Save yourself time and grief, just download the instructions now
Congratulations on making it this far! At this point you should have an idea of (1) what fellowship or grant you want to apply for and (2) what institute you want to apply to.
So, now what? Although it seems obvious, at this point I would highly, highly recommend that you download the application guide (aka. the instructions). I know it’s a huge file (100-200 pages of dense material), but I promise, this file is incredibly handy to have around as you start writing the components of your grant.
how to download the application guide
Go to the NIH Grants and Funding website
Scroll down and click on the “PDF” icon to download either your F-award fellowship instructions or K-award career development instructions.
Note: There are two versions — Version E and Version F. Version F is for applications due on or after May 25, 2020 — so you will probably want this one.