Now is the time to put in your study month numbers!
The following components of your WINS application must be approved prior to entering your study month numbers:
- Sponsor Application
- Site Application(s)
- Site Calendar(s)
- Budget
- Management Plan- required for sponsor of multiple sites only
Once all items have been approved you will see an "add" or "renew" button on the study month tab. You must input your Study Month information into WINS before November 15 for your October claims to be paid.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released SP 04, CACFP 03, SFSP 03-2021 - Questions and Answers Relating to the Nationwide Waiver to Allow Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option Operations through School Year 2020-21 - Extension - Q&As #3. Here are some highlights:
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Q3:For CACFP At Risk and NSLP Afterschool Snack Programs, if the educational or enrichment activity is electronic, and a child does not have access to the required electronic device is the activity still considered available to all?
FNS encourages sponsors to consider the ability of children to access various activities. It may be appropriate to offer some activities that children could participate in without internet access or electronic devices, such as books, activity packets or coloring sheets. Team Nutrition offers a variety of games, books and nutrition education activities for children. Although children are not required to participate in or complete an activity in order to receive an afterschool meal or snack, whatever activities are offered should include options that are accessible to all participating children.
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Q4: May CACFP At-Risk centers providing extended care during the day (both school hours and afterschool hours) claim reimbursement for a breakfast and/or lunch served in addition to the one meal and one snack allowed for at-risk?
No, Centers that are only approved to operate under the CACFP at-risk component may not claim reimbursement for meals that exceed their program meal limitation of one meal and one snack per child, per day. CACFP child care centers that operate a separate daytime child care and at-risk afterschool program may be approved to claim reimbursement for up to two meals and one snack, or one meal and two snacks, per child, per day. This applies to children who attend just the daytime child care or attend both programs. For children that attend both programs, the center must ensure duplicate meals are not claimed. CACFP at-risk centers that wish to also operate a licensed child care program should contact their program specialist for more guidance on this.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
Monthly claims are due by the 15th of each month following the claim period. This allows processing to take place in a timely manner. Here are some important reminders about claiming in the Washington Integrated Nutrition System (WINS):
Claiming During Renewals
- Sponsor Application, Site Applications, Site Calendars, Budgets and Management Plans for sponsors of multiple sites must be in APPROVED status before entering claims into WINS.
- Total Attendance is entered with the claim and is the sum of children in attendance each day during the month. Meals claimed in excess of Total Attendance will result in a claim error.
- WINS edit checks the number of approved operating days for each site to the number of operating days entered in the site claim. If these numbers don’t match, the claim will go into error status.
General Claiming Reminders
- Monthly claim data must be in "OK to Pay" status by 5:00 pm PT on the 15th.
- WINS will automatically log all users out of the system on the 15th of each month at EXACTLY 5pm PT.
- Ensure to give yourself enough time to input all claiming data so the claim is in “OK to Pay” status.
- Once WINS closes down the claiming option users are not allowed to input claim data until after the monthly claim reconciliation process is complete. This can take up to two business days.
- Didn't submit your claim by the 15th? That's okay! File your monthly claim by the 60-day deadline.
- Example: The October 60-day claim deadline is December 30, 2020.
- The 20-21 Claim Processing Dates Information Sheet takes weekends and holidays into consideration for the 60-day deadlines. You may want to print or bookmark this information.
- Refer to the Claims Reference Sheet for details on what to do if you don't submit your claims by the 60-day claim deadline.
- Errors must be resolved for claims to be paid. WINS has multiple edit checks to help resolve issues before your claim is submitted.
Claiming Resources
Have Questions? Please contact Hydie Kidd, Fiscal Supervisor, or Pam Fravel, Fiscal Analyst.
In a previous At-Risk update we reviewed requirements from USDA, details regarding eligible sites, and considerations for operating the CACFP At-Risk program.
Some Highlights
- Meal sites that are not area eligible must target meals/snacks to children in need. To meet this requirement, sites must be located in the attendance area of a public school (an elementary, middle, or high school) where at least 40% of the students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
- Sponsors may submit an exemption request if there are extenuating circumstances.
Claiming Meals
- Sponsoring organizations that operate the CACFP At-Risk Afterschool Meals Component may only claim meals after the end of the instructional day if students are physically in care.
- For CACFP At-Risk afterschool care programs that are providing on-site care to children attending school virtually: Schools that are operating virtually are considered "in session". Only a meal and/or snack served after the virtual school day is over would be reimbursable.
- For CACFP At-Risk afterschool programs that are not caring for children on-site: When meals are being provided for children that are not in on-site care, at-risk suppers and or snacks may be claimed even if they are distributed before the end of the school instructional day. These meals must be marked as At-Risk meals.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
SFSP meal delivery may be beneficial to childcare centers if school age children are now in care all day due to COVID-19. Coordination between the school district and the childcare center needs to be a formal arrangement where the childcare center is either a “site” under the school district OR the childcare center is a “stop” on a meal delivery bus route. The process listed below must be followed for either one of these scenarios:
Childcare Center is a Site SFSP Meal Distribution
Meals are dropped off at the childcare site:
- Childcare staff must be trained by School District on SFSP requirements as they pertain to their role
- Childcare staff must take “Point of Service” meal count using the SFSP meal count form
- Meal counts must be submitted to the school district
- Communication about meals received, leftovers on hand, and accurate meal count forecasting must occur regularly to ensure enough meals are delivered for each child AND to reduce food waste
- The childcare center cannot claim these meals for reimbursement
Childcare Center is a “stop” on the Meal Delivery Bus Route
Meals are distributed to children individually:
- School district staff would take “Point of Service” meal counts as each meal is provided to a child
- The childcare center cannot claim these meals for reimbursement
Reminders
- Childcare centers are unable to pick-up meals on behalf of the children in their care.
- Under no circumstance may children receive more than the number of reimbursable meals allowed in each Program for which they are eligible.
Questions? Please contact your CNS Program Specialist.
Fiscal Year 21 Applications should be completed at least 30 days before your organization intends to operate the CACFP. This allows your program specialist to review your application in time for you to file your claim.
Please review our Renewal Update for important reminders about submitting your application and training requirements.
We reviewed common questions about renewal as well as tips and tricks for the renewal process during our 10/8 CACFP Operations During COVID call. Please review the recording for more information.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
There are many different options when serving 3-5 year olds in the school district. But which program should you operate? What considerations are there?
New Resources Available!
We hope these help you when making decisions to serve children in your district settings.
Have Questions? Please contact your program specialist.
The National CACFP Sponsors Association (NCA) hosts FREE half-hour sessions on CACFP hot topics! You can also receive a Certificate of Attendance for attending these sessions.
Visit the NCA Shop Talk Series webpage to sign up for upcoming or previous webinars.
Recent webinars include:
- Strategies for Virtual Monitoring in the CACFP
- Farm to Table: Fresh Foods & Garden Tools
- Engaging Remote Staff
Upcoming Webinars:
The national CACFP sponsors association is offering 4 trainings over the next 10 days. Sign up now for any of these free webinars featuring information and training on child nutrition tools, resources, meal patterns, advocacy, and parent engagement.
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CACFP Live with USDA - Tuesday, November 10 | 8:00-8:30 am PT
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Healthy Eating for Families - Thursday, November 12 | 11:00-11:30 am PT
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CACFP Tools and Resources - Saturday, November 14 | 9 am -12:00 pm PT
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Crediting Single-Serving Packages of Grains - Thursday, November 19
- English Webinar - 11:00-11:30 PT
- Spanish Webinar - 11:30-12:00 PT
Register for any of these free trainings on the NCA website.
The USDA Farm to School Grant Application for 2021 is now open, with proposals due January 8, 2021!
There’s a pool of up to $10 million nationwide and grants ranging from $50,000-$100,000 for planning or implementation of learning gardens, local foods in the child nutrition programs, agriculture and nutrition education, and more.
ECE and Childcare Centers
“New for FY 2021, institutions operating the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) at non-school based sites are included in the definition of eligible schools and may apply for funding.”
Webinars to Set You Up for Success
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November 15
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October Claims Due in WINS
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November 30
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Last day to submit your September claims! 60-Day Claim Deadline
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