Professional Development Grant Applicants
Admin Information
Date Submitted: August 25, 2026
Application Number: PDG-28
Admin Decision: Pending – Edit
Date of Decision:
Decision Comments:
Applicant Information
Name: Angela Burgess
Title/Position: founder
Address Line 1: 1116 Chambers Road
Place of Employment
Farm/Program Name: Taylormade’s New Beginnings Inc
Supervisor’s Name: Angela Burgess
Supervisor’s Title: founder/supervisor
Address Line 1: 1116 Chambers Road
Experience
Years in Position: 30
Average Hours Per Week: 40
Do you have any certifications or licenses? No
Support Request
Is the request for a conference or meeting? No
Describe the professional development experience for which you are seeking assistance.
Taylormade’s New Beginnings is seeking assistance for an Equine Facility Safety Improvement Project to replace 12 existing stall doors that have become a safety hazard. The doors no longer reliably remain secured in the open position while horses are being led into and out of their stalls.
Our facility provides equine-centered opportunities for youth, veterans, and individuals of all abilities and disabilities. Maintaining a safe and predictable environment is essential for participants to learn horsemanship skills, interact with horses, and participate in grooming, leading, and other hands-on equine activities.
The project will replace all 12 unsafe doors with secure, properly functioning stall doors that will remain safely open during horse movement, improving the environment in which our participants learn and interact with horses.
Provide justification for this request.
The existing stall doors present a documented safety concern for our horses, participants, staff, and volunteers.
We have already experienced a serious near-miss accident. While a horse was being led through one of the stall doorways, the door unexpectedly swung closed and struck the horse across the back/hindquarters. The horse startled and jumped forward, nearly stepping on the staff member handling the horse. Fortunately, serious injury was avoided, but the incident demonstrated the need to correct this hazard before someone—or one of our horses—is injured.
This improvement is particularly important because our programs are designed to include individuals of varying abilities. A horse unexpectedly startling or jumping forward creates an unnecessary risk in an environment where safety and controlled interactions are critical.
Replacing the doors will eliminate a known hazard and provide a safer, more predictable environment for participants to develop horsemanship skills and experience the physical, emotional, and educational benefits of working with horses.
Provide a detailed budget.
Total Project Cost: $10,000
Replacement of 12 unsafe stall doors, including necessary hardware and installation: $10,000
Total Project Budget: $15,000
Amount Requested from ECHO Foundation: $10,000
Percentage of total project for which assistance is requested: 100%
Funding will be used specifically to replace the 12 existing hazardous stall doors with secure, properly functioning doors designed to remain safely open while horses and handlers pass through the stall entrances.
Other expected sources of support (including self-support).
Taylormade’s New Beginnings continually seeks support through individual donations, community fundraising, volunteers, and other grant opportunities to maintain and improve our equine facility. At this time, we are requesting ECHO Foundation’s assistance with the cost of this specific safety improvement.
If the full project cannot be funded, partial funding would also be greatly appreciated and would allow us to begin replacing the highest-risk stall doors first while continuing to seek additional funding for the remaining doors.
Signatures
I/we certify that all of the information contained herein is correct and true.
Applicant Signature: 