The legislation enacted during the 90s introduced in our legal system new types of entities for non profit activities, specifically designed to pursue a particular aim in the social context. As a consequence, there has been a progressive move towards such specific legal entities, which can benefit from various fiscal exemptions. At the same time, a general need of cooperation among non profit organizations has emerged, in order to integrate the respective skills and to offer the stakeholders appropriate services. The Author describes the evolution occurred and explains the different types of cooperation models: first concentrating on cooperation among private entities, then taking into account more complex forms, including the public sector. Particular attention is given to agreements involving the creation of an organization (for example: joint ventures, horizontal group and "ente partecipato") and to forms of planned cooperation, with an hint to "community foundations".
Keywords: Non Profit Organizations, Non Profit Groups, Social Partnership, Association, Cooperation