MCP Server: Claude Connection Instructions

What You'll Need

• Claude Desktop installed
• A Claude account (Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise)
• Your GovSpend API key
• MCP endpoint: https://mcp-spark-prod.govspend.com/mcp

Team and Enterprise plans: An Owner must add the GovSpend connector at the org level before individual members can connect. Once the Owner completes these steps from their own account, teammates can connect from their own Connectors panel. Pro and Max users can add it directly without an Owner step.

Setup Steps

Step 1: Open Claude Desktop and start a new chat. Click + in the chat composer.

Step 2: Choose Connectors, then click Manage connectors.

Step 3: In the middle column, click + in the top right, then Add custom connector.

If you don't see the option to add a custom connector, you're likely on a Team or Enterprise plan where your Owner hasn't added GovSpend at the org level yet. Ask your workspace Owner to follow these same steps from their account — that registers GovSpend for the team. If the Owner has already done this, try restarting Claude Desktop.

Step 4: Name the connector GovSpend and paste the URL: https://mcp-spark-prod.govspend.com/mcp

Step 5: Claude redirects you to a GovSpend login page. Paste your API key. You'll be returned to Claude with the connector marked Connected.

Step 6: In any chat, click + → Connectors and toggle GovSpend on. The first tool call will ask for approval — click Allow (or Allow always).

Troubleshooting

Before anything else, confirm the server is up: curl https://mcp-spark-prod.govspend.com/health Expected response: "status": "healthy"

Clicking + takes me straight to the Connectors store
You don't have permission to add a custom connector. Ask your Claude workspace admin to enable custom connectors for your account.

"Could not connect" or the GovSpend login window doesn't open

• Confirm the URL is pasted exactly — no trailing slash, no http://
• Pop-up blockers or privacy extensions can block the login window. Disable and retry.
• Check status.claude.com for any Anthropic incidents.

Connector shows "Connected" but Claude can't find data

• Make sure GovSpend is toggled on in the current chat.
• The MCP respects your existing entitlements — confirm your account has access to the data you're requesting.
• Try narrowing your query. Broad questions can sometimes return empty results.

Need to change the URL or rename the connector
Custom connectors can't be edited. Remove the GovSpend connector (Manage connectors → three-dot menu → Remove) and re-add it.