Family Day Care Home Providers/Sponsors

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides cash assistance (reimbursement) for nutritious meals and snacks served to infants and children ages 12 and younger in licensed family or group day care homes. A Family Day Care Homes (FDCH) is an organized nonresidential child care program for children operated in a private home, and licensed or approved to provide care. FDCH providers must enter into an agreement with a sponsoring organization (“sponsor”). If you're a FDCH provider, start by contacting a sponsoring organization that services your county.

Sponsors are responsible for recruiting, training, monitoring, and reimbursing day care providers. All meals and snacks must meet the requirements of the CACFP meal patterns for children and infants.

Family Day Care Homes

CACFP provides reimbursement for meals and snacks served in private homes that are licensed or approved to provide family child care.

CACFP targets higher levels of reimbursement to low-income areas, and to day care providers and children most in need. The reimbursements make the cost of day care more affordable for many lower income families.

Nutrition, health and safety standards, and training make CACFP an important component of quality child care, especially in family day care homes. The Program Information handout provides more information about how the CACFP can assist your family day care home.

Providers

• Program Information
• List of Family Day Care Home Sponsors
• FDCH Provider Transfer Form | Spanish

Sponsors

• Household Contact Requirements
• Household Contact Procedure
• CACFP Agreement between Sponsoring Organization and Day Care Home Provider | Spanish
• CACFP Update - National Disqualified List Access
• Annual Staff Training Requirements for Sponsoring Organizations Reference Sheet
• Monitoring for Sponsoring Organizations Reference Sheet
• FDCH Provider Review Form
• FDCH Carryover & Funds for Recovery Reference Sheet

Tiering Resources

The tier level of each Family Day Care Home determines the rate of reimbursement each home receives for meals served. The reimbursement structure targets higher reimbursement to day care providers located in low-income areas and to providers and children from low-income households. It is the responsibility of the Sponsoring Organization to correctly tier their providers.

Reference Sheets

• Tiering Overview
• Tier 1 Using School Data
• Tier 1 Using Census Data
• Tier 2
• Family Income Eligibility Application
• Provider Income Eligibility

Forms

• Tier Determination Form
• Averaged Eligible Tiering Worksheet
• Tier 1
  • Census Data
    • Averaged Eligibility Map (by Share our Strength)
    • USDA Census Mapper
  • School Data
    • FDCHs may be classified as Tier 1 if the home is located in an area where any schools have at least 50% or more of the enrolled children certified eligible for free or reduced-price meals based on federal guidelines. To determine if the home is in an area of a school that meets this criteria view the OSPI Child Nutrition Program Reports webpage, then select the Area Eligibility Data dropdown and select the most current report.
  • Provider Income
    • Provider Income Eligibility Letter
    • Provider Income Eligibility Application

• Tier 2
  • Tier 2 Provider Election of Reimbursement Option
  • Sample Family Eligibility Income Letter | Arabic | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Ukranian | Vietnamese
  • Family Income Eligibility Application

Application Materials

• Provider Site Application
• Enrollment Form | Arabic | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Ukranian | Vietnamese
• Sample Family Income Eligibility Letter | Arabic | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Ukranian | Vietnamese
• Family Income Eligibility Application
• Provider Income Eligibility Letter
• Provider Income Eligibility Application
• Income Eligibility Guidelines (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025)
• Income Eligibility Guidelines (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024)