2021–22 Day Care Home Expansion Funds Request for Applications

This nutrition bulletin (NB, formerly known as Management Bulletins) notifies day care home (DCH) sponsors of an opportunity to apply for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administrative payments for outreach, recruitment, and training activities to expand participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in low-income or rural areas.

Interested DCH sponsors must submit an Application for DCH Expansion Funds to the Child and Adult Care Food Program by 5 p.m. on December 31, 2021.

The application, instructions, and general assurances can be requested by sending an email message to CACFPinfo@dss.ca.gov with Expansion Funds Request for Application as the subject header. Only DCH sponsors currently approved by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) are eligible. Note: All email message requests must be received by 8 a.m. on December 24, 2021.

This process is not a competitive bid for funding. The application must be complete and comply with all stated requirements. There are no requirements for matching funds.

Sponsors that were awarded expansion funds in previous years must have completed all award activities and related reporting requirements by July 21, 2020, to apply for a 2021–22 award.

Purpose of Administrative Funds

The USDA allows eligible DCH sponsors to obtain additional administrative funds to conduct outreach and recruitment activities to expand the number of DCH providers that participate in the CACFP in low-income or rural areas. DCH expansion funds provide payments to DCH sponsors for administrative expenses incurred to identify, recruit, train, and enroll providers in the CACFP.

Funding Amount

For each new provider that the DCH sponsor proposes adding to their CACFP agreement, the sponsor may request $252. The number of potential new providers a sponsor may add is capped at a maximum of 50. The expansion amount is based on the usual monthly reimbursement for the first 50 homes with a factor of x 2. Therefore, the maximum amount the CDSS can award a DCH sponsor is $12,600. (50 providers x $126 x 2).

Timeframe for Expansion Activities

Sponsors can conduct expansion activities and claim administrative expenses beginning February 1, 2022, through May 31, 2022. The USDA allows sponsors sufficient time for outreach, recruitment, training, and preoperational visits to a new provider. The CDSS will not reimburse sponsors for expansion activities that occur before or after their approved award period.

The sponsor must submit a final report within 30 calendar days following the end of the award period. This includes a list of new providers, a description of expansion activities, and a detailed final expenditure report. Sponsors who fail to submit the required documentation will not be reimbursed.

Eligibility Criteria

DCH sponsors must meet the following criteria in order to apply for these additional administrative funds. See the instructions and application for all requirements.

• Maintain private nonprofit (tax exempt) status under Internal Revenue Code, Section 501(c)(3), or be a public agency
• Provide documentation that the proposed new providers are located in rural or low-income areas
• Ensure that it has been at least 12 months since the completing of all requirements for any previous expansion funds award

If an agency is currently participating in any of the federal Child Nutrition Programs, they must be in good standing in the operation of those programs administered by the California Department of Education and CDSS and in compliance with all related regulations during the application process and anytime during the course of the grant period. This means that an agency cannot be documented as having an open serious deficiency (SD) in its operation of the CACFP or the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and cannot have an active reimbursement hold in the School Nutrition Programs (SNP) related to nonsubmission of or unacceptable corrective action documentation (Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations [7 CFR], sections 226.6[c][3][iii], 225.11[c], and 210.24 respectively). If an agency knowingly submits false information on its grant application or invoices, the CDSS may deny or collect the agency’s grant funding.

The following criteria are considered when making grant award determinations. Any of the factors below may affect your agency’s eligibility to receive grant funding:

1. Open SDs in the CACFP or SFSP (7 CFR, sections 226.6[c][3][iii] and 225.11[c])
2. SNP reimbursement holds (7 CFR, Section 210.24)
3. Failure to attend mandatory CACFP training (7 CFR, Section 226.16[l][2][viii])
4. Failure to report or submit required documents (CACFP, Food Distribution Program [FDP], SFSP, and SNP) (7 CFR, sections 226.16[b], 240.11[a], 250.12[c], 225.6[c], and 210.15[a])
5. Outstanding account receivables (that are not currently being offset) and have aged beyond 30 calendar days (CACFP, FDP, SFSP, and SNP) (7 CFR, sections 226.14, 225.12, and 210.19[c]; California State Administrative Manual—Nonemployee Accounts Receivable—Section 8776.6; and MB NSD- FDP-01-2011)
6. Fiscal accountability findings identified during the agency’s most recent annual update completed through the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS), review or audit (CACFP, SFSP, and SNP) (7 CFR, sections 226.6[b][2][vii][A][1][2][3]; 226.6[m][3]; 226.8; 225.7[d][2]; 225.10[a]; and 210.19[a][1])
7. Administrative capability findings identified during the agency’s most recent annual update completed through the CNIPS, review or audit (CACFP and SFSP) (7 CFR, sections 226.6[b][2][vii][B], 226.6[m][3], 226.8, 225.7[d][2], and 225.10[a])
8. Excess net cash resources (CACFP, SFSP, and SNP) (MB NSD-CACFP-07- 2011; FNS 796-2, Rev. 4, page 7, Section [IV][D]; and 7 CFR, sections 226.15[e][13], 210.9[b][2], 210.14[b], and 210.19[a][1])

Awards

The CDSS will determine each DCH sponsor’s award based on the number of providers the sponsor proposes adding to its CACFP agreement. The CDSS will issue a payment equal to 50 percent of the award after the DCH sponsor signs both the Grant Award Notification form and a supplemental CACFP agreement with the CDSS. The CDSS must approve all supporting documentation submitted by the DCH sponsor before issuing the remainder of the funding. The CDSS will reimburse sponsors at the administrative rate per home or for actual expenses, whichever is the lesser amount. The CDSS will post the award results on the CDSS Funding Results web page.

Application Process

The CDSS will review all applications for content, completeness, and compliance with the requirements of the Request for Applications. The CDSS will send successful applicants a Grant Award Notification with a supplemental agreement that outlines the specific expansion activities, the time frame for the activities, and the reporting requirements. DCH sponsors must sign and return these documents within 30 calendar days of receipt. The CDSS encourages DCH sponsors to sign and return the documents as soon as possible so that the CDSS can review and award funding requests timely. Unsuccessful applicants will receive letters of denial postmarked no later than 30 calendar days following the application due date.

Application Deadline

The CDSS must receive the application for DCH Expansion Funds no later than 5 p.m. on December 31, 2021. Submit the application by email to CACFPinfo@dss.ca.gov or postal mail to the following address:

Child and Adult Care Food Program
Day Care Home Expansion Funds Application
Family Engagement and Empowerment Division
California Department of Social Services
744 P Street. MS 9-13-291
Sacramento, CA 95814

The CDSS is not responsible for postal delays and will not accept late applications. The applications must be submitted with original signatures. The CDSS will not accept hand-delivered or faxed submissions, nor will it process incomplete or illegible applications.

Contact Information

If you have questions regarding this DCH expansion funds application, please contact Monica Ortega, CACFP Specialist, by phone at 916-651-7331 or by email at Monica.Ortega@dss.ca.gov.