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To support school nutrition and child & adult care professionals efforts to connect children and adults with nutritious meals throughout the (COVID-19) pandemic, the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) established nationwide waivers to streamline access, enhance program flexibility, and reduce administrative burden for School Year 2021–22 (SY 21–22) and Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22).
Completing the Meal Distribution Plan and Waiver Request Survey
The CACFP Meal Distribution Plan & Waiver Request Survey (MDP) is for program operations between July 1, 2021, and September 30, 2022. Use this Checklist prior to beginning the survey. If you exit the survey before it is submitted, your progress will be lost.
The MDP must be submitted for the following flexibilities:
- Grab-and-Go Meal Service
- Off-site Monitoring
- Meal Pattern Flexibilities
- Area Eligibility for Family Day Care Home Providers
Requests for Area Eligibility for At-Risk Afterschool Care Programs must be submitted in WINS and do not need to be submitted in the MDP.
More MDP Information
- Your MDP must be submitted and approved prior to utilizing available waivers granted by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Approval may be made retroactive in emergency circumstances when prior approval cannot be made.
- FNS expects schools and child care providers to use the flexibilities for only the duration and extend that they are needed.
- Waiver use will be approved on a case-by-case basis and only for a limited duration of time.
- Once you complete the MDP you will be sent an email confirmation of submission.
- Your Program Specialist will contact you regarding approval status of your organization's plan and waiver request(s).
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To request use of additional waivers or extensions for approved waivers, program operators should notify their Program Specialist and submit an additional MDP for approval.
Reference Sheets, FAQ's, and Other Resources
Questions? Please contact your CACFP Specialist.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a Federal Register Notice, Identifying Barriers in USDA Programs and Services; Advancing Racial Justice and Equity and Support for Underserved Communities at USDA.
USDA seeks to identify opportunities in current USDA policies, regulations, and guidance to address systemic inequities. The 30-day Notice will be available for public input until July 15, 2021.
Submit your comments regarding:
- How USDA can advance racial justice and equity for underserved communities
- How people of color and underserved communities and individuals may face in obtaining information from USDA.
- This includes accessing, enrolling, and participating in USDA programs and services, and engaging with USDA staff.
- How to best engage external stakeholders and community members representing marginalized, vulnerable, or underserved communities in order to increase participation in USDA programs, services, committees and decision-making processes.
In the months ahead, USDA will establish a Racial Equity Commission. The Racial Equity Commission will focus specifically on addressing systemic impediments to equity in USDA programs. USDA is asking for comments on any and all interactions with USDA programs. All comments will be aggregated, summarized, and shared with USDA Leadership and the Racial Equity Commission.
Questions? Please reach out to kelly.blondin@usda.gov.
Did you miss lasts weeks Lunch N Learn about Whole Grain-Rich & Corn Products in the CACFP? And you still are searching for a few “kernels” of knowledge? Don’t worry, we got you covered!
Besides watching the recorded version, you can “pop over” to our website and download some recently updated Reference Sheets around serving grains in the CACFP.
Did You Miss a Previous Lunch 'N Learn? Watch the Recording Now!
FY22 CACFP Annual Updates Webinar
If you were unable to attend the live Annual Updates webinar for Child Care, At-Risk Community, and Family Day Care Home Sponsors, you can view the recorded trainings to meet your annual training requirements. We anticipate recordings will be posted to the CACFP Annual Training Moodle by July 15, 2021
How Do You Get Your Certificate? When Can You Complete Your Training?
This year's annual training has three required components. CACFP sponsors must certify completion of all training requirements when submitting their Washington Integrated Nutrition System (WINS) sponsor application. Training requirements include:
1. Watch Required Trainings
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Ounce Equivalents (Oz. Eq.) 101 Training
- This training is geared toward staff who prepare meals and create menus for the organization. This may be a different staff member than the administrator or director.
- View our Intro to Ounce Equivalents for Grains in the CACFP recording for more information on who should attend this session.
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FY22 CACFP Annual Updates Webinar- This training is geared toward organization administrators or directors.
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Child Care, At-Risk Community, and Family Day Care Home Sponsors
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Adult Care Center Sponsors
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At-Risk School District Sponsors
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Annual Civil Rights Training- This training meets Annual Training requirements for sponsor directors and administrators and reviews the required components for Sponsors to train their staff.
2. Complete Moodle Requirements and Obtain Your Certificates
Sponsor staff must complete all required trainings. All recordings will be posted to Moodle by July 15.
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Create a Moodle Account if you do not have one already.
- Go to the Child or Adult Care CACFP Annual Training Moodle and select ‘Self Enroll’ at the bottom of the page.
- Review all required trainings.
- Complete the Annual Training and Ounce Equivalents quizzes with a passing score of at least 80%.
- The Annual Training quiz will be available by July 15, once the Annual Training webinar and the Civil Rights recordings are available.
- The Ounce Equivalents and Annual Training quizzes are separate since they are geared toward different audiences.
- Eq. 101 training is geared toward staff who prepare meals and create menus for the organization. This may be a different staff member than organization administrators or directors.
- The Annual Updates quiz and webinar are geared toward sponsor administrators or directors.
- OSPI CNS will provide certificates for completing FY22 Annual Training requirements.
- You may download and print your certificates. Retain this documentation for your records.
- We will not ask for a copy of your certificate during renewal but may ask for it during administrative reviews.
- The person completing the FY22 CACFP sponsor application will certify sponsor staff completed all required annual training in the Washington Integrated Nutrition System (WINS) Sponsor Application.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
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Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) adult care center and child care center sponsors (except emergency shelters and at-risk only programs) are required to collect enrollment and income information from families annually. This information is used to complete a study month and determine the claiming percentages for meal reimbursements.
Information and other forms found on the CACFP Study Month and Eligibility webpage reflect changes to income guidelines and program regulations. Income guidelines are effective July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022. Updated forms and information are available in both English and Spanish.
For a review of how to complete a study month, please review our recorded training on the CACFP Training webpage, under the 'Study Month' dropdown.
Completing a Study Month for FY 2022
- Complete a study month between July 1 and October 31, 2021.
- Begin no earlier than July 1, 2021.
- Use one calendar month or 30 consecutive days.
- Enter results of the FY 2022 study month prior to entering October 2021 claims, using 10/1/2021 as the “Effective Date”.
- Maintain supporting documentation.
Schools Sponsoring the CACFP
Schools sponsoring the CACFP and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) may use NSLP free and reduced-price meal applications instead of the CACFP form. Schools are still required to collect enrollment forms from families. A sample enrollment form is located on the CACFP Study Month and Eligibility webpage.
Questions? Please contact your program specialist.
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Program renewal application deadline for Federal Fiscal Year 2021–22 (FY22) is now September 1, 2021.
This change is to better meet United Sates Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations and will help OSPI Child Nutrition Services maintain compliance surrounding sponsor oversight.
There will be changes to how sponsor budgets must be completed and how administrative costs are tracked. All costs, including food, require prior approval before the cost is incurred. Therefore, budget submissions must be approved prior to the start of the new fiscal year (no later than September 30, 2021).
What does this mean for CACFP sponsors?
- Renewal applications are due by September 1, 2021.
- WINS will open for renewals on July 7, 2021.
- This allows time to complete and submit all sections of the renewal application prior to the deadline.
- CACFP Annual Training
- Meal Distribution Plan and Waiver Request Survey for SY 21-22, FY 22 will go live July 1, 2021.
OSPI Child Nutrition will support this transition by providing:
- Training and Technical Assistance.
- Information and resource materials for the renewal process.
- Reminders of renewal due dates via CACFP Newsletters, OSPI Annual Training and the CACFP webpages.
Renewal resources will be released in the coming weeks. Use the CACFP Hot Topic: The Specialist Insider’s Guide to Excelling at Your CACFP Renewal article for tips on completing your renewal!
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
CACFP specialists are hosting office hours in the coming months. These meetings may be conducted as facilitated discussions highlighting several topic areas, or as a platform for Questions & Answers and open dialogue.
Office hours are meant to be a safe space to learn more about CACFP operations from discussion topics or from the questions other sponsors bring forward. You are welcome to bring your questions or just plan to listen in.
Register to attend an upcoming session!
- Kendra Vandree – Open Q and A
July 13, 2–3 pm
- Tina Bischoff – Open Q and A
July 13, 2:30–4:30 pm
- Molly Gleason – Open Q and A
July 15, 12:30–1:30 pm
- Jessica Condron – Open Q and A
July 19, 10–11 am
- Megan Harlan – Open Q and A
July 19, 1–2 pm
- Terri Adolfson – Study Month
July 19, 2:00–3:30 pm
- Jeannette Green – Open Q and A
July 20, 1–2 pm
- Nicki Christoferson – Open Q and A
July 30, 2:30–3:30 pm
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June 29
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April Claim 60-day Deadline - if you haven't already, submit your claim!
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July 7
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FY22 Renewal opens in WINS.
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July 15
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FY22 CACFP annual required training posted in the CACFP Annual Training Moodle Course
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July 15
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June Claim Due in WINS!
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September 1
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FY22 Renewal applications due in WINS - Make sure your training requirements are complete!
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