Contact

Applications
mde.fns@state.mn.us
651-582-8526
800-366-8922 (toll free MN only)

Applications

Complete Summer Food Service Program Applications are due May 1

With a record high number of meal sites open in the 7-county metro area, the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is focused on identifying unserved areas in need of meal sites in Greater Minnesota. If a sponsor is already operating in that area, individual sites are encouraged to partner with the existing sponsor to provide meals. Rural communities and areas where migrant families reside are especially encouraged to apply.

View the Child Nutrition Program Eligibility Map to determine where Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sites are currently located. Select the Summer Meal Programs on the right side of the map to populate school and census eligibility, then enter an address at the top and click Map Address. Current or pending SFSP sites will appear on the map and the mapped address will be marked with a red diamond. To obtain information about existing or pending sites, click on the ball marking the site location; additional details will be shown at the bottom of the screen.

SFSP sites must meet specific eligibility requirements. View How to Determine Eligibility of Summer Food Service Program Sites.

If an area is not currently served by a sponsoring organization, organizations interested in serving the area must complete an interest survey by April 1.

SFSP Application Dates

New Applicants, schools and nonprofit organizations that did not participate in SFSP at any time between March 2020 and April 2021, but want to participate in the SFSP when school is out, must:

Complete an Interest Survey by April 1, 2021.
Complete online training by May 1, 2021. Visit the SFSP Training webpage for details on SFSP training; training is available in mid-March.
Complete an Applicant Information Form no later than April 15. Sponsors will receive this form and detailed application instructions after a complete Interest Survey is submitted.
Submit a complete application, which includes a sponsor and site application(s), in CLiCS by May 1. Applications are available in April.
All site applications must be submitted and updated in CLiCS no later than July 1.

Renewing Applicants, schools and nonprofit organizations that participated in SFSP at any time between March 2020 and April 2021, must:

Complete training. Visit the SFSP Training webpage for details on SFSP training.
Submit a complete application, which includes a sponsor and site application(s), in CLiCS by May 15, or fifteen days prior to the first day of operation, whichever is earlier.
- Applications for the SFSP will be available in April for the coming summer.
- All site applications must be submitted and updated in CLiCS no later than July 1.

Applications Guidance

Summer Meal Programs – Program Year 2022 Application Renewal Guidance for Schools and Community Organizations

Census Block Eligibility Form - 5/31/18
This form needs to be completed by sponsors who are hoping to become program eligible based on census data from adjacent block groups.
Certification for American Indian Sites - 2/26/18
For sites located within a reservation, this form may be used to quality the site as area eligible.
Housing Authority Documentation of Eligibility - 6/22/20
If the site is located within a subsidized or rent controlled housing complex, this form may be used to qualify the site as area eligible.
Site Definitions and Eligibility Documentation - Summer Meal Programs - 11/22/19
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) definitions and eligibility requirements for the various sites allowed under the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO).

Allowable Expenses and Required Documentation - 7/9/18
Describes expenses that can be paid using Summer Food Service Program reimbursement, and documentation required for those expenses.
PDF - 11/12/20
The steps and timelines that a Summer Food Service Program sponsor must follow to appeal an administrative action by MDE.
Health Department Notification - 3/15/19
The local health department must be notified in writing by the sponsor of all Summer Food Service Program site locations. This document contains a link to the Minnesota Department of Health web page with the sanitarian directory and a sample of the letter to be sent.
Program Agreement - Summer Food Service Program - 2/9/17
Agreement for sponsors of summer food service programs.
Summer Meal Programs – Program Year 2022 Application Renewal Guidance for Schools and Community Organizations - 6/1/21