The star has handed over the complete sum of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
The star was given the award on mid-October as his new release People Watching was named the best record of the last 12 months.
He has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it weren't for all the shows I did around the area, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, well-known musicians like the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to help venues survive, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.
Fender also joined in, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to support thirty-eight local spots across the UK.
The donation supported spaces that were facing possible closure due to issues stemming from flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and noise complaints.
Other venues were granted financial assistance in improving infrastructure and gear that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The idea that funds from shows in big venues supports the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has commented.
The musician is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
Back when Pulp received the trophy in the year 1996 for their album the album, frontman Cocker declared that the act would give their winnings to the charity War Child.
In 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her award across a few good causes, like the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed new equipment," she shared with the media.
In recent years, the band donated their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their act, alongside other independent music bodies.
Additionally 1994 winners the group contributed their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was identified with the condition.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," said vocalist Small. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the MVT shared it had rescued two local spots in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.
The Joiners in Southampton and the other in Bristol were bought under the community ownership initiative, which is funded by a national body and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the venues.
