Joining CACFP in Iowa: A guide for child care centers

Serving nutritious meals to children can be costly for child care centers. To make this possible, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) helps through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Administered locally by the Iowa Department of Education, this federally funded program reimburses eligible child care centers for serving healthy meals and snacks to children in their care, easing financial burden while making food accessible.

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The CACFP aims to improve the quality of child care across the state by ensuring children receive the nutrition they need for healthy growth and development. Learn how your child care center can apply for CACFP, including the eligibility criteria, application process, and reimbursement requirements.

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Eligibility requirements

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To participate in Iowa’s CACFP, child care centers must meet specific requirements:

• Be a public institution or a private non-profit organization with tax-exempt status under IRS Code 501(c)(3).
• Have a Board of Directors that governs the center. Board members should not have a vested interest in the center or be paid employees.
• Be licensed by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) or be specifically exempt from licensing but have undergone necessary health and safety inspections.
• Operate as a full-day child care center

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For-profit centers may participate if they:

• Are licensed by DHS or exempt from licensing but meet health and safety standards.
• Enroll at least 25% of children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on the Iowa Eligibility Application and survey documentation.

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How to apply for CACFP in Iowa for child care centers

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To apply for CACFP, child care centers must complete several steps:

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Complete the “Joining the CACFP” online course

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The “Joining the CACFP” online course is a required training that will provide your child care center with step-by-step guidance on applying for CACFP. It is available on i-PoWeR, providing one DHS training credit hour for participants.

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Submit a CACFP preliminary application

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To officially begin the application process, child care centers must complete the CACFP Preliminary Application to determine if they meet eligibility requirements.

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The Iowa Department of Education's Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services will review your information and reach out to your program soon with the next steps.

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Complete the required CACFP training

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Once eligibility is confirmed, applicants must complete the Iowa CACFP online "Steps to Success" training, available through the Iowa Department of Education and Iowa Learning Online Professional Development portal.

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To access the portal, you must create an account in the Iowa system. Provide your username, password, child care center details, and DHS training registry ID (IowaID).

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The series of online courses will help your staff understand CACFP regulations, meal pattern requirements, and program administration. Additionally, certificates of completion will be issued upon successful completion of all assessment requirements.

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Iowa provides multiple training options:

• School Nutrition training modules: Topics include Civil Rights, Food Labels, Food Production Records, Food Safety, Introduction to Procurement, Meal Counting, Meal Pattern, School Wellness Policy, and more.
• Farm to School and CACFP training modules: These modules provide essential knowledge on incorporating local food into CACFP meals. Participants receive a 3-hour completion certificate upon passing all assessments.
• Additional CACFP webinars & training resources: This offers additional resources to help CACFP participants, including how to use the CACFP Shopper App, On-Demand training videos, and online webinars on menu planning, compliance updates, and more.

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Schedule a pre-approval visit

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A designated CACFP consultant in your area will visit the child care center to verify compliance with program requirements. During the visit, they will verify and observe your center’s capability to implement CACFP operations.

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Submit the application packet

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After the pre-approval visit, the child care center must submit a complete application packet, including necessary documentation, through the state’s online system.

The Iowa Department of Education's Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services will review all documents and requirements and contact you for your approval.

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Recordkeeping and documentation

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CACFP requires participating centers to maintain accurate records to ensure compliance and receive reimbursements. The required documentation includes:

• Income eligibility applications
• Daily meal participation records
• Daily attendance records
• Food receipts
• Menus
• Food production records
• Infant menu records (if applicable)
• Documentation proving non-profit food service (for non-profit centers.)

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Proper recordkeeping ensures that your child care center remains compliant and receives funding.

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Reimbursement process

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Through CACFP, child care centers may submit monthly claims based on the number of eligible meals and snacks served. Most child care centers can claim up to two meals and one snack per participant each day.

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The reimbursement rates are adjusted annually in July. As mentioned, centers must maintain documentation to confirm eligibility for meal reimbursement.

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Ready to apply?

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Applying for CACFP can help child care centers improve meal quality and manage costs. If you’re ready to join, complete the CACFP Preliminary Application or contact Cheryl Tolley at cheryl.tolley@iowa.gov or 515-681-2304.

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Your participation in CACFP can make a lasting impact on the children in your care. Take the first step today!

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Meet CACFP meal standards with Ordo’s support

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Ensuring compliance with CACFP meal guidelines can be time-consuming. That’s where Ordo comes in. As your food service partner, Ordo provides nutritious, balanced meals that meet CACFP standards—so you can focus on caring for children while we handle the meal preparation.

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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.

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.