Non-Profit Direct Mail: Non-Profit or EDDM Postage More Affordable?

When you’re running a non-profit business one of your biggest concerns is expense. You need more donations, but how much can you spend on a direct mail piece that won’t break your budget? Should you use Non-Profit postage prices or are the new Every Door Direct Mail® postage prices better?

The answer…is complicated. It will come down to two key factors:

1. Are you used to creating NonProfit mail pieces?
2. How much do you value your time?

First, let’s talk about who could be qualified for non-profit postage.

Eligible To Register for NonProfit Postage:

• Religious organizations
• Educational organizations
• Scientific organizations
• Philanthropic (charitable) organizations
• Agricultural organizations
• Labor organizations
• Veterans? organizations
• Fraternal organizations
• Some Political Committees may also be eligible

Not Eligible To Register for NonProfit Postage:

• Private organizations
  Examples:
  • Chambers of commerce
  • Individuals
  • Social and hobby clubs
  • And more
• Most Government organizations

View the Domestic Mail Manual® 703.1 (PDF) for more information on who and what is eligible to be qualified for NonProfit Postage.

Now let’s talk about the main course: Postage.

Non-Profit Postage

In order to use USPS®’s “NonProfit” Postage, you must first qualify for it; not all non-profit organizations are eligible for NonProfit Postage. Once your company is qualified as a NonProfit, each of your mail pieces must then be qualified as well.

The USPS ® has laid out a ” USPS®’s Six Step Process” for making sure your mail pieces are eligible. Follow each step to figure out if your mail piece is eligible for NonProfit Postage.

Basic, Carrier Route NonProfit postage for a standard letter (weighing less that 3.3oz) is $0.194. You can check out the USPS®’s Price List for more NonProfit Postage prices (PDF).

Now let’s take a look at one of the USPS®’s newest mailing additions, the Every Door Direct Mail® Program.

Who is Eligible for Every Door Direct Mail®?

Everyone! There’s no business qualifying required.

The only “restriction” is that when using Every Door Direct Mail®Retail you can only send out 5,000 mail pieces per day. If youd like to send out more than that per day you’ll need to use the regular “Every Door Direct Mail®”. To use the regular EDDM® you’ll need to register for a mailing permit. Once you have that, you’re good to go!

Mail Pieces Eligible for Every Door Direct Mail®

The following requirements must be met for a mail piece to be eligible for EDDM®:

• Mailing label and indicia on “top half” of the mail piece (landscape pieces can be rotated counter clockwise 90* so mailing label and indicia are on the “top half”–the shortest end will always be the “top half”)
• Must have EDDM® indicia
• Must have appropriate mailing label (simplified mailing label for Retail, “EDDM” must come after “ECRWSS” for Business pieces that are between 10.5 and 11.5 inches in length)
• Retail EDDM® pieces must be bundled with a facing slip
• Maximum Dimensions: 15″ long, 12″ high, .75″ thick
• Minimum Dimensions: 10.5″ long OR 6.125″ high OR .25″ thick

View the USPS®’s EDDM® Quick Reference Guide (PDF) for more detailed information.

Every Door Direct Mail® Postage

Every Door Direct Mail® Postage is the same for a 6×11″ piece and for an 11×17″ bifold (folded to 8.5×11″) mail piece: $0.145

As long as the mail piece is within the requirements listed above, they will be accepted for Every Door Direct Mail®. That’s all there is to it! As long as the piece is within the maximum and minimum dimensions and doesn’t exceed 3.3oz, you can mail it with EDDM®!

To Summarize

Not only is Every Door Direct Mail® cheaper or about the same as most NonProfit prices, there are far fewer hoops to jump through. You don’t have to make sure each one of your pieces meet all of the qualifications to get NonProfit Postage when you use EDDM® and you can have just about anything you want advertised on the mailer (within reason of course).

If your company highly values their time and their money EDDM® looks like a better way to go for your NonProfit mailings.

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Not affiliated or endorsed by any of the following: EDDM and EVERY DOOR DIRECT MAIL are registered trademarks of the United States Postal Service.

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