Italy's non-profit sector sees growth in organizations and employment

Data presented by Istat researchers at the XXVI Giornate di Bertinoro per l’Economia Civile reveals significant growth in Italy’s non-profit sector. In 2024, there were 372,384 active non-profit institutions, representing a 0.5% increase from 2023.

Employment within the sector saw a more robust rise, with the number of employees reaching 938,152, a 2.8% increase compared to the previous year. This trend indicates that the non-profit sector is becoming an increasingly important component of the Italian labor market.

Structurally, associations make up 85.2% of these institutions. While certain legal categories like APS and other ETS are growing, others such as social cooperatives, Onlus, and social enterprises have seen declines. Notably, foundations grew by 8.6%.

Geographically, the sector is most concentrated in Northern and Central Italy, but the most significant growth dynamics are occurring in the South and the Islands. Specifically, the number of employees in the Islands increased by 6.3%, and the South saw a 5.2% rise. Despite the overall growth, 73.5% of organizations reported having no paid employees or collaborators.