Nami Mercer Nj Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
NAMI Mercer NJ, Inc. is a local affiliate in NJ's Capital region of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization. Nami Mercer NJ, Inc. listens, leads, educates, and advocates, empowering families and individuals affected by mental illness to build lives of quality and respect free of stigma and discrimination.NAMI Mercer, Inc. relies on the talents of a small paid staff and a large team of volunteers to fulfill its mission.
- Income
- $567,686
- Spending
- $552,118
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- 11.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 84%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 150
- Highest pay
- $115,844, executive dir.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 16% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $380,549 spent. The NAMI Mercer Helpline is staffed by dedicated volunteers who fielded roughly 452 inquiries in 2024, 49% of which were first time callers. Utilizing VoIP, Helpline specialists provided a compassionate ear as well as valuable information and resources to help people better cope with the challenges of mental illness. Helpline Plus, a stepped-up level of care, provides an advocate to those with more complex needs related to system navigation, hundreds of hours were logged under this program. Demonstrating the importance of a network of support for adults living with mental illness, we offered three 8-session Family-to-Family courses, empowering families to better understand mental illness, access effective treatment, improve coping strategies, and better advocate for their loved ones. One was held in the Spring and two in the Fall, a total of 35 family members completed the course. We also continued our partnership with Intensive Family Support Services (IFSS) under Oaks Integrated Care, hosting 114 Family Support Group Meetings online or in a hybrid format, and providing space for IFSS specialists to meet in-person with individual families at no charge. With helping hundreds of family members/friends experience less stress and improve family functioning through the development of better coping strategies. The average participation per session numbered 12. Just Parents our support group for caregivers of youth under age 24 held 8 monthly meetings during which parents shared their experiences, resources, and how they navigate difficulties, leading to a sense of belonging and better role modeling for their children. Recognizing the power of peer support for individuals with mental health challenges, we offered NAMI Connection, a hybrid support group during which participants engaged in productive discussion and enhanced their coping skills, with an average of 5 participants per session. Members of our Just Friends and Becoming Friends social support groups participated in 200+ social activities, including parties, visits to museums, theaters, restaurants, and festivals with total attendance of 802. Our Hearing Voices Support Group met in-person for a total of 20 meetings with an average attendance of 5. Mending Mindsets, an online support group for those coping with anxiety held 20 meetings with a total attendance of 88. Weight ? Worth, a support group for those with an unhealthy preoccupation with food or body image, was held on campus at TCNJ and total attendance numbered 88. Two sessions of Healing Hearts, a support group for survivors of suicide loss, were offered. The summer session met 6x and the fall one 8x with total attendance of 66. The Empathy Network, a support group for those coping with depression, met weekly and averaged 12 participants per meeting. One six- week session of Working on Wellness (WOW) was held with a corporate partner; attendance averaged 9 per session. Through NAMI Mercers community education and outreach, we provided inspiration, strategies, and resources to promote mental wellbeing and expanded knowledge and understanding of mental illness. Our annual wellness conference, Harvest of Hope, was held in-person for almost 200 attendees, live-streaming Elizabeth Vargas as our keynoter, and offering practical, interactive workshops; thoughtful conversations rooted in personal experience; an uplifting performance; and plenty of opportunities for community-building. Twenty-seven community education events were held for over 700 attendees. Highlights include Crisis Intervention Training for law enforcement, faith community presentations and quarterly gatherings for TPH (Trenton Psychiatric Hospital) patients slated for discharge. NAMI Mercers NextGen (youth/school-based Initiatives) reached over 600 young people; and we participated in 23 community outreach events/wellness fairs/mental health awareness raising activities reaching more than 6,300 people. More than 500 people participated in NAMIWALKS Mercer NJ, raising awareness about mental health, building community virtually, raising funds, and demonstrating the kind of resiliency of spirit that enables people with mental health challenges to seek treatment, pursue recovery, and lead full, meaningful lives. NAMI Mercer hosts a robust volunteer and intern program. Many individuals with mental health challenges come to us seeking a supportive environment where they can rebuild their confidence, improve their skills, and gain experience some find their way back to the workforce and/or decide volunteerism is a way they can make a meaningful contribution to society. Over 11,000 volunteer hours were logged in 2024 with 34 new volunteers being onboarded. We mentored 32 graduate and undergraduate student interns representing 9 different institutions of higher education
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1987.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.