The star has donated the entirety of his £25,000 award cash to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the UK's small music venues.
Fender was given the cheque on mid-October as his latest record his work was chosen as the best record of the past year.
The musician has decided to give the cash to the trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function grassroots venues had in his initial steps.
"I wouldn't be doing my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," stated the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Recently, well-known musicians such as Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all aided the MVT in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket prices, which benefits local stages.
Sam Fender also participated, generating over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to assist 38 small stages across the UK.
The money helped venues that were confronting imminent closure due to issues stemming from floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and noise complaints.
Additional spaces received funding support in improving facilities and gear that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The idea that funds from performances in major spaces supports the local stages, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.
He is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize prize money to charitable organizations.
Back when the band won the award in 1996 for their release Different Class, vocalist the singer announced that the act would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
During 2002, artist she shared her bounty between multiple organizations, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I gave a £1,000 to Highgate Newtown, to their gymnastics program, because I practiced gymnastics when I was a child and they needed updated gear," Ms Dynamite explained to outlets.
Previously, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the community center that supported their band, alongside other independent music bodies.
Additionally 1994 winners they gave their award to a MS organization after a close contact was found to have the disease.
"Receiving the award was ample," remarked vocalist Small. "The cash was the extra but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the cake. So our victory touched somebody else's life."
In the past week, the trust revealed it had protected several small stages in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in Southampton and the second in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the properties.
