According to ASACP CEO Joan Irvine, the association had previously operated as a non-profit 501(c)(4) social welfare organization.
"As a 501(c)(4), donations to ASACP were not tax-deductible as a charitable donation; it is considered an advertising or ordinary business expense," Irvine said. "Many people asked ASACP to establish a charity, so that in addition to their sponsorship and membership payments, they could donate money that would be a charitable tax-deductible gift. Therefore, we are pleased to announce that we have established the ASACP Foundation; a 501(c)(3) nonprofit."
The Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection and the ASACP Foundation, two separate corporate entities, are both integral parts of the child protection effort.
Irvine says that ASACP will continue to manage the membership program, help adult companies protect their businesses by protecting children, and make certain that these efforts are known by mainstream companies and by lawmakers in Washington D.C. and Europe. The ASACP Foundation will also operate the ASACP child pornography reporting hotline and the Restricted To Adults (RTA) website label.
"These two separate organizations will act together in order to do a broad range of work in protecting children online," Irvine added. "Donations to the Foundation will help us to continue our online child protection efforts, while expanding our online safety educational efforts. Membership and sponsorship dues will continue to fund ASACP's continual technology updates, its efforts to advocate on behalf of the industry, help ASACP expand internationally and provide the industry with the tools they need to protect their businesses. In addition with the Foundation, ASACP can now apply for grants."
"ASACP is the only association in the world that coordinates the adult entertainment industry's efforts to protect children online," XBIZ President and ASACP Founder Alec Helmy stated. "It has spent more than 13 years creating progressive programs to protect children. ASACP's relationship in assisting the adult industry's child protection efforts is unparalleled. Your donation to the ASACP Foundation not only helps the organization to create a safer Internet for children, it helps to demonstrate our responsibility."
Contributions to the ASACP Foundation are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law, but cannot be applied toward ASACP membership.
Founded in 1996, ASACP is a nonprofit organization dedicated to online child protection. ASACP battles child pornography through its CP Reporting Hotline and helps parents prevent children from viewing age-restricted material online with its Restricted To Adults (RTA) website label. Companies and individuals interested in supporting ASACP may go to www.asacp.org for more information on how to get involved.
