The artist has donated the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which operates to save the United Kingdom's independent concert spaces.
He was presented with the award on October 16 as his new release the album was chosen as the best record of the last 12 months.
He has opted to hand the money over to the MVT, in recognition of the vital role grassroots venues played in his beginning days.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the area, and further afield, when I was starting out," said the artist. "These locations are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, major artists including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its efforts to support the industry, by including a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.
Fender also joined in, collecting more than £100,000 on his live tour to help 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
These funds assisted spaces that were dealing with possible closure due to difficulties arising from floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as permit problems, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Some locations were granted funding support in upgrading facilities and gear that helped performers and fans.
"The idea that money from performances in big venues supports the local stages, where it kicks off for musicians like me, is just logical," Fender has commented.
He is not the first artist to donate his honor winnings to worthy causes.
Back when they won the award in 1996 for their record Different Class, vocalist the singer announced that the act would give their prize money to the charity the charity.
That year, musician the artist shared her award between a few good causes, including the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also contributed a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was younger and they required new equipment," she told the media.
In recent years, Ezra Collective donated their funds to the local youth club that nurtured their band, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally winners that year M People contributed their winnings to a charity for MS after a friend was identified with the illness.
"The victory was ample," said artist the singer. "The money was the cherry on top but we didn't require the bonus, because we had the cake. So our winning affected another person's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust shared it had protected a couple of grassroots venues in the South East, by placing them under public stewardship.
One venue in the city and The Croft in that location were purchased under the public acquisition scheme, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who purchase "shares" in the properties.
