The star has donated the entirety of his £25,000 honor winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the Britain's independent concert spaces.
He was presented with the prize on mid-October as his third album his work was declared the best record of the last 12 months.
Fender has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in appreciation of the crucial part grassroots venues had in his early career.
"I couldn't be pursuing this success if it hadn't been for all the performances I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," said Fender. "These locations are iconic, but they are struggling."
Since the start of 2023, over 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – roughly 16 percent of the total UK scene.
Recently, well-known musicians such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the Music Venues Trust in its initiatives to keep the scene afloat, by including a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which goes to help independent venues.
He also joined in, raising over £100k on his live tour to assist 38 grassroots venues across the UK.
The donation supported spaces that were confronting possible closure due to issues arising from floods, fire incidents and family tragedies, as well as licensing issues, conflicts and noise complaints.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in improving infrastructure and sound and lighting systems that helped performers and concertgoers.
"The concept that funds from performances in big venues supports the independent spots, where it begins for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
He is among several artists to donate his Mercury Prize winnings to charitable organizations.
Back when they won the prize in the mid-90s for their release the album, vocalist Cocker stated that the group would donate their cash to the non-profit the charity.
That year, musician she shared her bounty across multiple charities, like the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their gymnastics program, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they lacked new equipment," the artist shared with the media.
Two years ago, they gave their funds to the youth organization that nurtured their band, in addition to other local music groups.
Additionally 1994 winners the group donated their award to a charity for MS after a friend was diagnosed the condition.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," stated artist Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our winning touched somebody else's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust shared it had rescued several local spots in the South East, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in that area and the second in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by a national body and music fans who buy "stakes" in the properties.
