Become a Sponsor

Sponsor Eligibility

Charter School Information

Residential Child Care Institutions Information

• Hire, train, and supervise staff and volunteers
  • Ensure staff are trained on responsibilities specific to their role
  • Ensure food service directors meet annual training requirements
  • Ensure staff are trained on food safety requirements and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points plan
• Manage Finances and conduct a non-profit food service account
  • Use child nutrition program funds only for program purposes. Funds may not be used to purchase land or construct buildings
  • Maintain a financial management system that meets CDE and federal requirements
  • Limit current operating resources to an amount that does not exceed 3 months' average expenditures
  • Conduct an independent audit of program operations and provide a copy of the audit to CDE
• Competitively procure food to be prepared or contract with a food service management company or meal vendor to be delivered
  • Follow federal, state and local procurement requirements
  • Maintain a procurement policy for purchasing goods and services
• Serve meals that meet federal meal pattern requirements
  • Meal modifications must be made for students with special dietary needs that are considered a disability
  • Follow the Smart Snacks competitive foods requirements and Colorado Healthy Beverage rules
  • School lunch must be served between 10am-2pm. School breakfast should be served near the beginning of the school day
  • Summer meal sites can serve up to 2 meals per day, including holidays and weekends. Camp sites can serve up to 3 meals per day.

• Follow meal service requirements
  • Establish a point of service and ensure meals counted contain all required components in correct quantities 
  • Establish, implement and review a local wellness policy for school meal programs
• Follow all civil rights requirements
  • Ensure equal access to programs
  • Display the "And Justice for All" poster in a location visible to participants
  • Ensure program materials include the USDA nondiscrimination statement
• Determine eligibility for meal benefits in school meal programs
  • Accept and process household income applications
  • Verify a sample of household income applications to ensure complete and accurate information and verify student eligibility
  • Complete at least four direct certification uploads each school year
  • Sponsors opting into the Healthy School Meals for All program must serve free meals to all students at participating schools
• Establish site eligibility for summer meal programs
  • All summer meal sites serving meals must meet eligibility requirements based on site type (e.g., open, closed-enrolled, camp)
• Monitor all meal sites
  • Conduct on-site reviews at each school serving breakfast and/or lunch by Feb. 1 each year using this monitoring form
  • Conduct on-site visits and reviews of summer meal sites based on monitoring requirements
• Prepare claims for reimbursement
  • Ensure claims are accurate
  • Submit claims within 60 calendar days following the claim month
• Conduct outreach and marketing
  • Share information with families and communities about school and summer meals