He doesn’t house people—but his work makes it possible

By Gary Warth

April 10, 2026

Thomas Lovell wasn’t sure the award was meant for him.

When he learned he had been selected for an RTFH housing team award, his first reaction was that there had been a mistake.

After all, Lovell doesn’t work directly with clients. He doesn’t place people into housing. Most of his work happens behind a computer screen.

But without his work, much of that housing — and many of those services — wouldn’t exist.

As director of government grants at Father Joe’s Villages, Lovell helps secure millions of dollars each year that fund housing, healthcare and other critical services. Public grants alone are expected to provide $17 million of the organization’s $70 million budget this year.

Still, it took a call from RTFH CEO Tamera Kohler to convince him the recognition was real.

“Tamera called me and she literally said, ‘You are seen, you are important,’” Lovell said. “Wow, this is really, really meaningful.”

The 37-year-old Oregon native didn’t set out to become a grant writer.

He was the first in his family to attend college, earning a double major in political science and sociology at Georgetown University, where he developed an interest in inequality and how systems shape outcomes.

An internship in Congress offered a reality check.

“I thought that changing the world would be really easy,” he said. “But I got a dose of reality.”

 Rather than discouraging him, the experience reshaped his approach.

“It’s why I really believe in partnerships,” Lovell said. “We have different expertise and points of view, but a lot of us are working toward similar goals.”

After graduating in 2010, Lovell found his niche in fundraising, first with a college-access nonprofit and later at a New York organization serving older adults.

There, he gained experience in grant writing — and a deeper appreciation for those working directly with vulnerable populations.

“I felt I could make a difference behind the scenes,” he said.

Lovell joined Father Joe’s in 2014 as a grant writer and was promoted to director of government grants in 2024.

“It’s so much more than writing,” he said. “I’m connecting the dots, navigating complicated requirements and figuring out what each funder is really asking for.”

Since he arrived, the organization’s budget has grown significantly, with a deliberate shift toward increasing private donations amid uncertainty around government funding.

But for Lovell, the work is ultimately about the people those dollars serve.

About once a week, he leaves his office to visit Father Joe’s East Village campus and connect with staff and clients.

He also participates in the annual point-in-time count of people experiencing homelessness — an experience that has shaped his perspective.

Last year, while surveying an area near the San Diego-Coronado Bridge, Lovell came across a tent filled with children’s shoes.

“The father unzipped the tent and said, ‘I’m getting my girls ready for school,’” he said.

“I’m thinking about how my daughter is safe at home,” he said. “We can do better than this.”

When he returned to the same location this year, the tents were gone.

“I choose to believe that that family and others are housed now,” he said.

For Lovell, it’s a reminder that while the work may happen behind the scenes, the impact is real.

“There’s still a lot of work to do,” he said.