Child-care meal sponsors ask lawmakers for $182,000 to expand federal meal reimbursements

Representatives of sponsor organizations for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) told the Senate Education Committee on April 3, 2025, that a $182,000 state appropriation to the Agency of Education’s child nutrition budget would allow the three remaining sponsors to expand their administrative capacity and onboard additional family child‑care providers statewide.

Autumn Owen, legislative policy lead representing Hungerford Vermont, asked senators to appropriate $182,000 in FY26 to be distributed among the sponsor organizations. Owen said the money would help sponsors cover administrative costs, monitoring and reviews, and other expenses that federal reimbursements do not adequately cover. "This small appropriation would mean that these providers are able to draw down more federal funding to provide meals and snacks to children in their care," Owen said.

CACFP is a federal child-nutrition program that reimburses eligible meals and snacks served by early‑childhood programs; at the state level the Agency of Education administers the program. Sponsor organizations act as fiscal intermediaries and are responsible for enrolling family child‑care homes, monitoring meal operations, performing required reviews, and ensuring compliance with federal rules.

Owen told the committee there are only three remaining sponsor organizations serving the state: Brock Community Action, Capstone Community Action, and (as recorded in testimony) the Winston Prouting Center for Child Development. Witnesses described a long decline in sponsor numbers: one sponsor left the program in 2024 because federal administrative funds did not cover the cost of sponsorship; the remaining organizations have taken on larger geographic responsibilities and said they are close to capacity.

Pat (Capstone Community Action) described the workload increase after another sponsor left, telling senators she took on the additional counties only because "no one else to do this, and this program is just too important." Brock Community Action staff similarly told advocates the program’s meals are essential and that "the impact of losing this program cannot be overstated."

Owen and sponsor representatives said roughly half of family child‑care homes in Vermont participated in CACFP as of January 2024; sponsors said administrative shortfalls and geography limit broader participation. The $182,000 request would be split among the three sponsors to expand administrative staffing and monitoring capacity so more family child‑care homes can enroll and draw federal meal reimbursements, which would in turn increase federal dollars flowing into the state’s child‑nutrition system.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about duplication with other nutritional supports such as ThreeSquares (SNAP) and about the age range and definition of family child‑care homes. Witnesses said CACFP covers meals for young children in licensed family child‑care settings (approximately ages 0–6, per testimony) and that the program complements — rather than duplicates — household benefits by ensuring children receive meals in care settings as well as at home.

Owen said the request had support from House education staff and that advocates expected the idea to be considered alongside other early‑childhood budget items; she said the appropriation did not appear in the House budget after initial committee reviews. Sponsors offered to provide the committee with up‑to‑date participation and draw‑down data to quantify how much additional federal funding increased state investment could unlock.

The committee did not vote on the request during the hearing; witnesses asked senators to consider the appropriation as part of the FY26 budget process and to help preserve the sponsor network that enables family child‑care homes to participate in the federal meal program.