Indeed. It is discouraging to not be supported.
Community is needed. I am a writer and I love it when I get a Curie, but I also like it when someone makes a comment about my work. They can tell me they enjoyed it, they can ask questions or they can relate to something that happened. That is just as important to the author as the money.
Money does not inspire us as much as people think. There are lazy people at work every day. There are even lazy homeless people.
It is whether or not the thing we are doing matters to us.