The star has handed over the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the United Kingdom's grassroots live music spots.
The star was awarded the cheque on October 16 as his new release People Watching was declared the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
Fender has chosen to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the vital role small stages played in his beginning days.
"I wouldn't be doing what I am doing today if it wasn't for all the shows I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," stated Fender. "These spaces are iconic, but they are struggling."
From early 2023 onward, over 150 of these locations have shut down – about 16 percent of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, top acts including Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by applying a small levy to their ticket costs, which supports local stages.
Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his live tour to support numerous grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money supported venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to issues caused by water damage, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.
Some locations received monetary aid in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that directly benefitted musicians and fans.
"The idea that revenue from concerts in major spaces helps the smaller venues, where it begins for musicians like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
The musician is among several artists to give his honor winnings to worthy causes.
Back when they earned the award in 1996 for their record the album, frontman Cocker declared that the band would give their winnings to the organization the charity.
In 2002, rapper and singer the artist split her bounty across several charities, including the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"Additionally, I contributed a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they needed better apparatus," the artist told a publication.
Two years ago, they donated their prize money to the local youth club that supported their act, as well as other local music groups.
Also 1994 winners they contributed their winnings to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was found to have the disease.
"Winning was quite enough," remarked vocalist Small. "The cash was the extra but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our victory affected somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust announced it had rescued two small stages in south-east England, by placing them under local control.
The first in that area and the other in that location were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who buy "stakes" in the properties.
