While a VPS to run a server for their instance isn’t expensive by any means, I wonder what the price of having someone operate it is inflating the actual costs. Is it possible that they’re contracting out the development work and are being overcharged, leading to their view that it’s not worth the outreach they’re getting?

I agree that providing whatever forms of communication possible is the best way to go. But the decision might not be as cut and dry as it looks on the surface. Or maybe it’s laziness? Who knows.