Hyatt Hotel Heirs Donate $20M to UCLA

Philanthropists Anthony and Jeanne Pritzker, who recently announced a $3 million gift to UCLA to provide services for students who are or were in foster care, announced today the gift was actually part of a $20 million donation that includes $15 million for the university's environmental institute.

The $15 million gift to the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability will establish up to five faculty chairs and endow a research center focused on resolving challenges to creating "sustainable" cities.

The gift by the Pritzkers -- heirs to the Hyatt hotel fortune -- also includes $2 million for UCLA's Hammer Museum to support expanded arts programs for children and families.

"These are issues that Jeanne and I are passionate about, and where UCLA's expertise can make a big impact on Los Angeles," Anthony Pritzker said. "We believe we're investing in more than UCLA, we're investing in improving the whole region."

UCLA has been the recipient of donations from the Anthony and Jeanne Pritzker Family Foundation for more than a decade.

"This wide-ranging gift is a powerful expression of how visionary philanthropy can impact diverse areas of our society," UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said. "The Pritzkers are taking aim at significant societal problems, and UCLA and Los Angeles will benefit enormously from their leadership."