I've had some trouble navigating the Brazilian Consulate in Washington DC's website. After a few days of searching around the site on and off, I finally decided that I had all of the materials and money collected to finally turn my visa application in. Here is what I found on the site :

• Two (2) receipt pages from visa application form per applicant, properly and completely filled in and signed by the applicant;
• A passport valid for at least 6 months prior to its expiration date, and with at least one blank page available for the visa stamp;
• Two recent 2" x 2" passport-type photos, either in color or black and white, front view, full face, with a light background (snapshots are not accepted);
• Travel Itinerary with confirmed round trip booking. If traveling by land: Proof of financial capacity to pay for ones stay in Brazil;
• Visa fee, payable in US Postal Money Order only, as applicable (see visa fees table); A non-refundable handling fee of US$20.00 per visa applies to visa applications submitted by mail or by any individual other than the applicant or an immediate member of his or her family.
• For non-Americans: copy of green card or valid re-entry visa into the USA or valid visa to country of final destination (this requirement does not apply to applicants returning to their country of citizenship);
• Any application that shows “self-employed” or “unemployed” must be complemented with a current “Balance Account Bank Statement” with applicant’s name and address;
• Copy of letter by sponsors with detailed information on the event and conditions of attendance (if applicable).
• International Certificate of Yellow Fever Immunization is required if the applicant has traveled, within the last 90 days, to any of the following countries: Angola, Benin, Bissau Guinea, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Camerun, Central African Republic, Colombia, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guiana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenia, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Surinam, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda or Venezuela.
• International Certificate of Yellow Fever Immunization is advisable if applicants destination in Brazil includes any of the following States: Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Federal District, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, Rondônia, Roraima and/or Tocantins.
• Two Post Office money orders: one for $20 if sending it in by mail, and one for $130 as the fee, made out to "Consulate General of Brazil in Washington".
• If requesting that the rendered services be returned by mail, also included a self-addressed, already stamped envelope. For visa application, an USPS Express Mail is the only postal services accepted by this Consulate.

I hope I didn't forget anything. This is all that I gathered from their website- I wouldn't bother trying to actually contact them via e-mail... they never got back to me. Their FAQ is useless to you unless you speak Portuguese, too, by the way. Regardless- I am relieved that it is in the mail. Visa applications must be received by the Embassy within 30 days of finishing the application, and have a 15 day processing time for applications sent by mail. I wouldn't go the route of an agency-- they have ridiculous prices ($275 vs $170 total including shipping) compared to sending it yourself by mail.