The artist has donated the full amount of his £25k honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the United Kingdom's independent live music spots.
Fender was given the award on October 16 as his new release People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the previous year.
The musician has chosen to donate the funds to the trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his beginning days.
"I couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the gigs I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," remarked Sam Fender. "These spaces are renowned, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.
Recently, well-known musicians including the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the Music Venues Trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a modest fee to their admission fees, which benefits independent venues.
Fender also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his recent tour to assist 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money helped venues that were confronting possible closure due to challenges arising from floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and noise complaints.
Additional spaces obtained monetary aid in upgrading infrastructure and gear that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The concept that revenue from concerts in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it all starts for musicians like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has said.
Fender is among several artists to give his honor funds to worthy causes.
In the band won the prize in 1996 for their album Different Class, vocalist Cocker declared that the band would donate their prize money to the organization War Child.
That year, rapper and singer she split her award between a few charities, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I donated a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked updated gear," the artist told a publication.
In recent years, the band donated their winnings to the local youth club that supported their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally the 1994 recipients they donated their award to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the condition.
"Receiving the award was sufficient," said artist Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the extra, because we had the main prize. So our victory impacted somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had protected several local spots in that region, by bringing them into community ownership.
One venue in the city and The Croft in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by Arts Council England and music fans who acquire "shares" in the properties.
