Funding is the difficult part.

I don't disagree with this. That's a hard nut to crack.

There's lots of muckracking you can do in your free time these days. (Look at eg the plane spotters uncovering CIA torture flights.)

    Plenty of projects like that if you want to a) make the world
    a better place and b) seek adventure

Do you have any specific recommendations or suggestions on places to start, for helping existing projects?

Lately I've been considering finding something that combines both A and B...

I'm putting a gist together for you of places to start when I'm done working today.

Awesome. Thanks!