Charity email on your site address

Google and Microsoft give eligible charities email free. You sign up with them and copy their codes into your site editor. We add the DNS records.

Who gets it free

Goodstack checks eligibility for both. A Community Interest Company (CIC) isn't a charity, so it doesn't qualify. Google excludes hospitals and healthcare organisations, but not their charitable arms. Microsoft excludes hospitals, health systems and UK housing associations.

Your organisationGoogleMicrosoft
Registered with the Charity Commission, OSCR or CCNIYes, once approvedYes, once approved
Recognised by HMRC as a charity, not on a register (for example income under £5,000)Yes: listed by GoogleListed by Goodstack; Microsoft names no UK route
Applied to register, not registered yetNot on the application alone. Check the other rows
School, college or university (including exempt charities)No. Try Google Workspace for EducationNo. Try Office 365 A1 (free)
CICNoNo

Not eligible? Paid plans, before VAT, per person: Google Workspace Business Starter £5.90 a month on a yearly plan; Microsoft 365 Business Basic £5.40 a month paid yearly, or £6.48 monthly.

Before you start

Both accept your free address (name.charitystarter.co.uk) or your own domain as the main domain.

Google Workspace for Nonprofits

1. Get approved

  1. Go to google.com/nonprofits (opens in new tab) and request an account. Sign in with a Google account.
  2. Enter your charity number or HMRC charity reference. Goodstack checks it, usually in 3 to 5 working days. Watch for email from verifications@mail.goodstack.org.

2. Connect your address

  1. Sign in to Google for Nonprofits. Under Google Workspace for Nonprofits, choose Get started, say you don't use Workspace yet, and start the free 14-day trial.
  2. When asked for a domain, enter your site address, for example name.charitystarter.co.uk.
  3. Google shows a TXT record starting google-site-verification=. Copy all of it. To find it later: Admin console, Account > Domains > Manage domains > Verify domain.
  4. In your site editor, Email: choose Google, paste it into Verification code, Save. We add it, with Google's MX and SPF records.
  5. Back in Google, confirm. Recognising the record can take up to 72 hours.
  6. In Google for Nonprofits, submit your domain for review and choose Activate. Review can take several days. Google replies by email.

3. Turn on DKIM

  1. Wait 24 to 72 hours after Gmail is turned on. Earlier, Google may not create the key.
  2. Admin console: Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail > Authenticate email. Pick your domain, Generate New Record, choose 2048 bits and prefix google, then Generate.
  3. Copy the TXT record value, starting v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=.
  4. In your site editor: paste it into DKIM value, Save, then Check.
  5. Back in Google: Start authentication. It reads "Authenticating email with DKIM" when done. Allow up to 48 hours.

Where each value goes

Google showsEditor fieldSave
TXT record, google-site-verification=…Verification codeFirst
DKIM TXT value, v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=…DKIM valueSecond

We add the MX (smtp.google.com, priority 1) and SPF records. You don't copy them.

Microsoft 365 for nonprofits

1. Get approved

  1. Go to nonprofit.microsoft.com (opens in new tab). Run the eligibility check, then register a new account.
  2. Goodstack checks your charity for Microsoft. Most get an answer by email within 3 business days; it can take 7.
  3. In the Nonprofit Hub, claim the Microsoft 365 Business Basic grant: free for up to 300 users. Granted licences are for paid staff and unpaid leaders, such as trustees; not for other volunteers, members or donors.

2. Connect your address

  1. In the Microsoft 365 admin centre (opens in new tab): Settings > Domains > Add domain. Enter your site address, for example name.charitystarter.co.uk, then Use this domain.
  2. If it offers to sign in to Cloudflare, don't. Select choose a different domain host or More options, then Add a TXT record to the domain's DNS records > Continue.
  3. Copy the TXT value. It looks like MS=ms12345678.
  4. In your site editor, Email: choose Microsoft, paste it into Verification code, Save.
  5. Back in Microsoft: Verify. Allow 10 minutes; some take up to 48 hours.
  6. On "How do you want to connect your domain": More options > Add your own DNS records > Continue.
  7. On Add DNS records, keep Exchange and Exchange Online Protection ticked. Open Advanced options and tick DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM).
  8. Expand MX Records and copy the "Points to address" value. Expand the DKIM CNAME Records and copy both values. No DKIM values? In Defender (step 15), select your domain, turn signing on, close the error and copy the two values under Publish CNAMEs.
  9. In another tab, Settings > Domains: select your domain, Set as default. Add your users and give each a Business Basic licence.
  10. In your site editor: paste the MX into MX value, the selector1 value into DKIM value and the selector2 value into DKIM value 2. Save, then Check.
  11. Back in Microsoft: Continue, then Done.

3. Turn on DKIM

  1. Go to Microsoft Defender (opens in new tab): Email & collaboration > Policies & rules > Threat policies > Email authentication settings > DKIM.
  2. Select your domain and turn on Sign messages for this domain with DKIM signatures.
  3. Status CnameMissing: wait a few minutes and try again. If it stays, check the two DKIM values in the editor match Publish CNAMEs.

Where each value goes

Microsoft showsEditor fieldSave
TXT value, MS=ms…Verification codeFirst
MX "Points to address", ending mail.protection.outlook.com or mx.microsoftMX valueSecond
DKIM CNAME for selector1._domainkeyDKIM valueSecond
DKIM CNAME for selector2._domainkeyDKIM value 2Second

We add the SPF and autodiscover records. You don't copy them.

Not connecting?