Primary Affiliation is sometimes called Grotto Affiliation, but it can be any Internal Organization (IO) of the NSS.

Each NSS member is entitled to select one IO to represent them in the Congress of Grottos (COG). 

The IO that the NSS member selects is called the Primary Affiliation. It is stored in the NSS database for that member and printed on the mailing label for the NSS News and Journal.

An NSS member may select only one Primary Affiliation, or they may choose to select none.

An NSS member may select any IO as their Primary Affiliation. The NSS member is not required to be a member of the IO they select.

The Primary Affiliation does not affect the NSS member's membership in any Grotto, Region, Section, or Survey. An NSS member is not required to be a member of an IO, on the other hand, they may be a member of multiple IOs.

The Primary Affiliation field in the NSS database is used for two purposes.

1. It is used to determine vote allocations in the COG.
2. It is used to determine minimum membership requirements for grottos.  (See Note 1 below.)

An NSS member may designate a Primary Affiliation by notifying the NSS office. This may be done a number of ways. The usual ways are as follows:

1. Include it on the NSS Membership Application form.
2. Include it on the NSS renewal form.
3. Included it on the Life Membership information form.
4. Enter it at the NSS web site
5. Call the NSS office
6. Email the NSS office
7. Write to the NSS office

When option no. 4 is used, a computer generated request form is generated. It goes to the NSS office to be processed manually. There is not an instant updating of the record. That means there will be a time lag before web pages reflect the latest change.

When one of the first three options is used, the IO name should be spelled out since there are IOs with similar acronyms or abbreviations.

To see a list and a count of NSS members who consider an IO to be their Primary Affiliation, go to the NSS web page and click on Search then on Member Search. After loging in, you will be presented with a search screen. To the left of "Primary Affiliation", select your IO in the dropdown box, then click on Submit.

Note 1. A grotto must have at least five NSS members who have designated that grotto as their Primary Affiliation. This is one of the requirements for being a grotto.

Questions? Contact the Chair of the IO Committee

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