Sam Fender has given the full amount of his £25k honor cash to the trust for venues, which works to preserve the Britain's independent live music spots.
Fender was given the cheque on October 16 as his third album his work was declared the top album of the past year.
The musician has chosen to donate the funds to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role grassroots venues played in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it weren't for all the shows I performed around the area, and elsewhere, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These venues are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, over 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly 16% of the entire UK sector.
Recently, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports local stages.
He also participated, collecting over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 grassroots venues across the UK.
These funds assisted locations that were dealing with imminent closure due to challenges stemming from flooding, blazes and personal losses, as well as permit problems, court cases and sound issues.
Some locations were granted monetary aid in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted artists and concertgoers.
"The concept that revenue from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has stated.
He is far from the only musician to give his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.
In Pulp earned the prize in 1996 for their album Different Class, frontman Jarvis Cocker declared that the band would contribute their cash to the organization War Child.
During 2002, musician she divided her prize among multiple charities, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," she shared with a publication.
In recent years, the band gave their prize money to the local youth club that supported their band, in addition to other local music groups.
And 1994 winners M People contributed their award to a charity for MS after a close contact was found to have the illness.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," said vocalist the singer. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the bonus, because we had the cake. So our success impacted somebody else's life."
Last week, the trust revealed it had saved a couple of local spots in the South East, by transferring them to local control.
One venue in Southampton and the second in the city were acquired under the public acquisition initiative, which is supported by the arts council and enthusiasts who buy "shares" in the venues.
