How to Apply for the Food Program for your Daycare

Learn how to apply for the Food Program for your daycare.

The Child and Adult Food Care Program is a federal program that provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children and adults who are enrolled for care at participating child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers. CACFP also provides reimbursements for meals served to children and youth participating in afterschool care programs. 

Each state administers the federal food program through various organizations on a state level, to ensure adequate regulation of the program. State agencies are responsible for monitoring all institutions participating in CACFP to ensure compliance with meal pattern, recordkeeping, and other program requirements. To become eligible to participate in CACFP, your child care program must be licensed by the appropriate child care licensing agency within your state. 

Child care programs have the option of obtaining a food program sponsor for the daycare program, or contracting with CACFP directly. Most food program sponsors will charge a program fee as your sponsoring organization. 

To apply for the food program for your child care program: 

Click on the link below to find a sponsoring organization within your state: 

http://www.cacfpforum.com/cacfp-sponsors.html

To apply to contract directly through CACFP, click on the link below: 

https://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/program-operator