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Resource | Guidance Documents Small Entity Compliance Guide

This guide informs small entities participating in child nutrition programs about the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and how to comply with it. This guide does not include any new requirements; it just summarizes existing guidance related to the final rule.

06/27/2024
Resource | Guidance Documents Revised Prototype Free and Reduced Price Application for SY 2017-2018

Attached to this memorandum, please find a revised edition of the Prototype Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals, with an accompanying instructions document. These materials may be adapted for direct use by state and local agencies, or as a reference for designing an effective application packet that meets all statutory and regulatory requirements. 

05/11/2023
Resource | Policy Memos Nationwide Waivers of Child Nutrition Monitoring

FNS has used its authority under FFRCA to waive certain onsite monitoring requirements for the school meals programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program, so that programs can to maintain program integrity and support social distancing while providing meals. 

11/12/2021
Resource | Policy Memos Questions and Answers for Child Nutrition Program Operations in SY 2021-22, Q&A #2

This memorandum includes questions and answers intended to provide clarification to state agencies and program operators as they operate the child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, NSLP Seamless Summer Option and Child and Adult Care Food Program, during SY 2021-22.

09/29/2021
Resource | Policy Request for Information: Buy American in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program

This is a request for information from stakeholders, including local operators, state administrators, industry and producers, about the Buy American provision in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. The programs play a critical role in ensuring that America's children have access to nutritious food they need to learn and succeed in the classroom, in addition to supporting American agriculture, and small, minority, and women's businesses and agricultural producers.

08/04/2021
Resource | Policy Memos Nationwide Waiver of Area Eligibility in the Afterschool Programs and for Family Day Care Home Providers in SY 2021-22

This waiver allows schools and at-risk afterschool care centers, regardless of their location, to claim all NSLP,  Afterschool Snack Service and Child and Adult Care Food Program At-risk Afterschool Program meals and snacks at the free rate. This waiver also allows day care homes participating in CACFP to claim all meals served to enrolled children at the tier 1 rate, regardless of their location.

04/20/2021
Resource | Policy Memos Child Nutrition Emergency Operational Costs Reimbursement Programs: State Agency Implementation Plan Template and Q&A Guidance

This memorandum announces the release of the state agency supplemental implementation plan templates for use in the Child Nutrition Emergency Operational Costs Reimbursement Programs.

03/15/2021
Resource | Policy Memos 2021-22 National School Lunch Program USDA Foods Entitlement Calculations

Pursuant to section 2202(a) of the FFCRA, FNS is establishing a nationwide opt-in waiver to help minimize the impact of coronavirus related school closures on USDA Foods entitlement calculations.

01/15/2021
Resource | Policy Memos Nationwide Waiver for Selected Child Nutrition Program Reporting Requirements

This waiver cancels selected administrative data reporting requirements in the child nutrition programs.

01/07/2021
Resource | Guidance Documents Nationwide Waiver of Food Service Management Contract Duration in the NSLP and SFSP Extension

This waiver allows food service management company contracts that may expire by or around June 30, 2021, and have not been extended for SY 2020-2021 to be extended through school year 2021-2022 (June 30, 2022). To ensure program integrity during this time, extended FSMC contracts are limited to one-year only. 

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