Bright from the Start
Contact
Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Instagram Follow us on Threads View us on YouTube Pinterest Pinterest
Search
  •    Home
  •  Agency
    • About our Agency
    • About the Commissioner
    • Background
    • CCDF State Plan
    • Contact Us
    • Directions
    • Early Childhood Educator
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
    • GA Statewide Child Care Emergency Plan
    • Open Records Request
    • Research
  •  Programs
    • Child Care Services
    • Childcare and Parent Services
    • Early Head Start Partnership
    • Georgia's Pre-K
    • Head Start
    • Instructional Supports
    • Nutrition
    • Workforce Supports and 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
  • Literacy Lab
  • Open Records
  • Search
Skip Navigation Links / Nutrition / CACFP Applicant Information / Who Can Participate
Skip Navigation Links.
Nutrition
About Nutrition Services
Post-Public Health Emergency 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
Claims / Payments
Common Information
Eligibility Data
Federal Regulations
Handbooks / Instructions / Guidances
Media Release
Memos
Policies
PolicyStat
Posters and Flyers
Procurement
Reimbursement Rates
USDA Policies
CACFP Meal Patterns
CACFP Waiver Requests
Contact Nutrition
Farm to Child Nutrition Programs
Farm to Summer Week
FAQ
Food Allergy Information
GA ATLAS
Locate Free Summer Meals
CACFP Week
Newsletters
Nutrition Education Resources
Nutrition Program Search
Physical Activity
Procurement
Expand Happy Helpings Applicant InformationHappy Helpings Applicant Information
Becoming a Sponsor
Bright from the Start Responsibilities
Who Can Participate
Happy Helpings Forms
Expand Happy Helpings Participant InformationHappy Helpings Participant Information
Claims Information
Common Information
Eligibility Data
Federal Regulations
Handbooks / Instructions
Media Release
Memos
Policies
PolicyStat
Posters and Flyers
Procurement
Reimbursement Rates
USDA Policies
Other Happy Helpings Resources
Happy Helpings SFSP Meal Patterns
Happy Helpings Site Supervisor Training
Happy Helpings Waiver Requests
Summer Meals 4 Kids in GA
Turnip the Beet Award
Training and Technical Assistance
Useful Links

  • English
  • ¿Habla usted español?

Who Can Participate in CACFP?

Organizations wishing to participate in the CACFP may be private non-profit organizations, private for profit organizations or public non-profit organizations.

All organizations making an application must show that they are:

  1. Administratively capable, which includes but is not limited to demonstrating they have sufficient qualified staff to complete all CACFP requirements;
  2. Financially viable, which includes but is not limited to demonstrating that the organization has adequate sources of income, excluding CACFP funding, to administer their program; and
  3. Accountable in the fiscal operations of the program.

In addition to these requirements, private for profit centers must meet the following:

Adults Care Centers

Private for profit adult care centers wishing to participate in the program must qualify by having at least 25% of the adults enrolled in the center receiving Title XIX funds (Medicaid).

Child Care Centers
  1. Private for-profit childcare centers wishing to participate in the program must have at least 25% of the children enrolled in the center receiving childcare subsidy (Title XX funds) through the Department of Family and Children Services; or
  2. Have at least 25 percent of the children enrolled meet the income eligibility criteria for free or reduced-price meals using the income eligibility statement and the income eligibility guidelines.
At-Risk Afterschool Meals

The At-Risk Afterschool Care Program is another option available to non-profit and for-profit child care centers that meet the 25% eligibility criteria listed above. To qualify, the center must operate an after-school program which is located in a school zone where at least one school has 50% of the enrolled population qualifying for free or reduced-price meals

Childcare centers, adult care centers, emergency shelters and after-school programs may enter into direct agreement with Bright from the Start to participate in the CACFP or may choose to enter into an agreement under an approved Administrative Sponsor. Family child care home providers are required to enter into an agreement with a Family Child Care Learning Home Sponsor and cannot sign a direct agreement with Bright from the Start. Sponsoring organizations are approved by Bright from the Start to determine facility eligibility, assist facilities in the preparation of program paperwork, provide training on program rules and regulations, and monitor all sponsored facilities for compliance with program rules and regulations. The sponsoring organization submits claims for reimbursement on behalf of its centers and subsequently distributes the reimbursement to each sponsored facility. Centers under an Administrative Sponsor “pay” the Sponsor no more than 15 percent of their reimbursement in return for the sponsor's services.

¿QUIÉN PUEDE PARTICIPAR EN EL CACFP?

Las organizaciones que deseen participar en el Programa de Alimentos para el Cuidado de Niños y Adultos (CACFP, Child and Adult Care Food Program) pueden ser organizaciones privadas sin fines de lucro, organizaciones privadas con fines de lucro u organizaciones públicas sin fines de lucro.

Todas las organizaciones que presenten una solicitud deben demostrar lo siguiente:

  1. que tienen capacidad administrativa, lo que incluye, entre otras cosas, demostrar que cuentan con suficiente personal calificado para cumplir con todos los requisitos del CACFP;
  2. que son financieramente viables, lo que incluye, entre otras cosas, demostrar que la organización cuenta con fuentes de ingresos adecuadas para administrar su programa, excluidos los fondos del CACFP; y
  3. que son responsables en las operaciones fiscales del programa.

Además de estos requisitos, los centros privados con fines de lucro deben cumplir con lo siguiente:

Centros de asistencia para adultos

Los centros privados de asistencia para adultos con fines de lucro que deseen participar en el programa deben reunir los requisitos necesarios por tener al menos el 25 % de los adultos inscritos en el centro recibiendo fondos del Título XIX (Medicaid).

Centros de asistencia infantil

  1. Los centros privados de asistencia infantil con fines de lucro que deseen participar en el programa deben tener al menos el 25 % de los niños inscritos en el centro que reciban subvención para el cuidado infantil (fondos del Título XX) a través del Departamento de Servicios para Familias y Niños (Department of Family and Children Services); o bien,
  2. que al menos el 25 por ciento de los niños inscritos cumplan los criterios de elegibilidad de ingresos para comidas gratuitas o a precio reducido mediante la declaración de elegibilidad de ingresos y las directrices de elegibilidad de ingresos.

Comidas extracurriculares para grupos de riesgo

El Programa de Cuidado Extracurricular para Grupos de Riesgo es otra opción disponible para los centros de cuidado infantil con y sin fines de lucro que cumplan con los criterios de elegibilidad del 25 % mencionados anteriormente. Para ello, el centro debe gestionar un programa extracurricular situado en una zona escolar en la que al menos el 50 % de los estudiantes inscritos en una escuela tengan derecho a comidas gratuitas o a precio reducido.

Los centros de asistencia infantil, los centros de asistencia para adultos, los albergues de emergencia y los programas extracurriculares pueden celebrar un acuerdo directo con Bright from the Start para participar en el CACFP o pueden optar por celebrar un acuerdo bajo un Patrocinador Administrativo aprobado. Los proveedores de cuidado infantil familiar en el hogar deben firmar un acuerdo con un Patrocinador de Hogar de Aprendizaje de Cuidado Infantil Familiar y no pueden firmar un acuerdo directo con Bright from the Start. Las organizaciones patrocinadoras están aprobadas por Bright from the Start para determinar la elegibilidad de las instalaciones, ayudar a las instalaciones a preparar la documentación del programa, proporcionar formación sobre las normas y los reglamentos del programa y supervisar todas las instalaciones patrocinadas para que cumplan con las normas y los reglamentos del programa. La organización patrocinadora presenta los reclamos de reembolso en nombre de sus centros y posteriormente distribuye el reembolso a cada centro patrocinado. Los centros que dependen de un Patrocinador Administrativo «pagan» al patrocinador no más del 15 % de su reembolso a cambio de los servicios.

© 2025 Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning
  • Mission
  • Privacy
  • Legal
  • Employment

  • Human Trafficking Notice
  • Get Adobe PDF Reader