The Connecticut Bird Atlas was primarily funded by “Pittman-Robertson” funds, provided to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Wildlife Division. These funds come from the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, which uses an 11% excise tax on all ammunition, firearms, and hunting equipment sold in the US. These funds are pooled and re-allocated to each state. Hunters and shooting enthusiasts support important conservation work for all birds, not just those that are hunted.

Pittman-Robertson funds must be matched by non-Federal funding and the Connecticut Bird Atlas has received matching support from various sources, including major contributions from Audubon Connecticut, Connecticut Audubon Society, Connecticut Ornithological Association and Great Hollow Nature Preserve & Ecological Research Center, and important donations from the Hartford Audubon Society, New Haven Bird Club, Menunkatuck Audubon Society, Potapaug Audubon, and Western Connecticut Bird Club.

The volunteer birders who collected the lion’s share of the data also contributed much more than their observations. All of the time and mileage they logged while collecting data served as match for the project.

The University of Connecticut’s Departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology  and Natural Resources and the Environment also contributed by providing faculty research time and support infrastructure.