Nami Syracuse, Inc.

What Nami Syracuse, Inc. does

NAMI Syracuse, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit mental health organization founded in May 1981 (originally as PROMISE, "Parents and Relatives Of the Mentally Ill Supporting Each other") and headquartered at 917 Avery Avenue in Syracuse, New York. It serves individuals and families affected by mental illness across Onondaga County and Central New York, delivering free monthly support groups (Family Support Groups, Connections peer support), evidence-based educational programs (NAMI Family-to-Family, NAMI Basics, NAMI Homefront), and community presentations (In Our Own Voice, Ending the Silence, Tardive Dyskinesia education). The organization operates as an affiliate of NAMI-NYS and NAMI National (since 1984) and runs a wholly-owned nonprofit subsidiary, PROMISE Residential Project, Inc., which manages two residential houses for persons with mental illness established in 1998.

Operationally, NAMI Syracuse runs on a lean core team of approximately four paid staff members — Executive Director Scott Herron, Signature Programs Coordinator Ann Canastra, Office Manager Jeremy Montague, and Minority Outreach Coordinator Melinda Agnew — supported by an elected Board of Directors (President Lisa Smith, Vice President Linda Lazzari, Treasurer Christopher DeVoe) and a bench of trained volunteer facilitators with lived experience. Its technology footprint is intentionally minimal and consumer-grade: a WordPress website (designed by FreshySites in 2020) for program information, event registration, and donations, plus Zoom for virtual support group delivery. There is no proprietary platform, no mobile app, no API surface, and no disclosed integrations. The 32nd Annual Educational Conference (September 2026) and the recurring NAMIWalks Syracuse event indicate sustained annual programming capacity.

The revenue model is purely charitable: NAMI Syracuse is funded by individual donations (501(c)(3), EIN #22-2469922), the annual NAMIWalks Syracuse walk, and the Hopela Raffle, with all services provided free of charge to participants and no membership required for support groups. The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth referrals, healthcare provider referrals, school connections, volunteer facilitators, and a multi-channel presence spanning Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Apple Podcasts, bimonthly email newsletters, and in-person presentations at schools, churches, libraries, and health fairs. Customer segments are four personas — individuals with lived experience of mental illness, families and caregivers, parents of youth under 22, and military service members and veterans — each addressed through tailored programs.

Name

Nami Syracuse, Inc.

Legal name

NAMI Syracuse, Inc.

Website

https://namisyracuse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NAMI Syracuse is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free mental health support groups, evidence-based educational programs, and community presentations to individuals, families, parents of youth, and military households affected by mental illness across Central New York.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Syracuse

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: NAMI Syracuse operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN #22-2469922) funded primarily through donations from individuals, families, and community members. Financial contributions support free programs and services.
2. NAMIWalks Syracuse: Annual fundraising walk event to raise awareness and funds for mental health programs.
3. Hopela Raffle: Main annual fundraising raffle event.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

NAMI Syracuse is a nonprofit mental health organization providing free peer-led support groups, educational programs, community presentations, and advocacy resources for individuals and families affected by mental illness in Central New York. Its core offerings include the Family-to-Family 8-session evidence-based education program, NAMI Basics for parents of youth, NAMI Homefront for military families, monthly Family Support Groups, and Connections peer support groups. All programs are delivered free of charge through in-person meetings at its Syracuse office and via Zoom.

Product overview

NAMI Syracuse is a nonprofit mental health organization offering a portfolio of support groups and educational programs. The core offerings include NAMI Family-to-Family (8-session evidenced-based education program), NAMI Basics (free online self-paced course for parents of youth), and NAMI Homefront (6-session program for military families). Support services include Family Support Groups and Connections peer support groups. Community education is delivered through In Our Own Voice and Ending the Silence presentations. Additionally, NAMI Syracuse provides tardive dyskinesia education resources. All programs are free to participants and available in-person and via Zoom.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NAMI Basics: A free online class for parents, guardians and other family caregivers who provide care for youth (age 22 or younger) experiencing mental health symptoms.
• NAMI Homefront
• NAMI Family-to-Family
• NAMI In Our Own Voice
• NAMI Ending the Silence

Products and services

• NAMI Basics Free online class for parents, guardians, and family caregivers of youth (age 22 or younger) experiencing mental health symptoms. Self-paced and available 24/7, guided by parents and family members with lived experiences. 99% of participants say they would recommend the program.
• NAMI Homefront Free, 6-session educational program for families, caregivers, and friends of military service members and veterans with mental health conditions, designed to help families understand those challenges and improve their ability to support their service member or veteran.
• NAMI Family-to-Family Free, 8-session educational program for family members, significant others, and friends of people living with mental health conditions. A designated evidenced-based program that significantly improves coping and problem-solving abilities.
• NAMI Family Support Groups Monthly support groups for family members, significant others, and friends of people with mental health conditions. Offered in both midday and evening sessions, available in-person and via Zoom. Free, no membership required.
• Connections Support Group Peer support group for individuals with lived experience of a diagnosed or undiagnosed mental health condition, meeting on weekday evenings and weekends. Free to participants.
• In Our Own Voice Free presentations available in 40, 60, or 90-minute formats that provide a personal perspective of mental health conditions, led by people with lived experience.
• Ending the Silence Presentation designed for middle and high school students, school staff, and parents or guardians of middle or high school aged youth. Audiences learn about signs and symptoms of mental health conditions and early warning signs.
• Tardive Dyskinesia Education Program An educational program about tardive dyskinesia, a movement disorder causing repetitive muscle movements. Includes patient brochures, fact sheets, and healthcare provider discussion guides.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of NAMI Basics participants say they would recommend the program to others
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• PROMISE Residential Project, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Established in 1998, this separate nonprofit organization is closely affiliated with NAMI Syracuse and manages two houses serving persons with mental illness in the Syracuse area.
• NAMI-NYS (NAMI New York State)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1984NAMI Syracuse is an affiliate of NAMI-NYS and NAMI National. The organization became a member of NAMI-NYS and national NAMI in 1984, connecting local services with state and national mental health advocacy, resources, and program standards.
• NAMI National (National Alliance on Mental Illness)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1984As an affiliate of the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization, NAMI Syracuse aligns with national programs, research, and advocacy efforts. Members can join and pay dues through the national website while designating NAMI Syracuse as their local affiliate.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• NAMI National: The national parent organization of which NAMI Syracuse is an affiliate. Operates the same Family-to-Family, NAMI Basics, NAMI Homefront, In Our Own Voice, and Ending the Silence programs at the national level, making it directly comparable in mission and curriculum.
• Mental Health America: One of the oldest community-based mental health nonprofits in the U.S., offering screening, education, advocacy, and peer support — directly comparable in mission and service mix to NAMI Syracuse.

Emerging players

• Bring Change to Mind: Mental health awareness and education nonprofit focused on ending stigma, with school-based programming analogous to NAMI Syracuse's Ending the Silence presentations.
• Families for Depression Awareness: Smaller national nonprofit focused on helping families recognize and address depression and bipolar disorder in loved ones. Comparable in family-education focus and free community resource model.

Direct peers

• NAMI Buffalo & Erie County: Another New York State NAMI affiliate delivering the same national NAMI programs (Family-to-Family, Basics, Homefront, Connections) at the local level in Western New York. Comparable geographic and operational scope.
• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA): National organization offering peer-run support groups and educational resources for people living with mood disorders. Closely comparable to NAMI Syracuse's Connections peer support model and community education mission.
• NAMI NYC (NAMI New York City Metro): A New York State NAMI affiliate serving the New York City metropolitan area with the same NAMI curricula, peer support groups, and family education programs as NAMI Syracuse. The most direct operational peer within New York.

Regional players

• NAMI-NYS (NAMI New York State): The New York State affiliate organization providing state-level coordination, advocacy, and program standards for NAMI Syracuse and other local NAMI affiliates across New York. Comparable in mission and overlapping program portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzqoabaO-SdhOEBpi7AksbA
• Facebookfacebook.com/NAMISyracuse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nami-syracuse
• Instagraminstagram.com/nami.syracuse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Syracuse, Inc.