The artist has given the full amount of his £25,000 Mercury Prize winnings to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to protect the UK's independent live music spots.
He was given the award on October 16 as his third album People Watching was named the best record of the past year.
The musician has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages played in his beginning days.
"I personally would not have achieved what I am doing today if it weren't for all the performances I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was just getting going," said the artist. "These locations are renowned, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, more than 150 of these locations have ceased operations – approximately one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by adding a minor surcharge to their admission fees, which supports independent venues.
He also participated, raising more than £100,000 on his live tour to help 38 local spots across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The money assisted venues that were facing possible closure due to issues stemming from water damage, blazes and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, conflicts and sound issues.
Some locations obtained financial assistance in modernizing facilities and gear that positively impacted artists and audiences.
"The idea that funds from performances in big venues backs the independent spots, where it all starts for artists like me, is just logical," Fender has said.
He is among several artists to donate his award prize money to charitable organizations.
When the band earned the trophy in the year 1996 for their release Different Class, lead singer the singer declared that the band would give their prize money to the charity War Child.
During 2002, artist the artist shared her award between multiple organizations, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"I also donated a £1,000 to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was younger and they required better apparatus," the artist shared with outlets.
Previously, the band donated their winnings to the local youth club that supported their band, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Additionally the 1994 recipients the group gave their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the illness.
"Winning was ample," remarked singer Small. "The prize was the extra but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the main prize. So our success impacted somebody else's life."
In the past week, the Music Venues Trust announced it had saved a couple of small stages in the South East, by placing them under community ownership.
One venue in Southampton and the other in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is backed by the arts council and music fans who buy "ownership units" in the buildings.
