When funders don’t see organisations link with each other they worry.
They worry about whether you are serving the most needy, giving the most appropriate help, just duplicating others, purchasing inefficiently.
If you are not well known you can increase your credibility by having links with higher profile and statutory organisations. Do GPs, police, or schools signpost or refer to you? Where do you get information, training, resources from? If you are a larger or national organisation do you sound as if you know this local community down to its grassroots?