Participating in CACFP
To qualify for CACFP, it is required that you have at least one child (other than your own) in care, and you must be a licensed Group Family child care provider, a registered Family child care provider, or a Legally Exempt group provider. There is NO COST to enroll in the program.
The first step to enrollment is to call the Food Program and answer a few simple questions about your program. An initial visit to your program will be set up at your convenience to continue the enrollment process. The visit will help you understand the program and the paperwork involved. Claiming can begin as of that visit, provided that all of the state-mandated paperwork is complete.
Benefits of Participating in CACFP
- A monthly reimbursement check for a portion of the meals and snacks you serve. This may also include meals and snacks served to your own children during day care hours.
- FREE continuous guidance and training in nutrition education that counts towards NYS mandated training hours.
- Resources regarding nutrition, recipes and activities
- Additional resources on topics like financial record keeping, taxes and business management
- Personal CACFP Field Representative to answer any questions and assist in solving problems via telephone or on-site in your program
- Free Online claiming
As a sponsor of the CACFP Nutrition Program, Council will:
- Follow and enforce rules and regulations established by the USDA and the NYS Department of Health, and provide the same knowledge to all participants of the program
- Distribute all required forms necessary to participate
- Visit homes three to four times a year
- Review monthly menus to ensure nutrition requirements are met and to assess reimbursement based on attendance of the children in your program
- Mail reimbursement checks
- Keep all financial records and information pertaining to the children enrolled in your program confidential
Your responsibilities as a participant include:
- Provide children with a safe and healthy environment.
- Serve the children in your program nutritious meals and snacks, according to CACFP meal patterns. More information on meal patterns and allowable foods can be found here:
- Permit CACFP Field Representatives to visit your home during business hours
- Keep daily records of meals served in attendance on the forms provided or online with KidKare
- Submit paperwork to Council in a timely manner and keep all required information up to date
- Attend the FREE Mandated CACFP training once a year
- Complete annual Civil Rights training
Reimbursement Rates
As a CACFP participant, you will be eligible to receive one of the two rates of reimbursement (tier 1 or tier 2) for meals served in your child care program. These rates are the rates per child, per meal. Your tier will be determined after your paperwork is completed at the initial visit from a CACFP Field Representative. To view current reimbursement rates, click here.