TRAINER INCENTIVE PROGRAM (TIP)

We are heartbroken to announce that the Bureau of Land Management has decided not to renew the partnership with the Mustang Heritage Foundation for the fiscal year 2024. Due to this decision, MHF no longer has the funding or access to animals needed to successfully run the Trainer Incentive Program.

The TIP program has met some truly amazing goals such as placing 3,503 mustangs and burros and paying out $3,709,312 directly to TIP trainers and Storefronts in fiscal year 2022. So far in 2023 we have had an all-time record-breaking month placing 566 animals in March of 2023 and set a new placement record of 290 for the month of August. These amazing placement months have contributed towards placing 2,729 animals, resulting in $2,888,814 being paid out to our TIP trainers and Storefronts so far this year.

Please see the information below regarding adopting and returning animals currently in the TIP Program.    

All animals currently under trainers’ care should be placed into private care no later than September 30, 2023. All adoptions and sales applications must be processed through the BLM. Any animals not placed into private care by this deadline will be under BLM care on October 1, 2023. Trainers may return the animals themselves to a local BLM facility. Those wishing to do so should coordinate with their local BLM office or nearest corral facility to arrange for the animals’ return. It is expected that all remaining animals will be returned no later than October 16, 2023. MHF will compensate trainers up to September 30, 2023, though the existing agreement. After September 30, trainers maybe compensated for their feed and care of the fostered animals from October 1, 2023, to October 16, 2023 (or through the return, whichever is sooner) as well as transportation costs incurred returning animals to BLM care through BLM micro purchase (in accordance with BLM’s procurement guidelines). Trainers who anticipate they will be unable to return animals to a BLM facility by October 16, 2023, should coordinate immediate retrieval of the animals by BLM staff before this deadline.

Trainers/Storefronts will be asked to return any unadopted/unsold animals to their nearest BLM facility NLT October 16, 2023. Trainers/Storefronts will be reimbursed for expenses to care for and feed animals in their care, at the rate of $6.59/day, from October 1, 2023, until the date of return, plus roundtrip mileage at the GSA rate of $0.665/mile. Reimbursement to trainers/Storefronts may not exceed the micro-purchase threshold for services of $2,500 and should be paid by the office receiving the animals using micro-purchase procedures.