Network Theory Applied Research Institute

The Network Theory Applied Research Institute (NTARI) is a Kentucky-based nonprofit dedicated to building free, open-source technology that helps communities become more connected, resilient, and self-reliant.

Rather than creating software that communities rent from large corporations, NTARI develops software that communities can own, customize, and improve together. Every project we build is released as open-source software under the GNU Affero General Public License (AGPL v3), allowing organizations around the world to collaborate while adapting the technology to meet their local needs.

Our work is powered by volunteers including software developers, designers, researchers, and community members who collaborate through our online development workspaces to build technology for the public good.

Our Current Projects

Agrinet
A community marketplace that helps connect local farmers, gardeners, food producers, and consumers to strengthen regional food systems and local economies.

SoHoLINK
A distributed community computing platform designed to reduce dependence on large centralized data centers while allowing communities to share computing resources and generate local economic value.

LBTAS (Leveson-Based Trade Assessment Scale)
A next-generation reputation and trust framework inspired by MIT Professor Nancy Leveson's work on system safety. LBTAS focuses on evaluating the safety and reliability of interactions rather than relying on traditional five-star rating systems.

Community Childcare Trust Network

The Community Childcare Trust Network is an open-source platform that helps families connect with babysitters and childcare providers using the Leveson-Based Trade Assessment Scale (LBTAS) instead of traditional five-star ratings. By focusing on trust, safety, reliability, and real experiences, the platform empowers families to make more informed childcare decisions while helping responsible caregivers build trusted reputations within their communities.

COER (Community Orchestrated Emergency Response)
An open emergency communication and reporting platform designed to help communities coordinate during emergencies using open standards and community-owned infrastructure.

NTARI/OS
An open-source communication and collaboration platform that gives organizations greater control over their data and communications.

Shelter
A platform designed to connect individuals experiencing homelessness with trusted community members willing to provide temporary shelter, meals, and support while helping coordinate local assistance efforts.

World Chase Tag
A proximity-based community recreation platform that encourages healthy outdoor activity through location-based public tag games.

Why Your Support Matters

Your donation helps us:

• Develop free, open-source software that anyone can use.

• Support volunteers building technology for community benefit.

• Maintain secure infrastructure and development tools.

• Expand projects that strengthen local food systems, emergency preparedness, community trust, and digital independence.

• Keep our software freely available for communities in Louisville and around the world.

Together, we're building technology that communities own, not technology that owns communities.

You can explore our open-source projects and contribute at:
https://github.com/NTARI-RAND