Reliable email communication for grant schemes with Maileon
Ministry of Health (DUS-I)
At DUS-I (Service for the Implementation of Grants to Institutions), we administer grant schemes for the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). We manage approximately 150 schemes: roughly 50% for VWS and 50% for the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). This means we communicate daily with educational institutions, healthcare organisations, and social partners.
For us, email is not a “marketing channel.” Email is a core part of our service delivery: we send updates regarding deadlines, applications, and follow-up steps. In these instances, communication must be clear, timely, and reliable, without any unnecessary noise.
Our email management is handled by a compact communications department of six people. Maileon is no longer “owned” by just one person; it has become an integral part of how we organise our email communications as a team, using fixed templates, clear processes, and shared ownership. Furthermore, we don’t just use Maileon for external newsletters and campaigns, but increasingly for internal communication as well. We have also implemented custom solutions because our day-to-day operations are slightly different from standard email tool requirements.
The challenge: Grant communication at scale with complex contact data
While commercial organisations often focus on lead nurturing, our focus is different: one-to-one service at scale. We encountered four very specific challenges with previous tooling:
1) One email address, multiple organisations (non-unique addresses)
In the world of grants, we frequently work with intermediaries. For example, a single contact person may submit applications for multiple institutions. In many mailing systems, an email address can only exist once. In practice, this means you cannot send that person three different, personalised messages, each concerning a different application.
The downside of standard mailing packages is that an email address must be unique. (…) However, we sometimes have an intermediary who might apply for a grant on behalf of Erasmus MC, Sophia Children’s Hospital, and another hospital. In that case, the email address appears three times, and we need to send that person three separate emails.”
2) Extremely long personalised links
Many schemes use online forms that are pre-filled. This results in extremely long personalised URLs. This is not only impractical in an email (readability) but also prone to errors in management.
3) Custom work was often expensive (and inconsistent with public interest)
We looked at various solutions on the market, but some customisations came with price tags that were disproportionate to our needs, especially in a public sector context where cost-effectiveness and efficiency are paramount.
4) A more technical workflow had to remain secure
The “import → create filter → create distribution list” workflow required some getting used to. At the same time, we want to minimise errors in this type of service communication. Especially with deadlines and application processes, you need to be certain that the data and the delivery are 100% accurate.
The solution with Maileon: External ID, custom URLs, and a fixed Government House Style template
We switched to Maileon because we were looking for a platform that actually supports our reality: complex contact structures, per-application personalisation, and a reliable delivery foundation.
External ID: Personalisation that works, even with duplicate email addresses
The biggest breakthrough for us was the External ID functionality. This allows us to link multiple contact records to the same email address, as long as each record has a unique identifier. The result: one intermediary can receive three different personalised emails, each linked to the correct organisation and grant scheme.
Because you can use a unique ID, I believe it’s called an External ID, we can have the same email address appear three times, ensuring that person receives three personalised emails for those three different hospitals.”
For us, this isn’t just “handy“; it’s essential for delivering high-quality service.
Custom import for long URLs: Clear and reliable
For the long personalised links, we use a custom import solution that makes URLs practical within the email, while ensuring the redirection to the long version remains reliable. This keeps our emails clear and reduces the risk of errors in the process.
Data quality: Immediate error messages help us correct faster
Since we often work with imports, filters, and distribution lists, it is helpful that Maileon quickly flags if something is incorrect.
If you do something wrong, you get an error message immediately. That’s very helpful.”
Government House Style right the first time: Custom template
We work with a custom template developed by Maileon that aligns with the “Rijkshuisstijl” (Government House Style: logo, colours, and typography). This ensures every mailing is recognisable and consistent without us having to rebuild it every time.
It’s great to have a complete layout ready to go. (…) It makes everything look, at least in our opinion, very professional.”
Results: High engagement, low bounces, and stable deliverability
Because we communicate with known applicants and partners, we see strong engagement. More importantly, we find that deliverability is stable and messages do not end up in spam folders.
Our key figures:
- Total number of contacts: 63,000 (External IDs)
- Number of mailing lists: +/- 15
- Email alert updates: Expanded from 3x per year to 75 emails in 2025
The open rates are very high, in my opinion. The bounce rates are relatively low (…) And things don’t end up in spam folders at all.”
We actively follow up on bounces because we often have direct contact with the person responsible. This fits perfectly with how we organise our service delivery.
Collaboration and costs: Customisation without unnecessary barriers
For us, it wasn’t just about functionality, but also about the partnership. The custom work was delivered smoothly and at a price point that suited our organisation.
The development of that custom solution went very well and was done for a very reasonable fee. I found it to be a very pleasant collaboration.”
Conclusie: e-mail als dienstverlening (en de volgende stap)
Our case demonstrates that email software is not only relevant for marketing teams, but also for organisations where reliability, equal treatment, and clear communication are central.
The foundation we have now is something we naturally want to deploy more widely within the communications department, so that more colleagues can work with the same structure and templates. Alerts and updates regarding grant schemes will remain a vital tool—for example, when a scheme goes live and stakeholders need to be informed immediately.
Edwin summarises it simply:
All in all, I’m really very happy with Maileon.”
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Succesverhalen
Find out how Utrecht University manages to reach and engage both students and staff without ever losing sight of privacy.
“I would definitely recommend Maileon to ambitious organisations with higher volumes: Maileon is user-friendly and offers bespoke solutions.” – Wilfred Romijn, Co-founder Vote Company
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