The artist has handed over the full amount of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the UK's independent concert spaces.
Fender was presented with the award on mid-October as his third album his work was declared the top album of the past year.
Fender has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in acknowledgment of the vital role grassroots venues had in his beginning days.
"I couldn't be pursuing this success if it wasn't for all the shows I played around the region, and further afield, when I was just getting going," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these venues have shut down – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, well-known musicians such as the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by applying a modest fee to their ticket prices, which supports smaller concert halls.
He also took part, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across the UK.
The money assisted locations that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties stemming from water damage, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and sound issues.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that positively impacted musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in large arenas backs the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just sensible," Fender has commented.
The musician is not the first artist to give his award funds to charitable organizations.
When the band received the award in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, vocalist the singer declared that the act would contribute their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, musician the artist divided her bounty among several charities, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I gave a thousand pounds to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," the artist told a publication.
In recent years, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the youth organization that developed their act, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients the group donated their prize to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the disease.
"The victory was quite enough," remarked artist the singer. "The cash was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success impacted the lives of others."
Recently, the MVT revealed it had protected two grassroots venues in that region, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in that area and The Croft in that location were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by a national body and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the venues.
