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Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sponsors must complete OSPI’s required training annually to continue participation in the Program.
Who Must Complete Annual Training?
- All institutions participating in the CACFP.
- All institutions planning to participate in the CACFP in Fiscal Year 2023–24 (FY24).
- At a minimum, the person responsible for oversight of the CACFP must attend. This training is intended for directors and administrators.
How Will Annual Training be Conducted for FY24?
Required—Recorded Training Modules
CACFP required training will be provided as recorded training modules in Canvas, OSPI’s new learning platform. These modules will be available to view mid-July 2023. This training is mandatory; FY24 renewal applications will not be approved until the appropriate person has attended training.
Optional—In-Person Training
“CACFP Basics to Advanced Training” is an optional training that does not fulfill Annual Training requirements. This training will be offered in person the weeks of September 11 and September 18 regionally throughout the state. There will be two learning tracks offered:
- Track 1: CACFP Basics- Intended for new staff/new sponsors
- Track 2: CACFP Advanced- Intended for experienced sponsors
Resources
Watch for upcoming CNS Updates for required training links and in-person training dates, locations, and registration information.
It is time to start the preparation for the next program year!
Dates to Remember
- July 15: FY24 WINS Applications Open
- July 15: Required Annual Training modules will be available in Canvas (OSPI’s new learning platform)
- September 1: Deadline to submit WINS Applications and Components
New for FY 24 Renewal!
Only Sponsoring Organizations (Sponsors with multiple sites) are required to submit a Budget in WINS for FY24 renewal. Independent Sponsors (Sponsors with only 1 site) and LEAs do not need to submit a budget with annual renewal.
Application Reminders
All costs, including food, require prior approval before the cost is incurred. Therefore, budget submissions for Sponsoring Organizations must be approved prior to the start of the fiscal year, no later than September 30, 2023. It may take up to 30 days to process and approve a complete application.
Sponsors may choose to submit their application for approval past the September 1 deadline but may not be approved in time to receive reimbursement for meals served during October 2023.
Required in WINS
- Update Sponsor Profile
- Sponsor Application
- Site application(s)
- Site calendar(s)
- Budget (multi-site sponsors)
- Management Plan (multi-site sponsors)
- Contract Fact Sheet if using a FSMC or Vendor
Resources
Recorded Training and Tutorials Recorded trainings will be posted on our CACFP Annual Training Moodle Course until August 30. You will need to create a free Moodle account to view this training if you do not have one already. Keep an eye out for upcoming CNS Updates for how to access these trainings starting this September.
- Renewal Bulletin—Coming Soon!
- WINS Instructions—Coming Soon!
- Renewal Checklist—Coming Soon!
Sponsors who have had a gap in CACFP operation of a year or longer must reactivate their CACFP application in addition to the renewal requirements to operate CACFP in FY24.
Questions? Please contact your CACFP Specialist.
On June 25, 2022, President Biden signed the Keep Kids Fed Act. This act provided higher per-meal reimbursement rates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and CACFP through June 30, 2023.
In CACFP, this act allowed for:
- An additional 10 cents per CACFP meal or snack served
- Tier 1 reimbursement rates for Tier II Family Day Care Home (FDCH) providers
FDCH Sponsors must ensure accurate tiering levels are being reported in WINS for all providers effective July 1, 2023.
Updated Child Nutrition Programs reimbursement rates will be released by USDA in July. These rates are effective July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024.
Questions? Please contact your CACFP Specialist.
The Department of Health and Human Services announced that the end date for the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) was May 11, 2023.
USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) issued memorandums for Child Nutrition Programs to provide guidance now that the public health emergency has ended.
- Nationwide on-site monitoring waivers expired June 10, 2023 (30 days after the end of the PHE).
- Reimbursement for Meals and Snacks Served at CACFP Emergency Shelters ended with the PHE on May 11, 2023.
For more information on Child Nutrition Memos Related to the Public Health Emergency please refer to the 2/27 CACFP Newsletter.
Fiscal Year 2023–24 (FY24) Study Month documents are now available!
Institutions participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) are required to conduct a study month annually in October. Program reimbursement for each institution is based on the income levels of the families that they serve. The study month establishes the percentages of the meals that will be paid at the free, reduced-price, and above scale rates.
*At-Risk Programs, Emergency Shelters, and ECEAP or Head Start only programs are exempt from this requirement.
Get Ready to Distribute Information!
In preparation for the October study month, please print and have Enrollment and Income Eligibility Applications (EIEAs), Enrollment Forms, and Sample Income Eligibility Parent Letters ready for distribution.
Our Child Nutrition Contacts page has been updated! You will be able to find the phone number and email address of your assigned CACFP Specialist here.
Important: King County Sponsors should email the CACFP Team inbox or call the Olympia office at 360-725-6200 with questions or if assistance is needed.
Not sure who your Region Specialist is?
OSPI CACFP Specialists are listed on your profile page in WINS.
- Log in to WINS.
- Select the "Go to Sponsor Profile" button, you will be directed to your profile page.
- View your specialist information under the "Programs" section.
Join the CACFP Team!
Do you believe in the power of good nutrition? Are you interested in assisting school districts and other institutions in providing children with healthy and nutritious meals? CNS is seeking skilled candidates for several positions. Does this sound like you? Apply to join the CNS team today!
Current Recruitment
Administrative Program Specialist (In Training) Candidate Pool- Recruitment is ongoing. Looking to fill positions in both Western & Eastern Washington.
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Each month, your regional staff will be holding office hours. Specialists will start office hours by providing important CACFP updates and reminders. During the remainder of the session, specialists will provide technical assistance and training around specific CACFP topics. If a specialist outside of your region is hosting office hours with a topic of interest to you, please feel free to join! |
Upcoming July Office Hours Schedule
Specialist: Molly Gleason, Region 4
Topic: Renewal
Date: 7/16/2023 Time: 1:30 pm Click here to join the meeting
Specialist: Teresa Diaz, Region 1
Topic: Renewal
Date: 7/17/2023 Time: 2:00 pm Click here to join the meeting
Specialist: Tina Bischoff, Region 8
Topic: Whole Grain-Rich
Date: 7/17/2023 Time: 4:00 pm Click here to join the meeting
Specialist: Sandra Goodman, Region 5
Topic: Required Staff Training
Date: 7/20/2023 Time: 10:00 am Click here to join the meeting
Specialist: Jeannette Green, Region 3
Topic: Renewal
Date: 7/21/2023 Time: 12:30 pm Click here to join the meeting
Specialist: Samantha Evans, Region 2
Topic: Renewal
Date: 7/25/2023 Time: 2:00 pm Click here to join the meeting
Let’s see how much you know about Child Nutrition (CN) labels with Team Nutrition’s latest web quiz!
The Child Nutrition Label Quiz helps operators identify products that may need a CN label and understand the requirements for accepting CN labeled products. The quiz consists of 10 self-paced questions that provide feedback for correct and incorrect answers. The user can retake the quiz and retry the questions as many times as desired. This quiz was created to support information found in the CN Labeling Program and Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs.
Looking for more resources?
The complete web quiz collection is available on the USDA Team Nutrition Quizzes webpage. Upon completion of each 10-question quiz, quiz takers receive a score along with a link to resources that can help expand their knowledge on the topic and build their nutrition skills.
The quizzes are also available as widgets, so they can be easily embedded and displayed on other webpages to support training.
Crediting Grains in the Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheets provide guidance on crediting grains in a quick reference format across all Child Nutrition Programs and are broken down into three topics:
- Part 1: Creditable Grains in Child Nutrition Programs
- Part 2: Identifying Grain Products that are Whole Grain-Rich
- Part 3: Program Requirements
Check out the first four tip sheets in the series (Crediting Fruits, Crediting Vegetables, Crediting Meats/Meat Alternates, and Crediting Fluid Milk) on the Crediting Tip Sheets in Child Nutrition Programs webpage.
The entire tip sheet series will be available for print at a later date. Stay tuned!
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Cherries are available in Washington from early June through August.
Did You Know? Washington is the top sweet cherry producer in the country and second in the world. The majority of Washington’s cherries are grown east of the Cascades.
There are two main types of cherries grown in Washington: sweet and tart. Rainiers are yellow cherries with a red blush. Bing cherries are dark red sweet cherries that ripen mid-season. Tart cherries have a ruby red color and a distinctive sweet-sour taste.
Nutrition Information
- Cherries contain vitamin C, beta-carotene, polyphenols, potassium, manganese, and copper.
- Cherries have anthocyanins which are high in antioxidants.
- Cherries are a source of melatonin.
Selection and Storage
- Select firm, plump, bright, and glossy cherries; avoid cherries that are soft, dull, seeping, or shriveled.
- Cherries are highly perishable, so refrigerate them as soon as possible for up to 10 days.
- Place cherries loosely in a shallow container so that air can circulate.
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Recipes
Educational Resources
For more ideas about what items you could feature as a Harvest of the Month, visit WSDA’s Washington Grown Food & Recipe Kit and USDA’s Seasonal Produce Guide.
Looking to increase the amount of locally sourced food served in your meal program?
The WSDA Farm to School Purchasing Grant provides funding for child care centers participating in CACFP to purchase Washington Grown foods from November 2023– June 2025.
The application will open this August, please visit the Farm to School Grant webpage.
This six-part webinar series will delve deep into the significance of culture as it relates to food, gardens, and the diverse populations that you may work with. Join Kidgardening.org as they explore ways to celebrate and center culture through garden-based learning.
KidsGardening.org’s Culturally Inclusive Teaching in the Garden Webinar Series
The webinars include:
- Part 1: Principles of Culturally Responsive Garden Education: Honoring Diversity Inclusion
- Part 2: Honoring Native American, Hawaiian, and Alaska Native Culture in Youth Gardens
- Part 3: Celebrating African American and Black Culture in Youth Gardens
- Part 4: Fostering Hispanic, Latinx and Spanish Origin Culture in Youth Gardens
- Part 5: Nurturing Middle Eastern and North African Culture in Youth Gardens
- Part 6: Featuring Asian and Asian American Culture in Youth Gardens
Using the Nutrition Facts Label in CACFP
USDA's Team Nutrition provides training and tools to help you provide delicious and nutritious meals to children!
The Using the Nutrition Facts Label in the CACFP resource:
- Shows how to read nutrition facts labels
- Describes the difference between the original label and the updated food label
- Highlights the importance of each component of the Nutrition Facts Label
- Try it out! Section can be used to test your knowledge
Download this resource in English or in Spanish today!
For more resources that you can download and print or order at no cost to you, visit the Team Nutrition Resources for Child Care webpage.
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FoodKeeper App
Developed by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to:
- Assist tracking of food items to identify when items are their freshest
- Provides a timeline for when foods should be consumed, depending on storage methods
- Browse a list of foods or search for specific items
The FoodKeeper App is available for both Android and Apple devices. Download today!
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