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New SFSP Applicants
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Read the three ways to participate and then use the menu options above to select the option appropriate for you!
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) was created to ensure that children in low-income areas could continue to receive nutritious meals during long school vacations, when they do not have access to school lunch or breakfast.
The program reimburses organizations who serve approved meals to qualifying children. All meals are served free to eligible children.
1. Promote Summer Meals in your Community
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- Use TDA resources to increase awareness of the Summer Meals Program in your community. TDA offers a variety of downloadable outreach materials, including social media images, web banners, posters and more at SummerFood.org/OutreachTools.
- Contact TDA: (877) 839-6325. (There is a fast busy signal when calling.)
2. Host a Summer Meal Site
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- Community organizations partner with a Contracting Entity (CE) to serve meals in a group setting at schools, parks, community centers, health clinics, hospitals, apartment complexes, churches or migrant centers.
- The CE provides the meals to the site and ensures all financial and administrative responsibilities are met. Site supervisors receive training from the CE. The CE may require the site to sign an agreement that outlines the site’s responsibilities.
3. Become a Summer Meals Contracting Entity (CE)
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- A CE contracts directly with TDA to operate one or more approved meal sites. CEs, who are also called sponsors, exercise administrative oversight for meal sites and must conduct a nonprofit food service. An organization is eligible to apply to be a CE if it is a governmental entity, a public or private nonprofit school, a public or private nonprofit residential camp, or a private nonprofit organization.
- Recommendation for prospective CEs: TDA recommends organizations operate as a meal site under an experienced CE for at least a year before applying to become a CE. This has been shown to provide a foundation for long-term success as a program operator.
SFSP Review Process for New Applicants
The steps below outline the application process for new organizations. Review times for applications depend on how frequently and accurately the organization provides requested information to TDA.
New organizations must demonstrate that they meet the following performance standards for viability, capability, and accountability, also known as VCA.
• Financial Viability (V) The organization has the financial resources to meet all Program requirements.
• Administrative Capability (C) The organization has the staffing and expertise to meet all Program requirements.
• Program Accountability (A) The organization has internal controls in place to ensure the proper expenditure of Program funds for operations and administration.
Below, Step 2 assesses the Financial Viability of the organization. Step 3 assesses the Capability and Accountability of the organization.
Step 1: Eligibility
1. Complete the Intake Form located on www.Squaremeals.org.
2. The 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 nonprofit organization with a 501c3 tax-exempt status.
- Confirmation that the organization does not appear on the National Disqualification List (NDL).
- Confirmation that the organization does not appear on the Texas Excluded List (TEXSL).
- Confirmation that the organization has no ongoing adverse actions with TDA.
The contact individual eligibility check comprises:
- Conduct a background check to verify that the individual has not been convicted of financial integrity crimes within the past seven years.
- Confirm that the individual is not listed on the National Disqualification List (NDL).
- Confirm that the individual is not listed on the Texas Excluded List (TEXSL).
- Ensure the individual has no ongoing adverse actions with TDA.
Step 2: Viability
Upon a successful Eligibility check, if applicable, the organization is reviewed to ensure that it is financially viable to operate the program. The organization is sent a link to upload the proof of SFSP training and the organization’s financial documentation.
When the organization initially submits its financial documentation for review, it must be approved or denied within 90 days. Therefore, it is in the organization’s best interest to respond quickly to all requests from TDA. Information submitted to TDA will be reviewed immediately upon submission. If the organization provides an acceptable financial viability review within 90 days, it will advance to Step 3. If the organization does not submit an acceptable financial viability review, the application will be denied. The organization may choose to appeal the denial or restart the review process by submitting a new Intake Form.
Only funds from sources outside the food program will be considered for the Financial Viability Review.
Organizations MUST provide at least ONE YEAR of bank statements showing business transactions.
- 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.
Once the organization has been determined to be financially viable, the organization will be provided with a form to request access to the online application system. Upon receipt of the completed form, TDA will process it, and the applicant will receive login credentials to access the online application system.
Step 3: Capability and Accountability
Upon initial submittal of the online application, the application must be approved or denied within 90 days. If the organization has not yet provided an acceptable application, TDA will notify the organization on day 85 to advise of the impending deadline. Therefore, it is in the organization’s best interest to respond quickly to all requests from TDA. Information submitted to TDA will be reviewed immediately upon submission. Each time the application is submitted, TDA will complete its review within seven TDA business days of submission. If the organization provides an acceptable financial viability review within 90 days, it will advance to Step 3. If the organization does not submit an acceptable financial viability review, the application will be denied. The organization may choose to appeal the denial or restart the review process by submitting a new Intake Form.
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 three phases and must be successfully completed within 90 days of initial application submittal:
- 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 is confirmed complete, the next step will be the review for accuracy. When the application is verified as both complete and accurate, documentation for Step 4 will be requested, if applicable. If the review is still ongoing after 90 calendar days, the application will be denied. The organization can choose to appeal the denial or restart the review process by submitting a new Intake Form.
Step 4: Visit Prior to Approval (VPA)
The Program Eligibility Support (PES) group, typically known as the applications group, will handle the first three steps of the review process. After these steps are successfully completed, PES will assign the application to the Community Operations (ComOps) group. ComOps will then perform an onsite review to verify that all VCA requirements reviewed during the application phase are accurate and that the applicant complies with VCA standards to operate the program. Once this review phase is finished, the final approval of the application will be granted.
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Assistance available in English and Spanish. Please call 877-TEX-MEAL (877-839-6325) for help. Additional translations services available as well.
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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:
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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
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| This institution is an equal opportunity provider. |
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