Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation

What Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation does

The Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation (RNTF), also operating as RNT Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) scientific and educational charity incorporated in Virginia and headquartered at 4558 Shetland Green Rd., Alexandria, VA. Founded in 2013, the foundation functions as a policy advocacy and educational organization for Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) resilience, with a focus on GPS and GNSS vulnerability, satellite signal protection, receiver hardening, and terrestrial backup systems such as eLORAN. The organization is led by President Dana A. Goward, a retired federal Senior Executive Service member and former U.S. Coast Guard Director of Marine Transportation Systems. RNTF sustains a lean staff of 1-10 employees and operates a community-led go-to-market through tiered individual and corporate membership programs.

RNTF's deliverables center on advocacy assets rather than commercial products. These include the Resilient PNT Key Talking Points guide, published Policy Recommendations for GPS/GNSS security (protect the frequencies, toughen receivers, augment services with difficult-to-disrupt terrestrial signals), a Multi-Level Resiliency Model framework, a pre-written Email Template for Lawmakers, and a monthly Resilient PNT eNewsletter archived continuously since 2018. The foundation operates an accompanying blog, a downloadable library of presentations, and a multi-platform social presence (LinkedIn, X/@GPSBackup, Bluesky, Facebook, Threads). Annual and periodic convenings, including the PNT Leadership Summit (co-hosted with Inside GNSS), the annual meeting and reception, and co-sponsorship of the Civil GPS Service Interface Committee (CGSIC) with the U.S. DOT and U.S. Coast Guard NAVCEN, drive community engagement.

RNTF's business model is consistent with a public-benefit nonprofit: revenue derives from individual and corporate membership fees (Martin C. Faga Society, Navigator Society, Corporate Timekeepers, Education & Nonprofit Partners) and tax-deductible donations, with financial statements available only on written request to the Virginia Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs. Named corporate members and collaborators include UrsaNav, Institute of Navigation (ION), Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN), Locata, UHU Technologies, Spirent Communications, Hexagon, Safran Trusted 4D, Inside GNSS, Defense Strategies Institute, Secure World Foundation, and FrontierSI. Collaborative relationships extend to the U.S. Department of Transportation (civil lead for GPS and CGSIC chair), U.S. Coast Guard NAVCEN (CGSIC Deputy Chair), U.S. Space Force (GPS constellation management), the Department of Defense, and members of Congress including Senators Cruz and Markey. An International Advisory Council extends RNTF's reach into the UK, France, and Australia. The foundation markets to vertical customer segments including government policymakers and regulators, aviation, maritime, and broader transportation infrastructure stakeholders concerned with GPS jamming, spoofing, and continuity of PNT services.

Name

Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation

Legal name

The Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation

Website

https://rntfnd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

RNTF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Alexandria, VA that advocates and educates on Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) resilience, pushing for GPS/GNSS protection, receiver hardening, and terrestrial backup systems for government, aviation, maritime, and transportation stakeholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees and Donations: RNTF operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization relying on membership fees and donations from individuals and corporations interested in PNT resilience. The foundation offers various membership tiers including individual memberships and corporate memberships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

RNTF is a 501(c)(3) scientific and educational charity that delivers policy advocacy, educational content, and community-building services focused on protecting GPS/GNSS satellites, signals, and users. Its paid offering is structured around individual and corporate membership programs, while its free resources include published policy recommendations, a multi-level resiliency model, key talking points, an email template for lawmakers, and the RNT eNewsletter. The foundation also convenes sector events such as the PNT Leadership Summit and the CGSIC meeting to advance resilient PNT policy and backup systems.

Product overview

The Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation (RNTF) is a 501(c)3 scientific and educational charity that functions as a policy advocacy and educational organization rather than a commercial product company. Its primary offerings consist of advocacy resources including the Resilient PNT Key Talking Points guide, published Policy Recommendations for GPS/GNSS security, a Multi-Level Resiliency Model framework, an email template for reaching lawmakers, and regular RNT eNewsletters. These resources support the organization's mission to advocate for policies and systems protecting satellites, signals, and users of GPS/GNSS positioning, navigation, and timing services. The organization does not develop or sell commercial products but rather provides educational materials, policy guidance, and advocacy tools for the PNT community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RNTF Individual Membership Paid individual membership program for PNT professionals and supporters, organized into tiers including the Navigator Society and the Martin C. Faga Society, providing community access, advocacy updates, and engagement with PNT policy work.
• RNTF Corporate Membership Paid corporate membership program for PNT technology vendors and related organizations, with tiers including Corporate Timekeepers and Education & Nonprofit Partners, offering industry alignment, advocacy collaboration, and visibility on RNTF platforms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully advocated for Congressional hearings on PNT resilience and GPS backup systems
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UrsaNavcoreTechnology or IntegrationCorporate member of RNT Foundation. Provides navigation and timing solutions. Logo displayed on RNTF website corporate members section.
• Institute of Navigation (ION)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional navigation society. Corporate member supporting RNT Foundation's mission. Logo displayed on corporate members section.
• Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based navigation institute that published major maritime GNSS interference report. Collaborates with RNTF on PNT resilience. Featured in RNTF blog and publications.
• LocatacoreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of terrestrial positioning technology. CEO Nunzio Gambale presented at RNTF's PNT Leadership Summit. Locata is a member/supporter of the RNT Foundation. Logo displayed on corporate members section.
• UHU TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationCorporate member providing GPS monitoring and interference detection systems. Developed LA/Long Beach port GPS jamming detection project. Big supporter of RNT Foundation. Logo displayed on corporate members section.
• Inside GNSScoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPNT industry publication. RNTF co-sponsors the annual PNT Leadership Summit with Inside GNSS. Editor Dana Goward writes for Inside GNSS. Strategic content partnership.
• Spirent CommunicationscoreTechnology or IntegrationPNT testing and simulation provider. Corporate member. Featured in RNTF blog posts on GNSS interference and aviation safety. Logo displayed on corporate members section.
• National Space-based PNT Advisory BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer advisory board to the US government on PNT issues. RNTF references and advocates for the board's recommendations on PNT resilience and governance. Now defunct.
• Defense Strategies Institute (DSI)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganizer of the Assured PNT Summit. RNTF President Dana Goward serves as moderator for the annual DSI APNT Summit.
• Secure World Foundation (SWF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpace policy foundation. RNTF regularly shares SWF's Global Counterspace Capabilities Report on its blog. Collaborative on PNT awareness.
• FrontierSIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian PNT research organization. RNT Foundation member organization. Published ANCHOR report on PNT vulnerabilities referenced by RNTF.
• U.S. Department of TransportationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil lead for GPS. RNTF collaborates with DOT on PNT policy, co-hosts CGSIC meetings, and advocates for DOT action on GPS backup systems.
• U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (NAVCEN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeputy Chair and Executive Secretariat for CGSIC. RNTF collaborates with NAVCEN on civil GPS interface matters.
• International Advisory Council MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational experts from UK, France, Australia, and other nations advising RNTF on global PNT resilience strategies.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Aerospace Industries Association (AIA): U.S. aerospace trade association advancing national-security and civil-space policy. Operates a parallel high-level advocacy mission across policy areas where PNT resilience is regularly debated.
• Hudson Institute: Policy think tank with established work on space, defense, and critical infrastructure. Adjacent to RNTF in producing policy recommendations and convening experts around national security topics.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Major bipartisan policy research organization with significant space and cybersecurity programs. Operates on a similar policy-recommendation and convening model targeting federal decision-makers.
• The Aerospace Corporation: Nonprofit FFRDC providing objective technical analysis across national-security space programs including PNT architecture. Larger, established analog to RNTF within the same federal advisory ecosystem.
• US Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF): Nonprofit foundation supporting the GEOINT community with education, events, and scholarship. Operates a parallel nonprofit/community-building model to RNTF in an adjacent space-based intelligence domain.

Direct peers

• Secure World Foundation: Nonprofit foundation focused on space sustainability, security, and policy advocacy. Strategic partner of RNTF (regular content collaboration on Global Counterspace Capabilities Report) with a closely comparable nonprofit advocacy model and overlapping GNSS/space-policy stakeholder base.
• Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Space ISAC): Industry ISAC focused on space-system cybersecurity and threat information sharing. Directly comparable to RNTF in mission (protecting space-based assets including PNT from jamming, spoofing, and cyber threats) and stakeholder community.
• Institute of Navigation (ION): U.S.-based professional society advancing the art and science of positioning, navigation, and timing. Already an RNTF corporate member (mutual partner) and the closest direct peer — both organizations operate membership programs, host technical conferences, and educate the PNT community around a shared domain.
• Royal Institute of Navigation (RIN): UK-based chartered body promoting navigation science and practice. Mutual partner of RNTF, co-authoring maritime GNSS interference reporting — operates a near-identical membership-based advocacy and education model in the same PNT domain.
• GPS Innovation Alliance: Industry coalition that advocates for GPS users and the broader Global Navigation Satellite Systems community. Directly comparable to RNTF in advocating for GPS/GNSS protection through policy engagement and stakeholder education.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/GPSBackup
• Facebookfacebook.com/GPSBackup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/resilient-navigation-and-timing-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Resilient Navigation and Timing Foundation