(4H Team) Should we partner with the school system?

[F22Rapture]

Because our team is through 4H, we had previously thought that we were covered under the umbrella 4H 501 C3. As it turns out, we do not have 501 C3 status, and this has complicated our funding situation somewhat because many of the companies that are willing to sponsor our team require non-profit status to give money. In fact, we may (though nothing is certain yet, it may work out) end up losing out on $2000 from Lockheed Martin and $1000 from Georgia Pacific because of this. If we were to partner with a local public school, it would effectively provide us with the equivalent of non-profit status, however some of our leaders are concerned about losing our independence as a team. Essentially, we're having to choose between economic flexibility and decreased autonomy, or complete autonomy and stretched finances.

Have any other previously-independent FIRST teams been in this or a similar situation? How did it affect the way things were managed? Did it work out as being a good thing in the long run?