I heard this from Nick Fellers of For Impact. I’m paraphrasing, not quoting.
If a lion hunts a mice, it can catch it. But it probably burns more calories catching it than the mice will provide.
If a lion hunts an antelope and catches it, it can feed the lion for days.
In the fundraising context, this means don’t go chasing lots of smaller donations if your goal is to transform your organization. Yes, a larger organization with lots of staff can and should build a broader base. But especially if you’re a small organization in the first few years, you should be almost exclusively hunting antelopes, not mice.
I couldn’t agree more.
But I’d add one thing. There are also some magic mice out there. Magic mice are actually antelope hunters themselves, and if you can catch the mice, the mice will hunt antelopes for you.
Don’t focus just on those who can write you the big check. Focus also on those people who have access to those who can write you the big check and go sell them on your organization and turn them into champions for you. But be clear: if the strategy is to hunt magic mice and you think you have one, don’t stop at just getting a donation, or else the strategy isn’t being followed.