Abstract

The paper highlights the main effects of the Coronavirus pandemic on the Italian non-­profit sector, above all on Voluntary Organizations and Social Cooperatives. First of all, it takes into consideration the implementation of the Third Sector Reform (2016) and its consequences on the present relationships between the public sector and Third Sector organizations in the provision of social services. Then the paper does pinpoint how the Italian Government was coping with the Non-profit sector during the coronavirus pandemic (2020-2021 June) and how the Italian Plan of Next Generation EU (PNRR) is considering it in the welfare system. Finally, the paper analyzes the main changes in the Non-profit sector working during the ongoing pandemic. Two alternatives for the next years: welfare «recalibration» in health, social, educational fields and social innovation or further welfare «retrenchment», with the Third Sector playing as a «substitute» of the public sector.