CACFP New Institution Onboarding

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides federal funds to nonresidential childcare, family childcare, and adult day care sites to serve nutritious meals and snacks. The goal is to improve and maintain the health and nutritional status of children and adults in care while promoting the development of good eating habits. Programs that are eligible to participate in the CACFP include:

• Nonresidential, licensed public or private, nonprofit childcare centers or family day care homes
• For-Profit childcare centers serving low-income families (at least 25% of the children must qualify for free or reduced-price meals, or be receiving childcare vouchers)
• Head Start, outside-school-hours programs, emergency shelters, and at-risk centers meeting the CACFP requirements; and
• Certain adult day health care centers providing services to persons 60 years or older, or persons 18 years or older that are chronically impaired or disabled.

For more information on the different types of programs that can participate in the CACFP, please review the information below:

CACFP in Child Care Centers

What is a childcare center?

• A public or private nonprofit, or any for-profit childcare centers, Head Start programs, and other institutions that are licensed or approved to provide nonresidential day care services to children 12 years of age and under; children of migrant workers through age 15; or mentally/physically disabled persons at any age if the majority of enrollees are age 18 or under.

Is my childcare center eligible?

To be eligible for the CACFP, a childcare center must:

• Be licensed or exempt from licensing (with appropriate documentation from EEC)
• Provide nonresidential care to children 12 years of age and under (with some exceptions, see above)
• Provide community-based programming
• Be public/private, nonprofit/for profit
  • If a for profit agency, must have at least 25% of enrollment (or license capacity, whichever is lower) receive Title XX (childcare vouchers), or be eligible for free or reduced-price meals, as determined by USDA meal benefit forms.
• Be appropriately permitted to serve meals and/or snacks by the local Board of Health
• Be actively serving meals and/or snacks for at least two (2) weeks prior to application

CACFP in Outside School Hours Programs

What is an outside school hours program?

Public or private nonprofit center, or a for-profit center, that is licensed or approved to provide organized nonresidential childcare services to children during hours outside of school. Program serves children 12 years of age and under; children of migrant workers through age 15; mentally/physically disabled persons at any age if the majority of enrollees are age 18 or under.

Is my outside school hours center eligible?

To be eligible for the CACFP, an outside school hours program must:

• Be licensed or exempt from licensing (with appropriate documentation)
• Provide nonresidential care to children 12 years of age and under (with some exceptions, see above)
• Provide community-based programming to children outside of school hours
• Public/private/nonprofit/for profit
  • If a for profit agency, must have at least 25% of enrollment (or license capacity, whichever is lower) receive Title XX vouchers, or be eligible for free or reduced-price meals, as determined by USDA meal benefit forms.
• Be actively serving meals and/or snacks for at least two (2) weeks prior to application

CACFP in At-Risk Afterschool Programs

What is an at-risk afterschool program?

Afterschool programs that provide organized, regularly scheduled education or enrichment activities and serve a meal or snack to children in area eligible locations, either at or in the attendance area of a school where at least 50 percent or more of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals . Programs serve children 18 years of age and under at the beginning of the current school year, or mentally/physically disabled persons of any age.

Is my at-risk afterschool program eligible?

To be eligible for the CACFP, an outside school hours center must:

• Located at an area eligible site
• Be licensed or alternately licensed (location has occupancy/building and health inspections)
• Provide nonresidential care to children 18 years of age and under
• Provide community-based programming to children and teens when school is not in session, including weekends, school vacations, and inclement weather days
• Be actively serving meals and/or snacks for at least two (2) weeks prior to application

CACFP in Adult Day Health Programs

What is an adult day health center?

• Public or private nonprofit, or any for-profit adult day health care sites that provide structured, comprehensive services to nonresidential adults aged 60 and older, or functionally impaired adults.

Is my adult day health center eligible?

• To be eligible for the CACFP, an adult day health center must:
• Be licensed or exempt from licensing (with appropriate documentation)
• Provide nonresidential care to adults 60 years of age and older, or to functionally impaired adults
• Provide community-based programming
• Public/private/nonprofit/for profit
  • If a for profit agency, must have at least 25% of enrollment (or license capacity, whichever is lower) receive Title XIX Medicaid, or be eligible for free or reduced-price meals, as determined by USDA meal benefit forms.
• Be actively serving meals and/or snacks for at least two (2) weeks prior to application

If your program type doesn't fall into one of these areas, please contact NewSponsorCACFP.SFSP@mass.gov for more information.

How Can an Organization Get Involved?

• For more information about the CACFP, including details on what is expected of participating institutions, and what the onboarding process entails, interested programs should contact NewSponsorCACFP.SFSP@mass.gov .
• Please note New Institutions are only accepted between September 1^st and April 30^th.

Questions about the onboarding process, or general CACFP questions can be sent to NewSponsorCACFP.SFSP@mass.gov .

Participation in the CACFP application process does not guarantee approval, and all institutions will be required to meet program standards before being eligible for reimbursement.

Last Updated: September 3, 2024