The star has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the Britain's independent live music spots.
The star was presented with the award on October 16 as his latest record the album was named the outstanding release of the previous year.
He has chosen to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.
"As an artist would not have achieved this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the region, and further afield, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately 16% of the total UK scene.
In the last year, top acts such as the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
He also joined in, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 local spots across Britain.
These funds helped spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to challenges caused by flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as permit problems, conflicts and neighbor objections.
Some locations were granted funding support in modernizing infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and audiences.
"The notion that money from concerts in major spaces supports the local stages, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just sensible," Sam Fender has commented.
The musician is far from the only musician to donate his honor prize money to charitable organizations.
In the band won the trophy in the year 1996 for their record their work, lead singer Cocker stated that the band would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, musician Ms Dynamite divided her prize between a few charities, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also donated a thousand pounds to the center, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed new equipment," she shared with outlets.
Two years ago, they gave their winnings to the local youth club that developed their act, in addition to other local music groups.
And winners that year M People gave their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.
"The victory was ample," stated singer Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected several small stages in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
One venue in that area and the other in that location were acquired under the community ownership program, which is funded by the arts council and supporters who buy "stakes" in the properties.
