How To Pay for Compass

As an early-career researcher, investing in your professional development is important for your success. We know it can be difficult to find funding for these opportunities.

To help, we describe several funding sources that could support your participation in Compass, which costs $2,000. The program is a valuable investment in your career, leadership, and management skills. Here are some potential funding sources you can explore:

Startup Funds

Many academic institutions provide new faculty members with startup funds to help them establish their research programs. These funds are often flexible and can be used for various purposes, including professional development programs like Compass. For those on the job market who are or will be in the process of negotiating a startup package, we encourage you to ask for financial support for professional development opportunities, such as Compass.

Professional Development Funds

Departments or institutions often allocate (typically annually) dedicated funds or discretionary funds for faculty professional development. Check with your department and offices that support faculty development (e.g., Office of Faculty Affairs) at your institution to explore this option.

NIH or Other Funding Agency Career Development Award Funds

If you are applying for or have received an NIH or other career development award (e.g., K01, K99/R00), consider including Compass in your proposal and budget. These awards are designed to facilitate your career advancement, and the Compass program aligns well with NIH career development award objectives. Including Compass can also help strengthen your application given the program’s focus on cultivating research independence and excellence. During their formal scientific training, researchers are typically not taught how to lead and manage research teams and, at best, get only cursory experience mentoring others. Our program equips researchers with leadership and management skills, especially interpersonal and communication skills that facilitate building teams, mentoring, conflict resolution, and providing constructive feedback to team members.

Due to federal regulations, WashU employees cannot charge Compass fees to K, R, or other federal funding sources at this time. We are exploring options to allow these charges for future registrations. Departmental non-grant funds can be used for Compass fees.

Travel Funds

Some institutions offer travel grants or funds specifically earmarked for attending conferences or career development workshops and programs. Compass may be considered an eligible activity for these funds.

Departmental or Institutional Grants

Investigate other internal grant opportunities that your department or institution may offer. These could be small grants aimed at facilitating faculty development and enhancing research skills.

Professional Societies and Associations

Explore funding opportunities from professional societies or associations in your field. They often offer grants or scholarships for career development activities, which can be used for Compass participation.

We are hopeful that by looking into these options, you will find the financial assistance needed to join the Compass Program. If you need further assistance or documentation to support your funding requests, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team ([email protected]). We are here to help you succeed.