pia NPO is located in Osaka Port in a building that was previously a government office. The building became available in 2001, and a public competition was held to determine who would occupy it. The Kansai NPO Alliance put forward a proposal for to create an "NPO building" which would have the aim of promoting the development of local NPO/NGO activity. The City of Osaka approved of this proposal which promised to develop citizen activism at the local level. Consequently, they offered to lease the building to the Kansai NPO Alliance at a reduced rate.

pia NPO is has thus been made possible by the joint efforts of: the City of Osaka, local enterprises in support of the Osaka port region, and NPOs who are part of the Kansai NPO Alliance.