@shlee@aus.social has been experimenting with a funding union, we could hook into that as the primary funding source. I'm not sure how developed it is.
Shlee seems to have some experience with community funding, the link below is from a week ago at the GenerOZity raffle at PAXAUS 26.
Posters Union is the funding organisation shlee has been setting up to help cover server costs.
We could talk more to shlee about the concept and join in, or use the example as inspiration.