Human Services

Food Assistance

CalFresh and CFAP

CalFresh and the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) Are California’s Two Largest Food Assistance Programs. CalFresh is California’s version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides federally funded monthly food assistance to qualifying low-income households. CFAP provides state-funded nutrition benefits to low-income legal permanent residents who have resided in the U.S. for less than five years and are therefore ineligible for CalFresh.

Budgeted CalFresh and CFAP Spending Increases by About 3 Percent in 2025-26. As shown in Figure 1, the spending plan provides about $16 billion (total funds) to support the CalFresh and CFAP programs in 2025-26, an increase of about $400 million (3 percent) relative to estimated spending in 2024-25. This year-over-year increase is largely due to projected caseload increases in both programs along with augmentations aimed at implementing and mitigating the fiscal impacts of House Resolution 1 of 2025 (H.R. 1)—also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Figure 1

CalFresh and CFAP Budget Summary

(Dollars in Millions)

	2024‑25 May Revision	2025‑26 Budget Act	Year‑Over‑Year Change 2025‑26 Relative to 2024‑25
CalFresh Households^a	3,235,319	3,338,191	102,872	3%
CFAP Households	30,400	31,500	1,100	4%
Benefits
CalFresh Benefits^b	$12,842	$13,172	$329	3%
CFAP Benefits^c	134	137	3	2
Subtotals	($12,976)	($13,309)	($332)	(3%)
Administration
Federal Share	$1,255	$1,287	$32	3%
State Share	925	952	26	3
County Share	355	364	9	3
Subtotals	($2,535)	($2,603)	($68)	(3%)
Totals^d	$15,511	$15,911	$400	3%
^aCaseload estimates are from the May Revision and do not reflect any impact from implementing the Able‑Bodied Adult Without Dependents time limit. ^bCalFresh benefits are 100 percent federally funded. The administration estimates an average monthly benefit of approximately $330 per household. CalFresh benefits also include replacement benefits. SUN Bucks benefits are excluded from this figure and are included in Figure 2. ^cCFAP benefits are 100 percent General Fund. The administration estimates an average monthly benefit of approximately $360 per household. CFAP benefits also include replacement benefits. ^dDoes not include $35 million in setaside funds that may be available to the state and counties for H.R. 1 implementation, subject to approval by the Department of Finance and notification to the Joint Legislatuve Budget Committee.
CFAP = California Food Assistance Program.

Spending Plan Maintains Delay to CFAP Expansion, Subject to Appropriation. Some immigrants, such as those who are undocumented, are currently ineligible for CFAP based on immigration status. Recent spending plans included funding to expand CFAP to all income-eligible noncitizens aged 55 and older, regardless of immigration status. Implementation of the expansion was expected in October 2025. However, as a budget solution, the Budget Act of 2024-25 delayed the expansion implementation by two years (with benefit distribution to the newly eligible population expected to begin in 2027-28). The 2025-26 spending plan maintains this delay, making the implementation of the expansion subject to an appropriation by the Legislature (in 2027-28 or another future year). The spending plan reappropriates about $38 million General Fund for expansion-related automation and outreach activities from 2024-25 to 2025-26 ($12 million) and 2026-27 ($26 million). This automation and outreach funding was first provided in the Budget Act of 2022-23 and was reappropriated in prior years to coincide with the expansion delay.

Provides Funding in Response to the Immediate Impacts of H.R. 1. As part of the final 2026-27 budget, the Legislature included funding to assist the state in implementing required program changes and mitigating the anticipated costs associated with the H.R. 1. For more information on the estimated impacts of H.R. 1, please see our recent overview. The major augmentations in the spending plan include such things as:

$39.9 million ($20.1 million General Fund) for California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to pursue data and technology changes and outreach to CalFresh beneficiaries to reduce the payment error rate and limit increased state costs for CalFresh benefits.
$9.1 million ($3.2 million General Fund) for immediate automation changes needed to implement required components of H.R. 1.
$15 million ($7.5 million General Fund) for state and county communication campaign and implementation efforts.
A set-aside of up to $15 million General Fund for the state to implement anticipated forthcoming federal guidance, subject to approval by the Department of Finance (DOF) and notification to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC).
A set-aside of up to $20 million to support county implementation of changes to the time limits and work requirements, subject to approval by DOF and notification to JLBC.

Other CDSS-Administered Food Assistance Programs

Spending Plan Includes $1.8 Billion in Mostly Federal Funding for Other CDSS Food Programs. As shown in Figure 2, the spending plan includes over $1.8 billion ($252 million General Fund) for other CDSS-administered food assistance programs and pilots in 2025-26 (some federal or state food programs, like the California Department of Education’s (CDE) Universal Meals Program, are administered by other departments).

Figure 2

2025‑26 Funding for Other CDSS‑Administered State and Federal Food Assistance Programs

(In Millions)

	Description	2025‑26
	Description	Total	Federal	State
SUN Bucks^a	Provides food benefits during the summer months to school‑aged children qualified for free or reduced‑price meals.	$932	$874	$57
CACFP^b	Reimburses some operators of child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers for food served.	702	693	9
TEFAP and Emergency Food For Families^c	Distributes domestically grown foods to food banks and emergency feeding organizations. Emergency Food for Families supplements existing TEFAP funds.	26	26	0.7
Commodity Supplemental Food Program	Provides supplemental food to low‑income persons 60 years of age or older through various local agencies, which determine eligibility and provide nutrition education.	11	11	—
SNB and TNB Programs	Provide monthly supplemental or transitional benefits to households that saw a decrease in CalFresh benefits or became ineligible for CalFresh when SSI/SSP recipients became newly eligible for CalFresh in 2019.	23	—	23
WINS	Provides a supplemental $10 food benefit to families who are receiving CalFresh or CFAP, but not receiving CalWORKs assistance, and who are working 20 to 35 hours per week, depending on family composition.	21	—	21
CalFresh Minimum Nutrition Benefit Pilot	Provides eligible CalFresh recipients with a minimum monthly benefit of $50 for 12 months.	12	—	12
CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot	Provides a dollar‑for‑dollar match up to $60 per month when CalFresh households purchase fresh fruits or vegetables at select farmers’ markets and grocery stores.	36	—	36
CalFresh Safe Drinking Water Pilot	Provides a monthly $50 benefit for access to safe drinking water to CalFresh recipients in parts of Kern County with failed water systems.	0.9	—	0.9
Diaper and Wipe Distribution	Provides funding for 11 food banks to distribute diapers and wipes to low‑income families.	7	—	7
CalFood Program	Provides funding for food banks for emergency food and administration.	80	—	80
Tribal Nutrition Assistance Program	Provides grants to eligible tribes and tribal organizations to address food insecurity and inequities between CalFresh benefits and the Food Distribution Program for Indian Reservations.	5	—	5
YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles Food Assistance and Legal Aid Services	Provides food assistance and legal services	8	—	8
Totals		$1,864	$1,604	$252
^aSUN Bucks (formerly Summer EBT program) benefits funding is 100 percent federal. Outreach, administration, and automation funding is 50 percent federal and 50 percent General Fund. ^bCACFP is federally funded through the Food and Nutrition Service. The state funding is provided through Proposition 98 and non‑Proposition 98 General Fund. ^cTEFAP is 100 percent federally funded. Emergency Food for Families funding is 100 percent state tax revenue collections.
CDSS = California Department of Social Services; CACFP = Child and Adult Care Food Program; EBT = Electronic Benefit Transfer; TEFAP = The Emergency Food Assistance Program; SNB = Supplemental Nutrition Benefit Program; TNB = Transitional Nutrition Benefit Program; SSI/SSP = Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment; and WINS = Work Incentive Nutritional Supplement.

Includes One-Time Augmentation for CalFood. The 2025-26 spending plan includes a one-time augmentation of $72 million General Fund for CalFood (in addition to ongoing funding of $8 million General Fund) resulting in a year-over-year increase of $72 million (900 percent) compared to 2024-25. CalFood received multiple one-time augmentations in recent years, including $52 million General Fund in 2023-24 and $112 million General Fund in 2022-23.

Includes One-Time Funding for Fruit and Vegetable Pilot and Diaper Distribution. The spending plan includes $36 million in one-time funding for the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot and $7.4 million in one-time funding for the Diaper and Wipe Distribution program (both of which are all General Fund). These one-time appropriations result in a year-over-year increase of about $25 million General Fund (about 220 percent) in Fruit and Vegetable Pilot funding and a year-over-year decrease of about $2 million (about 20 percent) in Diaper and Wipe Distribution funding (as compared 2024-25). Both programs received other one-time appropriations in recent years. The Fruit and Vegetable Pilot received about $10 million in 2018-19 and about $10 million in 2024-25 (both of which were all General Fund). The Diaper and Wipe Distribution program received $10 million in 2018-19, $30 million in 2021-22, and $9 million in 2024-25 (all General Fund).

Shifts Funding for CalFresh Minimum Nutrition Benefit Pilot to 2025-26. The 2023-24 Budget Act authorized the CalFresh Minimum Nutrition Benefit Pilot and included about $1 million General Fund (one time) for automation costs. The 2024-25 Budget Act included $15 million General Fund on a one-time basis for the implementation of the pilot program, which was originally expected to begin in 2024-25. Due to a delay in implementation, the 2025-26 spending plan shifts the $1 million in automation funding from 2023-24 to 2024-25 and 2025-26 and the $15 million in benefit funding from 2024-25 to 2025-26 and 2026-27 (with nine months of benefits expected to be distributed in 2025-26 and three months of benefits expected to be distributed in 2026-27).

Includes About $930 Million Within CDSS Budget for SUN Bucks in 2025-26. Budgeted SUN Bucks spending (within the CDSS budget) increases by about $83 million ($16 million General Fund) in 2025-26 compared to 2024-25. This increase largely reflects a shift in the summer 2025 implementation schedule. Generally, SUN Bucks benefit costs are distributed across two fiscal years (as the program provides benefits for the months of June, July, and August). About half of summer 2025 benefits were distributed in 2024-25 and the remaining half will be distributed in 2025-26. For summer 2026, the administration plans to distribute about two-thirds of the benefits in 2025-26 and about one-third of the benefits in 2026-27 (with the goal of earlier receipt of benefits for most program participants). As such, while budgeted SUN Bucks spending remains relatively flat from summer 2024 to summer 2025, the change in implementation schedule from summer 2025 to summer 2026 results in an increase in budgeted SUN Bucks spending in 2025-26 (compared to 2024-25).

New SUN Bucks Funding for Schools and CDE. The budget provides $43.9 million local assistance to schools and $770,000 in state operations to CDE for administration of SUN Bucks. Both amounts are evenly split between state and federal funding. (The $21.9 million in state funding for schools is Proposition 98 [1988] General Fund.) The funding for schools is intended to cover the costs associated with determining eligibility for children that need to apply and verifying eligibility of 3 percent of the approved SUN Bucks applicants, as required by federal program rules. The budget also includes associated trailer bill language that requires all schools participating in the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program to conduct these activities. CDE plans to reimburse schools based on the number of applications that are processed and verified. The state operations funding is to support staff that will share student eligibility data and provide technical assistance to schools.

Other Food Assistance Funding and Programmatic Changes

Includes About $2.7 Million for CalFresh and SUN Bucks Workload Changes in 2025-26. Of this $2.7 million total funds, about $1 million is General Fund. The spending plan provides about $1 million total funds ($0.5 million General Fund) for these workload changes in 2026-27 and ongoing. This funding supports the addition of new positions for SUN Bucks administration, updates to some county data entry systems, updates to certain CalFresh participant forms and notices, and the development of a strategic plan on maximizing benefits to Californians eligible for CalFresh.

Other Food Assistance-Related Statutory Changes Made Through Spending Plan. The spending plan makes some statutory changes related to food assistance programs, including allowing for certain CalFresh participant forms to be delivered to the participant electronically (at the election of the participant) and codifies existing (previously uncodified) law that continuously appropriates $300,000 to CDSS for Disaster CalFresh administration in the event of a declared disaster. Additionally, existing statute requires that CDSS (in consultation with various stakeholders) develop a methodology to estimate the CalFresh participation rate and identify characteristics of Californians eligible for, but not receiving CalFresh benefits, as well as develop outreach strategies to increase participation among these populations. The spending plan extends the date by which CDSS must develop the methodology from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2026. Additionally, it requires that, on or before July 1, 2027, the department, in consultation with stakeholders, shall develop a strategic plan for how the methodology and outreach strategies may be implemented and executed to maximize benefits to those eligible for CalFresh benefits.

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