If you look at Liketu, it is onboarding more users than other dapps, yet isn't running a $500-$800/day proposals with far fewer user bases. I don't use Liketu personally, but they are doing good work and not on the DHF gravy train.
Fun fact, other proposals on the DHF gravy train using Liketu sign ups to buff their numbers almost double.
Yea they have done it in a very modest way