Skip to main content
Resource | Federal Register Notices Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines (2026 - 2027)

This notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced-price meals, free milk, and Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer benefits for the period from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

04/09/2026
Resource | Policy Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines (2025-2026)

This notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals, free milk, and Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer benefits for the period from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. 

03/13/2025
Resource | Federal Register Notices Child Nutrition Programs Income Eligibility Guidelines (2020-2021)

This notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals and free milk for the period from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021.

03/20/2020
Resource | Policy Child Nutrition Programs Income Eligibility Guidelines (2019-2020)

This notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals and free milk for the period from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020.

03/20/2019
Resource | Guidance Documents Exclusion of Military Combat Pay

This supersedes the Jan. 7, 2010, version of the policy memo, Exclusion of Military Combat Pay. In addition to combat pay and other income received by deployed service members, this memorandum addresses Deployment Extension Incentive Pay.

09/15/2010
Resource | Policy Modifications to the list of USDA-Approved Nutrient Analysis Software

This memorandum is to inform you of a recent change to the list of USDA-approved Nutrient Standard Menu Planning and School Meals Initiative nutrient analysis software programs available to state agencies, school food authorities and local schools to meet SMI requirements.

08/10/2009
Resource | Policy Sharing Income Eligibility Information between Child Nutrition Programs

The purpose of this memo is to highlight previously issued guidance on the disclosure of eligibility information between child nutrition programs, and to offer clarification on the application of this policy.

 

02/15/2008
Resource | Guidance Documents U.S. Armed Forces Family Supplemental Subsistence Allowance – Permanently Excluded from Income Consideration for the Child Nutrition Programs

PL 109-163 made the Department of Defense’s Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance  permanently available.

08/25/2006
Resource | Guidance Documents Treatment of Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance and National Flood Insurance Program payments in Income Eligibility Determinations for FNS Programs

This memorandum provides guidance to state administrators in making household eligibility determinations in all nutrition assistance programs administered by FNS.

10/29/2005
Resource | Guidance Documents Military Families and Eligibility in the Child Nutrition Programs

We have recently received questions regarding the child nutrition policy on the treatment of income from deployed military personnel engaged in long-term military campaigns overseas.

01/07/2005
Page updated: October 14, 2021