NAMI Ranked Among Top 10 Charitable Organizations Nationwide

Posted on December 5, 1997

AIP helps consumers judge the fundraising efficiency of a charity by evaluating the actual amount of money spent on the charity's intended purpose versus administrative costs and by comparing its fundraising expenses with contributions. AIP reports that NAMI spends $93 of every $100 raised on charitable activities, with only $3 being spent on administrative or fundraising costs.

"We are deeply honored by the AIP A-plus rating," said Laurie Flynn, NAMI's executive director. "We take our responsibility as advocates very seriously and direct the majority of our resources into research because the strongest weapon against stigma toward mental illness is science." External contributions are also used for education and advocacy campaigns to ensure that people with chronic and disabling brain disorders have equal access to quality health care, housing, education and economic opportunities.

NAMI's FY96 expenses were allocated to research (74 percent), education (12 percent), program and management (seven percent), advocacy (two percent), fundraising (two percent), and administration (two percent).

AIP's mission is to maximize the effectiveness of every dollar contributed to charity by providing donors with the information they need to make more informed giving decisions. In the fall issue of the AIP Charity Rating Guide & Watchdog Report, letter grades ranging from A to F were assigned to non-profits based on specific financial criteria, including program spending, fundraising efficiency and size of reserves.

"We hope our continued efforts in support of people with severe mental illness will yield us perfect AIP scores in the years to come," said Flynn.

With more than 168,000 members, NAMI is the nation's leading grassroots organization solely dedicated to improving the lives of persons with severe mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders. NAMI has more than 1,140 state and local affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Canada. NAMI's efforts focus on support to persons with serious brain disorders and to their families;advocacy for nondiscriminatory and equitable federal, state and private-sector policies; research into the causes, symptoms and treatments for brain disorders; and education to eliminate the pervasive stigma surrounding severe mental illness.