The Child and Adult Care Food Program, known as CACFP, pays licensed child care providers, Head Start programs, afterschool programs, emergency shelters, and adult day care centers to serve healthy meals and snacks. Most children in a licensed child care setting can get CACFP meals regardless of household income, because the provider itself is reimbursed. Lower income households can qualify a child or adult participant for free or reduced price meal rates on a sliding scale tied to the federal poverty guidelines, and no one needs to be a U.S. citizen or have a Social Security number to qualify. Below are the current income limits, who counts as eligible, and the steps to apply as either a parent or a provider.
What the Child and Adult Care Food Program Covers
CACFP is a USDA child nutrition program, the same federal family as the National School Lunch Program, but for settings outside the K-12 school day. It reimburses the cost of nutritious meals and snacks served to:
- Children in licensed or approved child care centers and family child care homes
- Children in Head Start and Early Head Start programs
- School-age children in licensed before-school and afterschool care
- Children and teens in at-risk afterschool meal programs in low-income areas
- Children and families staying in emergency and homeless shelters
- Adults age 60 or older, or adults of any age with a chronic disability, attending adult day care
CACFP does not send money directly to families. It pays the provider or program for each qualifying meal served, which keeps the cost of care down and helps providers offer food that meets USDA nutrition standards instead of paying for it entirely out of pocket or passing the cost on to parents.
Who Is Eligible for CACFP
Eligibility works differently depending on whether you are asking as a parent whose child attends care, or as a provider who wants to join the program.
Children and adults receiving meals: Any child enrolled in a participating licensed child care center, Head Start program, or at-risk afterschool program can receive CACFP meals. There is no income test to simply receive a meal at most of these sites. The income test only determines whether the meal is billed at the free, reduced-price, or paid rate, and whether the provider gets the higher or lower reimbursement tier for that child. Adults 60 and older, and adults with a documented functional impairment, are eligible to receive meals at a participating adult day care facility the same way.
Citizenship and immigration status: CACFP is a child nutrition program, not a means-tested public benefit like SNAP or Medicaid. Federal law specifically exempts child nutrition programs from citizenship or immigration status verification. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen, a green card holder, or provide a Social Security number for a child or adult to receive CACFP meals, and participating does not affect anyone's immigration status or count against a public charge determination.
Providers and sites: Licensed or state-approved child care centers, family child care homes, Head Start and Early Head Start grantees, afterschool programs serving areas where at least half of children qualify for free or reduced price school meals, emergency and homeless shelters, and adult day care facilities serving people 60 and older or functionally impaired adults can all apply to participate as a CACFP site.
CACFP Income Eligibility Guidelines, July 2026 to June 2027
These are the federal income limits used to determine whether a child's or adult participant's meals are billed at the free or reduced-price rate. They apply nationwide and are the same guidelines used for free and reduced-price school meals and WIC during this period.
| Household Size | Free Meals (Annual) | Free Meals (Monthly) | Reduced-Price Meals (Annual) | Reduced-Price Meals (Monthly) |
|---|
| 1 | $20,748 | $1,729 | $29,526 | $2,461 |
| 2 | $28,132 | $2,345 | $40,034 | $3,337 |
| 3 | $35,516 | $2,960 | $50,542 | $4,212 |
| 4 | $42,900 | $3,575 | $61,050 | $5,088 |
| 5 | $50,284 | $4,191 | $71,558 | $5,964 |
| 6 | $57,668 | $4,806 | $82,066 | $6,839 |
| 7 | $65,052 | $5,421 | $92,574 | $7,715 |
| 8 | $72,436 | $6,037 | $103,082 | $8,591 |
For each household member beyond 8, add $7,384 a year ($616 a month) to the free meal limit and $10,508 a year ($876 a month) to the reduced-price meal limit. A household at or under the free meal limit, roughly 130 percent of the federal poverty line, qualifies for the free rate. A household between the free and reduced-price limits, roughly 130 to 185 percent of poverty, qualifies for the reduced-price rate. Households above the reduced-price limit pay the paid rate, though the provider is usually still reimbursed at a base rate for the meal itself.
These guidelines take effect every July 1 and stay in place through the following June 30, so the table above covers meals served through June 30, 2027. A household's reported income is self-certified on the application, though providers and sponsoring organizations can verify it if something looks inconsistent.
Family Child Care Homes: Tier 1 vs Tier 2
If your child is cared for in someone's home rather than a center, how that home's meals are reimbursed depends on a separate tier system, not the household income table above.
Tier 1 homes get the higher CACFP reimbursement rate automatically if the home is located in a lower income area (generally where at least half the children in the area qualify for free or reduced-price school meals), or if the provider's own household income falls within the CACFP income guidelines, or if at least half the enrolled children in that home already qualify for free or reduced-price meals under Title XX or another means-tested program.
Tier 2 homes are reimbursed at a lower flat rate for all meals unless individual families in that home complete an income eligibility application showing they qualify for the free or reduced-price rate, in which case that specific child's meals can be reimbursed at the Tier 1 rate even though the home overall is Tier 2.
This tiering affects what the provider gets paid. It generally does not change whether your child eats; most family child care homes serve the same meals to every child enrolled regardless of tier.
Which Centers Can Participate as Providers
Nonprofit child care centers, Head Start grantees, and public agencies can generally join CACFP without an income test on the center itself. For-profit, private child care centers have an extra bar to clear: a for-profit center can only participate if at least 25 percent of the children enrolled, or 25 percent of licensed capacity (whichever is less), are receiving free or reduced-price care through Title XX funding, or are individually eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the income guidelines above. For-profit adult day care centers face a similar threshold, needing at least 25 percent of participants to be receiving benefits under Medicaid (Title XIX) or Title XX.
Afterschool programs qualify for CACFP's at-risk afterschool meals component if they operate in the attendance area of a school where at least 50 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, and if the program includes an educational or enrichment component beyond simply serving food. Emergency shelters serving families and children experiencing homelessness can receive CACFP reimbursement for breakfast, lunch, and supper without a separate income determination for each family, since the shelter's own eligibility as a site covers the meals served there.
How to Apply for CACFP
If you are a parent or guardian
- Ask your child care provider, Head Start program, or afterschool program whether they participate in CACFP. Most licensed centers and many family child care homes do.
- If the provider participates, they will give you a Meal Benefit Income Eligibility Application, similar to the form used for school lunch.
- Fill out your household size and income, or indicate if anyone in the household receives SNAP, TANF, or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, which automatically qualifies the household for free meals without listing income.
- Sign and return the form to the provider. There is no separate application to a government agency; the form goes straight to your child's provider or that provider's sponsoring organization.
- Your eligibility determination is generally good for the current program year unless your situation changes, and you can reapply any time your income drops.
If you run a child care center, home, or other eligible site
- Confirm your facility is licensed or approved by your state to operate as a child care center, family child care home, or adult day care facility. This is a prerequisite for CACFP participation in every state.
- Decide whether to apply directly to your state agency as an independent center, or join an existing CACFP sponsoring organization, which handles much of the paperwork, training, and claims processing in exchange for a share of administrative responsibility.
- Contact your state's CACFP administering agency, usually the state department of education or health, to request an application packet, or search for a sponsoring organization in your area through the National CACFP Association.
- Submit required documentation, which typically includes your child care license, a signed agreement, a civil rights training certification, and for for-profit centers, proof you meet the 25 percent free/reduced-price or Title XX threshold.
- Complete USDA-required training on meal patterns, recordkeeping, and civil rights before your first claim.
- Begin collecting daily meal counts and, if applicable, income eligibility applications from enrolled families so you can file monthly reimbursement claims.
Documents and Information You'll Need
- Household size and gross monthly or annual income for every member, or proof of current SNAP, TANF, or FDPIR participation
- The last four digits of a Social Security number for an adult household member signing the application, or a note that the household has no Social Security number (this does not disqualify the household)
- Your child care provider's name and program information
- For providers: your state child care license number, EIN or tax ID, and banking information for reimbursement payments
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to reapply for CACFP every year?
Yes. Income eligibility applications are generally valid for one program year and must be renewed, though some providers carry forward a household's eligibility status for the first 30 operating days of a new year while a new application is processed.
Does CACFP affect my child's school lunch eligibility?
No, they are separate determinations, though a household already certified for free or reduced-price school meals, or participating in SNAP or TANF, can often use that same documentation to skip providing income details for CACFP.
Can my family child care provider charge me even if they get CACFP reimbursement?
Yes. CACFP reimburses the provider for the cost of the meal; it does not set or cap what a provider charges for child care overall. Many providers factor the CACFP reimbursement into their pricing, but there is no rule requiring them to pass savings through dollar for dollar.
Is there an age limit for children receiving CACFP meals?
Generally, children up to age 12 qualify, with some exceptions: children of migrant workers up to age 15, and children with disabilities of any age in a program serving mostly people under 21.
Do adult day care participants need a disability diagnosis to qualify?
Adults 60 and older qualify by age alone. Adults under 60 need a documented functional impairment that limits their ability to care for themselves, as determined by the adult day care facility's intake process, not a specific diagnosis code.
Does receiving CACFP meals count as a public benefit that affects immigration status?
No. Child nutrition programs, including CACFP, the National School Lunch Program, and the School Breakfast Program, are excluded from public charge consideration and do not require proof of citizenship or immigration status.
What if my family child care home is Tier 2 but my income qualifies for Tier 1 rates?
Ask your provider for an individual income eligibility application. Even in a Tier 2 home, a family that completes this form and qualifies for free or reduced-price rates allows the provider to claim the higher Tier 1 reimbursement for that specific child.
Where can I find a CACFP sponsor or provider near me?
Your state's CACFP administering agency, typically the department of education, health, or agriculture, maintains a list of participating sponsors and can direct you to one serving your area. The National CACFP Association also maintains a sponsor search tool.
