The year isn’t over yet, but it almost is, and I think it’s safe to say that, barring something extraordinarily wonderful happening before December 31, for so many of my colleagues, and myself, as Halloween looms:
If you work, or used to work, at the US State Department, USAID, the United Nations, any international aid agency or program, a university, or a nonprofit or NGO, you know what I’m talking about: you have watched friends laid off suddenly, you’ve watched friends have to yank their kids out of school and move suddenly either because of a job loss or because of a threat of a job loss – and maybe this has been your story as well – and, many of you, myself included, have seen job opportunities, whether permanent positions or contracts, dry up and disappear.
My LinkedIn feed is a sea of friends who not only worked in the aforementioned fields, but also in usability and accessibility design and assessments, all looking for work, all trying to stay positive, all trying to always sound like a great potential employee, never someone feeling frustated, desperate or depressed.
But I know. Because I’m in the same boat.
The threshold for a single person in the USA to have to file for taxes in 2026 is $16,100. I didn’t make a quarter of that in 2026. Most of my tiny income in 2026 came from a job that ended before February. If you had net earnings of $400 or more from self-employment (gig work, freelancing, or independent contracting), you have to file no matter how much you made – and I didn’t make even $400 from contracting in 2026.
If I were not married, I’m not sure what I would do.
I really hesitated in sharing any of this so publicly. But after realizing so many people are in a similar predicament and thinking they are all alone, I decided I’d come out and say: no, you’re not alone. It’s not just you. Things are bad for many of us. And it’s not really being talked about. Because no one has sympathy for out-of-work government workers or aid workers or university workers, despite our role, as donors for so many nonprofits, and our role as consumers, eating at your restaurants, buying cars, whatever. Will you miss us when you, at last, miss our money?
Added to this are nonprofits addressing hunger, homelessness, affordable housing, and other critical issues who already were too underfunded to keep up with the demands of years ago, and now have seen those demands double and triple, while funding has started to evaporate. No one is talking about how many more people are going without essentials, let alone the mental health strain on the professionals and volunteers trying to address these issues.
And it’s not just mission-based professionals that are facing unemployment and under-employment.
As you keep looking for work, as you fill out endless applications and look for networking opportunities and try to look for any work that could help you make ends make, I hope you all will consider taking on some new roles: as board members of local nonprofits, as members of city and county and even state government advisory committees, and maybe even running for local office. You have knowledge and leadership skills that have never been more needed than now. And you need to start using your influence on the grassroots level to start building awareness and changing attitudes about the work we think is vital to everyone on the planet.
I also ask that you come over to Reddit and show off your expertise. There’s at least one subreddit focused on your area of expertise. And given that AI is using what’s written at Reddit to define reality for so many people, your voice there is desperately needed. If you don’t know where to start, have a look at Reddit4Good. Or look at the subreddits I manage (as a volunteer).
I don’t know what’s going to happen in the coming months. I know so many of us are holding out hope that the November 2028 election in the USA will go a long way in the long process of restoring reason and sensibility to government and repairing the incredible amount of damage that’s been done, and we’re all hoping we’ll be able to be a part of that professionally. I share that hope – but am also trying to make contingency plans, and I hope my colleagues will too.
I hope you have family and friends and supporting you now, at the very least. I hope you can take some action to get the income you need and reduce your expenses. I hope you can take some comfort in knowing this isn’t personal, this isn’t about specific failure on your part. And I hope you can take some comfort as well in knowing you are NOT alone.
Take care.
As for me, I’m going to keep creating and and refining content for my web site and blog, as I continue to try, in my little, unfunded way to help nonprofits serve their clients and missions. And hoping things gets better.
On another note, I don’t have any blogs drafted and scheduled for the rest of 2026, so this may be the last you hear from me here on my blog until 2027.