Throughout his 21-year development career, Ray Crosland has utilized his entrepreneurial philosophy and donor-centric, relationship-building approach to grow giving for a wide variety of successful institutions. His professional experience includes managing donor advised funds and venture philanthropy, managing seeding and scaling of small nonprofits, heading development at medium-sized nonprofits, building major gift programs, and securing and supporting major gifts at universities and faith-based organizations.
As a consultant, Ray Crosland uses an entrepreneurial approach that empowers his clients to adapt their practices. His approach guides his clients to self-sustainability and greater fundraising returns.
Currently, Ray serves as Territorial Director for Major Gifts at The Salvation Army Central Territory. In this role, he acts as an “internal consultant” and key member of the Major Giving Programs leadership team, providing coaching and leadership to front-line major gift fundraisers; collaborating with teams to remove barriers and monitor progress; and setting revenue goals for a team raising about $35M annually. Prior to joining The Salvation Army, Ray served as director of development for the University of Illinois-Chicago where he focused his work on securing high-level major gifts.
He began his development career working with The Chicago Community Trust, where he spent almost 10 years collaborating closely with community leaders and learning the ins-and-outs of progressive philanthropy. In building and implementing resource development programs, Ray established new development programs at Roosevelt University for three colleges. He also established a private revenue program at SGA Youth and Family Services, which had previously relied on government funding.
Ray holds a Master of Business Administration from Roosevelt University, a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and a Bachelor of Art Degree in Social Sciences and Communication from the University of Southern California. He is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and a member of both the Chicago Council on Planned Giving (CCPG), the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners. His previous nonprofit support activities included volunteering with the Arts & Business Council of Chicago OnBoard Program, and development consulting for FREE and Goodcity Chicago. In addition, Ray is a Lean Six Sigma White Belt.
