Can DAOs Sustain Growth After Airdrops Fade?

Our DAO hit 25K members after a massive token airdrop campaign three months ago. Engagement has dropped since—Discord activity is down 60%, governance participation barely 3%. We’re considering loyalty NFTs and referral quests to revive growth, but I’m skeptical about gamified incentives.

Has anyone here managed to sustain growth beyond the initial airdrop hype? What practical frameworks or community metrics worked for you to measure true retention, not just wallet activity?