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The Consolidated Appropriations and COVID Stimulus and Relief Bill passed Section 722 on December 28, 2020. This section includes funding for CNP program operators for the purpose of covering emergency operating costs incurred during the public health emergency.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released SP 06-2021, CACFP 05-2021:Child Nutrition Program Emergency Operating Costs During COVID-19: Implementation Guidance for State Agencies. This memo includes the formula for calculating benefits.
Funds are available for sponsors who experienced a significant drop in claim reimbursement in March, April, May, and June 2020 due to the pandemic.
Calculation of Funds
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For April through June = 2019 Claim – 2020 Claim x .55%
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For March= 2019 Claim – 2020 Claim x .55%, divided by 2
Next Steps
OSPI Child Nutrition Services must submit an implementation plan to USDA for approval before funds may be issued. Calculations will be done by Child Nutrition Services and automatically issued to sponsors. No action is required by sponsors.
Please keep an eye out for future CNS Updates for more details as they become available.
Have Questions? Please email communitynutrition@k12.wa.us.
In November, OSPI requested a gap year for Administrative Reviews scheduled for FY 2020-21 to provide further technical assistance and support to Child Nutrition Program sponsors in response to Program operation changes as a result of the public health crisis.
The gap year extends the review cycle, allowing FY 2020-21 Administrative Reviews to be rescheduled for FY 2021-22. This waiver has been approved by the USDA. OSPI must continue to conduct oversight and provide technical assistance to ensure program integrity upon approval of this waiver.
Our focus will be on customer service, technical assistance, and program integrity through conducting:
- Risk-Based Approach to Technical Assistance Visits
- Group Facilitation
- Formal and Informal Trainings
- Zoom Office Hours
- Webinars
The USDA did not offer a waiver for Procurement Reviews, therefore this review will continue as planned for 20-21.
Program Specialists will contact sponsors in the coming weeks to schedule Technical Assistance Visits, Trainings, as well as Office Hours. We appreciate the dedication of each sponsor as they continue to provide the children of Washington State with nutritious meals during this unprecedented time.
Questions? Contact your Program Specialist.
OSPI Child Nutrition submitted a Monitoring Waiver request to USDA to allow flexibilities for sponsoring organizations participating in CACFP in the state of Washington.
The following monitoring requirements have been waived:
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7 CFR 226.16(d)(4)(iii) Sponsoring Organizations must review each CACFP facility three times a year.
- Waiver allows for 2 reviews to be conducted instead of 3
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7 CFR 226.16 (d)(4)(iii)(A) Two of the three reviews must be unannounced.
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Waiver allows for all visits to be announced
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7 CFR 226.16(d)(4)(iii)(B) that at least one unannounced review must include observation of a meal service.
- Waiver allows for meal observation to be conducted at one of the announced visits
Action Required
The Meal Distribution Plan (MDP) provides the state agency information about which waivers you intend to use and how you will be distributing meals.
Submit Meal Distribution Plan if you did not complete an MDP with renewal this year and at least one of the following statements now applies:
- Intend to use the Monitoring Waiver
- Intend to use any of the Nationwide Waivers
- Organization has been closed but is now reopening. Meal distribution at one or more sites will be conducted differently than it is normally and/or Nationwide Waiver(s) will be utilized.
Submit Meal Distribution Plan Update Survey if you have already submitted an MDP AND at least one of the following statements now applies:
- Intend to use the Monitoring Waiver
- Changes have been made to the current meal distribution model
- Intend to use one of the Nationwide Waivers not previously selected on the MDP or MDP Update Survey
The Monitoring Waiver approved for CACFP in Washington state is in addition to Nationwide waivers granted from USDA. For a current list of Waivers for Washington State, please check the COVID-19 Nutrition and Meals webpage.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the CACFP Updates Webinar.
During this webinar we discussed the COVID Stimulus Relief Bill, ounce equivalents requirements for the upcoming year, and program updates.
Unable to Join?
If you missed our last webinar, you can watch the recording here.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
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The USDA’s Team Nutrition initiative is excited to announce new meal pattern training slide presentations for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). These ready-to-go presentation slides may be used by State agencies, sponsoring organizations, child care centers, and others to train providers, operators, and menu planners.
The three new slide presentations include:
- Mealtimes with Toddlers in the CACFP
- Serving Vegetables in the CACFP
- Using the WIC Food Lists to Identify Grains for the CACFP
Download the slides other resources from the Team Nutrition webpage.
Please contact TeamNutrition@USDA.gov with any questions about these new resources.
The Food Buying Guide (FBG) is the essential resource for food yield information for all child nutrition programs (CNP). The FBG assists CNP operators, food manufacturers, and other stakeholders with:
- Purchasing the correct amounts of foods for child nutrition meal programs
- Determining the contribution that each food makes toward meal pattern requirements
The Food Buying Guide is available as an Interactive Web-based Tool, Mobile App, and downloadable PDF.
Learn more about the Food Buying Guide and all its features on the USDA Team Nutrition Webpages.
This week’s Curriculum Corner features the “Grow It, Try It, Like It” education kit for garden planning. Spring is the best time to consider garden planning and how to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into your center or daycare home curriculum.
Also featured is “Ounce Equivalents for Grains in the Child and Adult Care Food Program”. Starting October 1, 2021, CACFP sponsors must use ounce equivalence to measure grains. Get a head start on practicing this new requirement today!
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Using Ounce Equivalents for Grains in the Child and Adult Care Food Program
This six-page worksheet provides guidance on using ounce equivalents to measure grains in the CACFP. Available in packs of 25 copies.
Available: in print, online
Language: English | Spanish
Item #: FNS862 |
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February 15
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January Claims Due in WINS
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March 1
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December Claim 60-day Deadline - if you haven't already, submit your November Claims!
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