Why Texas Government Agencies Need a TX-RAMP Certified Email Platform

For Texas government agencies, choosing an email solution platform isn’t just about marketing or communication, it’s also about making the right decision for compliance. Before a cloud platform can be used by Texas state agencies, higher education institutions, or other public organizations, it must meet the requirements of TX-RAMP.

When it comes to email communication platforms, the list of approved potential partners is extremely small. Emma by Marigold is a TX-RAMP certified email marketing and communications platform, offering accessible, intuitive, and purpose-built capabilities for public-sector organizations.

What is TX-RAMP?

TX-RAMP (Texas Risk and Authorization Management Program) is the State of Texas’ official cybersecurity assessment and authorization program, administered by the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR).

Its purpose is simple but critical, to ensure that cloud service providers handling Texas government data meet strict cybersecurity, privacy, and risk-management standards.

TX-RAMP evaluates how vendors:

• Protect sensitive data
• Manage cybersecurity risk
• Ensure system availability and integrity
• Align with national frameworks like NIST 800-53 and FedRAMP

A TX-RAMP certification means a platform has been rigorously reviewed and formally approved for public-sector procurement and use, significantly reducing risk, complexity, and procurement delays for agencies.

Why TX-RAMP is Required

For Texas government agencies, TX-RAMP is not a “best practice” — it’s a procurement requirement. Any cloud-based software used to store, process, or transmit agency data must either:

• Be TX-RAMP certified, or
• Go through a lengthy exception and risk-acceptance process

For communications and IT teams this creates challenges, like:

• Fewer approved vendors
• Longer procurement timelines
• Increased internal security reviews
• Higher compliance risk

Choosing a TX-RAMP certified email platform helps reduce these obstacles, and ensures your agency can move forward with speed and confidence.

Why Texas Agencies Choose Emma

Emma was built for organizations where trust, governance, and accountability matter just as much as engagement metrics.

TX-RAMP certification confirms that Emma meets Texas’ security requirements — but Emma goes much further.

TX-RAMP Certified and Procurement-Ready

Emma has been formally reviewed and approved to meet the cybersecurity and data privacy standards set by the Texas DIR. This means:

• Faster procurement cycles
• Reduced security review burden
• Lower risk for IT and compliance teams

Built on Proven Trust

Emma is designed for regulated environments and backed by industry-leading certifications:

• HITRUST certified, unifying standards like SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, and NIST
• SOC 2 Type II certified, with independently audited controls for security, availability, and confidentiality
• Annual VPAT accessibility audits, supporting WCAG 2.1 and Section 508 compliance

No other distributed email marketing platform combines TX-RAMP, HITRUST, SOC 2, and annual VPAT certification.

Enterprise Governance Without Enterprise Complexity

Unlike general-purpose marketing clouds or CRMs, Emma is purpose-built for teams that need subaccount-based control without excess friction:

• Role-based permissions and approval workflows
• Centralized governance with local flexibility
• Brand templates and automation to ensure consistency across departments

Why This Matters for Texas Government Agencies

For Texas agencies, the choice is clear: Emma delivers TX-RAMP compliance in a platform built specifically for communication teams, not just IT departments.

It enables agencies to communicate securely with citizens, employees, and stakeholders, while meeting Texas cybersecurity standards and protecting public trust.

Emma Is The Clear Choice

No other distributed email marketing platform combines TX-RAMP certification, HITRUST, SOC 2 Type II, annual VPAT accessibility audits, and enterprise-grade governance in one solution.

That’s why Emma is trusted by universities, nonprofits, and increasingly, Texas government agencies, to deliver email communications that are not only effective, but secure, compliant, and responsible.

Discover what Emma can do for your email program →