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.
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.