The star has donated the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.
Fender was presented with the cheque on 16 October as his third album People Watching was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.
He has chosen to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part small stages fulfilled in his beginning days.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," stated the artist. "These venues are iconic, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
In the last year, major artists such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to help venues survive, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to help numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation supported spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to issues arising from floods, fires and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Additional spaces were granted monetary aid in upgrading facilities and sound and lighting systems that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The idea that funds from shows in big venues supports the local stages, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just logical," the star has said.
The musician is not the first artist to donate his award prize money to charitable organizations.
In the band received the award in the mid-90s for their release the album, vocalist the singer announced that the band would contribute their winnings to the organization War Child.
In 2002, artist she shared her prize among a few organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.
"And I donated a grand to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics class, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they needed updated gear," the artist shared with outlets.
Previously, they donated their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their band, alongside other independent music bodies.
And 1994 winners M People donated their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the condition.
"The victory was ample," remarked artist Heather Small. "The prize was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning touched the lives of others."
In the past week, the MVT revealed it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under community ownership.
One venue in Southampton and the second in Bristol were purchased under the community ownership program, which is backed by a national body and enthusiasts who acquire "ownership units" in the properties.
