• MAPPING
  • DISCOVERY
  • FILTERING
  • HUMAN

How to identify data sources with your AI

Connect this MCP to your AI client to turn the massive FRED database into a searchable map of contributors.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

How do I find out which agencies provide data to FRED?

Your AI uses the list_sources tool to pull a directory of every organization and agency that feeds into the FRED system. This gives you a clear view of the data landscape before you start pulling specific series. You'll see exactly which entities own the numbers you're looking at.

The results you get.

Where your data discovery lands.

The AI handles the heavy lifting of scanning the provider directory.

MAPPING

Provider directory

The AI uses list_sources to build a list of all contributing agencies. You get a clean breakdown of who provides the data.

DISCOVERY

Source identification

Your agent identifies specific organizations behind the datasets. This helps you verify the authority of the data you use.

FILTERING

Targeted searches

Instead of browsing everything, your AI narrows down the list to the specific agencies you care about. You save time by skipping irrelevant sources.

HUMAN

Data validation

You review the list of agencies to decide which ones meet your research standards. The AI finds the names, but you make the call on reliability.

The workflow

What your AI does when the request arrives.

The AI moves from broad scanning to specific identification.

  1. Scan the directory

    The AI reaches into the FRED ecosystem to pull the full list of active data contributors.

    list_sources

  2. Group by agency

    It organizes the raw list into recognizable organizations and government bodies.

    list_sources

  3. Filter for relevance

    Your agent strips away the noise to show only the agencies that match your specific research interest.

    list_sources

  4. Present findings

    The AI presents a clean, readable list of sources for you to inspect.

    list_sources

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to kick off your discovery.

Starting points

These are opening lines. Swap out the agency names or specific sectors to get different results.

FRED Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_gSpxwBSlmBoTh0qkNEnTwJGqQpGQLWCmnpo1UhkQ/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — FRED capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "fred-tags-sources-data-discovery-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_gSpxwBSlmBoTh0qkNEnTwJGqQpGQLWCmnpo1UhkQ/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • List all the organizations that contribute data to FRED.

  • Which agencies in FRED provide labor market statistics?

  • Show me a list of all the sources in FRED related to consumer price indices.

  • Identify the specific government bodies that feed data into FRED.

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect FRED Tags & Sources once, then ask.

One click connects this MCP to your client. Your credentials stay encrypted and secure on our end.

Connect FRED Tags & Sources to your AI

FAQ

How this task behaves.

  • 01

    Can the AI download the actual data files?

    No. This specific task is for identifying and listing the sources that provide the data, not for downloading the datasets themselves.

  • 02

    Will the AI change any information in FRED?

    No. The AI only reads the source directory. It has no ability to modify, delete, or add data to the FRED database.

  • 03

    Does the AI list every single series in FRED?

    No. It lists the organizations and agencies that provide the series, not the individual data points.

  • 04

    Can I ask about specific economic indicators?

    Yes, you can ask the AI to find which agencies provide data for specific indicators like inflation or unemployment.

  • 05

    How does the AI know which agencies are included?

    The AI uses the list_sources tool to pull the current list of contributors directly from the FRED metadata.

  • More questions about FRED Tags & Sources? The Connector page answers them. See everything the FRED Tags & Sources Connector can do

Connect FRED to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more