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Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2021-0054 FDPIR, TEFAP, and CSFP Income Exclusions under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

This memorandum provides information on the exclusion as income of rebates under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in FDPIR, TEFAP, and CSFP.

04/23/2021
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2021-0012 FDPIR Federal Pandemic Unemployment Income Exclusion

On Dec. 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021. This Act excludes federal pandemic unemployment compensation payments authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act from consideration as income for the purposes of determining FDPIR eligibility. 

02/12/2021
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0044 Eligibility Manual for School Meals

The manual provides comprehensive information on federal requirements, policies, and procedures, and is intended to help state agencies and local educational agencies accurately determine, certify, and verify children’s eligibility for free and reduced price school meals and free milk.

SP36 CACFP15 SFSP11-2017
07/05/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0009 Community Eligibility Provision: Annual Notification and Publication Requirements

This memorandum details guidance on the annual Community Eligibility Provision notification and publication requirements and provides information on the USDA-developed reporting template.

SP20-2017
03/16/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0099 Categorical Eligibility (Revised)

This memorandum provides clarification regarding households determined to be categorically eligible for FDPIR in accordance with provisions at sections 4300-4320 of Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Handbook 501.

FD-076
12/20/2016
Resource | Policy Memos Area Eligibility in Child Nutrition Programs

The purpose of this memorandum is to revise guidance on the use of school and census data to establish area eligibility in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the At-Risk Afterschool component of CACFP, the Summer Food Service Program, and the Seamless Summer Option of the National School Lunch Program.

SP08 CACFP04, SFSP03-2017
12/01/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0051 Ensuring Year-long Eligibility in the School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs

The purpose of this memorandum is to strongly encourage local educational agencies to accept eligibility determinations from a transferring student’s former LEA to minimize disruptions in meal benefits for low-income students and avoid student debt resulting from unpaid meal charges.

SP51-2016
08/05/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2015-0041 FDPIR - Student Financial Assistance (Revised)

The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify which student financial assistance programs are excluded as income for the purposes of determining eligibility under FDPIR. 

FD-046
08/26/2015
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2014-0051 Eligibility Effective Date for Directly Certified Students

This memorandum addresses inquiries regarding flexibility in determining the effective date of eligibility for students who are directly certified to receive free meals or free milk in the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the Special Milk Program.

SP51-2014
06/19/2014
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2014-0038 Revised Policy on Certification Periods for Zero Income Households

This memorandum provides revised policy guidance on certification periods pertaining to zero income households in FDPIR. FNS Handbook 501 provides that households who report zero income month after month must be asked as to how they sustain themselves and other household members.

FD-135
05/13/2014
Page updated: October 14, 2021