Bringing Tech Solutions to Nonprofits with Mary Zhu, Founder and Executive Director of Develop for Good
In this episode, Matt sat down with Mary Zhu, founder and Executive Director of Develop for Good. Together, they explore the challenges involved with starting a nonprofit and the intersection of technology and the nonprofit sector.
Mary Zhu is the founder and Executive Director of Develop for Good, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports teams of diverse college students as they work on tech projects under professional mentors for other nonprofits. They have worked on over 160 tech projects for clients, including UNICEF, the World Health Organization, and the Smithsonian Institution.
The Pandemic Pivot
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns, the world was turned upside down for everyone, especially college students like Mary. Opportunities for professional experience were canceled or rescinded, including prep. professional clubs, internships, and full-time job offers.
Facing financial woes and a lack of digital preparedness, the nonprofit sector was also in crisis. It was projected that nearly a third of global nonprofits might not survive. But amid these challenges, Mary saw an opportunity to address two significant problems: helping students gain hands-on experience while providing essential digital services to struggling nonprofits. This vision led to the birth of Develop for Good—a nonprofit connecting students with nonprofits for mutually beneficial tech projects.
“I thought, what better way to give students a way for them to enhance their skills and work on professional projects and to help them solve problems for the entities and organizations that needed people like them the most. And so that’s how Develop For Good was born.”
Supporting Underrepresented Talent
Develop for Good empowers underrepresented college students by offering real-world tech project experience. The organization’s dual mission is clear: provide nonprofits with high-quality digital solutions while equipping students with hands-on experience to accelerate their tech careers.
“We're really solving this kind of two-sided problem with two solutions that really complement each other.”
Students engage in impactful work—creating websites, designing user interfaces, and analyzing data—that not only enhances their skills but directly supports nonprofits by providing them with tech solutions.
Challenges and Lessons in Scaling a Nonprofit
While Mary concedes that each journey or “growth trajectory” is different, she identifies how growth is typically slow for most nonprofits. Coming from Silicon Valley where rapid success stories are common, Zhu initially struggled with comparing her progress to that of her peers in the for-profit world. At times, this made her feel like she was falling behind.
“A lot of times, I felt like I was failing or that my progress compared to other founders in my circle’s progress. I was like ‘Oh my gosh, I'm the worst founder in the world!’”
However, as she reflects now, patience and persistence have been essential in navigating the nonprofit landscape. While growth felt stagnant for a period, Zhu and her team recently celebrated a major milestone—surpassing $1 million in revenue.
The Future
Develop for Good is now focused on scaling its model to reach more students and nonprofits. The organization is developing internal software solutions to automate and streamline its operations, allowing it to support even more projects globally. The goal? Mary says it is to give every college student the chance to solve a real-world problem for a nonprofit using technology.
“So, if there's any opportunity within your organization where technology can be introduced to just enhance some amazing work that you already do as an organization, just embrace that.”
By harnessing the latest tech talent and equipping nonprofits with cutting-edge digital solutions, Develop for Good envisions a future where the nonprofit sector is more digitally advanced and where tech careers are more accessible to all. Through ongoing innovation and strategic growth, the organization is committed to long-term impact and driving meaningful change for both students and the nonprofit sector.
Get the Full Scoop!
Listen to this episode of the Nonprofit Connect podcast to learn more from Mary about the challenges and opportunities involved with running a nonprofit.