USPS NonProfit Mail Permit

ChrisD9 (Illinois)
Posts: 3

Posted:

Has anyone had luck obtaining a NonProfit Mail Permit through the post office? Trying to figure out if we should try or if HOA's typically do not qualify even though we are set-up as a nonprofit.

Thanks!

BruceF1 (Connecticut)
Posts: 2,535

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By ChrisD9 on 06/03/2014 11:08 AM
Has anyone had luck obtaining a NonProfit Mail Permit through the post office? Trying to figure out if we should try or if HOA's typically do not qualify even though we are set-up as a nonprofit.

Thanks!

Sorry, HOAs don't qualify. According to the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM 703.1.2.1 through 703.1.2.10) to qualify for a non-profit mailing permit an organization must be organized for one of the following purposes: Religious, Educational, Scientific, Philanthropic (charitable), Agricultural, Labor, Veterans, or Fraternal. The manual also states that private organizations, even though they are non-profit, do not qualify. Oddly, an Elks organization qualifies for a non-profit permit, but service organizations such as Lions, Kiwanis and Rotary, do not.

LarryB13 (Arizona)
Posts: 4,099

Posted:

Depending on how much mail you generate, you might look into a bulk mailing permit. I worked on a political campaign for city council many years ago and we had one of those permits. It will save you some big bucks but requires you to do a lot of the post office's work, such as sorting by ZIP code. Since most HOA's fall within a single ZIP code, that's no big deal.

The downside is that many people will dismiss bulk mail as junk mail and it will not likely survive a court challenge if the law requires notice by either first-class or certified mail.

ChrisD9 (Illinois)
Posts: 3

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By LarryB13 on 06/03/2014 1:11 PM
Depending on how much mail you generate, you might look into a bulk mailing permit. I worked on a political campaign for city council many years ago and we had one of those permits. It will save you some big bucks but requires you to do a lot of the post office's work, such as sorting by ZIP code. Since most HOA's fall within a single ZIP code, that's no big deal.

The downside is that many people will dismiss bulk mail as junk mail and it will not likely survive a court challenge if the law requires notice by either first-class or certified mail.

We would be using the permit for community events, etc, vs official business. We host events and have community improvements volunteer opportunities that don't require 1st class mail. We would love to save on postage as 1000 addresses gets costly with regular postage.

SteveM9 (Massachusetts)
Posts: 3,699

Posted:

Quote:

We would be using the permit for community events, etc, vs official business. We host events and have community improvements volunteer opportunities that don't require 1st class mail. We would love to save on postage as 1000 addresses gets costly with regular postage.

Build it into the budget for the event. Postcard .34 cents x 1000 = $340 Mention your facebook or blog page and try to get people online to limit mailings

DouglasK1 (Florida)
Posts: 2,046

Posted:

Our HOA has email addresses for just about all of the members, and almost all of our communication is via email. We are small (only 65 homes) but it does save some money, and it is a lot less work to send an email to a list than to print/stuff/stamp/mail.

Escaped former treasurer and director of a self managed association.

MarieH2 (California)
Posts: 8

Posted:

You can get the bulk mail permit as one person described which will make a big difference. In our association we sometimes have volunteers who deliver our flyers door to door. We don't put the flyers in mailboxes. We leave them by the door. I enjoy doing it because I get to meet and talk to people, see maintenance issues and get some exercise.

JackG7 (Texas)
Posts: 1

Posted:

Consider a mailing/printing company, to print and addresses your newsletters, postcards, and even your first class notices, thereby taking advantage of their presorted postal permits. You would receive postage discounts, not have to pay for a bulk mail permit & annual fee and have nicely prepared mailings. Consider email if you have a younger population of owners.

Also a product called "nextdoor.com". It works as a blog of sorts for communities, allowing members to post notices, lost pets, garage sales, items to be given away, etc. and has settable boundaries that limit participants to those who live in the community. It also has options for information posting from city officals.

JohnS106 (New York)
Posts: 2

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By ChrisD9 on 06/03/2014 1:55 PM

Posted By LarryB13 on 06/03/2014 1:11 PM
Depending on how much mail you generate, you might look into a bulk mailing permit. I worked on a political campaign for city council many years ago and we had one of those permits. It will save you some big bucks but requires you to do a lot of the post office's work, such as sorting by ZIP code. Since most HOA's fall within a single ZIP code, that's no big deal.

The downside is that many people will dismiss bulk mail as junk mail and it will not likely survive a court challenge if the law requires notice by either first-class or certified mail.

We would be using the permit for community events, etc, vs official business. We host events and have community improvements volunteer opportunities that don't require 1st class mail. We would love to save on postage as 1000 addresses gets costly with regular postage.

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EdC5 (Florida)
Posts: 117

Posted:

There is a common misperception that owners' associations are "non-profit" organizations. They are in fact "not-for-profit" organizations.

Edward J Cooke, CMCA, LCAM