TU, imo you're correct regarding a big reason for the slow growth of programs which offer alternatives is the lack of anything comparable to the 12th step. But I see more lacking besides that in the alternative programs that keep them down...something relating to our tradition of unselfish and free service to new people in various ways, one's local meeting setup and operational maintenence, involvement in the organization governing structure at various levels, the organization and execution of conventions all over the world, the maintaining of vast speaker archives and resources, the involvement of members in areas of society and government and law where decisions about recovery issues are made, the integration into different public entertainment and information venues, the identification of more than a few well known members to the public in areas of life wherein they are leaders in their fields...the alternative programs lack more than just the 12th step.
It obviously does not bode well for their continuance if only the occasional big-hearted member puts back in for a little while in the real world before no longer participating and fading off.
LifeRing is at this time in only 14 of the 50 States and 4 countries (including the US) and SOS has meetings in possibly 21 States and possibly 3 countries (including the US). SMART is active in 32 States and in 9 countries (including the US).
I used the qualifier 'possibly' for SOS because per the founder of LifeRing the head of SOS has been caught in the past claiming the existence of meetings that never existed involving contact people who never existed and I'm not completely sure if he's given up that practice yet or not. Hopefully Mr. Imaginative straightened up, but it's anyone's guess. That's in the letter Nicholaus wrote to Jim in the late '90s explaining why he wasn't coming to LA to celebrate an anniversary with him, that he had little use or respect for him if Jimmy wouldn't give up his salary paid by the non-alcoholic NY humanist group that kept him going and step down as leader of SOS, or at least start doing something productive to earn the atheist group's money. Clearly the LSR/SOS split was impending.
Too bad LSR deleted their old archives, as some wonderful stuff was in there for those interested in what actually happened.
So to really become a vital force and realistic option for people, the groups need to somehow convey an obligation to their membership to do something, anything. If members who manage to get six months sober open a meeting somewhere and give it their effort for a year or two the whole picture and balance could slowly change, and possibly in 15 or 20 more years these groups could be active in all US States and maybe even double their present number of countries worldwide.
The solutions to these problems just take some commitment and steady effort.