The Child and Adult Care Food Program: Barriers to Participation and Financial Implications of Underuse

Objective: To assess facilitators and barriers to participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and estimate foregone federal funds because of CACFP underuse.Methods: An online survey of food service practices and experiences with CACFP among Connecticut based licensed child care centers (n = 231).Results: Serving meals and the center's nonprofit status predicted CACFP participation. The most common challenge among participants was collecting family income eligibility. Streamlining paperwork (mentioned by 44% of respondents) and funding for nonfood, administrative costs (40%) were recommended facilitators to increase CACFP uptake. Nonparticipating centers had limited knowledge about the program and its eligibility. Foregone federal funding due to CACFP underuse among eligible Connecticut centers was estimated at $30.7 million in 2019, suggesting that 20,300 young children from low-income areas missed out on CACFP-subsidized food.Conclusions and Implications: Improving knowledge about CACFP and reducing participation burdens through additional funding and technical assistance can help expand the program to support child nutrition.