Why Direct Mail Still Matters in Nonprofit Fundraising and Stewardship in 2025

In 2025, the marketing landscape is more digital than ever. Nonprofits are navigating a world full of emails, social ads, and text campaigns. Each offers speed, efficiency, and affordability.

It’s no surprise that many organizations are feeling pressure from boards and executives to trim direct mail from the budget. But here’s the bottom line: cutting direct mail may save dollars today, but it can cost your nonprofit much more tomorrow.

When done strategically, direct mail remains one of the most powerful tools for fundraising and stewardship, especially when paired with digital outreach. The organizations seeing the most consistent long-term giving aren’t choosing one channel over another. They’re combining them, using the strengths of each to deepen donor relationships and drive action.

Let’s unpack why direct mail still matters and how to use it strategically in 2025.

Direct Mail Still Delivers (Literally and Figuratively)

The simplest reason to keep direct mail in your mix? It works. Direct mail continues to outperform digital-only fundraising in key metrics like response rates and donor retention. Loyal, long-time donors, often your most generous supporters, still prefer paper. It’s not just about habit. A mailed letter feels personal and intentional in a way that a crowded inbox rarely does.

If you’re relying exclusively on email for your solicitations and stewardship, you’re likely missing a major segment of your donor base. According to 2024 statistics, the average open rate for nonprofit emails is just 28.59%. That means more than 70% of your donors might never see your message. A well-timed, thoughtful direct mail piece breaks through the digital noise and stays on a coffee table far longer than a deleted email lingers in memory.

It’s Not Just for Older Donors Anymore

One of the most persistent myths about direct mail is that it only resonates with Baby Boomers. Realistically, Gen X, Millennials, and even Gen Z donors respond to physical mail, especially when it complements a digital journey.

For Gen X and Millennials, a print appeal can be the nudge that sends them online to give. QR codes, personalized URLs, and coordinated email follow-ups create a seamless donor experience. Gen Z? They view mail as a novelty because it’s something special in a world of endless online notifications.

Organizations that pull back on direct mail often see more than a dip in response rates. They experience fewer online gifts, less website traffic, and a decline in donor-advised fund activity. Direct mail isn’t a silo. It’s a driver across every giving channel.

Make It Strategic, Not Sporadic

Not all mail is created equal. The key to success in 2025 is intentionality. Nonprofits are finding ways to make direct mail more targeted, more personal, and more integrated, which is easy to do when using Julep.

Here are a few smart strategies:

• Match the message to the medium: If a donor gave online, start with an email thank-you and follow up with a mailed letter. If they mailed a check, send a printed acknowledgment.

• Set thresholds for stewardship: Not every gift needs a full letter, but major gifts, first-time donations, and memorial contributions deserve more than an automated email.

• Embrace personalization: Tools like integrated variable data printing and platforms like Julep allow you to send tailored, even handwritten, messages at scale.

• Think omnichannel: A single appeal should stretch across direct mail, email, social media, and even phone outreach, each reinforcing the other with aligned messaging.

Timing Is (Still) Everything

The best mailings don’t just have the right message. They hit at the right moment. For example:

• A seasonal campaign, such as Earth Day for environmental orgs or back-to-school for education-based nonprofits

• A life event, such as a donor’s giving anniversary or post-tax season planning

• A behavioral trigger, a gift, an event attended, or a lapsed giving pattern

Strategic timing increases relevance. And relevance drives response.

The Direct Mail Landscape in 2025: Signs of Stability

After years of rising costs and shrinking prospect universes, the direct mail landscape is showing signs of stabilization. Acquisition may not be as easy as it was pre-2020, but nonprofits who are investing in list diversification, omnichannel integration, and audience-first strategies are seeing renewed growth.

In other words, the floor has been reached, and now is the time to optimize and rebuild.

Wrap-Up: Think Long-Term, Act with Intention

Yes, direct mail costs more than email. But the question nonprofits must ask isn’t, “Can we afford to mail?” It’s, “can we afford not to?”

Skipping a mailed thank-you might save a dollar today but cost you a donor tomorrow. And when donors don’t feel seen or valued, they stop giving. The stakes are higher than postage. They’re about lifetime value.

By integrating thoughtful, personalized direct mail into your larger donor engagement strategy, your nonprofit can stand out, show gratitude, and inspire generosity that lasts.

Need help optimizing your multi-channel donor engagement strategy? Julep makes it easy to manage, personalize, and track your outreach across email, direct mail, and more.