Friday February 6, 2026

Unified Project Portal (UPP)

The Utah Project Portal (UPP) is the official platform for submitting and managing projects under the Unified Water Infrastructure Plan (UWIP), as well as the official platform for collecting the annual projects list for the Permanent Community Impact Board (CIB). If your city or town has any projects considered for funding under either of these programs, you must submit all project data to the portal. Request an account or sign in here, and view instructional videos here.

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Update

The National League of Cities and the Utah League of Cities and Towns have learned that the U.S. Treasury has begun contacting communities regarding ARPA desk reviews (or audits). These emails may have subject lines similar to: “ACTION Required: Notification of Selection for Desk Review of the [COMMUNITY NAME]’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) Award (RCP-[Grant Award Number]).” If you receive any communication from the Treasury, please contact me or ULCT so we can provide assistance.

Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation Grants - Upcoming March Deadlines

The following grants managed by the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation to support recreation amenities, motorized recreation and search and rescue activities, repair trails, and provide funding for community parks, sports fields, and playgrounds. View a full list of grants and program descriptions, and information on how to apply, here.

Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant (UORG) - Due March 13

OHV Recreation Grant (OHVR) - Due March 2

Recreation Restoration Infrastructure Grant (RRI) - Due March 13

Community Parks and Recreation Grant - Due March 13

AARP Community Challenge Grant - Due March 4

Designed to fund quick-action community improvement projects, this grant will support projects that improve public places; transportation; housing; digital connections; and community resilience. To view previously funded projects and eligible requests, visit the AARP Community Challenge page for more details.

Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development Rural Employment Development Incentive (REDI) Grant - Opens February 1

The Rural Employment Development Incentive (REDI) grant bolsters local economies by supporting businesses that create new, high-paying jobs in Utah’s rural communities. Businesses can receive $4,000 to $6,000 for each new position created, based on the employee’s work location. This includes positions that are remote, based at a satellite or hub office, or within the same county as the business, provided they are physically working from a rural community. For more information and to share this opportunity with businesses in your community that may qualify, visit GOEO's page here.

WFRC 101 - February 26 at 1:30 pm. via Zoom

Curious about the many things WFRC does and how we work with communities across the region? Join us for WFRC 101, a short, introductory webinar that covers who we are, how communities collaborate through WFRC, and the planning, funding, and technical resources available to support transportation, land use, and economic development efforts. This session is open to everyone — whether you’re new to WFRC, a longtime partner, or just want a refresher. Register for the webinar here.

Utah Property Rights Ombudsman and Office of the State Auditor Online Training Available - On-Demand

Land use training modules, on topics ranging from Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to Code Enforcement, are available through the Property Rights Ombudsman's online training platform CivicLinq, free of charge! The Office of the State Auditor also hosts a free training series titled "Introductory Training for Municipal Officers 2026".

During this legislative session, you can stay up to speed by following along with the WFRC Government Affairs newsletter (click here to subscribe). Miranda Jones Cox, WFRC's Government Affairs Manager will share relevant pieces of legislation on the 2026 Bill Tracker. In addition to the WFRC bill tracker, you can also view the Utah League of Cities and Towns Tracker and the Utah Association of Counties Tracker to keep up with legislation throughout the session.

If you have any questions about any of the opportunities in this edition of the LAA Connection, please feel free to reach out to me.

Sincerely,

Madison Aviles

Local Administrative Advisor