category
enum maps to the right sub-route: naics, psc, awardingagency, fundingagency, cfda, or recipient
How to use it
category is exposed by the Usaspending MCP Server MCP server. Add the server to your MCP client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf and others), and the category tool becomes available to the model automatically. See the full listing for setup details and every tool this server provides.
Install Usaspending MCP Server
docker run --rm -p 3010:3010 usaspending-mcp-serverOther tools in Usaspending MCP Server (30)
filters to a specific agency by 3-digit code (e.g., "097" for DoD) — use usaspendinglistagencies to look up codes
must be the generateduniqueawardid of the parent IDV — from usaspendingsearchawards (generatedinternalid field) or from usaspendinggetaward
breaks the account into its Treasury Account Symbol (TAS) components, each with its own obligated, outlay, and budgetary-resource amounts — one entry per availability period, bounded and returned in full
enum selects the breakdown axis: overview, agency, cfda, recipient, or geography
state, county, or district
fiscalyear, quarter, or month
filters by account name/title (e.g., "defense", "transportation")
accepts 1–500 (default 50). The upstream endpoint is not paginated — a nationwide county query matches over 3,000 areas — so areas are ranked by aggregatedamount descending and capped client-side; totalareasavailable reports the full match count
placeofperformance or recipientlocation
enum: accountname, accountnumber, budgetaryresources (default), managingagency
selects between award-level obligations and outlays (award) and total spending including direct non-award amounts (total, agency and recipient dimensions only)
selects what to list: childawards (task/delivery orders), childidvs (sub-IDVs), or grandchildawards
Look up valid code values for filter fields: NAICS, PSC, CFDA, recipient names, or agency names. Use before filtering to discover the right code from a description.
Fetch disaster and emergency supplemental spending (COVID-19, hurricanes, etc.) broken down by agency, CFDA program, recipient, or geography. Filter by DEF codes to isolate a specific appropriation.
Fetch an agency's fiscal year overview: mission, budget authority, obligation totals, sub-agency count, and DEF codes. Accepts a 3-digit toptiercode or an agencyslug from award search results.
Fetch full details of a federal award by its generated ID. Returns contract or assistance data, parent IDV info, subaward count, and funding account linkages.
List the Treasury federal accounts that funded an award, with the amount obligated from each. Returns federalaccount for chaining into usaspendinggetfederalaccount.
List subaward contracts or grants under a prime award. Reveals the sub-contractor or sub-grantee layer — who actually does the work.
List individual transactions (modifications, amendments) on an award. Reveals spending history and obligation changes over time.
Fetch a federal account's budget data: total obligations, outlays, budgetary resources, and the per-Treasury-Account-Symbol component breakdown. Account codes come from usaspendingsearchfederalaccounts.
Break a federal account's obligations down by program activity (what the money funds) or object class (what it buys). Paginated with a total count.
List child contracts and task/delivery orders placed under an IDV award. Each row includes a generateduniqueawardid for chaining into usaspendinggetaward.
Fetch a recipient's profile: address, business types, parent organization, alternate names, and total award amounts by type.
List all top-tier federal agencies with toptier codes, budget authority amounts, and obligation totals. Entry point for agency navigation.
Search federal awards by keyword, recipient, agency, award type, NAICS code, location, or date range. Returns ranked award summaries with recipient names, amounts, agencies, and award IDs for chaining.
List and keyword-search federal accounts by agency identifier or title keyword. Returns account numbers for chaining into usaspendinggetfederalaccount.
Search for organizations receiving federal funds by name, UEI, or DUNS. Returns recipient hash IDs, UEI/DUNS, total award amounts, and hierarchy level. Paginated — page through with page; pagemetadata.total reports the full match count.
Aggregate spending grouped by NAICS code, PSC code, awarding agency, funding agency, CFDA program, or recipient. Returns top items with amounts for trend and breakdown analysis.
Aggregate federal spending by state, county, or congressional district. Returns per-capita figures when combined with population data.
Fetch aggregated spending by fiscal year, fiscal quarter, or fiscal month. Filter by award type, agency, recipient, or keyword to trace trends in a specific area.