[aynsof]

I did exactly this a few years back. I took a pay cut to around 30% of my previous salary to work for a health care sector non-profit. The main attractions were flexible work hours (including some work from home), being fed up with working for evil corporations, and the prospect of working with the two really smart people I met in my interview.

I think if you could offer a realistic shot at helping the community combined with a positive culture, you might be able to pull some talented engineers from more lucrative industries. Good luck!