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Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) promotes wellness in school environments -- from using non-toxic cleaners to proper nutrition. And while the Chicago-based nonprofit swings its clout on important issues and legislation, HSC Deputy Director Mark Bishop admits, “Hearing the same mantra from the same people over and over again -- it sometimes can sound like white noise.”

So, when HSC helped to get state legislation introduced in 2007 requiring schools to use non-toxic cleaners, it was surrounded with a coalition that included labor unions and companies.

“If I can bring my corporate partners down there and make sure their voices are heard, where we have this intersection of interest, it became a really powerful message to have corporations, health advocates, environmental advocates, education advocates all walking arm in arm,” said Bishop.

The Green Cleaning Schools Act passed as a Public Act in the Illinois House in 2007. Part of the success was wrangling up a diverse group of supporters -- especially with for-profit companies, according to Bishop.

“It becomes really important to keep open dialogue and not demonize your opposition because your opposition today is going to be your supporter tomorrow,” he said. “I think a lot of traditional nonprofits have a tendency to take the position of ‘us versus them.’ And we have to realize that the issues that we work on are extraordinarily complex and realize that there are a lot of paths toward success.”

Companies are feeling the economic crunch just like nonprofits – and are slashing their charitable budgets. Some 45 percent of companies slashed their 2009 giving budget and 16 percent were considering it, according to a recent corporate philanthropy survey by The Conference Board.

Of 158 companies that responded, 35 percent said they would make fewer grants in 2009 and 22 percent were considering making fewer gifts. Another 21 percent said they would give smaller grants and 27 percent were thinking about it, according to the survey.

While companies hack their corporate philanthropy to help the bottom-line, nonprofits will have to get creative about working with company partners. One way is to engage companies in the nonprofits’ legislative efforts.

“I’m still surprised about this – why companies don’t do this more. I’m still a bit perplexed and scratch my head about it. If I were at a company, this would be the first thing I would do. I think we’re beginning to see the ice crack on this in the last couple of years,” said Kyle Peterson, managing director at nonprofit FSG Social Impact Advisors.

Peterson said too many corporations gauge their success by the size of the checks instead of impact, while nonprofits don’t usually ask for a company’s help to pass legislation. Companies that are implementing lobbying efforts are doing so mostly under the radar, according to Peterson.

“It’s a bit intangible, but I think the lobbying for good contribution is much greater than cash,” he said. “The world is changing under our feet. We don’t even see it. And I think that what you’re seeing is where 10 years ago nonprofits and companies were antagonistic, now they are working together.”

Peterson explained that nonprofits routinely ask for financial support without even thinking about a company’s influence. It can be as simple as asking for an introduction to a government official, he explained.

“I think over time there has been the growing realization that there is an advantage to working together,” said Eric Haxthausen, The Nature Conservancy’s director of U.S. climate policy.

The Nature Conservancy joined in the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), a coalition of more than 30 businesses and other environmental groups, to introduce President Barack Obama’s administration with a collective recommendation document named “A Call For Action.”

What Haxthausen described as a “broad, diverse coalition” teamed familiar nonprofit faces for climate change, like The Nature Conservancy and Environmental Defense Fund, with some energy businesses like oil and gas company BP America and petroleum company ConocoPhillips.

He explained while nonprofits tend to attack the issue of climate change scientifically, companies could offer a clear understanding about how their industries will be affected, with the technology, bottom-line and employees.

“If we have a policy that is going to affect them and they are not on some level willing to support it, then it’s going to be a lot harder to get it enacted,” said Haxthausen.

Peterson explained that nonprofits should approach companies that have values and interests closely aligned to the campaign goals, like energy companies with USCAP. Try to find companies that would be invested in the campaign’s goals instead of using public relations opportunity.

“If they do it for PR, we’re going to have problems. It takes one bad apple and I think that you will have nonprofits wondering if this is legit,” said Peterson.

“It’s important to take a holistic look at these kinds of relationships,” said Haxthausen. “It’s important to think about what is the value that you get out of the relationship and how do you keep yourself from being pulled into a situation where you’re not getting what you need out of that kind of engagement.”

This article is from NPT Instant Fundraising, a publication of The NonProfit Times.