Skip to main content
Resource | Policy Modifying the FNS Instruction 113-1: Civil Rights Compliance and Enforcement - Nutrition Programs and Activities

This memorandum seeks to ensure that current Food and Nutrition Service guidance pertaining to federal civil rights and nondiscrimination obligations remains aligned with applicable laws, regulations, executive orders and directives relevant to the agency’s 16 nutrition assistance programs.

03/03/2026
Resource | Policy Q&As Related to CACFP 11-2021, SFSP 07-2021 Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data by Visual Observation and Identification in the CACFP and SFSP – Policy Rescission – Set 2

This guidance is intended to assist state agencies and program operators of the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program in meeting the longstanding federal requirement to collect race and ethnicity data of program participants.

08/28/2024
Resource | Policy Notice to Beneficiaries and Prospective Beneficiaries

USDA and eight other federal agencies recently published a final rule entitled, Partnerships With Faith-Based and Neighborhood Organizations at 89 FR 15671 (final rule). The final rule amended USDA regulations at 7 CFR part 16 related to equal opportunity for faith-based organizations that operate USDA programs and religious protections for USDA program beneficiaries.

07/01/2024
Resource | Guidance Documents Summer Food Service Program Memoranda Rescission: SFSP 01-2007 and SFSP 06-2015

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance for state agencies and program operators on the status of nationwide waivers of statutory and regulatory requirements in the Summer Food Service Program.

05/24/2018
Resource | Guidance Documents Area Eligibility in Child Nutrition Programs

The purpose of this memorandum is to revise guidance on the use of school and census data to establish area eligibility in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the At-Risk Afterschool component of CACFP, the Summer Food Service Program, and the Seamless Summer Option of the National School Lunch Program.

12/01/2016
Resource | Guidance Documents Categorical Eligibility in the Summer Food Service Program

Parts of this memorandum have been rescinded by SFSP01-2019: Summer Food Service Program Memoranda Rescission, Oct. 11, 2018. Rescinded policy has been struck through.

12/08/2014
Resource | Guidance Documents Disaster Response

This memorandum supersedes SP 25-2012, CACFP 12-2012, SFSP 10-2012, Disaster Response and provides an overview of ways state agencies, school food authorities participating can respond to situations resulting from damage or disruptions due to natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and flood as well as other exceptional emergency situations or man-made disasters. Allows state agencies to designate any appropriate facility, which is providing meals to displaced families who are being temporarily housed elsewhere, as a CACFP emergency shelter during a natural disaster or other emergency situation.

05/19/2014
Resource | Guidance Documents Effective Date of Free or Reduced Price Meal Eligibility Determinations

This memorandum clarifies the flexibility available to local educational agency officials for establishing the effective date of eligibility for children certified for free or reduced price meals in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and free milk in the Special Milk Program based on household applications.

12/03/2013
Resource | Guidance Documents Q&As Regarding the Participation of Head Start Programs in Child Nutrition Programs

The purpose of this memorandum is to consolidate our policy regarding the participation of Head Start Programs in the child nutrition programs. For more information about the Head Start Program and Early Head Start Program.

05/17/2013
Resource | Guidance Documents Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications – Requests for Additional Information

This memorandum responds to questions received from regional offices, state agencies and local educational agencies (LEAs) regarding applications for free and reduced price school meals that request the applicant to provide information that is not required for a student’s certification of eligibility for child nutrition programs.

09/30/2011
Page updated: October 14, 2021