Give
Where to donate
Crisis lines, helplines, community programs and research run largely on donations. Below are established organizations working in mental health, and a short guide to checking any charity yourself before you give.
We do not accept donations. This site is an independent project, not a charity. Every link below goes straight to the organization's own site. Nothing passes through us, and we receive no referral fee or commission from these listings.
United States
National organizations
Mental Health America
Started Mental Health Month in 1949 and still runs it. Publishes free screening tools used by millions of people a year, plus the May toolkit that most local campaigns build on.
Advocacy · Screening · EducationNAMI
The National Alliance on Mental Illness, a grassroots organization with hundreds of local affiliates. Runs the NAMI HelpLine, free peer-led education courses, and support groups for families.
Peer support · EducationVibrant Emotional Health
Administers the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline network. Donations support the crisis contact centers and the counselors who answer calls, texts and chats.
Crisis linesCrisis Text Line
Free 24/7 support by text message, staffed by trained volunteer counselors. Reachable by texting HOME to 741741 in the US.
Crisis linesThe Trevor Project
Crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ young people, including a 24/7 phone, text and chat service, plus research and public education.
LGBTQ+ youthThe Jed Foundation
Works with high schools and universities to build mental health systems that catch students before a crisis rather than after one.
Youth · SchoolsActive Minds
Student-led mental health chapters on hundreds of campuses, plus speaker programs and campaigns aimed at changing how students talk about it.
StudentsChild Mind Institute
Clinical care and research for children with mental health and learning disorders, and free plain-language guides for parents.
Children · ResearchYour local NAMI affiliate
Most NAMI affiliates fundraise separately from the national body and run the actual support groups and classes in your county. They are usually the least-funded part of the chain.
RegionalOutside the US
International organizations
Mental Health Foundation
Runs Mental Health Awareness Week each May across the UK, and focuses on prevention rather than treatment.
United KingdomMind
Advice, information and local services across England and Wales, plus campaigning on mental health policy.
United KingdomSamaritans
Free 24-hour confidential listening service across the UK and Ireland, reachable on 116 123.
UK & IrelandKids Help Phone
Canada's 24/7 e-mental health service for young people, offering phone, text and chat counselling in English and French.
CanadaBeyond Blue
Australian mental health support service covering anxiety, depression and suicide prevention, with a 24/7 support line.
AustraliaUnited for Global Mental Health
Campaigns for mental health funding and policy in countries where almost no public provision exists.
GlobalDue diligence
How to check a charity before you give
We are not in a position to vet or rank organizations, and this page does not endorse any of them. These are the standard tools for checking one yourself. They work for any charity, not only the ones listed here.
Charity Navigator
Rates US nonprofits on financial health, accountability and transparency. The most widely used starting point.
Candid / GuideStar
Publishes Form 990 filings for US nonprofits, so you can read the actual financials rather than a summary.
IRS Tax Exempt Search
Confirms an organization is genuinely registered and that your donation is tax deductible in the US.
CharityWatch
An independent watchdog that grades charities, with a stricter methodology than most rating sites.
Charity Commission
The official register for charities in England and Wales, with accounts and trustee information.
Give locally
County mental health programs, school counselling funds and community centers usually receive far less attention than national organizations while doing the frontline work.
Other ways to help
If you can't give money
Money is not the only useful contribution, and for many organizations it is not the scarcest one.
Volunteer as a crisis counselor. Crisis Text Line and many local 988 centers train volunteers who commit to a few hours a week. Training is free and thorough.
Take a mental health first aid course. Programs such as Mental Health First Aid, QPR and safeTALK teach how to recognize that someone is struggling and what to do next. Many are offered free through local health departments and employers.
Push your employer or school to do something. Organizations with a budget mark May when someone inside asks them to. That request is worth more than most individual donations.
Use the free assets. Our media library exists so that anyone can promote the month without a budget or a designer.