Federal Grant Evidence

Search federal grants

search_federal_grants

Use this when the user needs to find current or forecasted U.S. federal grant opportunities by topic. It returns official identifiers and source URLs for follow-up analysis. Do not use it to decide eligibility, predict an award, write an application, or submit anything.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`limit`	No	Maximum results, from 1 to 20
`query`	Yes	Topic or phrase such as community oral health

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`count`	Yes
`query`	Yes
`opportunities`	Yes
`sourceFreshness`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed2 schema fields changedSep 2, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / sourceFreshness
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "object"
+}
```

changedOutput schema / required

Previous value: -[
-  "query",
-  "count",
-  "opportunities"
-]New value: +[
+  "query",
+  "count",
+  "opportunities",
+  "sourceFreshness"
+]

First observedSep 2, 2026

TDQS

A4/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already indicate readOnlyHint false, openWorldHint true, idempotentHint false, destructiveHint false. The description adds that results are 'current or forecasted' and returns 'official identifiers and source URLs', which is useful context beyond annotations. It doesn't contradict annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two sentences, front-loaded with the primary use case, then exclusions. No filler words, every sentence earns its place.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given an output schema exists, return values are covered. The description covers when to use, what it returns, and explicit non-uses. It lacks pagination or limit details but those are in the schema. It's complete for a search tool.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%: both query and limit have descriptions. The description reinforces the 'by topic' usage for query but doesn't add syntax or format beyond what the schema provides. Baseline 3 is appropriate when schema does the heavy lifting.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description states a specific verb 'find' with a resource 'federal grant opportunities' and a scope 'by topic'. It also specifies the output: 'official identifiers and source URLs', which distinguishes it from analysis siblings like analyze_federal_grant.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It explicitly says 'Use this when the user needs to find...' and lists clear exclusions: 'Do not use it to decide eligibility, predict an award, write an application, or submit anything.' It doesn't name alternative tools, but the when-not guidance is explicit and covers non-use cases.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All Federal Grant Evidence tools Inspect

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