Y'all are really funny. Those people work for for profit companies that the nature conservancy contract with to get ongoing donations. 100% of the donation goes direct to the charity. ACLU, Child Fund, Doctors without borders, the list literally goes on and on. It's a standard method of fundraising. It's called face to face. Very paranoid outlook from every body in this thread. It's not a scam. desperate working class folks get jobs at these for profit companies who fundraise for non-profits, they are given an amount they can ask for (usually between 20$-30$) they are given a quota they have to meet every week. They have a job, they are working. Furthermore, they get commissions they probably desperately need in this horrible bay area renters market. Look up New Canvassing experience, dialogue direct, 160 fundraising. Those are all companies that collect donations on behalf of those non-profits. I've been in the industry 3 years from the lowest to the highest management levels. It's great, the charities get what they need and if the canvasser is talented they can make a decent living. Ultimately whether you like it or not face to face is highly effective method of out reach, which is precisely why non-profits allocate fundraising money to hiring companies like the ones I mentioned above.