Maximize Your Nonprofit’s Savings with 2025 USPS Postal Promotions 

This is the fourth in a blog series exploring postal success strategies for nonprofit organizations.

Each year, The United States Postal Service (USPS) updates its Postal Promotions & Incentive Programs, offering opportunities to reduce mailing costs. To make the most of these benefits, it is important to understand each program’s registration process and qualifications, along with key deadlines and mailing timeframes.

There have been key changes to the 2025 Postal Promotions and Incentives Programs (read more here), making it essential to plan effectively to minimize your direct mail expenses and enhance your fundraising efforts. Read on as we share key details on postal promotions and incentives.

Featured 2025 USPS Postal Promotions

Integrated Technology

Previously known as Emerging Technology in 2024, the Integrated Technology promotion continues to encourage the use of new technologies to enhance the mail – for instance, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Voice technology, and more. Enrollment is open year-round and runs for any consecutive 6-month period, offering up to a 3% discount. Eligible mail classes include First-Class and Marketing Mail letters, cards, flats, and Nonprofit letters and flats.

One of the most popular eligible technologies is adding a QR code (formerly called Mobile Shopping) to non-reply parts of a mailpiece with directional copy. 2025 may be the last year for the QR code; however, USPS has added Artificial Intelligence as an option this year. Incorporating copy or images using AI tools into mailpieces could allow you to capture postal savings with this promotion. Be sure to download our Postal Success Checklist and 2025 USPS Promotions Calendar to help align your mailing calendar so that you can participate in the promotions.

Tactile, Sensory & Interactive

This promotion offers mailers up to a 4% discount for adding unique textures, scents, interactive elements, and specialty inks. Enrollment is now open, and the promotion runs from February 1 to July 31, 2025. Eligible mail classes include First-Class letters, cards and flats, Marketing letters and flats, and Nonprofit letters and flats.

Physical samples are required as part of this promotion’s pre-approval process. Gloss stock is no longer eligible; however, embossed carrier stock or zipper-strips on carriers do qualify and may be a cost-effective way to take advantage of this promotion.

Designing a mailer for a multi-sensory experience is known to enhance donor engagement, so it’s worth exploring this promotion opportunity, not just for postal savings. Be sure to download our Checklist for Postal Success White Paper, a comprehensive guide to direct mail success for nonprofits to unlock additional savings opportunities and optimize your entire mail program.

Continuous Contact

New to the USPS Postal Promotions and Incentives Program in 2025, this promotion encourages initial mailings with iterative follow-up mailings to the same donors. By delivering targeted, evolving content through this promotion, you’re more likely to stay top of mind, deepening engagement and donor support. Enrollment starts February 15, 2025, and the promotion runs April 1 to December 31, 2025, offering up to 3% discount. Eligible mail classes include Marketing mail letters and flats, Nonprofit letters and flats. The pre-approval process requires submitting initial and follow-up mailings together. This new opportunity has raised many questions about its requirements. Factor in extra time to get questions answered and mailpieces submitted for approval.

Other USPS Promotions and Incentives

USPS offers a promotion encouraging the use of full-color advertising within First-Class mailings, as well as a promotion for mailers that have transitioned their Qualified Business Reply Mail (QBRM) to the new Intelligent Mail Barcode Accounting (IMbA) system. In its second year, the Volume-Based Incentive is also designed for organizations to increase their First-Class and Marketing Mail volumes.

Add-On Discounts to Increase Postal Savings

Our last blog highlighted key changes to the 2025 USPS Postal Promotions and Incentives Program. This year, USPS introduced Add-on discounts, Informed Delivery and Sustainability. These can be paired with a main promotion to boost savings and improve mail campaign success. While not available alone, combining one or both with a main promotion offers up to an extra 1% savings each, all year long. Informed Delivery reaches your audience digitally and in close succession to your printed mailers. The Sustainability add-on shows efforts to be environmentally conscious through sustainable printed materials.

At PS, we take pride in being early adopters and experts in postal promotions and incentives. Additional details on the USPS Postal Promotions and Incentives Program are in the Postal Success Checklist. Contact us directly for strategic recommendations tailored to your goals and budget, ensuring you make the most of every dollar in your mailing strategy.