Henry Timms

Henry Timms
Name	Henry Timms
Birth date	1974
Nationality	British
Occupation	Nonprofit executive; academic; writer
Known for	Leadership of 92nd Street Y; co-founding #GivingTuesday

Henry Timms is a British nonprofit leader, academic, and writer known for his leadership of cultural and civic institutions and for co-founding the global giving movement #GivingTuesday. He has worked at the intersection of philanthropy, cultural programming, and urban civic life, engaging with institutions across the United States, the United Kingdom, and international networks. Timms has published on organizational strategy, fundraising, and cultural policy, and has held advisory roles with philanthropic foundations and university centers.

Early life and education

Timms was born in 1974 and educated in the United Kingdom, where he completed undergraduate and graduate studies at institutions associated with the University of Oxford and the London School of Economics. His formative years included engagement with British cultural organizations such as the British Library and arts institutions in London and collaborations with scholars affiliated with Columbia University and the University of Cambridge.

Career

Timms's career spans nonprofit management, fundraising, and cultural policy. He held early roles at the Institute for Public Policy Research and worked with think tanks and cultural organizations including the British Council and the Royal Opera House. He served in leadership positions connected to arts funding bodies such as Arts Council England and collaborated with philanthropic actors including the Ford Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. Timms later moved to New York City, joining institutions connected to Columbia University, New York University, and partnerships with the Aspen Institute and the Carnegie Corporation.

Work with 92nd Street Y and #GivingTuesday

As Executive Director and subsequently President and CEO of 92nd Street Y, Timms led programming and digital initiatives at the century-old cultural institution alongside civic partners such as the Jewish Federations of North America and Lincoln Center. During his tenure he co-founded #GivingTuesday with partners drawn from the United Nations Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the 92nd Street Y team, creating a philanthropic campaign that engaged community foundations, the Clinton Global Initiative, and corporate partners including Salesforce and PayPal. #GivingTuesday grew into a global movement coordinated with nonprofits, museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, universities including Harvard University, and municipal governments in cities like New York City and London. The initiative intertwined with campaigns by organizations like UNICEF, the American Red Cross, and the Wikimedia Foundation, and was covered by media outlets including The New York Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, and National Public Radio.

Academic and advisory roles

Timms has held fellowships and visiting appointments at academic centers including Columbia Business School, Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and the Harvard Kennedy School. He has advised philanthropic organizations and policy programs such as the Knight Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the MacArthur Foundation, and collaborated with research institutes including the Brookings Institution, the Urban Institute, and the Aspen Institute’s Program on Philanthropy. Timms has served on advisory boards tied to universities such as Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins University, and he has lectured at institutions like New York University and the London School of Economics.

Publications and media contributions

Timms has written for newspapers and journals including The New York Times, The Guardian, The Atlantic, the Financial Times, and The Wall Street Journal, and contributed essays to edited volumes published by academic presses linked to Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press. His writing addresses fundraising strategy, nonprofit leadership, civic engagement, and digital media trends, engaging with debates involving scholars and commentators from Columbia Journalism School, the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard, and the Reuters Institute. Timms has appeared on broadcast platforms including BBC Radio, CNN, and MSNBC, and has participated in panels at the World Economic Forum, the Aspen Ideas Festival, and the TED conference.

Awards and recognition

Timms's leadership has been recognized by philanthropic and cultural organizations including awards and fellowships from the Skoll Foundation, the Salzburg Global Seminar, and the Clinton Global Initiative. He has been listed in profiles by Vanity Fair, Forbes, and Crain’s New York Business, and received honors from philanthropic networks such as the Nonprofit Times and Alliance Magazine. Institutions including the 92nd Street Y and partner organizations have noted his contributions to civic philanthropy and cultural programming.

Category:British nonprofit executives Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics