Well patches is the answer to a bunch of suggestions. If you want to improve how the project works overall, give input on their lack of communication etc. It all ends with "if you want to affect how things work contribute". But contributing is pointless really if you want to change things. because those that gets the possibility to actually change things all think alike anyway. So if you want to improve the project, in a no code way, just keep your mouth shut, they don't like critique.