Ryan Carlin, MS, MCPC

Founder & Principal Advisor

Ryan Carlin founded Carlin Major Gift Solutions to help mission-driven organizations build the leadership alignment, philanthropic infrastructure, and donor relationships necessary to achieve sustainable long-term growth.

With more than two decades of nonprofit leadership experience and over $45 million in philanthropic revenue generated, Ryan has helped organizations launch, scale, and strengthen fundraising programs spanning major and principal gifts, planned giving, foundation partnerships, corporate engagement, annual giving, and capital campaigns. His work has supported organizations ranging from emerging nonprofits to established institutions navigating growth, transformation, and organizational change.

What distinguishes Ryan's approach is his belief that sustainable philanthropy is not created through fundraising tactics alone. Rather, enduring growth emerges when leadership, strategy, donor relationships, and organizational systems operate in alignment. This philosophy became the foundation for the CMGS Sustainable Philanthropic Growth Model™, which helps organizations move beyond reactive fundraising and build philanthropic enterprises capable of sustaining mission impact for decades.

Throughout his career, Ryan has built and scaled fundraising departments, launched major and planned giving programs from inception, cultivated six- and seven-figure philanthropic investments, and partnered directly with CEOs, presidents, executive teams, and boards to strengthen institutional fundraising capacity. His experience extends beyond development leadership into organizational strategy, operations, financial management, marketing, communications, partnership development, and nonprofit startup leadership—providing a uniquely integrated perspective on how mission-driven organizations grow.

Before founding CMGS, Ryan led fundraising, operations, and organizational development initiatives across the United States, Mexico, and Italy, serving organizations with national and international reach. In addition to his consulting work, he is a certified executive coach and leadership advisor who has spent thousands of hours mentoring nonprofit professionals, executives, and emerging leaders.

Today, Ryan serves as a strategic partner to nonprofit leaders seeking more than increased fundraising results. Through CMGS, he helps organizations build the systems, leadership culture, donor ecosystems, and growth strategies required to achieve lasting mission impact and institutional resilience.

Ryan holds degrees in Philosophy, Theology, and Ethics, is fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian, and brings a deeply relationship-centered approach to leadership, philanthropy, and organizational growth.