My home is in South Florida, which is a bona fide wildlife sanctuary. We often catch a glimpse of the most exotic creatures that inhabit our region for good reason. Since we are near the Everglades that connect to the surrounding canals, a variety of animals visit us. Our community is home to a diversified assortment of living things, including insects galore, geckos, lizards, iguanas, coyotes, alligators, Key deer, opossums, raccoons and frogs.

In addition, there are beautiful and distinctive birds such as herons and flamingos, as well as various fish of assorted stripes and hues. Florida is home to over 1,000 animal species, 269 of which are found only in this region. We are a veritable nature preserve.

Some dislike the Sunshine State because of its heat, which is not always as intense as they believe. Others are concerned about hurricane season each year, which is understandable. The diversity of animal species we get is also unsettling to many people. What they fail to consider is that this is, and always has been, their home. It was people who invaded their territory, not the other way around. Embrace that, and you’ll love it here.

What we know is that the common denominator among all animals is their will to survive. One such tale inspired this story.

One day, a spider was resting itself outside one of my screened windows in my family room when along came a lizard that feeds on insects. Slowly, it crawled toward the spider. In the animal kingdom, the fittest survives, and those who persist get rewarded in their quest for life. For upwards of 45 minutes, the lizard, little by little, approached the motionless spider, which reposed unsuspectingly in place. When the reptile came within inches of its prey, it sprang forward with lightning speed and devoured the spider. Persistence pays off.

The act of raising funds resembles daily events like this in the animal kingdom. I say this with the utmost respect to both dedicated fundraisers and contributors. Persisting in the hunt for donations, especially major gifts, often results in generous contributions. Undeniably, it takes skill, patience, discipline and an understanding of the individual being pursued. In most cases, gifts of significance are not automatic.

It has occasionally happened that benefactors and peers commended me after receiving a gift of note from a particular donor. Once, for example, I touched the heart of an “untouchable” person and secured a considerable donation for our nonprofit. During that time, we were running a summer camp scholarship campaign. Other organizations often solicited this supporter for the same purpose, but he never responded.

I enlisted the help of his closest friend, a professional with business ties and other family connections who frequently vacationed with him. It wasn’t an easy solicitation. But my approach was to portray the true story of a disadvantaged child whose impoverished family lived through hardships and paycheck to paycheck. His own words, after writing me a check, were that my “persistence paid off.” It also resulted in recurring and substantial annual gifts from him and his family.

Here’s another example to illustrate the point:

Jacob, a colleague at a prestigious nonprofit institution of higher learning, formed a close and long-term relationship with a wealthy benefactor. He invested years laboring to secure an eight- figure gift from this person but showed no results. Jacob’s frustration grew, yet he continued to cultivate the donor in an unending journey for a sizable gift that would create a lasting legacy.

Then, the unexpected happened.

After making intermittent contributions yet never living up to his giving potential, his patron’s health suddenly declined, if only temporarily. This scare awakened a dormant concern that he wouldn’t be around to show the proposed legacy to his grandchildren. Showing sudden alacrity, he made an extraordinary eight-figure gift to the organization, far surpassing expectations. In the eyes of his board of directors, my colleague was a hero for his persistence, which paid off handsomely.

In a different vein, I observe people every morning at my fitness center who are determined to lose weight and improve their health. My gym is not just for the healthy or muscular; come check out some of the least healthy individuals anywhere. However, they arrive with a singular goal in mind. The incredible results of their exercise and diet modification after a reasonable amount of time will just blow your mind away. The key to their success is determination and willpower. Fundraising is no different. Persistence pays off.

There is a widespread belief that Benjamin Franklin was one of the most influential of the Founding Fathers. In Franklin’s words, “Energy and persistence conquer all things.” The takeaway is clear: Perseverance will overcome any obstacle. Combined with the vigor and desire to find innovative solutions to challenges, you’ll succeed.

Having a modicum of luck also helps. However, much like Florida’s nature preserve, the moral of this story with intractable donors and fellow gym goers is: don’t give up because persistence pays off.

Norman B. Gildin is the author of the popular book on nonprofit fundraising “Learn From My Experiences.” He is the president of Strategic Fundraising Group, whose singular mission is to assist nonprofits in raising critical funds for their organization. His website is www.normangildin.com.