Apply to Serve Summer Meals

The Summer Food Service Program is a federally funded nutrition assistance program that provides meals and snacks to children during the summer months when school meals are not available. Administered at the state level, the program aims to ensure children in families with low incomes have nutrition support when free and reduce price school lunch is not available during summer break. The program is an investment in young people who will grow to become contributors in their community, workforce and economy.

In Tennessee, the program is administered by the state’s Department of Human Services (TDHS). The department partners with eligible community organizations to serve Sun Meals and Sun Meals to-Go according to federal guidelines and is always looking for new partners to join the fight against food insecurity.

Community organizations can apply to join the fight against hunger in Tennessee as an SFSP sponsor or meal site. These organizations collaborate with TDHS to deliver summer meals at no cost to recipients and receive reimbursement payments for meals served and related documented operating costs according to current reimbursement rates.

May First Application Deadline

To become a sponsor, Tennessee organizations must complete the sponsor application process and required Annual Online Training Modules and workshops by May first to be approved to serve meals the same year. Applications submitted after the application deadline will be declined for the year.

Organizations can learn about SFSP sponsorship and child food insecurity in Tennessee at the annual Summer Summit held in January or through the SFSP Training Library.

Things to Consider Before Beginning the SFSP Sponsor Application:

Before your organization starts the SFSP application process, here are some things to consider:

Your organization may qualify to become an SFSP sponsor if it is included in one of the following categories:

  • Schools and other local government agencies
  • Public or private nonprofit camps
  • Public or private colleges and universities
  • Nonprofit community or faith-based organizations

SFSP sponsorship is open to Tennessee organizations that:  

  • Have federal tax-exempt or public entity status.
  • Serve children in families with low incomes that qualify for reduced or free school lunch (this can be determined using data from a school, census, welfare department, zoning commission, federal or regional housing authority, tribal authority, migrant sites or income eligibility forms).
  • Demonstrate financial and administrative capacity to serve children according to SFSP guidelines.
  • Offer year-round service to the community.

It is a good practice to become familiar with the tasks performed by SFSP sponsors. These tasks include:

  • Accepting financial and administrative responsibility for the execution of the Summer Food Service Program.
  • Competitively procuring purchases.
  • Locating and recruiting eligible meal site partners.
  • Hiring, training, managing and providing adequate staff/volunteers for the supervision of each meal site.
  • Submitting timely reports and maintain program documents for the current year and three subsequent years.
  • Cooperating with TDHS and USDA monitoring personnel.
  • Participate in TDHS training

SFSP sponsors are reimbursed for meals provided at meal sites and submit a budget as part of the application process. It’s a good practice to become familiar with the current rates established by the USDA.

A single sponsor is permitted to serve meals at one or more approved meal sites under their administration. Organizations that operate a meal site are expected to:

  • Attend SFSP sponsor continuing education trainings.
  • Be familiar with the SFSP operational practices and follow SFSP guidelines.
  • Serve one or two meals daily (breakfast, snack, lunch and supper). Note: both lunch and supper cannot be claimed at a regular site.
  • Incorporate summer meals into an organized and adequately supervised youth activity (such as a recreational program).
  • Adhere to the regulations of local health departments: All preparation facilities and serving sites are subject to health inspections by local authorities.
  • Keep daily meal count records.

Potential sponsors should consider what type of meal site(s) they will manage and the location of these sites. Options include:

  • Open and Restricted Open Meal Site: An “open” meal site serves meals to all children under age 18 in the immediate area on a first come, first serve basis according to the site’s capacity. These meal sites must be located in an area where half the children living in the area are eligible for free or reduced price meals under the school nutrition program. 
    Organizations may also operate as “restricted-open” meal sites if attendance is restricted for reasons of security, safety or control. “Open” meal site eligibility may be based on information available from local school boards, housing authorities, or census data relative to the area served.
  • Closed Meal Site: A “closed” meal site serves a designated group of children under age 18 who are participating in a specific activity (example: private group tutoring). To qualify as a “closed” SFSP meal site, half of the children enrolled in the activity at the meal site must qualify to received free or reduce price school meals. Summer school is not considered a closed enrolled site.
  • Camp Meal Site: Residential camps and nonresidential day camps that offer regularly scheduled food may qualify to serve SFSP meals if children enrolled in the camp are eligible to receive free or reduce price lunch. Sponsors of camp sites must obtain information from the enrolled children to document their family’s size and income. Camp sponsors are reimbursed only for those meals served to children who have been individually determined eligible for the free or reduce price school lunch and area eligibility cannot be used to establish camp site eligibility.
  • School Meal Site: Sites can also be schools that serve meals managed by a school system as a continuation of the school’s lunch and breakfast program. The state Department of Education administers this component of the SFSP. Note: Programs that operate camps or closed-enrollment sites may require additional training.

Note: Programs that operate camps or closed-enrollment sites may require additional training.

Other Ways to Join the Fight Against Food Insecurity in Tennessee

Some organizations may be unsure about becoming an SFSP sponsor or unable to complete the application process by the May first application deadline.

If your organization does not yet have the capacity to become an SFSP sponsor, consider joining the fight against hunger as a meal site or volunteer. Organizations can contact the SPSP team by e-mail (TNSFSP.DHS@tn.gov) or phone (615) 313-4749 to learn about becoming a summer food service meal site or connect with an established SFSP program in their area.

Community members and organizations can use the USDA Meal Site Finder at FNS.Usda.Gov/Summer/Sitefinder to locate meal sites and learn about partnership and volunteer opportunities with established sponsors in their area.

Start the Process to Become a Summer Food Services Program Sponsor Today!

If your organization is ready to join TDHS in the fight against food insecurity, you can expect to follow these steps to become an SFSP partner:

  • Contact the SFSP Team to Open a Tennessee Information Payment System (TIPS) Account | SFSP applications and reimbursement claims are submitted via the Tennessee Information Payment System (TIPS) at https://Tndhs.Cnpus.Com/Prod/Splash.Aspx. Organizations can contact an SFSP specialist by emailing TNSFSP.DHS@tn.gov or calling (615) 313-4749 to open an account.
  • Complete SFSP Training
  • Complete the Program Sponsor Application in TIPS | The SFSP application includes, management plan, food production facility, site application, budget and checklist items sections. To start the application, you’ll need your organization’s Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS), Federal Employee Information Number (FEIN), Sam.Gov registration, bond requirements or bond waiver, background check and contact details. Once an application is completed, you will be approved or denied a sponsorship role in SFSP within 30 days. Applications must be submitted by May first to serve meals the same year. If you need help, speak to your SPSP specialist for assistance.
  • Complete and Submit the Supplier Direct Deposit Authorization Form | SFSP sponsors are reimbursed via direct deposit and must submit this form to the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration.

After Your Application is Approved

Once approved, SFSP sponsors can procure materials and orchestrate meal service at one or more approved sites under their administration and will receive related reimbursements according federal and state guidelines. Meal sites should be established based on community needs and must be approved by TDHS. Sponsors can submit a meal site application in TIPS. Some meal sites may be monitored as part of the fraud prevention program. 

Contact the Summer Food Service Program Team Today!

The Summer Food Service Program Team at the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) is here to help established and potential partners understand the application process and succeed in serving meals to children across the state. If you have questions, experts are just a click or call away.

Contact:
Email:  TNSFSP.DHS@tn.gov
Phone: (615) 313-4749

Training Resources:
Annual Summer Summit – In Person event held in January
Online Training Workshops
Training Library

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.