Direct mail for nonprofit & fundraising
Nonprofit postcards at nonprofit postage: appeals, events and acquisition
Direct mail postcards for nonprofits, churches, schools and associations: appeal cards with a QR code to give, event invitations, impact updates and acquisition postcards, mailed at USPS nonprofit postage rates.
Direct mail remains one of the largest sources of individual giving for most nonprofits, and postcards have become the workhorse of it: an appeal card with one story, one ask and a QR code to the donation page reaches every donor at the USPS nonprofit rate, roughly half the commercial Marketing Mail rate, and it costs a fraction of a letter package to produce.
We print 6×11 appeal and impact postcards with variable ask amounts based on giving history, 5×8.25 event invitations and thank-you cards, and acquisition postcards to the neighborhoods around the mission, and mail them at nonprofit rates under your USPS nonprofit authorization. Churches and schools use the same cards, often as saturation mail, for services, enrollment and events.
What nonprofit & fundraising businesses mail
- Annual and year-end appeal 6×11 postcards with variable ask strings and a QR code to give
- Impact update and donor thank-you cards
- Acquisition postcards to the neighborhoods around the mission
- Lapsed-donor reactivation cards
- Event invitations and gala save-the-dates
- Church and school saturation mail for services, enrollment and events
Qualifying for nonprofit postage
Organizations with a USPS nonprofit authorization (obtained with PS Form 3624 and proof of nonprofit status) mail Marketing Mail at the nonprofit rate, roughly half the commercial rate at the same sort level; the current USPS figures are in our direct mail cost guide. The authorization is tied to your organization, and the partner printing your appeal mails under it through its own permit, so you get the rate without running a mail room. If you do not have the authorization yet, we walk you through the form.
What an appeal postcard should carry
One story, told in a photo and two sentences, in the voice of a person. One ask, with the amounts printed per donor based on their last gift. A QR code and a short URL to the donation page, both large. The year-end appeal, mailed to land between November 15 and December 5, is usually the largest single mailing of the year, and a 6×11 card gives it the room a photo needs.
Acquisition and lapsed donors
New donors come from acquisition cards: saturation mail to the neighborhoods your mission serves, or a list of likely givers that you bring, chosen on age, income, giving propensity and geography. It rarely breaks even on the first gift; it pays on the second and third, which is why the thank-you and the impact card matter as much as the appeal. Lapsed donors, anyone who gave in the last three years but not this year, are the cheapest gifts you have not asked for; a "we miss you" card with a specific ask brings a share of them back.
An appeal to a donor file of 1,000 names or more is presorted and entered at the nonprofit rate through bulk mailing.
Request a free quote
Quote a nonprofit & fundraising mailing for your city
Send the postcard size, the quantity and the city it is going to. Pricing is set for your city and your job, so you get a written quote — printing, mail processing and postage — with no obligation. No finished design or mailing list needed.
Answers
Nonprofit & Fundraising direct mail questions
What is the nonprofit postage rate in 2026?
USPS Nonprofit Marketing Mail runs at roughly half the commercial Marketing Mail rate at the same sort level; the current per-piece figures are in USPS Notice 123, and the quote shows the postage your appeal will actually pay. The organization must hold a USPS nonprofit authorization, which we mail under through our permit.
How much does a nonprofit appeal mailing cost?
It is quoted for the organization's city and the card: a 6×11 appeal postcard with variable ask amounts and a QR code to give, mailed at the nonprofit rate, is the economical appeal. Send the donor file size through the quote form for a written quote.
Can churches and schools use nonprofit rates?
Yes, if they hold a USPS nonprofit mailing authorization, which most religious, educational and charitable organizations qualify for. Without one, a church or school can still saturate the routes around it at commercial Marketing Mail rates, which is how many announce services, enrollment and events.
When should a nonprofit mail its year-end appeal?
Plan for it to land between November 15 and December 5. It's usually the largest single mailing of the year, and a 6×11 card gives the photo room to carry the story. Follow it with a thank-you and an impact card, since a new donor pays back on the second and third gift, not the first.