The artist has handed over the entirety of his £25k honor cash to the trust for venues, which operates to preserve the United Kingdom's small live music spots.
Fender was awarded the award on mid-October as his new release the album was chosen as the outstanding release of the previous year.
The musician has opted to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the crucial part grassroots venues played in his beginning days.
"I personally wouldn't be doing my current career if it wasn't for all the performances I played around the region, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked Fender. "These venues are renowned, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these venues have ceased operations – about 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, top acts including Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by including a small levy to their ticket costs, which goes to help smaller concert halls.
He also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous small stages across Britain.
The money helped locations that were confronting potential shutdown due to challenges caused by floods, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.
Some locations received funding support in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and concertgoers.
"The idea that money from concerts in big venues backs the local stages, where it begins for performers like me, is just logical," Sam Fender has commented.
Fender is not the first artist to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to worthy causes.
In Pulp won the prize in 1996 for their release the album, vocalist Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would donate their winnings to the charity War Child.
In 2002, artist the artist shared her award between several good causes, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also gave a thousand pounds to the center, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked better apparatus," the artist told the media.
Previously, they gave their winnings to the youth organization that nurtured their group, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Also winners that year M People gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was found to have the condition.
"Winning was ample," stated artist the singer. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the extra, because we had the honor. So our success affected the lives of others."
Last week, the trust shared it had rescued several small stages in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in that area and The Croft in that location were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by Arts Council England and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the venues.
