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Colorado Food Program (CFP)

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Colorado Food Program

Colorado Food Program logo. A heart shape filled with an illustration of mountains with a fork and spook criss crossed over them.

What is the Colorado Food Program (CFP)?

The Colorado Food Program 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
  • Outside-school-hours Programs
  • Adult Day Care Centers

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds the Colorado Food Program and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment administers the program.

Child Care Centers

Learn more about how the CFP can benefit child care centers.
 

Adult Day Care Centers

Learn more about how the CFP can benefit adult day care centers.

Family Child Care Homes

Learn more about how the CFP can benefit family child care homes.

School Food Authorities (SFAs)

Learn more about how the CFP can benefit school food authorities.

Emergency Shelters

Learn more about how the CFP can benefit emergency shelters.

Afterschool Programs

Learn more about how the CFP can benefit afterschool programs.

How to apply for the Colorado Food Program

Please fill out the intake form if you're interested in starting the Colorado Food Program (CFP) application process. CFP staff will review your intake form and contact you.

  • You will receive an email with further instructions, including an attachment to our Colorado Nutrition Portal (CNP) user ID and password request form. 
  • After you have completed and returned the form, we will be able to create your CNP account and you will be able to begin working on your online application.
     

Once the online application is complete, you will be assigned a nutrition consultant who will help with the remaining steps of the application process. 

This includes: 

  • a two-week trial period of records, and 
  • a pre-approval visit to your site.
     

  • The Colorado Food Program application process generally takes several months to complete from the initial application date to signing contracts.
  • Applicants have 90 days from the date the online application is opened to complete it. 
    In some cases, exceptions may be approved by the Colorado Food Program Director, but we recommend applicants to complete within the 90-day timeframe. It is important to meet all deadlines throughout the application process considering this helps us to determine your capability to operate the Colorado Food Program.
  • The application may not be approved if the deadlines are not met.
  • The Colorado Food Program accepts applications throughout the year, except for the month of September, when existing Colorado Food Program institutions renew their applications.

The Colorado Food Program Participation Dashboard

The Colorado Food Program staff has committed to increasing program awareness and access through various activities and partnerships. The Colorado Food Program has hired two remote staff to expand staff representing lived experiences outside the Denver Metro area. 

  • The team also has key partnerships, which include: 
  • The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) Preschool Development Grant
  • The Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger
  • The Colorado Department of Education School Nutrition Unit
     

Colorado Food Program and Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger Story Map

The Colorado Food Program team, in partnership with the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger, developed a story map. The story map illustrates current participation in the Summer Food Service Program and the Colorado Food Program. It brings to light areas of opportunity to increase access and participation in these vital programs.

The story map can inform strategic outreach efforts to increase access to and participation in these youth feeding programs. Program sponsors and partners can also use the story map to identify community assets and areas of opportunity for program expansion.
 

According to USDA Policy Bulletin SP 15-2018, CACFP 12-2018, SFSP 05-2018, State Agencies must submit requests to waive Colorado Food Program requirements to their Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) regional office.