Bring Crowdfunding
to VS Code Copilot
Create your Vinkius account to connect DonorsChoose to VS Code Copilot and start using all 10 AI tools in minutes. Fully managed, enterprise secure, and ready to use without writing a single line of code. No hosting, no server setup — just connect and start using.
GDPR Free for SubscribersCompatible with every major AI agent and IDE
Gemini
What is the DonorsChoose MCP Server?
Integrate DonorsChoose, the leading crowdfunding platform for public school teachers, directly into your AI workflow. Search for classroom projects across the US, filter by state, subject, or ZIP code, monitor urgent funding needs, and retrieve detailed information for educational proposals using natural language.
What you can do
- Project Discovery — Search for classroom projects using keywords, subjects, or specific geographic locations (states and ZIP codes).
- Funding Oversight — Monitor projects that are close to their expiration or have high urgency to identify immediate support needs.
- Proposal Intelligence — Retrieve detailed information for specific classroom projects, including school details and itemized resource lists.
- Newest Opportunity Tracking — List the most recently posted classroom proposals to identify new funding opportunities across the organization.
How it works
- Connect the DonorsChoose integration to your AI assistant.
- Authorize using your DonorsChoose API Key (you can use 'DONORSCHOOSE' for public access).
- Orchestrate your educational support and project research through intuitive conversation.
Who is this for?
- Philanthropy Managers — Quickly identify classroom projects in specific regions or subjects for support on the go.
- Educational Researchers — Gather detailed proposal metadata and school information via chat.
- Community Organizers — Monitor local classroom funding needs and urgent projects instantly.
Built-in capabilities (10)
Get detailed information for a specific classroom project
Retrieve metadata for the current API connection
Identify projects from schools in high-poverty areas
List the most recently posted classroom projects
List classroom projects in a specific US state (e.g., NY, CA)
List projects filtered by subject area (e.g., Literacy, Math)
Identify projects that are close to their expiration or have high urgency
Retrieve a high-level summary of active projects in a region
Search for DonorsChoose classroom projects using keywords
Search for classroom projects within a specific US ZIP code
Why VS Code Copilot?
GitHub Copilot Agent mode brings DonorsChoose data directly into your VS Code workflow. With a project-scoped config, the entire team shares access to 10 tools. Copilot queries live data, generates typed code, and writes tests from actual API responses, all without leaving the editor.
- —
VS Code is used by over 70% of developers. adding MCP tools to Copilot means your team can leverage external data without leaving their primary editor
- —
Project-scoped MCP configs (
.vscode/mcp.json) let you commit server configurations to your repository, ensuring the entire team shares the same tool access - —
Copilot's Agent mode integrates MCP tools seamlessly with file editing, terminal commands, and workspace search in a single agentic loop
- —
GitHub's enterprise compliance and audit features extend to MCP tool usage, providing visibility into how AI interacts with external services
DonorsChoose in VS Code Copilot
Why run DonorsChoose with Vinkius?
The DonorsChoose connection runs on our fully managed, secure cloud infrastructure. We handle the hosting, maintenance, and security so you don't have to deal with servers or code. All 10 tools are ready to work instantly without any complex setup.
You stay in complete control of your data. Your AI only accesses the information you approve, keeping your sensitive passwords and private details completely safe. Plus, with automatic optimizations, your AI works faster and more efficiently.
* Every connection is hosted and maintained by Vinkius. We handle the security, updates, and infrastructure so you don't have to write code or manage servers. See our infrastructure
Over 4,000 integrations ready for AI agents
Explore a vast library of pre-built integrations, optimized and ready to deploy.
Connect securely in under 30 seconds
Generate tokens to authenticate and link external services in a single step.
Complete visibility into every agent action
Audit live requests, latency, success rates, and active security compliance policies.
Optimize spending and track token ROI
Analyze real-time token consumption and cost metrics detailed by connection.
Explore our live AI Agents Analytics dashboard to see it all working
This dashboard is included when you connect DonorsChoose using Vinkius. You will never be left in the dark about what your AI agents are doing with your tools.
DonorsChoose and 4,000+ other AI tools. No hosting, no code, ready to use.
Professionals who connect DonorsChoose to VS Code Copilot through Vinkius don't need to write code, manage servers, or worry about security. Everything is pre-configured, secure, and runs automatically in the background.
Raw MCP | Vinkius | |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-to-use MCPs | Find and configure each manually | 4,000+ MCPs ready to use |
| Connection Setup | Manual coding & server setup | 1-click instant connection |
| Server Hosting | You host it yourself (needs 24/7 uptime) | 100% hosted & managed by Vinkius |
| Security & Privacy | Stored in plaintext config files | Bank-grade encrypted vault |
| Activity Visibility | Blind execution (no logs or tracking) | Live dashboard with real-time logs |
| Cost Control | Runaway AI token spend risk | Automatic budget limits |
| Revoking Access | Must delete files or code to stop | 1-click disconnect button |
How Vinkius secures
DonorsChoose for VS Code Copilot
Every request between VS Code Copilot and DonorsChoose is protected by our secure gateway. We automatically keep your sensitive data private, prevent unauthorized access, and let you disconnect instantly at any time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a DonorsChoose API Key?
For general public access, you can use the API key 'DONORSCHOOSE'. If you require a unique key for high-volume use, you can apply for one through the DonorsChoose developer site.
Can the agent make donations directly?
This integration currently focuses on searching and auditing project data. Making actual donations should be completed via the project links provided by the agent on the DonorsChoose website.
Which geographical areas are covered?
DonorsChoose covers public and charter school classroom projects across all 50 US states.
Which VS Code version supports MCP?
MCP support requires VS Code 1.99 or later with the GitHub Copilot extension. Ensure both are updated to the latest version. Older versions of Copilot may not expose the Agent mode toggle.
How do I switch to Agent mode?
Open the Copilot Chat panel and look for two mode options: "Ask" and "Agent". Click "Agent" to enable autonomous tool calling. In Ask mode, Copilot provides conversational answers but cannot invoke MCP tools.
Can I restrict which MCP tools Copilot can access?
Yes. VS Code shows a tool consent dialog before any MCP tool is invoked for the first time. You can also configure tool access policies at the organization level through GitHub Copilot settings.
Does MCP work in VS Code Remote or Codespaces?
Yes. MCP servers configured via .vscode/mcp.json work in Remote SSH, WSL, and GitHub Codespaces environments. The MCP connection is established from the remote host, so ensure the server URL is accessible from that environment.
MCP tools not available
Ensure you are in Agent mode in Copilot Chat. MCP tools only appear in Agent mode.
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