The Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 requires federal agencies, like FNS, to give Congress information about payment errors for federal programs, like CACFP. FNS planned this study to estimate payment errors in CACFP child care centers. However, after completing the study, FNS found an error in the method used to estimate nationwide findings from the study data. Because of the error, FNS is not publishing the full study, and will instead present key findings that relate to broad trends instead of specific estimates.
We explored the feasibility of using existing data from state monitoring reviews – a process designed to assess operations and provide real-time technical assistance to family day care homes operating CACFP – to estimate the rate of improper payments in those operations. This study found that flexibility in these reviews and the information they report across states, while beneficial for their main purpose, made the resulting data unusable for estimating a national improper payment rate.
This report describes the first national study of emergency shelters participating in CACFP. The objective of this study was to gain a general understanding of the characteristics of CACFP emergency shelters, who they serve, how CACFP fits into their operations, and their challenges with CACFP.
The third annual survey of School Food Authorities found that 95 percent of SFAs faced supply-chain related challenges in school year (SY) 2023-24, but that the number of reported challenges and impacts they have on school food service have largely declined compared to SY 2022-23. This report is the third in the series and, like the others, reports findings from a 20-minute online questionnaire sent to all SFAs operating child nutrition programs in schools to gather information on the impacts of continued supply chain challenges
Beginning in summer 2023, families in certain rural areas could get meals and snacks for their kids picked up or delivered at no cost with SUN Meals To-Go. This flexible approach helped sponsors get more meals to more children!
In a recent survey, many of our sponsors (86%) said they plan to continue offering SUN Meals To-Go for future summers.
The USDA FNS Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program awards grants annually to support schools, non-profits, Indian Tribal Organizations, state agencies, producers, and other entities who are planning, developing, and implementing farm to school programs. This report presents findings of the FNS evaluation of the fiscal year 2018 and 2019 Farm to School grantees, highlighting their activities, achievements, and challenges.
This report is the latest in a series on national SNAP participation rates, which estimate the proportion of people eligible for benefits under federal income and asset rules to those who actually participate in the program. This report presents rates for fiscal year 2022 and re-estimated rates for pre-pandemic FY 2020 using new weights released by the Census Bureau for the 2020 Census.
The 2023 Farm to School Census collected information on farm to school participation by school food authorities (SFAs) in school year 2022–23. Every SFA participating in the National School Lunch Program in the 50 states, Washington, DC, and five territories received an online survey asking about the farm to school activities they participated in, details of their participation, and their perspectives on farm to school.
The study used a survey and four case studies to understand how state agencies determined whether individuals were excused from the general and ABAWD work requirements or had a good cause for not meeting work requirements due to physical or mental limitations. The findings reflect on the process for determining exceptions and exemptions, in what circumstances discretion was allowed, and when was verification was required.
This data collection fulfills states’ reporting requirements and describes trends in program participation during the COVID-19 pandemic from July 2020 through Dec. 2021. It is part of an ongoing study series examining CN program operations, repurposed to collect waiver reports from all states. A previous report in the series detailed waiver usage and trends in program participation and operations from March through Sept. 2020.