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The Summer Food Service Program
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides free breakfast, lunch, snack and/or supper to youth in Colorado all summer long. Anyone 18 years of age and younger is welcome to eat a meal with their friends at participating sites throughout the summer.
Free meals are provided to all children at approved SFSP sites in eligible areas across the state. SFSP sponsoring organizations are operated by public and private nonprofit school food authorities, public or private, nonprofit residential and nonresidential camps, local, municipal, county or state governments, public or private colleges or universities participating in the National Youth Sports Program and private, nonprofit organizations.
How to Apply
Application Instructions
Sponsors must complete a Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) application in the Colorado Nutrition Portal each year.
Use the following resources to assist with the application.
New Sponsor Forms and Site Links
- New User Request Form - fill out this form to request access or modify users in the Colorado Nutrition Portal.
- New Site Request Form - fill out this form to request SFSP site changes to your application in the Colorado Nutrition Portal.
- Mapping Tools - Use this tool to evaluate the previous summer's performance as well as plan for the next summer.
Application Deadlines
The application approval process can take up to two weeks to complete, especially when participating in multiple child nutrition programs. You will not be able to submit a claim until your renewal application is approved.
New sponsor application deadline is April 15.
Returning sponsor application deadline is May 1.
How to Claim
Sponsors must follow the counting and claiming procedures under the Summer Food Service Program.
- View SFSP Claiming Instructions
- Please reach out to your point of contact if instructions on upload formatting are needed.
- 2025 Reimbursement Rates
- Meal Counter Resource
- Monthly Claim Consolidation Tool
Daily Meal Count Form
Access the daily meal count forms in Appendix 2 of the USDA SFSP Administration Guide.
Claim Deadlines
Reimbursement claims are due 60 days after the end of each month.
Program Requirements
Below are all of the forms and guides that you need to have a comprehensive understanding of the program requirements.
Jump To:
- Policy & Guidance
- Menu Planning and Meal Patterns
- Financial Management
- Food Safety
- Site Eligibility
- Procurement
- Program Monitoring
Policy & Guidance
Administrative & Operational Resources:
- Code of Federal Regulations
- Excessive Heat and Air Quality Waiver - Outdoor congregate SFSP sites may request to serve non-congregate meals on days of excessive heat or poor air quality.
- Sponsor / Site Agreement Form
- USDA Policy Memos
- SFSP Administrative Guide
Site Eligibility
Eligibility Resources:
Establish Eligibility
Income Eligibility
This is only required if your site uses income applications to establish eligibility.
- Income Eligibility Guidelines
- Instructions and Income Application Packet:
- Translations
Eligibility Resources
- CDE Pupil Membership Data Webpage
- Download the "Pre-K-12 Free and Reduced Lunch Eligibility by School" Excel document under "School Level Data" for the most current information.
Eligibility Maps
Menu Planning & Meal Patterns
Meal Pattern Resources
Meal Pattern Requirements
Menu Planning Resources
Nutrition Guide for Sponsors
Guides and Recipes Packet
Additional Resources
Procurement
Procurement Requirements
All sponsors must have written procurement procedures.
Tailor the template below to reflect your policies.
Financial Management
Financial Requirements
Use the tracking tool below to document all program costs and income.
Program Monitoring
Required Documentation
- Pre-operational Site Visit Form: Pre-operational visits are required for all new sites, including sites new to non-congregate meals, and sites with operational problems in the previous year. Pre-operational visits must be completed before beginning operations.
- Site Visit Form: Site visits are required within the first two weeks of operations for all new sites, including sites new to non-congregate meals, and sites with operational problems in the previous year. Site visits may be combined with the site review. If combined, complete within the first two weeks of operations and use the site review form.
- Site Review Form: Site reviews are required for all sites and must take place within the first four weeks of operation. Site reviews may be combined with the site visit. If combined, complete within the first two weeks of operations and use the site review form.
Program Monitoring Resources
- Site Supervisor's Guide
- Sponsor Monitor's Guide
- Sponsor & Site Agreement
- This agreement is used for sites not legally affiliated with the sponsor organization
Food Safety
Learn how to ensure food safety for your Summer Food Service Program below.
Find Your Local Health Department
Sponsors must request a health inspection for all meal sites. Meal sites participating in other child nutrition programs may document health inspection requests from those programs.
Seamless Summer Option (SSO)
The Seamless Summer Option (SSO) allows school food authorities participating in the National School Lunch Program to provide free summer meals to children in low income areas during the traditional summer vacation periods and, for year-round schools, during school vacation periods longer than 15 school days (or for breaks of shorter periods of time if approved by the CDE Office of School Nutrition).
The SSO is designed to allow SFAs to continue the same meal service rules and claiming procedures used during the regular school year. Site designations for the SSO are similar to those for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the same NSLP and SBP rules apply for meal service. Meals served are reimbursed at the NSLP and/or SBP free rates.