The Association is made up of members and divided into local branches coordinated in regional groups.  As of December 31, 2009, CAI had 315.032 members that actively participate in 489 local branches and 305 local sub-branches belonging to the 21 Regional groups including 2 provincial groups, Trentino and Alto Adige.

The central structure of the Club Alpino Italiano is a non-profit public organization, while all the subordinate Local Branches and regional and provincial groups are subject to private law.

In particular, in application of law no. 766 of December 24, 1985, related to the new organization of the Club Alpino Italiano, the association promotes, for its members and others, and as established in its Charter:

• enjoyment of the mountains and the organization of mountaineering, hiking and caving initiatives throughout the nation;

• the organization and management of training courses for safe mountaineering, alpine ski touring, hiking and caving and naturalist activities;

• training for 22 different qualifications (instructor, guide and operator), necessary to perform the above stated activities.

• mapping, building and maintaining trails, alpine structures and mountaineering sites;

• the construction, maintenance and management of mountain huts and shelters owned by the Club Alpino Italiano and the individual local branches.  As of today, there are 761 mountain huts for a total of 21,681 beds, fixing the criteria and means;

• the organization of CAI stations suitable for initiatives to patrol and prevent injury for mountaineers, hikers or cavers and to aid the injured, rescue those in danger and recover accident victims through the National Alpine and Caving Rescue Squad (CNSAS);

• scientific and educational activities to increase the knowledge of all aspects of the mountain environment as well as any initiative suitable for the protection and improvement of the domestic mountain environment, also through national and regional technical bodies;

• ethnic-cultural training, studies dedicated to the diffusion and knowledge of the mountain environment and its people and the multiple aspects, mountain photography and cinematography, and the conservation of the alpine culture;

• the organization and management of professional training courses for caving guides as well as professional training courses for experts and observers for the Servizio Valanghe Italiano (SVI) (Italian Avalanche Service).

The enormous enthusiasm of our volunteers and their contributions have allowed the association to build a solid strategy to promote the mountains and help those who visit them with mountain huts, shelters, trails, reforestation, and social initiatives.