The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of the new Brazilian legislation regulating partnerships
between the State and Civil Society (Nonprofit) Organizations between 1999 and 2002. The passing of Law No.
9790/99 – known as the Nonprofit Law – created the legal concept of Organizações da Sociedade Civil de
Interesse Público – OSCIPs (Public Interest Civil Society Organizations). Based on an exploratory survey, this
study, using the Institutional Theory, allowed the analysis of how older organizations (NGOs and traditional
social benefit organizations) resisted to the adoption of the OSCIP standard due to organizational inertia, while
acceptance of the model was greater among younger organizations, in a clear coercive and normative isomorphic
development.
