Cacfp sponsor admin

The Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service awarded the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education $706,604 on October 1, 2025, for Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sponsor administration under the federal formula grant program CFDA 10.558. The award funds state-level administration of CACFP, which provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children and adults enrolled in participating child care centers, day care homes, afterschool care programs in low-income areas, and emergency shelters, as well as services to elderly or impaired adults in nonresidential day care facilities. DESE, as the state administering agency, enters into written agreements with USDA and participating institutions to manage program operations, establish audit policy, process institution applications within 30 calendar days, provide grievance procedures for local institutions, and maintain compliance with federal requirements. The award period runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027, with performance in Massachusetts. DESE serves as both direct administrator and pass-through funding mechanism, distributing federal resources to child care sponsoring organizations, centers, day care homes, and other eligible institutions throughout the state.