# Chariot MCP Server The Chariot MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) connector that enables AI assistants like Claude to help you research nonprofits and charitable organizations. With access to Chariot's database of verified nonprofits, you can look up EINs, financials, DAF eligibility, IRS status, leadership, and more — all through natural conversation. *** ### Intended purpose This MCP server is designed to support informed charitable giving and nonprofit due diligence by: 1. **Discovery** — Helping you find and identify nonprofits by name or EIN 2. **Research** — Providing comprehensive details about organizations' financials, leadership, and eligibility status 3. **Verification** — Confirming EINs, registered addresses, IRS status, and DAF eligibility before sending gifts or grants The connector is useful for donors deciding where to give, grantmakers vetting recipients before disbursing funds, and anyone who needs accurate nonprofit data fast. *** ### How to use the connector Once connected, you can interact with Chariot through natural conversation with Claude. The connector works behind the scenes to search for and retrieve nonprofit information from Chariot's database. Learn about finding and connecting tools in Claude. *** ### Basic examples | Category | Example #1 | Example #2 | | ------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Nonprofit's EIN Search** | "What's the EIN for the American Red Cross?" | "Can you find the tax ID for Feeding America?" | | **Get** **Registered Address** | "What address does St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have on file with the IRS?" | "I need the registered mailing address for Habitat for Humanity." | | **Check DAF Eligibility** | "Is The Nature Conservancy eligible to receive a DAF gift?" | "I want to donate from my Fidelity Charitable account to \[nonprofit] — can I?" | | **Research Financials** | "What were the total revenues and expenses for Doctors Without Borders last year?" | "Show me the revenue and expense breakdown for the ACLU Foundation." | | **Nonprofit Vetting** | "I'm sending a grant check to \[nonprofit]. Can you pull their registered address and confirm their IRS status?" | -- | | **Research Leadership** | "Who are the board members and executive officers of \[nonprofit]?" | -- | | **Compare Organizations** | "Compare the financials of the three largest food bank nonprofits in the US." | -- | *** ### Typical conversation flow Here's an example of how you might use the connector: > **You:** "I want to make a gift from my donor-advised fund to Ocean Conservancy. Can you confirm they're DAF eligible and pull their financials?"
> > **Claude:** *(Uses Chariot - search\_nonprofits)* "I found Ocean Conservancy in Chariot's database. Here's what I have: > > * **EIN:** 23-7245152 > * **DAF Eligible:** Yes > * **IRS Status:** In good standing > > Would you like to see their financials or registered address as well?"
> > **You:** "Yes, show me the financials."
> > **Claude:** *(Uses Chariot - get\_nonprofit\_details)* "Here's the financial overview for Ocean Conservancy as reported in their most recent Form 990:
> > * Total Revenue: $XX,XXX,XXX > * Total Expenses: $XX,XXX,XXX > * Revenue Breakdown: Contributions and grants, program services, investment income > * Expense Breakdown: Program services, management and general, fundraising
> > Their registered address on file is \[address]. Would you like anything else — their board members or registered address for mailing a check?" *** ### Features & tools The connector provides two main capabilities: | **Tool** | Nonprofit Search (`search_nonprofits`) | | ----------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **What it does** | Searches Chariot's database of charitable organizations by name or EIN | | **How to use it** | Ask Claude to find a nonprofit by name (e.g., “Find the American Cancer Society”) or EIN (e.g., “Look up EIN 13-1837418”) | | **Returns** | Organization name and EIN; registered address (Form 990); DAF eligibility status; IRS status; foundation code | | **Limitations** | Search is limited to name or EIN only (no keyword or cause-based search); refine the organization name if results are inaccurate | | **Tool** | Nonprofit Details (`get_nonprofit_details`) | | ----------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **What it does** | Retrieves comprehensive information about a specific organization from Chariot's database | | **How to use it** | Ask Claude to provide details about a nonprofit by name or EIN | | **Returns** | EIN and registered address (Form 990); DAF eligibility and foundation code eligibility; IRS status and OFAC status; board of trustees and executive officers; financials, including total revenue, total expenses, and line-item breakdown where available | *** ### Privacy & security {% stepper %} {% step %} #### **Data collection** * The connector does not collect or store any personal data about users. * Search queries are processed to return results but are not stored or associated with individual users. * We do not collect PII, browsing history outside the current conversation, or saved searches. {% endstep %} {% step %} #### **Data usage** * All information returned is sourced from Chariot's nonprofit database, which is built on publicly available government filings (including IRS Form 990 data). * No sensitive user data is transmitted or stored. {% endstep %} {% step %} #### **Security** * All connections use HTTPS encryption. * No sensitive data is transmitted or stored. {% endstep %} {% endstepper %} *** ### Troubleshooting
"No search results found" * Check the spelling of the organization's name * Try using the organization's full legal name rather than a common name or acronym * Try searching by EIN if you have it
"Cannot find details for that organization" * Make sure you're referencing an organization from your current search results * Ask Claude to search again and select from the new results * Some smaller organizations may have limited data available if they haven't filed a recent Form 990
"Financials are not available" * Not all nonprofits are required to file a Form 990 (e.g., churches and very small organizations may be exempt) * Try asking for the most recent available filing year
"Connector not working" * Verify the connector is properly configured in Claude * If using Claude Desktop, restart the application and check for updates * Look for error messages in Claude's MCP status indicator
"DAF eligibility status is unclear" * DAF eligibility indicates the organization meets IRS criteria to receive grants from donor-advised funds (typically a 501(c)(3) public charity in good standing) * If you're unsure, contact your DAF sponsor directly to confirm before sending a grant
{% hint style="info" %} **Still having issues?** Check Claude’s MCP status for errors, review your configuration, update Claude Desktop to the latest version, or contact Chariot at {% endhint %} *** ### Technical details MCP Information Protocol * Model Context Protocol (JSON-RPC) * Server Type: HTTP-based remote MCP server * Transport: Streamable HTTP (stateless mode) * Response Format: JSON * Authentication: None required | Category | Field | Details | | --------------------------- | ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | | **search\_nonprofits** | Type | Read-only, Idempotent | | | Input | Organization name or EIN | | | Output | Array of nonprofit objects | | | Error Codes | INVALID\_INPUT, SERVICE\_UNAVAILABLE | | **get\_nonprofit\_details** | Type | Read-only, Idempotent | | | Input | Nonprofit identifier or EIN | | | Output | Detailed nonprofit object (financials, leadership, status flags) | | | Error Codes | INVALID\_INPUT, NONPROFIT\_NOT\_FOUND | *** ### Frequently asked questions
Is this connector free to use? A: Yes, the connector is free for all Claude users.
Do I need a Chariot account to use this connector? No, you don't need a Chariot account or subscription to use this connector.
How often is the nonprofit database updated? Chariot's database is built on IRS Form 990 data and is updated on a regular basis as new filings become available.
What is DAF eligibility? DAF eligibility means the nonprofit is recognized by the IRS as a public charity (typically a 501(c)(3)) and is approved to receive grants from donor-advised funds. If a nonprofit is DAF eligible, your DAF sponsor (e.g., Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable) can process a grant to them on your behalf.
Can I look up international nonprofits? Chariot identifies nonprofits using U.S. EINs, so international organizations are only searchable if they have a registered U.S. entity with an EIN on file with the IRS.
What is a Form 990? Form 990 is the annual information return that most U.S. tax-exempt organizations are required to file with the IRS. It includes financial data, program descriptions, and leadership information — and is the primary source for the data returned by Chariot.
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