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Basic page Report Series - WIC & FMNP Modernization Evaluation

The WIC and FMNP Modernization Evaluation provides a comprehensive look at how we are working with WIC state agencies, local agencies, and other partners to modernize WIC and the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program. 

04/21/2025
Resource | Research and Data Child Nutrition Program Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic - July 2021 through September 2022

This data collection fulfills states' reporting requirements and describes trends in program participation during the COVID-19 pandemic from July 2021 through September 2022. It is part of an ongoing study series examining child nutrition program operations, repurposed to collect waiver usage and trends in program participation and operations during the pandemic.

03/18/2025
Resource | Research and Data Erroneous Payments In Childcare Centers Study (EPICCS)

The Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 requires federal agencies, like FNS, to give Congress information about payment errors for federal programs, like CACFP. FNS planned this study to estimate payment errors in CACFP child care centers. However, after completing the study, FNS found an error in the method used to estimate nationwide findings from the study data. Because of the error, FNS is not publishing the full study, and will instead present key findings that relate to broad trends instead of specific estimates.

01/14/2025
Resource | Research and Data Feasibility Study: Calculating Meal Claiming Error in Family Day Care Homes That Participate in CACFP Using State Monitoring Review Data

We explored the feasibility of using existing data from state monitoring reviews – a process designed to assess operations and provide real-time technical assistance to family day care homes operating CACFP – to estimate the rate of improper payments in those operations. This study found that flexibility in these reviews and the information they report across states, while beneficial for their main purpose, made the resulting data unusable for estimating a national improper payment rate.

01/14/2025
Resource | Research and Data | Assessing/Improving Operations Direct Certification in the National School Lunch Program Report to Congress: State Implementation Progress, SY 2015-16 and 2016-17

This report responds to the requirement of PL 110-246 to assess the effectiveness of state and local efforts to directly certify children for free school meals.

11/07/2018
Resource | Research and Data | General/Other CACFP Sponsor and Provider Characteristics Study

The CACFP Sponsor and Provider Characteristics Study is focused on the child care component of the CACFP, which provides federal funds for meals and snacks served to children in public or private child care centers, Head Start programs, outside-school-hours care centers, afterschool care programs, emergency shelters, and day care homes. The study also covered centers that participate in the At-Risk Afterschool (At-Risk) component, which provides meals to children and youth through age 18.

08/28/2018
Resource | Research and Data | General/Other Evaluation of Pilot Project for Procurement of Unprocessed Fruits and Vegetables

Authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, the USDA Pilot Project for Procurement of Unprocessed Fruits and Vegetables was designed to provide states with additional flexibility in the procurement of unprocessed fruits and vegetables. Participating states and school food authorities can purchase approved items with existing USDA Foods National School Lunch Program entitlement funds from any USDA Pilot-authorized vendor in support of the school meal standards.

03/30/2018
Resource | Research and Data | Food Security Evaluation of Demonstration Projects to End Childhood Hunger (EDECH): Final Interim Evaluation Report

This study—authorized by the 2010 Child Nutrition Act—tests innovative strategies to end childhood hunger and food insecurity. 

02/08/2018
Resource | Research and Data | Demonstrations Evaluation of Demonstration Projects to End Childhood Hunger

The 2010 Child Nutrition reauthorization provided funding to test innovative strategies to end childhood hunger and food insecurity. 

02/08/2018
Resource | Research and Data | Payment Accuracy and Program Integrity CACFP Assessment of Sponsor Tiering Determinations

The Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 requires all federal agencies to calculate the amount of erroneous payments in federal programs and to periodically conduct detailed assessments of vulnerable program components. This program assessment of the Family Day Care Home component of USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program provides a national estimate of the share of CACFP family day care homes that are in the wrong reimbursement tier. 

12/19/2006
Page updated: May 22, 2025