As I watched President Obama's inaugural address part of me listened for themes that may be important to nonprofits in the next few years. As it turned out there was one paragraph that captured a theme that applies to nonprofits and their work.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends—hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism—these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility—a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

Over the next few years, nonprofits that can show how they help people to participate in this "quiet force of progress" should find that their appeal will resonate with donors, individual, foundation, and corporate giving programs.

This theme crosses partisan and community lines. It will play out differently in each community; there is nothing wrong with that. The detail of how this theme plays out may vary from community to community. What needs to be done in Seattle may differ from what needs to be done in Aberdeen.

While we are part of a nation and a national economy, we are also a collection of communities. And helping funders to better understand your community and the dedication of the people in your community is a big part your job as a grant writer.