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Groups are where your members actually collaborate. They’re spaces with discussions, events, shared files, and task tracking — scoped to the right audience. Orgo gives you four types of groups, each for a different purpose. Groups browse page showing available groups

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The four group types

TypeWho’s in itHow members joinBest for
Main GroupEveryoneAutomatic — every member is included by default, can’t leaveOrganization-wide announcements, shared resources, full member directory
Local CentersMembers of a geographic branchAssigned — during registration or by adminChapters, branches, regional divisions with their own admins and Stripe accounts
Role GroupsMembers matching specific criteriaAutomatic — system adds/removes based on user type, age, gender, or region”All Leaders”, “Youth 13-17”, “Board members” — always up to date
Private GroupsSelected membersInvited by group owner, or self-join if the group is set to “joinable”Project teams, committees, interest groups, working groups

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Private vs. Joinable groups

Private Groups have two join modes that fundamentally change how they work:
ModeHow members joinVisibilityBest for
Private (default)Admin or owner invites them — no self-serviceOnly members can see the group existsBoards, committees, confidential projects
JoinableAny member can discover and join on their ownListed in the groups browse pageInterest communities (Photography Club, Book Club), open working groups
You can switch between modes at any time. Starting private and opening up later is safer than the reverse.
Start simple. You don’t need all four types on day one. Most organizations start with just the Main Group and Local Centers, then add Role Groups and Private Groups as needs arise.

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Which group type should I use?

I need a space for…Use
Announcements to everyoneMain Group — every member sees it
A city or regional chapterLocal Center — geographic division with its own admins and events
All members of a specific type (all Leaders, all Volunteers)Role Group — auto-populates based on criteria
A project team or committeePrivate Group — manually controlled membership
An interest-based community (Photography Club, Hiking Group)Private Group with “joinable” enabled — members can self-join
A temporary working group for an initiativePrivate Group — archive it when done

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What every group can do

Each group — regardless of type — can have these features enabled:
FeatureWhat it provides
DiscussionsForum-style posts and conversations
EventsGroup-specific events and calendar
FilesShared document storage with folders
IssuesTask and issue tracking with priorities, assignees, and due dates
MembersMember list with search and filtering
You choose which features to enable per group. A project team might need Discussions + Issues. A local chapter might need Discussions + Events + Files. The Main Group might have everything.

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Enabling the Groups module

Settings → Groups → Module Settings Groups module settings showing toggles for group categories, role groups, organizational units, tasks, and all members group
SettingWhat it does
Enable Groups & TeamsMaster toggle for the entire groups feature
Group CategoriesOrganize groups by type (Working Group, Committee, Team). Useful when you have many groups.
Role GroupsEnable automatic groups based on member criteria
UnitsEnable sub-units within local centers for hierarchical structure
Tasks/IssuesEnable task tracking within groups
All Members GroupMaintain the Main Group that includes everyone

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Group permissions

Every group has granular controls for who can do what:
PermissionWhat it controls
Only admins can postRestrict discussions to administrators. Good for announcement-only groups.
Only admins can create eventsRestrict event creation to group admins
Only admins can upload filesRestrict file uploads to group admins
Only admins can add membersRestrict member management to group admins

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Group categories

If you have many groups, categories help members find the right ones. Enable categories in module settings, then create them at Settings → Groups → Categories. Each category has a name, color, and icon — plus a permission setting controlling who can create groups in that category. Example categories: Working Group, Committee, Interest Group, Project Team, Advisory Board

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Structuring your organization with groups

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Small community (50 members)

  • Main Group for announcements and general discussion
  • 2-3 Private Groups for committees (Board, Events Committee, etc.)
  • That’s it — keep it simple

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Regional organization (500 members, 5 branches)

  • Main Group for org-wide announcements
  • 5 Local Centers for geographic chapters, each with their own events and discussions
  • 2-3 Role Groups (All Leaders, All Volunteers)
  • Private Groups as needed for projects

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Large federation (10,000+ members, 50+ branches)

  • Main Group for national-level announcements (admins-only posting)
  • 50+ Local Centers organized under regional parent groups
  • Multiple Role Groups by user type, age, profession
  • Many Private Groups for committees, working groups, projects
  • Group categories to help members navigate

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Common scenarios

Enable Group Categories to organize groups by type. Also make sure group names are descriptive — “Q4 Planning” is better than “Group 7”.
Use the Main Group with “Only admins can post” enabled. All members see the content, but only administrators can create posts.
Create a Role Group with criteria “User Type = Leader”. The system automatically adds all members with that user type and keeps it updated as user types change.
Archive the Private Group. Content is preserved for reference but the group is hidden from the sidebar. Members are removed from the active roster.
Yes. Members are in the Main Group (automatic), their Local Center (assigned), any matching Role Groups (automatic), and any Private Groups they’ve joined or been invited to. There’s no limit.