All the most current resources you need to successfully operate the Summer Meal Programs are available here. TDA keeps this page updated with any new policy updates and news, including the following:
- Handbook release notices with update summaries
- Form release notices
- Brand new policy updates that haven’t yet been updated within the handbooks
- FAQs and other resources, as required
Please bookmark this page and check back periodically.
June 6, 2025 - RELEASE: Waiver Allowing Non-Congregate Service at SFSP/SSO Sites Experiencing Extreme Heat or Poor Air Quality
TDA has received approval from USDA to approve SFSP and SSO operators in good standing to serve non-congregate meals at outdoor SFSP or SSO sites when one or both of the following have occurred in the area where the site is located:
The Waiver Request to Serve Summer Non-Congregate Meals in Cases of Extreme Heat/Poor Air Quality must be used to report non-congregate meals served under this waiver. While the form can be submitted after the service occurs, TDA will review and approve all requests and supporting documentation. If TDA determines that the applicable weather advisory was not issued or that the sponsor did not meet all requirements as noted below, TDA will notify the sponsor that any non-congregate meals must not be claimed for reimbursement.
Requirements
- Only summer operators in good standing will be approved to serve non-congregate meals under this waiver. Sponsors with operational issues in the prior year, or with outstanding debt or corrective action, must serve congregate meals throughout the summer.
- Information on this form, including number of non-congregate meals served, must be reported for each individual site that served non-congregate meals on the reported date.
- CEs must submit one form for each day this waiver was used, although information for multiple sites operating on a single day can be entered.
- Sites must upload proof of the heat or air quality event (available from the sites listed above)
- Sites cannot serve non-congregate meals if there is an alternative, temperature-controlled site available to serve meals in a congregate setting.
- Meals served under this waiver must be served to children. Parent/Guardian pickup without a child present is not allowable under this waiver.
- Only a single day’s meals may be bundled at a time. Multi-day bundling is not allowed.
- Meal service times cannot be changed within 24 hours of the service time listed on the site application. If meal service times are changed, the site must make every effort to notify the community and post signage at the site about the time change.
To access the form, in TX-UNPS, go to either the SFSP or SSO module, select Applications, and then Download Forms (Form SFSP-009 for SFSP and Form SNP-009 for SSO). Note that the form can also be accessed from the waiver portal located in SNP-000.
May 18, 2025 - USDA Issues Guidance on Using Federal Funds to Purchase Local Foods
On May 6, USDA issued Policy Memo SP 11-2025, CACFP 09-2025, SFSP 05-2025, Using Federal Funds to Purchase Local Foods. The purpose of this memorandum is to remind schools, sponsors, and institutions participating in any U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child Nutrition Program (CNP), including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), Special Milk Program for Children (SMP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and the Seamless Summer Option (SSO), of the many ways they can purchase local foods to serve in Program meals. Sourcing and serving locally grown foods, and other farm to school activities, such as taste testing, gardening, and agriculture education, can infuse new energy and vision into CNP operations, support community health, create new opportunities for American farmers, invest Federal dollars in local economies, and strengthen strategies to encourage healthy choices.
The memo is located at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/schoolmeals/federal-funds-purchase-local
May 18, 2025 - Continuing Appropriations Act 2025: Effect on Child Nutrition Programs (CNPs)
Congress recently signed a Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act for 2025 that includes three provisions affecting the CNPs. In response to this, USDA released policy memo SP 13-2025, Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025: Effect on Child Nutrition Programs on May 14, 2025, detailing the effect of the Act on the CNPs, which includes the following:
- Crediting of Vegetables at Breakfast: school food authorities (SFAs) participating in the School Breakfast Program (SBP) may credit any vegetable offered in place of fruit without including vegetables from other subgroups in the weekly menus through the end of the current school year. Beginning SY 2025-2026, consistent with the Final Rule – Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020 - 2025, schools that offer vegetables in place of fruit at breakfast more than once per week must offer at least two vegetable subgroups per week.
- Prohibition on the Use of Chicken and Seafood from China: the Act extends the current provision preventing program funds from being used to procure raw or processed poultry or seafood products from the People’s Republic of China through September 30, 2025.
- Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) Exemption: the Act continues the exception of PLE requirements into SY 2025-2026 for SFAs with zero or positive balances in their nonprofit food service accounts as of June 30, 2024. Only SFAs with negative balances in their nonprofit food service accounts must complete PLE requirements for SY 2025-2026.
You can access the full memo here: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/appropriations-act-2024-effect
May 7, 2025 - RELEASE: Revised SFSP Supplemental Handbook
An updated SFSP Supplemental Handbook has been released and posted on the Summer Meals Policy/Handbook SquareMeals page. All updates are highlighted in yellow within the document and noted in the Log of Chapter updates at the front of the document. The most substantive updates reflect recent changes to 2 CFR 200, the increase to the federal Simplified Acquisition Threshold, and clarification around proof of financial viability.
May 6, 2025 - Public Notification of Request to Waive Congregate Summer Feeding in Cases of Extreme Heat or Poor Air Quality Conditions
TDA is submitting to USDA a request for discretion to waive congregate feeding requirements at outdoor SFSP or SSO sites experiencing extreme heat or poor air quality conditions. If approved, TDA will allow sites in good standing that provide proof of a heat advisory, excessive heat watch, excessive heat warning, or "purple" Air Quality Index to claim meals intended to be consumed offsite. Included in this waiver request are parent pick-up and meal service time flexibilities.
February 14, 2025 - RELEASE: Summer 2025 Rural Non-Congregate FAQs
TDA has published new Summer 2025 Rural Summer Non-Congregate FAQs on the Summer Non-Congregate SquareMeals page. This document serves as the primary "handbook" for operators who serve non-congregate meals in rural areas. While most of the requirements have not changed since last summer, TDA has revised guidance and/or clarified some key topics based on USDA's guidance in January. All substantive updates from last year are highlighted in yellow within the FAQs. TDA will continue to update the FAQs in the coming months as new guidance is received and new resources are developed.
February 14, 2025 - RELEASE: Revised SFSP Participant Notification Prototypes
The following revised SFSP participant notification prototypes have been posted to SquareMeals to reflect updated 2024-2025 Income Eligibility Guidelines:
- Participant Notification of SFSP Meals - Closed Enrolled Site - NON-AREA ELIGIBLE
- Participant Notification of SFSP Meals - CAMP SITE
- Participant Notification of SFSP Meals - CONDITIONAL NON-CONGREGATE SITE
These prototypes can be found on the Summer Meal Programs Administration/Forms page: https://squaremeals.org/Programs/Summer-Meal-Programs/Administration-Forms
February 10, 2025 - RELEASE: School Data for Area Eligibility Report
TDA must, on an annual basis, publish a list of schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) in which at least one-half of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. The School Data for Area Eligibility 2024-2025 report, based on October 2024 claims data for non-CEP schools and the April 2024 CEP ISP report for CEP schools, has been posted to SquareMeals in the following locations:
February 4, 2025 - WEBINAR: 2025 Summer Non-Congregate Feeding
On February 27, 2025, at 2:00 pm CST, TDA will be hosting an in-depth webinar on the requirements, flexibilities, and best practices related to rural non-congregate summer feeding. To attend, click the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81130608739. The link will also be posted on the Summer Non-Congregate Feeding page.
February 4, 2025 - RELEASE: Summer 2025 Non-Congregate Request Form and Associated Monitoring Forms
The Summer 2025 Non-Congregate Request Form for sites wishing to operate rural SFSP or SSO non-congregate sites this summer is now available on the Summer Non-Congregate Feeding page. The following associated resources are also available on that page:
- Summer Non-Congregate Site Eligibility Map
- Monitoring form prototypes:
- SFSP Pre-Operational Review
- SFSP First Two Week Site Visit Form
- SFSP Onsite Monitoring Form
- SSO Onsite Monitoring Form
Summer 2025 Frequently Asked Questions will be available soon. Please familiarize yourself with all rural non-congregate requirements prior to applying and keep checking the Summer Non-Congregate Feeding page for continued updates in the coming weeks and months.
January 19, 2025 - 2025 Summer Food Service Program Reimbursement Rates Published
USDA has published the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) reimbursement rates for 2025. The new rates, which reflect a 3.6% increase from 2024, are published on the Summer Meals Reimbursement Rates page on SquareMeals.
November 20, 2024 - Updated Guidance Related to Accepting Processed Product Documentation for Meal Pattern Requirements
USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has released a policy memo that provides program operators of the child nutrition programs (CNP), including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program, with additional information and clarification on the state agency monitoring process regarding the: 1) Child nutrition (CN) label, 2) Watermarked CN label, and 3) manufacturer’s Product Formulation Statement (PFS). This memorandum also reflects updates to the CN Label Verification System and provides clarification on the date of authorization found on the CN label versus the “Valid Until” date on the CN Label Verification Report. This memo is located at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/labeling/guidance-accepting-processed-product-documentation.TDA will add any clarifying guidance to Program Handbooks in future updates.
November 6, 2024 - RELEASE: Updated Pre-Award Civil Rights Compliance Review Form
The Pre-Award Civil Rights Compliance Review Form must be completed by new Contracting Entities (CEs) in all Child Nutrition and Household Programs prior to being approved for participation. This form has recently been updated to clarify that visual observation to obtain estimated racial/ethnic data is not allowable in CACFP and SFSP. Note that it is not explicitly prohibited in any other program at this time. The form has also been updated with additional sources that a prospective CE may use to obtain the estimated data for the upcoming program year. The updated form is available in TX-UNPS and on each applicable program's Administration/Forms page.
November 6, 2024 - Crosswalk of 2 CFR 200 Updates Posted on SquareMeals
On October 25, TDA posted news on SquareMeals about updates to 2 CFR 200. While most updates are non-substantive in nature, some operators have requested to see a full list of the 560 changes to the regulation. Click here to see a USDA-provided crosswalk of all changes to 2 CFR 200.
October 25, 2024 - Updates to Federal Financial Regulations (2 CFR 200)
On October 1, 2024, a Final Rule was implemented that made significant updates to 2 CFR 200. While most changes appear to not affect the Nutrition and Household Programs administered by TDA, there are several changes that will impact our operators, including:
- Equipment threshold increased from $5,000 to $10,000. This means that as of October 1, 2024, only equipment purchases of $10,000 or more require a Capital Expenditure request.
- The single audit threshold has increased from $750,000 to $1,000,000. This means that any operator that expends more that $1,000,000 in Fiscal Year 2025 will need to conduct a single audit. Note that any operator that expended more that $750,000 in FY 2024 will also need a single audit.
- For the few operators using the de minimis indirect cost rate, the percentage of modified total direct costs used to derive the rate has increased from 10% to 15%, and the threshold of federal reimbursement factored into the modified total direct cost amount has been increased from $25,000 to $50,000.
- The aggregate amount of unused supplies (including computers under $10,000 each) that an operator can retain or sell at the time of closeout has been increased from $5,000 to $10,000. Note that if the amount is over $10,000, TDA will be entitled to a percentage of the fair market value of the supplies or the amount received in the sale of those supplies.
August 28, 2024 - USDA offers additional guidance and best practices for obtaining racial/ethnic data
On Monday, August 26, 2024, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) released memorandum CACFP 12-2024, SFSP 16-2024, Questions and Answers Related to CACFP 11-2021, SFSP 07-2021, Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data by Visual Observation and Identification in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program – Policy Rescission -Set 2. This memorandum offers guidance to help Program operators comply with the Federal requirement to collect race and ethnicity data from Program participants. Remember that visual observation is not allowable to determine this information. While TDA has a resource on the SFSP and CACFP Administration/Forms pages that will assist in collecting this information, operators may utilize alternate or additional methods as described in this police memo.
April 30, 2024 - RELEASE: Updated SFSP Supplemental Handbook
TDA has released an updated SFSP Supplemental Handbook, featuring numerous updates, including material incorporated from USDA's handbook. All updates are listed in the table at the beginning of the document, and updated content is highlighted in yellow throughout. Note that consolidation of USDA's handbook and TDA's Supplemental Handbook will be ongoing throughout the year.