Committee recommends CBF funding cap_30705

Posted: 2/24/05

Committee recommends CBF funding cap

By Greg Warner

Associated Baptist Press

ATLANTA (ABP)—A study committee is recommending the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship set a cap on funding of its “partner” organizations and bring more structure to those relationships, including signed covenant agreements and public acknowledgements of those partnerships.

The plan, proposed by an ad hoc partnership study committee, was introduced to the CBF Coordinating Council in February for review and discussion. No vote is scheduled until the council’s June meeting, after a time of consultation with CBF’s current partners and other constituents.

The plan would institute significant changes in CBF’s partnerships, which serve as the primary way the Atlanta-based moderate group funds ministries outside its own structure and control. In addition to setting clear guidelines, the plan would limit Fellowship funding to 20 percent of any partner’s revenues. Based on current budgets, three organizations would lose funding to the cap—Associated Baptist Press, Baptist Center for Ethics and Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.

None of the 13 theological schools funded by CBF is close to the planned 20 percent ceiling.

However, under the plan, those schools would be placed into one of three categories, with more funding available to a handful of schools with closer and more public ties to CBF.

For partners other than theological schools, the Partnership Study Committee proposed guidelines instead of classifications because of the variety and number of funded organizations, the report said. The CBF lists about 100 partners, of which 18, labeled “historic” partners, have been part of CBF’s budget for years.

The guidelines for theological-education partners creates three levels of relationship: “identity partners,” limited to three to five schools, which can receive institutional or operating funds in addition to other support; “leadership partners,” which can receive only scholarship funding and “collaborative initiative” or project funding; and “global partners,” which are overseas or non-English institutions that can receive only scholarship and collaborative-initiative funding.

The identity partners, which were not yet selected, would have additional requirements. They would be “explicitly identified with CBF,” promote CBF through campus services and activities and list CBF as an affiliation with accrediting agencies.

Theological-education partners at all three levels would have to agree to the mission of CBF, “encourage” CBF’s core values and support CBF’s strategic initiatives. Those partnerships would be re-evaluated every five years. Theological education accounts for about $1.5 million, or about 75 percent, of CBF’s funding of historic partners.

The proposed guidelines would require all partners to acknowledge the relationship with CBF and “appropriately promote CBF.”

The report said the study committee “sought to assure that there will be mutual respect and accountability between CBF and its partners.”

“It is appropriate for CBF to expect those with whom it partners to acknowledge CBF’s role and to promote the greater work of CBF,” the report said. “How this will be done will vary from partner to partner; however the failure of any partner to do so would call into question the validity of continuing that partnership.”

Some CBF supporters have complained that some partners should receive less funding than others because they have not openly acknowledged their relationships with CBF.

Currently 10 theological schools receive “institutional” funding each year—Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, $228,355; McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University, $185,946; Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Kan., $163,110; Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University, $142,722; Christopher White Divinity School, Gardner-Webb University, $97,866; International Baptist Theological Seminary, Prague, $88,080; Campbell University Divinity School, $73,400; Logsdon School of Theology at Hardin-Simmons University, $16,310; and Baptist-studies programs at two non-Baptist universities—Candler School of Theology at Emory University, $24,467, and Duke Divinity School, $20,389.

Wake Forest Divinity School, Winston-Salem, N.C.; Baptist Seminary of Kentucky; and Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University receive scholarship funding but not operating funds.

Other partners receiving operating funds include: Baptist Joint Committee on Religious Liberty $203,888; Associated Baptist Press, $132,119; Baptist Center for Ethics $81,555; Baptists Today newsjournal, $40,778; and Baptist World Alliance, $40,000.

The Partnership Study Committee said capping support for partners is consistent with CBF’s purpose.

“The reason behind the 20 percent cap comes from the philosophy by which CBF has operated from its beginning,” the group said. “In its formation, CBF, through its Coordinating Council and leaders, stated that CBF would not seek to own or control institutions. Instead, it would work in cooperation (partnership) with others to accomplish its goals.”

The report said the 20 percent level is not an automatic or guaranteed funding level, nor should it be viewed as a goal. Any reductions in funding would be phased in over a three-year period. And the percentage of CBF support would be based on the partner’s previous-year revenues.

In other business, the council:

—Approved a proposal to name an annual offering, collected at the CBF general assembly, the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Offering for Religious Liberty and Human Rights. One-third of the proceeds would go to support the Baptist World Alliance.

—Hired Constance McNeill of Kansas City, Kan., as coordinator of administration for the Fellowship's resource center in Atlanta. McNeill, 51, was vice president for development and chief operating officer of Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City.

—Elected Barbara Baldridge coordinator of global missions. Baldridge, 54, was co-coordinator of CBF global missions with her husband, Gary, from 1999 until his retirement Dec. 31. She has been serving as acting coordinator since Jan. 1. Her election as sole coordinator is retroactive to Jan. 1.