Applying for CACFP in Oregon: What child care centers need to know

One of the federal government’s food assistance programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides child care centers with financial assistance through reimbursements. This aid allows them to provide children with nutritious meals and snacks at no cost to families.

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In Oregon, the program is administered by the Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs (ODE CNP). To participate, child care centers must follow strict nutritional guidelines, and meet specific requirements. If you’re looking to improve your facility’s meal services while cutting costs, consider applying for CACFP in Oregon. Here’s everything you need to know to get started.

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Eligibility requirements

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To qualify for CACFP, child care centers must meet specific criteria:

• Public or private nonprofit or for-profit centers must be certified or licensed by the Department of Early Learning and Care (DECL) to provide nonresidential care to children
• The organization must have been operating for at least six months
• The organization must not appear on the USDA CACFP National Disqualified List (NDL)
• Organizations should meet financial viability requirements as set by ODE CNP.

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Check if your organization is eligible with this CACFP Center Eligibility Quick Check. You can also estimate your center’s reimbursement through this CACFP Calculator.

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How to apply for CACFP in Oregon for child care centers

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Check Eligibility

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Start your application by confirming your eligibility. Complete the Eligibility Assessment Form to determine if your center meets the criteria to apply. Answer all questions accurately and submit the completed assessment online.

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Wait for the ODE’s call

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Once you’ve submitted your form, the ODE CNP will review it and confirm your eligibility. Afterwards, they will contact you via email and let you know the next steps. Wait patiently, as the process may take some time.

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Complete CACFP training

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All staff must undergo CACFP training to familiarize themselves with the program’s guidelines and standards. The ODE CNP offers various training resources on the following:

• Policy & Procedure Manual Training for Center-Based Sponsors
• Technical Assistance Webinar Series
• Meal Pattern Training

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Recordkeeping and documentation

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To comply with CACFP regulations and ensure reimbursement approval, your child care center must properly collect and maintain all required records:

• Meal counts: Daily point-of-service meal counts
• Menus and recipes: Documentation that meals meet USDA meal pattern requirements, including ingredient labels.
• Attendance records: Attendance logs to ensure that meal counts don’t exceed attendance numbers.
• Reimbursement eligibility: Records showing that the number of meals served aligns with CACFP reimbursement guidelines (e.g., two meals and one snack per child per day)

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Reimbursement process

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CACFP reimburses meals and snacks based on USDA meal pattern requirements and household income levels (free, reduced, or paid). Here are the steps to submit a reimbursement claim:

1. Use the Claim Documentation Checklist to prepare your monthly claim.
2. Review that all supporting documentation is accurate and complete.
3. Submit the claim monthly within 60 days of the claim month.

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Annual renewal and training (H3)To continue their participation, CACFP food program coordinators must attend mandatory CACFP Annual Training. The training touches on CACFP performance standards, program updates, policies, and procedures and ends with quizzes. Check the resources for previous training here.

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Ready to apply?

Become part of CACFP to improve your child care center in Rhode Island. Begin the process today! To get started or for additional support, contact the Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs:

• Email: Community Nutrition Programs
• Phone: (971) 208-0490

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Ordo serves CACFP-approved meals for child care centers

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With Ordo as your meal service partner, you can trust us to deliver nutritious, balanced meals that meet CACFP requirements—at no additional cost. Focus on what matters most: the children you serve, while we handle the rest.

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Ordo has become America's fastest-growing school food program, providing fresh meals made from scratch every day in our kitchens. Our chefs focus on cooking homestyle food that’s both nutritious and what students love. Healthy meals result in better student outcomes, and administrators who invest in their nutrition programs invest in their schools.

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Students and parents can place their orders through their ordering app and choose from seasonal menus with 4 to 6 options daily, like Tex Mex Crunch Salad with Creamy Lime Dressing or Chicken Bacon Wrap with Pretzels, Carrots & Ranch.

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Our online platform automates compliance paperwork for reimbursable meals, tracks essential metrics like daily participation rate, and handles all payment and order processing. Ordo offers both vended meal service, where we deliver the food every day, and onsite food service management, where our chefs prepare food on campus. We have served all types of schools, from preschools and daycare centers to private and public schools. We’ve worked with some of the top brands in early education and child care, including Guidepost Montessori, Bright Horizons, Primrose, and more.

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If you’re interested in providing fresh, healthy food for your school, you can reach out to the school partnerships team here.