New IO or Reinstatement of an IO

Please check with the IO Committee before you select a name for your organization.

You may apply to become a Grotto, Region, Section, or Survey.

There is no fee to become an IO.

To begin the process an organization must submit the following documents to the IO Committee:

1. A Constitution and Bylaws showing the date of adoption and signed by an officer of the new organization.

See how to write a constitution and bylaws. 

The IO Committee will review the Constitution and Bylaws to offer suggestions and to ensure that it complies with acceptable NSS policy. This means that the original documents may have to be altered before being accepted by the IO Committee.

2. An application in duplicate bearing the signatures of the charter members indicating which are members of the NSS. In the case of regions and surveys this will include the names of charter member organizations.

Get the Application Form  in (PDF).

3. A brief history of the organization.

4. Other information that may be requested by the IO Committee.

Occasionally a group may apply for chapter status in an area where a chapter already exists. The Society does not encourage the formation of additional chapters in an area where one already exists, so these applications will be handled according to the following guidelines:

Unless it is obvious that the new group has been in contact with the existing grotto(s), they will be referred to the existing grotto(s), and the existing grotto(s) will be informed of the inquiry from the new group. The new group will be informed of our reluctance to charter another grotto in the same area, and the existing grotto(s) will be asked to contact the new group and invite them to participate in their activities. If, after a reasonable time, the IO Committee feels that the grotto chartering is justified, the chartering process may proceed.