FNS Documents & Resources

USDA intends to use all available program flexibilities and contingencies to serve our program participants across our 15 nutrition programs. We have already begun to issue waivers to ease program operations and protect the health of participants.

Attached to this memorandum, please find a revised edition of the Prototype Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals, with an accompanying instructions document. These materials may be adapted for direct use by state and local agencies, or as a reference for designing an effective application packet that meets all statutory and regulatory requirements. 

USDA intends to use all available program flexibilities and contingencies to serve our program participants across our 15 nutrition programs. We have already begun to issue waivers to ease program operations and protect the health of participants.

The purpose of this memorandum is to revise guidance on rural designations in the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program’s Seamless Summer Option (SSO). The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 authorized a permanent non-congregate meal service option through the SFSP and SSO for children who live in rural communities with no congregate meal service. This memorandum supersedes SFSP policy memorandum SFSP 17-2015, Rural Designations in the Summer Food Service Program – Revised, April 21, 2017.

This memorandum clarifies FNS regulations and policies regarding the allowability of requiring payment and soliciting contributions (i.e., "payments" or "pay") in exchange for foods from FNS program participants.

This memorandum updates and revises memoranda SP30-2008: Applying Geographic Preferences in Procurements for the Child Nutrition Programs, SP08-2009: Procurement Questions, and SP28-2009: Procurement Questions, regarding school food authorities’ and other institutions’ application of a geographic preference in procurements for the child nutrition programs.

Per CSFP regulations, participants are prohibited from receiving CSFP benefits and WIC benefits at the same time. However, there is no prohibition against simultaneous participation in CSFP and other FNS programs including but not limited to SNAP, TEFAP, and the SFMNP, provided the eligibility requirements for these programs are met.

This memorandum is being issued to emphasize that states may use TEFAP administrative funds to pay for direct and indirect expenses associated with both the distribution of TEFAP foods and of foods secured from other non-federal sources. Foods secured from other sources is defined as any foods not obtained from USDA food assistance programs.

Policy Memoranda FD-063, Household Eligibility Determinations for Disaster or Emergency Evacuees Residing with a Host Family (dated Dec. 4, 2006), and FD-072, FDPIR Households Displaced During a Disaster (dated Feb. 19, 2008), are cancelled.

This memorandum clarifies how SNAP benefits should be treated in determining eligibility for CSFP and TEFAP when the benefits are provided through SNAP Pilot Projects or SNAP Work Programs.