Lob for Nonprofits: API-First Direct Mail Automation Platform
Your Salesforce CRM knows the moment a donor makes a gift, lapses, or hits a major anniversary milestone. Lob lets you act on those signals automatically by sending a personalized letter, postcard, or check without manual staff effort. Built as an API-first platform serving 12,000+ organizations, Lob is the direct mail automation choice for tech-forward nonprofits that want to embed physical donor communications directly into their software workflows.
What It Does
Managing donor acknowledgment letters, year-end appeals, and impact reports by hand is time-consuming and error-prone. Lob is a direct mail automation platform built around a developer-first API, enabling organizations to trigger personalized physical mail pieces programmatically from any software event. Founded in San Francisco, Lob serves enterprises and mission-driven organizations across three integrated layers: a print production platform, proprietary Postal IQ routing to optimize USPS delivery speed and cost, and a nationwide network of print facilities.
For nonprofits, the core workflow looks like this: a donor makes a gift in Salesforce, which triggers a Lob API call that sends a personalized donor acknowledgment letter within hours. A donor who hasn't given in 12 months gets automatically added to a lapsed-donor postcard campaign. A major gift closes, and Lob produces a formal thank-you letter on your stationery with the donor's exact gift amount and a personalized message. All of this happens without your development or fundraising team manually preparing and mailing anything.
Lob also offers a standalone Address Verification API, a CASS-certified service that validates addresses in real time or bulk and reduces returned mail. The platform is SOC 2 Type 2, HIPAA, GDPR, and CCPA certified, making it suitable for healthcare nonprofits or organizations handling sensitive beneficiary data. The Lob for Good program provides discounted access for nonprofits focused on racial justice, civic engagement, and sustainability.
Best For
Organization Size
Mid-sized to large nonprofits with technical staff or a technology team. The Developer plan (free, up to 500 pieces) is a genuine starting point for evaluation. The Startup plan ($260/month) is the first paid tier with team features, making it most practical for organizations with regular mail programs.
Best Use Cases
- Automated donor acknowledgment from Salesforce
- Trigger-based lapsed donor appeals
- Healthcare beneficiary communications (HIPAA-compliant)
- Civic engagement and voter outreach
- Vendor and grant disbursement checks
Ideal For
- Operations or Technology Directors
- Nonprofits with Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud
- Development teams that also manage tech infrastructure
- Organizations in civic engagement, health equity, or criminal justice
Key Features for Nonprofits
Developer-First Direct Mail API
RESTful API with SDKs in Python, Node.js, Ruby, Java, PHP, and Go. Trigger a letter, postcard, or check from any software event in your CRM, case management system, or donor database. Free Developer plan includes full API access for up to 500 pieces, enabling real-world testing before committing.
CASS-Certified Address Verification
Real-time and bulk address verification with CASS certification, the highest USPS accuracy standard. Returns standardized addresses and deliverability metadata, reducing returned mail and improving donor database quality. Available as a standalone API even if you use a different mail platform.
Postal IQ Routing
Proprietary routing intelligence that optimizes USPS entry points across a nationwide print network. Mail is produced at the facility closest to the delivery address, reducing transit time and qualifying for USPS workshare postage discounts. Typical delivery of 2-5 business days after production.
Native Salesforce Integration
Three integration pathways for Salesforce: direct dashboard authentication, Salesforce External Services (no-code), or the Veezla third-party AppExchange app. Trigger mail from Salesforce records, track QR code responses back to donor records, and run A/B testing from within Salesforce. Strongest integration option for nonprofits on Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud.
Real-Time Tracking and Attribution
Track every mail piece from production through USPS delivery with webhook notifications. Dynamic QR codes and personalized URLs (pURLs) connect physical mail response to online donation tracking. Know exactly which donors responded to which campaign and tie direct mail back to fundraising results.
Check Printing for Disbursements
Automate vendor payments, contractor disbursements, or grant distributions by printing and mailing checks programmatically. Particularly useful for fiscal sponsors managing grant distributions to multiple grantees, or nonprofits running financial assistance programs where physical checks are required.
Real-World Nonprofit Use Case
Automated Donor Acknowledgment: Travis Manion Foundation
Documented nonprofit result from Lob's platform
The Travis Manion Foundation, a veterans nonprofit, used Lob's Salesforce integration to automate their donor acknowledgment letter process. Before Lob, staff had to manually prepare and send acknowledgment letters, a time-consuming process that delayed donor recognition and required significant staff time. After integrating Lob with Salesforce, donation events automatically trigger personalized letters without staff intervention.
Picture your development team configuring a single Salesforce workflow: when a gift is recorded, Lob automatically sends a personalized acknowledgment letter with the donor's name, gift amount, and tax receipt language. Year-end, Lob automatically generates annual giving statements for donors who gave more than $250. Your team stops stuffing envelopes and starts focusing on donor relationships and major gift cultivation.
Pricing
Platform Subscription Plans
Monthly costs; per-piece costs are additional
Per-Piece Mail Costs
Approximate all-in cost per piece at Startup tier
Free Developer plan includes up to 500 pieces at higher per-piece rates ($0.87 for postcards). Good for real-world testing before committing to a paid plan.
Pricing information is subject to change. Please verify current pricing directly with Lob.
Lob for Good: Nonprofit Program
Lob launched its social impact program, Lob for Good, to provide discounted or free platform access for qualifying mission-driven organizations. The program has a specific focus, so not all nonprofits will qualify at the discounted tier. Contact Lob directly to confirm current eligibility and program terms.
Learning Curve
Technical staff needed for initial configuration; non-technical staff can run campaigns once set up
Time to First Value
Technical Requirements
- Developer required for trigger-based automation
- HTML or PDF templates (no drag-and-drop designer)
- Salesforce users: Veezla app is point-and-click
- CSV upload for manual campaigns (no coding)
Support Available
- Comprehensive API documentation with SDK guides
- Dedicated support for Lob for Good participants
- Salesforce integration documentation and community
- Test environment for pre-production validation
Who can use Lob without a developer: Salesforce users via the Veezla AppExchange app (point-and-click), and anyone using Lob's dashboard to manually upload CSV lists for one-off campaigns. For automated trigger-based workflows from non-Salesforce CRMs (Bloomerang, DonorPerfect, Virtuous), developer resources are required.
Integration & Compatibility
Native Integrations
Direct connections available today
- Salesforce - Three pathways including the Veezla AppExchange app (no-code option)
- Braze - Marketing automation platform
- Iterable - Campaign management platform
- Figma - Design tool for template creation
Via Zapier / Make / Custom API
Connecting to nonprofit CRMs
- HubSpot CRM (Zapier or Make.com templates available)
- Most CRMs and donation platforms via Zapier
- Bloomerang, DonorPerfect, Virtuous require custom API or Zapier
- Zapier adds $20-69/month and setup complexity
Data Portability: Lob provides full export access to your templates, mail piece data, and tracking history. HTML templates you build belong to you. Delivery tracking webhooks can feed into your own analytics systems. Address verification results can be stored in your CRM. No lock-in on your core assets.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Industry-leading API documentation; developers consistently rate it as one of the easiest direct mail APIs to implement
- Genuine enterprise-grade infrastructure (12,000+ customers including major brands) with strong reliability
- Fastest delivery option among direct mail platforms via Postal IQ routing (2-5 days after production)
- SOC 2 Type 2, HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA compliant; suitable for healthcare and regulated nonprofits
- Strong three-pathway Salesforce integration including a no-code Veezla AppExchange option
- Free Developer plan with full API access up to 500 pieces for real evaluation
- Best-in-class Address Verification API usable standalone, even without using Lob for print
- Lob for Good program for nonprofits focused on racial justice, civic engagement, or sustainability
- Carbon-neutral mailing options for environmentally minded organizations
- Check printing for vendor payments and grant disbursements in the same platform
- Travis Manion Foundation documented 50% cost reduction vs. manual mail processes
Cons
- Developer required for trigger-based automation; not practical for small nonprofits without technical staff
- No drag-and-drop visual designer; templates built in HTML or PDF require design/development skills
- Startup plan at $260/month is a significant cost for smaller nonprofits testing the platform
- Lob for Good program has specific mission focus (racial justice, civic action); many general nonprofits may not qualify for the discount
- No handwritten mail formats; only printed pieces (postcards, letters, self-mailers, checks)
- No native integrations with major nonprofit-specific CRMs (Bloomerang, DonorPerfect, Virtuous, Raiser's Edge)
- Does not explicitly support USPS nonprofit mailing permit rates for high-volume postage savings
- Some user reviews report inconsistent print quality across production facilities
- Some reviews note slower-than-expected delivery in certain markets (4+ days for printing before USPS pickup)
- Limited product format variety compared to some competitors
Alternatives to Consider
Postalytics - Best for High-Volume Mail with USPS Nonprofit Rates
Postalytics is the strongest alternative if postage cost and nonprofit-specific features are priorities. It explicitly supports USPS nonprofit mailing permit rates, saving nonprofits up to 60% on postage. It has native integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, ActiveCampaign, and other CRMs, and includes a visual template designer (no HTML required). Non-technical staff can manage campaigns independently. The trade-off: Postalytics is less developer-friendly and doesn't offer the same level of API customization as Lob.
LettrLabs - Best for Handwritten Donor Stewardship
LettrLabs differentiates from Lob by offering authentic handwritten mail using proprietary robotics with real ballpoint pens, a format Lob does not provide. It's more accessible for non-technical nonprofit staff, with no-code campaign setup, a free Starter plan, and no minimum orders. Documented results include a 26.6% response rate on lapsed donor campaigns. The trade-off: fewer enterprise integrations and no API depth compared to Lob. Choose LettrLabs if you want handwritten donor stewardship mail without a developer; choose Lob if you need programmatic automation at scale.
PostGrid - Best for International Mail and HIPAA Compliance
PostGrid is a developer-focused direct mail API similar to Lob with strong HIPAA, SOC 2, PCI-DSS, and PIPEDA compliance, plus coverage across 245+ countries. It may suit nonprofits operating internationally or those with strict healthcare data requirements. PostGrid also offers a drag-and-drop template builder that Lob lacks. Pricing is custom and requires a sales conversation. For domestic US mail with Salesforce, Lob's integration depth and track record give it an edge.
Getting Started
Start with the Free Developer Plan
15 minutesCreate a free Lob account at lob.com. No credit card required. The Developer plan gives you full API access for up to 500 mail pieces, enough to run a real pilot campaign. Download the SDK for your preferred language (Python, Node, Ruby, etc.) and review the API documentation, which is consistently praised for clarity.
Test with a Small Donor Segment
2-4 hours (developer)Use the Lob dashboard to manually upload a CSV of 20-50 donor addresses and send a test letter campaign. This tests address quality, template design, and delivery timing before automating. If you use Salesforce, install the Veezla app from the AppExchange to explore the no-code Salesforce integration path in parallel.
Design Your Automation Workflow
1-2 weeks (developer)Identify the key triggers in your CRM you want to automate: gift received, lapsed donor milestone, major donor anniversary, or event invitation. Work with your developer to configure Lob API calls for each trigger. Alternatively, if you're on Salesforce, configure the Veezla app to trigger mail from Salesforce Process Builder or Flow without custom code.
Apply for Lob for Good and Upgrade
OngoingEmail [email protected] to inquire about the Lob for Good nonprofit program. If your mission aligns with their focus areas, discounts can significantly reduce platform costs. Upgrade to the Startup plan ($260/month) when you're ready for team access, no-code integrations, and more than 500 monthly pieces. Scale to Growth or Enterprise as your mail program grows.
Need Help with Implementation?
Configuring Lob's API, setting up Salesforce triggers, and building HTML mail templates can be technically demanding for nonprofit teams. If you'd like expert guidance connecting Lob to your CRM and automating your donor communications workflows, we can help.
Contact Us to Learn MoreFrequently Asked Questions
Does Lob offer nonprofit discounts?
Lob offers the Lob for Good program for qualifying nonprofits focused on racial justice, civic action, and sustainability. Benefits include discounted or free platform access and dedicated support. The program has specific mission requirements, so general nonprofits should email [email protected] to confirm eligibility. All organizations can start with the free Developer plan for up to 500 pieces.
Do I need a developer to use Lob?
Initial setup for automated campaigns generally requires developer involvement. Salesforce users can avoid this by using the Veezla AppExchange app for a no-code integration. For manual campaigns, non-technical staff can upload CSV files through the dashboard. For automated trigger-based workflows from non-Salesforce CRMs, a developer is typically required.
What mail formats does Lob support?
Lob supports postcards (4x6, 6x9, 6x11), letters (single and multi-page), self-mailers, snap packs, booklets, and checks. All pieces use HTML or PDF templates. Lob does not offer handwritten mail formats. For robotic handwriting technology, LettrLabs is an alternative worth considering for donor stewardship.
How does Lob's address verification work?
Lob's Address Verification API is CASS-certified and validates addresses in real time or in bulk batches. It returns standardized address data and deliverability metadata, reducing returned mail. The API is available as a standalone product, so you can use it to improve your donor database quality even if you use a different mail platform.
What CRM systems does Lob integrate with?
Lob has a strong native Salesforce integration via three pathways including the Veezla AppExchange app. It also integrates natively with Braze and Iterable. For HubSpot, Bloomerang, DonorPerfect, and other nonprofit CRMs, integration is available through Zapier, Make.com, or custom API development.
Does Lob support USPS nonprofit mailing rates?
Based on available information, Lob does not explicitly support USPS nonprofit mailing permit rates, which reduce postage 40-60% for qualifying bulk mailings. Lob uses Postal IQ routing to optimize USPS entry points for speed and workshare discounts, but this is different from the USPS nonprofit permit rate program. Nonprofits for whom postage cost is a top priority should evaluate Postalytics.
How fast does Lob deliver mail?
Lob's Postal IQ routing typically achieves delivery in 2-5 business days after production. Production takes 1-2 business days. Mail is produced at facilities closest to the delivery address to speed up transit. Some user reviews note occasional delays in specific markets. Plan campaign timelines with a buffer.