Potential New Child and Adult Care Food Program Sponsor

To verify your eligibility as a potential new sponsor for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), please complete the Potential New Sponsor Survey.

Thank you for your continued interest in the Child and Adult Care Food Program!


If you have questions, please contact the Office of Nutrition at (614) 466-2945.

 

To Participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program:

All potential new sponsors must provide documentation that they are financially viable to participate in the CACFP. Financial documents that will be requested during the application process will include at a minimum (additional information may also be requested):

  • Balance Sheet utilizing a accrual or modified accrual accounting principles for the most current month ended;
  • Bank statements (same month as balance sheet);
  • Income Statement/Profit & Loss Statement for 12 months ending the same month as the balance sheet;
  • If potential new sponsor is a non-profit agency, a copy of the last submitted 990 Form;
  • Non-profits must have an independent board of directors.

The CACFP is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture and administered by the Ohio Department of Education to provide reimbursement to sponsor organizations for serving healthy meals and snacks to children and adults enrolled in day care.

The goal of the CACFP is for sponsoring organizations to serve well-balanced meals and encourage good eating habits in all CACFP settings. Participation in the CACFP must help ensure the delivery of benefits to the neediest children or adult day-care participants in your community. The CACFP is available for eligible child care centers, family day care homes, outside-school-hours programs, adult day care centers and emergency shelters serving children. All program funds come from tax dollars, all funds musts be spent on food-related costs for the CACFP and all participating agencies must account for how these funds are used.


Who does the program serve?

  • Children through age 12 in child-care settings;
  • Children of migrant workers, through age 15, in child-care settings;
  • Functionally impaired adult participants or adults age 60 and older in a nonresidential adult day-care setting;
  • Children ages 13 to 18 in educational enrichment programs in eligible facilities (after school at-risk snack program); and
  • Children age 18 and younger residing in emergency shelters.


What kinds of meals are served?

CACFP facilities must follow meal patterns established by the USDA:

Breakfast: consists of a serving of fluid milk, fruit or vegetable, and a grain or bread.

Lunch and dinner: requires fluid milk, grain or bread, meat or meat alternate, and two servings of fruits or vegetables.

Snacks: includes two of the four components: fluid milk, fruit or vegetable, grain or bread, or meat or meat alternate.


Types of Center-based CACFP Facilities:

Many different facilities operate the Child and Adult Care Food Program, all sharing the common goal of providing nutritious meals and snacks to participants.

  • Child Care Centers: Licensed or approved public or private nonprofit child care centers, family day care homes, Head Start programs and for-profit centers serving meals to children.
  • Outside-School-Hours Care Centers: Licensed child care center caring for school-age children that provides meals, snacks and enrichment activities to children through the age of 12.
  • Youth Development Programs: Nonprofit community-based programs that may or may not be licensed to care for school-age children 6-12 years of age. These programs can provide meals and snacks and include enrichment activities.
  • After School At-Risk Programs: Centers in low-income communities that provide snacks and enrichment activities to school-aged children and youth during the school year.
  • Emergency Shelters: Emergency shelters that provide meal service to homeless children.
  • Adult Day Care Centers: Public or private nonprofit and some for-profit adult day care facilities that provide structured, comprehensive services to functionally impaired, nonresidential adults.


How does CACFP work?

CACFP reimburses participating centers for serving nutritious meals according to the USDA meal patterns. The Ohio Department of Education, Office of Nutrition approves sponsoring organizations and independent centers to operate the program locally. The Ohio Department of Education also provides training, monitors the program, and provides guidance and assistance to assure that sponsors and centers are meeting program requirements.


Key Sponsor Responsibilities

  • Maintain program eligibility;
  • Serve meals that meeting program requirements;
  • Keep daily records of participants and number of meals served;
  • Collect household-size and income information on Income Eligibility Application; and
  • Comply with all regulations and instructions relating to the CACFP.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Non-Discrimination Statement

Last Modified: 2/8/2023 8:59:21 AM