Kivi Leroux Miller is the founder and CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide. It is an invaluable resource for anyone in communications, especially those working for a nonprofit. Every year she summarizes how the field is learning and changing. The 2017 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report is her latest.

At the front of the free eBook she summarizes her latest discoveries as Tweetable Findings. Those tweets:

Communications Staffing

Smaller org? You should have a larger percentage of staff devoted to comm work #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Smaller orgs w/ annual budgets under $1mil devote 21% of total staff to comms. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Mid-size orgs w/ annual budgets $1mil- $10mil devote 10% of total staff to comms. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Larger orgs w/ annual budgets over $10mil devote 4% of total staff to comms. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Effectiveness increases dramatically when you reach 3 FTE on communications staff. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Communications Budgets and Salaries

More nonprofits said staff and budget levels got worse than got better in 2016. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

74% of nonprofits have a budget for communications. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

19% of nonprofits find money for communications only as needed #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Only 7% of nonprofits spend little to nothing on comms beyond salaries. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

2016 salaries for communications directors at nonprofits increased 11.5% over 2015. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Average 2016 salary for nonprofit communications directors located in the US was $64,647. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

19% of nonprofits find money for communications only as needed #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Only 7% of nonprofits spend little to nothing on comms beyond salaries. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

2016 salaries for communications directors at nonprofits increased 11.5% over 2015. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Average 2016 salary for nonprofit communications directors located in the US was $64,647. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Time on Communications

Nonprofit communications staff spend most time on websites and email marketing. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Development staff spend most time on print marketing and events. Least on media relations. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Most time-consuming comm activity? Writing/editing followed by tackling email inbox. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Communications Effectiveness

Average communications effectiveness self- ranking by nonprofits was 3.3 stars out of 5. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

When it comes to best practices, nonprofits ranked themselves highest on using visual content. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Most nonprofits said that collaboration with comm teams & fundraising staff got better in 2016. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Most nonprofits said that collaboration with comm teams & program staff got better in 2016. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

41% of nonprofits said the ability to focus on a set of priorities got worse in 2016. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

45% of nonprofits said the number of interruptions during the work day got worse in 2016. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Improve effectiveness: increase collaboration between comm and fundraising staffs. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Improve effectiveness: improve clarity about responsibilities #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Improve effectiveness: build management trust in expertise of comm staff. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Models for Communications Teams

Found 4 models for nonprofit comm teams – Integrated, Centralized, Internal Agency or CEO-led. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Nonprofits who rank their comm effectiveness higher had an integrated or centralized team. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Nonprofits who rank their comm effectiveness lower had a CEO-Led comm team. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Best comm team structure for fundraising? Integrated or Centralized. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Job Satisfaction Overall confidence in communications jobs skills is up in 2016. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd

Job satisfaction among communications staff is down in 2016 over 2015. #npcomm2017 http://npmg.us/2017 @npmktgd