By Jeff Huett
DECATUR, Ga.― Cooperative Baptists attending General Assembly next week in St. Louis, Mo., will vote on a budget proposal approved by the CBF Governing Board that forecasts no increase in unrestricted revenue for the first time in more than five years.
The proposal includes a bottom-line number of $16,084,521, which is a surplus of more than $69,000.
A narrative accompanying the budget proposal stated that the “uncertainty of the current economic environment” led to the decision to not increase the unrestricted revenue number over the past fiscal year.
“Even as we are planning expanded development efforts this summer and into the next fiscal year, we do not think it is wise to expect increases in purely unrestricted gifts,” the narrative stated. “At the request of our Global Missions leadership and our Development staff, we are proposing a modest increase in the goal for the Offering for Global Missions.”
On the expense side, the budget is $1.4 million less than the current fiscal year. The majority of this reduction in spending is the result of the decision of 13 CBF field personnel to accept an early retirement offer in late 2024. The remaining decreases result both from reductions in restricted spending (due to grant cycles) and unrestricted spending.
The CBF 2026 fiscal year budget proposal is available at www.cbf.net/budget. A budget summary document is available, as well as a narrative that explains both revenue and expenditure projections.
Voting on the budget proposal will occur during the business plenary session of the 2025 General Assembly at 9:30 a.m. Eastern on Thursday, June 26.
A Business Breakout Session will be held for attendees to discuss the 2025-2026 CBF Ministries and Mission Budget at 1:30 p.m., Wed., June 25, in Sterling Studio 9 of the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch.
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Led by the love of Christ, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship invites churches and individuals to
partner in transforming God’s world, working together as a global community to spread good
news, justice and hope through impactful ministries, missions and resources.