The artist has donated the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the UK's grassroots music venues.
Fender was awarded the award on mid-October as his new release People Watching was chosen as the top album of the previous year.
Fender has decided to hand the money over to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages fulfilled in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing this success if it weren't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," stated Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, major artists including the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.
Sam Fender also took part, collecting over £100k on his live tour to assist 38 local spots across Britain.
The money helped venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues arising from flooding, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained funding support in modernizing infrastructure and technical equipment that helped artists and fans.
"The notion that funds from shows in large arenas helps the independent spots, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has said.
Fender is far from the only musician to give his honor prize money to charitable organizations.
When they earned the trophy in 1996 for their album Different Class, frontman Cocker declared that the act would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer the artist shared her bounty among multiple good causes, including the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"I also gave a grand to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," the artist explained to a publication.
Previously, Ezra Collective donated their prize money to the local youth club that supported their act, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
And the 1994 recipients M People contributed their award to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"Receiving the award was ample," stated artist Heather Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success touched the lives of others."
Last week, the trust revealed it had rescued two grassroots venues in that region, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The first in Southampton and the other in Bristol were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is backed by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "ownership units" in the venues.
