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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 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
Basic page Area Eligibility Mapper for CACFP and Summer Meals

This map displays census data and can be used for tiering of participating CACFP day care homes and eligibility of SFSP summer sites.

10/03/2024
Resource | Federal Register Notices Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines (2024-2025)

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, 2024 through June 30, 2025. 

02/20/2024
Basic page Income Eligibility Guidelines

The Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines (IEGs), are used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals or free milk.

02/09/2023
Basic page About Area Eligibility

The Richard B Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) allows the use of school data to establish area eligibility in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program. The NSLA also allows the use of census data to establish tier I eligibility for CACFP day care homes and area eligibility for SFSP sites.

09/30/2021
Resource | Policy Nationwide Waiver to Provide Flexibility for School Meal Programs Administrative Reviews of SFAs Operating Only the SSO in SY 2021-22

This waiver facilitates state agencies abilities to conduct a school meal programs administrative review when a school food authority is only operating the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option in SY 2021-22.

05/24/2021
Resource | Factsheets Off-site Monitoring Fact Sheets for Child Nutrition Programs

FNS issued eight child nutrition programs off-site monitoring fact sheets to assist states and sponsors in conducting off-site monitoring of child nutrition programs during the pandemic. These documents include a fact sheet that has background information on all programs, as well as separate facts sheets for state and local operators for each program.

11/23/2020
Resource | Policy Memos Nationwide Waiver to Allow Area Eligibility for Closed Enrolled Sites in the SFSP and the NSLP Seamless Summer Option – Extension 2

Under this waiver, for all states, Summer Food Service Program and National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option closed enrolled sites during the COVID-19 public health emergency may determine site eligibility through area eligibility without collecting income eligibility applications.

10/09/2020
Resource | Guidance Documents Nationwide Waiver to Extend Area Eligibility Waivers – Extension 3

This waiver extends until June 30, 2021, the Nationwide Waiver to Extend Area Eligibility Waivers – Extension 2. It applies to state agencies administrating, and local organizations operating, the SFSP and NSLP Seamless Summer Option. 

10/09/2020
Page updated: October 14, 2021