The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally funded meal program through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) which provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks served to eligible children enrolled for care at participating centers.
A variety of public or private nonprofit child care centers and Head Start programs which are licensed or approved to provide day care services participate in CACFP. For-profit centers that serve lower income children may also be eligible to participate.
Our How to Apply webpage outlines complete application instructions for facilities interested in operating the CACFP in Arizona.
Centers operating the CACFP must submit a renewal application annually to continue program participation each program year. Forms and resources available to assist are available on our Renewal Resources webpage.
ADE must conduct compliance reviews of all sponsoring organizations operating the CACFP at least once during each three-year review cycle. The objectives of the compliance reviews are to:
Determine whether program requirements are met
Provide technical assistance
Secure any needed corrective action
Assess fiscal action and, when applicable, recover improperly paid funds.
Federal Regulation:
Code of Federal Regulations:
7 CFR Part 226 – Primary regulation governing the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
2 CFR Part 200 – Uniform administrative requirements, cost principles, and audit requirements for Federal programs.
48 CFR Part 31– Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR 31) is the primary regulation governing the acquisition of supplies and services with Federal Funds.
FNS Instructions:
FNS 796-2, Revision 4– Provides guidance to institutions in developing the financial information needed to comply with requirements of the CACFP.
Office of Management and Budget Guidance for Grants and Agreements:
2 CFR Part 225 – Establishes cost principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal governments.
2 CFR Part 230 – Established cost principles for non-profit organizations.
The upLIFT webpage is created to learn and get inspired on how and what you feed your participants. We hope you share your successes and ideas to teach your colleagues of Arizona. Together we can influence positive dietary behaviors in children and adults!
Interested in enrolling in a CACFP facility? Please select “Center Directory” to view a directory of facilities currently operating the CACFP in Arizona.
The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) is excited to announce a new partnership with the Chef Ann Foundation, Life Time Foundation, and Whole Kids Foundation! These organizations are part of the newly formed ScratchWorks Collective and are dedicated to improving the quality of school meals and love sharing their expertise with school nutrition professionals. These partners look forward to supporting 10 Arizona Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in a three-phase program to help operators regain their kitchens and menus as they recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chef Ann Foundation will kick-off this collaborative work by sending a culinary trained school food operational expert to each of the selected LEAs for a one-day on-site consultation to create a two-year plan with built-in mentoring designed to transform your kitchens, develop your staff, and take control of your finances to support the menu of your dreams.
The Farm to Summer Challenge is an initiative of the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Health and Nutrition Services (HNS) Division to encourage Farm to School activities during Summer Food Service Program/Summer Seamless Option by creating excitement around serving fresh and locally sourced ingredients.
