Fayette County Financial Literacy Center

Confidential Proposal

The Fayette County
Financial & Economic
Literacy Center

A Lifelong Financial Pipeline for Every Generation

Prepared by Wayne McDonell

M.A. Economics & Finance, Harvard University

25 Years of Institutional Financial Markets Experience

Incubated within Launch Fayette • Center of Innovation • Peachtree City, GA

September 2026

Section I

The Elevator Pitch

"Imagine every student in Fayette County graduating high school already knowing how to budget a paycheck, avoid predatory debt, and build real wealth — taught by a Harvard-trained economist with 25 years on Wall Street, delivered inside your own facilities, at absolutely zero cost to the taxpayer. The Financial & Economic Literacy Center is a self-sustaining education engine incubated within Launch Fayette's existing 501(c)(3) infrastructure, where vetted financial professionals fund the program by earning the privilege to serve our community — not the other way around. This isn't a line item on the county budget; it's a permanent pipeline that keeps generational wealth inside Fayette County, from a student's first paycheck at age 15 to their grandchildren's inheritance at age 75."

$0

Cost to Taxpayers

5

Generations Served

25yr

Wall Street Experience

Section II

Executive Summary

Fayette County consistently ranks among the most affluent and educated counties in Georgia. Yet even here, financial literacy remains the single largest gap in public education. Students graduate without understanding compound interest, young families sign mortgages they cannot model, and retirees fall victim to elder fraud at alarming rates. The consequences are measurable: higher foreclosure risk, increased demand on county social services, and the slow hemorrhage of generational wealth to out-of-state predatory actors.

The Fayette County Financial & Economic Literacy Center is a comprehensive, community-embedded solution designed to address this gap across every stage of adult life — from a teenager's first paycheck to a grandparent's estate plan. It is not a startup. It is not a new legal entity. It is a purpose-built program incubated directly within Launch Fayette, the county's established 501(c)(3) small business incubator led by Executive Director David Conti, operating inside the existing Center of Innovation facility on Peachtree Parkway.

The Director

The center is led by Wayne McDonell, who holds both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Economics and Finance from Harvard University and brings 25 years of institutional financial markets experience spanning trading floors, risk management, and macroeconomic analysis. His credentials are not academic abstractions — they represent a quarter-century of real-world capital allocation decisions made under pressure, a skillset he now channels entirely toward protecting Fayette County families from the financial traps that destroy middle-class wealth.

The Model

The center operates on a sponsor-faculty marketplace model that requires zero taxpayer funding. Vetted financial professionals — Certified Financial Planners, CPAs, estate attorneys, insurance specialists, and small business coaches — pay tiered annual sponsorship fees to earn a seat on the teaching faculty. In exchange, they gain curated access to the community they serve. Education is delivered free of charge to every resident. The center sustains itself entirely through the professional marketplace it creates, scaling from zero overhead in Year 1 to a guaranteed $8,000/month facility contribution to Launch Fayette by Month 36.

The Ask

We are requesting the Fayette County Board of Education's endorsement and facility access to bring after-school financial literacy programming to high school students, beginning with extracurricular clubs and summer boot camps. The FCBOE assumes no financial obligation, no operational risk, and no liability. The center enhances student outcomes, workforce readiness metrics, and community retention — at zero incremental cost.

Section III

The 5-Generation Lifelong Framework

Financial education is not a one-time event. It is a lifelong continuum. The center addresses five precise milestones in a resident's financial life, creating a closed-loop pipeline where wealth generated at one stage directly feeds into the next.

15

The Launchpad

High School Students

What Residents Need

  • Understanding paychecks, taxes, and take-home pay
  • Opening and managing a bank account responsibly
  • Cash-flow budgeting using the envelope system
  • Resisting car payments and consumer debt traps
  • Completely avoiding predatory student loans

Delivery Method

After-school "Wealth Builders Club" + intensive 2-week summer boot camps

County & BOE Return on Investment

  • Workforce readiness scores improve across county metrics
  • Supplemental income/stipends for passionate local high school teachers
  • Young talent stays productive within Fayette County
  • Life-skills achievement metrics boost district standing
↓
30

The Foundation

Young Families

What Residents Need

  • Navigating first-time home mortgages without overpaying
  • Managing childcare costs within a household budget
  • Handling career transitions without financial collapse
  • Breaking out of consumer debt and credit card cycles

Delivery Method

Evening & weekend workshops at the Center of Innovation

County & BOE Return on Investment

  • Local tax base stabilization through homeownership
  • Reduced housing turnover preserves community continuity
  • Lower long-term reliance on county social safety nets
  • Qualifying homeownership rates increase countywide
↓
45

The Pivot

Mid-Career Catch-Up

What Residents Need

  • Aggressive catch-up retirement saving strategies
  • Funding children's college without draining parental wealth
  • Scaling a small business or side income stream
  • Protecting against mid-life financial collapse

Delivery Method

Quarterly masterclass series + one-on-one advisory sessions

County & BOE Return on Investment

  • Middle-aged residents maintain financial stability
  • High-value local consumer spending fuels the retail economy
  • Small business growth expands the county tax base
  • Reduced demand on county crisis intervention services
↓
60

The Transition

Near-Retirees

What Residents Need

  • Maximizing Social Security drawdown timing
  • Bridging the gap to Medicare eligibility
  • Healthcare cost planning and long-term care insurance
  • Drawing down accumulated assets safely and tax-efficiently

Delivery Method

Specialized seminars + Medicare/Social Security workshops

County & BOE Return on Investment

  • Minimized premature strain on county senior housing programs
  • Reduced demand on low-income medical services
  • Fewer residents falling into government assistance dependency
  • Healthier, more self-sufficient senior population
↓
75

The Legacy

Seniors & Retirees

What Residents Need

  • Estate planning, writing wills, and trust structures
  • Asset protection against long-term care costs
  • Transferring wealth safely to the next generation
  • Defending against elder financial fraud and scams

Delivery Method

Monthly legacy workshops + Fayette County PD elder fraud partnership

County & BOE Return on Investment

  • Generational wealth stays inside Fayette County
  • Assets transition to the Age 30 homebuyer demographic — not probate
  • Elder fraud losses are reduced through police partnership
  • The pipeline closes the loop: wealth flows from grandparents to grandchildren

The Pipeline is a Closed Loop

Wealth created at Age 75 flows directly back into the Age 30 homebuyer generation — keeping every dollar inside Fayette County, generation after generation.

Section IV

The Business Model

The center operates on a Sponsor-Faculty Marketplace model that transforms financial education from a cost center into a self-sustaining economic engine. Vetted professionals fund the program by earning the privilege to serve the community — not the other way around.

Vetting

Every provider passes a rigorous background, licensing, and philosophy check led personally by Wayne McDonell.

Sponsorship

Approved providers pay tiered annual fees to earn a seat on the teaching faculty.

Education

Faculty deliver free, conceptual financial education to residents. No sales. No pitching. Pure knowledge.

Marketplace

After class, residents voluntarily visit the Marketplace Hub to book private advisory sessions with vetted providers.

Faculty Composition

Professional RoleEducational Purpose
High School Math & Business TeachersYouth curriculum delivery and club mentorship
Certified Financial Planners (CFPs)Holistic financial planning education
Wealth Managers & Investment AdvisorsRetirement and investment workshops
Insurance Agents (Life, Health, LTC)Risk management and protection planning
Estate AttorneysWills, trusts, and legacy planning seminars
CPA / Tax ProfessionalsTax optimization and compliance workshops
Small Business Coaches / SCORE / SBAEntrepreneurship and business scaling
Fayette County Police DepartmentElder fraud prevention and financial crime awareness
Venture Capitalists & Hedge Fund ManagersAdvanced masterclasses for high-net-worth residents

Sponsorship Tiers

Community Partner

$2,500/yr

Logo placement, quarterly guest lectures, marketplace table access

Faculty Sponsor

$5,000/yr

Monthly teaching slots, premium marketplace positioning, client referral pipeline

Founding Partner

$10,000/yr

Unlimited teaching, dedicated advisory office, priority brand placement, Board of Advisors invitation

Key Insight: With just 10 Faculty Sponsors at $5,000/year, the center generates $50,000 in annual revenue — more than enough to cover all operating costs and the full $8,000/month Launch Fayette facility contribution by Year 3.

Section V

The Educational Firewall

The center enforces an absolute structural separation between education and commerce. This firewall protects the Board of Education's integrity, eliminates fears of aggressive sales tactics, and creates a trusted environment where residents learn without pressure.

The No-Solicitation Classroom

During actual class time, there is an absolute ban on high-pressure sales, product pitching, or distributing corporate marketing materials. The classroom is 100% conceptual and educational. No exceptions. No business cards. No brochures. Pure knowledge transfer.

The Marketplace Hub

After class, vetted providers move to dedicated advisory tables or office space outside the classroom. Attendees can voluntarily approach sponsors to book appointments or explore services in a safe, curated, county-monitored ecosystem. No one is directed, steered, or pressured.

Rigorous Vetting

Wayne McDonell personally reviews every provider application using his 25-year financial background and Harvard credentials. All providers must demonstrate clean regulatory histories, active professional licenses, and total philosophical alignment with the center's debt-free, wealth-building teaching principles.

"The classroom is sacred. The marketplace is optional. The vetting is absolute."

Section VI

The 36-Month Runway & Cash Waterfall

The financial lifecycle is engineered to completely de-risk the project for Fayette County and Launch Fayette while maximizing long-term sustainability.

Months 1–18Proof of Concept

Pure sweat equity. Build community outreach, launch after-school clubs, recruit the first wave of financial sponsors. Zero financial obligation to Launch Fayette.

Facility Contribution: $0Director Compensation: $0
Month 1850% Sustainability

Tiered sponsor fees activate. The center begins making a partial "Facility Support Contribution" to Launch Fayette as revenue scales.

Facility Contribution: PartialDirector Compensation: Performance-based
Month 36100% Sustainability

The center is fully mature. It pays a flat, guaranteed $8,000 monthly Facility Support Contribution directly to Launch Fayette to support district innovation infrastructure.

Facility Contribution: $8,000/moDirector Compensation: Residual surplus

Cash Waterfall Priority

Once revenue exceeds operating costs, funds flow through a strict priority waterfall:

#1

Program Overhead

Printing, software, materials, event logistics

#2

Facility Support Contribution

Scaling to $8,000/mo to Launch Fayette by Month 36

#3

Director Performance Fee

100% of remaining net surplus — uncapped incentive-based compensation

Director Commitment: Wayne McDonell takes exactly $0.00 in salary during the first 18 months — pure sweat equity. This ensures Launch Fayette, the FCBOE, and the community bear zero financial risk during the proof-of-concept phase.

Section VII

Legal & Financial Liability Architecture

The center's legal structure features three interlocking liability firewalls that protect all parties — the Director, Launch Fayette, the FCBOE, and community participants.

1

Authorized Agent Status

Wayne McDonell operates strictly as an uncompensated Executive Program Director and authorized agent of Launch Fayette's existing 501(c)(3) corporate umbrella. Under established corporate law, no program debts, obligations, or operational shortfalls can attach to his personal assets, bank accounts, or estate. The 501(c)(3) entity is the sole obligor.

2

The Non-Recourse Clause

The operating agreement with Launch Fayette for the $8,000/month Facility Support Contribution is explicitly non-recourse. If the center generates insufficient revenue in any period, Launch Fayette has no recourse against Wayne McDonell individually. No debt, deficiency, or accumulated obligation shall attach to his personal estate. If revenue declines, operations scale down dynamically — with zero personal liability.

3

Attendee & Sponsor Disclaimers

All attendees sign explicit waivers stating that the center provides conceptual financial education only and does not endorse, recommend, or guarantee any specific commercial product, service, or investment outcome. Any secondary business conducted in the Marketplace Hub is strictly a private matter between the attendee and the vetted sponsor — shielding the Director, Launch Fayette, and the FCBOE from professional malpractice exposure.

Triple-Layer Protection

The Director is shielded by corporate entity law. Launch Fayette is shielded by non-recourse terms. The FCBOE is shielded by the educational firewall and attendee waivers. Every party is protected.

Appendix A

Projected Revenue Model

Conservative revenue projections based on tiered sponsor acquisition across the 36-month runway.

MilestoneCommunity
($2,500/yr)
Faculty
($5,000/yr)
Founding
($10,000/yr)
Annual Revenue
Month 6320$17,500
Month 12541$42,500
Month 18862$70,000
Month 36 (Maturity)12103$110,000

Year 3 Allocation (Projected)

$14,000

Annual Program Overhead

~13% of revenue

$96,000

Launch Fayette Contribution

$8,000/mo × 12

$0+

Director Performance Fee

100% of net surplus

Note: Projections are conservative and assume zero grant funding, zero donations, and zero government subsidies. Actual revenue may exceed projections through event ticket sales, corporate workshop contracts, and additional sponsor categories not yet modeled.

This document is confidential and intended solely for the recipient(s) named above.

© 2026 Wayne McDonell • All Rights Reserved