The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides reimbursement for healthy meals and snacks served to Colorado’s children and adults in child care centers and homes, afterschool programs, emergency and homeless shelters, Head Start, Early Head Start and outside-school-hours programs and adult day care centers. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds the CACFP and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment administers the program.
How to apply to CACFP
Child and adult care centers
- Use this cost-benefit tool to see how your program can benefit.
- Complete the CACFP New Applicant Intake Form.
- Interested in enrolling under a sponsor? Contact a sponsoring organization to determine if a sponsor is right for your center.
Family child care homes
- Use this cost-benefit tool to see how your child care home can benefit.
- Contact a sponsoring organization.
- Learn more on the FCCH page.
School Food Authorities (SFAs)
- Learn more about the difference between Child Nutrition Programs.
- View the SFA Checklist.
- Complete the CACFP New Applicant Intake Form.
- Visit the SFA information page.
For questions, contact the CACFP office. Learn more about the online application system.
CACFP Participation in Colorado
The CACFP Participation in Colorado GIS Story Map shows licensed child care homes and centers serving children birth through age five participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program across the state. The story map includes overlays of food deserts and poverty data and features several community-specific profiles. It also includes strategies for action based on the information.
There is an interactive version of the story map at the end where various filters can be explored.
COVID-19
The CACFP is here to offer support during COVID-19. Whether operating a center or child care home, the CACFP can reimburse participating institutions for the meals that they serve to our communities in need. If your institution is interested in applying, please complete this intake form.
Emergency Funding
On January 26, 2021, the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services published Procedure Memo SP 06-2021, CACFP 05-2021 outlining the Emergency Operational Costs Reimbursement Program. This emergency reimbursement program provides institutions with additional reimbursements for emergency operating costs incurred during the public health emergency. Learn more here.
USDA Nationwide Waivers
These nationwide waivers issued by the USDA are based on the exceptional circumstances of this public health emergency.
- At-a-glance information about the nationwide waivers.
- Frequently asked questions about CACFP operations during COVID-19.
- All USDA nationwide waivers and CACFP procedure memos.
Public Notice
According to USDA Policy Bulletin SP 15-2018, CACFP 12-2018, SFSP 05-2018, State Agencies must submit requests to waive Child Nutrition Program requirements to their Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) regional office.
Pending:
- Request to USDA to Waive State Agency Monitoring Requirements - FY 2022.
- Request to USDA to Waive Sponsoring Organization Unannounced Monitoring Requirments - FY 2022.
- Request to USDA to Waive Frequency of Required Reviews for School Food Authorities enrolled in CACFP.
Click here to see all waivers submitted to the USDA by the Colorado CACFP office.
You may join the Child and Adult Care Food Program either as a single-site center or as a sponsor of centers (multiple sites). Learn more here.
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Child care centers.
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Adult day care centers.
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At-risk afterschool programs.
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Homeless/emergency shelters.
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Other early education facilities.
View the CACFP training page and calendar.
- Learn about CACFP State Training, the At the Table open forum, and webinars and classes offered by local partners.
- Find more information on the new Colorado Nutrition Portal
- Operating the new CNP Dashboard feature - video
- English user guide | Español guia del usuario.
- New changes to the CNP application.
- Operating the new CNP Dashboard feature - video
Visit the Materials and Forms page.
- Find current reimbursement forms including IEFs, the Household Income Eligibility Guidelines, and reimbursement rates.
- Find special diet statements, milk substitution forms, menus, ROMs, and other general template forms.
- Also available here are informational guides to reviews and checklists for SOCs.
Farm to ECE enriches the connection communities have with fresh, healthy food by changing food purchasing and education practices in early care and education settings.
- Learn about the three core elements of farm to child : local food purchasing, gardening, and food and agriculture education.
You play a vital role in ensuring the meals and snacks served to children are of the highest quality possible. The Colorado Healthy Meals Initiative promotes simple and practical menu changes that are considerate to cost, implementation, and preparation. Following these recommendations will help reduce sodium, sugar, saturated and trans fat and increase the proportion of whole grains in children’s diets.
CACFP is an equal opportunity provider.