State Agency Administration of Afterschool Snack and Meal Programs

Overview

State agencies play a crucial role in expanding access to afterschool meals and snacks. State agency staff are critical gatekeepers and sources of information. How state agencies structure the staff who work on child nutrition programs influences how organizations learn about, apply for, and operate the afterschool nutrition programs. Based on interviews with 46 state agency officials and information from nearly every state, this report explores differences in administration across the country and the impact on the administration of child nutrition programs. As elected officials, policy makers, and state agency leaders have the opportunity to reconsider the operation of these programs to increase participation and achieve greater efficiencies, this information can provide new ideas and foster connections between states.

 

UPDATE

This report was initially released in April 2017. As of 2019, several changes in state agency staffing are known to have occurred: Maine moved the administration of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to the Department of Education, and Virginia moved both the Summer Food Service Program and the At-Risk Afterschool component of the CACFP to the Department of Education. Other changes may have occurred as well. Other than Appendix 1, the report as follows does not reflect any changes and otherwise appears as it did originally.

See state-by-state differences in running CACFP, SFSP, and NSLP with a focus on afterschool meals and snacks.