
Humanitarian Practice Network (HPN): They actively accept article submissions from practitioners on operational challenges. This is high-credibility exposure.
GlobalDev Blog: Focuses on connecting research to policy; a great outlet if you are more academically inclined.
Collaborative Research: If you’re willing to work on something a bit more in-depth, universities often have "field notes" journals or look for practitioners to co-author papers.
Example: The "Field Notes of Applied Conflict Science" journal accepts "practice reviews" and "conflict assessments" from the field—perfect for someone between field deployments.
These are just some ideas. There are many more out there. We’ve seen all the statistics about the lack of funding, the closure of programs, etc., but we’ve also seen the statistics about continuing and growing needs. Things won’t be bad forever, and in the meantime, there’s much still to do.
The Impact Stack
Things I read, used, or loved this week.
📺 Watch: Bouncing Back After a Layoff and More I love Scott Galloway (you may have seen him before talking about finance or how to improve the lives of young men). Here he emphasizes the need to be social and connect with people rather than only scanning through the job boards.
📺 Watch: This is how kids should be learning. Priya Lakhani is a social entrepreneur who worked in India and Africa on education programs. Here she talks about how AI can help teachers teach better and kids learn better.
🔊 Listen: Diary of a Third Culture Kid | Podcast on Spotify. Full disclosure: I have not listened to this podcast yet, but as soon as I finish this article, it’s going on. Samuel Flynn interviews people and shares stories and experiences from individuals that have moved and lived around the world.
🛠️ Tool: MyExpatTaxes. It’s not too early to start your tax return! If you’re currently living abroad or did last year, consider using a service that will help you navigate a complicated tax return.
💬 Quote:
"We need to remember what's important in life: friends, waffles, and work."
One Question For You
Whether you’re currently working, taking a sabbatical, or on the hunt for the next gig: What have you found that keeps you motivated outside of your 9-to-5?
Hit reply and let me know. I read every single email.
See you next week,
Anthony Pusatory
Founder, The Seven Pillars