The star has donated the entirety of his £25,000 honor cash to the MVT, which works to save the United Kingdom's small music venues.
Fender was awarded the prize on mid-October as his third album his work was named the outstanding release of the last 12 months.
He has decided to give the cash to the Music Venues Trust, in recognition of the essential function grassroots venues had in his beginning days.
"I personally would not have achieved this success if it weren't for all the performances I played around the area, and elsewhere, when I was starting out," remarked the artist. "These spaces are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these venues have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, top acts like Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the trust in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a small levy to their ticket costs, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also participated, raising over £100k on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across England, Scotland, and Wales.
The donation assisted spaces that were confronting imminent closure due to issues stemming from water damage, fires and family tragedies, as well as permit problems, court cases and neighbor objections.
Other venues obtained funding support in modernizing amenities and gear that helped artists and fans.
"The notion that revenue from shows in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for artists like me, is just common sense," Fender has stated.
He is far from the only musician to donate his honor prize money to worthy causes.
When the band won the award in 1996 for their release their work, vocalist Cocker stated that the act would contribute their winnings to the charity War Child.
That year, rapper and singer the artist split her prize between multiple organizations, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also donated a thousand pounds to my local community centre, to their classes, because I did gymnastics when I was a child and they lacked better apparatus," she told outlets.
Previously, they gave their prize money to the local youth club that nurtured their group, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Also 1994 winners the group gave their prize to a MS organization after a acquaintance was identified with the illness.
"The victory was ample," remarked singer Heather Small. "The money was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the cake. So our victory affected another person's life."
Recently, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued two local spots in that region, by placing them under public stewardship.
The first in the city and The Croft in Bristol were bought under the public acquisition initiative, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.
