3Keys Staff Spotlight: Patricia Duboise, Director of Grant Initiatives

At The 3Keys, where the mission is bold and urgent—ending chronic homelessness in Atlanta—Director of Grant Initiatives Pat Duboise is the quiet force securing the funding to enable that mission.

Pat is the strategic architect behind grants that fund life-changing permanent supportive housing services for individuals experiencing persistent homelessness, often coupled with challenges with mental illness, substance abuse, and HIV/AIDS.

For Pat, her role is more than a job – she considers it a calling.

“I realized many years ago that grant writing—that’s my lane. That’s my gift,” she said. “This is my way to give back and share what I have to offer.”

Pat’s expansive 30 years of experience in the grants field includes nearly two decades at Mercy Care, a federally qualified health center, where she managed a grant portfolio exceeding $8 million annually. Her work spanned government, corporate, and foundation funding, including working with nonprofits in human services and the arts, while also mentoring emerging professionals. 

In 2021, she was awarded the prestigious President’s Award by the Grant Professionals Association (GPA) for her ethical leadership and remarkable service to the field. She also earned her Grant Professional Certified (GPC) credential in 2014, a mark of distinction within the profession.

Yet, what drives her isn’t accolades—it’s the purpose behind the paperwork.

“Grants are my day-to-day,” Pat said with a smile. “It’s a lot of deadlines, a lot of prospect research, and cultivating relationships with funders.”

Whether she’s identifying new funding sources, ensuring grant compliance, or preparing The 3Keys’ leadership for critical funder meetings, Pat is constantly moving between the tactical and the strategic. “My role is to help open doors, to connect Scott Walker, our CEO, with funders, and to share our impact in ways that resonate. When foundations shift priorities, my job is to help them see how we still align, how we’re evolving with the need.”

A Personal Story

A memorable moment that stayed with Pat took place during the Publix Half Marathon in downtown Atlanta. Runners were discarding layers in the early miles, tossing sweatshirts and tees as they warmed up. She recalls watching several people throw their extra clothing directly onto a man who was sleeping on the sidewalk.

“I know people probably thought they were helping, but it felt really disrespectful,” Pat said. “He’s a person. And the way it was done—it erased that.”

This story is part of what shapes her approach, even in the language she chooses. Pat is intentional about not referring to “the homeless.”

“It’s a situation, not an identity,” she said. “These are people—individuals with names, histories, hopes. When we reduce someone to a condition, we lose their humanity.”

Beyond The 3Keys

Outside her work at The 3Keys, Pat has built a career of mentoring others. As a longtime leader in the Grant Professionals Association, she has served as a mentor and former Chair of the Mentoring Committee. She’s also co-led national conversations around burnout in the field, helping other grant professionals balance purpose and self-care.

Even after three decades in the field, she continues to grow. “I’ve become more confident over time—not just in what I do, but in what I have to share.”

Putting Purpose into Practice

At The 3Keys, Pat’s grant strategy fuels programs like permanent supportive housing, mental health wraparound services, and outreach to some of the most vulnerable Atlantans. Each successful proposal means another person supported in finding stability and dignity.

And for Pat, it’s all about helping others.

“I don’t need to be the one out front,” she said. “But I know that what I do makes a difference. And that’s enough.”

Learn more about how The 3Keys is building pathways out of chronic homelessness at www.the3keys.org.