THE ROLE OF NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN A REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN A CONTEXT OF SOCIAL COHESION: THE CASE OF ICELAND

The non-profit sector is not only a supplement for public sector and business sector but non-profit organizations are equal partners in the provision of public services, especially in the local communities where they better reflect the particular problems and requirements. Operation of non-profit organizations at the community level involves citizens and initiates cooperation with the government at the local level. In this paper we map the non-profit sector, its operation and contribution to regional development in the context of social cohesion in specific conditions in Iceland. The paper is a part of the project "Love your hater", which promotes the exchange of experiences among NGOs in Slovakia and Iceland in their management and financing, as well as exchange of experience on specific activities aimed at mitigation of racism and discrimination and improving living conditions in the regions.