Yes, our 912 Project group asks for a $5.00 donation to cover costs. We have had as many as 200 attendees at a meeting, so that helps defray costs.
Which is nice, except that $1000 wouldn't buy you a quarter-page ad in any one newspaper, or a single voice spot on a major radio station -- forget about a TV ad on anything other than the local public access channel.
The Tea Parties need a lot more than that to get their message out.