The article presents the analysis of the formation and development of the sector of non-profit organizations that play an important role in social development in the modern region of Russia. There is an analysis of the essential features of the civil society, including the establishment of individuals’ associations and social groups based on voluntary participation, excluding external compulsion, the predominance of horizontal connections within and between organizations, data integration associations in the autonomous system, which is focused primarily on improving of social welfare. In this regard, community non-profit organizations (NPOs) in modern Russia are regarded as the core forming the infrastructure of civil society. The characteristics of non-profit organizations are described according to the materials of empirical sociological study. NPOs contribute to improving quality of life. They create conditions for social development, develop and implement mechanisms and forms of public participation in the formulation and implementation of social policy.