Nonprofits

CDM has a particular affinity for working with nonprofits to help them grow their membership and donor bases and communicate with their members and other constituencies.  The nonprofit acceptance rules of the Postal Service are strictly enforced and can create a great deal of consternation for nonprofit mailers.  Looking at it from the Post Office’s perspective, it is being told to offer lower postage rates to nonprofits, yet it incurs the same costs to move the piece from point A to point B as it does for other mail.  Therefore, the Post Office looks for any reason they can find to deny the lower rates.

Being knowledgeable about the special nonprofit rules and thinking about mail-pieces from the Post Office’s perspective will lessen the trauma.  Here are the main characteristics that we look for on a nonprofit mail-piece:

• Is the organization name and return address on the piece?
• Does the organization name and address match the way they are registered with the Post Office?
• Are there other company names and/or logos on the piece that are not described as sponsors?
• Does the mail-piece contain any reference to travel, insurance, or credit cards?

The Postal Service Business Mail Entry Unit personnel use a more elaborate evaluation process.  To view it, click here.

When nonprofit mailing privileges are granted by the Post Office, it is only good for the specific Post Office where the application was submitted. However, it is a relatively simple process to gain additional points of entry at other postal facilities.  For a copy of the necessary postal form, PS 3623, click here.

Major postal facilities will have a staff member who has the responsibility of processing nonprofit eligibility applications and evaluating the content of nonprofit mail-pieces.  In Denver, it is Miquela Luna, who can be reached at 303-853-6145 or Miquela.S.Luna@usps.gov.