Bright from the Start
Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter View us on YouTube Instagram Pinterest Pinterest
Search
  •  Home
  •  Agency
    • About our Agency
    • About the Commissioner
    • Background
    • CCDF Plan
    • Contact Us
    • Directions
    • Early Childhood Educator
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
    • Open Records Request
    • Preschool Development Grant
    • Research
  •  Programs
    • Child Care Services
    • Childcare and Parent Services
    • Early Head Start Partnership
    • Georgia's Pre-K
    • Head Start
    • Instructional Supports
    • Nutrition
    • Professional Learning
    • Quality Rated
    • Summer Transition Program
  •  Families
      • Child Care Services
      •    Choosing a Child Care Program
      •    Find Child Care Program
      •    Search Licensing Rules
      •    FAQ
      • Georgia's Pre-K
      •    About Georgia's Pre-K Program
      •    Enrolling in Georgia's Pre-K
      •    Find a Georgia's Pre-K Program
      •    FAQ
      • Quality Rated
      • Childcare and Parent Services
      •    Help Paying for Child Care
      • Nutrition
      •    Find a meal site
      • Head Start
      • Inclusion and Behavior Support Services
      • Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards
  •  Teachers
      • Child Care Services
      •    Rules and Regulations
      •    Criminal Records Check
      •    Search Licensing Rules
      •    Training Requirements
      • Georgia's Pre-K
      •    Planning
      •    Pre-K Provider Job Listing
      •    Work Sampling System
      • Quality Rated
      • Head Start
      • Professional Learning
      • Inclusion and Behavior Support Services
      • Infant Toddler Program
      • Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards
  •  Providers
      • Child Care Services
      •    Starting a Child Care Program
      •    License Fee Information
      •    Child Care Forms
      •    Criminal Records Check Information
      • Georgia's Pre-K
      •    Operating Guidelines
      •    Curriculum
      •    PANDA Resources
      •    Pre-K Forms
      • Nutrition
      •   CACFP Applicant Information
      •   CACFP Forms
      •   CACFP Handbooks / Instructions
      •   SFSP Forms
      • Becoming Quality Rated
      • Childcare and Parent Services
      • Head Start
      • Inclusion and Behavior Support Services
      • Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards
  •  POWER/STABLE
    • POWER
    • STABLE
  • Contact
  • Search
Skip Navigation Links / Nutrition / CACFP Applicant Information / Becoming a CACFP Participant
Skip Navigation Links.
Nutrition
About Nutrition Services
COVID-19 Resources
Collapse CACFP Applicant InformationCACFP Applicant Information
Becoming a CACFP Participant
Bright from the Start Responsibilities
How is the Provider Reimbursed
How to Apply
Who Can Participate
CACFP Forms
Expand CACFP Participant InformationCACFP Participant Information
CACFP Meal Patterns
CACFP Meal Service Summit
CACFP Waiver Requests
Contact Nutrition
Farm to Child Nutrition Programs
FAQ
Food Allergy Information
GA ATLAS
Locate Free Summer Meals
CACFP Week
Newsletters
Nutrition Education Resources
Nutrition Program Search
Procurement
Expand Happy Helpings Applicant InformationHappy Helpings Applicant Information
Happy Helpings Forms
Expand Happy Helpings Participant InformationHappy Helpings Participant Information
Happy Helpings Site Supervisor Training
Happy Helpings Waiver Requests
Summer Meals 4 Kids in GA
Training and Technical Assistance
Useful Links

Becoming a CACFP Participant

Becoming a participant in USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) as an independent center or a sponsoring organization.

Summary: Read about becoming a participant in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

Applies to: Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Training, Renewal Training, CACFP Forms

Contents:
  • Becoming a CACFP Participant
  • How to Apply to become a CACFP Participant
  • Annual Training Registration and Information
  • Bright from the Start Responsibilities
  • Claims for Reimbursement
  • Becoming a CACFP Administrative or Family Child Care Learning Home Sponsor
Becoming a CACFP Participant

Organizations may be private non-profit organizations, private for profit organizations or public non-profit organizations and must meet CACFP performance standards.

In addition to these requirements;

  • Private for profit adult care centers must have at least 25% of the adults enrolled receiving Title XIX funds (Medicaid)
  • Private for-profit child care centers must have at least 25% of the children receiving Title XX funds (child care subsidy) or have at least 25% of the children enrolled meet the income eligibility criteria for free or reduced price meals.
  • Option available is the At Risk After School Care Program. To qualify, the organization must be non-profit or meet the criteria listed above for private for profit centers and operate an after school program in a school zone where 50% of the students of at least one school qualifies for free or reduced price meals.

For additional information on participation, go to:

Nutrition > CACFP Applicant Information> Who can participate?

How to Apply to become a CACFP Participant

To become a CACFP participant under direct agreement with Bright from the Start, an eligible center must:

a. Attend 2-day Program Training and obtain an application; b. Submit a completed application and supporting documents to Bright from the Start; c. Operate the CACFP and maintain required documentation for at least one month; d. Have a satisfactory pre-operative visit performed;

Child or adult centers that wish to participate under the sponsorship of an approved Administrative Sponsor and family child care learning home providers, which are required to participate under a Family Child Care Learning Home (Day Care Home), can obtain a list of approved sponsors from list by using the "Search for Nutrition Programs" on the Bright from the Start homepage. Choose the Program type, and then select Sponsor Type and click Search. A list of Administrative and Family Child Care Learning Home Sponsors will populate. Sponsors will provide pre-approval training and application materials to participants.

For additional information on applying, go to:

Nutrition > CACFP Applicant Information> How to Apply?

Annual Training Registration and Information

Every CACFP participant must complete training annually. This training is required in order to continue or renew participation in the program. Annual training is typically conducted in the summer and deals with administrative and programmatic topics.

Information on CACFP annual training is typically sent via email directly to the Institution's Program Contact who is responsible for completing this training on line in GA ATLAS (formerly CNP 2000). Registration for this on line training also occurs on our Georgia ATLAS website.

For additional information on Training go to:

Nutrition > CACFP Applicant Information> Sponsor Training

Bright from the Start Responsibilities

Bright from the Start is responsible for the following:

  1. promoting the CACFP in Georgia;
  2. developing and delivering required training for participants and sponsors;
  3. receiving and processing applications;
  4. paying providers/sponsors for serving meals to eligible participants;
  5. reviewing sponsors, sites, and independent organizations;
  6. reporting information to USDA regarding CACFP operations.

For additional information on Bright from the Start responsibilities, go to:

Nutrition > CACFP Applicant Information> Bright from the Start Responsibilities

Claims for Reimbursement

CACFP providers are reimbursed based on the number of meals served to enrolled participants; the rate of reimbursement is based on the eligibility category of each participant enrolled in the program. Congress establishes the reimbursement rates each year.

Program providers submit claims monthly to Bright from the Start to report the number of children/adults enrolled in the center by category (i.e., free, reduced, paid) and the number of meals served. Family child care learning home providers are reimbursed on Tier I or II categories.

For additional information on claims, go to:

Nutrition > CACFP Applicant Information> How is the Provider Reimbursed?

Becoming a CACFP Administrative or Family Child Care Learning Home Sponsor

Private non-profit organizations with tax-exempt status with the IRS or public government entities currently providing services in their local communities can participate in the CACFP as an Administrative Sponsor or Family Child Care Learning Home Sponsor.

To become a CACFP Administrative or Family Child Care Learning Home Sponsor:

  • Organizations must submit a copy of their tax exempt documentation.
  • A letter of interest to the Program Manager that discusses their organization’s mission and the counties they will serve.
  • Once this documentation is received, a checklist used to determine the organization’s viability, capability, and program accountability will be sent to the institution to complete and return.
  • Once the checklist is returned and it is determined that the organization meets the performance standards outlined by CACFP regulations, training will be scheduled.
  • Trainings for new Administrative or Family Child Care Learning Home Sponsors are conducted on a per applicant basis.
© 2022 Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning
  • Mission
  • Privacy
  • Legal
  • Employment
  • Get Adobe PDF Reader