Go to Amateur Radio club meetings, you will be bound to find a few people interested in the concept. The network is only as good as it's coverage. If you are a bit less-strapped for cash, purchase some equipment and help dole it out to nodes to get it started. Once you start making connections and people setup some equipment you will soon find that others will be willing to join. It just takes a bit to get the proverbial ball rolling.
Many people only have the capacity to buy a turn-key system, configure it once, and walk away.
It takes a bit of work to get the system to this point, but I'm sure it is not an unreachable goal. And finally, let us know how your network is going, and share any information learned.