As schools begin planning for the upcoming academic year, several important Child Nutrition Program applications and informational webinars are now available. If your school is considering participating in any of these programs for the 2026–2027 school year, now is a good time to begin preparing.
SFA & RA Applications (2026–2027 School Year)
Following the success of last year’s rollout of universal free meals, the Child Nutrition Programs application season opened earlier this year to allow schools additional time to apply and prepare.
Schools interested in participating may apply either as a School Food Authority (SFA) or as a Recipient Agency (RA):
- School Food Authority (SFA): A school that directly sponsors and administers the meal program.
- Recipient Agency (RA): A school that participates in the program under the sponsorship of an SFA.
Participation allows schools to serve reimbursable breakfast, lunch, and snacks to eligible students while receiving federal and state support to help offset meal costs.
Application Window (for both programs)
February 1 – June 30
Additional details and application access can be found here.
Program Options to Consider
Two provisions may help simplify operations or expand meal access:
- Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)
Allows eligible high-poverty schools to serve free breakfast and lunch to all students without collecting household meal applications. Schools must meet a minimum Identified Student Percentage (ISP) of 25%. In some cases, multiple schools may be grouped under one SFA to meet eligibility requirements.
- Provision 2
Allows schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs to collect meal applications once every four years, significantly reducing annual administrative requirements.
Schools are advised to monitor the anticipated release of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) application later this spring. This program enables schools to use funding allocations to provide students with fresh fruit and vegetables during the school day.
Preparing to Apply
If your school is considering applying as an SFA or RA, it’s helpful to begin preparing key operational requirements early.
For example:
- Ensuring your Department of Health permit is active and up-to-date
- Confirming your fire inspection is valid
- Making sure at least one staff member has completed a Food Safety Certification course
- Thinking about menu planning, staffing, and food service operations
Preparing these items ahead of time can help make the application and approval process much smoother.
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
Schools, camps, and organizations that plan to serve meals during the summer months should also begin preparing for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).
NYSED will offer training for the 2026 Summer Food Service Program. New sponsors must complete the required training in the Child Nutrition Learning Management System before their application is considered complete. Sponsors who operated in 2025 must complete the 2026 update training in the LMS or attend the webinar. All 2026 training courses will be available in mid-March.
Application Deadline: May 1, 2026
Prospective sponsors should begin determining:
- What type of sites they plan to operate
- How meals will be prepared and served
- Which communities or student groups they plan to serve
To learn more and apply, click here.
Upcoming Informational Webinars
Listed below are several informational webinars which will be hosted by NYSED to help schools better understand program requirements and their application processes:
March 26, 2026 | 1:00 PM
SFSP Experinced Sponsors Webinar
April 16, 2026 | 1:00 PM
CEP and Provision 2 Webinar
April 23, 2026 | 1:00 PM
New School Food Authority (SFA) Webinar
Please note that mandatory trainings will also be required for SFSP sponsors, and additional training dates will be announced as they become available.
If your school is considering participating in any of these programs and would like guidance navigating the application process, our team at School Management Solutions is happy to help. Feel free to reach out with any questions or if you would like assistance determining which option may be the best fit for your school.