TRoy Honestly, I'm feeling very good not utilizing Google apps but idk why most people I watched switched to graphene OS they still wanted to use Google Camera, google maps, Google Wallet, gboard, etc... and as a result Google can still track you, if they want using google apps it's not better to return to using the default OS that pixel provide?
If one's primary goal is to cut down on Google tracking, then running Google apps on GrapheneOS may well undermine that. But it's a big planet, with billions of people, and cutting down on Google tracking isn't a primary goal for everybody.
If somebody chooses to run Instagram, or Facebook, and/or Google apps, perhaps as part of running a business, and such a person wants enhanced exploit protection, running GrapheneOS can provide that. Such a person would not be motivated primarily by cutting down on Google tracking, but running GrapheneOS might well make perfect sense. The stock Pixel OS may be the most convenient platform for running Google apps, but some people may be willing to trade away a bit of convenience in return for a fair amount of exploit protection and some enhanced control.
If people who use GrapheneOS differently than I choose to, for reasons different than mine, donate to the project, that's probably good for me, so being welcoming to such people makes sense to me.