Gifts from South Carolina Baptist churches to the Cooperative Program were running 6.63 percent below budgeted needs halfway through the 2014 budget year.

According to figures released by Pam Carroll, chief financial officer for the South Carolina Baptist Convention, churches forwarded $13,304,530 in CP gifts through June — $945,470 short of budgeted needs of $14,250,000.

At the national level, contributions to the Cooperative Program were 1.62 percent below the budgeted goal through the third quarter ending June 30.

The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists’ channel of giving allowing a local church to support the ministries of its state convention and SBC missions and ministries through a single contribution to its state convention.