Mary Going

Finance, Bicycle Accounting

Mary Going’s career has straddled the worlds of finance, nonprofit, and entrepreneurship. She has held positions in several nonprofits as Director of Finance, Finance & Ops, and Finance & Admin, and Executive Director. She was also the VP of Finance for a clean-tech startup where she helped raise $40m. In addition, she has founded three startups, two of which she sold. She has an education that developed both left-brain and right-brain thinking: An MBA with a focus on economics, a BA in Activism & Social Change, and 120 hours of training in coaching & listening.

Mary’s range of experiences leads her to understand that the finance role in nonprofits is less about crossing Ts than it is about leveraging financial information for mission-informed strategy and nimble decision-making. She started Bicycle Accounting to amplify the effectiveness of nonprofits who are advancing social justice. Effectiveness, she likes to point out, includes creating sustainable jobs for nonprofit workers: a living wage, health care, and the ability to retire after a long and rewarding career. 

Mary has two children and lives in Oakland, California. Her hobbies include rowing with the East Bay Rowing Club, playing board games with the lesbian mom’s group, and hanging out with her dog, Izzy, and cat, Summit.