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Resource | Policy Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA); Interpretation of “Federal Public Benefit”

This notice sets forth the interpretation that the U.S. Department of Agriculture uses for the term “Federal public benefit” as used in Title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. In doing so, this notice supersedes any prior interpretation in any notice or other document issued by any USDA agency. This notice also describes and preliminarily identifies the USDA programs that provide “Federal public benefits” within the scope of PRWORA.

07/10/2025
Resource | Policy Using Federal Funds to Purchase Local Foods

The purpose of this memorandum is to remind schools, sponsors, and institutions participating in any USDA Child Nutrition Program, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Special Milk Program for Children , Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and the Seamless Summer Option , of the many ways they can purchase local foods to serve in program meals.

05/06/2025
Resource | Policy Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program: Allocation of Funds for FY 2024

This memorandum provides the total funding amount available to FNS to distribute to state agencies, which is $252.6 million for FY 2024. This includes $219.6 million in new funds available under Section 19 of the National School Lunch Act, which is the prior year base amount adjusted for inflation, and an additional $33 million in unexpired carryover funds from previous years.

05/31/2023
Resource | Policy Oversight and Monitoring of the School Meals Programs- Information Regarding Onsite and Offsite Strategies and Options

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance regarding onsite and offsite strategies and options for oversight and monitoring of the school meal programs.

04/06/2023
Resource | Forms Federal-State Agreement Child Nutrition and Food Distribution Programs

This agreement sets out the requirements for administering the child nutrition programs and the food distribution programs.

07/14/2022
Resource | Policy Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program: Allocation of Funds for FY 2023

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide funding allocation amounts for all state agencies for FY 2023; to provide information on funding requirements and deadlines; and to serve as a reminder of important program requirements.

06/23/2022
Resource | Policy Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program: Allocation of Funds for FY 2022

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide funding allocation amounts for all state agencies for FY 2022; to provide information on funding requirements and deadlines; and to serve as a reminder of important program requirements.

06/01/2021
Resource | Research and Data | Assessing/Improving Operations Assessment of the Administrative Review Process in School Meal Programs

The Administrative Review is the process state agencies use to assess compliance with federal requirements of SFAs participating in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. This study assesses the AR process by examining the results from a purposive sample of ARs. The study also describes in-depth how nine selected state agencies conduct their ARs, and ways the process could be further improved.

08/25/2020
Resource | Guidance Documents Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Allocation of Funds for FY 2021

This memorandum provides the total funding amount available to FNS to distribute to state agencies, which is $202.9 million for FY 2021.

08/18/2020
Resource | Guidance Documents FY 2020 Reallocation of SAE Funds in Child Nutrition Programs

This memorandum provides the information needed to conduct the FY 2020 reallocation of SAE funds.

04/01/2020
Page updated: June 02, 2026