Policy update
Nonprofit Mail Stability Act introduced in Congress
The bill would write a permanent nonprofit mail rate class into statute, phased in over three years.
WASHINGTON — Legislation introduced this week would write a permanent nonprofit mail rate class into statute, phased in over three years, addressing a rate-stability issue NANA's public policy team has raised with member associations for more than a year.
What the bill does
The Nonprofit Mail Stability Act sets nonprofit mail rates directly in statute rather than leaving them to periodic Postal Regulatory Commission rulemaking, and phases the new rate structure in over three years to give mailers time to adjust budgets. NANA's public policy team worked with congressional staff on the bill's drafting, alongside member associations whose operations depend on predictable mail costs.
A statutory rate class means Congress sets the floor, not a commission that can revisit the number every few years. For a mailer planning three years out, that predictability is worth more than a marginally lower rate that could change again next cycle.
— Simone Radcliffe, Director of Public Policy
Who this affects
Associations and nonprofits that rely on bulk mail for renewal notices, newsletters, and fundraising appeals stand to benefit most from rate certainty. Lucinda Farrow-Mbatha, executive director of the Federation of Community Libraries, has been a vocal supporter of the bill; her federation's 1,900 member libraries mail more than 1.1 million pieces a year in program notices and fundraising appeals, and unpredictable rate changes complicate budget planning for organizations that size.
The bill reflects the same coalition of associations and nonprofit mailers that has pushed for rate stability since the Nonprofit Postal Rate Reform issue was first flagged as active, and gives that coalition a legislative vehicle to pursue alongside its ongoing work with postal regulators.
What members should watch
The bill has not yet moved to committee markup. NANA's public policy team will track its progress and will notify members through chapter channels if a hearing or markup is scheduled. Associations that rely heavily on bulk mail are encouraged to weigh in with their own representatives once the bill reaches committee, where member testimony has historically carried more weight than a national association's letter alone.
There is no bill number to reference yet; NANA will update its advocacy tracking once one is assigned.
Why three years
The three-year phase-in was a deliberate compromise in the bill's drafting, according to Radcliffe. An immediate statutory rate change would have moved postal budgets more sharply than mailers could absorb in a single fiscal year; a longer phase-in risked losing legislative momentum before the issue could be resolved. Three years splits the difference, giving associations time to plan while still delivering rate certainty within a single multi-year budget cycle for most member organizations.
Radcliffe said her team will carry the same three-year phase-in structure into any future engagement with postal regulators, so that NANA's legislative and regulatory positions on rate stability stay consistent regardless of which track ultimately delivers a resolution.
About NANA
The National Association of National Associations (NANA) is the professional society for association executives, boards, and staff, providing research, peer community, and advocacy for the people who run the organizations that hold civic life together. Founded in 1998, NANA represents hundreds of member organizations and serves more than 2 million professionals across six regional chapters. NANA is headquartered at 1000 Association Blvd, Washington, DC.