Real-world scenarios

See what's possible
for your organization.

Cornerstone Events is flexible enough to handle everything from a simple community workshop to a multi-tiered gala with personalized donor experiences.

Featured Scenario

The Annual Charity Gala

A single plugin installation powering completely different experiences for different donor relationships — all from one event.

The Public Experience
1
Launch with capacity hidden
Avoid the perception of low interest. The remaining seat count is toggled off — one checkbox in the event settings.
2
Reveal scarcity at the right moment
When seats are genuinely low, flip the switch. "Only 12 spots remaining" drives urgency without manufactured pressure.
3
All ticket tiers, one form
Individual ($150), Couple ($275), and Table of 10 ($1,500) all visible. Donations and tribute dedications available at checkout.
Hide capacity toggle Multiple ticket types Donations at checkout Tribute system
Personalized Donor Experiences
The Major Donor

Send an invitation link that pre-selects their Table of 10, locks the quantity, and hides all other ticket types. They land on a form that feels built for them.

Invitation code Ticket pre-selection Hide other tiers
The Comped Guest

Offer a complimentary ticket with price set to $0 and the donation section hidden entirely. They register with dignity — no guilt, no awkward skipped fields.

Custom price ($0) Hide donation form Pre-filled info
The Tribute Donor

A donor giving in memory of a loved one adds a tribute at checkout. A notification is sent to the family by email or physical mail — automatically or when you're ready.

Tribute system Email or mailed Auto or manual send
Features used: Paid tickets Mixed revenue + FMV Invitations Donations Tributes Seat multiplier QR check-in Broadcast email Guest info collection Event P&L report Year-end statements
More scenarios

Built for every kind of organization

Gala & Fundraiser

Golf Tournament

A team-based paid event with sponsor perks, capacity limits, and end-of-day financial reporting.

1
Sell team registrations using a ticket type with a seat multiplier of 4 — one purchase fills four spots.
2
Issue coupon codes to sponsors for discounted or complimentary team entries with usage limits per code.
3
Enable the waitlist so when the course is full, additional teams are queued and notified automatically when a spot opens.
4
Export the financial summary CSV for ticket revenue, donations, and discounts given — ready for your bookkeeper.
Seat multiplier Coupon codes Waitlist CSV export
Gala & Fundraiser

Spring Fundraising Dinner

A paid ticketed dinner with dietary collection, table assignments, and a tribute giving option.

1
Enable guest info collection on the ticket type. After registration, a follow-up form collects name, dietary restrictions, and accessibility needs for each seat.
2
Assign table numbers from the Attendees admin page and export the full seating list as CSV the morning of the event.
3
Donors can make a tribute dedication at checkout. Notification cards are sent to families by email or physical mail.
Guest info collection Table numbers Tribute system CSV export
Gala & Fundraiser

Memorial Giving Campaign

Accept standalone donations In Memory Of or In Honor Of someone, with automated family notifications.

1
Place the [id_event_donate] shortcode on any page. No registration required — just a name, email, and donation amount.
2
Donors complete the tribute section with the honoree's name, a personal message, and the recipient's email or mailing address.
3
Tribute notifications go out automatically on submission or are held for manual review — your choice per event.
Standalone donation Tribute system Auto or manual send Stripe payments
Community

Free Community Workshop

A simple free RSVP event with capacity control, reminders, and calendar integration.

1
Set registration type to Free RSVP with a capacity of 40 and the waitlist enabled. No Stripe configuration needed.
2
Enable automated reminder emails at 1 week and 1 day before. Confirmed registrants receive reminders automatically via WP-Cron.
3
The confirmation email includes Add to Calendar links for Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCal via the {add_to_calendar} merge tag.
Free RSVP Capacity + waitlist Reminder emails Add to Calendar
Faith-Based

Easter Service Registration

Manage capacity across multiple service times with RSVP mode and discreet seat tracking.

1
Create separate events for each service time. Enable RSVP Mode with a Yes/No selector so attendance intent is clear.
2
Hide the remaining capacity count from the public page — congregants don't need to see seat numbers, but you can track fill rates in admin.
3
Duplicate the event for each service time in seconds using the one-click duplicate action in the Events list.
RSVP mode Hide capacity Event duplication Capacity tracking
Virtual & Recurring

Weekly Support Group

A recurring virtual event that sends a private meeting link only after registration is confirmed.

1
Set the event to Weekly recurrence. Each occurrence is generated automatically as an independent event with its own registration list.
2
Enter the Zoom URL in the Online Event Link field with "Show publicly" unchecked — the link only appears in the confirmation email via {online_link}.
3
Free RSVP means no payment setup required. Registrants get a confirmation with the private link and an Add to Calendar button.
Weekly recurrence Online event link Private meeting URL Free RSVP
Virtual & Recurring

Monthly Fundraising Webinar

A paid monthly virtual event with a donation add-on and automated attendee reminders.

1
Set to Monthly recurrence with a paid ticket type. Stripe handles payment — registrants receive a receipt with the webinar link in the confirmation email.
2
Enable optional donations at checkout so attendees who want to give more can do so without friction.
3
Automated reminders fire 3 days and 1 day before each occurrence — keeping no-show rates low without any manual work.
Monthly recurrence Paid tickets Donations Reminder emails
Schools

Spring Carnival & Fundraiser

Free family RSVP with optional donation, session-based capacity, and automated reminder emails — no payment setup required.

1
Create separate events for morning and afternoon sessions with individual capacity limits. Duplicate in one click — settings carry over automatically.
2
Set registration to Free RSVP with an optional donation field so families who want to contribute extra can do so without it feeling required.
3
Automated reminder emails go out 3 days and 1 day before. Confirmation includes Add to Calendar links so busy parents don't forget.
Free RSVP Optional donation Event duplication Reminder emails
Associations

Annual Member Conference

Multi-tier registration with member pricing, guest info for name badges, and a post-event financial report — all without a separate ticketing platform.

1
Create ticket types for Member, Non-Member, and Sponsor Table. Issue invitation codes to members that unlock the discounted member rate and hide non-member pricing.
2
Enable guest info collection for multi-seat registrations. Collect first name, last name, and title for each attendee — export as CSV for name badge printing.
3
Pull the financial summary export at close — ticket revenue by type, coupon discounts applied, and donations collected — ready for your treasurer's report.
Multiple ticket types Invitation codes Guest info collection CSV export
Venues & Agencies

Ticketed Community Concert

Simple paid ticketing for a small venue — no Eventbrite cut, no WooCommerce, no monthly platform fee. Stripe pays out directly to you.

1
Set up General Admission and VIP ticket types with individual prices. Stripe processes payment and deposits directly to your connected account — no middleman cut.
2
Enable the waitlist so when the venue hits capacity, fans are queued automatically and notified the moment a ticket becomes available.
3
Offer an optional cover fees toggle at checkout so attendees can absorb the Stripe processing fee — keeping your net revenue whole.
Stripe direct Multiple ticket types Waitlist Cover fees option
Venues & Agencies

Agency Client Deployment

Deploy a complete events and donation system for clients without recurring SaaS fees, inter-plugin conflicts, or WooCommerce overhead.

1
One plugin replaces the typical stack of The Events Calendar Pro + GiveWP + Gravity Forms. No WooCommerce dependency, no plugin conflicts, no version mismatch headaches.
2
Override email templates and frontend forms via theme template files — drop files into your-theme/cornerstone-events/ and the plugin picks them up automatically.
3
GPL-2.0 license means you can deploy on unlimited client sites. Each client connects their own Stripe account — their revenue goes directly to them, never through you.
No dependencies Theme overrides GPL-2.0 Unlimited sites
Community

Standalone Donation Drive

A GiveWP alternative — flexible donation forms with tribute giving, pay-what-you-can pricing, and direct Stripe payouts. No event required.

1
Place [id_event_donate id="42"] on any page. Donors see preset amounts with a custom amount option — no registration, no friction.
2
Donors can make a tribute dedication — In Honor Of or In Memory Of — with the recipient notified by email or physical mail, automatically or on your schedule.
3
Offer a cover the fees option so donors who want their full gift to reach you can absorb the Stripe processing cost with a single checkbox.
Standalone donation form Pay what you can Tribute system Cover fees option Year-end statements
Box Office & Check-In

Arts Presenter Concert Series

A performing-arts presenter selling tickets to a 6-concert season — earned revenue, fast door check-in, and clean accounting at year-end.

1
Mark each concert as Earned revenue. The frontend CTA reads "Buy Tickets" (not "Donate"), receipts match, and the Reports page separates ticket income from contributed income — clean for the 990.
2
Every ticket emails a QR code. Door staff open the Check-In page on a phone, scan with the camera, and attendees are in. Live "127 / 240 checked in" counter syncs across all staff devices.
3
Walk-ins arrive with cash or card — staff tap Add walk-in on the check-in screen to create the registration and mark them attending in one go.
4
After the concert, open Event P&L in Reports: gross, refunds, fees, net — per concert, ready to hand to the bookkeeper or board.
Earned revenue mode QR check-in Walk-in add Multi-device live sync Event P&L report
Annual Workflow

January Tax Receipts

Every January, your nonprofit owes donors a statement summarizing last year's deductible contributions. Cornerstone handles it in two clicks.

1
Go to Reports → Year-End Statements and pick the tax year. You see every donor with a deductible contribution that year, with per-recipient previews.
2
Click Dry run to see exactly how many statements would be sent. Type the confirmation phrase, then Send statements — everyone gets a personalized, tokenized link to view and print their IRS-style statement.
3
Statements show itemized contributions, fair market value received, deductible portion, and your org's legal name + EIN in the footer — everything an auditor or donor's accountant might want.
Year-end statements IRS-compliant breakdown Batch email with dry-run Tokenized public URL
Communications

Pre-Event Reminders & Thank-Yous

Send the right message to the right people without copying email addresses into another tool.

1
Three days before the event, open Broadcast, pick the event, filter by Confirmed status, and send a parking + dress code reminder. Live recipient count confirms you've got everyone.
2
Day-of, send a Test copy to yourself first. Preview looks right? Hit Send — merge tags personalize each message with the recipient's first name, table, and ticket type.
3
The next morning, filter by Checked-in and send a thank-you; switch to Not checked in and send a "sorry we missed you — here's a recording" follow-up.
Broadcast email Check-in state filter Merge tags Test-send mode De-dupe by email

Ready to run your next event?

One plugin. Every scenario covered.

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