Most young nonprofits brand themselves by accident. Money’s tight, time’s limited, and so decisions are made quickly (and sometimes foolishly) about what the organization’s name and tagline should be, how the logo should look, etc.
At some point downstream, maybe five or ten years later, you’ve got a staff, an engaged board, even a water cooler and a fancy machine that makes lattes in the office. But still, that fly-by-night brand hangs on… and people start grumbling.