The artist has donated the entirety of his twenty-five thousand pound award winnings to the MVT, which functions to save the Britain's independent live music spots.
The star was awarded the prize on October 16 as his third album the album was declared the outstanding release of the past year.
The musician has chosen to hand the money over to the MVT, in appreciation of the vital role small stages had in his beginning days.
"As an artist would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I performed around the region, and elsewhere, when I was beginning," said the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."
From early 2023 onward, at least 150 of these spaces have ceased operations – about one-sixth of the total UK scene.
In the last year, top acts such as Pulp, the group Coldplay, Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its attempts to keep the scene afloat, by adding a modest fee to their ticket prices, which benefits smaller concert halls.
Fender also joined in, generating more than £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.
These funds supported locations that were dealing with potential shutdown due to challenges arising from water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as regulatory hurdles, court cases and sound issues.
Additional spaces were granted funding support in improving infrastructure and gear that positively impacted musicians and audiences.
"The idea that money from performances in large arenas supports the smaller venues, where it begins for performers like me, is just common sense," the star has stated.
He is not the first artist to contribute his Mercury Prize prize money to good deeds.
Back when the band won the prize in the mid-90s for their record Different Class, vocalist Cocker stated that the group would donate their prize money to the organization War Child.
In 2002, musician the artist shared her award across a few good causes, such as the NSPCC and a charity for Sickle Cell.
"I also gave a grand to my local community centre, to their gymnastics program, because I trained in gymnastics when I was a child and they needed new equipment," the artist shared with outlets.
Previously, they donated their funds to the community center that supported their group, alongside other local music groups.
Additionally the 1994 recipients the group gave their award to a multiple sclerosis charity after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.
"Receiving the award was quite enough," said vocalist the singer. "The cash was the bonus but we didn't require the extra, because we had the honor. So our victory affected another person's life."
Last week, the Music Venues Trust revealed it had protected two small stages in the South East, by bringing them into community ownership.
The first in Southampton and the second in the city were bought under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by Arts Council England and supporters who acquire "shares" in the venues.
