With or without legal personality
This is not the same as “association” or “foundation”. To avoid errors, the value remains unknown until supported by RUNTS, the Register of Legal Persons, bylaws or an official deed—never inferred from the name.
Four facts for a clearer picture
Nonprofit does not mean one legal form.
Association, foundation or cooperative always describe how an organization is constituted. ODV, APS and the other sections apply only when it is registered with RUNTS.
4facts not to confuse
2/6legal forms represented
5/7RUNTS sections represented
The essential distinction
Four facts, four different questions
These concepts are often mixed together. Here they stay separate: an ODV is also an association, while an organization may be listed without RUNTS registration.
Legal form
How is it constituted?
Association, foundation, cooperative or another form describe the organization’s civil-law structure.
Compare legal formsLegal personality
Does it have full asset autonomy?
This is separate from legal form and is shown only when a source allows us to verify it.
Understand the differenceRUNTS section
Under which status is it registered?
ODV, APS and the other sections are public statuses linked to registration in RUNTS.
Compare sectionsRegisters and lists
Which accreditations does it hold?
5x1000, AICS and other official lists can overlap with legal form and RUNTS status.
Read our methodHow the organization is constituted
Legal forms describe the structure
Legal form applies to every profile, including organizations not registered with RUNTS. Recognized and unrecognized associations are both associations; legal personality is a separate attribute.
Legal form
Association
An organization built around members, a shared purpose and rules set out in its bylaws.
79organizations
Legal form
Foundation
Assets dedicated over time to a purpose stated in the deed of incorporation and bylaws.
32organizations
Legal form
Committee
Promoters, supporters and funds brought together for a stated initiative.
0organizations
Legal form
Cooperative society
A company where mutual benefit shapes the relationship between members, work, services and economic activity.
0organizations
Legal form
Company
A corporate structure that may qualify as a social enterprise when specific requirements are met.
0organizations
Legal form
Mutual aid society
A society governed by special rules and built around assistance and mutual support.
0organizations
9,362 profiles still require legal-form verification. We never assign one by assumption.
Attributes, not new legal forms
One profile may belong to several lists
These facts overlap without replacing one another. A foundation may have legal personality, be registered with RUNTS, accredited for the 5x1000 and included in the AICS list.
Current lists, with source and date
Public filters include only lists linked to an official source. ONLUS may remain as historical information, not a current status; new registers are added only when they can be verified using the tax code.
Explore the AICS listThe official RUNTS structure
Seven ways to understand each organization
Not every organization is registered with RUNTS. Having no section does not exclude a profile and is not turned into a category; counts are not a national census.
Volunteer organizations (ODV)
Membership organizations that operate mainly through volunteers for the benefit of others.
1342organizations
Social promotion associations (APS)
Participatory associations carrying out general-interest activities for members, families and third parties.
970organizations
Philanthropic entities
Organizations that collect and allocate resources, goods or services to people and general-interest initiatives.
211organizations
Social enterprises
Organizations that carry out economic activity on an ongoing basis for civic, solidarity or social purposes.
77organizations
Association networks
Organizations coordinating, representing and supporting a stable network of Third Sector Entities.
0organizations
Mutual aid societies
Societies historically founded on assistance and mutual support among their members.
0organizations
Other Third Sector Entities
Entities compliant with the Third Sector Code that do not fall within one of the special sections.
3055organizations
When RUNTS applies
The section provides status. The profile tells the story.
When registration exists, we show it and link to the official source. When it does not, the profile remains available without assigning acronyms. Bylaws, activities and results complete the picture.