Nami National
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.See Schedule O
- Income
- $99.2 million
- Spending
- $39.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 33.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 97%
- Employees
- 209
- Volunteers
- 418
- Highest pay
- $639,564, chief executive officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 96% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 33.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 60% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 181% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2522 of 22 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, 2025, 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 (4)
- $23.7 million spent. Program and Membership Support - Public Awareness, Partnerships and Outreach: NAMI advances mental health awareness and connects individuals and families with resources and support.See Schedule O. Youth Mental Health Initiatives In 2025, NAMI expanded programs focused on youth and young adults. NAMI On Campus, student-led mental health clubs on high school and college campuses, continued to grow in 2025. During the year, 144 new clubs were established, bringing the total nationwide to 469 NAMI On Campus clubs. NAMI also continued to expand youth-focused initiatives including the Ending the Silence presentation program, the Teen and Young Adult HelpLine and new initiatives such as NAMI CHANGE Makers and the Flexible Learning Adolescent Resilience Education (FLARE) curriculum. Outreach to Diverse Communities NAMI's Sharing Hope outreach series engages communities through culturally responsive conversations about mental health. Programs include Sharing Hope for the Black/African ancestry community, Compartiendo Esperanza for Hispanic/Latino communities, Chai & Chat for South Asian communities and Sacred Circle for Indigenous communities. NAMI also expanded access to programs by creating materials in Spanish and conducting its first national training of trainers delivered entirely in Spanish. Supporting the NAMI Alliance NAMI National provides training and resources to support State Organizations and Affiliates. In 2025: - More than 600 state and affiliate leaders participated in Alliance Day during NAMICon, NAMI's annual convention. - 121 Executive Directors from 38 states participated in the Executive Directors Leadership Exchange, which provides training and networking opportunities for leaders across the Alliance. Fundraising and Community Engagement NAMIWalks is a nationwide peer-to-peer fundraising program supporting local NAMI organizations. In 2025: - 204 NAMIWalks events were held - 82,157 participants registered - More than $16 million was raised to support state and local NAMI organizations. NAMI's Do-It-Your-Way (DIYW) program also supported community-led fundraising efforts benefiting local NAMI organizations, with 205 campaigns launched in 2025. Public Awareness and Communications NAMI uses digital and media platforms to increase awareness of mental health. In 2025: - The NAMI website recorded 15.9 million page views and nearly 6 million new users. - NAMI's social media channels reached 1.62 million followers. - The Hope Starts With Us podcast received nearly 30,000 listens to new episodes. - NAMI increased its Share of Voice to 80% in the mental health space.
- $4.4 million spent. Education Services- Information, Support and Education: NAMI provides education programs, presentations, and peer-led support groups nationwide. These programs are led by trained volunteers and individuals with lived experience.See Schedule O. In 2025: - 257,448 individuals participated in NAMI education programs, presentations and support groups - 81 program leaders were trained - 155 state trainers were trained Programs such as NAMI In Our Own Voice presentations continued to increase understanding of mental health conditions and reduce stigma. NAMI HelpLine The NAMI HelpLine provides information, referrals and support to individuals and families affected by mental illness. In 2025: - 93,452 individuals connected directly with the NAMI HelpLine - The HelpLine Knowledge Center recorded 895,316 visits In October 2025, NAMI launched the NAMI Family Caregiver HelpLine, which connects caregivers with specialists who have lived experience supporting loved ones with mental illness. From its launch in October through December 2025, the Family Caregiver HelpLine supported 1,457 caregivers.
- $3.3 million spent. Advocacy - Public Policy and Advocacy: NAMI advocates for policies that improve the lives of people affected by mental illness. Advocacy priorities include access to health care coverage, crisis response services, early intervention and diversion from the justice system.In 2025, NAMI advocates took more than 247,000 advocacy actions.Advocacy efforts focused in part on protecting access to Medicaid, the largest payer of mental health services in the United States.NAMI also continued efforts to expand awareness and implementation of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In 2025, the Federal Communications Commission adopted rules requiring georouting of text messages to 988 so individuals contacting the lifeline are connected to local crisis centers.Following sustained advocacy by NAMI and partners, the Food and Drug Administration removed certain restrictions that had limited access to clozapine, a treatment for drug-resistant schizophrenia.NAMI leaders from across the country also met with Members of Congress to discuss federal mental health priorities.
- NAMI supports research and evaluation to improve mental health programs and inform policy.In 2025, NAMI launched a Scientific Advisory Council composed of clinical and research experts who provide guidance to ensure NAMI's work reflects current scientific evidence and best practices.NAMI also develops and shares policy analyses, research resources and educational materials that support evidence-based mental health care.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 2025.
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 July 1980.
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.