In response to the importance of the resource and the dearth of information about springs, the Springs Stewardship Institute was established as a global initiative of the Museum of Northern Arizona in January 2013. MNA and SSI's mission is to improve the understanding of springs ecology, to educate the public and resource managers about the importance of springs stewardship, and to partner with other organizations, agencies, tribes, and researchers who are working to protect these critically endangered ecosystems.

Since 2013, MNA has played a huge role in the development of SSI and its work to further springs stewardship, including: 

• Springs Inventory Workshops and Webinars, hosted at the Museum of Northern Arizona
• Springs Inventory Assessments and Monitoring
• GIS and data Management Support
• Groundwater Sampling and Modeling
• Biological Inventory and Assessment
• Stewardship Advisement and Planning
• Proposal Development
• Technical and Scientific Peer Review
• Restoration Planning and Implementation
• Internships