NAMI

What NAMI does

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1979 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, operating as the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization. It serves individuals living with mental health conditions, family members and caregivers, youth and young adults, service members and veterans, and culturally-specific communities (including Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian American/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities) through a network of more than 650 state and local affiliates across all 50 U.S. states.

The organization's core product is a comprehensive suite of free, peer-delivered programs and services. These include the volunteer-powered NAMI HelpLine (phone, text, and email, serving 93k+ people in 2025), education programs (NAMI Basics, Family-to-Family, Peer-to-Peer, Homefront, Provider, Ending the Silence, Family & Friends, In Our Own Voice, Sharing Hope, Compartiendo Esperanza), the Hearts+Minds wellness program addressing co-occurring physical and mental health, advocacy training (NAMI Smarts), and the FLARE by NAMI middle school curriculum. Supporting technology includes the nami.org website, NAMIWalks fundraising platform, Fundraise4NAMI mobile app with integrations to Apple Health, Android Health Connect, Garmin, Strava, and Fitbit, online discussion forums, a legislative action center, the Hope Starts With Us podcast (100+ episodes), and the MindBench.ai platform for evaluating AI in mental healthcare.

NAMI's business model is donation- and partnership-funded, with six revenue streams: individual donations (including planned and monthly giving), corporate and foundation partnerships (across pharma, consumer, and healthcare sectors), NAMIWalks participant fundraising in 200+ locations, membership dues, NAMICon convention registration, and a merchandise/educational materials store. All core programs are free to participants. In 2025 NAMI advocates took 240,000+ advocacy actions, and the organization distributes through a hybrid of self-serve digital channels, a chartered affiliate network acting as resellers/delivery partners, and direct service via the HelpLine.

Name

NAMI

Legal name

National Alliance On Mental Illness, Inc.

Website

https://nami.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots mental health nonprofit, operating through 650+ state and local affiliates to deliver free peer-led education programs, support groups, advocacy training, and a HelpLine (93k+ served in 2025) to individuals and families affected by mental illness.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Advocacy and Education Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

Keywords

• Mental health advocacy
• Peer support services
• Mental health education
• Grassroots nonprofit
• Community mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: NAMI relies heavily on charitable donations from individuals to support its mission of advocacy, education, support, and public awareness for mental health. Donations can be made online, through planned giving (Iris Circle), monthly giving (Table of Hope), and various other vehicles.
2. Corporate and Foundation Partnerships: NAMI receives support from corporate partners and foundations including pharmaceutical companies, healthcare companies, and other organizations. Partners listed include Alkermes, Business Solver, Chiesi, Fabletics, L'Oreal, Mattress Firm, Miraval, Novo Nordisk, Sun Life, and Wellness Coach.
3. NAMIWalks Fundraising Events: Major fundraising event series taking place in over 200 locations across the country, generating revenue through participant fundraising and donations.
4. Membership Dues: NAMI offers membership programs with annual dues, providing members with access to resources, advocacy tools, and connection to state organizations and local affiliates.
5. NAMICon Convention: National convention providing education, networking, and engagement opportunities for mental health advocates, with registration fees contributing to organizational revenue.
6. NAMI Store: Online store selling educational materials, merchandise, and training resources including DVDs like 'Competent Caring: When Mental Illness Becomes a Traumatic Event'.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

NAMI provides free peer-led mental health education programs (Family-to-Family, Peer-to-Peer, Basics, Homefront), support groups (Connection, Family Support Group), a multi-channel HelpLine (phone, text, email), presentation programs for stigma reduction, advocacy training (NAMI Smarts), and wellness programs (Hearts+Minds). All services are delivered at no cost to individuals and families affected by mental illness, supported through donations, corporate partnerships, and membership dues, and distributed through a network of more than 650 state and local affiliates.

Product overview

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for Americans affected by mental illness. The organization operates through a network of more than 650 state and local affiliates and offers a comprehensive suite of educational programs, support services, and advocacy training. The core offerings include peer-delivered education programs (NAMI Peer-to-Peer, NAMI Family-to-Family, NAMI Basics, NAMI Homefront), presentation programs for various audiences (NAMI Ending the Silence, NAMI In Our Own Voice, NAMI Sharing Hope, NAMI Compartiendo Esperanza), and specialized support groups (NAMI Connection, NAMI Family Support Group). The NAMI HelpLine serves as the primary access point, providing information and referrals via phone, text, and email. Additional services include the NAMI Hearts+Minds wellness program addressing physical health for people with mental illness, NAMI Smarts for Advocacy training, FLARE by NAMI middle school curriculum, NAMIWalks fundraising events, and NAMICon annual convention. Together, these programs provide a continuum of support from crisis intervention to ongoing recovery and advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NAMI HelpLine: Mental health helpline providing information, referral resources, and support M-F 10am-10pm ET, with crisis services available 24/7 through 988
• NAMI Smarts for Advocacy
• NAMI Hearts+Minds
• NAMIWalks
• NAMICon
• FLARE by NAMI
• Hope Starts With Us Podcast

Products and services

• NAMI HelpLine A peer volunteer-based information, referral, and support service available by phone (1-800-950-6264), text, and email, M-F 10am-10pm ET, providing one-on-one help for individuals and families facing mental health challenges.
• Teen & Young Adult HelpLine
• Family Caregiver HelpLine
• NAMI Basics
• NAMI Family-to-Family
• NAMI Homefront
• NAMI Peer-to-Peer
• NAMI Provider
• NAMI Ending the Silence
• NAMI Family & Friends
• NAMI In Our Own Voice
• NAMI Sharing Hope
• NAMI Compartiendo Esperanza
• NAMI Hearts+Minds
• NAMI Smarts for Advocacy
• FLARE by NAMI A mental health literacy curriculum designed for middle schoolers with 23 flexible lessons, helping educators support student mental health aligned with local requirements.
• NAMI Connection
• NAMI Family Support Group
• NAMIWalks
• NAMICon
• Hope Starts With Us Podcast

Quantifiable outcome

• 93k+ people served by NAMI HelpLine in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered notable and flagship.

• LG Electronics USAnotableStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2026LG partnered with NAMI to support mental health initiatives for 2026 NCAA Final Four host schools, Indiana University and Arizona State University, providing $20,000 combined ($10,000 each) to fund mental health resources and programs for student-athletes.
• CEO Alliance for Mental HealthflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAMI participates in the CEO Alliance for Mental Health, a coalition of CEOs committed to advancing mental health awareness and support in the workplace and broader community.
• happy & NAMI PartnershipnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partnership between happy and NAMI supporting mental health initiatives and awareness campaigns.
• Hospital Corporation of America (HCA)notableStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAMI and HCA collaborated to create 'Competent Caring: When Mental Illness Becomes a Traumatic Event,' a DVD for continuing education training for healthcare staff on responding effectively to mental health crises in emergency room settings.
• WHYYnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAMI and WHYY co-hosted a therapeutic songwriting workshop for youth, providing a creative outlet for young people to discuss mental health.
• NAMI West Virginia and The Health PlannotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAMI West Virginia and The Health Plan co-hosted the 4th Annual Wheeling Food Truck Festival to combat mental health stigma by providing community access to mental health resources.
• NAMI State Affiliates (650+)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of state organizations and local affiliates that deliver NAMI programs and services in communities nationwide, operating as chartered NAMI affiliates.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Council for Mental Wellbeing: A membership organization of mental health and substance use treatment providers that delivers Mental Health First Aid training and policy advocacy. Closely comparable to NAMI in workforce training, federal policy engagement, and affiliate/network structure.
• Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA): Nonprofit providing education, training, and support for anxiety, depression, and related disorders. Comparable to NAMI in condition-specific education, provider training, and online resource library.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): Focused on suicide prevention through research, education, advocacy, and loss support. Comparable to NAMI's Ending the Silence and Homefront programs, with overlapping community walks/out-of-the-shadows events and similar donor base.
• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA): Peer-run support organization for people with depression and bipolar disorder, operating a national network of support groups comparable to NAMI Connection. Similar volunteer-led, lived-experience delivery model.
• Mental Health America (MHA): The nation's oldest community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness. Directly comparable to NAMI in mission, advocacy posture, screening tools, and affiliate-style grassroots structure.

Emerging players

• Active Minds: Youth- and college-focused mental health nonprofit building peer-to-peer chapters on campuses. Comparable to NAMI's NAMI on Campus and Ending the Silence programs but concentrated in the higher-education demographic NAMI is expanding into.
• Born This Way Foundation: Founded to support youth mental health and kindness, with peer-support and school programming similar to NAMI's FLARE and youth resources. Comparable in mission area but newer and more digital-native.
• Bring Change to Mind: Mental health anti-stigma nonprofit using storytelling and youth-led programming. Comparable to NAMI's In Our Own Voice and Ending the Silence anti-stigma programming in approach and demographic targeting.
• The Jed Foundation (JED): Works with colleges and high schools on student mental health and suicide prevention. Comparable to NAMI in campus-mental-health programming and school system engagement but with a more clinical and assessment-driven approach.

Others

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Federal agency funding mental health and substance use programs, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline that NAMI HelpLine directs crisis callers to. Adjacent public-sector counterpart rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/namicommunicate
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NAMIvideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/officialNAMI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nami
• Instagraminstagram.com/NAMICommunicate
• TikToktiktok.com/@nami

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NAMI