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Applications are due by Sunday, September 1, 2024.
Use the "Preparing to Complete Renewal Applications Checklist" to ensure you have all the required materials ready!
Application Reminders
- Only Sponsoring Organizations (Sponsors with multiple sites) are required to submit a Budget in WINS for FY25 renewal. Independent Sponsors (Sponsors with only 1 site) and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) do not need to submit a budget with annual renewal.
- 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, 2024. 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 2024.
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 (for sponsors using a Food Service Management Company (FSMC) or has vendor agreements)
Resources
Recorded Trainings and Tutorials are posted in Canvas.
- CACFP Renewal in WINS Recorded Training
- Recorded Tutorials for each renewal component
WINS Information Sheets are located in WINS. To locate these resources, log into your profile and select the “Info” tab, then click on the “WINS Documentation and Job Aids” option. Information Sheets that may help you with renewal include:
- Completing Sponsor Applications
- Updating Sponsor Contacts In WINS
- Completing Site Applications
- Entering Management Plans
- Entering Site Calendars
- Entering Study Months
- Submitting Budgets
- FDCH Carry Over
- Completing Contract Fact Sheets in WINS
Sponsors who have had a gap in CACFP operation of a year or longer must reactivate their CACFP application. This is in addition to the renewal requirements to operate in FY25.
Questions? Please contact your CACFP Specialist!
Budget submission is only required for sponsors of multiple sites.
Sponsors who are required to submit a budget with their FY25 renewal are invited to attend a CACFP Budget Office Hours. Office hours provide an opportunity for sponsors to ask general budget related questions.
There is no need to register, sponsors are encouraged to “drop-in” as needed.
ZOOM link for all Office Hours
Budget Renewal Office Hours
- Friday, August 23, 9–10 am
- Monday, August 27, 3:30–4:30 pm
- Thursday, August 29, 12:30–1:30 pm
- Friday, August 30, 8:30–10:00 am
Do you have budget questions or need support? Please email Samantha Evans, CACFP Budget Specialist.
Family Day Care Home Sponsors and Sponsors of Unaffiliated Centers are invited to attend OSPI’s “Oversight at Unaffiliated Sites” in-person training. This training is intended for Sponsor staff with administrative duties and staff with monitoring responsibilities.
Topics Reviewed During this Training:
- Financial Management
- Recordkeeping
- Claims Processing Best Practices
- Civil Rights
- Corrective Action Plans
- Monitoring/Oversight
- Management Plans
- Outreach
- Onboarding
Training Date: Tuesday, September 24, 2024 | 9–3:30pm
Location: Hotel Windrow, 502 N Main St, Ellensburg, WA
Register Today!
This training is optional, but it is highly recommended that all Sponsors of unaffiliated facilities attend.
On July 2, 2024, a final rule amended USDA regulations 7 CFR Part 16; related to equal opportunity for faith-based organizations to operate and religious protections for program participants. As part of this amendment, sponsors are required to provide written notice to beneficiaries with the following information:
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Freedom from Discrimination: Beneficiaries have the right to be free from discrimination based on religion.
- Reporting Violations: Beneficiaries should know how to report any violations of these regulatory protections.
- Other Service Providers: Beneficiaries can obtain information about other federally funded service providers in their area.
This requirement is in addition to posting the "And Justice for All" poster.
USDA has provided a template that can be used for this requirement.
Please use one or more of the methods below to notify participants:
- post a written notice at the service location (e.g., schools, childcare centers, community organization sites); or,
- post a written notice on the local program operator website; or,
- provide flyers or handouts at food distribution sites (e.g., congregate meal sites, non-congregate meal pick up locations, etc.); or,
- add the written notification to the program application.
This should be implemented upon notification of the rule change.
Power Up Your Program is a new opportunity designed to bring Child Nutrition Program peers together to network, learn together, and take action on similar goals over the school year.
If you serve school-age children through the CACFP At-Risk Afterschool Meals Program, you are eligible to register now!
Two action-focused pathways are available for 2024–2025:
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Nutrition education to power up healthier choices
- Culturally inclusive meals, menus, and nutrition education
Each pathway begins in October 2024 and will support successful local actions through:
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Online training—completed at your convenience
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Peer-to-peer connections and monthly networking calls
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Support from community partners
- One-on-one support from the OSPI Training Team
We’ll start by identifying opportunities and teaming up with partners. From that, you will choose which actions to take and learn how to sustain and build on your efforts. Along the way, there will be opportunities for local, statewide, and national recognition of your efforts. Join us to Power Up your program!
Ready to Register? Please complete the registration form to enroll. *Note: Each pathway is limited to 25 participants. We encourage you to register early.
Power Up Your Program is funded using U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Team Nutrition grant funds. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
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.
*Please note, a new EIEA has been created for FY 25! Use the most current version of the EIEA posted on our website at the time of enrollment. As EIEAs expire during the year, be sure to provide families with the most current version of our form to complete. New Enrollment Forms and Adult Care EIEAs were not created for FY 25.
Visit the 'Study Month' dropdown on the CACFP Requirements and Materials webpage for these study month documents, Attendance Rosters, Study Month Tips sheet, and recorded Study Month training.
Please take this short survey to let us know if you have new staff that play a CACFP administrative role within your organization. These roles may include:
- Menu Planning
- Claim Submission
- Staff Training
- Monitoring & Program Oversight
- Recordkeeping
- Conducting the Study Month
- Ensuring Civil Rights Compliance
- Financial Management
Recognizing Sponsors with new administrative staff allows us to provide supplementary technical assistance and support. Additionally, this will help us identify new staff who are required to take the “CACFP Annual Sponsor Training for Centers”. This recorded training takes a deep dive into CACFP basics to ensure Program success!
Submit additional surveys for each new staff member.
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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 Attend Annual Training?
- All institutions participating in the CACFP.
- All institutions planning to participate in the CACFP in Fiscal Year 2024–25 (FY25).
- 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 FY25?
All Required annual trainings may be accessed virtually through our Canvas training platform. View the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Training Checklist to see which trainings are required for your Sponsor type and the participants you serve. You will need to create a free account to access these trainings. If you do not have a Canvas account, please create an account and join the course using this link.
- Annual Updates Training
- Procurement Training
- Civil Rights Training
- CACFP in ECEAP & HeadStart—Required for ECEAP/HS grantees only
- CACFP Annual Sponsor Training for Centers— Required for new Program Administrators
*Please note, additional training may be required for School District or LEA Sponsors operating CACFP. Please review the FY25 Training Checklist for details.
Operation of the CACFP is not transferable between businesses when ownership changes occur. Reimbursement to the previous owner will not be granted after the date of the ownership change.
The new owners must start the CACFP application process to become a CACFP Sponsor with the new:
- Business name
- Tax ID number
- Statewide Payee Number
The application process may take up to three months or longer. During this time, claims may not be submitted for reimbursement by the new or previous program sponsor. New CACFP sponsors may begin claiming meals for reimbursement once the Child Nutrition Programs Unified Permanent Agreement has been signed by both OSPI and the CACFP Sponsor.
If your business is anticipating an ownership change, notify your specialist as soon as possible. Your CACFP specialist will assist you and the new business owner through this transition.
Breastfeeding month is a great time to share breastfeeding resources USDA has created specifically for CACFP Sponsors.
Breastfed Babies Welcome Here: The Mother’s Guide shares information on where and how mothers can find support when getting ready to breastfeed, as well as after the baby arrives. A sample handout that families can use to share information with their childcare provider about their baby’s usual eating habits is also included within the guide.
Availability: All are welcome to download these materials and make copies.
Ordering: Print copies* of the guide are available in English. Child nutrition program operators may request printed copies of this resource, while supplies last.
*The original version of this publication is available in print, which includes different breastmilk storage guidelines for childcare sites.
https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/breastfed-babies-welcome-here
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The Breastfed Babies Welcome Here! poster and message graphic help Child and Adult Care Food Program providers show their support for breastfeeding and breastfed babies. The poster measures 11 inches by 17 inches. The message graphic can be downloaded and is also available as a clear 4 inch by 4 inch removable sticker that can be placed in high visibility areas at the child care site. |
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Availability: All are welcome to download and make copies. Print copies are available in English to Child nutrition program operators while supplies last. |
Harvest of the Summer
To support sponsors in integrating local foods into your meals, OSPI is excited to feature Harvest of the Summer resource sheets. Each week for the month of July and August we will highlight one local food that will be in season. The resource sheets will include fun facts, nutritional information, selection and storage tips, recipe ideas, and educational resources/activities.
For September, we are featuring Pluots. You can find these, and future Harvest of the Summer resource sheets on our Farm to CACFP webpage.
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