JustGiving claims it has not yet been affected by Virgin’s fundraising platform, as recent figures for the upcoming London Marathon show sign-ups steady and a rise in donations.

The revelation comes as the company today reveals a new tie-up with Sport England which aims to generate £22m for community and amateur sport over the next five years.

Despite this year heralding Virgin Money as the five-year sponsor of the marathon and Virgin Money Giving as the official fundraising partner, the number of fundraising pages created on JustGiving has stayed the same as 2009.

The average donation made on the site has increased this year in comparison to last, up by 8 per cent.

JustGiving managing director, Anne-Marie Huby, said the figures show the resilience of the online fundraising market. “The fact that sponsors are giving more money than ever on JustGiving in the lead-up to the London Marathon shows that online fundraising is still going strong despite fears of the recession impacting donations,” she said.

Huby added that more runners were using social media to generate donations.

Virgin Money Giving told Civil Society that it was unlikely to release its own figures until after the marathon.

JustGiving offers sports club discount

Meanwhile, the partnership announced today between Sport England and the fundraising website will see JustGiving waiving its normal annual subscription fees worth £180 for community amateur sports clubs.

It is hoped that the low levels of gift aid claimed on gifts to such charities will be lifted via the use of the online giving mechanism.