Our experince from WMSE starting a chapter a year ago. Our interim comitte (four persons) started without any IRL meeting, and all communcaion throught Skype.
For the first four months we had a budget of around 400 punds, from member fees and small doantions. This money was used up by the AGM metting (free coffe and a bun to all participating!) and basic markting material (a brochure, some posters, some buttons). The first steering comitte of six only communciated by Skype and some occational meeting person by person. We concentrated the first couple of month to get all fomalities in place (wiki, all docuemts to the authorities etc). After about six month we were fully operational and also active in marketing activites etc And with new mebers fees dropping in, donations, and grants from funds our finances have been sound since then. And we will have our first real planning day when all participate IRL 13 month after startup. We have never payed any travel money for us to meet, but we do pay travels occationally when someone attends a marketing acitivity Anders