CACFP 115 Daily Attendance Record - Form Details

The CACFP 115 form is the required daily attendance record for providers participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The CACFP is a federal nutrition assistance program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service. It provides reimbursement funding to approved child care centers, family day care homes, adult day care facilities, at-risk afterschool programs, and emergency shelters that serve nutritious meals and snacks to eligible participants each day.

What the CACFP 115 Form Documents

This form captures attendance data for a full calendar month. Providers list each enrolled participant's name in the left column, one name per row. For every day of the month, the provider marks P for present or A for absent. Totals are calculated at the end of each row. At the bottom of the form, providers enter the CACFP program identifier, sponsor or site name, and a page number to help staff organize multi-page submissions when a program has a large number of participants. All fields must be completed accurately before the form is filed or used to support a reimbursement claim.

Who Must Complete This Form

All CACFP-approved providers are required to complete a CACFP 115 form each month that meals are served. This applies to child care centers caring for children up to age 13, adult day care programs, family day care home sponsors, at-risk afterschool meal programs, and emergency shelters participating in CACFP. Sponsors that oversee multiple care sites must collect a completed attendance form from every location under their administration. Each individual facility completes its own form rather than combining data from multiple sites onto a single record.

Why Accurate Attendance Records Are Required

The attendance data recorded on CACFP 115 forms determines how much federal reimbursement a provider can claim each month. USDA meal reimbursement is calculated based on the number of eligible participants present on each day a qualifying meal is served. Incomplete or inaccurate records can result in reduced reimbursements, compliance findings during program reviews, or a requirement to return funds already paid. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. All providers receiving CACFP funding must comply with applicable nondiscrimination requirements and maintain complete documentation to support every reimbursement claim they submit to their state agency.

Retention and Audit Requirements

CACFP providers are required to retain completed attendance records, including all CACFP 115 forms, for a minimum of three years after the end of the applicable program year. State agency reviewers and USDA auditors may request these records during scheduled or unannounced compliance reviews. Providers who cannot produce complete attendance documentation risk loss of reimbursement, suspension from the program, or permanent termination of CACFP participation. Keeping organized records by month and program year helps providers respond to information requests quickly and avoids disruption to daily meal service operations.

Alternative Names for This Form

The CACFP 115 form is known by several alternative names in practice. Some providers refer to it as the CACFP daily attendance sheet, the CACFP 115 attendance record, or simply the CACFP sign-in form. The form number 115 is the standard designation used by state agencies and USDA program administrators. Related forms used in the program include the CACFP 116, which tracks meal counts, and various state-specific attendance documents that some agencies require in addition to or in place of the federal form. Always confirm with your state agency which forms are required for your program type and funding tier.

QuestionAnswer
Form NameCACFP 115 Daily Attendance Record
Form Length1 pages
Fillable?No
Fillable fields0
Avg. time to fill out15 sec
Issuing AgencyUSDA Food and Nutrition Service
Other namescacfp form 116, cacfp 116 6 14, cacfp 115, cacfp 115 form attendance record, cacfp daily attendance sheet, cacfp sign-in form

How to Edit Cacfp 115 Form Online for Free

With FormsPal's online PDF editor, you can fill out or modify the CACFP 115 attendance form directly in your browser. No software download or installation is required. Our tool is designed to work for both first-time users and experienced CACFP program administrators. Follow the steps below to complete your form:

Step 1: Press the "Get Form" button at the top of this page to open the CACFP 115 form in FormsPal's PDF editor.

Step 2: The editor lets you modify PDF documents in a variety of ways. You can add customized text, correct existing data, and apply a signature - all at your convenience.

Complete the form with close attention to detail. Every field should be filled in before you download or send the completed document.

1. Begin by entering the month and year at the top of the attendance form. List each CACFP participant's name in the left column, one per row. For each day of the month, mark the cell with P for present or A for absent. Do not leave any cell blank for days when the program was operating and meals were being served to enrolled participants.

Step number 1 of filling out daily attendance record form

2. After completing the attendance grid, fill in the program identification section at the bottom of the form. Enter the USDA CACFP program name or code, the name of the care site or sponsor, and the PAGE OF count to confirm all pages of the monthly record are included. Enter the monthly TOTAL count for each participant in the far-right column. This total is used to verify your reimbursement claim with the state agency.

CACFP , TOTAL, and PAGE OF inside daily attendance record form

Pay close attention when entering the CACFP program identifier and TOTAL columns. These fields are among the most common sources of errors flagged during state agency compliance reviews of CACFP meal service records.

Step 3: After reviewing all entries, click "Done" to finalize the form. You can create a free FormsPal account to download the completed CACFP 115 form as a PDF or send it by email. FormsPal does not share or sell any information entered while you use our service.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out CACFP 115

  • Leaving attendance grid cells blank rather than marking A for a participant who was absent on an operating day
  • Entering the wrong month or program year at the top of the form
  • Failing to complete a separate CACFP 115 form for each care site under a sponsor's oversight
  • Not retaining completed forms for the required three-year period after the end of the applicable program year
  • Mismatching the CACFP program name or site identifier with the name on file with your state agency
  • Combining attendance data from multiple sites onto a single form instead of completing individual records per location

Frequently Asked Questions About the CACFP 115 Form

What is the CACFP 115 form used for?
The CACFP 115 form is the required daily attendance record for the Child and Adult Care Food Program. It documents which enrolled participants were present on each day meals were served. The data from these forms is used to calculate monthly meal reimbursement claims submitted to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service through the provider's state agency.

Who needs to complete the CACFP 115 form each month?
All CACFP-approved care providers must complete this attendance form monthly. This applies to child care centers, family day care homes, adult day care programs, at-risk afterschool meal sites, and emergency shelters participating in CACFP. Sponsors managing multiple sites must collect a completed form from every site each month meals are served.

How long must completed CACFP 115 forms be retained?
CACFP regulations require providers to keep attendance records for a minimum of three years from the end of the applicable program year. State agencies and federal auditors may request these documents at any time. Missing or incomplete records can trigger compliance findings or impact future reimbursements, so organizing files by month and year is strongly recommended.

What is the difference between the CACFP 115 and CACFP 116 forms?
The CACFP 115 form records daily participant attendance (who was present or absent each day). The CACFP 116 form records the number of meals actually served each day at a care site. Both forms are used together to document and verify CACFP meal service for reimbursement purposes. Some state agencies require both forms and may have additional documentation requirements specific to their program.

Where can I find other CACFP and child care forms?
FormsPal also provides the CACFP DOH-3688 form and the CACFP 4118 form for related program documentation needs. For general attendance tracking, see our daily attendance record form. Child care providers may also find the child care incident report helpful for maintaining complete facility records. For official program guidelines and resources, visit the USDA Food and Nutrition Service CACFP page.

Can I complete the CACFP 115 form entirely online?
Yes. FormsPal's PDF editor lets you fill out the CACFP 115 attendance form entirely in your browser. After completing all required fields, you can download the finished PDF or email it directly to your program sponsor, state agency contact, or records administrator. All data you enter is kept private and is never shared with third parties.

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