There is no shortage of requirements to qualify and obtain a 501c3 tax exemption and maintain it as a nonprofit organization. A few requirements though may surprise you - like the mailing permit you'll need. A mailing permit may be the last thing on your mind as you go through the process of becoming a 501c3 nonprofit, but it will be extremely important once you've received that status and get started with your good works. This means knowing why you need one, how to get one and how to use it wisely.

Why You Need One
For the average nonprofit organization, the bulk of the money raised and awareness spread comes from a direct mail campaign to a list of people in the local and surrounding areas. Today, a lot of this is done online, but direct mail campaigns are still very popular with nonprofit organizations. The trick however is that your nonprofit is still a business, and most businesses have to have a mailing permit to mail out the same or similar literature to multiple households at once, especially for advertising purposes.

How to Get It
The good news about ob
taining a mailing permit as a 501c3 nonprofit organization is that it is easy to do. Simply stop by or go online to the USPS (United States Postal Service) website and ask or click to apply. You'll have to provide several key pieces of information, including your mailing address, the business owner's name, phone number, and some other business information that may include your three digit identification number. Be sure to ask what your expected wait period is and if there are any restrictions on the permit so that you are clear about the rules for your nonprofit mailing permit.

Using it Wisely
The difficult part of obtaining a mailing permit is learning to use it wisely within the context of your nonprofit organization. No one likes being barraged with "junk mail" daily, so it's important to either choose a few special events and times of the year to mail your literature or to have two mailing lists and alternate the two so that no group of addresses gets too much from you. Using your mailing list to take survey of interested members of your community is a good idea because then you can tailor a mailing address for special promotions and events only for those interested.