diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index e18ee07..67dcd73 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "0.0.0"
+  ".": "0.0.1-alpha.0"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 825c32f..c505571 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1 +1,10 @@
 # Changelog
+
+## 0.0.1-alpha.0 (2026-05-31)
+
+
+### Miscellaneous Chores
+
+* bootstrap initial alpha release ([20bd6df](https://github.com/FBumann/fluxopt_plot/commit/20bd6dfd25fa2ce9083c1dfa59a267cc74035b6d))
+
+## Changelog