The star has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 honor prize money to the Music Venues Trust, which works to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots concert spaces.
He was presented with the award on mid-October as his new release the album was chosen as the best record of the previous year.
The musician has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the vital role local spots fulfilled in his initial steps.
"I personally wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I did around the area, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Recently, major artists such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the MVT in its efforts to help venues survive, by adding a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.
Fender also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous local spots across Britain.
The money assisted locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges stemming from flooding, fire incidents and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and sound issues.
Other venues obtained monetary aid in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that directly benefitted performers and audiences.
"The notion that funds from shows in large arenas backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
He is far from the only musician to contribute his honor prize money to charitable organizations.
In Pulp earned the award in the mid-90s for their release the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would give their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, artist she shared her prize between multiple charities, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell charity.
"Additionally, I contributed a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they required updated gear," she told outlets.
Previously, the band donated their funds to the local youth club that supported their group, as well as other independent music bodies.
And the 1994 recipients they donated their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was identified with the disease.
"Receiving the award was ample," remarked artist the singer. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the main prize. So our winning affected somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had saved two small stages in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in that area and The Croft in the city were acquired under the community ownership program, which is backed by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "ownership units" in the properties.
