[manuscript] Auctions for Risk Averse Charities [90 minute presentation] January 2023 [20 minute presentation] June 2022 We report on the results of a lab experiment designed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of charity auction formats. Ten distinct mechanisms are considered under conditions that allow for endogenous bidder participation and risk-averse charities. We extend the traditional focus on mean revenue to its variance, and estimate a mean-variance tradeoff across mechanisms while exploring its practical implications for charities. Last, we provide a theoretical framework against which our empirical results can be measured.