Colorado Rural Technical Assistance Program

Graduate students take on the role as community consultants and walk their partner communities through a facilitated planning assistance process that is based upon the RERC program, to develop a Community Action Plan for the next 12-24 months. CSU Extension then provides support for the subsequent 2 year period to assist partner communities with the implementation of the Community Action Plan.

In this session, panel members will discuss how this partnership came together, the community engagement process, the different roles played by each partner, final deliverables and community outcomes, and lessons learned. The aim of this session is to provide insight on how a partnership like this can be replicated across the country to help meet the growing demand for planning assistance for Main Street and outdoor recreation development for rural communities.


Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Identify the various partners and roles involved in the Colorado Rural Technical Assistance Program (RTAP)

Identify the steps and logistical requirements to develop a similar program

Evaluate the relevance and applicability of RTAP to their organization and state

Assess how outdoor recreation collaborations between higher education and the outdoor recreation industry can support the needs of rural communities across the country



Presenters:

Dr. Natalie Ooi, Associate Teaching Professor, CU Boulder Masters of the Environment and Outdoor Recreation Economy Graduate Programs

Matt Nunez, Senior Program Manager, Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office

Guinevere Nelson, Douglas County Extension Director, CSU Extension

Location

This is a virtual training. See the event website for more details.

Trail Competencies

• Program Administration
• • Education and Public Outreach

Relevant Trail Types

General. All trail types are relevant.