The star has given the entirety of his £25k Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the UK's grassroots live music spots.
Fender was awarded the award on 16 October as his latest record the album was named the outstanding release of the past year.
Fender has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots played in his beginning days.
"As an artist would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I did around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, the group Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its efforts to keep the scene afloat, by including a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also participated, generating more than £100,000 on his live tour to support 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds supported spaces that were facing possible closure due to issues caused by water damage, blazes and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.
Other venues received financial assistance in improving infrastructure and gear that helped musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in big venues backs the independent spots, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has said.
He is not the first artist to contribute his Mercury Prize winnings to good deeds.
Back when they earned the award in 1996 for their record the album, vocalist the singer stated that the act would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
That year, artist the artist divided her prize between multiple good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was growing up and they required updated gear," she shared with a publication.
Two years ago, they donated their winnings to the youth organization that developed their group, alongside other independent music bodies.
Additionally the 1994 recipients M People gave their prize to a MS organization after a friend was diagnosed the illness.
"Winning was quite enough," stated artist the singer. "The money was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
In the past week, the MVT announced it had rescued several grassroots venues in south-east England, by placing them under public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and The Croft in that location were acquired under the public acquisition scheme, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who buy "stakes" in the properties.
