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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 The Emergency Food Assistance Program - Income Eligibility Guidelines for 2026

This TEFAP program guidance memorandum transmits the 2026 income guidelines for state agencies and tribes in determining the eligibility of individuals applying to participate in TEFAP.

02/10/2026
Resource | Guidance Documents FY 2026 Food and Administrative Funding for TEFAP

Fiscal year 2026 food and administrative funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program.

02/05/2026
Resource | Guidance Documents TEFAP – State Plan Requests and Allocations for FY 26 Farm to Food Bank Projects

This memorandum announces the availability of $8 million for TEFAP Farm to Food Bank projects in fiscal year 2026 and provides guidance to TEFAP state agencies on how to submit TEFAP state plan amendments to implement FY 2026 projects.

01/08/2026
Resource | Guidance Documents Provision 2 Guidance National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs

Provision 2 requires that the school serve meals to participating children at no charge but reduces application burdens to once every 4 years and simplifies meal counting and claiming procedures by allowing a school to receive meal reimbursement based on claiming percentages.

08/14/2002
Resource | Policy FNS Instruction 716-3 Rev. 1: TEFAP - Administrative Costs

This funding guidance establishes policy for charging allowable costs associated with the administration of TEFAP, and for assigning such costs to states and eligible recipient agencies (ERAs).  Such classification of costs is necessary in order to demonstrate compliance with the statutory and regulatory requirements described in section II, of this document.

08/09/2002
Resource | Policy Updated Guidance for Homeless Children in the School Nutrition Programs

Please advise your state agencies that a January 2002 amendment to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act clarified the definition of homeless children and youth. Another provision of the statute requires each school district to designate a local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youths. 

04/04/2002
Resource | Policy 21st Century Community Learning Centers

The No Child Left Behind Act contains a number of changes that affect the Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers. This memo contains those changes that are pertinent to the child nutrition programs.

04/03/2002
Resource | Guidance Documents School Meal Applications and Direct Certification During the Operation of Provision 2 and 3

We have received several inquiries regarding the collection of eligibility information during a Provision 2 or Provision 3 cycle.

12/12/2000
Resource | Guidance Documents Categorical Eligibility of Pre-Kindergarten Even Start Participants for Free Meal Benefits

This memorandum extends this categorical eligibility provision to the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Special Milk Program for Children, and closed enrolled sites in the Summer Food Service Program.

04/04/2000
Page updated: October 14, 2021