Skip to main content
Resource | Policy Guidance on Fees for Electronic Payment Services in the School Meal Programs

This memorandum provides revised guidance for school food authorities (SFAs) participating in the school meal programs regarding fees charged when families use electronic payment services to add money to school meal accounts. It also reminds SFAs that they must offer a free and accessible method for all families to add money to school meal accounts.

07/11/2025
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
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
Resource | Webinars/Videos CNP Integrity Final Rule: School Meal Programs Provisions Webinar

This webinar gives an overview of the rulemaking process, highlights specific regulatory changes and provisions that impact the school meal programs, and provides information regarding resources for the final rule.

01/19/2024
Resource | Technical Assistance School Meals Application Materials in Spanish

From this page, you may download the Spanish translation of the Prototype Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals and accompanying materials.

05/11/2023
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
Resource | Training and Outreach CN Flexibilities for Summer 2022 and School Year 2022-23

FNS is offering a suite of operational flexibilities that will be available to child nutrition programs for summer 2022 and school year 2022-23.

09/22/2022
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 Nationwide Waiver to Allow Meal Pattern Flexibility - Extension 2

FNS is extending a nationwide waiver to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus (COVID–19). This extension of Nationwide Waiver to Allow Meal Pattern Flexibility in the child nutrition programs, issued March 25, 2020, applies to the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program. This waiver remains in effect until June 30, 2020.

05/21/2020
Page updated: October 14, 2021