Melanie Stoutzker is a Director and Trustee of Sistema England.

Melanie leads Stoutzker Fundraising Partnership and has twenty years experience as a Development professional. Following seven years as an advertising account executive, her fundraising career began in the USA, working with a consultancy specialising in the cultural, charity and political sectors. In 1994, she began her UK fundraising career with the Royal Academy of Arts, and in 1997 joined the Natural History Museum as Head of Charitable Giving. She subsequently became Deputy Head of Development, raising in excess of £15 million for capital projects, education, conservation, exhibition and scientific research programmes.

She formed a fundraising consultancy in 2004 with the Natural History Museum’s former Development Director, working with the Science Museum, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Barbican Centre and the London Children’s Museum. Melanie has since developed Stoutzker Fundraising Partnership, with a small team of expert associates and led projects with a number of clients.

Melanie worked with the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO) to secure funds for its international touring programme, and conducted her third project with the Barbican Centre, helping to generate revenue for key projects in the artistic programme. A seven month assignment with the Victoria & Albert Museum focused on providing major gift fundraising support, strategic guidance and direction to the Individual Giving Team across capital, endowment and revenue fundraising during a period of transition. She continues to work with the Southbank Centre, providing solicitation and strategic guidance for the recently announced Festival Wing capital campaign; this follows a long term project with the Centre when Melanie led the implementation of recommendations from her strategic review of its Individual Major and Regular Giving programmes. With her Associate, she implemented a capital campaign feasibility study for the Energy Institute, a non-profit organisation representing the energy industry. Following her major gift solicitation training session for CLIC Sargent, a charity that offers support for child cancer sufferers and their families, Melanie was invited to work with the team to develop their major giving programme for revenue and capital projects during the recruitment of a Head of Major Giving. Melanie worked closely with Hofesh Shechter Company, a small and highly regarded performing arts company, to guide Board development, solicitation planning and the recruitment of their first professional fundraiser. With an associate, she undertook the development of a capital campaign strategy and first stage implementation for the South Georgia Heritage Trust, which conserves the heritage and wildlife of the Antarctic island of South Georgia. Melanie has worked withDASH ARTS, a performing-arts organisation to support the artistic programme, and the soon to open Jewish Community Centre for its capital campaign.