Grants Search MCP Server

This project is an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that provides a tool to search for government grants based on keywords.

Video Introduction

Overview

The Grants Search MCP Server is built using the @modelcontextprotocol/sdk package. It exposes a single tool called "search-grants" that allows users to search for available government grants based on a search query.

The server interacts with the Simpler Grants API to fetch the grant data and formats the results for display.

The MCP retrieves data from the Simpler Grants API, which provides a comprehensive set of endpoints for accessing information about government grants. This API is currently in its alpha version, primarily intended for testing and feedback. It includes features such as searching for opportunities, retrieving agency information, and accessing detailed grant data, all structured in a user-friendly format.

The API supports various filters for searching grants, including agency, applicant type, funding category, and more. It also provides pagination options to manage large sets of results effectively.

Features

• Search for government grants by keyword
• Paginate the search results
• Display detailed information about each grant, including:
  • Opportunity title, number, and status
  • Funding information (award floor, award ceiling, category)
  • Dates and deadlines
  • Contact information
  • Eligibility requirements
  • Additional information URL

Setup

1. Clone the repository and navigate to the project directory.
2. Install the required dependencies:
   • Node.js 16 or higher
   • npm install
3. Set the API_KEY environment variable with your Simpler Grants API key.
4. Start the MCP server:

   npm start
   

The server will start running and listen for incoming MCP client connections.

Usage

Once the server is running, you can connect to it using an MCP client (e.g., Claude Desktop).

To use the "search-grants" tool, simply send a request with the following parameters:

• query: The search query (e.g., "Artificial intelligence", "Climate change")
• page: The page number for pagination (default: 1)
• grantsPerPage: The number of grants to display per page (default: 3)

The server will respond with a formatted summary of the search results, including the grant details.

Customization

You can customize the server by modifying the following:

• formatGrantDetails: The function that formats the grant information for display
• createSummary: The function that generates the search results summary
• API_KEY: The Simpler Grants API key used to authenticate the requests

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues, please check the server logs for more information. You can also reach out to the project maintainers for assistance.

Contributing

If you'd like to contribute to this project, please fork the repository and submit a pull request with your changes.