Sponsor Stories: CACFP Challenges Through the Lens of Closed Sponsors

Young girl sitting at a table, smiling and holding a carrot stick, with a plate of vegetables in front of her.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a critical federal entitlement program that helps ensure children in eligible care settings have access to nutritious meals and snacks. For home-based child care providers, participation in CACFP is only possible through sponsoring organizations that manage reimbursement, compliance, and administrative requirements on their behalf.

This report examines why some CACFP sponsors have chosen to close and what those closures mean for home-based providers. Drawing on interviews from former sponsors across multiple states, it highlights the operational, financial, and staffing challenges that have contributed to sponsor exits—and the resulting impacts on providers’ ability to access the program.

Read the full report

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