Frequently Asked Questions

How can I contact the Alliance?

Visit the Contact Us page to get the contact information for the Alliance or submit a comment on the web form.

How can I join the Alliance?

All nonprofits that are authorized by the United States Postal Service to mail at nonprofit preferred rates are encouraged to join and support the Alliance. Visit the Join Us page to read about member benefits and then click on the Become a Member page to join. If you are interested in joining the Board of Directors, please contact our executive director at steve@nonprofitmailers.org.

How can I pay my dues?

Visit the Become a Member page to pay annual dues. You can pay online with a credit card or download a Membership Application to pay by check or credit card.

How much are dues?

Dues are based on how many pieces of nonprofit mail a member organization mailed in the previous year. There are several tiers of membership dues that you can read about on the Become a Member page and on the Membership Application. We depend on our members to calculate their own dues under an honor system.

What is the Alliance?

The Alliance is a 501 (c) (4) nonprofit organization that is run by nonprofits to ensure that nonprofit mailers continue to have access to affordable, effective mail service to raise funds, communicate with members and donors, distribute periodical publications, and best achieve their core missions. The Alliance IRS Taxpayer ID number is 52-1349816.

Who governs the Alliance?

A board of directors comprised of senior officials from several prominent nonprofits governs the Alliance. Board members along with the executive director make all policy decisions for the Alliance. A Division II board member is elected to represent the interests of all non-board dues-paying nonprofit members.

How does a nonprofit benefit from joining the Alliance?

ADVOCACY, PROTECTION, AWARENESS
Alliance members support the only national organization run by and for nonprofits to exclusively monitor, advocate, communicate and fight for the postal rights of nonprofits.

Members receive:

• The industry-leading newsletter, the Alliance Report
• Regular communications through this web site, social media, workshops, and Alliance Alert email
• Direct contact with staff
• Critical information about postal policy
• Calls to action to assure the best, most affordable access to mail possible
• Involvement in a group of some of the nation’s bellwether organizations supporting and advocating nonprofit mailing rights.

Why was the Alliance started?

The Alliance had its genesis in 1978, when the Postal Service proposed to offer presort discounts for Standard Mail to commercial mailers only. After several nonprofit mailers objected, the Postal Rate Commission, now called the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), ruled that the discounts should be extended to nonprofit mail as well. The PRC recommended, however, that the Postal Service immediately implement only the commercial discounts; the nonprofit discounts would be phased in over a period of years. An ad hoc coalition of four major nonprofit mailers—National Easter Seal Society, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, American Lung Association, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital—joined together to fight the discriminatory treatment. Their victory in the court case established a non-discrimination principle in law that protects nonprofit mail to this day. The original coalition was joined by several additional nonprofits to form the Alliance in 1980.

Does the Alliance have corporate sponsors?

The Alliance accepts some funding from corporate sponsors, including leading printing, logistics, transportation, marketing, and other service providers committed to supporting the needs of the nonprofit community. Commercial sponsors do not sit on the Alliance board or participate in making policy decisions. They do, however participate in activities that enhance the value, affordability and effectiveness of nonprofit mail. You can read about our sponsors on the Our Corporate Sponsors page.