How do we send alerts from our own email domain?

By default, alerts go out under your organization's name from the platform's alerts address. For example, supporters see the sender as Example Taxpayers Alliance via Conservative States, from noreply@alerts.conservativestates.app. That works from day one and needs no setup.

If you add and verify your own domain, alerts come from your address instead, such as action@alerts.exampletaxpayers.org.

Only Owners can set up, verify or remove a sending domain.

Before you start

You need access to your domain's DNS settings. These live wherever your domain is managed, such as GoDaddy, Cloudflare or Namecheap. If someone else manages your website, ask them to help.

We recommend a subdomain just for alerts, like alerts.exampletaxpayers.org. That way, if a supporter's email app ever flags an alert, it does not affect the email you send from your main address.

Step 1: Add your domain

1. Open the menu under your name, choose Settings, then Sending domains.
2. Under Add a sending domain, fill in:
   • Domain: for example alerts.exampletaxpayers.org
   • From email: an address at that domain, for example action@alerts.exampletaxpayers.org
   • From name (optional): the name supporters see. If you leave it blank, your organization's name is used.
3. Click Add domain.

Step 2: Add the DNS records

The page now shows a DNS records list with three records. Each has a Host and a Value with a Copy button. Add each one at your DNS provider exactly as shown.

What each record does, in plain words:

• DKIM (a TXT record): a digital signature. It proves the email really came from you and was not changed on the way.
• Return-Path (a CNAME record): tells mail servers where to send bounce notices, so bad addresses are caught and handled for you.
• DMARC (a TXT record): tells inbox providers what to do with mail that fails the checks above. The value we suggest only monitors and never blocks your mail, so it is a safe start. If you already have a DMARC policy, any valid DMARC record at the host shown passes.

If you use a subdomain, the DMARC record goes on that subdomain (for example _dmarc.alerts.exampletaxpayers.org). A DMARC record on your main domain alone does not count.

Step 3: Verify

Click Verify. The Domain status box shows a check for DKIM, Return-Path and DMARC. The domain is ready when all three pass and the status reads Verified.

DNS changes can take from a few minutes up to 48 hours to reach everywhere. If you see "Not verified yet", wait a while and click Verify again. Each record in the list shows Verified or Pending so you can tell which one still needs attention.

Your sending server

Once your domain is verified, alerts go through a sending server set up just for your organization, so your email reputation is yours alone. The status box shows Dedicated sending server when it is ready.

If the server could not be finished, the page says so and shows a Repair sending server button. Click it to try again. Until the server is ready, alerts still send from your verified address through the platform's server.

What happens before you are verified

Nothing stops. Until all three checks pass, every alert sends from the platform's alerts address under your organization's name, exactly as before. Your supporters keep receiving alerts the whole time.

Removing your domain

Click Remove domain and confirm. Alerts go back to the default sender right away. You can add the domain again later.

Other things to know

• The sending domain is only for alerts. Account emails, such as password resets and staff invitations, always come from the platform.
• Demo organizations never send email, whatever their sending domain.
• To check the result, write an alert and click Send test. The test comes from the same address your supporters will see.

If this does not solve it, email support@conservativestates.app and tell us your organization's name.