JavaScript is disabled in your browser. Some website features may not function properly.
Food and Nutrition Website
Search Search
Font Size:
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact Food and Nutrition
    • Food and Nutrition Overview
    • Technical Assistance and Support
  • News
    • Headlines
    • Legislative Reports
    • And Justice for All Poster
  • Programs
    • Child and Adult Care Food Program
      • Administration/Forms
      • ALN and FAIN
      • Area Eligibility Using Census Data
      • At-Risk Site Map
      • Compliance
      • Disaster Resources
      • Funding Opportunities
      • Income Eligibility Guidelines
      • Latest News
      • Meal Appeal
      • Meal Patterns
      • National CACFP Week
      • National Disqualified List
      • New Applicants
      • Newsletter
      • Policy/Handbook
      • Program Year Calendar
      • Reimbursement Rates
      • Renewing CEs
      • Resources..
      • Statistics
      • Texas Farm Fresh
      • Training
      • Systems Hub
      • Workgroup
    • Commodity Supplemental Food Program
      • Administration/Forms
      • ALN and FAIN
      • Income Eligibility Guidelines
      • Latest News
      • Newsletter
      • Policy/Handbook
      • Resources
      • Statistics
      • Systems Hub
      • Training
    • The Emergency Food Assistance Program
      • Administration/Forms
      • ALN and FAIN
      • Income Eligibility Guidelines
      • Latest News
      • Newsletter
      • Policy/Handbook
      • Resources
      • Statistics
      • Systems Hub
      • TEFAP Grants
      • Training
    • Farmers Market Nutrition Program
      • Administration/Forms
      • ALN and FAIN
      • Farmers' Markets Map
      • Income Eligibility Guidelines
      • Latest News
      • Newsletter
      • Policy/Handbook
      • Resources
      • Statistics
      • Systems Hub
      • Training
    • Food Assistance for Disaster Relief
    • Food Distribution Program for NSLP
      • Administration/Forms
      • Contracted Warehouses
      • Latest News
      • New Applicants
      • Newsletters
      • Policy/Handbook
      • Resources
      • Reimbursement Rates for NSLP
      • Statistics
      • Systems Hub
      • USDA Foods Training
    • Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
      • Administration/Forms
      • ALN and FAIN
      • Nutritional Education Resources
      • Pear-fection Award
      • Policy/Handbook
      • Produce Safety Resources
      • Statistics
    • National School Lunch Program
      • Administration/Forms
      • ALN and FAIN
      • Area Eligibility Using Census Data
      • Back to School
      • Compliance
        • Financial Report
      • Disaster Resources
      • Eligibility and Verification
      • Equipment Grant
        • Application
      • Food Service Management Companies
      • Food Waste
      • Funding Opportunities
      • Health Ambassadors for a Ready Texas
      • Healthy Meals Incentives
      • Latest News
      • Local Wellness Policy Requirements
      • Meal Appeal
      • Meal Pattern Support
      • National School Lunch Week
      • New Applicants
      • Newsletter
      • Policy/ARM
      • Program Year Calendar
      • Reimbursement Rates
      • Renewing CEs
      • Resources
      • School Lunch Hero Day
      • Statistics
      • Systems Hub
      • Texas ELMS
      • Texas Farm Fresh
      • Texas Fruit and Vegetable Day
      • Training
      • USDA Foods
      • USDA Foods Challenge
      • Waivers
    • School Breakfast Program
      • Get Started
      • Administration/Forms
      • ALN and FAIN
      • Back to School
      • Disaster Resources
      • Eligibility and Verification
      • Food Service Management Companies
      • Food Waste
      • Funding Opportunities
      • Latest News
      • Local Wellness Policies
      • Meal Appeal
      • Meal Pattern Support
      • Newsletter
      • Policy/ARM
      • Program Year Calendar
      • Reduced-Price Breakfast Now Free
      • Reimbursement Rates
      • Renewing CEs
      • Resources
      • School Breakfast Week
      • Statistics
      • Systems Hub
      • Texas ELMS
      • Texas Farm Fresh
      • Training
      • USDA Foods
      • Waivers
    • Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program
      • Administration/Forms
      • ALN and FAIN
      • Farmers' Markets Map
      • Income Eligibility Guidelines
      • Latest News
      • Newsletter
      • Policy/Handbook
      • Resources
      • Statistics
      • Systems Hub
      • Training
    • Special Milk Program
      • Get Started
      • Administration/Forms
      • ALN and FAIN
      • Income Eligibility Guidelines
      • Latest News
      • Policy/Handbook
      • Reimbursement Rates
      • Statistics
      • Systems Hub
    • Summer Meal Programs
      • Administration/Forms
      • Area Eligibility Using Census Data
      • ALN and FAIN
      • Compliance
      • Disaster Resources
      • Food Safety
      • Funding Opportunities
      • Income Eligibility Guidelines
      • Latest News
      • Meal Pattern
      • National Disqualified List
      • New Applicants
      • Newsletter
      • Policy/Handbooks
      • Program Year Calendar
      • Reimbursement Rates
      • Renewing CEs
      • Resources
      • Statistics
      • Summer Meal Site Map
      • Summer Non-Congregate Feeding Program
      • Texas Farm Fresh
      • Training
      • Turnip the Beet
      • Systems Hub
      • Waivers
      • WIC Pilot
  • Industry Resources
    • Contracted Warehouses
    • Food Service Management Companies
    • Texas Farm Fresh
    • USDA Foods Processor Handbook
    • USDA Foods Processing Information
  • Public Resources
    • CACFP At-Risk Site Map
    • Healthy Community Network
    • FMNP Farmers' Markets Map
    • Public Information Requests and Program Data
    • Public Resources for COVID-19
    • School Nutrition Eligibility
    • SFMNP Farmers' Markets Map
    • Summer Meal Site Map
    • Texas Farm Fresh
    • Texas Food Banks
    • What Programs Am I Eligible For?
  • FAQ
(877) TEX-MEAL (Se habla Español)
Texas Department of Agriculture, Child and Adult Care Food Program Banner
Programs > Child and Adult Care Food Program > New Applicants
New CACFP Applicants
TYPES OF Contracting Entities (CEs)
Adult Day
Care Centers
Public or private nonprofit adult day care facilities which provide structured, comprehensive services to nonresidential adults who are functionally impaired or aged 60 and older, may be eligible to participate in CACFP as independent or sponsored centers.
Child Care Centers Eligible public or private nonprofit child care centers, outside-school-hours care centers, Head Start programs, and other institutions which are licensed or approved to provide day care services may be eligible to participate in the CACFP, independently or as sponsored centers.
Day Care Homes A family or group day care home must sign an agreement with a sponsoring organization to participate in the CACFP. Day care homes must be licensed or approved to provide day care services.
Afterschool At-Risk Programs Eligible At-Risk programs must be organized primarily to provide care for children after school or on the weekends, holidays, or school vacations during the regular school year;  provide organized regularly scheduled education or enrichment activities; and be located in an attendance area of school where at least 50 percent or more of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) plays a vital role in improving the quality of day care and making it more affordable for many low-income families.

CACFP serves nutritious meals and snacks to eligible
children and adults who are enrolled for care at
  • participating child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers. CACFP also provides meals to children residing in emergency shelters, and snacks to youths participating in afterschool care programs.

Download the
Quick Reference for CACFP
for more information!
CACFP Quick Reference




READY TO GET STARTED?
Before You Apply
Visit this page to complete the intake form to provide TDA with information about your organization.

After submission of the intake form, your organization will receive a confirmation email at the address you provide.  TDA will review the intake form and determine if your organization is subject to a financial viability review.  Organizations that are subject to the financial viability review will be sent the financial viability packet via email.  Organizations that are not subject to the financial viability review will be sent the next steps in the process.

Please Note: Before an application will be reviewed by our internal teams, you MUST complete the required trainings. If you do not complete the required trainings and an application is pre-submitted it will NOT be reviewed.


After the above step is completed, please proceed with following the below instructions.
When You're Ready To Apply
After you have followed the instructions in the "Before You Apply" section of this page, please visit TX-UNPS and follow the specific program instructions by selecting one of the options below:
    • Day Care Home Sponsors
    • Independent Centers
    • School Food Authorities
    • Sponsoring Organizations
    • Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Sponsors

If you need assistance or a paper application, please contact TDA at (877) TEX-MEAL (877-839-6325).

CACFP Review Process for New Applicants

Step 1 Eligibility (typical time of completion: 7 to 10 days)
1. Complete the Intake Form located on www.Squaremeals.org.
2. Intake Form is received by TDA. 
3. TDA conducts the eligibility check on the organization and the contact individual within five  (5) business days (excluding TDA and federal holidays. 

The organization eligibility check comprises:

  • Verification of standing with the Secretary of State (SOS) *If an organization is required to be registered with the SOS.
  • Verification of standing with the State Comptroller’s Office
  • Verification of standing with IRS *If an organization is a non-profit organization with a 501c3 tax-exempt status.
  • That the organization does not appear on the National Disqualification List (NDL).
  • That the organization does not appear on the Texas Excluded List (TEXSL).
  • That the organization does not have any ongoing adverse actions with TDA.


The contact individual eligibility check comprises:

  • Background check to ensure the individual has not been convicted of financial integrity crimes within the last seven years.
  • That the individual does not appear on the National Disqualification List (NDL).
  • That the individual does not appear on the Texas Excluded List (TEXSL)

That the individual does not have any ongoing adverse actions with TDA.
 

Step 2 Viability (typical time of completion: 30 to 45 days)
1. Upon a successful Eligibility check, the organization is sent a link to upload the proof of CACFP training and the organization’s financial documentation. 


Only funds from non-food program sources will be considered for the Financial Viability Review.

Organizations MUST provide a minimum of ONE YEAR of bank statements that illustrate business operations.

 

  • Financial documentation submitted to TDA from organizations that have received Program funds must ensure it reflects only non-Program income and expenses. 
  • To demonstrate financial viability and financial management, the CE must document it has adequate financial resources to operate the Program daily, has adequate sources of funds to continue to pay employees and suppliers during possible periods of temporary interruptions in Program payments, and/or can pay debts when fiscal claims have been assessed against it. 
  • The financial viability review is conducted to ensure that an organization has an adequate financial position by assessing the organization’s financial documentation. An organization’s financial position must demonstrate that it can cover the expense of temporary interruptions in program payments for at least three months for CACFP and/or one month for SFSP using non-Program funds.
 

2. Once the organization has been determined to be financially viable, the organization will be provided a form to request access to the online application system. Upon receipt of the completed form, TDA will process the form, and the applicant will receive login credentials to the online application system. 

Step 3 Capability and Accountability (typical time of completion: 45 to 90 days)
This phase of the review comprises the online application review in TX-UNPS. With access to the online system, the organization must complete the application and submit all required supporting documentation. The organization is encouraged to seek the support of their local Education Service Center for assistance in completing the application. The application review is conducted in two phases:

 

  • First, the application will be reviewed for completeness. Once the application is submitted to TDA, it will be assessed to determine that all information is complete and all required supporting documentation has been submitted. Any missing items noted will require the application to be returned to request the missing items. 
  • Once the application has been determined to be complete, the second phase will be the review for accuracy. Once the application is determined to be complete, approval or denial must be determined within 30 calendar days. If the review is still ongoing during this 30-day period, the application may be withdrawn. However, the review may resume upon the applicant's request. Once the application has been determined to be complete and correct, the final phase of the review will be conducted. 

Step 4 Visit Prior to Approval (VPA) (typical time of completion: 10 to 14 days)
The Program Eligibility Support (PES) group, commonly known as the applications group, will conduct the first three steps of the review. Once those steps have been successfully completed, PES will reassign the application to the Community Operations (ComOps) group. ComOps will conduct an onsite review to determine that all VCA requirements reviewed during the application phase are accurate and that the applicant is VCA compliant to operate the program. Upon completion of this phase of the review, the final approval of the application will take place. 
. 

                                   

Assistance available in English and Spanish. Please call 877-TEX-MEAL (877-839-6325) for help. Additional translations services available as well.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. Mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
SquareMeals.org Logo

Texas Department of Agriculture Logo

Facebook Icon Instagram Icon
Twitter Icon YouTube Icon
  • TDA Home
  • Texas Homeland Security
  • Texas.gov
  • TRAIL State Search
  • Site Policies
Opens in a new tab © 2025 Texas Department of Agriculture
  • Login