diff --git a/hc/settings.py b/hc/settings.py
index b1a9997..94441ea 100644
--- a/hc/settings.py
+++ b/hc/settings.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 """
 
 import os
+import sendgrid
 import warnings
 import dj_database_url
 
@@ -113,6 +114,10 @@
 DISCORD_CLIENT_ID = None
 DISCORD_CLIENT_SECRET = None
 
+# sendgrid config
+EMAIL_BACKEND = 'sgbackend.SendGridBackend'
+SENDGRID_API_KEY = os.environ.get('SENDGRID_API_KEY')
+
 # Slack integration -- override these in local_settings
 SLACK_CLIENT_ID = None
 SLACK_CLIENT_SECRET = None
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 885c388..906a05b 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -22,10 +22,13 @@ premailer==2.9.6
 psycopg2==2.7.1
 pyparsing==2.2.0
 python-dateutil==2.6.0
+python-http-client==2.2.1
 pytz==2016.7
 rcssmin==1.0.6
 requests==2.9.1
 rjsmin==1.0.12
+sendgrid==3.6.5
+sendgrid-django==4.0.4
 six==1.10.0
 static3==0.7.0
 twx.botapi==2.1.0