The star has handed over the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to preserve the UK's grassroots music venues.
The star was given the cheque on October 16 as his new release People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
He has opted to hand the money over to the trust, in appreciation of the essential function local spots played in his early career.
"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," remarked Sam Fender. "These venues are iconic, but they are in difficulty."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have permanently closed – approximately 16% of the total UK scene.
In the last year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its attempts to support the industry, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, generating over £100k on his live tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across the UK.
The money supported spaces that were confronting possible closure due to challenges caused by water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in improving facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and fans.
"The idea that money from shows in major spaces supports the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has said.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his Mercury Prize funds to worthy causes.
In Pulp received the trophy in the year 1996 for their record their work, frontman Cocker stated that the group would donate their cash to the organization War Child.
In 2002, rapper and singer Ms Dynamite split her prize among a few charities, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required better apparatus," Ms Dynamite shared with the media.
Two years ago, they contributed their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their band, as well as other local music groups.
Additionally winners that year M People donated their prize to a charity for MS after a friend was found to have the condition.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," stated artist Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted another person's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued several local spots in the South East, by bringing them into public stewardship.
The first in that area and the other in that location were acquired under the community ownership program, which is supported by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "shares" in the properties.
