It's pretty clear that Hacker Dojo isn't the strictest about accounting. Just look at their membership fee -- $100 / month, pay if you want.

That said, Hacker Dojo doesn't work because recurring revenue > expenses. They work because of the tremendous goodwill they've built up in the community and a devoted base of supporters who are willing to help.

Organizational controls should be aimed to strengthen that support -- too much formalization around process risks killing the goose that laid the golden egg.