SUN Bucks (Summer EBT)

Background

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L 117-328) (PDF) authorized a new permanent, nationwide Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program, also known as SUN Bucks (Summer EBT), beginning in 2024 and 2025. SUN Bucks is designed to provide financial benefits for groceries to eligible children when school is not in session. For 2024, the maximum SUN Bucks benefit is $40 per eligible child, per month, for each of the three months when schools are closed for the summer (June, July, and August). For ease and convenience, households receive a one-time single benefit amount of $120 per eligible child.

Thus far in 2025, California has provided approximately $464 million in food benefits to over 3.8 million children throughout the state.

Eligibility

For most eligible children, enrollment in SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) is an automatic process called streamlined certification.

SUN Bucks benefits apply to children that meet the following eligibility requirements:

1. Streamlined certification through the California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS): Age 6–18 and enrollment in CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal (with income confirmed at or under 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level [FPL]).
   
   OR
   
   
2. Certification through the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS): Enrollment in a school participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/School Breakfast Program (SBP).
   
   AND
   
   Determined eligible during the school year or the directly succeeding summer period for SUN Bucks through an NSLP meal application or Universal Benefits Application (UBA), local direct certification, or designation as homeless, migrant, or foster.

Eligibility for SUN Bucks benefits are automatically determined by the CDSS using data from CalSAWS and free or reduced-price meals (FRPM) eligibility records submitted to the CDE. Children determined to be eligible for SUN Bucks through CalSAWS must participate in CalFresh, CalWORKS, or Medi-Cal (at or under 185 percent of the FPL).

Children who are categorically eligible for FRPM based on their designation as migrant, homeless, or foster or directly certified for FRPM based on participation in a federal benefit such as CalFresh, CalWORKS, or Medi-Cal (at or under 185 percent of the FPL) are automatically eligible for SUN Bucks. Children who are not categorically eligible or directly certified must apply to be determined eligible for SUN Bucks. The type of application submitted by the parent or guardian of a child is dependent upon their school of attendance’s school meal participation (standard counting and claiming or provision status).

Children who attend a standard counting and claiming school are required to submit an NSLP meal application annually. Eligibility determinations derived from approved NSLP applications must be submitted to CDE via the Education Data Collection System (EDCS).

Children who attend school sites that participate in a federal feeding provision (Community Eligibility Provision [CEP] or Provision 2 [P2]) and are not categorically eligible or directly certified, must establish SUN Bucks eligibility through the submission of a UBA. UBA records must be submitted to the CDE via the EDCS. Note that schools that are establishing a new P2 base year will utilize meal applications during their base year in lieu of the UBA.

Eligibility for 2025 SUN Bucks

Children may be determined eligible through CALPADS if they have attended or are attending an NSLP/SBP participating school anytime during the eligibility period, and have a state direct certification match, are categorically eligible based on a migrant or homeless record, or have been identified as a foster youth in CALPADS. Children with approved NSLP meal applications, approved UBAs, local direct certification, or extended benefits must be reported to the EDCS to be identified by CDE as eligible for SUN Bucks.

Private schools participating in the NSLP/SBP in California do not have access to CALPADS. For information on private school FRPM records, see the FAQ tab.

Important notes:

• SUN Bucks does not have the same eligibility requirements as Pandemic EBT (P-EBT). With P-EBT all students enrolled in CEP schools were automatically eligible for P-EBT. This is not the case for SUN Bucks, which requires annual individual eligibility determinations based on household income requirements.
  
  
• Not all children enrolled in Medi-Cal are automatically eligible for SUN Bucks. Children who receive Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment, or the Adoption Assistance Program may be enrolled in Medi-Cal but they may not meet the 185 percent of the FPL threshold to be eligible for SUN Bucks. Children that fall into this category may need to submit an NSLP meal application or a UBA with their LEA to determine their eligibility for SUN Bucks.
  
  
• In California, the Universal Meals Program provides school meals at no cost to all school age children, regardless of their FRPM eligibility. If a student has not been certified at or below 185 percent of the FPL, they may need to submit an NSLP meal application or a UBA to their LEA to determine their eligibility for SUN Bucks.

Application

The eligibility period for summer 2025 began on July 1, 2024, and ended on September 2, 2025.

Students who are directly certified (CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal at or under 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level) or categorically eligible (homeless, foster, or migrant) for free or reduced-price meals (FRPM) are automatically eligible for SUN Bucks and do not need to submit a Universal Benefits Application.

Students who attend Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and Provision 2 (P2) sites in non-base years and are eligible for FRPM based only on household income will need to submit a Universal Benefits Application (UBA) to have their SUN Bucks eligibility determined. Students at Standard Counting and Claiming sites who are eligible for FRPM based only on household income submit school meal applications yearly. School meal applications meet SUN Bucks application standards.

The CDE has developed a UBA template for LEAs to use at National School Lunch Program (NSLP) schools operating under federal provisions such as CEP or 2 P2 in non-base years. The UBA must be collected annually to establish SUN Bucks eligibility for students who are not directly certified or categorically eligible for FRPM. Schools operating standard counting and claiming must continue using NSLP meal applications to make free and reduced-price meal (FRPM) eligibility determinations. The UBA is only intended for schools operating a federal provision.

LEAs that collect UBAs must ensure households are submitting applications directly to the LEA. The CDE is unable to accept or process UBAs on behalf of LEAs. Any UBA submitted to the CDE will be returned to the LEA and may result in a delay of benefit issuance for eligible participants.

The table below indicates which application LEAs should use based on whether they participate in NSLP/School Breakfast Program (SBP) and/or operate a federal provision.

Access to the Universal Benefits Application (UBA) template (DOCX):
Available Translations of the Universal Benefits Application

Please note, the template UBA complies with federal requirements for the SUN Bucks program. To ensure access to SUN Bucks benefits for children, eligibility determinations must be made using this application. Eligibility determinations made using the UBA can be used for SUN Bucks, Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) unduplicated pupil counts, and, if applicable, other benefits specific to your LEA or community (i.e., discounts on internet services, transportation services, etc.). If an LEA does not use the UBA template and instead creates their own SUN Bucks-compliant application it must comply with the federal requirements set forth in Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 292.13 .

Universal Benefits Application (UBA) Collection

CEP schools and P2 schools (in non-base years) will need to collect a UBA for those students who are only FRPM eligible through income. Students in the following categories are automatically eligible for SUN Bucks and a UBA is not required:

• Have been directly certified; or
• Have a migrant or homeless program record in California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) that is or was open at any time during the eligibility period (note that the program record does not have to overlap with the current school of enrollment); or
• Have been identified as foster in CALPADS at any time during the eligibility period.

LEAs may want to focus UBA collection efforts on students who are only eligible for FRPM based on income, not based participation in CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal at or under 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level or their status as homeless, migrant, or foster.

LEAs can incorporate the UBA in their designated online portals or make hard copy applications available. LEAs should encourage parents and guardians to complete the UBA to ensure their children can access all eligible benefits. The Education Data Collection System will be open for 2025 SUN Bucks eligibility record submissions through December 2025.

LEAs that collect UBAs must still accept applications after September 2, 2025, and process them within 15 days of receipt. Approved UBAs submitted by households after September 2, 2025, will make students eligible for 2026 SUN Bucks. The Education Data Collection System will open for 2026 SUN Bucks eligibility record submissions in spring of 2026.

For questions or additional information on the SUN Bucks program contact SummerEBT@cde.ca.gov. For questions regarding LCFF, contact PASE@cde.ca.gov.

For outreach materials that can be used to promote SUN Bucks, visit the CDSS Partners web page .

Verification

Why does the SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) program require verification of applications?

To ensure the quality and integrity of the SUN Bucks program, participating Local educational agencies (LEAs) must have effective processes in place to accurately determine children’s eligibility for SUN Bucks benefits. One such process is verification, which is the process of confirming eligibility determinations made using a Universal Benefits Application (UBA) or LEA-created SUN Bucks application by verifying information on the application with other administrative records or documentation provided by the household. Verification of SUN Bucks applications is necessary to maintain program integrity.

Which LEAs need to conduct SUN Bucks application verification?

Schools operating federal meal programs under the Community Eligibility Provision or Provision 2 (non-base year) that make SUN Bucks eligibility determinations from a UBA/SUN Bucks application.

Who at the LEA is responsible for conducting verification?

Each LEA will determine which staff are responsible for conducting verification. Cafeteria funds cannot be used to pay for SUN Bucks verification. California's 2025 SUN Bucks Plan of Operations and Management Plan that has been approved by the USDA includes funding for LEAs to support this work.

Are there direct verification requirements for SUN Bucks?

Yes, LEAs must first directly verify any applications in the sample pool that were certified for benefits through categorical eligibility, using data from eligible programs (as defined in Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations[7 CFR]), Section 292.12[d]) and other assistance programs or administrative data, where available. Direct verification must be done before asking the household for documents.

What are the federally mandated SUN Bucks verification requirements?

For 2025 SUN Bucks, LEAs were required to select three [3] percent samples at three different points throughout the summer, conduct direct verification (if applicable), and notify households of verification activities. Once notification is completed, LEAs are responsible for working with households to collect documentation confirming the eligibility determination. If changes to determinations are made, they are required to notify households of adverse action or denial of benefits and appeal procedures. Once verification is complete, LEAs must upload results in the CDE's Education Data Collection System (EDCS).

Detailed information on SUN Bucks verification requirements, derived from 7 CFR 292.14 , can be found in the California SUN Bucks 2025 Verification Fact Sheet (PDF).

What SUN Bucks verification resources are available?

The USDA has developed SUN Bucks verification resources that LEAs may find helpful.
These resources include:

• Summer EBT Steps for Verification , which provides the steps LEAs should use when conducting verification to confirm eligibility,
• A verification toolkit , which contains a collection of resources that LEAs can use in their efforts to improve verification response rates and the overall efficiency of the process, and
• Eligibility Manual for School Meals , which includes guidance on ensuring the accuracy of eligibility determinations through the verification process.

The CDE has developed a California-specific Guide for Conducting Rolling Verification for 2025 SUN Bucks (PDF), which includes a detailed timeline, a mathematical example of continuous sampling, and important notes.

The CDE has also developed a California SUN Bucks 2025 Verification Fact Sheet (PDF).

What will 2026 SUN Bucks verification look like?

The CDE will implement 2026 SUN Bucks standard verification as outlined in 7 CFR 292.14. LEAs will be required to complete verification of three [3] percent of all approved UBAs received between September 3, 2025, and March 30, 2026, to meet this requirement. The three [3] percent random sample will be selected by LEAs on April 1, 2026. SUN Bucks eligibility records associated with UBAs selected for verification must not be uploaded to EDCS until after verification is completed and the students are confirmed to be eligible for 2026 SUN Bucks.

For questions or additional information on SUN Bucks application verification contact SummerEBT@cde.ca.gov.

Best Practices

Below are suggested SUN Bucks best practices for LEAs.

Enabling families to establish SUN Bucks eligibility throughout the operational period

Students may become eligible for SUN Bucks at any point during the school year through the submission of a National School Lunch Program (NSLP) meal application. Children enrolled at a school participating in a federal provision can become eligible through the submission and processing of a UBA. For SUN Bucks 2025, LEAs must submit program records to California’s Education Data Collection System (EDCS) for these children to receive SUN Bucks benefits. Additionally, students may enroll in a California public school at any time during the eligibility period. See the table below for guidance on collecting and processing NSLP applications and UBAs.

Note: SUN Bucks cards are mailed to the address uploaded to CALPADS. If an address is missing, the district’s address is populated for a student and the card is mailed to the district office for distribution. Therefore, LEAs are also encouraged to populate student addresses in their student information system so that those addresses are uploaded to CALPADS and cards are mailed directly to families, not the district. For students enrolling for the first time, it is important that LEAs upload student addresses on the Student Information File when the enrollment records and program records are uploaded to CALPADS to ensure that cards are sent to students and not to district offices.

Inform families of SUN Bucks eligibility

Under the previous Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program, all students enrolled in Community Eligibility Provision schools received P-EBT benefits. This is not the case for SUN Bucks, as students must be individually eligible. This means that unless a student is migrant, homeless, foster, or directly certified through participation in CalFresh, CalWORKS , or Medi-Cal (at or below the 185 percent Federal Poverty Level [FPL]), students at Provision schools must submit a UBA to determine whether they are eligible for SUN Bucks benefits.

If an LEA evaluates the UBA and determines the student meets the income requirements for SUN Bucks, then LEAs may submit a SUN Bucks eligibility to EDCS.

As a best practice, the CDE recommends that LEAs communicate the following SUN Bucks eligibility criteria to families:

• Students must be determined individually eligible to receive SUN Bucks benefits through the evaluation of an NSLP meal application or a UBA. SUN Bucks eligibility determinations cannot be made using the Alternative Income Form (AIF).
  
  
• Students are not automatically eligible for SUN Bucks because they are enrolled in a provision school.
  
  
• Unless a student is migrant, homeless, foster, or directly certified through participation in CalFresh, CalWORKS , or Medi-Cal (at or below the 185 percent FPL), the student must submit a UBA or NSLP meal application.
  
  
• Submission of a UBA or NSLP meal application does not automatically make a student eligible for SUN Bucks benefits. The information on the form must be evaluated to determine whether the family meets the income requirements to receive SUN Bucks benefits. LEAs need to inform families as to whether they are eligible for SUN Bucks, so that families know whether they can expect to receive benefits.
  

LEAs should notify families of UBA determinations so that families know whether to expect SUN Bucks benefits.

Resources

California Department of Education

General

• 4/29/2025 SUN Bucks Webinar: What LEAs Need to Know (Video; 44:09)
• 6/5/2025 SUN Bucks Webinar: Implementation (Video; 1:03:31)

SUN Bucks Verification

• A Guide to Conducting Rolling Verification for 2025 SUN Bucks (PDF)
• California SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) 2025 Verification Fact Sheet (PDF)

SUN Bucks Eligibility Data Submission

• California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) Flash #297
• Supplemental SUN Bucks Data Collection Instructions

Notification Letter Templates

• SUN Bucks Eligibility Notification Letter (DOCX)
• Notification of Household Selection for Verification (DOCX)
  • Acceptable Verification Documentation (DOCX)
• Notification of Verification Results (DOCX)

California Department of Social Services

• CDSS SUN Bucks web page
• General FAQ
• Outreach materials for Sun Bucks partners

U.S. Department of Agriculture

• Summer EBT (S-EBT) Outreach Toolkit
• S-EBT FAQ
• S-EBT Steps for Verification
• A verification toolkit
• Eligibility Manual for School Meals

FAQ

General Information

1. What is the SUN Bucks Program?

   SUN Bucks is also referred to as Summer EBT, S-EBT, or Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L 117-328) authorized a new permanent, nationwide SUN Bucks Program beginning in 2024. SUN Bucks is designed to provide financial benefits for groceries to eligible children when school is not in session. The maximum SUN Bucks benefit is $40 per eligible child, per month, for each of the three months when schools are closed for the summer (June, July, and August). For ease and convenience, households receive a one-time single benefit amount of $120 per eligible child. The CDSS is the lead agency for SUN Bucks, and the CDE works in partnership with CDSS to administer the Program.

2. Are local educational agencies (LEA) mandated to participate in SUN Bucks?

   As included in the enacted 2025-26 California State Budget (PDF), California Education Code (EC) Section 49506.1 mandates that LEAs that participate in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program through a federal feeding provision such as the Community Eligibility Provision or Provision 2, collect Universal Benefits Applications for SUN Bucks eligibility.

3. Where should LEAs direct parents and guardians with questions about the status of their child(ren)'s benefits, address changes, missing cards, etc.?

   LEAs should direct parents and guardians to contact the SUN Bucks helpline at 1-877-328-9677.

4. Where should LEAs send their SUN Bucks questions to?

   For LEA questions, please reach out to SummerEBT@cde.ca.gov. This email address is not for household inquiries about SUN Bucks. CDE staff do not have access to individual student data required to confirm eligibility for SUN Bucks. Family inquiries should be directed to the SUN Bucks helpline at 1-877-328-9677.

Eligibility

1. What was the eligibility period for SUN Bucks?

   Eligibility for SUN Bucks can be determined at any point in the school year prior to the summer for which benefits are issued or during the summer operational period.
   
   The eligibility period for 2025 SUN Bucks was July 1, 2024, through September 2, 2025. The eligibility period for 2026 SUN Bucks is July 1, 2025, to August 31, 2026.

2. What are the eligibility requirements for SUN Bucks?

   SUN Bucks benefits apply to children that meet the following eligibility requirements:
   
   

   1. Streamlined certification through the California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS): Age 6–18 and enrollment in CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal (with income confirmed at or under 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level [FPL]).

   OR

   2. Certification through the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS): Enrollment in a school participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/School Breakfast Program (SBP).
      
      

   AND

   Determined eligible during the school year or the directly succeeding summer period for SUN Bucks through NSLP meal application or Universal Benefits Application (UBA), local direct certification, or designation as homeless, migrant, or foster.
   
   For private school SUN Bucks eligibility records, see question #3 under SUN Bucks data sharing.

3. What is the age range for SUN Bucks eligibility?

   The age range for SUN Bucks eligibility for students at National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/School Breakfast Program (SBP) participating schools is 0 to 22 years of age. Any student at an NSLP/SBP participating school between the ages of 0 to 22 may be eligible for SUN Bucks if they are directly certified, categorically eligible, or income eligible based on a school meal application or universal benefits application/SUN Bucks-compliant application.

4. Can preschool students be eligible for SUN Bucks?

   Yes, preschool students can be eligible for SUN Bucks if they attend an LEA-run preschool program and are identified by the school as directly certified, categorically eligible, or income eligible based on a school meal application or a universal benefits application/SUN Bucks-compliant application.

   Please note that preschool students must have a Statewide Student Identifier in California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) to be identified by the CDE as eligible for SUN Bucks.
   

5. Will all children who attend special provision schools (Community Eligibility Provision [CEP]/Provision 2 [P2]) be automatically enrolled in SUN Bucks (i.e., be issued benefits without needing to apply)?

   No. To be eligible for SUN Bucks, children must be individually determined to be eligible for free or reduced-price school meal benefits based on eligibility determinations made during the eligibility period. Children enrolled in schools operating under the CEP who are not otherwise identified as SUN Bucks-eligible through streamlined certification may apply for SUN Bucks using a UBA every year. Children enrolled in schools operating under Provision 2 who are not otherwise identified as SUN Bucks-eligible through streamlined certification may apply for SUN Bucks using a National School Lunch Program (NSLP) application during base years and UBAs during non-base years. SUN Bucks has different requirements from Pandemic EBT where all children in special provision schools were eligible for benefits.

6. Will categorically eligible students automatically receive SUN Bucks?

   Yes. Categorically eligible students automatically receive SUN Bucks if they attended an National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/School Breakfast Program (SBP) participating school at any point during that year’s SUN Bucks eligibility period, and during that period have a migrant (135) or homeless (191) program record in California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS), or are identified as Foster in CALPADS.

7. If a student is directly certified for CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal but their sibling(s) is/are not, will the parents/guardians need to submit a National School Lunch Program (NSLP) application or Universal Benefits Application (UBA) to qualify the non-directly certified child(ren)?

   If a student is directly certified in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS), LEAs can extend that status to other siblings in the household, which would make them directly certified as well. In these instances, NSLP applications and/or UBAs would not be necessary. Records of extended benefits should be submitted to the Supplemental SUN Bucks Collection in the CDE’s Education Data Collection System (EDCS) for the purpose of establishing SUN Bucks eligibility.

Applying for SUN Bucks

1. How can students apply for SUN Bucks?

   Students who are not automatically eligible for SUN Bucks via direct certification or categorical eligibility must apply for SUN Bucks via application.

   Students who attend CEP and P2 sites in non-base years and are eligible for free or reduced-price meals (FRPM) based only on household income will need to submit a UBA to their LEA to have their SUN Bucks eligibility determined.

   Students at Standard Counting and Claiming school sites who are eligible for FRPM based only on household income submit school meal applications to their LEA yearly. School meal applications meet SUN Bucks application standards.
   

2. What is the UBA?

   The UBA is a template that the CDE created that meets the federal requirements for a SUN Bucks application. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is no longer allowing the use of Alternative Income Forms (AIF) for SUN Bucks eligibility. The CDE created the UBA to ensure that SUN Bucks applications meet all federal requirements.

3. Which LEAs need to use the UBA?

   CEP and P2 schools not in their base year should collect and process UBAs yearly from all students who are not directly certified (CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal at or under 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level) or categorically eligible (identified in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System as migrant, homeless, or foster). Standard Counting and Claiming schools and P2 (base year) schools must collect NSLP meal applications yearly and do not need to collect UBAs.

4. Which students need to apply for SUN Bucks using a UBA?

   Students enrolled in Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools and Provision 2 (P2) (non-base year) schools, who are not directly certified (CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal at or under 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level) or categorically eligible (migrant, homeless, or foster), will need to apply for SUN Bucks using a UBA.

5. How often do UBAs need to be collected?

   UBAs need to be collected on a yearly basis. The SUN Bucks program requires yearly individual eligibility determinations. SUN Bucks eligibility from one year cannot be carried forward into future years.

6. Are there verification requirements associated with the UBA/SUN Bucks applications?

   Yes, there are verification requirements associated with the UBA. Details on verification can be found in Title 7, Code of Federal Regulation (7 CFR), Section 292.14 and in the verification tab of this web page.

7. Must LEAs notify households of UBA approvals and denials?

   Yes, LEAs must notify households of a child’s approved or denied status per 7 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR), 292.12(f) and 7 CFR, 292.12(g) .

8. Do LEAs need to collect meal applications and UBAs?

   No, Standard Counting and Claiming sites and P2 sites in their base year must collect NSLP meal applications; determinations made through the NSLP meal application will be carried forward for SUN Bucks eligibility and the Unduplicated Pupil Count. CEP sites are prohibited from collecting NSLP meal applications.

9. Are families required to submit a UBA?

   Just as with NSLP meal applications and Alternative Income Forms, households cannot be mandated to submit a UBA. However, families that are not directly certified that refuse to submit a UBA will not receive SUN Bucks benefits.

10. Can LEAs collect Alternative Income Forms (AIF) from families that do not wish to submit UBAs?

    Yes, LEAs may collect AIFs from families that do not wish to submit UBAs. However, the AIF will not make students eligible for SUN Bucks and can only be used for Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) purposes.

11. Is the UBA template available in languages other than English?

    Yes, the CDE has translate the UBA template into other threshold languages. The threshold languages are: Spanish, Arabic, Armenian (Eastern and Western), Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Farsi (Persian), Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Khmer (Cambodian), Korean, Lao, Portuguese (Brazilian and Continental), Punjabi (Indian), Russian, Samoan, Tagalog, Ukrainian, Urdu, and Vietnamese. Available Translations of the Universal Benefits Application.

12. Can LEAs create their own SUN Bucks applications?

    Yes, LEAs can create their own SUN Bucks applications. If LEAs do not use the Universal Benefits Application template and instead create their own SUN Bucks-compliant application it must comply with the federal requirements set forth in Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 292.13.

13. What are the required components of a SUN Bucks-compliant application?

    The federally required SUN Bucks application components can be found in Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR), Section 292.13 .
    
    A simplified list of what content must be included in a SUN Bucks application is below:

    • Income eligibility guidelines and an explanation that households with income at or below the income limit may be eligible for Summer EBT (SUN Bucks). – 7 CFR, 292.13(c)
      
      
    • Required income information – 7 CFR, 292.13(i)(1)
      
      
      • The income received by each member or an indication which household members had no income – 7 CFR, 292.13(i)(1)(i)
        
        
      • The source of the income – 7 CFR, 292.13(i)(1)(ii)
        
        
    • Household members – 7 CFR, 292.13(i)(2)
      
      
    • Name of school where child is enrolled – 7 CFR, 292.13(i)(3)
      
      
    • Mailing address – 7 CFR, 292.13(i)(4)
      
      
    • Adult member’s signature – 7 CFR, 292.13(i)(5)
      
      
    • Attesting to information on the application – 7 CFR, 292.13(j)
      
      
    • Race and ethnicity – 7 CFR, 292.13(k)
      
      
    • Accompanying instructions – 7 CFR, 292.13(l)
      
      
    • Required statements for the application – 7 CFR, 292.13(m)
      
      
      • “The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act requires…” – 7 CFR, 292.13(m)(1)
        
        
      • When/if the LEA plans to use or disclose children's eligibility information for non-program purposes, additional information, as specified in 7 CFR, 245.6(h) , must be added to this statement. – 7 CFR, 292.13(m)(2)
        
        
      • USDA nondiscrimination statement for Child Nutrition Programs – 7 CFR, 292.13(m)(3)
        
        
      • The LEA must inform applicants and prospective applicants that a non-household member may be designated as the authorized representative for application processing purposes if they have difficulty completing the application process. – 7 CFR, 292.13(m)(4)

    
    

14. If an LEA creates their own SUN Bucks-compliant application, does the CDE need to review it?

    No, the CDE does not need to review SUN Bucks applications created by LEAs.

15. Can UBAs be collected online?

    Yes, UBAs can be collected online. Wet signatures are not required. If a household is unable to complete an online application, a physical application should be made available to them.

16. When can LEAs begin collecting UBAs/SUN Bucks applications from newly enrolled students?

    LEAs can begin collecting UBAs/SUN Bucks applications from newly enrolled students at the start of that year’s SUN Bucks operational period. This date is typically July 1 of every year.

17. Can household income range be collected on the UBA or must the income be listed as a specific number?

    No, household income ranges cannot be collected on the UBA. The total household income must be listed as a specific number that the LEA will then compare against that school year’s income eligibility scales.
    

18. What income eligibility guidelines (IEG) should LEAs use to process the UBA?

    LEAs should use the income eligibility guidelines that are in effect at the time at which the household submits the application. IEGs for the new school year go into effect July 1 of each year.

19. What should an LEA do if the address listed on a UBA is different than the address listed in CALPADS?

    LEAs should update the students' address in California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) using the address provided on the UBA.

20. What should LEAs do if a household checks the homeless box on the UBA?

    If a household checks the homeless box on the UBA, the LEA should refer to each students' profile in CALPADS to confirm whether they have corresponding homeless records. If at least one student in the household has a corresponding homeless record, the LEA can approve the application. If there are no corresponding records, the LEA should reach out to their Homeless Liaison to connect with the family and verify their status.

    Note that even if there are no corresponding homeless records in CALPADS, an application with the homeless box checked can still be approved if the income provided is within or under the income eligibility guidelines.
    

21. Can the UBA be used for Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) purposes?

    As included in the enacted 2025-26 California State Budget (PDF), EC Section 42238.01 is amended to include the UBA as an allowable source for Local Control Funding Formula calculations.

22. What should LEAs do if a household checks the CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) box on the UBA?

    When a household submits an application indicating an Assistance Program:

    • The applicable Assistance Program must be identified, and the program case number must match the applicable Assistance Program.
      
      

    • The LEA official should compare the applications with case numbers to the direct certification list to determine if any children listed on the application are on that list.
      
      
    • When a match is found:
    • The application must be disregarded;
    • The household must be placed on the direct certification list; and
    • Categorical eligibility must be extended to all children in the household.
      
      
    • When a match is not found, LEAs should:
    • Contact the household for further clarification; or
    • Verify the application for cause.

23. If LEAs collect and process Universal Benefits Applications (UBA) that are used for SUN Bucks eligibility and they participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)/Provision 2 (P2), are they violating CEP/Provision 2 program regulations?

    No. The NSLP and School Breakfast Program (SBP) regulations 7 Code of Federal Regulation 245.9(f)(4)(iv) that prohibit CEP schools from collecting free or reduced-price household meal applications do not apply to the processing of UBA as they relate to SUN Bucks.

Verification

1. Why does the SUN Bucks program require verification of applications?

   To ensure the quality and integrity of the SUN Bucks program, participating local educational agencies LEAs must have effective processes in place to accurately determine children’s eligibility for SUN Bucks benefits. One such process is verification, which is the process of confirming eligibility determinations made using a UBA or LEA-created SUN Bucks application by verifying information on the application with other administrative records or documentation provided by the household. Verification of SUN Bucks applications is necessary to maintain program integrity. Verification requirements for the SUN Bucks program can be found in 7 Code of Federal Regulation, 292.14 .

2. Which LEAs need to conduct SUN Bucks application verification?

   Schools operating federal meal programs under the CEP or P2 (non-base year) that make eligibility determinations from a UBA/SUN Bucks application must conduct SUN Bucks verification.

3. Who at the LEA is responsible for conducting verification?

   Each LEA will determine which staff are responsible for conducting verification. Cafeteria funds cannot be used to pay for SUN Bucks verification. California's 2025 SUN Bucks Plan of Operations and Management Plan that has been approved by the USDA includes funding for LEAs to support this work.

4. Are there direct verification requirements for SUN Bucks?

   Yes, LEAs must first directly verify any applications in the sample pool that were certified for benefits through categorical eligibility, using data from eligible programs (as defined in 7 Code of Federal Regulation, 292.12(d)) and other assistance programs or administrative data, where available. Direct verification must be done before asking the household for documents.

5. What are the federally mandated SUN Bucks verification requirements?

   LEAs are required to select a random three [3] percent sample of approved UBAs/SUN Bucks application, conduct direct verification (if applicable), and notify households of verification activities. Once notification is completed, LEAs are responsible for working with households to collect documentation confirming the eligibility determination. If changes to determinations are made, they will be required to notify households of adverse action or denial of benefits and appeal procedures. Once verification is complete, LEAs must then upload results in the CDE’s Education Data Collection System (EDCS).
   
   Detailed information on SUN Bucks verification requirements, derived from 7 Code of Federal Regulation, 292.14 , can be found in the California SUN Bucks 2025 Verification Fact Sheet (PDF).
   

6. What will 2026 SUN Bucks verification look like?

   The CDE will implement 2026 SUN Bucks standard verification as outlined in 7 Code of Federal Regulation, 292.14. LEAs will be required to complete verification of three [3] percent of all approved UBAs received between September 3, 2025, and March 30, 2026, to meet this requirement. The three [3] percent random sample will be selected by LEAs on April 1, 2026. SUN Bucks eligibility records associated with UBAs selected for verification must not be uploaded to Education Data Collection System (EDCS) until after verification is completed and the students are confirmed to be eligible for 2026 SUN Bucks.

LEA Funding

1. Can cafeteria funds be used to pay for SUN Bucks-related work?

   No, the USDA has established SUN Bucks as a separate child nutrition program from the school nutrition programs. As a result, cafeteria funds cannot be used to pay for collecting and processing UBAs. California's 2025 SUN Bucks Plan of Operations and Management that has been approved by the USDA includes funding for LEAs to support this work.

2. Where should administrative funds for SUN Bucks be deposited?

   The CDE recommends that LEAs deposit SUN Bucks administrative funds into the district general fund.

3. What can SUN Bucks administrative funds be used for?

   SUN Bucks administrative funds must only be utilized for the administration of the SUN Bucks program. Allowable uses for SUN Bucks administrative funds include:
   Developing a local Universal Benefits Application using the CDE template Printing of SUN Bucks materials

   Translations of Universal Benefit Applications into languages spoken by local student populations

   Outreach to families to inform them of the SUN Bucks program and associated eligibility requirements

   Collection and processing of Universal Benefits Applications

   Notification to families of their SUN Bucks eligibility determination

   Handling of appeals for families who do not agree with their eligibility determination

   Updating Student Information Systems for SUN Bucks

   Submission of data to the CDE

   Verification activities specific to SUN Bucks

SUN Bucks Data Sharing

1. How will LEAs submit SUN Bucks eligibility data to the CDE?

   The CDE will be collecting SUN Bucks eligibility from LEAs (based on NSLP meal applications and UBAs) through the Education Data Collection System. A California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) Update Flash with more information about data submission has been released. CALPADS Update Flash #297 and the Supplemental SUN Bucks Data Collection Instructions provide more information on this data collection..

2. Should LEAs upload UBA/NSLP application data to Education Data Collection System (EDCS) and CALPADS?

   LEAs should continue to upload free and reduced-price meal (181 and 182) records to CALPADS for students with approved NSLP applications, UBAs, or Alternative Income Forms. LEAs should also upload the specified NSLP application and UBA data to EDCS.

3. When will LEAs submit 2026 SUN Bucks eligibility data to the CDE?

   EDCS will re-open for 2026 SUN Bucks eligibility data submittal in spring of 2026.

4. How can private schools participate in SUN Bucks?

   Private schools do not report student eligibility information in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). Therefore, private schools have been provided with a separate process to report eligible student information for SUN Bucks benefits. The benefits, timeframes, and eligibility requirements are the same as public school students. The CDE has reached out directly to private schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program/School Breakfast Program to obtain eligibility data. If a private school wishes to report eligible student information for SUN Bucks disbursement, please reach out to SummerEBT@cde.ca.gov.
   
   Note: Students attending private schools may receive SUN Bucks through streamlined certification if the student is between the ages of 6 and 18 and participates in CalFresh, CalWORKs, or Medi-Cal (with income confirmed at or under 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level).
   

Contacts

For household questions, the CDSS has a customer service helpline: 877-328-9677. General information about SUN Bucks can be found at CDSS SUN Bucks web page .

For LEA questions only, please reach out to SummerEBT@cde.ca.gov. This email address is not for household inquiries about Summer EBT. 

For California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) questions, please send a ticket to calpads-support@cde.ca.gov.