Proposed CBF Global Budget

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR OCTOBER 1, 2022-SEPTEMBER 30, 2023

Revenue

Our proposed budget for the coming fiscal year reflects an increase of almost $2 million in anticipated revenue. Each year, the budget for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship depends both on unrestricted contributions from churches and individuals (gifts to CBF Ministries and Missions), gifts to the Offering for Global Missions, and then a variety of sources of restricted gifts (including gifts to field personnel for programs and projects, contributions to disaster relief, grants from foundations and major gifts from individuals.) Spending each year draws from projected restricted income and from multi-year grants received in previous years held for future use. You will notice that the proposed budget for fiscal year 2023 anticipates spending just over $3 million given in previous years to our Fellowship in a series of multi-year grants and funds that could not be fully expended during the height of the pandemic.

The largest increase in revenue for the coming fiscal year is in projected income from donor directed gifts and grants. In part, this increase reflects a multi-year trend in improved cultivation of such gifts and funding levels from such gifts. Our Fellowship also has opportunity in the coming fiscal year to apply for several new multi-year grants, and if more than one is successful, the projected increase would be met.

The proposed budget anticipates $585,983 in new contributions to CBF Ministries and Missions. Of that amount, $335,983 is projected income due to new partnerships with CBF Florida and CBF Tennessee, in which their contributions will be received by CBF Global. Spending for their ministries also shows up in increased projected expenses under “States and Regions.” These new relationships seek greater efficiency and a higher level of investment in ministry in the participating states. Local governance bodies in Tennessee and Florida continue to have jurisdiction over ministry budgets and personnel for the ministries of their state organizations.

To fully fund this budget, we need to raise $250,000 in new contributions from congregations and individuals to CBF Ministries and Missions and $225,000 in new contributions to the Offering for Global Missions. So, while the budget forecasts an overall increase in revenue of just under $2 million, only $475,000 of that revenue is unrestricted.

Expenses

Just as the proposed budget for the coming fiscal year anticipates an increase in revenue, it also projects an increase in spending. Before offering explanations of the most significant spending increases, it is important to recognize that our expense budget has been restructured to reflect the reorganization of CBF Global that was set in motion by the Toward Bold Faithfulness process. This is reflected in several ways:

• For the first time, all budgeted costs associated with the growth initiatives being led by our Outreach and Growth Team (including salaries and benefits) are housed under “Growth Initiatives.” In previous budget years, those salaries, benefits and support costs were still housed in “Ministries Support” That shift in this budget is reflected in the decreased amount in the “Ministries Support” line.
• The budget includes several new staff positions that are essential to the continued sustaining of the priorities and practices that emerged from Toward Bold Faithfulness. In addition to the Coordinator of Congregational Ministries position (which has been previously announced and is being filled by authorization of the Governing Board), the budget also includes funds for expansion of our Outreach and Growth team through partnerships with Baptist Fellowship of the Northeast (providing for a full-time coordinator in the northeast who will also be a member of CBF Global’s Outreach and Growth team), and a full-time Associate Coordinator in CBF Heartland who will live and work in the former North Central Region and also serve on our Outreach and Growth Team. Catalytic funds for both new positions on our staff are provided by designated gifts.

Just as CBF Global has had a full-time field coordinator for La Familia for several years, this budget provides the same staffing for Pan African Koinonia, as the Toward Bold Faithfulness process revealed a deep desire to enhance racial and ethnic diversity of congregations and individuals in our Fellowship for the strengthening and mutual equipping of our entire community. Finally, the budget includes a new staff position on our Identity and Communications team to enhance our storytelling capacities.

• The Toward Bold Faithfulness process also affirmed the centrality of Global Missions for our Fellowship and revealed a clear call to amplify the ministry of our field personnel and extend the ways we offer support to those we have sent to serve around the world. This budget lives out that calling by restoring a full-time staff position to oversee Member Care and Wellness for our field personnel (this work had been done on a part-time contract for the past five years after many years of being full time) and by incorporating the first significant salary adjustment for field personnel in more than a decade. This adjustment was made possible within the parameters of our budget due to a larger than anticipated number of transitions from the field. The budget, as presented, also includes funds to commission several new field ministry positions.

Also, beginning with this year’s budget, costs associated with CBF’s ministries for chaplains and pastoral counselors are found in the Global Missions portion of the budget. This is to foster an even closer collaboration between CBF’s ministries of pastoral counseling and Member Care ministries for field personnel.

Beyond these emphases, the budget includes other increases that are funded by restricted gifts, including:

• Expansion of our Thriving Congregations Initiative, which was made possible by a Lilly Endowment grant received in the fall of 2020
• Funds for the budgets of CBF Florida and CBF Tennessee (States and Regions) as provided by new collaborative agreements between CBF Global and those states, even as we explore closer collaboration with all CBF state and regional organizations Increased funding for Together for Hope made possible by increased designated contributions received by the Together for Hope staff and board of the new 501(c)(3) established
• Catalytic funds to establish a new CBF website provided by a generous grant from the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation. Similarly, that same grant provided funds for new technology for use in Ministerial Transitions, and funds reflected in our Administrative area for substantial professional development opportunities for the CBF staff ($97,000) and $350,000 in collaborative ventures that include both a new partnership with the CBF Foundation that removes fees for congregational accounts and allows for other new collaborations to serve congregations alongside state and regional organizations and partners.
• The budget also includes a 1% across-the-board salary increase for CBF staff and also funds for an anticipated increase in the cost of health insurance provided to CBF staff