For most non-profits, money is tight. That means every penny saved matters. By taking advantage of non-profit postage pricing, you’ll be able to drastically reduce the amount you’re spending on your mailing campaigns. And below, we’ll walk you through the steps necessary to receive that preferred pricing while providing you with details regarding who can claim these reduced rates along with key reasons why Direct Mail Manager is the best resource available for automating your campaigns.
Who Qualifies for Non Profit Postage?
Naturally, you’re probably wondering if your organization qualifies for preferred-non-profit USPS pricing. If your organization falls under any of the following umbrellas, you can be approved for non-profit pricing:
- Agriculture
- Educational
- Fraternal
- Labor
- Philanthropic
- Religious
- Scientific
- Veterans
- Qualified Political Committees
- State or Local Voter Registration Officials
If you can provide evidence that your non-profit qualifies for federal income tax exemption under 26 USC 501c3, as a religious, educational, scientific or philanthropic organization you’re able to qualify for non-profit mailing rates. For an agricultural, or labor organization, you must produce evidence that you’re granted federal income tax exemption under 501c8. And fraternal organizations need to provide proof of qualifying for federal income tax exemption under 501c8; and under 501c19 for veterans’ organizations.
How to Secure Your Non-Profit Postage Approval:
Once you’ve gathered evidence necessary for proving that your organization qualifies for Nonprofit USPS marketing mail pricing, it’s time to apply for approval. The process is simple. The steps entail:
- Complete Form PS 3624:
According to the USPS, Lines 1-8 and 10-17 are self-explanatory. For Line 9 you only need to check one category.
- Provide Evidence:
In order to support your claim for non-profit pricing, documentation is mandatory. Some examples you can use include articles of incorporation, an IRS letter of exemption of payment of federal tax or a financial statement prepared by an accountant. Any statement must include balance sheets.
- Provide Documents Describing Organization’s Purpose:
To avoid having to answer additional questions regarding your application, include documents that highlight your organization’s mission. These documents can include bulletins, organizational publications, or membership forms.
- Sign and Submit Your Application:
Once your form has been completed, you can submit it to your postmaster or at the business mail entry unit.
What to Do While Your Application is Pending
Now that your application has been submitted, you’ll likely be waiting for a response for at least two weeks. But that doesn’t mean you can’t begin mailing until it’s been approved. If you’ve got campaigns planned, you can begin to execute them at normal mailing prices, then apply for a refund once your application has been accepted. In order to request a refund, you’ll need to complete form 3544 which is available from your postmaster or your business mail entry unit.
You’ll receive an authorization letter from the Postal Service once your application has been approved. Once you’ve received that letter, store it somewhere safe so you’ll be able to easily provide proof that you’ve been approved for nonprofit pricing. Non-Profit postage pricing can’t be applied to your Direct Mail Manager account without proof of approval.
Rules and Regulations Regarding Non-Profit Postage Pricing
Congrats on getting approved! Now that you’ve received approval for non-profit postage you’re ready to begin mailing. But prior to executing your first campaign, you’ll need to brush up on the rules and regulations regarding maintaining your non-profit approval. Some guidelines to remember include:
- You Must Mail At Least Once per Two-Year Period:
The first key guideline to remember when it comes to maintaining your non-profit postage pricing is that it’s use it or lose it. If you fail to send at least one mailer within a two-year period the USPS will revoke your non-profit pricing. Fortunately, there’s a wide variety of ideas for non-profit mailing campaigns you can implement, making this threshold easy for you to clear.
- You Can Use Commercial Firms to Prepare Non-Profit Mailing Materials:
If you rely on a marketing firm or agency to complete your mailing campaigns, you can still claim non-profit postage pricing. The main caveat is making sure your partnership is classified as a “principal-agent” relationship. Some situations where you may not be able to claim your nonprofit pricing when mailing through a firm includes instances where the firm shares in ad revenue from the campaign, if they place their own ads in the mail piece at no charge (or at a lower price), and if the firm conducts the campaign for free. This is because under these conditions, the firm has a stake in the success in the mailing campaign, meaning it’s no longer functioning in the capacity of an agent.
- Eligible Items You Can Mail Under Non-Profit Pricing:
Your nonprofit mailing prices enable you to send all types of marketing collateral at low rates. These items include: Newsletters, Booklets, Self-Mailers and Letters weighing 16oz or less. When it comes to letters, don’t forget you can use Direct Mail Manager’s variable data printing capabilities to add increased personalization to your outreach.
Begin Mailing at Non-Profit Postage Pricing With Direct Mail Manager
Your non-profit postage pricing enables you to maximize connections with your audience at unbeatable rates. Your nonprofit postage pricing combined with Direct Mail Manager’s automation capabilities allow you to frictionlessly advance your non-profit’s mission through the mailbox. And the best part is that leveraging Direct Mail Manager for your campaigns means you won’t have to neglect any of the additional responsibilities related to your organization’s goals. To begin mailing, sign up for a Direct Mail Manager account today. And if you’ve got questions about getting your next campaign up and running, one of our mailing specialists is eager to answer them over a complimentary demo at your earliest convenience.
