Our Story
The University Technical Assistance Program (UTAP) is funded by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) with a mandate to provide technical assistance to local government units in rural Colorado. We primarily support capital improvement projects by offering landscape architecture and architecture pre-design services, including extensive community engagement as a basis for our work. These services help local government units prepare for successful funding campaigns and grant applications.
"Communities like La Junta don't have the ability to bring projects forward without the assistance
that a program like this offers. Thank you for this very beneficial program."
– Rick Klein, City Manager | La Junta, CO
With DOLA support, UTAP employs three professionals experienced in architecture and landscape architecture to supervise projects and mentor students. Students are paid for their work while gaining valuable experience in working directly with communities on real projects.
We start all of our projects with community engagement, seeking community feedback as our primary design driver. We believe that engaging local residents in the design and planning process is fundamental to the success of any community development project.
"The students have far exceeded our expectations. They have easily engaged with the citizen
committee and won the respect and support of all the stakeholders... The resulting design and
probable cost has given the City the tools it needs to market the project to potential investors."
– John Sutherland, City Administrator | Lamar, CO