Volunteer

Let’s make an impact!
Collaborate with talented university students, form valuable relationships, and gain experience by participating in projects that impact millions of users.
How to applyOur projects
Winter 2021 Application TimelineDate
Application opensOctober 11
Application dueOctober 18
Start of project cycleNovember 1
Holiday breakDecember 20 - 24
End of project cycleFebruary 11
35%
of our volunteers
are first-generation
or low-income students
66%
of our volunteers
are female
77%
of our volunteers
study computer science,
engineering, or design
66%
of our volunteers
are female
35%
of our volunteers
are first-generation
or low-income students
77%
of our volunteers
study computer science,
engineering, or design
Bring your skills and gain real-world experience in

Product Management

Responsibilities:​

  • Main point of contact between the team, nonprofit client, and all other stakeholders.

  • Organizes internal team meetings and check-ins with the client.

  • Proposes and maintains a project timeline.

  • Scopes out technical approach and design requirements of project.

  • Organizes resources and ensures documentation of all work.

  • Able and willing to contribute potentially more than a 5-10 hr/wk baseline commitment for at least a full project cycle.

Skills desired:

  • Leadership​ and management; strong coordinating/organizational skills and initiative.

  • Strong technical skills required of the specific project.

Backend Development

Skills desired (any of):​

  • ​HTML, CSS, JavaScript
  • Frameworks like React, Angular, JQuery, Vue, AngularJS
  • Knowledge in responsive design

Frontend Development

Skills desired (any of):​

  • Python, Java, Ruby, PHP

  • Express.js, Node.js, Django

  • Databases like MySQL, SQL Server, SQLite

UX/UI Design

Skills desired (any of):

  • User experience investigation with data analytics

  • User research + interviewing

  • User flow diagramming

  • Prototyping with tools like Figma and Sketch

  • Building with content management systems

Data Engineering/Analyst

Skills desired (any of):

  • Excel, Python, Java, Scala

  • Knowledge of database systems

  • R, D3, and experience with data visualization tools like Tableau

  • Background in AI/ML

Collaborate in projects that impact users across 60+ different countries

CARE

Website Redesign
Crowdfunding for ecosystem services prototype for water team

Do For Children

Website Development
Development of a website to enable youth empowerment in Malawi

Amelior8

Website Redesign
Allowing NGOs to share resources and knowledge
How to apply

Fill out our volunteer application

Get matched with a project and a team

Accept your offer letter

Meet your team and start the project

Volunteer stories

Akron Children’s Hospital

“It was exciting to work on a real-world problem with an interdisciplinary team. Getting different perspectives from the project managers, developers and designers helped inform our design decisions and made our project that much better. I also had the opportunity to mentor some designers who were in 2nd year of college which was a great experience for me because I want to get more into the mentoring side of design”
Zohaib Jafri
Simon Fraser University ‘21

Terra Firma

“Working with Develop for Good has given me an opportunity to connect with other peers, make new friends, and learn new skills together! This has been a great way to continue to socialize (safely) and with purpose during such an isolating time from the pandemic. It's been super cool being part of an organization that holds so much potential to continue learning and creating impact!”
Stephanie Chao
Simon Fraser University ‘21

Upmost

“The Develop for Good program was a really great experience! Not only was I able to find projects that I was passionate about helping, but I was also able to make a lot of new connections and gain a lot of valuable project experience. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to build on their skills, whether it's project management, coding, or design!”    
Justin Lau
San Jose State University ‘21
Frequently asked questions

What are the eligibility requirements?

We welcome applications from university students or recent graduates with less than 2 years of full-time work experience. This includes students who are currently enrolled in or have graduated recently from Bachelor’s Degree, joint Bachelor/Master’s, Master’s, and PhD Degree Programs. We also welcome students who are on temporary leaves of absence from their universities (i.e. gap quarter/semester/year), as well as international students and recent graduates.

We ask that recent graduates with less than 2 years of full-time work experience who are currently employed full-time to sign up as an Industry Mentor instead; please refer to our Industry Mentors page for more information!

I don't have much technical experience; can I still apply?

We recognize that every talented developer or designer has once been in the position of seeking project experiences to refine their skills. We see our opportunities as learning experiences, and encourage anyone interested in tech/design and creating social impact to apply. Additionally, our team members come from a range of experiences and backgrounds. It’s definitely possible to be matched with a project even if you aren’t super technical, as we have projects that are more design thinking-focused.

What is the expected time commitment?

We require a minimum time commitment of 5-10 hours/week for up to 14 weeks or until project completion, whichever occurs first. Volunteers on projects that are not fully completed within a 14-week project cycle have the option of staying on the team in 10 to 14-week increments until the project is finished.

How frequently are new volunteers sourced?

We have three project cycles annually (Spring – March, Summer – July, Winter – November). All eligible applicants and former volunteers are welcome to apply as many times as they like!

How does Develop for Good's nonprofit model work?

We charge each of our nonprofit clients a small service fee while planning out their projects with them. Our services fees are a small fraction of the real-world costs of these projects, and are thoroughly discussed beforehand with each client based on the project’s complexity and the nonprofit’s budget/financial situation.100% of our clients’ fees go straight back to Develop for Good to fund our operational expenses (read more about Our Nonprofit Model here). This means that if any volunteer is in need of a software subscription to plan, design, or implement their project, we’ve got you covered!

I’m not based in the US; can I still volunteer?

Yes.  All projects are virtual and accessible from anywhere in the world! Depending on your team, you may have to account for time zone differences when collaborating.

Ready to create social impact?
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