Maybe focus on doing as much as you can to make your town better. Having a nation doesn't do nearly as much as using that money for improving the town assets and looks.
Members are what towns are founded on. Members are also the towns presence. A huge sprawling ghost town can be nothing compared to a small active community. Potential long-term dedicated members look for order and elegance in decoration and town layout. They also focus on what the TOWN can do for THEM through farms and grinders. After all, they pay for the plot and tax for those town assets. On a second note, people look for towns with stability that won't collapse from lack of funds next week, thus a healthy town bank is noticed by the more selective members who plan to stay for a while.
Nationchat doesn't even work right now. Spending the money on a nation does not unlock anything substantial. It's probably just going to give you more upkeep to pay.
-Worldclass Financial Advisor
DiggyPerro