U.S. and Canada G.S.O. NEW GROUP LISTING GUIDELINES / FORM
Thank you for wanting to list your group with the U.S./Canada General Service Office (G.S.O.) It is the
practice of the G.S.O. to list groups and not meetings. Listing provides a wider opportunity for
communication between your group, G.S.O., and the General Service Structure which will help the
alcoholic who still suffers. Before filling out the new group form below, here are a few good things to
know:
This form is for the U.S./Canada Service structure. The U.S./Canada structure is just one of
many A.A.
entities around the world. If your virtual group is based outside the U.S. and Canada, we suggest that
you contact the office in that country. If your group is based outside the U.S./Canada or your group
has no geographic location, and you wish to communicate with G.S.O. you can contact the
G.S.O.
International desk.
G.S.O. is often asked, “Will filling out this form ensure my group appears in local meetings lists?” The
answer is no. This form is only so that communication can flow between your group and the
U.S./Canada Service structure (your district, your area, and your G.S.O.) Please contact the local A.A.
entity that publishes meeting lists such as your local intergroup/central office, district, or area. Many of
them also share information with the Meeting Guide App
.
This form asks groups to designate their preferred district and area. The U.S./Canada structure is
comprised of 93 geographic areas and each area is made up of a number of districts. In-person
(including hybrid) groups generally use geographic proximity to decide their district and area. It varies
for virtual groups since they are non-geographic in nature. If a group originated in a locale and feels
rooted there the group may want to approach the local district about participating. Recently some
areas have created non-geographic districts for virtual groups. If a group does not designate a
preferred district and area, the default option will be using the location of the group’s primary contact.
Area Registrars are often a crucial first point of contact for A.A. groups. Area registrars develop and
maintain records of all groups in their area through Fellowship Connection, a user-friendly interface
that facilitates information sharing between areas and G.S.O. Your group’s information will be entered
into Fellowship Connection and is available to your area delegate and district committee member
(DCM). Contact information for your area registrar and other trusted servants can be found on your
area’s website. List of area websites
.
Experience shows it’s best if a group has a good start before asking to be listed. Many groups wait until
they’ve been meeting for a month or two before filling out this form. The pamphlet “The A.A. Group”
can be a helpful guide to groups and covers four main areas: what an A.A. group is; how a group
functions; group relations with others in the community; and how the group fits into the structure of A.A.
as a whole.
G.S.O. lists A.A. groups and not meetings. Shared experience is that holding A.A. meetings is one
function of a group. An A.A. Group is a meeting that participates in the General Service Structure and
provides Twelfth Step services that extend beyond the regular meetings times.
It is good to keep in mind the long form of Tradition Three: “Our membership ought to include all who
suffer from alcoholism. Hence, we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A. membership
ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety
may call themselves an A.A. group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation.”
The form asks for a primary contact. Often groups choose their General Service Representative (G.S.R.)
as the group’s primary contact, but any group member can serve as the primary contact if they can
provide a current email address. An email allows G.S.O. to send the group helpful information and
2
acknowledgements of group contributions quickly and at no cost. A group can also set up a group
email address and use that for group correspondence.
B
eing listed with the G.S.O. is not an official sanctioning of a group. A group listing does not constitute
or imply an approval or endorsement of any group’s practice of the traditional A.A. program. Tradition
Four says, “Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a
whole.” Hopefully every A.A. Group adheres closely to the guiding principles of the Steps, Traditions,
and Concepts. The G.S.O. neither monitors nor oversees the activities or practice of any A.A. group.
Each new group is subject to a 30-day pending period according to a 1990 Conference advisory
action. Once complete information is logged by G.S.O. or the area registrar, your group will enter a
30-day pending period to give your delegate and DCM an opportunity to welcome your new group.
After the pending period a digital Group Handbook will be emailed out (in addition your group can
opt in to be mailed a print version of the Group Handbook on the form below.) The Group Handbook
and many other helpful resources are also available for download on www.aa.org
. The link below offers
more information on how groups and members participate in A.A. service beyond their group:
https://www.aa.org/participating-in-aa
U.S. and Canada G.S.O. NEW GROUP LISTING FORM
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A.A.’s Traditions suggest that a group not be named after a facility or person (living or deceased), and that the name of a
group not imply affiliation with any sect, religion, organization or institution.
Virtual Groups are encouraged to check with their Area Registrar regarding their preferred Area and District.
List of Area
Websites on aa.org
AREA #:__________________________DISTRICT #:___________________________ GROUP START DATE:______________________
GROUP NAME:_____________________________________________________ NUMBER OF MEMBERS:__________________________
GROUP MEETING LOCATION (ADDRESS OPTIONAL):_______________________________________________________________________
If your Virtual group does not have a specific City/Town or State/Province the Primary Contact’s City/Town and
State/Province will be used.
CITY/TOWN:______________________________________________________ STATE/PROVINCE:_______ COUNTRY:______________
Communication is sent in one of the languages below
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH ☐ SPANISH ☐ FRENCH ☐
Type/Format: In-person (including hybrid) ☐ Virtual (including phone) ☐
Does your group meet in a hospital, treatment center or detox center setting? Yes ☐ No ☐
If yes, is it open to A.A. members outside the center? Yes ☐ No ☐
Note: Contact information provided is used by G.S.O. and AA Grapevine for purposes of A.A. service communications and
is shared with your Area Committee.
PRIMARY CONTACT
NAME:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS:_____________________________________________________ CITY/TOWN:____________________________________________
STATE/PROVINCE:______________________________POSTAL CODE:___________________ COUNTRY______________________________
EMAIL:_____________________________________________________________________ PHONE:________________________________
GENERAL SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (G.S.R.) – Your Group’s Link to A.A. as a whole
https://www.aa.org/assets/en_US/p-
19_gsr.pdf
“The G.S.R.s of the U.S. and Canada are the very foundation of our general service structure. Through the G.S.R., you can
make your group’s voice heard at district meetings, at area assemblies, and eventually at the General Service Conference.
GSR ☐ Alt. GSR ☐ Mail Contact ☐
To opt in to be mailed a print version of the Group Handbook please check: ☐
• Digital Group Handbook: https://www.aa.org/contents-group-handbook-list
• To sign up for digital delivery of Box 4-5-9 at no charge visit: https://www.aa.org/box-459
RETURN FORM TO
GSO Postal Mail
General Service Office
Grand Central Station
P.O. Box 459
New York, NY 10163
GSO Email
Locally
Email your Area Registrar
List of Area Websites on aa.org
Rev. 12/21 F-30
