The artist has donated the complete sum of his £25,000 award winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the United Kingdom's grassroots music venues.
Fender was awarded the award on October 16 as his third album People Watching was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.
Fender has chosen to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues fulfilled in his early career.
"I wouldn't be doing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I did around the North East, and beyond, when I was starting out," said Sam Fender. "These spaces are legendary, but they are struggling."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – approximately 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Recently, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.
Sam Fender also took part, generating over £100k on his recent tour to assist numerous local spots across the UK.
These funds assisted spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to issues arising from water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and sound issues.
Some locations were granted financial assistance in modernizing facilities and gear that directly benefitted performers and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from performances in big venues helps the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented.
He is among several artists to donate his honor winnings to worthy causes.
Back when they earned the award in 1996 for their album their work, vocalist the singer declared that the band would donate their cash to the organization War Child.
During 2002, musician she divided her award among a few charities, like the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also gave a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required better apparatus," she shared with a publication.
Previously, Ezra Collective contributed their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
And winners that year the group contributed their prize to a charity for MS after a close contact was identified with the condition.
"Winning was ample," remarked vocalist Small. "The money was the bonus but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success affected the lives of others."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had saved two small stages in the South East, by placing them under public stewardship.
One venue in Southampton and the second in that location were bought under the public acquisition program, which is backed by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the venues.
