The artist has donated the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to save the UK's independent concert spaces.
The star was presented with the prize on mid-October as his third album People Watching was declared the top album of the past year.
The musician has chosen to give the cash to the trust, in recognition of the crucial part small stages played in his early career.
"I wouldn't be doing this success if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated the artist. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, major artists like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by adding a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist thirty-eight small stages across the UK.
The money helped venues that were confronting possible closure due to difficulties arising from flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues were granted monetary aid in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and fans.
"The concept that money from concerts in big venues helps the local stages, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.
He is not the first artist to contribute his award funds to charitable organizations.
In Pulp earned the award in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, lead singer Cocker stated that the band would donate their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer she shared her prize between multiple good causes, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," she told a publication.
Previously, they contributed their funds to the community center that supported their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
And the 1994 recipients M People gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a close contact was identified with the illness.
"The victory was sufficient," said singer Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory affected another person's life."
Last week, the trust revealed it had protected a couple of small stages in south-east England, by transferring them to local control.
One venue in that area and The Croft in Bristol were purchased under the public acquisition program, which is backed by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who purchase "shares" in the venues.
