We have all heard the saying: “If you want something done right, do it yourself.”

This might be a good mantra, but it doesn’t work for everything.

If you want to tackle a major global issue like ending violence against children, eliminating poverty or supporting children in emergencies, you will need to team up with other like-minded people.

In most cases, this means donating to a charity or not-for-profit (NFP) organisation that is committed to solving the problem you are passionate about, and has proven expertise in that particular area.

But how do you know your donation will make an impact? Which charity should you choose? Can you determine if a charity is reputable? How effective are their programs?

Is it possible to get answers to any or all of these questions? The answer is yes.

The charitable sector is highly regulated in Australia, and you can now do a lot of your background research online.

Is the charity registered?

In Australia, charities and non-profit organisations are registered through the Australian Charities and Non-Profit Commission, the independent national regulator of charities.

You can use the ACNC’s website to see if a charity is registered. If a charity is registered they must keep records, comply with governance standards and report to the ACNC each year.

If you are looking at an organisation that works overseas, like ChildFund Australia, you can check if it is a member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), the peak body for Australian non-government organisations (NGOs) working in international development.

Members of ACFID must sign up to the Code of Conduct and commit to more than 150 obligations aimed to enhance transparency and accountability.

The code is underpinned by a set of values – integrity, accountability, transparency, respect, effectiveness, equity, cooperation – which inform the behaviours of all ACFID’s members all of the time.

Finally, charities registered with the Australian Taxation Office can provide you with a tax deduction on any donation over $2. You might want to query any organisation that can’t offer this, as it may mean they have not been able to prove their charitable status.

How does the charity help?

It’s important to find a charity that is the right fit for you. The more information you can find out about an organisation, the better.

The vision and mission is the best place to start – this highlights what the organisation hopes to achieve, and how it intends to do this.

Most not-for-profits will also have detailed, long-term strategic plans that are available to the public. These defining the charity’s key objectives over a set period, their future direction and give you a better understanding of the problems they are trying to solve.

How does the charity measure impact?

For a charity to be effective, it needs to consistently measure its work and look for improvements.

ChildFund Australia designed a Development Effectiveness Framework (DEF) to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of development programs. By counting tangible outputs and measuring long-term changes, ChildFund is able to assess the extent to which it has contributed to improved living standards for children and communities.

When you are looking for an organisation to support, make a point of looking for the tools they use to monitor and evaluate their programs.

How will you know what impact your donation is making?

When you make a donation, most organisations will provide you with feedback on how your contribution has supported their work. This could come in the form of stories from the field, publications or newsletters.

Sponsoring a child is one way to receive ongoing feedback, as you will have the opportunity to correspond with a child, and hear from them personally.

Finally, any reputable charity will produce an annual report at the end of each financial year. In ChildFund’s case, the financials included have been independentally audited by KPMG so you can have confidence in the numbers being reported.

We also provide a summary of many of our achievements in this report, as do many organisations. This is a great way to get an overview of the types of work a charitable organisation is conducting, and the progress they are making.

There’s only a handful of people who can do what Warren Buffett and Bill Gates have done – pledge their personal billions to solving the world’s problems. But that doesn’t mean the more financially humble among us can’t also make a difference in the world.

As well known cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead wrote: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

At ChildFund, we are witness to great acts of this kind every day – we know for a fact that some of the biggest and most significant changes occur when ordinary people dedicate their time, effort and energy to finding a solution. Money alone isn’t always the arbiter of change.

The trickiest part can be knowing where to start. So if you’ve got some ideas, heaps of motivation, and really want to make the world a better place, here are four ways you can get started.

Get informed

It may be obvious, but it’s impossible to do something if you don’t know the issues. With so much information out there, it’s important to be picky about what you consume.

Make a daily habit of looking for news from around the world. The Guardian’s Global Development section, the Reuters Trust Foundation and IRIN provide regular in-depth coverage of the world’s biggest humanitarian stories. The Conversation and Project Syndicate can be good places to find analysis from experts.

Your social media feeds and email inbox can also become sources of news. Follow charities and organisations that focus on issues that interest you and sign up to their newsletters so you never miss a story.

If you really want to know an issue in-depth, a good book can open your eyes in ways other media can’t. Bill Gates, who is now co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, produces an annual list of his favourite books, which usually covers a range of humanitarian issues.

By finding the right sources, you will be better informed and inspired to make a difference.

Share your passion

One of the easiest – and most effective – things you can do is share you passion with the people you know.

If you find something that interests you, share it on your social media networks. Get as many people involved as possible and build support for your cause. Chances are your friends also want to make a difference.

If you want to take it further, you can become an influencer, and build a following for your cause.

Write to your local politicians

Politicians wield influence over how our country responds to issues and can generate more attention for your cause.

Our members of parliament are dealing with many issues and receive lots of correspondence each day, so take a little time to make your letter stand out. Be firm about what you want, but polite and respectful is the best way to get a response.

Here’s a quick guide to writing to your local politicians:

• Find the contact details of your member of parliament or senator here
• Use the correct title. You can check how to address MPs, ministers, senators and other positions here
• Introduce yourself and let them know you are one of their constituents
• Clearly, concisely state why you are writing to them
• Use a few paragraphs to expand on your concerns
• Add a personal story to explain why you are concerned about this issue
• Tell them what you would like them to do

It could take some time before you hear back. If a month passes and you have not heard anything, it is worth following up with a phone call to remind them about your letter.

Donate your time and energy

Donating your time can be very effective. Grassroots campaigns are always looking for volunteers to bring an issue to the public’s attention.

If you are concerned about global issues and believe the our government should do more to tackle poverty in our region, you can join the Campaign for Australia Aid.

By being part of a grassroots campaign, you will also get the opportunity to meet others who inspire you and introduce you to new ideas.