Postage Rate Increase: Contact Congress Now!

AFP is asking members to contact their members of Congress and urge them to speak with the United States Postal Service (USPS) about delaying a big rate increase for nonprofit mail.

Nonprofit mailers face a 6 to 8.5% increase—far higher than the rate of inflation—in postal rates that is expected to take effect in early July.  This is in addition to the January 2021 rate increase already implemented. And more increases could continue to occur in following years because of a major change in how nonprofit postage rates are set.

AFP is working with the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers and The Nonprofit Alliance to try and stop the current increase.

We’re asking members to write letters to their members of Congress, NOW, by April 2, urging them to contact the USPS and encourage them not to raise postal rates higher than the rate of inflation. A template letter is below!

During AFP’s Virtual Lobby Week, April 26 – 30, AFP Global will have fact sheets prepared for chapters and members to share during their Congressional visits which address postal rate increases and postage reform legislation.

If you have any questions, contact paffairs@afpglobal.org.

How to Contact Congress/Template Letter

Start by identifying your members of Congress here: https://www.congress.gov/members?searchResultViewType=expanded

Then, be sure to customize the template letter below and personalize it to your organization. Simply say where you are from and where you work. Include a sentence or two about why you care, put in your own words.  What will a rate increase mean for your mission goals (e.g., fewer meals served) or fundraising programs (e.g., fewer donors acquired)?

You should email your letter, ideally by sending it through the member of Congress’ website. And then send a copy to paffairs@afpglobal.org.

But, since this is a postal issue, we encourage you to mail the letter as well through the Postal Service.

Template Letter

[DATE]

Dear Representative ________ OR Dear Senator __________,

As the (Title) of (Name of your organization) located in (city/town and state) that employs (cite the number of employees), I am asking that you urge Postmaster General DeJoy and the Board of Governors of the Postal Service to request the Postal Service NOT to raise postal rates higher than the rate of inflation, or CPI. 

Our organization is facing the daunting challenge of a potential rate increase of 6% to 8.5% (depending on the class of mail). And time is of the essence! The Postal Service is expected to determine the next rate increase any day now.

As someone who cares deeply about the nonprofit sector, you understand that these increases will hit nonprofits hard, especially when our budget and services have already been affected by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonprofit and social organizations rely on the USPS to communicate with our constituents, donors, and potential donors.

Once the Postal Service makes its decision on the next rate increase in late March, the new rate structure is expected to take effect in June or July. Very simply, in the middle of the worst pandemic in over 100 years and with the nation having been in an inflation environment of 2% or less each year, raising postal rates 6% to 8.5% is not only unfair, but will cripple nonprofits at a time when they are needed most by the many people they help!

In fact, (cite the approximate added cost of the postal rate increase on your mailing budget). This added cost will require us to (cite how the increased postal cost will limit your mission. For example, a nonprofit addressing food insecurity will have to reduce "X number" of meals for those it helps.)

Please join us in our effort to defend the nonprofit community against unreasonable postal rate increases by contacting Postmaster General DeJoy and the Board of Governors of the Postal Service and call on them to postpone any rate increases until 2022.

Sincerely,