The star has handed over the full amount of his £25k honor prize money to the MVT, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.
He was given the prize on October 16 as his new release People Watching was declared the best record of the previous year.
The musician has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role small stages had in his beginning days.
"I personally wouldn't be doing this success if it weren't for all the performances I played around the region, and further afield, when I was starting out," remarked Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Recently, major artists including the band Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their ticket prices, which goes to help local stages.
Sam Fender also joined in, collecting over £100k on his recent tour to help thirty-eight local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted locations that were facing possible closure due to challenges stemming from water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and neighbor objections.
Additional spaces received funding support in modernizing facilities and gear that positively impacted performers and concertgoers.
"The idea that money from shows in big venues supports the smaller venues, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just logical," the star has stated.
The musician is not the first artist to contribute his award prize money to worthy causes.
In Pulp received the trophy in the mid-90s for their album Different Class, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the act would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.
In 2002, musician the artist divided her award among a few organizations, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," the artist shared with outlets.
In recent years, they contributed their prize money to the youth organization that supported their act, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally winners that year the group contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"Winning was quite enough," stated artist the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved several grassroots venues in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.
The first in Southampton and the second in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who purchase "stakes" in the properties.
