Maintaining accurate records is vital to ensure CACFP reimbursement accurately reflects the center’s program operations.

Recordkeeping Responsibilities

Maintaining accurate records is vital to ensure Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) reimbursement accurately reflects the center’s program operations. CACFP forms are available at the CACFP website  under Forms, and posters are available under Posters, Flyers, & Pamphlets.

CACFP original records, not photocopies, must be maintained on-site for independent facilities, be accessible during licensed business hours, and be available for review within one hour of a state representative’s arrival. Sponsoring Organizations (SOs) of two or more facilities must maintain original records during licensed business hours at the location identified in the Management Plan and be available for review within one hour of a state representative’s arrival. Community Food and Nutrition Assistance (CFNA) reviewers will request CACFP records for one month or more and have the authority to disallow up to twelve months of claims. Program records must be retained for three full fiscal years, plus the current year (October 1 through September 30), after the final claim for the fiscal year is submitted and for longer if audit findings have not been closed.

As a reminder, documents that prove compliance with CACFP regulations, including, but not limited to, menus, production records, delivery receipts, income eligibility forms, meal count records, and attendance records, must be completed in permanent ink and shall not be altered. If additions/corrections are required, they must be made using permanent ink. The incorrect information must be crossed out using one line so that the original information can still be read. Changes using pencils or whiteout shall be prohibited. All changes must be initialed and dated by the person making the correction.

Required Records

Meal Service Records

• Daily Meal Count Records (CACFP-225 or CACFP-225A) - Daily meal count records are required and must be recorded at the time of service (Point of Service) for each meal and snack the center is approved to claim for reimbursement. Keep current month records on a clipboard or in a binder. File these records with the daily attendance records. File completed records in a binder or envelope labeled with the month and year.
• Daily Menu Records - For each approved meal, breakfast, lunch, snack, and supper, daily dated menus are required to verify CACFP meal pattern compliance. The original menu, noting any substitutions, must be retained. Keep the current active menu on a clipboard or in a folder. When completed, file the menu in the binder or envelope for the month.
• Medical Statement to Request Special Meals and/or Accommodations (CACFP-227) - Required when food substitutions are necessary and authorized by a medical authority for participants with a diagnosed disability and with medical or special dietary needs. Keep confidential and place in the individual participant’s file.
• Commercially Processed Food Documentation - If your center uses commercially processed foods, documentation of meal pattern contributions is required to include a Child Nutrition label or manufacturer's Product Formulation Statement. File in the binder or envelope for the month.
• Additional Meal Requirements - A center must maintain documentation to verify the whole grain-rich requirement is met. This may include the grain product’s ingredient label. A center must maintain documentation to verify that the cereal and yogurt served are within the required sugar limits. This may include the product’s nutrition facts label.

Participant Records

• Daily Attendance Records (CACFP-213); Monthly Time In/Time Out Record (CACFP224); or Time In/Time Out Record (CACFP-221) - A daily attendance record of each participant is required to complete reimbursement claims. Keep the current monthly attendance record on a clipboard or in a binder. File completed monthly records in a binder or envelope labeled with the month and year.
• Plan of care - All functionally impaired participants who were claimed for reimbursement must have an individual plan of care.
• Enrollment Records for each participant claimed. All participants claimed for reimbursement must be enrolled at the center.
  • CACFP Enrollment Form for Adult Day Care Centers (CACFP-635)
  • Enrollment Roster (CACFP-220) - Centers are encouraged to maintain a master listing to include:
    • All enrolled eligible participants.
    • The claiming category for each participant.
    • The date the Income Eligibility Form (IEF) was signed by the center personnel.
  • Use of the master listing will assist in keeping the IEFs updated on an annual basis.
• Income Eligibility Form for Adult Day Care Centers (CACFP-501) - This form is very important as it determines program eligibility and meal reimbursement rates. The IEF can be found in the CACFP Income Eligibility Guidance for Adult Care Centers at the CACFP website  under Manuals. Give IEFs to all participants/guardians to complete with their enrollment packet and then annually thereafter. New IEFs must be placed with expired IEFs annually. File completed forms alphabetically by last name in a 3-ring binder. Place blank copies in a folder.
• Participant Letter - The letter must be given to participants/guardians explaining the center’s participation in the CACFP. The letter is revised for each claim year on July 1 and can be found in the CACFP Income Eligibility Guidance for Adult Day Care Centers at the CACFP website under Manuals. Make sure participants/guardians are given the latest version. Print the letter on the back of the IEF and file the IEF as suggested above.

• Title XX and Title XIX Documentation - For-Profit Centers Only 

  Title XX and Title XIX documentation includes the Title XX and Title XIX billing invoices and a copy of the contract with the Title XX and Title XIX administering agency. For each month claimed, the center must have verification that at least 25% of the enrolled participants were Title XX and Title XIX beneficiaries. Eligibility may be based on Title XX enrollment, Title XIX enrollment, or combined Title XX and Title XIX enrollment. File in a folder or binder.

Records Pertaining to Financial Management and Administrative Costs

• Operating Costs - Allowable expenses for the preparation and service of meals include, but are not limited to, food costs, food service labor, certain non-food supplies, and purchased services.
  • Food Costs: Are expenditures for the food used in all meals? Original, intact and legible, itemized food and milk receipts and invoices for food service supply purchases must be retained to verify that CACFP funds are used to support the food service. Handwritten receipts are not acceptable. File in a folder or envelope labeled with the month and year.
  • Food Service Labor Costs: Independent centers must document.
• Documentation of Nonprofit Foodservice (CACFP-214) - This form must be completed monthly when total food costs are less than the CACFP claim. Place in a folder or envelope labeled with the month and year.

Training Records

• Annual CACFP Training Documentation (CACFP-222) - Documentation of annual CACFP training for the center staff is required. The use of the CACFP form is not required, but training must include the topics required by the CACFP. File in a folder or notebook.

Other Required Records

• Original Contract Agreement, along with Amendments for the sponsoring agency
• Beneficiary Data Report (CACFP-226) - Documentation of the annual completion of this form is required. File in a folder or notebook.
• Procurement Plan and Code of Conduct - File in a folder or notebook.
• Catered or Vended Meals, if applicable, the Sponsor must maintain:
  • Food service management company contract or agreement.
  • Current state or local health certification.
  • Food Production Records CACFP-660 required and meal delivery records, if applicable.
  • Evidence that the contractor was obtained using fair and competitive practices.
  • Business License of contractor procured through formal bid procedures greater than $350,000.

Sponsoring Organizations (SOs)

Contractors responsible for two or more centers, either under the sponsor’s jurisdiction (affiliated) or under the corporate umbrella (unaffiliated), are required to maintain:

• Pre-approval visits to each new center under an SO.
• Sponsored Centers Site Visit Report (CACFP-404) - Each SO must monitor every center for program compliance at least three times per year, in accordance with the regulations.
• Disbursements (unaffiliated centers only) - Documentation of the dates and amount of reimbursement disbursed to each facility within 5 working days from the CACFP claim processing date is required.

Organizing Records

Suggested items to help you stay organized:

• 3-ring binders
• 3-hole punch
• Clipboards
• Colored highlighters
• File folders
• File box or cabinet
• 12 large envelopes, one for each month

Daily Duties

Complete these records daily and maintain them on a clipboard or in a folder. Ensure that all documents are dated. At the end of each month, file the original dated records with the monthly records in an envelope or binder.

• Attendance records or sign-in/sign-out records.
• Meal count records must be documented at the point of service.
• Menus - verify that each meal served meets Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) meal pattern requirements.
• Food Production Records are required for centers using a caterer or contract food service management company.
• Delivery Receipts are required for centers using a central kitchen, caterer, or contract food service management company.
• Child Nutrition (CN) Labels and Product Formulation Statements (PFS) are required for commercially processed food.

Weekly Duties

Add daily meal counts by free, reduced, and paid; keep confidential.

Monthly Duties

Retain these legible and intact original, dated records:

• Consolidate financial records: Machine-generated dated and itemized food and milk receipts; Child Nutrition (CN) labels and PFS; itemized non-food program supplies; program labor costs; and documentation of non-profit foodservice.
• Prepare and submit the claim for reimbursement: consolidate and determine total attendance; consolidate meal counts and determine the total number of meals served for each meal. For-profit centers must calculate to determine if you are eligible to claim. Submit the claim via CNPweb by the 10th of the month for payment around the 28th or by the 25th for payment around the 13th of the following month.

Yearly Duties

Centers must maintain the original dated records by fiscal year, October 1st through September 30th.

• Current Income Eligibility Forms (IEF) and accompanying parent letter must be updated annually.
• Current enrollment forms must be updated annually.
• Current individual plan of care
• CACFP training documentation - all required topics must be covered at least once a year.
• Medical Statement to Request Special Meals and/or Accommodations
• Beneficiary data report (ethnicity and race), completed annually.
• Site visit monitoring reports for Sponsoring Organizations, 3 per site per year.
• For contracted/catered meals, the original contract or agreement and annual renewal with Food Service Management Company.
• Procurement Plan and Code of Conduct

CACFP Record Retention: 3 Fiscal Years Plus The Current Year

Monthly: Place in a binder or envelope labeled with the month and year

• Daily dated menus
• Daily dated attendance records
• Dated point of service meal count records
• Financial records: food service expenses; labor and indirect cost records summarized on the Documentation of Non-Profit Service Form
• Title XX or Title XIX documentation (for-profit centers only)

Yearly: Place in a binder or envelope labeled with the year

• CACFP training documentation
• Requests for Special Meals and/or Accommodations
• CN labels or Product Formulation Statements
• Beneficiary Data Report
• Vended/catered meal agreements or contracts and annual contract renewals, if applicable
• Procurement Plan and Code of Conduct
• Site visit monitoring reports, if applicable

Include in the enrollment packet:

• Participant letter, current fiscal year