The artist has handed over the complete sum of his £25k honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which works to save the United Kingdom's small live music spots.
The star was given the cheque on October 16 as his third album People Watching was declared the top album of the past year.
He has decided to donate the funds to the trust, in appreciation of the vital role grassroots venues had in his early career.
"I personally couldn't be pursuing what I am doing today if it hadn't been for all the performances I played around the region, and beyond, when I was starting out," stated Fender. "These locations are renowned, but they are in difficulty."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these spaces have shut down – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, major artists like the band Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all supported the trust in its attempts to help venues survive, by adding a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports independent venues.
Fender also participated, generating in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to assist numerous small stages across the UK.
The donation assisted spaces that were dealing with potential shutdown due to issues caused by floods, fire incidents and personal losses, as well as licensing issues, court cases and neighbor objections.
Some locations obtained funding support in improving facilities and gear that helped musicians and fans.
"The idea that funds from performances in big venues backs the smaller venues, where it all starts for artists like me, is just common sense," the star has commented.
Fender is far from the only musician to contribute his award winnings to worthy causes.
When the band earned the trophy in the mid-90s for their record the album, lead singer Jarvis Cocker stated that the group would donate their prize money to the charity the charity.
That year, musician the artist divided her prize across multiple organizations, like the children's charity and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"And I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics class, because I practiced gymnastics when I was growing up and they required new equipment," she explained to a publication.
Previously, the band contributed their winnings to the local youth club that developed their act, in addition to other independent music bodies.
Also winners that year the group gave their prize to a multiple sclerosis charity after a friend was found to have the disease.
"Winning was ample," remarked vocalist Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we didn't require the cherry, because we had the cake. So our success touched somebody else's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had rescued two small stages in the South East, by transferring them to public stewardship.
The first in that area and The Croft in the city were acquired under the Own Our Venues initiative, which is funded by the arts council and music fans who acquire "ownership units" in the buildings.
