Nonprofits to Get a Break from USPS in May?

StandardNONPROFIT1Is this the light at the end of the USPS rate hike tunnel? According to the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers, it could be, and it spells some welcome relief for the nonprofit mailing community.

“The Postal Service today announced that, in response to concerns raised by the Alliance, it has reduced the large price increases it had previously proposed for light weight, low advertising magazines, primarily published and mailed by nonprofits,” notes this alert from the Alliance that was published April 16.

“Nonprofit mailers are urged to contact their mail service providers for a recalculation of the impact of this change on their Periodicals rates. USPS also announced that all new rates, if approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, will go into effect on May 31,” the alert continues.

Of course, that “if approved by the PRC” is the kicker, as they’ve twice asked the USPS to revise their proposed rate plan. Still, if they do approve this version of the plan, it could mean rates easing for the types of publications that nonprofits often use—aka “high editorial, low weight” periodicals.

It’s probably too early to take any of this to the bank, but it does seem more likely that we are close to agreement on a new rate structure. We hope.