NAMI Affiliation Assessment Worksheet
NAMI offers the following chart as a means for identifying the developmental stage and needs of each NAMI Affiliate, and is provided as a
map for the spectrum of possible forms that a NAMI Affiliate may take on the path to excellence. NAMI Affiliates may assess themselves to
identify which description best suits them at any stage of their growth and development. As NAMI Affiliates grow, this chart offers a view of
what is possible in terms of people, resources and administrative oversight.
NAMI Affiliate
Membership
Small/Emerging
 Minimum five
members
 A designated leader
 Steering/stakeholder
committee
Community/Support
Developing
Full service
 Minimum 10 members
 Minimum 25 members, plus
growing membership
 Minimum 100 members,
plus growing membership
 Steering/stakeholder
committee or board of
directors – officers and other
leaders as needed
 Steering group/stakeholder
committee or board of
directors – officers and other
leaders as needed
 Board of Directors president, vice president,
secretary, treasurer and
other leaders as needed
 Functioning board committees
 Conduct annual board
orientation regarding
goals and objectives of
the organization
 Annual process for board selfassessment and effectiveness
measurement
Oversight
 Annual process for board
self-assessment and
effectiveness
measurement
Operations
 One-year action plan
 One-year action plan
 Bank account (or
formal financial
arrangement with
the NAMI State
Organization)
 Annual budget
 One- or two-year strategic
plan with annual work plan
 Two-to-three-year
strategic plan with annual
work plan
 Annual budget
 Bank account
 Annual budget
 Bank account(s)
 Post office box
 Bank account(s)
 Office or post office
 Permanent address
or post office box
 Office or post office
 Financial management
policies
 Financial management
policies
NAMI Affiliate
Small/Emerging
 Contact person
 All volunteer
Personnel
Community/Support
Developing
 Contact person for
organization inquiries
 Contact person for
organization inquiries
 Contact person for
organization inquiries
 Helpline/resource referral
person
 Helpline/resource referral
person
 Helpline/resource referral
person
 Developing
 Volunteer
 May have paid staff
supplemented with cadre of
volunteers
 May have some paid staff
Support group facilitator(s)
 Support group
facilitator
Support
 Support group
meeting(s)
 Support group facilitator(s)
 Designated person
responsible for coordinating
support activities
 Support group meeting(s)
 Designated person
responsible for coordinating
support activities
 Support group facilitator(s)
 Support group meeting(s)
 Designated person
responsible for coordinating
support activities
 Phone, online support
 Support group meeting(s)
 Phone, online support
 Phone, online support
Education
Full service
 Designated person
responsible for education
activities
 Designated person
responsible for education
activities
 Communication to
membership (newsletter, enews, etc.) Two per year
 Provision of community
education programs - Four
per year (including any
signature programs)
 Provision of NAMI signature
programs. Minimum: two
presentations/classes per
year
 Communication to memberwith calendar (newsletter, enews, etc.) Six per year
 NAMI Web
presence/microsite)
 Provision of community
education programs - Six
per year (including any
signature programs)
 Provision of NAMI signature
programs). Minimum: four
presentations/ classes per
year
 Communication to
membership with calendar
(newsletter, e-news, etc.)
Monthly
 NAMI Web presence/
microsite)
NAMI Affiliate
Small/Emerging
Advocacy
Community/Support
Developing
Full service
 Designated person
responsible for advocacy
activities
 Designated person
responsible for advocacy
activities
 Designated person
responsible for advocacy
activities
 Participation in advocacy for
systems change
 Participation in advocacy for
systems change
 Participation in advocacy for
systems change
 Support members’ and NAMI
Affiliate’s participation in
and/or support of scientific
mental health treatment and
systems research (provide
information about participating
in research protocols; support
data collection; lobby for
funding, etc.)
 Support members’ and NAMI
Affiliate’s participation in
and/or support of scientific
mental health treatment and
systems research (provide
information about participating
in research protocols; support
data collection; lobby for
funding, etc.)
 Support members’ and
NAMI Affiliate’s participation
in and/or support of
scientific mental health
treatment and systems
research (provide
information about
participating in research
protocols; support data
collection; lobby for funding,
etc.)
 Collect data for all signature
programs offered by affiliate
Research
 Transmit signature program
data to NAMl and the State
Organization
 Incorporate data analysis in
further program delivery
 Collect data for all signature
programs offered by affiliate
 Transmit signature program
data to NAMl and the State
Organization
 Incorporate data analysis in
further program delivery
Current
Organizational
Structure
 Operates under the
NAMI State
Organization or
another incorporated
NAMI Affiliate
 Operates under the NAMI
State Organization or another
incorporated NAMI Affiliate
 Operates under the NAMI
State Organization or another
incorporated NAMI Affiliate
 Incorporated with current IRS
determination as a nonprofit
501 (C) (3) corporation
 Incorporated with current IRS
determination as a nonprofit
501 (C) (3) corporation
 Incorporated with current
IRS determination as a
nonprofit 501 (C) (3)
corporation