What is the TEFAP income limit in Colorado?

200% of the federal poverty guidelines: $31,920 a year for a household of one and $66,000 for four (2026 guidelines). Colorado's printed table is the official one.

Do clients sign for TEFAP food at every pickup in Colorado?

No - the State does not require a client signature at every pickup.

TEFAP rules by State / Colorado

TEFAP Rules for Food Pantries in Colorado

Q: How long must Colorado pantries keep TEFAP records?

4 years (3 years + current FFY).

Rules verified 2026-10-07 from CDHS Food Distribution Programs and food bank publications (sources below) · agency links checked 2026-10-10 · income table recalculated automatically from the 2026 federal poverty guidelines · sources re-checked weekly

In Colorado, TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) is run by CDHS Food Distribution Programs. This page sets out what a food pantry or other distribution site has to do: who qualifies, what each household declares, what you record at each visit, how long you keep it, how complaints are handled and what you report. Where Colorado's own documents disagree, that is said plainly rather than smoothed over.

Colorado's TEFAP agency and official documents

CDHS Food Distribution Programs — the State agency's own TEFAP page (checked 2026-10-10).

Your food bank's agreement and current forms are the final word on the figures and forms to use.

Who qualifies: the income limit

Household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines (official table: FDP-CO-100 rev 02/12/2026). Households in these programs qualify without an income test:

CSFP
SNAP
LEAP
TANF
OAP
AND
AB
SSI
Medicaid-eligible foster children

Household size	Per year	Per month
1	$31,920	$2,660
2	$43,280	$3,607
3	$54,640	$4,553
4	$66,000	$5,500
5	$77,360	$6,447
6	$88,720	$7,393
7	$100,080	$8,340
8	$111,440	$9,287
Each additional person	+$11,360

Computed as 200% of the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines. Your State's printed table is the official one and may round differently or take effect on a different date.

The eligibility declaration

Form: FDP-CO-100 TEFAP Eligibility Application. How often: at every visit. Clients self-declare; proof of income is not required.

What to record at each visit

name
household_size (adult/child)
zip
phone
date
basis (PA/AI/Denied)

Client signature at every pickup: No. Electronic signatures: Not published by the State (or not found in its public documents). Electronic intake: paperless systems approved by the regional food bank and meet CDHS memo 12/30/2024.

Proxies

FDP-CO-1640 (up to 1 calendar year). The proxy must show ID.

What you must not collect

ID cannot be required to receive TEFAP food.

How long to keep records

4 years — 3 years + current FFY.

Civil rights

Complaints: no local forwarding deadline is published — forward promptly. Anyone may complain, in writing or verbally, without giving a name. Training: annual, logged.

Posted or handed out:

And Justice for All
Notice of Beneficiary Rights (faith-based)

Reporting

monthly to food bank.

inventory
households
participants

Age bands: 0–17 / 18+.

Storage temperatures

Refrigerated 35–40°F, frozen at or below 0°F, dry 50–70°F. Temperature log: daily, AM and PM (FDP-CO-1610).

Sources

TEFAP in nearby States

TEFAP in Kansas · TEFAP in New Mexico · TEFAP in Utah · TEFAP in Wyoming · all States

This page describes published State and food bank documents and is not legal advice. Your State agency and your food bank agreement are the final word. See also the federal TEFAP record rule and the free TEFAP readiness checklist.

Keep these records without the paperwork — free for 30 days. PantryPOS records each TEFAP visit (who picked up, household size, eligibility basis, signature where your State wants one), keeps every eligibility declaration, reconciles TEFAP stock by lot, logs civil-rights complaints and training, and shows your State's rules on screen. Every feature, no card — $39/month per site after the trial.

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