July 16, 2019

For the third year in a row, the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers participated in the Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference.  We really enjoyed talking with all the folks who stopped by our booth that was staffed by board members Jerry Mathis from ALSAC/St. Jude, Tracey Burgoon from Disabled American Veterans, Craig Finstad from the American Lung Association, John Hamre from Wounded Warrior Project, and our executive director, Stephen Kearney.

We discussed our 40-year history as a very active alliance of nonprofits that cares deeply about postal mail for fundraising, membership, and publications.  (We even appreciated the opportunity to explain to several inquiring folks that we are not the same as, nor are we related to, a new start-up association called the Nonprofit Alliance.)

We also had a presentation titled “Postal Developments Affecting Nonprofits” that was given by Jerry, Tracey and Steve.  We had a great, engaged, standing room audience for the session.

Tracey covered the reasons why DAV relies so heavily on postal mail, even as it has expanded use of digital alternatives.  The new methods simply do not hold a candle to hard-copy mail, as Tracey’s data demonstrated.  Tracey also covered the USPS pricing promotions offered for 2019, and specifically discussed the ones that DAV has benefitted from.  She urged all nonprofit mailers to look into the promotions and to participate where it makes sense.

Jerry then gave a detailed description of USPS Informed Delivery.  He explained how nonprofit mailers can enhance the appearance and utility of the digital images of their mailpieces that USPS provides to over 17 million subscribers, and growing. (Even though the USPS site says it is for business mailers, Informed Delivery works well for nonprofit fundraisers and membership managers.)  Jerry gave detailed examples of the use of Informed Delivery by St. Jude, and other mailers such as our board member National Wildlife Federation.  He talked about how he has helped other nonprofits and for-profit businesses get involved in Informed Delivery.

Steve covered the recent performance and current state of the U.S. Postal Service.  He followed with a brief survey of the various efforts to reform and improve our postal system. These included topics we have covered many times in the Alliance Report, such as the President’s Task Force, the regulator’s ten-year anniversary review, the USPS new ten-year plan, and various proposed rule revisions by the Postal Service.

By the completion of the session, everyone seemed to agree that engaging more with the Postal Service, and helping to ensure its ongoing viability, is a top priority for the nonprofit sector.