The artist has donated the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the trust for venues, which works to protect the United Kingdom's small concert spaces.
The star was presented with the prize on mid-October as his latest record his work was named the outstanding release of the previous year.
He has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the vital role small stages played in his beginning days.
"I would not have achieved this success if it hadn't been for all the shows I did around the area, and further afield, when I was just getting going," stated the artist. "These venues are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – about 16% of the total UK scene.
Over the past year, major artists like Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its attempts to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their ticket prices, which benefits independent venues.
Sam Fender also joined in, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to support numerous small stages across Britain.
These funds supported spaces that were facing potential shutdown due to difficulties arising from floods, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and sound issues.
Other venues received funding support in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and audiences.
"The notion that revenue from performances in big venues helps the smaller venues, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
He is among several artists to donate his honor winnings to charitable organizations.
When they earned the award in 1996 for their release the album, vocalist Cocker announced that the group would give their prize money to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, rapper and singer she shared her bounty among multiple organizations, such as the children's charity and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also donated a grand to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," she told a publication.
Previously, they gave their funds to the local youth club that supported their group, as well as other local music groups.
Also 1994 winners they donated their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was found to have the disease.
"The victory was sufficient," said vocalist Heather Small. "The money was the extra but we could do without the extra, because we had the cake. So our victory impacted the lives of others."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued a couple of grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into community ownership.
The first in the city and The Croft in that location were bought under the community ownership scheme, which is backed by a national body and supporters who buy "ownership units" in the venues.
