# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001388485
**File Stem:** 0001829126-25-006834
**Filing Date:** 2025-8
**Character Count:** 5945936
**Document Hash:** 379f704692f2ed43546ede05db918164
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001829126-25-006834.hdr.sgml**: 20250828

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001829126-25-006834

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 485BPOS

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 66

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20250828

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20250828

**EFFECTIVENESS DATE**: 20250901

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** FundVantage Trust
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001388485

**ORGANIZATION NAME:**
- **EIN:** 000000000
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** DE

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 485BPOS
- **SEC ACT:** 1940 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 811-22027
- **FILM NUMBER:** 251272246

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 103 BELLEVUE PARKWAY
- **CITY:** WILMINGTON
- **STATE:** DE
- **ZIP:** 19809
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 3027911906

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 103 BELLEVUE PARKWAY
- **CITY:** WILMINGTON
- **STATE:** DE
- **ZIP:** 19809
**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** FundVantage Trust
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001388485

**ORGANIZATION NAME:**
- **EIN:** 000000000
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** DE

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 485BPOS
- **SEC ACT:** 1933 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 333-141120
- **FILM NUMBER:** 251272245

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 103 BELLEVUE PARKWAY
- **CITY:** WILMINGTON
- **STATE:** DE
- **ZIP:** 19809
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 3027911906

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 103 BELLEVUE PARKWAY
- **CITY:** WILMINGTON
- **STATE:** DE
- **ZIP:** 19809

## Series and Classes Contracts Data

### Private Capital Management Value Fund (Series ID: S000028203)

| Class ID   | Class Name   | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000086265 | Class C      |  |
| C000086266 | Class I      | VFPIX           |
| C000086267 | Class R      |  |

### Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund (Series ID: S000029047)

| Class ID   | Class Name   | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000089187 | Class Y      | PTXFX           |

### Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund (Series ID: S000029048)

| Class ID   | Class Name   | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000089188 | Class Y      | PTFSX           |

### Polen Growth Fund (Series ID: S000029264)

| Class ID   | Class Name          | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000089997 | Investor Class      | POLRX           |
| C000089998 | Institutional Class | POLIX           |

### EIC Value Fund (Series ID: S000031985)

| Class ID   | Class Name          | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000099566 | Class A             | EICVX           |
| C000099567 | Class C             | EICCX           |
| C000099569 | Institutional Class | EICIX           |

### Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund (Series ID: S000044713)

| Class ID   | Class Name          | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000138972 | Institutional Class | PCGXX           |
| C000200880 | Investor Class      | PCUXX           |

### Polen Global Growth Fund (Series ID: S000047882)

| Class ID   | Class Name          | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000150374 | Investor Class      | PGIRX           |
| C000150375 | Institutional Class | PGIIX           |

### Polen International Growth Fund (Series ID: S000056022)

| Class ID   | Class Name          | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000176395 | Institutional Class | POIIX           |
| C000176396 | Investor Class      | POIRX           |

### Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund (Series ID: S000059535)

| Class ID   | Class Name          | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000194993 | Institutional Class | PBSIX           |
| C000194994 | Investor Class      | PBSRX           |
| C000227429 | Class Y             | PBSYX           |

### Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund (Series ID: S000067961)

| Class ID   | Class Name          | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000217915 | Investor Class      | PGERX           |
| C000217916 | Institutional Class | PGEIX           |

### Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund (Series ID: S000071422)

| Class ID   | Class Name          | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000226509 | Investor Class      | PBMRX           |
| C000226510 | Institutional Class | PBMIX           |

### Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund (Series ID: S000080672)

| Class ID   | Class Name          | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000243192 | Investor Class      | DDJRX           |
| C000243193 | Class Y             | DDJIX           |
| C000243194 | Institutional Class | DDJCX           |

### Polen Floating Rate Income ETF (Series ID: S000090826)

| Class ID   | Class Name                     | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000258187 | Polen Floating Rate Income ETF |  |

### Polen High Income ETF (Series ID: S000090827)

| Class ID   | Class Name            | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000258188 | Polen High Income ETF |  |

?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'?

Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 28, 2025

Securities Act of 1933 File No. 333-141120

Investment Company Act of 1940 File No. 811-22027

**UNITED STATES**

**SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION**

**Washington, DC 20549**

**FORM N-1A**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933** | ☒ |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pre-Effective Amendment No. | ☐ |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Post-Effective Amendment No. 340 | ☒ |

---

and

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940** | ☒ |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amendment No. 349 | ☒ |

---

(Check Appropriate Box or Boxes)

**FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

103 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: (262) 272-0916

Joel L. Weiss

1636 N Cedar Crest Blvd. #161

Allentown, PA 18104

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Copies to:

Joseph V. Del Raso, Esq.

Troutman Pepper Locke LLP

3000 Two Logan Square

Philadelphia, PA 19103

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)

☐ immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;☒ on September 1, 2025 pursuant to paragraph (b)

☐ 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

☐ on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

☐ 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)

☐ on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box:

☐ This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

![](pro-eicvx_001.jpg)

Class A (EICVX)

Class C (EICCX)

Institutional Class (EICIX)

*a series of* 

**FundVantage Trust**

**PROSPECTUS**

September 1, 2025

**These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.**

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[Fund Summary](#pro-eicvx_001)** | **1** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[EIC Value Fund](#pro-eicvx_002) | 1 |
| **[More Information about the Fund's Investment Objective, Strategies and Risks](#pro-eicvx_003)** | **7** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Objective](#pro-eicvx_004) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Information about the Fund's Investment Strategies](#pro-eicvx_005) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Principal Risks](#pro-eicvx_006) | 8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Risks](#pro-eicvx_007) | 9 |
| **[More Information about Management of the Fund](#pro-eicvx_008)** | **10** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Adviser](#pro-eicvx_009) | 10 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Portfolio Managers](#pro-eicvx_010) | 10 |
| **[Shareholder Information](#pro-eicvx_012)** | **11** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Pricing of Shares](#pro-eicvx_013) | 11 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Purchase of Shares](#pro-eicvx_014) | 12 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Open an Account](#pro-eicvx_015) | 17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Add to an Account](#pro-eicvx_016) | 18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Redemption of Shares](#pro-eicvx_017) | 21 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Redeem from Your Account](#pro-eicvx_018) | 22 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Transaction Policies](#pro-eicvx_019) | 24 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Shareholder Services](#pro-eicvx_020) | 25 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributions](#pro-eicvx_021) | 26 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[More Information about Taxes](#pro-eicvx_022) | 26 |
| **[Financial Highlights](#pro-eicvx_023)** | **29** |
| **[Appendix A](#pro-eicvx_024)** | **A-1** |
| **[For More Information](#pro-eicvx_025)** | **Back Cover** |

---

**FUND SUMMARY**

**EIC VALUE FUND**

**Investment Objective**

The EIC Value Fund (the "Fund") seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation.

**Fees and Expenses**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.** You may qualify for sales charge discounts with respect to Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the "Purchase of Shares" and the "Intermediary-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies" sections on pages 12 and A-1, respectively, of the Fund's Prospectus and in the "Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares" section on page 50 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment):** | **Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment):** | **Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment):** | **Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment):** |
|  | **Class A** | **Class C** | **Institutional<br> Class** |
| Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) | 5.50% |  |  |
| Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lower of the original purchase price or the net asset value at redemption) | 1.00%<sup>1</sup> | 1.00%<sup>2</sup> |  |
| Redemption Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed within 30 days of purchase) | 2.00% | 2.00% | 2.00% |

---

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** |
| Management Fees | 0.75% | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| Distribution and/or Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% |  |
| Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| Other Expenses | 0.22% | 0.22% | 0.22% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses<sup>3,4</sup>** | **1.23%** | **1.98%** | **0.98%** |
| Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement<sup>4</sup> | (0.02)% | (0.02)% | (0.02)% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement<sup>3,4</sup>** | **1.21%** | **1.96%** | **0.96%** |

---

<sup>1</sup> A 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") may apply to investments of $1 million or more of Class A shares (and therefore no initial sales charge was paid by the shareholder) when shares are redeemed within 18 months after initial purchase. The CDSC shall not apply to those purchases of Class A shares of $1 million or more where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission.

<sup>2</sup> A 1.00% CDSC will be assessed when Class C shares are redeemed within 18 months after initial purchase; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase.

<sup>3</sup> "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" will not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets that will be disclosed in the Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information in the financial highlights table, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses".

<sup>4</sup> Equity Investment Corporation ("EIC" or the "Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive or otherwise reduce its annual compensation received from and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by FundVantage Trust (the "Trust"), "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses," interest, extraordinary items and brokerage commissions, do not exceed 0.95% of average daily net assets of the Fund (the "Expense Limitation"). Prior to September 1, 2020, the Expense Limitation was 0.90%. The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026, unless the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves its earlier termination. Subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, the Adviser may recoup any expenses or fees it has reimbursed within a three-year period from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses of the Fund. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of reimbursement. No recoupment will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation amount.

**Expense Example**

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund's Class A, Class C, and Institutional Class shares for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (reflecting any contractual fee waivers). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Class A | $767 | $916 | $1185 | $1950 |
| Class C | $299 | $618 | $1064 | $2300 |
| Institutional Class | $98 | $309 | $538 | $1195 |

---

You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Class A | $667 | $916 | $1185 | $1950 |
| Class C | $199 | $618 | $1064 | $2300 |
| Institutional Class | $98 | $309 | $538 | $1195 |

---

**Portfolio Turnover**

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 29% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Summary of Principal Investment Strategies**

The Fund, under normal circumstances, primarily invests in common stocks of U.S. companies. The Fund may invest in the stocks of companies of all capitalization sizes.

The Fund invests in companies the Adviser believes are well-managed and high-quality, with relatively stable earnings and cash flow, and low levels of debt that are selling at a discount to their value as an ongoing business entity. The Adviser attempts to avoid investing in companies that appear to be inexpensive relative to their historical records, but are actually in long-term structural decline (i.e., "value traps").

Starting with the Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> universe, the Adviser attempts to identify companies it believes are generating high returns on equity and capital with sustainable earnings growth. The Adviser may also identify companies through the use of traditional news sources and non-opinionated research and by monitoring companies with recent and significant price declines. Once a potential candidate is identified, the Adviser determines whether the company is selling at a discount to its value as an ongoing business entity based upon the Adviser's in-house valuation models, which rely on return on equity and earnings growth as key inputs.

After the Adviser identifies a company it believes is selling at a meaningful discount to its value as an ongoing concern, the Adviser employs a comprehensive set of web-based analytics to facilitate financial statement and ratio analysis which helps the Adviser to identify and avoid companies with characteristics that are consistent with potential value traps. The Adviser then performs in-depth company specific fundamental research to gain further insight into accounting policies,

factors impacting reported earnings, unusual transactions, attempts to manage earnings, and any other evidence that earnings power is, or may in the future be, different than what the financial statements currently portray. If a company passes all levels of analysis, then the Adviser may add it to the Fund's portfolio.

The Adviser sells a position in a company if the Adviser believes the security has reached its full value, the company shows balance sheet stress (indicating potential earnings management, weak financial controls or possible earnings shortfalls), a major change occurs (rendering historical data invalid for determining the value of business ownership) or the Adviser believes the company's quality or financial strength falls below acceptable levels, or if a more attractive investment opportunity becomes available. Positions reaching 6% of the Fund's value will be trimmed to reduce exposure.

Up to 20% of the Fund's net assets may be held in cash, cash equivalents, or short-term investments if the Adviser believes that there are not a sufficient number of currently compelling investment opportunities in which to fully invest the Fund's assets. While holding a significant position in cash could help the Fund reduce losses during market downturns, it may have the effect of lessening the Fund's capital appreciation during market upturns.

**Summary of Principal Risks**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor and the relative significance of each risk below may change over time. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value ("NAV"), yield, and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.

● **Common Stock Risk:** Because the Fund normally invests a substantial portion of its assets in common stocks, the value of the Fund's portfolio will be affected by changes in stock markets. Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company or other entity. At times, the stock markets can be volatile, and stock prices can change drastically. This market risk will affect the Fund's net asset value, which will fluctuate as the values of the Fund's portfolio securities and other assets change. Not all stock prices change uniformly or at the same time and not all stock markets move in the same direction at the same time. In addition, other factors can adversely affect a particular stock's price (for example, poor management decisions, poor earnings reports by an issuer, loss of major customers, competition, major litigation against an issuer, or changes in government regulations affecting an industry). Not all of these factors nor their effects can be predicted.

● **Management Risk:** As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best-performing securities or investment techniques, and the Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds. In particular, the Fund faces the risk of loss as a result of misestimation or other errors by the Adviser in its fundamental analysis regarding the companies in which the Fund invests. The Adviser may also miss an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in other investments, potentially including investments that may not perform as well as the missed investment opportunity.

● **Model and Data Risk:** Quantitative models and market data upon which the Adviser relies may prove to be incorrect or incomplete, potentially resulting in lower investment performance or losses to the Fund.

● **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

● **Other Investment Companies Risk:** When the Fund invests in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, shareholders bear both their proportionate share of Fund expenses and, indirectly, the expenses of the other investment companies. Furthermore, the Fund is exposed to the risks to which other investment companies may be subject.

● **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**●** **Value Investing Risk:** A value-oriented investment approach is subject to the risk that a security believed to be undervalued does not appreciate in value as anticipated or experiences a decline in value. The returns on "value" equity securities may be less than returns on other styles of investing or the overall stock market.

**Performance Information**

The bar chart and the performance table illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund's Class A Shares for the past ten calendar years and show how the Fund's average annual total returns for one year, five years and since inception, before and after taxes, compare with those of a broad-based securities market index that reflects the performance of the overall market applicable to the Fund and an additional index that represents the performance of the value segment of the market in which the Fund primarily invests. The maximum front-end sales charge is not reflected in the bar chart or the calendar year-to-date returns; if the front-end sales charge were reflected, the bar chart and the calendar year-to-date returns would be less than those shown. Total returns would have been lower had certain fees and expenses not been waived or reimbursed. Past performance, both before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at *www.eicvalue.com .* Current returns may be lower or higher. Call 877-342-0111 for the latest month-end performance figures.

![](pro-eicvx_002.jpg)

Calendar Year-to-Date Total Return as of June 30, 2025: 9.57%

During the periods shown in the chart

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best Quarter** | **Worst Quarter** |
| 15.77% | (24.07)% |
| (December 31, 2020) | (March 31, 2020) |

---

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **EIC Value Fund — Class A Shares<br> Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** | **Since <br> Inception <br> (May 19, 2011)** |
| Class A Shares Return Before Taxes<sup>1</sup> | 5.13% | 9.98% | 8.08% | 9.09% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions<sup>1</sup> | 3.09% | 8.19% | 6.42% | 7.72% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares | 4.59%<sup>2</sup> | 7.63% | 6.11% | 7.20% |
| S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index (reflects no deductions for fees or expenses or taxes)<sup>3</sup> | 25.02% | 14.53% | 13.10% | 13.59% |
| Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>3</sup> | 13.98% | 8.60% | 8.40% | 9.98% |

---

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **EIC Value Fund — Class C Shares<br> Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** | **Since <br> Inception <br> (July 18, 2011)** |
| Class C Shares Return Before Taxes | 10.38%<sup>4</sup> | 10.40% | 7.87% | 8.95% |
| S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index (reflects no deductions for fees or expenses or taxes)<sup>3</sup> | 25.02% | 14.53% | 13.10% | 13.99% |
| Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Value Index (reflects no deductions for fees or expenses or taxes)<sup>3</sup> | 13.98% | 8.60% | 8.40% | 10.44% |

---

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **EIC Value Fund — Institutional Class Shares<br> Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** | **Since <br> Inception <br> (April 29, 2011)** |
| Institutional Class Shares Return Before Taxes | 11.58% | 11.51% | 8.95% | 9.77% |
| S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index (reflects no deductions for fees or Expenses)<sup>3</sup> | 25.02% | 14.53% | 13.10% | 13.42% |
| Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Value Index (reflects no deductions for fees or Expenses)<sup>3</sup> | 13.98% | 8.60% | 8.40% | 9.82% |

---

<sup>1</sup> Average annual total returns for Class A shares of the Fund reflect the imposition of the maximum front-end sales charge of 5.50%.

<sup>2</sup> The "Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares" is higher than the "Return After Taxes on Distributions" because of realized losses that would have been sustained upon the sale of Fund shares after the relevant period.

<sup>3</sup> Effective September 1, 2024, the Fund's primary broad-based performance index changed to the S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index due to the SEC's revised definition for such an index. The S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index is a widely recognized unmanaged index of 500 common stocks, which are generally representative of the U.S. stock market as a whole. The Fund will retain the Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Value Index as its additional benchmark for performance comparison. The Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Value Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of the broad value segment of the U.S. equity value universe, which more closely aligns with the Fund's investment strategy.

<sup>4</sup> Reflects the imposition of the maximum deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown and are not relevant if you hold your shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns shown are for Class A shares only; after-tax returns for Class C and Institutional shares will vary.

**Management of the Fund**

**Investment Adviser**

Equity Investment Corporation serves as the Fund's investment adviser.

**Portfolio Managers**

● **W. Andrew Bruner**, CFA, CPA, joined EIC in 1999 and is a Principal, Chief Financial Officer, and the Director of Research. Mr. Bruner has been managing the Fund since its inception in 2011.

● **R. Terrence Irrgang**, CFA, joined EIC in 2003 and is a Principal, Chief Executive Officer, and Portfolio Manager. Mr. Irrgang has been managing the Fund since its inception in 2011.

● **Thomas W. Knapp**, CFA, joined EIC in 2018 and is a Portfolio Manager. Mr. Knapp has been managing the Fund since January 2022.

● **Robert M. Ladyman**, CFA, joined EIC in 2017 and is a Portfolio Manager. Mr. Ladyman has been managing the Fund since January 2022.

● **Ian T. Zabor**, CFA, joined EIC in 2005 and is a Principal, Corporate Secretary, and Portfolio Manager. Mr. Zabor has been managing the Fund since its inception in 2011.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** |
| **Account Type** | **Minimum** | **Class A** | **Class C** | **Institutional<br> Class** |
| Regular Accounts | Initial Investment | $2500 | $2500 | $10000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $250 | $250 | No Minimum |
| Individual Retirement Accounts | Initial Investment | $2500 | $2500 | $10000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $250 | $250 | No Minimum |
| Automatic Investment Plan | Initial Investment | $2500 | $2500 | Not available |
|  | Additional Investments | $250 | $250 | Not available |

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The Fund reserves the right to waive the minimum initial investment requirement for any investor. You can only purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on days the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open and through the means described below.

**Purchase or Redemption by Mail:**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> EIC Value Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> EIC Value Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (855) 430-6487 |

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**Purchase by Wire:**

Please contact Fund shareholder services ("Shareholder Services") at (855) 430-6487 for current wire instructions.

**Redemption by Telephone:**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (855) 430-6487.

**Tax Information**

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Such distributions are not currently taxable when shares are held through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. However, subsequent withdrawals from any tax-deferred account in which the shares are held may be subject to federal income tax.

**Payments to Broker-Dealers or Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and/or for related services to shareholders. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S<br> INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, STRATEGIES AND RISKS**

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE**

The Fund seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation. Although no change is anticipated, the Fund's investment objective may be changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S INVESTMENT STRATEGIES**

The Fund's principal investment strategies are discussed in the "Fund Summary" section. Principal investment strategies (as defined below) are those that the Adviser will use on a day-to-day basis to achieve the Fund's investment objective. This section provides more information about these strategies, as well as information about some additional strategies that the Fund's Adviser uses, or may use, to achieve the Fund's objective. Additional information about these investment strategies and practices and related risks is also provided in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"). The Fund may also use strategies and invest in securities that are not described in this Prospectus, but that are described in the Fund's SAI. The investments and strategies discussed below are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions.

**Research**

The research performed at the Adviser is fundamental, original, and based upon valuation models that were developed in-house. There are three primary areas of research: valuation and price discipline, financial statement analysis, and accounting and earnings quality due diligence. Throughout the research process, but especially in the financial statement analysis and accounting and earnings quality research phases, the Adviser is looking for evidence that a company is well-managed and structurally sound.

**Valuation and Price Discipline**

Valuation is a critical aspect of the Adviser's investment methodology. The Adviser's valuation methodology focuses on determining the value of owning a business to achieve a targeted return on both the initial acquisition capital and the capital reinvested as an owner to grow the business over a given time horizon. The Adviser believes two of the most important drivers of value are return on equity and earnings growth. The models provide a guide to "fair" value and also a reasonable "buy" price, which embodies a margin of safety. Importantly, the valuation models serve as a framework for asking questions regarding the Adviser's valuation

assumptions, as contrasted against the assumptions implicit in the market's current price for a company.

**Financial Statement Analysis**

The Adviser uses a comprehensive set of web-based analytics to monitor company fundamentals. These tools facilitate financial statement and ratio analysis and are useful for efficiently understanding important characteristics of a business's financial health as well as helping to identify potential structural problems in a business. The Adviser believes these tools have helped it minimize ownership in value traps; that is, companies that appear to be inexpensive but are no longer healthy enough to grow.

**Accounting and Earnings Quality Due Diligence**

The Adviser performs in-depth company-specific analysis which centers on reading the annual and quarterly reports along with proxy statements, company presentations, earnings press releases, and other relevant news to gain further insight into accounting policies, factors impacting reported earnings, unusual transactions, attempts to manage earnings, and any other evidence that earnings-power is different than what the financial statements portray.

**Buy/Sell Discipline**

The Adviser buys stock in companies that it believes are selling at a discount to "fair" value as an ongoing business entity, and that have passed its reviews for structural soundness and accounting and earnings quality due diligence.

The Adviser sells stocks if any of the following conditions are met:

● The security reaches the Adviser's measure of full value;

● The position increases to more than 6% of the Fund's portfolio (in which case it will be trimmed);

● The company shows balance sheet stress, indicating potential earnings management, weak financial controls or possible earnings shortfalls;

● A major change occurs, rendering historical data invalid for determining the value of business ownership;

● The company's quality and financial strength fall below acceptable levels; or

● A more attractive investment opportunity is identified.

**Other Investment Strategies**

The Fund may invest in equity-related securities (such as convertible bonds, convertible preferred stock, warrants, options, and rights). The price of a convertible security normally will vary in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying common stock because of either a conversion or exercise feature. However, the value of a convertible security may not increase or decrease as rapidly as the underlying common stock. Additionally, a convertible security normally also will provide income and therefore is subject to interest rate risk. While convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible fixed-income securities of similar quality, their value tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock increases and to decrease when the value of the underlying stock decreases.

The Fund may also invest in fixed-income securities. The market value of fixed-income investments changes in response to interest rate changes and other factors. During periods of falling interest rates, the values of fixed income securities generally rise, and during periods of rising interest rates, the values of those securities generally fall. While securities with longer maturities tend to produce higher yields, the prices of longer maturity securities are also subject to greater market fluctuations as a result of changes in interest rates.

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"). At times, the Fund may be required to segregate or earmark certain assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser (generally, short-term investment-grade fixed income securities) to cover borrowings or its obligations under certain investments such as reverse repurchase agreements and derivative instruments (including options contracts).

In anticipation of or in response to adverse market or other conditions or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, the Fund may temporarily hold all or a larger than normal portion of its assets in U.S. Government securities, money market funds, cash, exchange-traded funds, cash equivalents, or short-term investments. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures. Under such conditions, the Fund may not invest in accordance with its investment objective or principal investment strategies and may not achieve its investment objective.

**PRINCIPAL RISKS**

The following is a list of certain principal risks that may apply to your investment in the Fund. Further information about investment risks is available in the Fund's SAI:

● **Common Stock Risk:** Because the Fund normally invests a substantial portion of its assets in common stocks, the value of the Fund's portfolio will be

affected by changes in the stock markets. Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company or other entity. At times, the stock markets can be volatile, and stock prices can change drastically. This market risk will affect the Fund's net asset value, which will fluctuate as the values of the Fund's portfolio securities and other assets change. Not all stock prices change uniformly or at the same time and not all stock markets move in the same direction at the same time. In addition, other factors can adversely affect a particular stock's prices (for example, poor management decisions, poor earnings reports by an issuer, loss of major customers, competition, major litigation against an issuer, or changes in government regulations affecting an industry). Not all of these factors nor their effects can be predicted.

● **Management Risk:** As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best-performing securities or investment techniques, and the Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds. As a high conviction investor, the Adviser typically takes long-term positions in companies it believes are undervalued by the market. Companies in which the Fund invests may remain out of favor with the market for extended periods of time. The Fund faces the risk of loss as a result of misestimation or other errors by the Adviser in its fundamental analysis regarding the companies in which the Fund invests. The Fund's investment style is unlikely to result in performance that closely correlates to specific market indices over time and may include extended periods of underperformance as compared to the broader market. There is no assurance investors will not lose principal invested in the Fund. The Adviser may also miss an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in other investments, potentially including investments that may not perform as well as the missed investment opportunity.

**●** **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to

such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cyber security incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

● **Model and Data Risk:** The Adviser utilizes quantitative models (both proprietary models developed by the Adviser, and those supplied by third parties) and information and data supplied by third parties ("Models and Data"). Models and Data are used to construct sets of transactions and investments, to provide risk management insights, and to assist in hedging the Fund's investments.

When Models and Data prove to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance thereon expose the Fund to potential risks. Similarly, any hedging based on faulty Models and Data may prove to be unsuccessful. Some of the models used by the Adviser for the Fund are predictive in nature. The use of predictive models has inherent risks. Because predictive models are usually constructed based on historical data supplied by third parties, the success of relying on such models may depend heavily on the accuracy and reliability of the supplied historical data.

All models rely on correct market data inputs. If incorrect market data is entered into even a well-founded model, the resulting information will be incorrect. However, even if market data is input correctly, "model prices" will often differ substantially from market prices, especially for instruments with complex characteristics, such as derivative instruments.

● **Other Investment Companies Risk:** When the Fund invests in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds, shareholders bear both their proportionate share of Fund expenses and, indirectly, the expenses of the other investment companies. Furthermore, the Fund is exposed to the risks to which other investment companies may be subject.

**●** **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To

 the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**●** **Value Investing Risk:** A value-oriented investment approach is subject to the risk that a security believed to be undervalued does not appreciate in value as anticipated. The returns on "value" equity securities may be less than returns on other styles of investing or the overall stock market. Value stocks also may decline in price, even though in theory, they are already underpriced. Different types of stocks tend to shift in and out of favor depending on market and economic conditions, and the Fund's performance may sometimes be lower or higher than that of other types of funds (such as those emphasizing growth stocks).

**OTHER RISKS**

In addition to the principal risks described above, the Fund may also be subject to the following risk.

● **Cyber Security Risk:** As part of its business, the Adviser processes, stores, and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Fund. The Adviser and Fund may be susceptible to operational and information security risk. Cyber security failures or breaches of the Adviser or the Fund's other service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of the Fund's shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties and/or reputational damage. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

**Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings**

A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI, which is available, free of charge, by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (855) 430-6487. The SAI may also be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, on the Fund's website at *www.eicvalue.com* or from the EDGAR database on the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") website at *www.sec.gov.*

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND**

The Trust's Board of Trustees supervises the management, activities, and affairs of the Fund and has approved contracts with various organizations to provide, among other services, the day-to-day management required by the Fund and its shareholders.

**INVESTMENT ADVISER**

Equity Investment Corporation (EIC) is a registered investment adviser located at 1776 Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 600S, Atlanta, GA 30309. EIC has been providing investment advisory services since 1986. In September 2016, a newly registered investment advisor entity formed by W. Andrew Bruner, R. Terrence Irrgang and Ian T. Zabor purchased substantially all of the assets of EIC, including the EIC name, and assumed all of the liabilities necessary for EIC's continuous operation. That new registrant succeeded to all of EIC's business and continued all operations under the same name. In addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, EIC provides portfolio management services to individuals, institutions, and retirement plans. As of June 30, 2025, EIC managed or advised $7.2 billion for clients, with $3.3 billion in assets under management and $3.9 billion in advisory business. EIC, subject to the general oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objective, policies, and limitations. For its services as Adviser to the Fund, Equity Investment Corporation is entitled to receive an investment advisory fee of 0.75% of the Fund's average daily net assets under $500 million; 0.65% of the Fund's average daily net assets of $500 million or more, but less than $1 billion; and 0.50% of the Fund's average daily net assets of $1 billion and over. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, after fee waivers and/or expense recoupments, EIC received an aggregate investment advisory fee as a percentage of average net assets of 0.73%.

A discussion of the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment management agreement between Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, is available in the Fund's Annual Financials and Additional Information for the fiscal period ended April 30, 2025.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

**W. Andrew Bruner, CPA, CFA**, is a Principal, Chief Financial Officer, and Director of Research at EIC. Mr. Bruner joined EIC in 1999. From 1992 to 1999, he held various positions with KPMG LLP, ultimately serving as a senior manager in the firm's transaction services practice conducting mergers and acquisitions due diligence. Mr. Bruner received a BA from the University of the South in 1990 followed by a Master in Professional Accounting degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1991. Andrew received the Certified Public Accountant designation in 1993 and the Chartered Financial Analyst<sup>®</sup> designation in 1999.

**R. Terrence Irrgang, CFA**, is a Principal, Chief Executive Officer, and Portfolio Manager at EIC. Mr. Irrgang joined EIC in 2003. From 1992 to 2003, he was a Global Partner, Portfolio Manager, and Product Manager for INVESCO Capital Management. Before that, he worked nine years with Mercer Consulting and Towers Perrin, where he assisted plan sponsors with asset allocation, manager selection, and performance monitoring activities. He received a BA from Gettysburg College in 1979 and earned an MBA from Temple University in 1981. Terry received the Chartered Financial Analyst<sup>®</sup> designation in 1990.

**Thomas W. Knapp, CFA**, is a Portfolio Manager at EIC. Mr. Knapp joined EIC in 2018 as a research analyst. Before joining EIC, Mr. Knapp worked for Eagle Asset Management, where he spent ten years, first as a trader and then as a credit analyst. He received a BS in Finance from Florida State University in 2007 and earned an MBA from Columbia University in 2017. Tom received the Chartered Financial Analyst<sup>®</sup> designation in 2012.

**Robert M. Ladyman, CFA**, is a Portfolio Manager at EIC. Mr. Ladyman joined EIC in 2017 as a research analyst. Before joining EIC, Mr. Ladyman worked for Resolution Capital as an analyst for their office, industrial, and data center REIT sectors. Before that, he was a senior equity research associate with Raymond James and a research associate with Morgan Keegan. He received a BA in Mathematics and Economics from Furman University in 2009. Bo received the Chartered Financial Analyst<sup>®</sup> designation in 2013.

**Ian T. Zabor, CFA**, is a Principal, Corporate Secretary, and Portfolio Manager at EIC. Mr. Zabor joined EIC in 2005. Before joining EIC, he held trading, analyst, and portfolio management roles with AG Edwards, the US Small Business Administration, and Wachovia Securities. He received a BA in Economics from Indiana University in 1997 and an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business in 2002. Ian received the Chartered Financial Analyst<sup>®</sup> designation in 2004.

The Fund's SAI provides additional information about each Portfolio Manager's compensation, other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager and each Portfolio Manager's ownership of Fund shares.

**SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION**

**PRICING OF SHARES**

The price of the Fund's shares is based on its NAV. The Fund values its assets, based on current market values when such values are available. The NAV per share of the Fund is calculated as follows:

Value of Assets Attributable to the Shares <br> NAV = – <u>Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Shares</u> <br> Number of Outstanding Shares

The Fund's NAV per share is calculated once daily as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each business day (i.e., a day that the Exchange is open for business). The Exchange is generally open on Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The price at which a purchase, redemption or exchange is effected is based on the next calculation of NAV after the order is received in good form by an authorized financial institution or the transfer agent, plus any applicable sales charges.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**PURCHASE OF SHARES**

**Share Classes**

The Fund offers Class A, Class C and Institutional Class shares. Each class of shares has different expenses and distribution arrangements to provide for different investment needs. This allows you to choose the class of shares most suitable for you depending on the amount and expected length of your investment and other relevant factors. Sales personnel may receive different compensation for selling each class of shares. Class A shares and Class C shares are for individuals, corporate investors, and certain retirement plans. Institutional Class shares are available for individuals who can meet the required minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations, broker-dealers and registered investment advisers purchasing for the accounts of others or certain clients of the Adviser or its affiliates. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees, or other fees for the services of such organization.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class A** | **Class C** | **Institutional Class** |
| Initial sales charge of 5.50% or less | No initial sales charge | No initial sales charge |
| 1.00% deferred sales charge may apply if redeemed within 18 months<sup>1</sup> | 1.00% deferred sales charge if redeemed within 18 months<sup>2</sup> | No deferred sales charge |
| Lower annual expenses than Class C shares due to lower distribution fees; Higher annual expenses than Institutional Class shares | Higher annual expenses than Class A and Institutional Class shares due to higher distribution fees | Lower annual expenses than Class A, and Class C shares due to no distribution fee |

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<sup>1</sup> A 1.00% CDSC may apply for investments of $1 million or more of Class A shares (and therefore no initial sales charge was paid by the shareholder) and shares are redeemed within 18 months after initial purchase. The CDSC shall not apply to those purchases of Class A shares of $1 million or more where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission. Investors should inquire with their financial intermediary regarding whether the CDSC is applicable to them.

<sup>2</sup> A 1.00% CDSC will be assessed when Class C shares are redeemed within 18 months after initial purchase; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase.

Shares representing interests in the Fund are offered on a continuous basis for sale by the Fund's principal underwriter, Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"). You can purchase Class A, Class C and Institutional Class shares of the Fund through certain financial intermediaries, or directly through BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, the Fund's transfer agent, as discussed below. Shares of the Fund are offered only to residents of states in which the shares are registered or qualified. No share certificates are issued in connection with the purchase of Fund shares. The Fund reserves the right to waive the minimum investment requirement for any investor.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be redeemed by the Trust unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." To open an account directly with a Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest.

In the event you modify or change your relationship with the financial intermediary through which you invest in the Fund (for instance from an advisory relationship to a brokerage relationship) you may no longer be eligible to invest in a particular share class and your financial intermediary may exchange your shares for another share class which may be subject to higher expenses and Rule 12b-1 distribution fees.

In addition, the availability of certain classes of shares may be limited to certain intermediary platforms, which means that your eligibility to purchase a specific class of Fund shares may depend on whether your intermediary offers that class.

The Trust is not responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Class A Shares**

***Distribution Plan***

The Trust's Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Fund's Class A shares, has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to pay distribution and service fees for the sale and distribution of its shares and for services provided to its shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plan for Class A shares provides for payments of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Class A shares.

***Front-End Sales Charge***

Sales of Class A shares of the Fund include a front-end sales charge (expressed as a percentage of the offering price) as shown in the following table:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| ***Class A Shares – Front-End Sales Charge*** | ***Class A Shares – Front-End Sales Charge*** | ***Class A Shares – Front-End Sales Charge*** | ***Class A Shares – Front-End Sales Charge*** |
| **Amount of Single Transaction** | **Sales <br> Charge as a <br> Percentage <br> of Offering <br> Price** | **Sales <br> Charge as a <br> Percentage <br> of Net <br> Amount <br> Invested** | **Dealer <br> Concession <br> as a <br> Percentage <br> of Offering <br> Price** |
| Less than $50,000 | 5.50% | 5.82% | 5.00% |
| $50,000 but less than $100,000 | 4.50% | 4.71% | 4.00% |
| $100,000 but less than $250,000 | 3.50% | 3.63% | 3.00% |
| $250,000 but less than $500,000 | 2.50% | 2.56% | 2.25% |
| $500,000 but less than $1,000,000 | 1.50% | 1.52% | 1.25% |
| $1,000,000 or more | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |

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Selected dealers who have entered into an agreement with the Underwriter may receive a dealer concession. The dealer's concession depends on which class of shares you choose and may be changed from time to time. Currently, on Class A shares, dealers receive the concession set forth in the table above, as well as the 0.25% distribution fee (12b-1). On some occasions, such incentives may be conditioned upon the sale of a specified minimum dollar amount of the shares of the Fund during a specified period of time. A dealer who receives all or substantially all of the sales charge may be considered an "underwriter" under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Selected dealers may receive a commission as a percentage of the offering price of Class A shares on purchases of $1 million or more of Class A shares. If a dealer receives such commission, the CDSC will apply to those purchases of Class A shares of $1 million or more. To the extent the CDSC applies, the CDSC paid by the shareholder will be used as reimbursement for such commission.

***Contingent Deferred Sales Charge ("CDSC")***

If you bought Class A shares without an initial sales charge because your investments in the Fund aggregated over $1,000,000 at the time of purchase, you may incur a CDSC of up to 1.00% if you redeem those shares within 18 months of purchasing those shares. Subsequent Class A share purchases that bring your aggregate account value to $1,000,000 or more will also be subject to a CDSC if you redeem them within 18 months of purchasing those shares. The CDSC will only apply to purchases of Class A shares where a selling broker or dealer received compensation for the sale of such shares at the time of purchase. Investors should inquire with their financial intermediary regarding whether the CDSC is applicable to them.

The CDSC on Class A shares is applied to the NAV at the time of your purchase or sale, whichever is lower, and will not be applied to any shares you receive through reinvested distributions. When you place an order to sell your Class A shares, the Fund will first redeem any shares that are not subject to a CDSC, followed by those you have held the longest.

You may be able to avoid an otherwise applicable CDSC when you sell Class A shares of the Fund. This could happen because of the way in which you originally invested in the Fund, because of your relationship with the Trust, the Underwriter, or the Adviser or for other reasons. Restrictions may apply to certain accounts and certain transactions. The Fund may change or cancel these terms at any time.

***Reduced Sales Charges***

Eligible purchasers of Class A shares also may be entitled to reduced or waived sales charges. The availability of certain sales charge waivers and discounts will depend on whether you purchase your shares directly from the Fund or through a financial intermediary. Intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers or CDSC waivers. In all instances, it is the purchaser's responsibility to notify the Fund or the purchaser's financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. **For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares directly from the Fund or through another intermediary to receive these waivers or discounts. Please see Appendix A of the Prospectus for a description of waivers or discounts available through certain intermediaries. Additional information is available in the sections titled "Front-End Sales Charge" and "Contingent Deferred Sales Charge ("CDSC")."**

You can reduce the initial sales charge of Class A shares by taking advantage of breakpoint opportunities in the sales charge schedules, as set forth above. The sales charge for purchases of the Fund's Class A shares may also be reduced for a single purchaser through a Right of Accumulation or a Letter of Intent, as described below. To qualify for a reduced sales charge, you are responsible for notifying your dealer or BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing"), the Fund's transfer agent. Certain transactions in Class A shares may be made at NAV, as described below. If the account owner is an entity (e.g., a trust, a qualified plan, etc.), these privileges will apply to beneficial owners and trustees. These privileges are also available to investors who invest completely or partially through accounts at financial intermediaries, e.g., through accounts at broker-dealers (rather than opening an account directly with the Fund's transfer agent). To take advantage of these privileges, the account owner (or if applicable, the beneficial owner or trustee), either directly or through their registered representative or financial intermediary, as applicable, must identify and provide information to the Fund's transfer agent regarding eligibility for these privileges. Stated differently, investors must identify to the Fund's transfer agent, either directly or through their registered representative or financial intermediary, the complete universe of eligible shareholder accounts (e.g., IRA, non-retirement, 529 plan, etc.), in order to receive the maximum breakpoint discount possible. It is the responsibility of the shareholder, either directly or through their registered representative and/or financial intermediary, to ensure that the shareholder obtains the proper "breakpoint" discounts.

In order for the Fund to identify accounts opened through a financial intermediary, you or your financial intermediary must provide the Fund's transfer agent with the applicable account numbers. For purposes of identifying Fund accounts opened directly with the transfer agent, you or your registered representative must provide the Fund's transfer agent with either the applicable account numbers or the applicable tax identification numbers.

*Right of Accumulation.* You may combine your shares and the shares of your spouse and your children under the age of 21 in order to qualify for the Right of Accumulation. If you already hold Class A shares of the Fund, a reduced sales charge based on the sales charge schedule for Class A shares may apply to subsequent purchases of shares of the Fund. The sales charge on each additional purchase is determined by adding the current market value of the shares you currently own to the amount being invested. The reduced sales charge is applicable only to current purchases. It is your responsibility to notify your dealer or BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of subsequent purchases that the purchase is eligible for the reduced sales charge under the Right of Accumulation.

*Letter of Intent.* You may qualify for a reduced sales charge immediately by signing a non-binding Letter of Intent stating your intention to invest during the next 13 months a specified amount that, if made at one time, would qualify for a reduced sales charge. The first investment cannot be made more than 90 days prior to the date of the Letter of Intent. Any redemptions made during the 13-month period will be subtracted from the amount of purchases in determining whether the requirements of the Letter of Intent have been satisfied. During the term of the Letter of Intent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing will hold shares representing 5% of the indicated amount in escrow for payment of a higher sales charge if the full amount indicated in the Letter of Intent is not purchased. The escrowed shares will be released when the full amount indicated has been purchased. If the full amount indicated is not purchased within the 13-month period, your escrowed shares will be redeemed in an amount equal to the difference in the dollar amount of sales charge actually paid, and the amount of sales charge you would have had to pay on your aggregate purchases if the total of such purchases had been made at a single time. It is your responsibility to notify your dealer or BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, the Fund's transfer agent, at the time the Letter of Intent is submitted that there are prior purchases that may apply.

The Fund does not provide additional information on reduced sales charges on its website because the information is contained in its Prospectus, which is available on the Fund's website at *www.eicvalue.com.*

***Reinstatement Privilege for Class A Shares***

For a period of 45 days after you sell Class A shares of the Fund, you may reinvest your redemption proceeds in Class A shares of the Fund at NAV. You, your broker or your financial adviser must notify the Fund's transfer agent in writing of your eligibility to reinvest at NAV at the time of reinvestment in order to eliminate the sales charge on your reinvestment. The Fund may require documentation to support your eligibility.

***Sales at Net Asset Value***

The Fund may sell Class A shares at NAV (i.e., without the investor paying any initial sales charge) under certain circumstances, provided that you notify the Fund or your financial intermediary in advance of a transaction that qualifies for this privilege, including:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Direct rollovers (i.e., rollovers of Fund shares and not reinvestments of redemption proceeds) from qualified employee benefit plans, provided that the rollover involves a transfer to Class A shares in the same Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Purchases by state-sponsored 529 college savings plans;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Purchases by registered investment advisers, trust companies and bank trust departments exercising discretionary investment authority with respect to amounts to be invested in the Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Purchases by insurance company separate accounts;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Purchases by investment advisory clients of the Adviser or its affiliates;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Purchases by officers and present or former Trustees of the Trust; directors and full-time employees of selected dealers or agents; the spouse, sibling, direct ancestor or direct descendant (collectively "relatives") of any such person; any trust, individual retirement account or retirement plan account for the benefit of any such person or relative; or the estate of any such person or relative; if such shares are purchased for investment purposes (such shares may not be resold except to the Fund);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Purchases by the Adviser and its affiliates and certain employee benefit plans for employees of the Adviser;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. Purchases by persons associated with the Fund, Adviser and its affiliates, transfer agent, underwriter and custodian, fund counsel and their respective affiliates (to the extent permitted by these firms) including (a) present and former officers, trustees, directors, and partners; (b) employees and retirees; (c) immediate family members of such persons; and (d) any trust, pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for any of the persons set forth in (a) through (c);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9. Purchases by authorized retirement plans serviced or sponsored by a financial intermediary, including employer-sponsored qualified pension or profit-sharing plans (including Section 401(k) plans), custodial accounts maintained pursuant to Section 403(b)(7) retirement plans, and individual retirement accounts (including individual retirement accounts to which simplified employee pension ("SEP") contributions are made);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10. Purchases by fee-based financial planners and registered investment advisers who are purchasing on behalf of their clients and purchases through or under a wrap fee product or other investment product sponsored by a financial intermediary that charges an account management fee or other managed agency/asset allocation accounts or programs involving fee-based compensation arrangements that have entered into, or that clear trades through a financial intermediary that has entered into, an agreement with the Fund or the Underwriter. Investors may be charged a fee when effecting transactions in Class A shares through such investment accounts or products;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11. Purchases by broker-dealers who have entered into selling agreements with the Adviser for their own accounts;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12. Purchases by participants in no-transaction-fee programs of brokers (whether or not such brokers maintain an omnibus account with the Fund);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13. Purchases by financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Fund's Underwriter to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14. Purchases through the reinvestment of Fund distributions (dividends and capital gains).

The Fund reserves the right to modify or terminate these arrangements at any time.

**Class C Shares**

Sales of the Fund's Class C shares are not subject to a front-end sales charge. Because Class C shares pay a higher Rule 12b-1 fee than Class A shares or Institutional Class shares, Class C shares have higher expenses than Class A shares or Institutional Class shares.

***Distribution Plan***

The Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Fund's Class C shares, has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to pay distribution and service fees for the sale and distribution of its shares and for services provided to its shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plan for Class C shares provides for payments of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Class C shares. This fee is comprised of a distribution fee of 0.75% of average daily net assets and a shareholder service fee of 0.25% of average daily net assets.

***Contingent Deferred Sales Charge ("CDSC")***

A 1.00% CDSC will be assessed when Class C shares are redeemed within 18 months after initial purchase; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker-dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase. To the same extent, subsequent Class C share purchases will also be subject to a CDSC if you redeem them within 18 months of purchasing those shares. Pursuant to financing arrangements with the Underwriter, the Adviser may advance 1.00% of the purchase price of Class C shares, at the time of purchase, to selling brokers, dealers, or other financial intermediaries that have entered into distribution agreements with the Underwriter. Such advance will be from the Adviser's own resources. During the period the CDSC is applicable with respect to such shares, the Class C Rule 12b-1 fees (as described above) attributable to those shares will be paid to the Adviser in satisfaction of the advance. If a CDSC is not (or is no longer) applicable with respect to such shares, the Class C Rule 12b-1 fees attributable to those shares will be paid to the selling broker, dealer or other financial intermediary. Investors should inquire with their financial intermediary regarding whether the CDSC is applicable to them.

The CDSC on Class C shares is applied to the NAV at the time of your purchase or sale, whichever is lower, and will not be applied to any shares you receive through reinvested distributions. When you place an order to sell your Class C shares, the Fund will first redeem any shares that are not subject to a CDSC, followed by those you have held the longest.

The CDSC applicable to Class C shares may be waived when redeeming Class C shares: (i) purchased with reinvested dividends or capital gains; (ii) purchased through financial intermediaries who did not receive advanced sales commission payments; (iii) if, after you purchase shares, you become disabled, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS"); (iv) if the Fund redeems your shares and closes your account for not meeting the minimum balance requirement; (v) if your redemption is a required retirement plan distribution; (vi) representing minimum required distributions from an Individual Retirement Account or other retirement plan to a shareholder who has attained the age of 70½; (vii) upon the death of the last surviving shareholder of the account; or (viii) in the absolute discretion of the Fund, for other hardships with appropriate verification. If your redemption qualifies, you or your financial intermediary should notify the Underwriter or the Fund at the time of redemption to eliminate the CDSC. Financial intermediaries may charge additional fees for their services in connection with share transactions. The Fund may modify or cancel these terms at any time.

***Automatic Conversion of Class C Shares***

Class C shares of the Fund will automatically convert into Class A shares of the Fund after they have been held for eight years. This conversion will take place, in each case, in the month of or the month following the 8-year anniversary of the purchase date, provided that the Fund or the financial intermediary through which a shareholder purchased Class C shares has records verifying that the Class C shares have been held for at least eight years. The automatic conversion will be based on the relative net asset values of the two share classes without the imposition of a sales charge or fee.

The IRS currently takes the position that such automatic conversions are not taxable. Should its position change, the automatic conversion feature may be suspended. If this were to happen, you would have the option of converting your Class C shares to A shares at the anniversary date described above but may face certain tax consequences as a result.

Please note that certain financial intermediaries may convert Class C shares to Class A shares at an earlier period. Please see **Appendix A** of the Prospectus for a description of waivers or discounts available to holders of Class A shares through certain financial intermediaries. When Class C shares convert, any other Class C shares that were acquired by the shareholder by the reinvestment of dividends or distributions will also convert to Class A shares on a pro-rata basis.

**Institutional Class Shares**

Sales of the Fund's Institutional Class shares are not subject to a front-end sales charge or a Rule 12b-1 fee. Institutional Class shares are available for individuals who can meet the required minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations, or financial intermediaries purchasing for the accounts of others or certain clients of the Adviser or its affiliates. Institutional Class Shares may also be available on certain brokerage platforms. A shareholder transacting in Institutional Class Shares through a financial intermediary acting as an agent for the shareholders may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted on, other transaction-based fees, or other fees for the services of such organization.

**TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Complete the application and mail it to BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing") at the address noted below, together with a check payable to the Fund. **Please make sure your check is for at least $2,500 with respect to Class A and Class C shares and at least $10,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares.** Mail the application and your check to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> EIC Value Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> EIC Value Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (855) 430-6487 |

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The Fund will only accept checks drawn on U.S. currency on domestic banks. The Fund will not accept any of the following: cash or cash equivalents, money orders, traveler's checks, cashier's checks, bank checks, official checks and treasurer's checks, payable through checks, third-party checks, and third-party transactions.

While the Fund does not generally accept foreign investors, it may in instances where either (i) an intermediary makes shares of the Fund available or (ii) the transfer agent, in the case of a direct to Fund subscription, has satisfied its internal procedures with respect to the establishment of foreign investor accounts. Please contact Shareholder Services toll-free at (855) 430-6487 for more information.

The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions, including the Fund, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money-laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts. As requested on the application, you must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address. If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. This information will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, the Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a shareholder's identity. As required by law, the Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

**By Wire**

To make a same-day wire investment, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (855) 430-6487 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time to obtain wire instructions. An account number will be assigned to you. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $2,500 with respect to Class A and Class C shares, and at least $10,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares.** Your wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, to receive that day's price per share. Your bank may charge a wire fee.

**Individual Retirement Account and Education Savings Account Investments**

You may invest in the Fund through the following individual retirement and education savings accounts:

● Traditional Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs")

● Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees ("SIMPLE IRAs")

● Spousal IRAs

● Roth Individual Retirement Accounts ("Roth IRAs")

● Simplified Employee Pension Plans ("SEP IRAs")

● Coverdell Education Savings Accounts ("CESAs")

**TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Fill out an investment slip from a previous confirmation and write your account number on your check. **Please make sure that your check is payable to the Fund and that your additional investment is for at least $250 with respect to Class A and Class C shares.** There is no minimum additional investment amount required for Institutional Class shares. Mail the slip and your check to:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> EIC Value Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> EIC Value Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (855) 430-6487 |

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**By Wire**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (855) 430-6487 for current wire instructions. The wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, for same-day processing. Your bank may charge a wire fee. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $250 with respect to Class A and Class C shares.** There is no minimum additional investment amount required for Institutional Class shares.

**Automatic Investment Plan**

You may open an automatic investment plan account for Class A and Class C shares with a $2,500 initial purchase and a $250 monthly investment. This plan is not available for Institutional Class shares. If you have an existing account that does not include the automatic investment plan, you can contact the Fund at (855) 430-6487 to establish an automatic investment plan. The automatic investment plan provides a convenient method to have monies deducted directly from your bank account for investment in the Fund. Once you have established an account with $2,500 or more for Class A and Class C shares, you may automatically receive funds from your account on a monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual basis (minimum withdrawal of $100). The Fund may alter, modify, or terminate this plan at any time. To begin participating in this plan, please complete the Automatic Investment Plan Section found on the application or contact the Fund's transfer agent at (855) 430-6487.

**Automated Clearing House (ACH) Purchase**

Current shareholders may purchase additional shares via Automated Clearing House ("ACH"). To have this option added to your account, please send a letter to the Fund requesting this option and supply a voided check for the bank account. Only bank accounts held at domestic institutions that are ACH members may be used for these transactions.

You may not use ACH transactions for your initial purchase of Fund shares. ACH purchases will be effective at the closing price per share on the same business day for orders placed prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Orders placed thereafter will be effective at the closing price per share on the next business day. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this purchase option at any time.

Shares purchased by ACH will not be available for redemption until the transactions have cleared. Shares purchased via ACH transfer may take up to 15 days to clear.

**Purchase Price**

Class C and Institutional Class shares of the Fund are sold at the NAV next determined after receipt of the request in good order. Class A shares of the Fund are sold at the offering price, which is the NAV next determined after the request is received in good order, plus a sales charge of up to 5.50%. "Good Order" means that the purchase request is complete and includes all required information.

**Financial Intermediaries**

You may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary who may charge you a commission on your purchase, may charge additional fees and may require different minimum investments or impose other limitations on buying and selling shares. "Financial intermediaries" include brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), insurance companies, investment advisers, financial advisers, financial planners, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators, their designated intermediaries, and any other firm having a selling, administration or similar agreement. If you purchase shares through a financial intermediary, that party is responsible for transmitting orders by close of business and may have an earlier cut-off time for purchase and redemption requests. Purchase and redemption orders placed through a financial intermediary will be deemed to have been received and accepted by the Fund when the financial intermediary accepts the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. Customer orders are required to be priced at the Fund's NAV next computed after the authorized financial intermediary or its authorized representatives' receipt of the order to buy or sell. Purchase and redemption requests sent to such authorized broker (or its designee) are executed at the NAV next determined after the intermediary receives the request if transmitted to the Fund's transfer agent in accordance with the Fund's procedures and applicable law. Financial intermediaries may also designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Fund's behalf. Consult your investment representative for specific information.

It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary to transmit orders for the purchase of shares by its customers to the transfer agent and to deliver required funds on a timely basis, in accordance with the procedures stated above.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account."

**Networking and Sub-Transfer Agency Fees.** The Fund may also directly enter into agreements with financial intermediaries pursuant to which it will pay the financial intermediary for services such as networking or sub-transfer agency, including the maintenance of "street name" or omnibus accounts and related sub-accounting, record-keeping and administrative services provided to such accounts. Payments made pursuant to such agreements are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of clients serviced by such financial intermediary, or (2) the number of accounts serviced by such financial intermediary. Any payments made pursuant to such agreements are in addition to, rather than in lieu of, Rule 12b-1 distribution or shareholder service fees the financial intermediary may also be receiving.

From time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay a portion of the fees for networking or sub-transfer agency at its or their own expense and out of its or their own resources. These payments may be material to financial intermediaries relative to other compensation paid by the Fund and/or the Underwriter, the Adviser, and their affiliates. The payments described above may differ and may vary from amounts paid to the Fund's transfer agent for providing similar services to other accounts. The financial intermediaries are not audited by the Fund, the Adviser, or their service providers to determine whether such intermediaries are providing the services for which they are receiving such payments.

**Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries.** The Adviser and, from time to time, affiliates of the Adviser may also, at their own expense and out of their own resources, provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. These additional cash payments are payments over and above sales commissions or reallowances, distribution fees, or servicing fees (including networking, administration, and sub-transfer agency fees) payable to a financial intermediary, which are disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus. These additional cash payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency, shareholder or administrative services, or marketing support. Marketing support may include: (i) access to sales meetings or

conferences, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives; (ii) inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs to which financial intermediaries provide more marketing support than to other sales programs on which the Adviser or its affiliates may not need to make additional cash payments to be included; (iii) promotion of the sale of the Fund's shares in communications with a financial intermediaries' customers, sales representatives or management representatives; and/or (iv) other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of the Fund's shares. These additional cash payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to Fund shareholders. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay cash compensation in the form of finders' fees or referral fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of shares sold.

The amount and value of additional cash payments vary for each financial intermediary. The additional cash payment arrangement between a particular financial intermediary and the Adviser or its affiliates may provide for increased rates of compensation as the dollar value of the Fund's shares or particular class of shares sold or invested through such financial intermediary increases. The availability of these additional cash payments, the varying fee structure within a particular additional cash payment arrangement and the basis for and manner in which a financial intermediary compensates its sales representatives may create a financial incentive for a particular financial intermediary and its sales representatives to recommend the Fund's shares over the shares of other mutual funds based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. A financial intermediary and its sales representatives may have similar financial incentives to recommend a particular class of the Fund's shares over other classes of its shares. You should consult with your financial adviser and review carefully any disclosure by the financial firm as to compensation received by your financial adviser.

Although the Fund may use financial firms that sell Fund shares to effect portfolio transactions for the Fund, the Fund and the Adviser will not consider the sale of Fund shares as a factor when choosing financial firms to effect those transactions.

For more information about these additional cash payments made to financial intermediaries, please refer to the section entitled "Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries" located in the SAI.

**General Information About Sales Charges**

Your securities dealer is paid a commission when you buy Class A shares. Your securities dealer or servicing agent may receive different levels of compensation depending on which class of shares you buy. From time to time, some financial institutions may receive a concession up to the entire sales charge. Firms that receive a concession of the entire sales charge may be considered underwriters for the purpose of federal securities law.

**Rights Reserved by the Fund**

The Fund reserves the right to:

● reject any purchase order;

● suspend the offering of shares;

● vary the initial and subsequent investment minimums;

● waive the minimum investment requirement for any investor;

● redeem accounts with balances below the required Fund minimum. The Fund will not redeem your shares on this basis if the value of your account falls below the minimum account balance solely as a result of market conditions. The Fund will give you 60 days' prior written notice to allow you to purchase sufficient additional shares of the Fund in order to avoid such redemption;

● redeem your shares in the event your financial intermediary's relationship with the Trust is modified or terminated;

● subject to applicable law, redeem your shares in other circumstances determined by the Board of Trustees to be in the best interest of the Fund; and

● redeem your shares if you hold your shares through a financial intermediary, and you propose to transfer your shares to another financial intermediary that does not have a relationship with the Trust.

The Trust will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy**

The Fund discourages frequent purchases and redemptions, and the Trust's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures consistent with such position. The Fund is not designed to accommodate market timing or short-term trading. Frequent or excessive trades into or out of the Fund in an effort to anticipate changes in market prices of its investment portfolio is generally referred to as "market timing." Market timing can adversely impact the ability of an investment adviser to invest assets in an orderly manner, which in turn may adversely impact the expenses and the performance of the Fund. These expenses are borne by all Fund shareholders, including long-term investors who do not generate such costs. Specifically, frequent trading may result in the Fund engaging in activities to a greater extent than it otherwise would, such as maintaining higher cash balances, using a line of credit, and trading in portfolio securities, each of which may increase expenses and decrease performance. This occurs when market timers attempt to trade Fund shares when the NAV of the Fund does not reflect the value of the underlying portfolio securities.

To deter market timing and to minimize harm to the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund (i) charges a redemption fee of 2.00% on shares redeemed within thirty (30) days of purchase, and (ii) reserves the right to restrict, reject or cancel, without prior notice, any purchase order by market timers or by those persons the Fund believes are engaging in similar trading activity that, in the judgment of the Fund or the Adviser, may be disruptive to the Fund. The Fund will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. No waivers of the provisions of this policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

The Fund's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") reviews on an as-needed basis, as determined by the CCO in coordination with the Adviser and other service providers, available information related to the trading activity in the Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of market timing or similar trading practices. If in its judgment, the Fund or the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Fund may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor's account with the Fund. The Fund may modify its procedures from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Fund will apply its procedures in a manner that, in the Fund's judgment, will be uniform.

There is no guarantee that the Fund or its agents will be able to detect frequent trading activity, or the shareholders engaged in such activity, or, if it is detected, to prevent its recurrence.

In order for a financial intermediary to purchase shares of the Fund for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person, the Trust will enter into shareholder information agreements with such financial intermediary or its agent. These agreements require each financial intermediary to provide the Fund access, upon request, to information about underlying shareholder transaction activity in these accounts and the Shareholder's Taxpayer Identification Number (or International Taxpayer Identification Number or other government-issued identifier). If a shareholder information agreement has not been entered into by a financial intermediary, such financial intermediary will be prohibited from purchasing Fund shares for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name, or on behalf of another person. If necessary, the Fund may prohibit additional purchases of Fund shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers' trading activities in the Fund. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Fund. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Fund's excessive trading policies, the Fund may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES**

You may "redeem" or sell your shares on any day the Exchange is open, either directly through the Fund's transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, or through your broker-dealer. The price you receive will be the NAV next calculated after receipt of the request in good order. "Good Order" means that the redemption request is complete and includes all accurate required information, including any medallion signature guarantees, if necessary. The Fund charges a redemption fee of 2.00% on proceeds redeemed within 30 days of their acquisition (see "Redemption Fee").

**Redemption Fee**

The Fund charges a redemption fee of 2.00% on proceeds of shares redeemed within 30 days of their acquisition. The redemption fee will be calculated as a percentage of the NAV of total redemption proceeds. Those shares held the longest will be treated as being redeemed first, and the shares held the shortest as being redeemed last. The fee will be paid directly to the Fund and is intended to offset the trading costs, market impact, and other costs associated with short-term money movements in and out of the Fund. This redemption fee is not intended to accommodate short-term trading, and the Fund will monitor the assessment of redemption fees against your account.

The redemption fee will not be charged on the following transactions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Redemptions on shares held through retirement plans (including, without limitation, those maintained pursuant to Sections 401, 403, 408, 408A and 457 of the Code and nonqualified plans), unless the plan has the systematic capability of assessing the redemption fee at the participant or individual account level;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Redemptions requested following (a) the death of a shareholder, or (b) the post-purchase "disability" or "hardship" (as such terms are defined by the Code or the rules and regulations thereunder) of the shareholder or as required by law (i.e., a divorce settlement), provided that such death, disability, hardship or other event (i.e., divorce settlement) occurs after the shareholder's account was established with the Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Redemptions initiated by the Fund (e.g., for failure to meet account minimums, to pay account fees funded by share redemptions, in the event of the liquidation of the Fund, if your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Fund);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Shares acquired through the reinvestment of Fund distributions (dividends and capital gains);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Redemptions in omnibus accounts where redemptions cannot be tracked to the individual shareholder;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Redemptions by certain funds of funds and in connection with certain comprehensive fee programs, such as wrap fee accounts and automated rebalancing or asset allocation programs offered by financial intermediaries; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Redemptions for systematic withdrawal plans.

**Redemption Policies**

Payment for redemptions of Fund shares is usually made within one business day, but not later than seven calendar days after receipt of your redemption request unless the check used to purchase the shares has not yet cleared. The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment for more than seven days during any period when (1) trading on the Exchange is restricted, or the Exchange is closed for other than customary weekends and holidays, (2) the SEC has by order permitted such suspension for the protection of the Fund's shareholders, or (3) an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable. The Fund will automatically redeem shares if a purchase check is returned for insufficient funds, and the shareholder's account will be charged for any loss. The Fund reserves the right to reject any third-party check.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally meets redemption requests through its holdings of cash or cash equivalents or by selling a portion of the Fund's holdings consistent with its investment strategy. The Fund generally pays redemptions proceeds in cash; however, the Fund reserves the right to honor certain redemptions "in-kind" with securities, rather than cash. The Fund is more likely to redeem in-kind to meet large redemption requests or during times of market stress.

**TO REDEEM FROM YOUR ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

To redeem your shares by mail:

● Write a letter of instruction that includes: the name of the Fund, your account number, the name(s) in which the account is registered, and the dollar value or number of shares you wish to sell.

● Include all signatures and any additional documents that may be required.

● Mail your request to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> EIC Value Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> EIC Value Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (855) 430-6487 |

---

● A check will be mailed to the name(s) and address in which the account is registered and may take up to seven days to mail.

● The Fund may require additional documentation or a medallion signature guarantee on any redemption request to help protect against fraud.

● The Fund requires a medallion signature guarantee if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days, or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record.

**By Telephone**

To redeem your shares by telephone, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (855) 430-6487. The proceeds will be paid to the registered owner: (1) by mail at the address on the account, or (2) by wire to the pre-designated bank account on the fund account. To use the telephone redemption privilege, you must have selected this service on your original account application or submitted a subsequent medallion signature guaranteed request in writing to add this service to your account. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing reserve the right to refuse any telephone transaction when they are unable to confirm to their satisfaction that a caller is the account owner, or a person preauthorized by the account owner. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing has established security procedures to prevent unauthorized account access. Neither the Fund nor any of its service contractors will be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The telephone transaction privilege may be suspended, limited, modified, or terminated at any time without prior notice by the Fund or BNY Mellon Investment Servicing.

**By Wire**

In the case of redemption proceeds that are wired to a bank, the Fund transmits the payment only on days that commercial banks are open for business and only to the bank and account previously authorized on your application or your medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing will not be responsible for any delays in wired redemption proceeds due to heavy wire traffic over the Federal Reserve System. The Fund reserves the right to refuse a wire redemption if it believes that it is advisable to do so. You may also have your redemption proceeds sent to your bank via ACH. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing does not charge for this service; however, please allow 2 to 3 business days for the transfer of money to reach your banking institution.

**Systematic Withdrawal Plan**

Once you have established an account with $2,500 or more, you may automatically receive funds from your account on a monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual basis (minimum withdrawal of $100). Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (855) 430-6487 to request a form to start the Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

**Selling Recently Purchased Shares**

If you wish to sell shares that were recently purchased by check, the Fund may delay mailing your redemption check for up to 15 business days after your redemption request to allow the purchase check to clear. The Fund reserves the right to reject any redemption request for shares recently purchased by check that has not cleared, and the Fund may require that a subsequent request be submitted. The Fund charges a redemption fee on proceeds redeemed within 60 days following their acquisition (see "Redemption of Shares — Redemption Fee").

**Late Trading**

Late trading is the practice of buying or selling Fund shares at the closing price after the Fund's NAV has been set for the day. Federal securities laws governing mutual funds prohibit late trading. The Fund has adopted trading policies designed to comply with requirements of the federal securities laws.

**TRANSACTION POLICIES**

**Timing of Purchase or Sale Requests**

All requests received in Good Order by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing or authorized dealers of Fund shares before the close of regular trading on the Exchange, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, will be executed the same day, at that day's NAV. Such orders received after the close of regular trading of the Exchange will be executed the following day, at that day's NAV. All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Purchase and redemption orders are executed only on days when the Exchange is open for trading. If the Exchange closes early, the deadlines for purchase and redemption orders are accelerated to the earlier closing time.

**New York Stock Exchange Closings**

The Exchange is typically closed for trading on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

**Investments through Financial Intermediaries/Nominees**

When you invest through a financial intermediary or nominee, such as a broker-dealer or financial adviser (rather than directly through the Fund), certain policies and fees regarding your investment in the Fund may be different than those described in this Prospectus. In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." Financial intermediaries and nominees may charge transaction fees, may charge you a commission on your purchase, and may set different minimum investments or limitations or procedures on buying or selling shares; however, in the event that your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, and you chose to open an account directly with a Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker or, if applicable, a broker's designee receives the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. You will not be charged any additional fees by the Fund (other than those described in this Prospectus) if you purchase or redeem shares directly through the Fund's transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing.

Contact your financial intermediary for specific information regarding the availability and suitability of various account options described throughout this Prospectus. Contact your financial intermediary for specific information with respect to the financial intermediary's policies regarding minimum purchase and minimum balance requirements and involuntary redemption, which may differ from what is described throughout this Prospectus.

**Account Minimum**

You must keep at least $2,500 worth of shares in your Class A and Class C shares account to keep the account open. If, after giving you 30 days' prior written notice, your account value is still below $2,500 in your Class A and Class C account due to your redemptions (not including market fluctuations), the Fund may redeem your shares and send you a check for the redemption proceeds. Institutional Class shares require a minimum balance of $10,000 (not including market fluctuations). Certain financial intermediaries may waive or require different account minimums.

**Medallion Signature Guarantees**

The Fund may require additional documentation for the redemption of corporate, partnership, or fiduciary accounts, or medallion signature guarantees for certain types of transfer requests or account registration changes. A medallion signature guarantee helps protect against fraud. A medallion signature guarantee is required if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days, or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record. When the Fund requires a signature guarantee, a medallion signature must be provided. A medallion signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency, saving association, or other financial institution that is participating in a medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The Fund recognizes the following three medallion programs: (i) Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP), (ii) Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP), and (iii) New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature guarantees from a financial institution that does not participate in one of these programs will not be accepted. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (855) 430-6487 for further information on obtaining a proper signature guarantee.

**Customer Identification Program**

Federal law requires the Fund to obtain, verify and record identifying information, which includes the name, residential or business street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or taxpayer identification number or other identifying information for each investor who opens or reopens an account with the Fund. Applications without the required information, or without any indication that a social security or taxpayer identification number has been applied for, will not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Fund reserves the right to (i) place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (ii) refuse an investment in the Fund or to involuntarily redeem an investor's shares and close an account in the event that an investor's identity is not verified. The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account resulting from the investor's delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor's shares when an investor's identity cannot be verified.

**Other Documents**

Additional documents may be required for purchases and redemptions when shares are registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, association, agent, fiduciary, trust, estate, or other organization. For further information, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (855) 430-6487.

**SHAREHOLDER SERVICES**

**Your Account**

If you have questions about your account, including purchases, redemptions, and distributions, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (855) 430 6487 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

**Account Statements**

The Fund currently provides the following account information:

● confirmation statements after transactions (except for certain automatic transactions, such as those related to automatic investment plan purchases or dividend reinvestments);

● account statements reflecting transactions made during the covered period (generally, monthly for Institutional Class shares, and quarterly or annually for other share classes);

● tax information, which will be mailed each year by the IRS deadline, a copy of which will also be filed with the IRS, if necessary.

Financial statements with a summary of portfolio composition and performance will be available at least twice a year.

The Fund routinely provides the above shareholder services but may charge additional fees for special services such as requests for historical transcripts of accounts.

With the exception of statutorily required items, the Fund may change any of the above practices without notice.

**Delivery of Shareholder Documents**

To reduce expenses, the Fund mails only one copy of the Fund's Prospectus and each Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (855) 430-6487 or, if your shares are held through a financial institution, please contact the financial institution directly. The Fund will begin sending you individual copies within 30 days after receiving your request.

**DISTRIBUTIONS**

Distributions of net investment income and net capital gains, if any, are declared and paid annually or semi-annually to you. The amount of any distribution will vary, and there is no guarantee that the Fund will distribute either investment income or capital gains.

Distributions are payable to the shareholders of record at the time the distributions are declared (including holders of shares being redeemed but excluding holders of shares being purchased). All distributions are reinvested in additional shares unless you elect to receive the distributions in cash. Shares become entitled to receive distributions on the day after the shares are issued. If you invest in the Fund shortly before the ex-dividend date of a taxable distribution, the distribution will lower the value of the Fund's shares by the amount of the distribution, and, in effect, you will receive some of your investment back in the form of a taxable distribution (see "More Information about Taxes — Distributions").

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TAXES**

Each shareholder and prospective investor's particular tax situation is unique, and, therefore, the tax information in this Prospectus is provided only for general information purposes and only for U.S. taxpayers and should not be considered as tax advice or relied on by a shareholder or prospective investor.

**General.** The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a regulated investment company (a "RIC") under Subchapter M of the Code. As such, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders provided it satisfies certain requirements and restrictions set forth in the Code, one of which is to distribute to its shareholders substantially all of its income and gains each year. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC: (1) it will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and will be subject to tax at the corporate tax rates then in effect; and (2) all distributions from its earnings and profits (as determined under federal income tax principles) will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and the non-corporate shareholder long-term capital gain rate for "qualified dividend income" and ordinary rates for all other distributions, except for those treated as a return of capital or substitute dividends with respect to dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund. In addition, dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

**Distributions.** The Fund will make distributions to you that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains (which may be taxed at different rates depending on the length of time the Fund holds its assets). The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state, and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions are taxable whether you reinvest such distributions in additional shares of the Fund or choose to receive cash.

Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred retirement account (such as a 401(k) or an IRA), you should consider avoiding a purchase of Fund shares shortly before the Fund makes a distribution, because making such a purchase can increase your taxes and the cost of the shares. This is known as "buying a dividend." For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the Fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you received — even if you reinvest it in more shares and have to pay the tax due on the dividend without receiving any cash to pay the taxes. To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest.

**Ordinary Income.** Net investment income (except for qualified dividends and income designated as tax-exempt), distributions of income from securities lending, and short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Certain dividends distributed to non-corporate shareholders and designated by the Fund as "qualified dividend income" are

eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rates. Short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. In addition, certain qualified REIT dividends may be eligible for a deduction for non-corporate shareholders.

**Net Capital Gains.** Net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) distributed to you, if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains (based on the Fund's holding period) for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Sale of Shares.** It is a taxable event for you if you sell shares of the Fund. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you sell, you may have a taxable gain or loss on the transaction. Any realized gain will be taxable to you, and, generally, will be capital gain, assuming you held the shares of the Fund as a capital asset. The capital gain will be long-term or short-term, depending on how long you have held your shares in the Fund. Sales of shares of the Fund that you have held for twelve months or less will be a short-term capital gain or loss and, if held for more than twelve months will constitute a long-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends, if any, received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.

**Returns of Capital.** If the Fund's distributions exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in the same taxable year may be re-characterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable to the extent of each shareholder's basis in the Fund's shares but will reduce each shareholder's cost basis in the Fund and result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold. If the return of capital distribution exceeds a shareholder's cost basis, the excess amount will be capital gain, assuming you held your shares as a capital asset, and will be long-term or short-term capital gain depending on how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Medicare Contribution Tax.** U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000, if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately) will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income including interest (excluding tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains. If applicable, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of the individual's (i) net investment income or (ii) the excess of modified adjusted gross income over $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately).

**IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans.** One major exception to these tax principles is that a distribution on or the sale or exchange of shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless the shares were acquired with borrowed funds.

**Backup Withholding.** The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on all taxable distributions and sales payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

**State and Local Income Taxes.** This Prospectus does not discuss the state and local tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. **You are urged and advised to consult your own tax adviser concerning state and local taxes, which may have different consequences from those of the federal income tax laws.**

**Non-U.S. Shareholders.** Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. tax as a result of an investment in the Fund. The Fund is required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments made to foreign entities that do not qualify for reduced withholding rates under a treaty and do not meet specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. This Prospectus does not discuss the U.S. or foreign country tax consequences of an investment by a non-U.S. shareholder in the Fund. **Non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the U.S. and foreign country tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**Basis Reporting and Holding Periods.** A shareholder is responsible for tracking the tax basis and holding periods of the shareholder's shares in the Fund for federal income tax purposes. However, RICs, such as the Fund, must report cost basis information to you and the IRS when a shareholder sells or exchanges shares that are not in a tax-deferred retirement account. The Fund will permit shareholders to elect from among several IRS accepted cost basis methods.

**Statements and Notices.** You will receive an annual statement outlining the tax status of your distributions. You may also receive written notices of certain foreign taxes and distributions paid by the Fund during the prior taxable year.

***This section is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations of taxable U.S. shareholders that may affect your investment in the Fund. This summary is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered as tax advice and may not be relied on by a prospective investor. This general summary does not apply to non-U.S. shareholders or tax-exempt shareholders, and does not address state, local or foreign taxes. More information regarding these considerations is included in the Fund's SAI. All prospective investors and shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser regarding the effects of an investment in the Fund on their particular tax situation.***

**financial Highlights**

The Financial Highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the periods shown. The EIC Value Fund's fiscal year runs from May 1 to April 30. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate at which an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from financial statements audited by Cohen & Company Ltd., an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in form N-CSR for the period ended April 30, 2025. The 2025 financial statements and Financial Highlights are incorporated by reference into the Fund's SAI and is available upon request by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (855) 430-6487 or by visiting the website at *www.eicvalue.com.* Information for the fiscal years from April 30, 2024 and prior was audited by the former independent registered public accounting firm.

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** |
|  | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30, <br> 2025** | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30, <br> 2024** | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30, <br> 2023** | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30, <br> 2022** | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30, <br> 2021** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $17.05 | $15.45 | $16.06 | $16.46 | $11.73 |
| Net investment income<sup>1</sup> | 0.40 | 0.42 | 0.35 | 0.28 | 0.23 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.76 | 1.85 | (0.04) | 1.10 | 5.32 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.16 | 2.27 | 0.31 | 1.38 | 5.55 |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net investment income | (0.41) | (0.63) |  | (0.27) | (0.25) |
| Net realized capital gains | (1.19) | (0.04) | (0.92) | (1.51) | (0.57) |
| Total dividends and distributions to shareholders | (1.60) | (0.67) | (0.92) | (1.78) | (0.82) |
| Redemption fees | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | 0.00<sup>2</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $17.61 | $17.05 | $15.45 | $16.06 | $16.46 |
| Total investment return<sup>3</sup> | 12.72% | 15.09% | 2.06% | 8.64% | 48.85% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year (in 000s) | $285486 | $243814 | $227844 | $207437 | $148961 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.95% | 0.93% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements<sup>4</sup> | 0.97% | 0.98% | 1.01% | 1.00% | 1.07% |
| Ratio of net investment income to average net assets | 2.28% | 2.63% | 2.24% | 1.69% | 1.70% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 29% | 38% | 39% | 33% | 41% |

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<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the year.

<sup>2</sup> Amount is less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>3</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any.

<sup>4</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Class C** | **Class C** | **Class C** | **Class C** | **Class C** |
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2022** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2021** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $16.51 | $14.95 | $15.72 | $16.10 | $11.52 |
| Net investment income<sup>1</sup> | 0.22 | 0.25 | 0.19 | 0.11 | 0.09 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.69 | 1.79 | (0.04) | 1.07 | 5.22 |
| Total from investment operations | 1.91 | 2.04 | 0.15 | 1.18 | 5.31 |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net investment income | (0.24) | (0.44) |  | (0.05) | (0.16) |
| Net realized capital gains | (1.19) | (0.04) | (0.92) | (1.51) | (0.57) |
| Total dividends and distributions to shareholders | (1.43) | (0.48) | (0.92) | (1.56) | (0.73) |
| Redemption fees | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | 0.00<sup>2</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $16.99 | $16.51 | $14.95 | $15.72 | $16.10 |
| Total investment return<sup>3</sup> | 11.57% | 13.91% | 1.07% | 7.56% | 47.46% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year (in 000s) | $7390 | $6451 | $6371 | $8933 | $16926 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 1.95% | 1.95% | 1.95% | 1.95% | 1.93% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements<sup>4</sup> | 1.97% | 1.99% | 2.01% | 2.00% | 2.07% |
| Ratio of net investment income to average net assets | 1.28% | 1.63% | 1.24% | 0.69% | 0.70% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 29% | 38% | 39% | 33% | 41% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the year.

<sup>2</sup> Amount is less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>3</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any. Total investment return does not reflect any applicable sales charge.

<sup>4</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Class A** | **Class A** | **Class A** | **Class A** | **Class A** |
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2022** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2021** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $17.03 | $15.43 | $16.08 | $16.48 | $11.75 |
| Net investment income<sup>1</sup> | 0.36 | 0.38 | 0.31 | 0.24 | 0.20 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.74 | 1.85 | (0.04) | 1.10 | 5.33 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.10 | 2.23 | 0.27 | 1.34 | 5.53 |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net investment income | (0.36) | (0.59) |  | (0.23) | (0.23) |
| Net realized capital gains | (1.19) | (0.04) | (0.92) | (1.51) | (0.57) |
| Total dividends and distributions to shareholders | (1.55) | (0.63) | (0.92) | (1.74) | (0.80) |
| Redemption fees | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | 0.00<sup>2</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $17.58 | $17.03 | $15.43 | $16.08 | $16.48 |
| Total investment return<sup>3</sup> | 12.39% | 14.78% | 1.80% | 8.39% | 48.52% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year (in 000s) | $25224 | $23205 | $21776 | $19522 | $11784 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 1.20% | 1.20% | 1.20% | 1.20% | 1.18% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements<sup>4</sup> | 1.22% | 1.24% | 1.26% | 1.25%<sup>4</sup> | 1.32% |
| Ratio of net investment income to average net assets | 2.03% | 2.38% | 1.99% | 1.44% | 1.45% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 29% | 38% | 39% | 33% | 41% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the year.

<sup>2</sup> Amount is less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>3</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any. Total investment return does not reflect the impact of the maximum front-end sales load of 5.50%, or any applicable sales charge. If reflected, the return would be lower.

<sup>4</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

**APPENDIX A**

**Intermediary-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies**

The availability of certain initial or deferred sales charge waivers and discounts may depend on the particular financial intermediary or type of account through which you purchase or hold Fund shares.

Intermediaries may have different policies and procedures regarding the availability of front-end sales load waivers or contingent deferred (back-end) sales load ("CDSC") waivers, which are discussed below. In all instances, it is the purchaser's responsibility to notify the fund or the purchaser's financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts. For waivers and discounts not available through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares directly from the Fund or through another intermediary to receive these waivers or discounts.

**Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. & each entity's affiliates ("Raymond James")**

Effective March 1, 2019, shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Raymond James platform or account, or through an introducing broker-dealer or independent registered investment adviser for which Raymond James provides trade execution, clearance, and/or custody services, will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in the Fund's Prospectus or SAI.

**Front-end sales load waivers on Class A shares available at Raymond James**

● Shares purchased in an investment advisory program.

● Shares purchased within the same fund family through a systematic reinvestment of capital gains and dividend distributions.

● Employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James.

● Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement).

● A shareholder in the Fund's Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James.

**CDSC Waivers on Classes A, B and C shares available at Raymond James**

● Death or disability of the shareholder.

● Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus.

● Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account.

● Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations as described in the Fund's Prospectus.

● Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James.

● Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

**Front-end load discounts available at Raymond James: breakpoints, and/or rights of accumulation, and/or letters of intent:**

● Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus.

● Rights of accumulation which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Raymond James. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of rights of accumulation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

● Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases with a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

**Janney Montgomery Scott LLC ("Janney")**

Effective May 1, 2020, if you purchase Fund shares through a Janney brokerage account, you will be eligible for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC"), or back-end sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund's Prospectus or SAI.

**Front-end sales charge\* waivers on Class A shares available at Janney**

● Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Janney or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Janney.

● Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within ninety (90) days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (i.e., right of reinstatement).

● Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b)plans, profit-sharing, and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs, or Keogh plans.

● Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

● Class C shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Janney's policies and procedures.

**CDSC waivers on Class A and C shares available at Janney**

● Shares sold upon the death or disability of the shareholder.

● Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus.

● Shares purchased in connection with a return of excess contributions from an IRA account.

● Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and other retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in the Fund's Prospectus.

● Shares sold to pay Janney fees, but only if the transaction is initiated by Janney.

● Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

● Shares exchanged into the same share class of a different fund.

**Front-end sales charge\* discounts available at Janney: breakpoints, rights of accumulation, and/or letters of intent**

● Breakpoints as described in the Fund's Prospectus.

● Rights of accumulation ("ROA"), which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts, will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Janney. Eligible fund family assets not held at Janney may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

● Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Janney Montgomery Scott may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

**Morgan Stanley Wealth Management ("Morgan Stanley")**

Effective September 1, 2021, shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley brokerage account will be eligible only for the following front-end sales charge waivers with respect to Class A shares, which may differ from and may be more limited than those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund's Prospectus or SAI.

**Front-end sales charge waivers on Class A shares available at Morgan Stanley** 

● Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans.

● Morgan Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC's account linking rules.

● Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund.

● Shares purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account.

● Class C (i.e., level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Morgan Stanley's share class conversion program.

● Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (i) the repurchase occurs within 90 days' following the redemption, (ii) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (iii) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge.

**Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc. ("Stifel")**

Effective July 1, 2025, shareholders purchasing or holding Fund shares, including existing fund shareholders, through a Stifel or affiliated platform that provides trade execution, clearance, and/or custody services, will be eligible for the following sales charge load waivers (including front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, (CDSC) sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this prospectus or the Fund's SAI.

**CLASS A SHARES**

As described elsewhere in this prospectus, Stifel may receive compensation out of the front-end sales charge if you purchase Class A shares through Stifel.

**Rights of accumulation**

Rights of accumulation (ROA) that entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts on front-end sales charges will be calculated by Stifel based on the aggregated holding of eligible assets in the Fund held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Stifel. Ineligible assets include class A Money Market Funds not assessed a sales charge. Fund assets not held at Stifel may be included in the calculation of ROA only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

The employer maintaining a SEP IRA plan and/or SIMPLE IRA plan may elect to establish or change ROA for the IRA accounts associated with the plan to a plan-level grouping as opposed to including all share classes at a shareholder or pricing group level.

**Front-end sales charge waivers on Class A shares available at Stifel**

● Class C shares that have been held for more than seven (7) years may be converted to Class A shares or other front-end share class(es) of the same fund pursuant to Stifel's policies and procedures. To the extent that this prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to the exchange or conversion of such shares following a shorter holding period, those provisions shall continue to apply.

● Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Stifel or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Stifel.

● Shares purchased in a Stifel fee-based advisory program, often referred to as a "wrap" program.

● Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same or other fund within the Fund.

● Shares purchased from the proceeds of redeemed shares of the Fund so long as the proceeds are from the sale of shares from an account with the same owner/beneficiary within 90 days of the purchase. For the absence of doubt, automated transactions (i.e. systematic purchases, including salary deferral transactions and withdrawals) and purchases made after shares are sold to cover Stifel Nicolaus' account maintenance fees are not eligible for rights of reinstatement.

● Shares from rollovers into Stifel from retirement plans to IRAs.

● Shares exchanged into Class A shares from another share class so long as the exchange is into the same fund and was initiated at the direction of Stifel. Stifel is responsible for any remaining CDSC due to the fund company, if applicable. Any future purchases are subject to the applicable sales charge as disclosed in this prospectus.

● Purchases of Class 529-A shares through a rollover from another 529 plan.

● Purchases of Class 529-A shares made for reinvestment of refunded amounts.

● Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs.

● Charitable organizations and foundations, notably 501(c)(3) organizations.

**Contingent Deferred Sales Charges Waivers on Class A and C Shares**

● Death or disability of the shareholder or, in the case of 529 plans, the account beneficiary.

● Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan not to exceed 12% annually.

● Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account.

● Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations.

● Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

● Shares sold to pay Stifel fees or costs in such cases where the transaction is initiated by Stifel.

● Shares exchanged or sold in a Stifel fee-based program.

**Share Class Conversions in Advisory Accounts**

● Stifel continually looks to provide its clients with the lowest cost share class available based on account type. Stifel reserves the right to convert shares to the lowest cost share class available at Stifel upon transfer of shares into an advisory program.

**Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (collectively, "Wells Fargo Advisors")**

**Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC operates a First Clearing business, but these rules are not intended to include First Clearing firms.**

Effective April 1, 2026, Clients of Wells Fargo Advisors purchasing fund shares through Wells Fargo Advisors are eligible for the following sales charge discounts (also referred to as "breakpoints") and waivers, which can differ from discounts and waivers described elsewhere in the prospectus or statement of additional information ("SAI"). In all instances, it is the investor's responsibility to inform Wells Fargo Advisors at the time of purchase of any relationship, holdings, or other facts qualifying the investor for discounts or waivers. Wells Fargo Advisors can ask for documentation supporting the qualification.

**Wells Fargo Advisors Class A share front-end sales charge waivers information.**

Wells Fargo Advisors clients purchasing or converting to Class A shares of the fund in a Wells Fargo Advisors brokerage account are entitled to a waiver of the front-end load in the following circumstances:

● Wells Fargo Advisors employee and employee-related accounts according to Wells Fargo Advisor's employee account linking rules. Legacy accounts and positions receiving affiliate discounts prior to the effective date will continue to receive discounts. Going forward employees of affiliate businesses will not be offered NAV.

● Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund.

WellsTrade, the firm's online self-directed brokerage account, generally offers no-load share classes but there could be instances where a Class A share is offered without a front-end sales charge.

**Wells Fargo Advisors Class 529-A share front-end sales charge waivers information.**

Wells Fargo Advisors clients purchasing or converting to Class 529-A shares of the fund through Wells Fargo Advisors transactional brokerage accounts are entitled to a waiver of the front-end load in the following circumstances:

● Shares purchased through a rollover from another 529 plan.

● Recontribution(s) of distributed funds are only allowed during the NAV reinstatement period as dictated by the sponsor's specifications outlined by the plan.

Wells Fargo Advisors is not able to apply the NAV Reinstatement privilege for 529 Plan account purchases placed directly at the fund company. Investors wishing to utilize this privilege outside of Wells Fargo systems will need to do so directly with the Plan or a financial intermediary that supports this feature.

Unless specifically described above, other front-end load waivers are not available on mutual fund purchases through Wells Fargo Advisors.

**Wells Fargo Advisors Contingent Deferred Sales Charge information.**

● Contingent deferred sales charges (CDSC) imposed on fund redemptions will not be rebated based on future purchases.

**Wells Fargo Advisors Class A front-end load discounts**

Wells Fargo Advisors Clients purchasing Class A shares of the fund through Wells Fargo Advisors brokerage accounts will follow the following aggregation rules for breakpoint discounts:

● Effective April 1, 2026, SEP or SIMPLE IRAs will not be aggregated as a group plan. They will aggregate with the client's personal accounts based on Social Security Number. Previously established SEP and SIMPLE IRAs may still be aggregated as a group plan.

● Effective April 1, 2026, Employer-sponsored retirement plan (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans) accounts will aggregate with other plan accounts under the same Tax ID and will not be aggregated with other retirement plan accounts under a different Tax ID or personal accounts. For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans.

● Gift of shares will not be considered when determining breakpoint discounts.

**EIC VALUE FUND** *a series of* **FundVantage Trust**

(855) 430-6487

**FOR MORE INFORMATION**

**For additional information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:**

**Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information**

The Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information contain more information about the Fund's investments and performance including information on the Fund's portfolio holdings and operating results for the most recently completed fiscal year or half-year. The Annual Financials and Additional Information includes a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year.

**Statement of Additional Information (SAI)**

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Fund and its policies. The information in the SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is part of this Prospectus.

These documents will be available free of charge on the Fund's website at *www.eicvalue.com*. You can also get a free copy of these documents and other information, or ask us any questions, including information on how to purchase or redeem Fund shares, by calling us at (855) 430-6487 or writing to:

EIC Value Fund FundVantage Trust c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing P.O. Box 534445 Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445

If you buy your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact that financial intermediary directly for this information. You can also find information online at *www.eicvalue.com.*

Reports and information about the Fund (including the SAI and Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information) also may be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov.* Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

The investment company registration number is 811-22027. STEIC-0925

**EIC VALUE FUND**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class A** | **Class C** | **Institutional Class** |
| **EICVX** | **EICCX** | **EICIX** |

---

**A SERIES OF**

**FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**

**SEPTEMBER 1, 2025**

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") provides information about the EIC Value Fund (the "Fund"). The Fund is a series of FundVantage Trust (the "Trust").

This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Fund's current prospectus dated September 1, 2025, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the "Prospectus"). This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. The Fund's audited financial statements and the notes thereto, which are included in the Fund's [Annual Financials and Additional Information](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155424/d75285dncsr.htm) dated April 30, 2025, are incorporated into this SAI by reference. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Financials and Additional Information may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Fund at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, or calling the Fund at (855) 430-6487 or on the Fund's website at *www.eicvalue.com.*

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **Page** |
| [General Information](#sai-eicvx_023) | 1 |
| [Investment Policies](#sai-eicvx_024) | 1 |
| [Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings](#sai-eicvx_003) | 33 |
| [Investment Limitations](#sai-eicvx_004) | 34 |
| [Trustees and Officers](#sai-eicvx_005) | 35 |
| [Code of Ethics](#sai-eicvx_006) | 40 |
| [Proxy Voting](#sai-eicvx_007) | 40 |
| [Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities](#sai-eicvx_008) | 41 |
| [Investment Advisory Services](#sai-eicvx_009) | 42 |
| [Portfolio Managers](#sai-eicvx_010) | 43 |
| [Administration and Accounting Services](#sai-eicvx_011) | 45 |
| [Additional Service Providers](#sai-eicvx_012) | 45 |
| [Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices](#sai-eicvx_013) | 46 |
| [Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries](#sai-eicvx_014) | 47 |
| [Distribution of Shares and Rule 12b-1 Plan](#sai-eicvx_015) | 47 |
| [Capital Stock and Other Securities](#sai-eicvx_016) | 49 |
| [Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares](#sai-eicvx_017) | 50 |
| [Dividends](#sai-eicvx_018) | 51 |
| [Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations](#sai-eicvx_019) | 51 |
| [Financial Statements](#sai-eicvx_020) | 61 |
| [Appendix A — Description of Ratings](#sai-eicvx_021) | A-1 |
| [Appendix B — Proxy Voting Policies](#sai-eicvx_022) | B-1 |

---

i

**GENERAL INFORMATION**

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 28, 2006. The Trust is a series trust authorized to issue separate series or classes of shares of beneficial interest. The Trust has established the Fund as a separate series of the Trust. This SAI relates only to the Fund. The Fund is further divided into Class A, Class C and Institutional Class. The Fund is a diversified, open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). Equity Investment Corporation (the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

**INVESTMENT POLICIES**

The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objective and policies of the Fund.

**BANK OBLIGATIONS.** Bank obligations in which the Fund may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties, which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits. The Fund will not invest in fixed time deposits which (1) are not subject to prepayment or (2) provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits) if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in such deposits, repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days and other illiquid assets.

Obligations of foreign banks involve somewhat different investment risks than those affecting obligations of United States banks, including the possibilities that their liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments, that their obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of United States banks, that a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations, that foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized, that foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations and that the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to United States banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any U.S. Government agency or instrumentality.

● **BANKERS' ACCEPTANCES**. Bankers' acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft that has been drawn on it by a customer. These instruments reflect the obligation of both the bank and the drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity.

● **CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT**. Certificates of deposit are certificates evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank to repay funds deposited with it for a definite period of time (usually from 14 days to one year) at a stated or variable interest rate. Variable-rate certificates of deposit provide that the interest rate will fluctuate on designated dates based on changes in a designated base rate (such as the composite rate for certificates of deposit established by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York).

● **TIME DEPOSITS**. Time deposits are bank deposits for fixed periods of time. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which may vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.

**BORROWING.** The Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. This means that, in general, the Fund may borrow money from banks for any purpose on a secured basis in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may also borrow money for temporary administrative purposes on an unsecured basis in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets.

Specifically, provisions of the 1940 Act require the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.

As noted below, the Fund also may enter into certain transactions, including reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls, and sale-buybacks, that can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing or financing transaction by the Fund. The Derivatives Rule (as defined below) regulates a registered investment company's use of derivatives and certain other transactions that creature future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. This new rule became operative in August 2022. The Derivatives Rule prescribes specific "value at risk" or "VaR" (further defined below) leverage limits that apply to the Fund with derivatives and other applicable transactions (although the Fund may qualify for the Limited Derivatives User Exception (as defined below)). VaR is an estimate of potential losses on an instrument or portfolio over a specified time horizon and at a given confidence level. The Fund may apply a relative VaR test or an absolute VaR test (if the Fund's derivative risk manager, if applicable, determines that a designated reference portfolio would not provide an appropriate reference portfolio for purposes of the relative VaR test. The limit under the relative VaR test is 200% of the VaR of a designated reference portfolio, which, very generally, may be a designated unleveraged index or the Fund's securities portfolio excluding derivatives. If applicable, the limit under the absolute VaR test is 20% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Derivatives Rule also requires the Fund, if applicable, to appoint a derivatives risk manager, maintain a derivatives risk management program designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with transactions covered by the rule, and abide by certain Board and other reporting obligations and recordkeeping requirements. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, the Derivatives Rule permits a fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under the Derivatives Rule. The Fund has adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with the Derivatives Rule. Compliance with the Derivatives Rule could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which the Fund may engage in derivative transactions could also limit or prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value ("NAV") of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs, which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls, and economically similar transactions. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a portfolio-eligible security by the Fund to another party coupled with its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund continues to be entitled to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by the Fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by the Fund which it is obligated to repurchase.

A "mortgage dollar roll" is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement in certain respects. In a "dollar roll" transaction, the Fund sells a mortgage-related security, such as a security issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a predetermined price. A dollar roll can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which the Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Unlike in the case of reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but only securities which are "substantially identical." To be considered substantially identical, the securities returned to the Fund generally must: (1) be collateralized by the same types of underlying mortgages; (2) be issued by the same agency and be part of the same program; (3) have a similar original stated maturity; (4) have identical net coupon rates; (5) have similar market yields (and therefore price); and (6) satisfy "good delivery" requirements, meaning that the aggregate principal amounts of the securities delivered and received back must be within 0.01% of the initial amount delivered.

The Fund also may effect simultaneous purchase and sale transactions that are known as "sale-buybacks." A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty that purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of the Fund's repurchase of the underlying security.

It is possible that changing government regulation may affect the Fund's use of these strategies. Changes in regulatory requirements concerning margin for certain types of financing transactions, such as repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and borrowing, could impact the Fund's ability to utilize these investment strategies and techniques.

**COMMERCIAL PAPER.** The Fund may invest in commercial paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (up to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities in order to finance their current operations.

**COMMON STOCK.** Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company or other entity. This ownership interest often gives the Fund the right to vote on measures affecting the company's organization and operations. Although common stocks generally have had a history of long-term growth in value, their prices are often volatile in the short-term and can be influenced by both general market risk and specific corporate risks. Accordingly, the Fund can lose money through its stock investments.

**CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in convertible securities, which may offer higher income than the common stocks into which they are convertible. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock, or other security that entitles the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to non-convertible debt or preferred securities, as applicable. Convertible securities are subordinate in rank to any senior debt obligations of the issuer, and, therefore, an issuer's convertible securities entail more risk than its debt obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible debt securities of similar credit quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. In addition, convertible securities are often lower-rated securities. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation's capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation's common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security.

Because of the conversion feature, the price of the convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying asset, and as such, it is subject to risks relating to the activities of the issuer and/or general market and economic conditions. The income component of a convertible security may tend to cushion the security against declines in the price of the underlying asset. However, the income component of convertible securities causes fluctuations based upon changes in interest rates and the credit quality of the issuer.

If the convertible security's "conversion value," which is the market value of the underlying common stock that would be obtained upon the conversion of the convertible security, is substantially below the "investment value," which is the value of a convertible security viewed without regard to its conversion feature (i.e., strictly on the basis of its yield), the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. If the conversion value of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the value of the security will be principally influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security will sell at a premium over its conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding an income-producing security.

A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a predetermined price. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund would be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security and convert it to underlying common stock or would sell the convertible security to a third party, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective. The Fund generally would invest in convertible securities for their favorable price characteristics and total return potential and would normally not exercise an option to convert unless the security is called or conversion is forced.

**CORPORATE DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund's investments in U.S. dollar or foreign currency-denominated corporate debt securities of domestic or foreign issuers are limited to corporate debt securities (corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar corporate debt instruments, including convertible securities) which meet the minimum ratings criteria set forth for the Fund, or, if unrated, are in the Adviser's opinion comparable in quality to corporate debt securities in which the Fund may invest.

Corporate income-producing securities may include forms of preferred or preference stock. The rate of interest on a corporate debt security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may vary inversely with respect to a reference rate. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies. Debt securities may be acquired with warrants attached.

Securities rated Baa and BBB are the lowest which are considered "investment-grade" obligations. Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") describes securities rated Baa as "subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics." Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P") describes securities rated BBB as "regarded as having adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation." For securities rated BBB, Fitch Ratings Ltd. ("Fitch") states that "…expectations of default risk are currently low…capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity." For a discussion of securities rated below-investment-grade, see "Below-Investment-Grade Securities" below.

**CYBER SECURITY.** The Fund and its service providers are susceptible to operational and information security risks due to cyber security incidents. In general, cyber security incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber security attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (*e.g*., through "hacking" or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks also may be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (*i.e*., efforts to make services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security incidents affecting the Adviser, Transfer Agent or Custodian or other service providers such as financial intermediaries have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, including by interference with the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading for the Fund's portfolio; the inability of fund shareholders to transact business with the Fund; violations of applicable privacy, data security or other laws; regulatory fines and penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs; legal fees; or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber security incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions and other parties. While information risk management systems and business continuity plans have been developed which are designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there are inherent limitations in any cyber security risk management systems or business continuity plans, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified.

**DEBT SECURITIES.** Debt securities represent money borrowed that obligates the issuer (e.g., a corporation, municipality, government, government agency) to repay the borrowed amount at maturity (when the obligation is due and payable) and usually to pay the holder interest at specific times.

**DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS.** American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") as well as other "hybrid" forms of ADRs, including European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"), are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. These certificates are issued by depository banks and generally trade on an established market in the United States or elsewhere. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends interest and shareholder information regarding corporate actions. ADRs may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and a depositary. An unsponsored facility may be established by a depositary without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities. These risks include foreign exchange risk as well as the political and economic risks of the underlying issuer's country.

**DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS.** In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund may, to the extent permitted by its investment objective and policies, purchase and sell (write) both put options and call options on securities, swap agreements, securities indexes, commodity indexes, and foreign currencies, and enter into interest rate, index and commodity futures contracts, and purchase and sell options on such futures contracts ("futures options"). The Fund also may purchase and sell foreign currency options for purposes of increasing exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another. The Fund may also enter into swap agreements with respect to interest rates, commodities, and indexes of securities or commodities. The Fund may invest in structured notes. If other types of financial instruments, including other types of options, futures contracts, or futures options are traded in the future, the Fund may also use those instruments, provided that such instruments are consistent with the Fund's investment objective.

The value of some derivative instruments in which the Fund invests may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of the Adviser to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken positions in derivative instruments contrary to prevailing market trends, the Fund could be exposed to the risk of loss.

The Fund might not employ any of the strategies described below, and no assurance can be given that any strategy used will succeed. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts interest rates, market values, or other economic factors in using a derivatives strategy for the Fund, the Fund might have been in a better position if it had not entered into the transaction at all. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances. The use of these strategies involves certain special risks, including a possible imperfect correlation, or even no correlation between price movements of derivative instruments and price movements of related investments. While some strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in related investments or otherwise, due to the possible inability of the Fund to purchase or sell a portfolio security at a time that otherwise would be favorable, the possible need to sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time because the Fund is required to maintain asset coverage, offsetting positions in connection with transactions in derivative instruments or the possible inability of the Fund to close out or to liquidate its derivatives positions. In addition, the Fund's use of such

instruments may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains (generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates) than if it had not used such instruments. If the Fund gains exposure to an asset class using derivative instruments backed by a collateral portfolio of fixed income instruments, changes in the value of the fixed income instruments may result in greater or lesser exposure to that asset class than would have resulted from a direct investment in securities comprising that asset class.

The use of derivative instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), the Commodity Future Trading Commission ("CFTC"), various state regulatory authorities and, with respect to exchange-traded derivatives, the several exchanges upon which they are traded. In particular, under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act, a registered investment company's derivatives exposure, which includes short positions for this purpose, is limited through a value-at-risk test and Rule 18f-4 requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. However, subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4) are not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. Rule 18f-4 could limit the Fund's ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Moreover, there may be asset coverage requirements for certain arrangements. In order to engage in certain transactions in derivatives, the Fund may be required to hold offsetting positions or to hold cash or liquid securities in a segregated account or designated on the Fund's books. Changes in the value of a derivative may also create margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for the Fund. In addition, the Fund's ability to use derivative instruments may be limited by tax considerations.

<u>Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. The Fund may, to the extent specified herein or in the Prospectus, purchase and sell both put and call options on fixed income or other securities or indexes in standardized contracts traded on foreign or domestic securities exchanges, boards of trade, or similar entities, or quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System ("NASDAQ"), or on an over-the-counter market, and agreements, sometimes called cash puts, which may accompany the purchase of a new issue of bonds from a dealer.

An option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security. Upon exercise, the writer of an option on an index is obligated to pay the difference between the cash value of the index and the exercise price multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. (An index is designed to reflect features of a particular financial or securities market, a specific group of financial instruments or securities or certain economic indicators.)

The Fund will write call options and put options only if they are "covered." In the case of a call option on a security, the option is "covered" if the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by the Fund. For a call option on an index, the option is covered if the Fund maintains with its custodian assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, in an amount equal to the contract value of the index. A call option is also covered if the Fund holds a call on the same security or index as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written. A put option on a security or an index is "covered" if the Fund holds a put on the same security or index as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written.

If an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid. Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange-traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, exchange, underlying security or index, exercise price, and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund desires.

The Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option which is sold. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series. The Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security or index in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.

The premium paid for a put or call option purchased by the Fund is an asset of the Fund. The premium received for an option written by the Fund is recorded as a deferred credit. The value of an option purchased or written is marked-to-market daily and is valued at the closing price on the exchange on which it is traded or, if not traded on an exchange or no closing price is available, at the mean between the last bid and asked prices.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a combination of a call and a put written on the same underlying security. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

<u>Risks Associated with Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and on indexes. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when, and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.

The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security at the exercise price. If a put or call option purchased by the Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security remains equal to or greater than the exercise price (in the case of a put), or remains less than or equal to the exercise price (in the case of a call), the Fund will lose its entire investment in the option. Also, where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security, the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out an option position. If the Fund were unable to close out an option that it had purchased on a security, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit or the option may expire worthless. If the Fund were unable to close out a covered call option that it had written on a security, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the exercise price of the call. If trading were suspended in an option purchased by the Fund, the Fund would not be able to close out the option. If restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it has purchased. Except to the extent that a call option on an index written by the Fund is covered by an option on the same index purchased by the Fund, movements in the index may result in a loss to the Fund; however, such losses may be mitigated by changes in the value of the Fund's securities during the period the option was outstanding.

To the extent that the Fund writes a call option on a security it holds in its portfolio and intends to use such security as the sole means of "covering" its obligation under the call option, the Fund has, in return for the premium on the option, given up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the exercise price during the option period, but, as long as its obligation under such call option continues, has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. If the Fund were unable to close out such a call option, the Fund would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise.

<u>Foreign Currency Options</u>. Funds that invest in foreign currency-denominated securities may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies. These Funds may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies either on exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires. Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits, which may limit the ability of the Fund to reduce foreign currency risk using such options. Over-the-counter options differ from traded options in that over-the-counter options are two-party contracts with price, and other terms negotiated between buyer and seller and generally do not have as much market liquidity as exchange-traded options.

<u>Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts</u>. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security or commodity for a set price on a future date. These contracts are traded on exchanges, so that, in most cases, either party can close out its position on the exchange for cash, without delivering the security or commodity. An option on a futures contract gives the holder of the option the right to buy or sell a position in a futures contract from or to the writer of the option, at a specified price and on or before a specified expiration date. The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options thereon ("futures options") with respect to, but not limited to, interest rates, commodities, and security or commodity indexes. To the extent that the Fund may invest in foreign currency denominated securities, it may also invest in foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon.

An interest rate, commodity, foreign currency, or index futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of a financial instrument, foreign currency, commodity, or the cash value of an index at a specified price and time. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract was originally written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, no physical delivery of these securities is made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes as well as financial instruments and foreign currencies, and it is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future. The Fund may also invest in commodity futures contracts and options thereon. A commodity futures contract is an agreement between two parties, in which one party agrees to buy a commodity, such as an energy, agricultural, or metal commodity from the other party at a later date at a price and quantity agreed-upon when the contract is made.

The Fund may purchase and write call and put futures options. Futures options possess many of the same characteristics as options on securities and indexes (discussed above). A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract, and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. A call option is "in the money" if the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option exceeds the exercise price. A put option is "in the money" if the exercise price exceeds the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option.

Pursuant to a claim for exclusion from the definition of "commodity pool operator" filed by the Trust with the National Futures Association ("NFA"), the Trust does not fall within the definition of "commodity pool operator" under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended ("CEA"), in respect of the Fund, and thus, is not subject to registration or regulation as such under the CEA in respect of the Fund.

<u>Limitations on Use of Futures and Futures Options</u>. The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and futures options which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity or quoted on an automated quotation system. Additionally, the Fund will limit its trading in "commodity interests," as that term is defined under applicable CFTC Rules, and which generally includes commodity futures, futures options and swaps, such that, aside from commodity futures, commodity options contracts or swaps that, in each case, are used solely for bona fide hedging purposes within the meaning and intent of applicable CFTC Rules, (i) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish positions in commodity interests will not exceed five percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, or (ii) the aggregate net notional value of commodity interest positions does not exceed 100 percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, in each case, as further described in CFTC Rule 4.5(c)(2).

When a purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by the Fund, the Fund is required to deposit with the custodian (or broker, if legally permitted) a specified amount of assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees ("initial margin"). The margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. Margin requirements on foreign exchanges may be different than U.S. exchanges. The initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the futures contract, which is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. The Fund expects to earn interest income on its initial margin deposits. A futures contract held by the Fund is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded. Each day the Fund pays or receives cash, called "variation margin," equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. This process is known as "marking to market." Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract expired. In computing the daily NAV, the Fund will mark to market its open futures positions.

The Fund is also required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option, and other futures positions held by the Fund.

Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities or commodities, generally, these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (same exchange, underlying security or index and delivery month). Closing out a futures contract sale is effected by purchasing a futures contract for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument or commodity with the same delivery date. If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a call and a put written on the same underlying futures contract. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

When purchasing a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" their position by purchasing a put option on the same futures contract with a strike price as high as or higher than the price of the contract held by the Fund.

When selling a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees that are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" its position by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract (or, in the case of an index futures contract, a portfolio with volatility substantially similar to that of the index on which the futures contract is based), or by holding a call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price no higher than the price of the contract written by the Fund (or at a higher price if the difference is maintained in liquid assets with the Trust's custodian).

When selling a call option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, equal the total market value of the futures contract underlying the call option. Alternatively, the Fund may cover its position by entering into a long position in the same futures contract at a price no higher than the strike price of the call option, by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract, or by holding a separate call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price not higher than the strike price of the call option sold by the Fund.

When selling a put option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that equal the purchase price of the futures contract, less any margin on deposit. Alternatively, the Fund may cover the position either by entering into a short position in the same futures contract or by owning a separate put option permitting it to sell the same futures contract so long as the strike price of the purchased put option is the same or higher than the strike price of the put option sold by the Fund.

The requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company ("RIC") provided under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("IRC") also may limit the extent to which the Fund may enter into futures, futures options or forward contracts. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

<u>Risks Associated with Futures and Futures Options</u>. There are several risks associated with the use of futures contracts and futures options. A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the margin deposits relating to the futures contract. There can be no guarantee that there will be a correlation between price movements in the hedging vehicle and in the Fund securities being hedged. In addition, there are significant differences between the securities and futures markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between the markets, causing a given hedge not to achieve its objectives. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends on circumstances such as variations in speculative market demand for futures and futures options on securities, including technical influences in futures trading and futures options, and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard contracts available for trading in such respects as interest rate levels, maturities and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision as to whether, when, and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected interest rate trends.

Futures contracts on U.S. Government securities historically have reacted to an increase or decrease in interest rates in a manner similar to that in which the underlying U.S. Government securities reacted. To the extent, however, that the Fund enters into such futures contracts, the value of such futures will not vary in direct proportion to the value of the Fund's holdings. Thus, the anticipated spread between the price of the futures contract and the hedged security may be distorted due to differences in the nature of the markets. The spread also may be distorted by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets, and the participation of speculators in such markets.

Futures exchanges may limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of the current trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a futures contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may work to prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when the Fund seeks to close out a futures or a futures option position, and that the Fund would remain obligated to meet margin requirements until the position is closed. In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.

<u>Risks Associated with Commodity Futures Contracts</u>. There are several additional risks associated with transactions in commodity futures contracts.

Storage. Unlike the financial futures markets, in the commodity futures markets there are costs of physical storage associated with purchasing the underlying commodity. The price of the commodity futures contract will reflect the storage costs of purchasing the physical commodity, including the time value of money invested in the physical commodity. To the extent that the storage costs for an underlying commodity change while the Fund is invested in futures contracts on that commodity, the value of the futures contract may change proportionately.

Reinvestment. In the commodity futures markets, producers of the underlying commodity may decide to hedge the price risk of selling the commodity by selling futures contracts today to lock in the price of the commodity at delivery tomorrow. In order to induce speculators to purchase the other side of the same futures contract, the commodity producer generally must sell the futures contract at a lower price than the expected future spot price. Conversely, if most hedgers in the futures market are purchasing futures contracts to hedge against a rise in prices, then speculators will only sell the other side of the futures contract at a higher futures price than the expected future spot price of the commodity. The changing nature of the hedgers and speculators in the commodity markets will influence whether futures prices are above or below the expected future spot price, which can have significant implications for the Fund. If the nature of hedgers and speculators in futures markets has shifted when it is time for the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a maturing contract in a new futures contract, the Fund might reinvest at higher or lower futures prices, or choose to pursue other investments.

Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the IRC may limit the Fund's ability to invest in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Tax Risk</u>. The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a RIC under the IRC. To qualify as a RIC under the IRC, the Fund must invest in assets which produce the types of income specified in the IRC and the Treasury Reporting Regulations ("Qualifying Income"). Whether the income from certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities is Qualifying Income must be determined on a case-by-case basis, and the Fund will endeavor to ensure that income that is not Qualifying Income will be limited to 10% or less of the Fund's income. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives, and other commodity/natural resource-related securities may be restricted. Further, if the Fund does invest in these types of securities and the income is determined not to be Qualifying Income, it may cause the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these restrictions.

<u>Other Economic Factors</u>. The commodities which underlie commodity futures contracts may be subject to additional economic and non-economic variables, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments. These factors may have a larger impact on commodity prices and commodity-linked instruments, including futures contracts, than on traditional securities. Certain commodities are also subject to limited pricing flexibility because of supply and demand factors. Others are subject to broad price fluctuations as a result of the volatility of the prices for certain raw materials and the instability of supplies of other materials. These additional variables may create additional investment risks which subject the Fund's investments to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities.

<u>Additional Risks of Options on Securities, Futures Contracts, Options on Futures Contracts and Forward Currency Exchange Contracts and Options Thereon</u>. Options on securities, futures contracts and options on currencies may be traded on foreign exchanges. Such transactions may not be regulated as effectively as similar transactions in the United States; may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Trust's ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States, and (v) lesser trading volume.

<u>Swap Agreements and Options on Swap Agreements</u>. The Fund may engage in swap transactions, including, but not limited to, swap agreements on interest rates, security or commodity indexes, specific securities and commodities, and credit and event-linked swaps. To the extent the Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities, it also may invest in currency exchange rate swap agreements. The Fund also may enter into options on swap agreements ("swap options").

The Fund may enter into swap transactions for any legal purpose consistent with its investment objectives and policies, such as attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining a return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in other markets, to protect against currency fluctuations, as a duration management technique, to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in a more cost-efficient manner.

OTC swap agreements are bilateral contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a "notional amount," i.e., the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a "basket" of securities or commodities representing a particular index. A "quanto" or "differential" swap combines both an interest rate and a currency transaction. Other forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap"; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or "floor"; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. Consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and general investment policies, the Fund may invest in commodity swap agreements. For example, an investment in a commodity swap agreement may involve the exchange of floating-rate interest payments for the total return on a commodity index. In a total return commodity swap, the Fund will receive the price appreciation of a commodity index, a portion of the index, or a single commodity in exchange for paying an agreed-upon fee. If the commodity swap is for one period, the Fund may pay a fixed fee, established at the outset of the swap. However, if the term of the commodity swap is more than one period, with interim swap payments, the Fund may pay an adjustable or floating fee. With a "floating" rate, the fee may be pegged to a base rate, and is adjusted each period. Therefore, if interest rates increase over the term of the swap contract, the Fund may be required to pay a higher fee at each swap reset date.

The Fund also may enter into swap options. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. The Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swap options.

Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, the Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swap option than it will incur when it purchases a swap option. When the Fund purchases a swap option, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when the Fund writes a swap option, upon exercise of the option, the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

Most types of swap agreements entered into by the Fund will calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a "net basis." Consequently, the Fund's current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the "net amount"). The Fund's current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund).

The Fund also may enter into credit default swap agreements. The credit default swap agreement may reference one or more debt securities or obligations that are not currently held by the Fund. The protection "buyer" in a credit default contract is generally obligated to pay the protection "seller" an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract until a credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the "par value" (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount if the swap is cash-settled. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer may receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity whose value may have significantly decreased. As a seller, the Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

The spread of a credit default swap is the annual amount the protection buyer must pay the protection seller over the length of the contract, expressed as a percentage of the notional amount. When spreads rise, market perceived credit risk rises, and when spreads fall, market perceived credit risk falls. Wider credit spreads and decreasing market values, when compared to the notional amount of the swap, represent a deterioration of the credit soundness of the issuer of the reference obligation and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. For credit default swap agreements on asset-backed securities and credit indices, the quoted market prices and resulting values, as well as the annual payment rate, serve as an indication of the current status of the payment/performance risk.

Credit default swap agreements sold by the Fund may involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, and with respect to OTC credit default swaps, counterparty risk and credit risk. The Fund will enter into uncleared credit default swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. A buyer generally also will lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur, and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. The Fund's obligations under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund).

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") and related regulatory developments require the clearing and exchange-trading of many standardized OTC derivative instruments that the CFTC and SEC recently defined as "swaps" including non-deliverable foreign exchange forwards, OTC foreign exchange options and swap options. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing is occurring on a phased-in basis based on type of market participant and CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing. The Adviser will continue to monitor developments in this area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the Fund's ability to enter into swap agreements.

Whether the Fund's use of swap agreements or swap options will be successful in furthering its investment objective will depend on the Adviser's ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. The Fund will enter into OTC swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the Internal Revenue Code may limit the Fund's ability to use swap agreements. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including additional government regulation, could adversely affect the Fund's ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the reference asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. Because OTC swap agreements are two-party contracts that may be subject to contractual restrictions on transferability and termination and because they may have remaining terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid and subject to the Fund's limitation on investments in illiquid securities. However, the Trust has adopted procedures pursuant to which the Adviser may determine swaps to be liquid under certain circumstances. To the extent that a swap is not liquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.

Like most other investments, swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to the Fund's interest. The Fund bears the risk that the Adviser will not accurately forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors in establishing swap positions for the Fund. If the Adviser attempts to use a swap as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the swap will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the Fund. While hedging strategies involving swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other Fund investments. Many swaps are complex and often valued subjectively.

<u>Synthetic Equity Swaps</u>. The Fund may also enter into synthetic equity swaps, in which one party to the contract agrees to pay the other party the total return earned or realized on a particular "notional amount" of value of an underlying equity security, including any dividends distributed by the underlying security. The other party to the contract makes regular payments, typically at a fixed rate or at a floating rate based on a variable interest rated based on the notional amount. The notional amount is not invested in the reference security. Similar to currency swaps, synthetic equity swaps are generally entered into on a net basis, which means the two payment streams are netted out, and the Fund will either pay or receive the net amount. The Fund will enter into a synthetic equity swap instead of purchasing the reference security when the synthetic equity swap provides a more efficient or less expensive way of gaining exposure to a security compared with a direct investment in the security.

<u>Correlation Risk</u>. In certain cases, the value of derivatives may not correlate perfectly, or at all, with the value of the assets, reference rates, or indexes they are designed to closely track. In this regard, certain funds seek to achieve their investment objectives, in part, by investing in derivatives positions that are designed to closely track the performance (or inverse performance) of an index on a daily basis. However, the overall investment strategies of the Fund are not designed or expected to produce returns which replicate the performance (or inverse performance) of the particular index, and the degree of variation could be substantial, particularly over longer periods. There are a number of factors which may prevent a mutual fund, or derivatives or other strategies used by the Fund, from achieving desired correlation (or inverse correlation) with an index. These may include, but are not limited to: (i) the impact of fund fees, expenses and transaction costs, including borrowing and brokerage costs/bid-ask spreads, which are not reflected in index returns; (ii) differences in the timing of daily calculations of the value of an index and the timing of the valuation of derivatives, securities and other assets held by the Fund and the determination of the NAV of fund shares; (iii) disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for derivative instruments or securities in which the Fund invests; (iv) the Fund having exposure to or holding less than all of the securities in the underlying index and/or having exposure to or holding securities not included in the underlying index; (v) large or unexpected movements of assets into and out of the Fund (due to share purchases or redemptions, for example), potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the index; (vi) the impact of accounting standards or changes thereto; (vii) changes to the applicable index that are not disseminated in advance; (viii) a possible need to conform the Fund's portfolio holdings to comply with investment restrictions or policies or regulatory or tax law requirements; and (ix) fluctuations in currency exchange rates.

<u>Risk of Potential Government Regulation of Derivatives</u>. It is possible that additional government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, including futures, options, and swap agreements, may limit or prevent the Fund from using such instruments potentially to the detriment of the Fund. It is impossible to fully predict the effects of past, present, or future legislation and regulation in this area, but the effects could be substantial and adverse. It is possible that legislative and regulatory activity could limit or restrict the ability of the Fund to use certain instruments as a part of its investment strategy. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

There is a possibility of future regulatory changes altering, perhaps to a material extent, the nature of an investment in the Fund or the ability of the Fund to continue to implement their investment strategies. The futures, options, and swaps markets are subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations, and margin requirements. In addition, the SEC, CFTC and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.

In particular, the Dodd-Frank Act sets forth a legislative framework for OTC derivatives, including financial instruments, such as swaps, in which the Fund may invest. Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act makes broad changes to the OTC derivatives market, grants significant new authority to the SEC and the CFTC to regulate OTC derivatives and market participants, and requires clearing and exchange trading of many OTC derivatives transactions.

Provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act include new capital and margin requirements and the mandatory use of clearinghouse mechanisms for many OTC derivative transactions. The CFTC, SEC and other federal regulators have been developing the rules and regulations enacting the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. Because there is a prescribed phase-in period during which most of the mandated rulemaking and regulations will be implemented, it is not possible at this time to gauge the exact nature and full scope of the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on the Fund. However, swap dealers, major market participants, and swap counterparties are experiencing, and will continue to experience, new and additional regulations, requirements, compliance burdens, and associated costs. The new law and the rules to be promulgated thereunder may negatively impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective either through limits or requirements imposed on it or upon its counterparties. In particular, new position limits imposed on the Fund or its counterparties may impact the Fund's ability to invest in futures, options, and swaps in a manner that efficiently meets its investment objective. New requirements, even if not directly applicable to the Fund, including capital requirements, changes to the CFTC speculative position limits regime and mandatory clearing, may increase the cost of a Fund's investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.

**Structured Products**

The Fund may invest in structured products, including instruments such as credit-linked securities and structured notes, which are potentially high-risk derivatives. For example, a structured product may combine a traditional stock, bond, or commodity with an option or forward contract. Generally, the principal amount, amount payable upon maturity or redemption, or interest rate of a structured product is tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency or securities index, or another interest rate or some other economic factor (each a "benchmark"). The interest rate or (unlike most fixed income securities) the principal amount payable at maturity of a structured product may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark. An example of a structured product could be a bond issued by an oil company that pays a small base level of interest with additional interest that accrues in correlation to the extent to which oil prices exceed a certain predetermined level. Such a structured product would be a combination of a bond and a call option on oil.

Structured products can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging, duration management, and increased total return. Structured products may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a structured product or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a structured product. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a structured product could be zero. Thus, an investment in a structured product may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of structured products also exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the structured product. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the NAV of the Fund.

<u>Credit-Linked Securities</u>. Credit-linked securities are issued by a limited purpose trust or other vehicle that, in turn, invests in a basket of derivative instruments, such as credit default swaps, interest rate swaps and other securities, in order to provide exposure to certain high-yield or other fixed income markets. For example, the Fund may invest in credit-linked securities as a cash management tool in order to gain exposure to the high-yield markets and/or to remain fully invested when more traditional income-producing securities are not available. Like an investment in a bond, investments in credit-linked securities represent the right to receive periodic income payments (in the form of distributions) and payment of principal at the end of the term of the security. However, these payments are conditioned on the trust's receipt of payments from, and the trust's potential obligations to, the counterparties to the derivative instruments and other securities in which the trust invests. For instance, the trust may sell one or more credit default swaps, under which the trust would receive a stream of payments over the term of the swap agreements provided that no event of default has occurred with respect to the referenced debt obligation upon which the swap is based. If a default occurs, the stream of payments may stop, and the trust would be obligated to pay the counterparty the par (or other agreed-upon value) of the referenced debt obligation. This, in turn, would reduce the amount of income and principal that the Fund would receive as an investor in the trust. The Fund's investments in these instruments are indirectly subject to the risks associated with derivative instruments, including, among others, credit risk, default or similar event risk, counterparty risk, interest rate risk, leverage risk, and management risk. It is expected that the securities will be exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. Accordingly, there may be no established trading market for the securities, and they may constitute illiquid investments.

<u>Structured Notes and Indexed Securities</u>. Structured notes are derivative debt instruments, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator (for example, a currency, security, commodity, or index thereof). The terms of the instrument may be "structured" by the purchaser and the borrower issuing the note. Indexed securities may include structured notes as well as securities other than debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities may include a multiplier that multiplies the indexed element by a specified factor and, therefore, the value of such securities may be very volatile. The terms of structured notes and indexed securities may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity, and therefore, may result in a loss of invested capital. Structured and indexed securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the unrelated indicated (often referred to as a "reference index") may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the structured note or indexed security at maturity may be calculated as a specified multiple of the change in the value of the unrelated indicator. Therefore, the value of such notes and indexed security may be very volatile. Structured notes and indexed securities may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the unrelated indicator. Structured notes or indexed securities also may be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities and instruments or more traditional debt securities. To the extent the Fund invests in these notes and securities, however, the Adviser analyzes these notes and securities in its overall assessment of the effective duration of the Fund's portfolio in an effort to monitor the Fund's interest rate risk.

Certain issuers of structured products may be deemed to be investment companies, as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund's investments in these structured products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.

**DOLLAR ROLLS.** The Fund may enter into dollar roll agreements, which are similar to reverse repurchase agreements. Dollar rolls are transactions in which securities are sold by the Fund for delivery in the current month, and the Fund simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. Any difference between the sale price and the purchase price is netted against the interest income foregone on the securities sold to arrive at an implied borrowing rate. Alternatively, the sale and purchase transactions can be executed at the same price, with the Fund being paid a fee as consideration for entering into the commitment to purchase. Dollar rolls may be renewed prior to cash settlement and initially may involve only a firm commitment agreement by the Fund to buy a security. If the broker-dealer to which the Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund's right to repurchase the security may be restricted. At the time the Fund enters into a dollar roll, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high-grade debt securities consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained.

**EQUITY-LINKED SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in equity-linked securities. Equity-linked securities are privately issued securities whose investment results are designed to correspond generally to the performance of a specified stock index or "basket" of stocks, or sometimes a single stock. To the extent that the Fund invests in an equity-linked security whose return corresponds to the performance of a foreign securities index or one or more foreign stocks, investing in equity-linked securities will involve risks similar to the risks of investing in foreign equity securities. See "Foreign Securities" below. In addition, the Fund bears the risk that the issuer of an equity-linked security may default on its obligations under the security. Equity-linked securities are often used for many of the same purposes as, and share many of the same risks with derivative instruments such as index futures on stock indexes, zero-strike options and warrants, and swap agreements. See "Derivative Instruments" above. Equity-linked securities may be considered illiquid and thus subject to the Fund's restriction on investments in illiquid securities.

**EVENT-LINKED EXPOSURE.** The Fund may obtain event-linked exposure by investing in "event-linked bonds" or "event-linked swaps" or implement "event-linked strategies." Event-linked exposure results in gains that typically are contingent on the non-occurrence of a specific "trigger" event, such as a hurricane, earthquake, or other physical or weather-related phenomena. Some event-linked bonds are commonly referred to as "catastrophe bonds."

They may be issued by government agencies, insurance companies, reinsurers, special purpose corporations, or other on-shore or off-shore entities (such special purpose entities are created to accomplish a narrow and well-defined objective, such as the issuance of a note in connection with a reinsurance transaction). If a trigger event causes losses exceeding a specific amount in the geographic region and time period specified in a bond, the Fund, when investing in the bond may lose a portion or all of its principal invested in the bond. If no trigger event occurs, the Fund will recover its principal plus interest. For some event-linked bonds, the trigger event or losses may be based on company-wide losses, index-portfolio losses, industry indices, or readings of scientific instruments rather than specified actual losses. Often the event-linked bonds provide for extensions of maturity that are mandatory, or optional at the discretion of the issuer, in order to process and audit loss claims in those cases where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension of maturity may increase volatility. In addition to the specified trigger events, event-linked bonds may also expose the Fund to certain unanticipated risks including but not limited to issuer risk, credit risk, counterparty risk, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations, and adverse tax consequences.

Event-linked bonds are a relatively new type of financial instrument. As such, there is no significant trading history of these securities, and there can be no assurance that a liquid market in these instruments will develop. See "Illiquid Securities" below. Lack of a liquid market may impose the risk of higher transaction costs and the possibility that the Fund may be forced to liquidate positions when it would not be advantageous to do so. Event-linked bonds are typically rated, and the Fund will only invest in catastrophe bonds that meet the credit quality requirements for the Fund.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities and may purchase and sell foreign currency options and foreign currency futures contracts and related options (see "Derivative Instruments") and may engage in foreign currency transactions either on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time or through forward currency contracts ("forwards") with terms generally of less than one year. The Fund may engage in these transactions in order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign exchange rates in the purchase and sale of securities. The Fund may also use foreign currency options and foreign currency forward contracts to increase exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another.

A forward involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts may be bought or sold to protect the Fund against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar or to increase exposure to a particular foreign currency. Although forwards are intended to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currencies, at the same time, they tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currencies increase.

Forwards will be used primarily to adjust the foreign exchange exposure of the Fund with a view to protecting the outlook, and the Fund might be expected to enter into such contracts under the following circumstances:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) When the Adviser desires to lock in the U.S. dollar price on the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) If a particular currency is expected to decrease against another currency, the Fund may sell the currency expected to decrease and purchase a currency which is expected to increase against the currency sold in an amount approximately equal to some or all of the Fund's portfolio holdings denominated in the currency sold.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) If the Adviser wants to eliminate substantially all of the risk of owning a particular currency, and/or if the Adviser thinks that the Fund can benefit from price appreciation in a given country's bonds but does not want to hold the currency, it may employ a direct hedge back into the U.S. dollar. In either case, the Fund would enter into a forward contract to sell the currency in which a portfolio security is denominated and purchase U.S. dollars at an exchange rate established at the time it initiated the contract. The cost of the direct hedge transaction may offset most, if not all, of the yield advantage offered by the foreign security, but the Fund would hope to benefit from an increase (if any) in the value of the bond.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) The Adviser might choose to use a proxy hedge, which may be less costly than a direct hedge. In this case, the Fund, having purchased a security, will sell a currency whose value is believed to be closely linked to the currency in which the security is denominated. Interest rates prevailing in the country whose currency was sold would be expected to be closer to those in the U.S. and lower than those of securities denominated in the currency of the original holding. This type of hedging entails greater risk than a direct hedge because it is dependent on a stable relationship between the two currencies paired as proxies, and the relationships can be very unstable at times.

<u>Costs of Hedging</u>. When the Fund purchases a foreign bond with a higher interest rate than is available on U.S. bonds of a similar maturity, the additional yield on the foreign bond could be substantially reduced or lost if the Fund were to enter into a direct hedge by selling the foreign currency and purchasing the U.S. dollar. This is what is known as the "cost" of hedging. Proxy hedging attempts to reduce this cost through an indirect hedge back to the U.S. dollar.

It is important to note that hedging costs are treated as capital transactions and are not, therefore, deducted from the Fund's dividend distribution and are not reflected in its yield. Instead, such costs will, over time, be reflected in the Fund's NAV per share.

The forecasting of currency market movement is extremely difficult, and whether any hedging strategy will be successful is highly uncertain. Moreover, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of a foreign currency forward contract. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to buy or sell additional currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such transaction) if the Adviser's predictions regarding the movement of foreign currency or securities markets prove inaccurate. In addition, the use of cross-hedging transactions may involve special risks and may leave the Fund in a less advantageous position than if such a hedge had not been established. Because foreign currency forward contracts are privately negotiated transactions, there can be no assurance that the Fund will have flexibility to roll-over a foreign currency forward contract upon its expiration if it desires to do so. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the other party to the contract will perform its services thereunder.

The Fund may hold a portion of its assets in bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies, so as to facilitate investment in foreign securities as well as protect against currency fluctuations and the need to convert such assets into U.S. dollars (thereby also reducing transaction costs). To the extent these monies are converted back into U.S. dollars, the value of the assets so maintained will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations.

<u>Tax Consequences of Hedging</u>. Under applicable tax law, the Fund may be required to limit its gains from hedging in foreign currency forwards, futures and options. The extent to which these limits apply is subject to tax regulations that, to date, have not been issued. Hedging may also result in the application of the mark-to-market and straddle provisions of the IRC. Those provisions could result in an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund and could affect whether dividends paid by the Fund are classified as capital gains or ordinary income. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these tax issues.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE-RELATED SECURITIES.**

<u>Foreign Currency Warrants</u>. Foreign currency warrants such as Currency Exchange Warrants ("CEWs") are warrants which entitle the holder to receive from their issuer an amount of cash (generally, for warrants issued in the United States, in U.S. dollars) which is calculated pursuant to a predetermined formula and based on the exchange rate between a specified foreign currency and the U.S. dollar as of the exercise date of the warrant. Foreign currency warrants generally are exercisable upon their issuance and expire as of a specified date and time. Foreign currency warrants have been issued in connection with U.S. dollar-denominated debt offerings by major corporate issuers in an attempt to reduce the foreign currency exchange risk, which, from the point of view of prospective purchasers of the securities, is inherent in the international fixed-income marketplace. Foreign currency warrants may attempt to reduce the foreign exchange risk assumed by purchasers of a security by, for example, providing for a supplemental payment in the event that the U.S. dollar depreciates against the value of a major foreign currency such as the Japanese yen or the euro. The formula used to determine the amount payable upon exercise of a foreign currency warrant may make the warrant worthless unless the applicable foreign currency exchange rate moves in a particular direction (e.g., unless the U.S. dollar appreciates or depreciates against the particular foreign currency to which the warrant is linked or indexed). Foreign currency warrants are severable from the debt obligations with which they may be offered and may be listed on exchanges. Foreign currency warrants may be exercisable only in certain minimum amounts, and an investor wishing to exercise warrants who possesses less than the minimum number required for exercise may be required either to sell the warrants or to purchase additional warrants, thereby incurring additional transaction costs. In the case of any exercise of warrants, there may be a time delay between the time a holder of warrants gives instructions to exercise and the time the exchange rate relating to exercise is determined, during which time the exchange rate could change significantly, thereby affecting both the market and cash settlement values of the warrants being exercised. The expiration date of the warrants may be accelerated if the warrants should be delisted from an exchange or if their trading should be suspended permanently, which would result in the loss of any remaining "time value" of the warrants (i.e., the difference between the current market value and the exercise value of the warrants), and, in the case the warrants were "out-of-the-money," in a total loss of the purchase price of the warrants. Warrants are generally unsecured obligations of their issuers and are not standardized foreign currency options issued by the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"). Unlike foreign currency options issued by OCC, the terms of foreign exchange warrants generally will not be amended in the event of governmental or regulatory actions affecting exchange rates or in the event of the imposition of other regulatory controls affecting the international currency markets. The initial public offering price of foreign currency warrants is generally considerably in excess of the price that a commercial user of foreign currencies might pay in the interbank market for a comparable option involving significantly larger amounts of foreign currencies. Foreign currency warrants are subject to significant foreign exchange risk, including risks arising from complex political or economic factors.

<u>Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities</u>. Principal exchange rate linked securities ("PERLs") are debt obligations the principal on which is payable at maturity in an amount that may vary based on the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and a particular foreign currency at or about that time. The return on "standard" PERLs is enhanced if the foreign currency to which the security is linked appreciates against the U.S. dollar and is adversely affected by increases in the foreign exchange value of the U.S. dollar; "reverse" PERLs are like the "standard" securities, except that their return is enhanced by increases in the value of the U.S. dollar and adversely impacted by increases in the value of foreign currency. Interest payments on the securities are generally made in U.S. dollars at rates that reflect the degree of foreign currency risk assumed or given up by the purchaser of the notes (i.e., at relatively higher interest rates if the purchaser has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, or relatively lower interest rates if the issuer has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, based on the expectations of the current market). PERLs may, in limited cases, be subject to acceleration of maturity (generally, not without the consent of the holders of the securities), which may have an adverse impact on the value of the principal payment to be made at maturity.

<u>Performance Indexed Paper</u>. Performance indexed paper ("PIPs") is U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper, the yield of which is linked to certain foreign exchange rate movements. The yield to the investor on PIPs is established at maturity as a function of spot exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a designated currency as of or about that time (generally, the index maturity two days prior to maturity). The yield to the investor will be within a range stipulated at the time of purchase of the obligation, generally with a guaranteed minimum rate of return that is below, and a potential maximum rate of return that is above, market yields on U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper, with both the minimum and maximum rates of return on the investment corresponding to the minimum and maximum values of the spot exchange rate two business days prior to maturity.

**FOREIGN SECURITIES AND EMERGING MARKETS.** The Fund may invest in foreign securities, including securities from issuers located in emerging market countries. Investing in foreign securities involves risks not typically associated with investing in securities of companies organized and operated in the United States that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. In addition to equity securities, foreign investments of the Fund may include (a) debt obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign sovereign governments or their agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, including a foreign state, province or municipality; (b) debt obligations of supranational organizations; (c) debt obligations of foreign banks and bank holding companies; (d) debt obligations of domestic banks and corporations issued in foreign currencies; (e) debt obligations denominated in the Euro; and (f) foreign corporate debt securities and commercial paper. Such securities may include loan participations and assignments, convertible securities, and zero-coupon securities.

<u>Currency Risk and Exchange Risk</u>. Because foreign securities generally are denominated and pay dividends or interest in foreign currencies, the value of the Fund (if it invests in foreign securities as measured in U.S. dollars) will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in exchange rates. Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency loses value because the currency is worth fewer U.S. dollars. Conversely, when the U.S. dollar decreases in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency gains value because the currency is worth more U.S. dollars. This risk, generally known as "currency risk," means that a stronger U.S. dollar will reduce returns for U.S. investors while a weak U.S. dollar will increase those returns.

<u>Foreign Market Risk</u>. A fund that may invest in foreign securities offers the potential for more diversification than a fund that invests only in the United States because securities traded on foreign markets have often (though not always) performed differently from securities traded in the United States. However, such investments often involve risks not present in U.S. investments that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. In particular, the Fund is subject to the risk that, because there are generally fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of shares traded each day, it may be difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. In addition, prices of foreign securities may fluctuate more than prices of securities traded in the United States. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of punitive taxes. In addition, the governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain industries. Any of these actions could severely affect security prices, impair the Fund's ability to purchase or sell foreign securities, or transfer the Fund's assets or income back into the United States or otherwise adversely affect its operations. Other potential foreign market risks include exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on foreign government securities, difficulties in enforcing favorable legal judgments in foreign courts and political and social conditions, such as diplomatic relations, confiscatory taxation, expropriation, limitation on the removal of funds or assets or imposition of (or change in) exchange control regulations. Legal remedies available to investors in certain foreign countries may be less extensive than those available to investors in the United States or other foreign countries. In addition, changes in government administrations or economic or monetary policies in the United States or abroad could result in appreciation or depreciation of portfolio securities and could favorably or adversely affect the Fund's operations.

<u>Public Availability of Information</u>. In general, less information is publicly available with respect to foreign issuers than is available with respect to U.S. companies. Most foreign companies are also not subject to the uniform accounting and financial reporting requirements applicable to issuers in the United States. While the volume of transactions effected on foreign stock exchanges has increased in recent years, it remains appreciably below that of the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange"). Accordingly, the Fund's foreign investments may be less liquid, and their prices may be more volatile than comparable investments in securities in U.S. companies. In addition, there is generally less government supervision and regulation of securities exchanges, brokers, and issuers in foreign countries than in the United States.

<u>Settlement Risk</u>. Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the United States. Foreign settlement procedures and trade regulations also may involve certain risks (such as delays in payment for or delivery of securities) not typically generated by the settlement of U.S. investments.

Communications between the United States and emerging market countries may be unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates in markets that still rely on physical settlement. Settlements in certain foreign countries at times have not kept pace with the number of securities transactions; these problems may make it difficult for the Fund to carry out transactions. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a purchase of securities, it may miss attractive investment opportunities, and certain of its assets may be uninvested with no return earned thereon for some period. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a sale of securities, it may lose money if the value of the security then declines or, if it has contracted to sell the security to another party, the Fund could be liable to that party for any losses incurred. Dividends or interest on or proceeds from the sale of, foreign securities may be subject to foreign taxes on income from sources in such countries.

<u>Governmental Supervision and Regulation/Accounting Standards</u>. Many foreign governments supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers, and the sale of securities less than does the United States. Some countries may not have laws to protect investors comparable to the U.S. securities laws. For example, some foreign countries may have no laws or rules against insider trading. Insider trading occurs when a person buys or sells a company's securities based on nonpublic information about that company. In addition, the U.S. Government has, from time to time in the past, imposed restrictions, through penalties and otherwise, on foreign investments by U.S. investors such as the Fund. Accounting standards in other countries are not necessarily the same as in the United States. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as U.S. accounting standards, it may be harder for Fund management to completely and accurately determine a company's financial condition. Also, brokerage commissions and other costs of buying or selling securities often are higher in foreign countries than they are in the United States. This reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments.

<u>Certain Risks of Holding Fund Assets Outside the United States</u>. The Fund generally holds foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories. Some foreign banks and securities depositories may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In addition, there may be limited or no regulatory oversight over their operations. Also, the laws of certain countries may put limits on the Fund's ability to recover its assets if a foreign bank or depository or issuer of a security or any of their agents goes bankrupt. In addition, it is often more expensive for the Fund to buy, sell, and hold securities in certain foreign markets than in the United States. The increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments and typically results in a higher operating expense ratio for the Fund as compared to investment companies that invest only in the United States.

<u>Foreign Economy Risk</u>. The economies of certain foreign markets often do not compare favorably with that of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources, and balance of payments position. Certain such economies may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures.

<u>Sovereign Debt</u>. The Fund may invest in sovereign debt. Investment in sovereign debt can involve a high degree of risk. The governmental entity that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be able or willing to repay the principal and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such debt. A governmental entity's willingness or ability to repay principal and interest due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the governmental entity's policy towards the International Monetary Fund and the political constraints to which a governmental entity may be subject. Governmental entities may also be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The commitment on the part of these governments, agencies, and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on the implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor's obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties' commitments to lend funds to the governmental entity, which may further impair such debtor's ability or willingness to timely service its debts. Consequently, governmental entities may default on their sovereign debt.

Holders of sovereign debt may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such debt and to extend further loans to governmental entities. In the event of a default by a governmental entity, there may be few or no effective legal remedies for collecting on such debt.

<u>Emerging Capital Markets</u>. The Fund may invest in the securities of issuers domiciled in various countries with emerging capital markets. Specifically, a country with an emerging capital market is any country that the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the United Nations, or its authorities has determined to have a low or middle-income economy. Countries with emerging markets can be found in regions such as Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Africa.

Investments in the securities of issuers domiciled in countries with emerging capital markets involve certain additional risks that do not generally apply to investments in securities of issuers in more developed capital markets, such as (i) low or non-existent trading volume, resulting in a lack of liquidity and increased volatility in prices for such securities, as compared to securities of comparable issuers in more developed capital markets; (ii) uncertain national policies and social, political and economic instability, increasing the potential for expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, high rates of inflation or unfavorable diplomatic developments; (iii) possible fluctuations in exchange rates, differing legal systems and the existence or possible imposition of exchange controls, custodial restrictions or other foreign or U.S. Governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such investments; (iv) national policies that may limit the Fund's investment opportunities such as restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests; and (v) the lack or relatively early development of legal structures governing private and foreign investments and private property. In addition to withholding taxes on investment income, some countries with emerging markets may impose differential capital gains taxes on foreign investors.

Political and economic structures in emerging market countries may be undergoing significant evolution and rapid development, and these countries may lack the social, political, and economic stability characteristic of more developed countries. In such a dynamic environment, there can be no assurance that any or all of these capital markets will continue to present viable investment opportunities for the Fund. In the past, governments of such nations have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and most claims of the property owners have never been fully settled. There is no assurance that such expropriations will not reoccur. In such an event, it is possible that the Fund could lose the entire value of its investments in the affected market. As a result, the risks described above, including the risks of nationalization or expropriation of assets, may be heightened. In addition, unanticipated political or social developments may affect the value of investments in these countries and the availability to the Fund of additional investments. The small size and inexperience of the securities markets in certain of these countries and the limited volume of trading in securities in these countries may make investments in the countries illiquid and more volatile than investments in Japan or most Western European countries.

Also, there may be less publicly available information about issuers in emerging markets than would be available about issuers in more developed capital markets, and such issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those to which U.S. companies are subject. In certain countries with emerging capital markets, reporting standards vary widely. As a result, traditional investment measurements used in the United States, such as price/earnings ratios, may not be applicable. Emerging market securities may be substantially less liquid and more volatile than those of mature markets, and company shares may be held by a limited number of persons. This may adversely affect the timing and pricing of the Fund's acquisition or disposal of securities. U.S. securities and accounting regulatory agencies continue to express concern regarding information access and audit quality regarding issuers in China and other emerging market countries, which could present heightened risks associated with investments in these markets.

Practices in relation to settlement of securities transactions in emerging markets involve higher risks than those in developed markets, in part because the Fund will need to use brokers and counterparties that are less well-capitalized, and custody and registration of assets in some countries may be unreliable. The possibility of fraud, negligence, undue influence being exerted by the issuer or refusal to recognize ownership exists in some emerging markets, and, along with other factors, could result in ownership registration being completely lost. The Fund would absorb any loss resulting from such registration problems and may have no successful claim for compensation.

Investments in non-dollar denominated securities including securities from issuers located in emerging market countries, may be on either a currency-hedged or unhedged basis, and the Fund may hold from time-to-time various foreign currencies pending investment or conversion into U.S. dollars. Some of these instruments may have the characteristics of futures contracts. In addition, the Fund may engage in foreign currency exchange transactions to seek to protect against changes in the level of future exchange rates, which would adversely affect the Fund's performance. These investments and transactions involving foreign securities, currencies, options (including options that relate to foreign currencies), futures, hedging, and cross-hedging are described below and under "Derivatives" and "Foreign Currency and Related Transactions."

**GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACTS.** The Fund may invest in guaranteed investment contracts ("GIC"). A GIC is a general obligation of an insurance company. A GIC is generally structured as a deferred annuity under which the purchaser agrees to pay a given amount of money to an insurer (either in a lump sum or in installments), and the insurer promises to pay interest at a guaranteed rate (either fixed or variable) for the life of the contract. Some GICs provide that the insurer may periodically pay discretionary excess interest over and above the guaranteed rate. At the GIC's maturity, the purchaser generally is given the option of receiving payment or an annuity. Certain GICs may have features that permit redemption by the issuer at a discount from par value. Generally, GICs are not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuer. As a result, the acquisition of GICs is subject to the limitations applicable to the Fund's acquisition of illiquid and restricted securities. The holder of a GIC is dependent on the creditworthiness of the issuer as to whether the issuer is able to meet its obligations.

**HYBRID INSTRUMENTS.** A hybrid instrument is a type of potentially high-risk derivative that combines a traditional stock, bond, or commodity with an option or forward contract. Generally, the principal amount, amount payable upon maturity or redemption, or interest rate of a hybrid is tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency or securities index, or another interest rate or some other economic factor (each a "benchmark"). The interest rate or (unlike most fixed income securities) the principal amount payable at maturity of a hybrid security may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark. An example of a hybrid could be a bond issued by an oil company that pays a small base level of interest with additional interest that accrues in correlation to the extent to which oil prices exceed a certain predetermined level. Such a hybrid instrument would be a combination of a bond and a call option on oil.

Hybrids can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging duration management and increased total return. Hybrids may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a hybrid or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could be zero. Thus, an investment in a hybrid may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of hybrids also exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrids. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the NAV of the Fund.

Certain hybrid instruments may provide exposure to the commodities markets. These are derivative securities with one or more commodity-linked components that have payment features similar to commodity futures contracts, commodity options, or similar instruments. Commodity-linked hybrid instruments may be either equity or debt securities, leveraged or unleveraged, and are considered hybrid instruments because they have both security and commodity-like characteristics. A portion of the value of these instruments may be derived from the value of a commodity, futures contract, index, or other economic variable. The Fund will only invest in commodity-linked hybrid instruments that qualify under applicable rules of the CFTC for an exemption from the provisions of the CEA.

Certain issuers of structured products such as hybrid instruments may be deemed to be investment companies, as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund's investments in these products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.

**ILLIQUID SECURITIES AND LIQUIDITY RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.** The Fund may not knowingly invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days at approximately the value at which they are being carried on the Fund's books. The Board of Trustees has the ultimate responsibility for determining whether specific securities are liquid or illiquid. The Board of Trustees has delegated the function of making day to day determinations of liquidity to the Adviser, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of securities held by the Fund and report periodically on such decisions to the Board of Trustees. If the limitations on illiquid securities are exceeded, other than by a change in market values, the condition will be reported by the Fund's Adviser to the Board of Trustees. Illiquid securities would generally include repurchase agreements with notice/termination dates in excess of seven days and certain securities which are subject to trading restrictions because they are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). External market conditions may impact the liquidity of portfolio securities and may cause the Fund to sell or divest certain illiquid securities in order to comply with its limitation on holding illiquid securities, which may result in realized losses to the Fund.

Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires, among other things, that the Fund establish a liquidity risk management program ("LRMP") that is reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 defines "liquidity risk" as the risk that a fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the fund without significant dilution of the remaining investors' interests in the fund. The Fund has implemented a LRMP to meet the relevant requirements. Additionally, the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the designation of a committee of individuals comprised of the Fund's President, Treasurer, and Chief Compliance Officer (the "LRMP Administrator") to administer the LRMP. The Board of Trustees will review no less frequently than annually a written report prepared by the LRMP Administrator that addresses the operation of the LRMP and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation. Among other things, the LRMP provides for the classification of each Fund investment as a "highly liquid investment," "moderately liquid investment," "less liquid investment," or "illiquid investment." The liquidity risk classifications of the Fund's investments are determined after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading, and investment-specific considerations. To the extent that a Fund investment is deemed to be an "illiquid investment" or a "less liquid investment," the Fund can expect to be exposed to greater liquidity risk. There is no guarantee the LRMP will be effective in its operations, and complying with Rule 22e-4, including bearing related costs, could impact the Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

**INFLATION-PROTECTED DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in inflation-protected debt securities or inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers utilize a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index ("CPI") accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.

Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities ("TIPS") have maturities of approximately five, ten, or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if the Fund purchased TIPS with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010, and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year's inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030, and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently, the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. The Fund may also invest in other inflation-related bonds, which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal amount.

The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates, in turn, are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.

While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation, and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.

Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

**INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies (each, an "Underlying Fund"), including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts ("UITs") and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the "Acquired Fund"), such as the Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the "Acquiring Fund") or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of the Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC no-action relief.

Set forth below is additional information about the manner in which ETFs generally operate and the risks associated with an investment in ETFs which are in addition to the risks associated with registered investment companies generally.

In the event that the Fund purchases shares of ETFs, such purchase is expected to be made through a broker-dealer in transaction on a securities exchange, and in such a case, the Fund will pay customary brokerage commissions for each purchase and sale. Shares of an ETF may also be acquired by depositing a specified portfolio of the ETF's underlying securities, as well as a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit, with the ETF's custodian, in exchange for which the ETF will issue a quantity of new shares sometimes referred to as a "creation unit." Similarly, shares of an ETF purchased on an exchange may be accumulated until they represent a creation unit, and the creation unit may be redeemed in kind for a portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETF's NAV) together with a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. The Fund may redeem creation units for the underlying securities (and any applicable cash) and may assemble a portfolio of the underlying securities (and any required cash) to purchase creation units, if the Adviser believes it is in the Fund's interest to do so. The Fund's ability to redeem creation units may be limited by the 1940 Act, which provides that an ETF will not be obligated to redeem shares held by the Fund in an amount exceeding one percent of such ETF's total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days.

*Termination Risk.* There is a risk that ETFs in which the Fund invests may terminate due to extraordinary events. For example, any of the service providers to ETFs, such as the trustee or sponsor, may close or otherwise fail to perform their obligations to the ETF, and the ETF may not be able to find a substitute service provider. Also, the ETFs may be dependent upon licenses to use the various indices as a basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade names. If these licenses are terminated, ETFs may also terminate or experience a disruption in its activities. In addition, an ETF may terminate if its net assets fall below a certain amount.

Although the Adviser believes that, in the event of the termination of an ETF, the Fund will be able to invest instead in shares of an alternate ETF tracking the same market index or another index covering the same general market, there can be no assurance that shares of an alternate ETF would be available for investment at that time.

**INVESTMENTS IN COMMODITY/NATURAL RESOURCE-RELATED SECURITIES.** As discussed under "Investment Limitations" below, the Fund does not invest directly in commodities. However, the Fund may from time to time invest in securities of companies whose business is related to commodities and natural resources, or in registered investment companies or other companies that invest directly or indirectly in commodities and natural resources. For example, the Fund may invest in companies whose business is related to mining of precious or other metals (e.g., gold, silver, etc.) or registered investment companies that invest in securities of mining companies and related instruments (including, without limitation, the underlying commodities). Investments in equity securities of companies involved in mining or related precious metals industries, and the value of the investment companies and other companies that invest in precious metals and other commodities, are subject to a number of risks. For example, the prices of precious metals or other commodities can move sharply, up or down, in response to cyclical economic conditions, political events or the monetary policies of various countries, any of which may adversely affect the value of companies whose business is related to such commodities, or the value of investment companies and other companies investing in such business or commodities. Furthermore, such companies are subject to risks related to fluctuations of prices and perceptions of value in the commodity markets generally.

**LOAN PARTICIPATIONS.** The Fund may purchase participations in commercial loans. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Loan participations typically represent direct participation in a loan to a corporate borrower and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Fund may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing loan participations, the Fund assumes the credit risk associated with the corporate borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interests in which the Fund intends to invest may not be rated by any nationally recognized statistical ratings organization ("NRSRO").

A loan is often administered by an agent bank acting as agent for all holders. The agent bank administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. In addition, the agent bank is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the corporate borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions which are parties to the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, the Fund has direct recourse against the corporate borrower, the Fund may have to rely on the agent bank or other financial intermediary to apply appropriate credit remedies against a corporate borrower. A financial institution's employment as agent bank might be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement should remain available to holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank's general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. In situations involving other interposed financial institutions (e.g., an insurance company or governmental agency), similar risks may arise.

Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the corporate borrower for payment of principal and interest. If the Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund's share price and yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.

The Fund may invest in loan participations with credit quality comparable to that of the issuers of the Fund's securities investments. Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

The Fund limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in any one issuer or in issuers within the same industry (see "Investment Limitations"). For purposes of these limits, the Fund generally will treat the corporate borrower as the "issuer" of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between the Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as "issuers" for the purpose of determining whether the Fund has invested more than 5% of its assets in a single issuer. Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict the Fund's ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries.

Loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of readily at what the Adviser believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of illiquid indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining the Fund's NAV than if that value were based on available market quotations and could result in significant variations in the Fund's daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are traded among certain financial institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of these instruments is expected to improve. In addition, the Fund currently intends to treat indebtedness for which there is no readily available market as illiquid for purposes of the Fund's limitation on illiquid investments. Investments in loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of the Trust's investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by the Fund.

Investments in loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution's interests with respect to the loan may involve additional risks to the Fund. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, the Fund could be held liable as co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protections against fraud and misrepresentation. In the absence of definitive regulatory guidance, the Fund relies on the Adviser's research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentation could adversely affect the Fund.

**MONEY MARKET FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in the securities of money market mutual funds. Such investments are subject to limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder, and applicable SEC staff interpretations thereof or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC. (See "Investment Company Securities and Exchange Traded Funds" above.)

**MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES AND ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES.** Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks, and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related, and private organizations. See "Mortgage Pass-Through Securities." The Fund may also invest in debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations").

The recent financial downturn—particularly the increase in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgages, falling home prices, and unemployment—has adversely affected the market for mortgage-related securities. In addition, various market and governmental actions may impair the ability to foreclose on or exercise other remedies against underlying mortgage holders or may reduce the amount received upon foreclosure. These factors have caused certain mortgage-related securities to experience lower valuations and reduced liquidity. There is also no assurance that the U.S. Government will take further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economic downturn continue, or the economy experience another downturn. Further, recent legislative action and any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk that the Fund could realize losses on mortgage-related securities.

<u>Mortgage Pass-Through Securities</u>*.* Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs, which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA") are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase.

The residential mortgage market in the United States recently has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Fund's mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased recently and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has recently been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable-rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

<u>Agency Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly-owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA"), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA").

However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Trust's investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet the Trust's quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. The Fund will not purchase mortgage-related securities or any other assets which in the opinion of the Adviser are illiquid if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets will be illiquid.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose, and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages, and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government-guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had, in many cases, higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A, have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. The substantial decline in real property values across the U.S. has exacerbated the level of losses that investors in privately issued mortgage-related securities have experienced. It is not certain when these trends may reverse. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange, and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in the Fund's portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

The Fund may purchase privately issued mortgage-related securities that are originated, packaged, and serviced by third-party entities. It is possible these third parties could have interests that are in conflict with the holders of mortgage-related securities, and such holders (such as the Fund) could have rights against the third parties or their affiliates. For example, if a loan originator, servicer or its affiliates engaged in negligence or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties, then a holder of the mortgage-related security could seek recourse against the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable. Also, as a loan originator/servicer, the originator/servicer or its affiliates may make certain representations and warranties regarding the quality of the mortgages and properties underlying a mortgage-related security. If one or more of those representations or warranties is false, then the holders of the mortgage-related securities (such as the Fund) could trigger an obligation of the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable, to repurchase the mortgages from the issuing trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, many of the third parties that are legally bound by trust and other documents have failed to perform their respective duties, as stipulated in such trust and other documents, and investors have had limited success in enforcing terms.

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Fund's industry concentration restrictions, set forth below under "Investment Limitations," by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. Government securities. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities, the Fund takes the position that mortgage-related securities do not represent interests in any particular "industry" or group of industries. Therefore, the Fund may invest more or less than 25% of its total assets in privately issued mortgage-related securities. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may, in turn, be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

<u>Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs")</u>*.* A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as "tranches," with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as "sequential pay" CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation ("issuer") issues multiple series (*e.g.*, A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds ("Bonds"). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates ("Collateral"). The Collateral is pledged to a third-party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal, and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common. For example, the Fund may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class ("PAC") CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass-through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches—known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds—which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk.

<u>Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Commercial mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

<u>Other Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals or stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS"). Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

<u>CMO Residuals</u>*.* CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses, and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only ("IO") class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. See "Other Mortgage-Related Securities—Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities." In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances, the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.

CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. Transactions in CMO residuals are generally completed only after careful review of the characteristics of the securities in question. In addition, CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not have been registered under the 1933 Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the 1933 Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed "illiquid" and subject to the Fund's limitations on investment in illiquid securities.

<u>Adjustable-Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Adjustable-rate mortgage-backed securities ("ARMBSs") have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBSs permits the Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBSs are based. Such ARMBSs generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed income debt securities of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBSs, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, the Fund, when holding an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (*i.e.*, the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBSs behave more like fixed-income securities and less like adjustable-rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed-income securities. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable-rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

<u>Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, and special purpose entities of the foregoing. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the "IO" class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or "PO" class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund's yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated pre-payments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

<u>Collateralized Debt Obligations</u>*.* The Fund may invest in collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), which include collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and other similarly structured securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below-investment-grade fixed income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed income securities such as high-yield debt, residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, commercial privately issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities, and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below-investment-grade or equivalent unrated loans. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.

For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the "equity" tranche, which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities and can be rated investment-grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class.

The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs, and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities; however, an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed-income securities discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Fund's Prospectus (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CDOs carry additional risks including, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the Fund may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

<u>Asset-Backed Securities</u>*.* Asset-backed securities ("ABS") are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. ABS are created from many types of assets, including auto loans, credit card receivables, home equity loans, and student loans. ABS are issued through special purpose vehicles that are bankruptcy remote from the issuer of the collateral. The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement. Some ABS, particularly home equity loan transactions, are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which, in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments (after expenses are paid) are used to pay investors as quickly as possible based upon a predetermined priority of payment.

Consistent with its investment objectives and policies, the Fund also may invest in other types of asset-backed securities.

**BELOW-INVESTMENT-GRADE SECURITIES.** Subject to the limitations set forth in the Prospectus, the Fund may invest in "below-investment-grade" or "high-yield" fixed income securities commonly known to investors as "high-yield bonds" or "junk bonds." High-yield bonds are issued by a company whose credit rating (based on an NRSRO) evaluation of the likelihood of repayment) necessitates offering a higher coupon and yield on its issues when selling them to investors who may otherwise be hesitant in purchasing the debt of such a company. While generally providing greater income and opportunity for gain, below-investment-grade debt securities are generally subject to greater risks than fixed income securities, which have higher credit ratings, including a higher risk of default, and their yields will fluctuate over time. High-yield bonds generally will be in the lower rating categories of NRSROs (rated "Ba" or lower by Moody's or "BB" or lower by S&P and Fitch or will be unrated. The credit rating of a high-yield bond does not necessarily address its market value risk, and ratings may, from time to time, change positively or negatively, to reflect developments regarding the issuer's financial condition. High-yield bonds are considered to be speculative with respect to the capacity of the issuer to timely repay principal and pay interest or dividends in accordance with the terms of the obligation and may have more credit risk than higher-rated securities.

While the market values of high-yield bonds tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rates than do those of higher-rated securities, the values of high-yield bonds often reflect individual corporate developments and have a high sensitivity to economic changes to a greater extent than do higher-rated securities. Issuers of high-yield bonds are often in the growth stage of their development and/or involved in a reorganization or takeover. The companies are often highly leveraged (have a significant amount of debt relative to shareholders' equity) and may not have available to them more traditional financing methods, thereby increasing the risk associated with acquiring these types of securities. In some cases, obligations with respect to high-yield bonds are subordinated to the prior repayment of senior indebtedness, which will potentially limit the Fund's ability to fully recover principal or to receive interest payments when senior securities are in default. Thus, investors in high-yield bonds have a lower degree of protection with respect to principal and interest payments than do investors in higher-rated securities.

During an economic downturn, a substantial period of rising interest rates or a recession, highly leveraged issuers of high-yield bonds may experience financial distress, possibly resulting in insufficient revenues to meet their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals and to obtain additional financing. An economic downturn could also disrupt the market for lower-rated securities and adversely affect the value of outstanding securities, the Fund's NAV and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest. If the issuer of a security held by the Fund has defaulted, the Fund may not receive full interest and principal payments due to it and could incur additional expenses if it chose to seek recovery of its investment.

The secondary markets for high-yield bonds are not as liquid as the secondary markets for higher-rated securities. The secondary markets for high-yield bonds are concentrated in relatively few market makers, and participants in the markets are mostly institutional investors, including insurance companies, banks, other financial institutions, and mutual funds. In addition, the trading volume for high-yield bonds is generally lower than that for higher-rated securities, and the secondary markets could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. Under certain economic and/or market conditions, the Fund may have difficulty disposing of certain high-yield bonds due to the limited number of investors in that sector of the market. An illiquid secondary market may adversely affect the market price of the high-yield security, which may result in increased difficulty selling the particular issue and obtaining accurate market quotations on the issue when valuing the Fund's assets. Market quotations on high-yield bonds are available only from a limited number of dealers, and such quotations may not be the actual prices available for a purchase or sale.

The high-yield markets may react strongly to adverse news about an issuer or the economy, or to the perception or expectation of adverse news, whether or not it is based on fundamental analysis. Additionally, prices for high-yield bonds may be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. These developments could adversely affect the Fund's NAV and investment practices, the secondary market for high-yield bonds, the financial condition of issuers of these securities, and the value and liquidity of outstanding high-yield bonds, especially in a thinly traded market. For example, Federal legislation requiring the divestiture by federally insured savings and loan associations of their investments in high-yield bonds and limiting the deductibility of interest by certain corporate issuers of high-yield bonds adversely affected the market in the past.

When the secondary market for high-yield bonds becomes more illiquid, or in the absence of readily available market quotations for such securities, the relative lack of reliable, objective data makes it more difficult to value the Fund's securities and judgment plays a more important role in determining such valuations. Increased illiquidity in the junk bond market, in combination with the relative youth and growth of the market for such securities, also may affect the ability of the Fund to dispose of such securities at a desirable price. Additionally, if the secondary markets for high-yield bonds contract due to adverse economic conditions or for other reasons, some of the Fund's liquid securities may become illiquid, and the proportion of the Fund's assets invested in illiquid securities may significantly increase.

The rating assigned by a rating agency evaluates the safety of a below-investment-grade security's principal and interest payments but does not address market value risk. Because such ratings of NRSROs may not always reflect current conditions and events, in addition to using NRSROs and other sources, the Adviser performs its own analysis of the issuers whose below-investment-grade securities are held by the Fund. Because of this, the Fund's performance may depend more on the Adviser's own credit analysis than in the case of mutual funds investing in higher-rated securities. For a description of these ratings, see "Appendix A - Description of Ratings."

In selecting below-investment-grade securities, the Adviser considers factors such as those relating to the creditworthiness of issuers, the ratings and performance of the securities, the protections afforded the securities, and the diversity of the Fund. The Adviser continuously monitors the issuers of below-investment-grade securities held by the Fund for their ability to make required principal and interest payments, as well as in an effort to control the liquidity of the Fund so that it can meet redemption requests. If a security's rating is reduced below the minimum credit rating that is permitted for the Fund, the Adviser will consider whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.

In the event that the Fund investing in high-yield bonds experiences an unexpected level of net redemptions, the Fund could be forced to sell its holdings without regard to the investment merits, thereby decreasing the assets upon which the Fund's rate of return is based.

The costs attributable to investing in the high-yield markets are usually higher for several reasons, such as higher investment research costs and higher commission costs.

**PARTICIPATION INTERESTS.** The Fund may invest in participation interests in fixed-income securities. A participation interest provides the certificate holder with a specified interest in an issue of fixed income securities.

Some participation interests give the holders differing interests in the underlying securities, depending upon the type or class of certificate purchased. For example, coupon strip certificates give the holder the right to receive a specific portion of interest payments on the underlying securities; principal strip certificates give the holder the right to receive principal payments and the portion of interest not payable to coupon strip certificate holders. Holders of certificates of participation in interest payments may be entitled to receive a fixed rate of interest, a variable rate that is periodically reset to reflect the current market rate or an auction rate that is periodically reset at auction. Asset-backed residuals represent interests in any excess cash flow remaining after required payments of principal and interest have been made.

More complex participation interests involve special risk considerations. Since these instruments have only recently been developed, there can be no assurance that any market will develop or be maintained for the instruments. Generally, the fixed-income securities that are deposited in trust for the holders of these interests are the sole source of payments on the interests; holders cannot look to the sponsor or trustee of the trust, or to the issuers of the securities held in trust, or to any of their affiliates for payment.

Participation interests purchased at a discount may experience price volatility. Certain types of interests are sensitive to fluctuations in market interest rates and to prepayments on the underlying securities. A rapid rate of prepayment can result in the failure to recover the holder's initial investment.

The extent to which the yield to maturity of a participation interest is sensitive to prepayments depends, in part, upon whether the interest was purchased at a discount or premium, and if so, the size of that discount or premium. Generally, if a participation interest is purchased at a premium and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that anticipated at the time of purchase, the holder's actual yield to maturity will be lower than that assumed at the time of purchase. Conversely, if a participation interest is purchased at a discount and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that assumed at the time of purchase, the investor's actual yield to maturity will be higher than that assumed at the time of purchase.

Participation interests in pools of fixed income securities backed by certain types of debt obligations involve special risk considerations. The issuers of securities backed by automobile and truck receivables typically file financing statements evidencing security interests in the receivables, and the servicers of those obligations take and retain custody of the obligations. If the servicers, in contravention of their duty to the holders of the securities backed by the receivables, were to sell the obligations, the third-party purchasers could acquire an interest superior to the interest of the security holders. Also, most states require that a security interest in a vehicle must be noted on the certificate of title and the certificate of title may not be amended to reflect the assignment of the lender's security interest. Therefore, the recovery of the collateral in some cases may not be available to support payments on the securities. Securities backed by credit card receivables are generally unsecured, and both Federal and state consumer protection laws may allow set-offs against certain amounts owed.

**PREFERRED STOCK.** The Fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally dividends as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends generally are payable only if declared by the issuer's board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

**REAL ESTATE SECURITIES AND RELATED DERIVATIVES.** The Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in real estate-linked derivatives, real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Each of these types of investments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value and possible environmental liabilities. The Fund may also invest in rights or warrants to purchase income-producing common and preferred shares of issuers in real estate-related industries. It is anticipated that substantially all of the equity securities of issuers in real estate-related industries in which the Fund intends to invest will be traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market.

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that own, and typically operate, income-producing real estate. If a REIT meets certain requirements, including distributing to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income (other than net capital gains), then it is not taxed on the income distributed to shareholders. REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses, and so the Fund, when investing in REITs, will bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs' operations.

There are three general categories of REITs: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs, and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in direct fee ownership or leasehold ownership of real property; they derive most of their income from rents. Mortgage REITs invest mostly in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development, or long-term loans, and the main source of their income is mortgage interest payments. Hybrid REITs hold both ownership and mortgage interests in real estate.

Along with the risks common to different types of real estate-related securities, REITs, no matter the type, involve additional risk factors. These include poor performance by the REIT's manager, changes to the tax laws, and failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free distribution of income or exemption under the 1940 Act. Furthermore, REITs are not diversified and are heavily dependent on cash flow. REITs can be listed and traded on national securities exchanges or can be traded privately between individual owners.

**REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commits to resell that security to a bank or dealer at an agreed upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest, unrelated to the coupon rate or the maturity of the purchased security. While it is not possible to eliminate all risks from these transactions (particularly the possibility of a decline in the market value of the underlying securities, as well as delays and costs to the Fund if the other party to the repurchase agreement defaults), it is the policy of the Fund to limit repurchase transactions to primary dealers and banks whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the Adviser. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered illiquid for purposes of the Fund's investment limitations.

**RESTRICTED SECURITIES.** Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption from registration. The Fund is subject to an investment limitation on the purchase of illiquid securities. Restricted securities, including securities eligible for re-sale pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, which are determined to be liquid, are not subject to this limitation. This determination is to be made by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees. Under these guidelines, the Adviser will consider the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers in, and potential purchasers for, the securities, dealer undertakings to make a market in the security, and the nature of the security and of the marketplace trades. In purchasing such restricted securities, the Adviser intends to purchase securities that are exempt from registration under Rule 144A.

**REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements in accordance with its investment restrictions. Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund would sell portfolio securities to financial institutions, such as banks and broker-dealers, and agree to repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high-grade debt securities, generally rated in one of the three highest ratings categories, consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value at least equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price at which it is obligated to repurchase the securities.

Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings by the Fund under the 1940 Act. The Fund will not engage in reverse repurchase transactions if such transactions, combined with any other borrowings, exceed 33-1/3% of the Fund's assets.

**RIGHTS OFFERINGS AND WARRANTS TO PURCHASE SECURITIES.** The Fund may participate in rights offerings and may purchase warrants, which are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time. Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the rights' and warrants' expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security's market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. Buying a warrant does not make the Fund a shareholder of the underlying stock. The warrant holder has no voting or dividend rights with respect to the underlying stock. A warrant does not carry any right to assets of the issuer, and for this reason, investment in warrants may be more speculative than other equity-based investments.

**SECURITIES LENDING.** For the purpose of achieving income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial institutions, provided: (i) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposits, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned; (ii) the Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of the securities loaned; (iii) the Fund will receive any interest or dividends paid on the loaned securities; and (iv) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33-1/3% of the total assets of the Fund. The Fund's performance will continue to reflect the receipt of either interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments, or a fee, if the collateral is U.S. Government securities. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral should the borrower fail to return the securities loaned or become insolvent. The Fund may pay lending fees to the party arranging the loan.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities as part of its overall portfolio management strategy involving the use of derivative instruments, to gain exposure to or adjust exposure to various market sectors, and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities or otherwise take advantage of market conditions. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.

When the Fund makes a short sale, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale as collateral for its obligation to deliver the security upon conclusion of the sale. The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over any accrued interest and dividends on such borrowed securities.

If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time that the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.

The Fund may invest pursuant to a risk arbitrage strategy to take advantage of a perceived relationship between the value of two securities. Frequently, a risk arbitrage strategy involves the short sale of a security.

The Fund may engage in short sales "against the box." A short sale is "against the box" to the extent that the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short. The Fund will engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the federal securities laws and rules and interpretations thereunder. To the extent the Fund engages in short selling in foreign (non-U.S.) jurisdictions, the Fund will do so to the extent permitted by the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction.

The Fund may also engage in so-called "naked" short sales (i.e., short sales that are not "against the box"), in which case the Fund's losses could theoretically be unlimited, in cases where the Fund is unable for whatever reason to close out its short position. The Fund has the flexibility to engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and interpretations thereunder.

**SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in special purpose acquisition companies ("SPACs"). SPACs are collective investment structures that pool funds in order to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less an amount to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities and cash. SPACs and similar entities may be blank check companies with no operating history or ongoing business other than to seek a potential acquisition. Accordingly, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity's management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Certain SPACs may seek acquisitions only in limited industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. Investments in SPACs may be deemed illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective. If a SPAC does not complete an acquisition within a specified period of time after going public, the SPAC is dissolved, at which point the invested funds are returned to the SPAC's shareholders (less certain permitted expenses) and any rights or warrants issued by the SPAC expire worthless.

**U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS.** The Fund may invest in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Although all obligations of such agencies and instrumentalities are not direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Government generally directly or indirectly backs payment of the interest and principal on these obligations. This support can range from securities supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (for example, GNMA securities) to securities that are supported solely or primarily by the creditworthiness of the issuer, such as securities of FNMA, FHLMC, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Federal Farm Credit Banks and Federal Home Loan Banks. In the case of obligations not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Whether backed by full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury or not, U.S. Government obligations are not guaranteed against price movements due to fluctuating interest rates.

**VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES.** Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event-based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

The Fund may invest in floating and variable rate debt instruments ("floaters") and engage in credit spread trades. The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as a money-market index or Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, the Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. A credit spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two securities or currencies, where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities or currencies.

The Fund may also invest in inverse floating rate debt instruments ("inverse floaters"). The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floating-rate security may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation of similar credit quality. See "Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities" for a discussion of IOs and POs.

**WHEN-ISSUED, DELAYED DELIVERY, AND FORWARD COMMITMENT TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis. Typically, no income accrues on securities the Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made.

When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its NAV. Because the Fund is not required to pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other investments. If the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

When the Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis, the Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or could suffer a loss. The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a transaction after it is entered into and may sell when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment securities before they are delivered, which may result in a capital gain or loss. There is no percentage limitation on the extent to which the Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis.

**ZERO COUPON BONDS.** The Fund may invest in zero-coupon bonds of governmental or private issuers that generally pay no interest to their holders prior to maturity. Since zero-coupon bonds do not make regular interest payments, they allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments and may involve greater credit risks than bonds paying interest currently. The IRC requires that the Fund accrue interest income on zero-coupon bonds for each taxable year, even though no cash has been paid on the bonds, and generally requires the Fund to distribute such income (net of deductible expenses, if any) to avoid being subject to tax and to continue to maintain its status as a RIC under the IRC. Because no cash is generally received at the time of accrual, the Fund may be required to sell investments (even if such sales are not advantageous) to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy the federal tax distribution requirements applicable to the Fund under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information.

**TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS.** The Fund may, without limit, invest in U.S. Government securities, commercial paper, and other money market instruments, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents in response to adverse market conditions, as a temporary defensive position. The result of this action may be that the Fund will be unable to achieve its investment objective.

**PORTFOLIO TURNOVER.** There has not been any significant variation on the Fund's portfolio turnover rates over the two most recently completed fiscal years. The Adviser does not anticipate significant variation in the portfolio turnover rate from that reported in the Fund's Prospectus for the last fiscal year.

**DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS**

As required by the federal or state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Fund discloses portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR, and Form N-PORT, or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require. The Fund's complete list of portfolio holdings are available sixty days after each fiscal quarter end in the Fund's Form N-CSR (semiannually) and Form N-PORT (quarterly).

The Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of portfolio securities holdings. The policies and procedures are designed to allow disclosure of the Fund's holdings information where it is deemed appropriate for the Fund's operations, or it is determined to be useful to the Fund's shareholders without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. Except when there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure of the Fund's holdings, the Fund will not provide or permit others to provide information about the Fund's holdings on a selective basis. The Board of Trustees provides ongoing oversight of the Trust's policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Trustees receive from the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Trustees receive an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any deviation to this policy as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such deviations must be reported to the Trust's Board of Trustees at its next quarterly Board meeting or sooner, as determined by the Trust's CCO.

The Fund may, but is not required to, post its schedule of investments on its website at regular intervals or from time to time at the discretion of the Adviser. This information may be as of the most recent practicable date available and need not be subject to a lag period prior to posting on its website. In addition to its schedule of investments, the Fund may post portfolio holdings information and other information on its website including, but not limited to, information about the number of securities the Fund holds, a summary schedule of investments, the Fund's top holdings and a percentage breakdown of the Fund's investments by geographic region, sector, industry and market capitalization. After any portfolio holdings information becomes publicly available (by posting on its website or otherwise); it may be mailed, e-mailed, or otherwise transmitted to any person.

The following disclosures of aggregate, composite or descriptive information about the Fund or its portfolio holdings are not subject to the Trust's policy on selective disclosure of portfolio information: (i) descriptions of allocations among classes, geographic regions, countries, industries or sectors; (ii) aggregated data such as average or median ratios or market capitalization; (iii) performance attribution by class, geographic region, country, industry or sector; (iv) aggregated risk statistics; (v) listing of top holdings with reference to the amount of the Fund's holdings; and (vi) such other information that, in the opinion of the CCO or designee, does not present material risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading of the Fund. The Fund's portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to financial consultants or other entities that have a legitimate business purpose in receiving such information, including to assist them in determining the suitability of the Fund as an investment for their clients. In each case, such disclosure will be made in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, the Adviser's fiduciary duties to the Fund's shareholders and subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Board of Trustees, a committee thereof, or an officer designated by the Board of Trustees, may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Fund may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about its holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's, or its Adviser's employees and affiliates that provide services to the Fund. The Fund may also distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Fund's holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's service providers who require access to the information (i) in order to fulfill their contractual duties relating to the Fund; (ii) to facilitate the transition of a newly hired Adviser prior to the commencement of its duties; (iii) to facilitate the review of the Fund by a ranking or ratings agency; (iv) for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition; or (v) for the purpose of effecting in-kind redemption of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of the Fund's assets and minimize impact on remaining shareholders of the Fund.

Each of the following third parties has been approved to receive portfolio holdings information: (i) the Fund's administrator and accounting agent; (ii) the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, for use in providing audit opinions; (iii) financial printers, solely for the purpose of preparing the Fund's reports or regulatory filings; (iv) the Fund's custodian in connection with its custody of the Fund's assets; (v) if applicable, a proxy voting service; or (vi) disclosure to a ranking or rating agency, such as Lipper, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Moody's, S&P and Fitch. Information may be provided to these parties at any time so long as each of these parties is contractually and ethically prohibited from sharing the Fund's portfolio holding information without specific authorization. The Fund's Adviser and service providers have also established procedures to ensure that the Fund's portfolio holdings information is only disclosed in accordance with these policies.

Under no circumstances may the Fund, the Adviser or their affiliates receive any consideration or compensation for disclosing portfolio holdings information.

The Adviser manages other accounts such as separate accounts and other registered or unregistered pooled investment vehicles. These other accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus may have similar portfolio holdings. Such accounts may have disclosures at different times than a Fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed. Additionally, such accounts may have access to their portfolio holdings and may not be subject to the foregoing restrictions.

**INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS**

The Fund has adopted the investment limitations set forth below. Except with respect to the asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowing, if any percentage restriction on investment or utilization of assets is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market values of the Fund or the Fund's assets or redemptions of shares will not be considered a violation of the limitation. The asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowings is an ongoing requirement. The following non-fundamental policies apply to the Fund, and the Board of Trustees may change them without shareholder approval unless shareholder approval is required by the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. The Fund will not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Purchase securities of any one issuer if, as a result, more than 5% of the Fund's total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer or the Fund would own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer, except that (a) up to 25% of the Fund's total assets may be invested without regard to this limitation; and (b) this limitation does not apply to securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities ("U.S. Government obligations") or to securities issued by other investment companies. Repurchase agreements fully collateralized by U.S. Government obligations will be treated as U.S. Government obligations;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Issue senior securities or borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and then not in excess of 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets (including the amount of the senior securities issued but reduced by any liabilities not constituting senior securities) at the time of the issuance or borrowing, except that the Fund may borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets (not including the amount borrowed) for temporary purposes such as clearance of portfolio transactions and share redemptions. For purposes of these restrictions, the purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the purchase and sale of options and futures contracts and collateral arrangements with respect thereto are not deemed to be the issuance of a senior security, a borrowing or a pledge of assets;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Underwrite any issue of securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered to be acting as underwriter in connection with the disposition of any portfolio security;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Invest 25% or more of the value of the Fund's assets in securities of issuers in any one industry. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or to securities issued by other investment companies. For purposes of this limitation states, municipalities and their political subdivisions are not considered to be part of any industry;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Purchase or sell real estate, except that the Fund may (i) invest in securities of issuers that invest in real estate or interests therein, (ii) invest in mortgage-related securities and other securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein, and (iii) hold and sell real estate acquired by the Fund as a result of the ownership of securities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Purchase or sell commodities, unless acquired as a result of owning securities or other instruments, but it may purchase, sell or enter into financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions, and other financial contracts or derivative instruments and may invest in securities or other instruments backed by commodities; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Make loans, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time. For purposes of this restriction, the acquisition of bonds, debentures, other debt securities or instruments, or participations or other interests therein and investments in government obligations, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or similar instruments will not be considered the making of a loan. In addition, the Fund may (i) lend portfolio securities, (ii) enter into repurchase agreements, and (iii) participate in an interfund lending program with other registered investment companies.

**TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS**

The following tables present certain information regarding the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust. None of the Trustees are an "interested person" of the Trust, the Adviser, another investment adviser of a series of the Trust, or Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, the principal underwriter of the Trust ("Underwriter"), within the meaning of the 1940 Act and each Trustee is referred to as an "Independent Trustee" and is listed under such heading below. Employees of certain service providers to the Trust serve as officers of the Trust; such persons are not compensated by the Fund. The address of each Trustee and officer as it relates to the Trust's business is 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809.

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** |
| **Robert J. Christian**<br> Date of Birth: 2/49 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation, or removal. Trustee since 2007. Chairman from 2007 until September 30, 2019. | Retired since February 2006; Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust Company from February 1996 to February 2006; President of Rodney Square Management Corporation ("RS-MC") (investment advisory firm) from 1996 to 2005; Vice President of RSMC from 2005 to 2006. | 28 | Optimum Fund Trust (registered investment company with 6 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Iqbal Mansur**<br> Date of Birth: 6/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation, or removal. Trustee since 2007. | Retired since September 2020; Professor of Finance, Widener University from 1998 to August 2020; Member of the Investment Committee of ChristianaCare Health System from January 2022 to present. | 28 | Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr.**<br> Date of Birth: 8/55 | Trustee and Chairman of the Board. | Shall serve until death, resignation, or removal. Trustee since 2016. Chairman since October 1, 2019. | Retired since March 2016. President of PNC Bank Delaware from June 2011 to March 2016; Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2011; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from September 1997 to July 2010. | 28 | Brinker Capital Destinations Trust (registered investment company with 10 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **Nancy B. Wolcott**<br> Date of Birth: 11/54 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation, or removal. Trustee since 2011. | Retired since May 2014; EVP, Head of GFI Client Service Delivery, BNY Mellon from January 2012 to May 2014; EVP, Head of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2012; President of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2008 to July 2010; Chief Operating Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2007 to 2008; Executive Vice President of PFPC Worldwide Inc. from 2006 to 2007. | 28 | Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (registered investment company with 97 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Stephen M. Wynne**<br> Date of Birth: 1/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation, or removal. Trustee since 2009. | Retired since December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from July 2010 to December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from March 2008 to July 2010; President, PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2003 to 2008. | 28 | Copeland Trust (registered investment company with 2 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund registered investment company). |

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**EXECUTIVE OFFICERS**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **Joel L. Weiss**<br> Date of Birth: 1/63 | President and Chief Executive Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation, or removal. Officer since 2007. | Senior Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; President of JW Fund Management LLC from June 2016 to July 2025; Vice President and Managing Director of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from 1993 to June 2016. |
| **Christine S. Catanzaro** <br> Date of Birth: 8/84 | Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation, or removal. Officer since 2022. | Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; Consultant from October 2020 to July 2025; Senior Manager, Ernst & Young LLP from March 2013 to October 2020. |
| **T. Richard Keyes**<br> Date of Birth: 1/57 | Vice President | Shall serve until death, resignation, or removal. Officer since 2016. | President of TRK Fund Consulting LLC since July 2016; Head of Tax — U.S. Fund Services of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from February 2006 to July 2016. |

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **Gabriella Mercincavage**<br> Date of Birth: 6/68 | Assistant Treasurer | Shall serve until death, resignation, or removal. Officer since 2019. | Fund Administration Consultant since January 2019; Fund Accounting and Tax Compliance Accountant to financial services companies from November 2003 to July 2018. |
| **Vincenzo A. Scarduzio**<br> Date of Birth: 4/72 | Secretary | Shall serve until death, resignation, or removal. Officer since 2012. | Director and Senior Vice President Regulatory Administration of The Bank of New York Mellon and predecessor firms since 2001. |
| **John Canning**<br> Date of Birth: 11/70 | Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation, or removal. Officer since 2022. | Director of Chenery Compliance Group, LLC from March 2021 to present; Senior Consultant of Foreside Financial Group from August 2020 to March 2021; Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Operating Officer of Schneider Capital Management LP from May 2019 to July 2020; Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Context Capital Partners, LP from March 2016 to March 2018 and February 2019, respectively. |

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**LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES.** The basic responsibilities of the Trustees are to monitor the Trust and its funds' financial operations and performance, oversee the activities and legal compliance of the Adviser and other major service providers, keep themselves informed and exercise their business judgment in making decisions important to the Trust's proper functioning based on what the Trustees reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the shareholders. The Board of Trustees is comprised of five individuals, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Board of Trustees meets multiple times during the year (but at least quarterly) to review the investment performance of the funds and other operational matters, including policies and procedures with respect to compliance with regulatory and other requirements.

The Board of Trustees has appointed an Independent Trustee to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman's primary role is to participate in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board of Trustees and the identification of information to be presented to the Board of Trustees with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board of Trustees. The Chairman also presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and acts as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys, and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman may perform such other functions as may be requested by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Except for any duties specified herein or pursuant to the Trust's Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, the designation of Chairman does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liability that is greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Board of Trustees, generally.

Each Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees because of his or her experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills as set forth in the subsection "Trustee Qualifications," below. Based on a review of the Board of Trustees and its function, the Trustees have determined that the leadership structure of the Board of Trustees is appropriate and that the Board of Trustees' role in the risk oversight of the Trust, as discussed below, allows the Board of Trustees to effectively administer its oversight function.

The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. The responsibilities of each committee and its members are described below.

**AUDIT COMMITTEE.** The Audit Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Wynne currently serves as the chairman of the Audit Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter (the "Audit Committee Charter") for the Audit Committee. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee has the responsibility, among others, to (1) select the Trust's independent registered public accountants; (2) review and approve the scope of the independent registered public accountants' audit activity; (3) oversee the audit process of the financial statements which are the subject of the independent registered public accountants' certifications; and, (4) review with such independent registered public accountants the adequacy of the Trust's basic accounting system and the effectiveness of the Trust's internal accounting controls. The Audit Committee meets at least two times per year. The Audit Committee met four times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

**NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.** The Nominating and Governance Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini. Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott. Mr. Mansur serves as the chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for formulating a statement of corporate governance; assessing the size, structure, and composition of the Board of Trustees; determining trustee qualification guidelines as well as compensation, insurance and indemnification of Trustees; identifying Trustee candidates; oversight of Board of Trustees self-evaluations; reviewing certain regulatory and corporate matters of the Trust; and identifying, from time to time, qualified candidates to serve as the CCO for the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee meets at least once a year. The Nominating and Governance Committee met two times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. The Nominating and Governance Committee identifies potential nominees in accordance with its Statement of Policy on Qualifications for Board of Trustees Membership. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominee candidates recommended by shareholders. Shareholders who wish to recommend individuals for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee as nominee candidates may do so by submitting a written recommendation to the Secretary of the Trust at: 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809. Submissions must include sufficient biographical information concerning the recommended individual, including age, at least ten years of employment history with employer names and a description of the employer's business, and a list of board memberships (if any).

The submission must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board of Trustees and to serve if elected. Recommendations must be received in a sufficient time, as determined by the Nominating and Governance Committee in its sole discretion, prior to the date proposed for the consideration of nominee candidates by the Board of Trustees. Upon the written request of shareholders holding at least a 5% interest in the Trust's shares in the aggregate, the Secretary shall present to any special meeting of shareholders such nominees for election as trustees as specified in such written request.

**TRUSTEE QUALIFICATIONS.** The following is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills that led to the Board of Trustees' conclusion that each individual identified below is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

The Board of Trustees believes that the Trustees' ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Adviser, other service providers, counsel, and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, support the conclusion that each Trustee is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply as to each Trustee: Mr. Marsini is the former President of PNC Bank Delaware, former Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon, former Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Wynne is the former Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Ms. Wolcott is the former Executive Vice President of US Fund Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former President of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee of other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Christian served as the Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; and Mr. Mansur is a Professor Emeritus at Widener University. He previously served as a Professor of Finance, School of Business Administration, at Widener University and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes.

In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Trustees considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board of Trustees' overall composition so that the Board of Trustees, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Trust and its funds. The summaries set forth above as to the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of the Trustees do not constitute holding out the Board of Trustees or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board of Trustees as a whole than would otherwise be the case.

**RISK OVERSIGHT.** Through its direct oversight role, and indirectly through its Committees, of officers and service providers, the Board of Trustees performs a risk oversight function for the Trust and its funds consisting, among other things, of the following activities: (1) at regular and special Board of Trustees meetings, and on an ad hoc basis as needed, receiving and reviewing reports related to the performance and operations of the Trust and its funds; (2) reviewing and approving, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust; (3) meeting with the portfolio management team to review investment strategies, techniques and the processes used to manage related risks; (4) meeting with representatives of key service providers, including the investment advisers, administrator, the distributor, the transfer agent, the custodian and the independent registered public accounting firms of the funds, to review and discuss the activities of the Trust and its funds and to provide direction with respect thereto; and (5) engaging the services of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust to test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service providers.

**SECURITY AND OTHER INTERESTS.** The following table sets forth the equity securities in the Funds and in all registered investment companies overseen by the Trustees within the Trust Complex that the Trustees beneficially owned as of December 31, 2024.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range of Equity<br> Securities in the Fund** | **Aggregate Dollar Range<br> of Equity Securities in<br> All Registered Investment<br> Companies Overseen by<br> Trustee within the Family of<br> Investment Companies** |
| **Independent Trustees** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Robert J. Christian | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Iqbal Mansur |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nancy B. Wolcott |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stephen M. Wynne |  | $50001 - $100000 |

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As of December 31, 2024, none of the Independent Trustees, or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) served as an officer, director or was an employee of the Trust, the Adviser or the Underwriter, or of any of their respective affiliates. Nor do any of such persons serve as an officer or director or is an employee of any company controlled by or under common control with such entities. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Independent Trustees or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) owned beneficially or of record any interest in the Adviser or the Underwriter, or in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities.

**COMPENSATION.** In addition to the fees below, the Trust reimburses the Trustees for their related business expenses. The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Trustees for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Aggregate<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust** | **Pension or<br> Retirement<br> Benefits Accrued as<br> Part of the Trust's<br> Expenses** | **Estimated<br> Annual<br> Benefits upon<br> Retirement** | **Total<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust<br> Complex** |
| Robert J. Christian | $120639 | $0 | $0 | $120639 |
| Iqbal Mansur | $135586 | $0 | $0 | $135586 |
| Nicholas M. Marsini Jr. | $145492 | $0 | $0 | $145492 |
| Nancy B. Wolcott | $120579 | $0 | $0 | $120579 |
| Stephen M. Wynne | $140509 | $0 | $0 | $140509 |

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**CODE OF ETHICS**

In accordance with Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, the Trust and the Adviser have adopted a code of ethics (each, a "Code" and together, the "Codes").

The Codes are intended to prohibit or restrict transactions that may be deemed to create a conflict of interest among the Adviser or the Trust. Each Code identifies the specific employees, officers, or other persons who are subject thereto, and all are required to abide by the provisions thereunder. Persons covered under the Codes may engage in personal trading for their own accounts, including securities that may also be purchased or held or traded by the Fund under certain circumstances.

Under the Code adopted by the Trust, personal trading is subject to specific restrictions, limitations, guidelines, and other conditions. Under the Code adopted by the Adviser, personal trading is subject to pre-clearance and other conditions set forth in its Code.

On an annual basis or whenever deemed necessary, the Board of Trustees reviews reports regarding all of the Codes, including information about any material violations of the Codes. The Codes are on public file as exhibits to the Trust's registration statement with the SEC.

**PROXY VOTING**

The Board of Trustees has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting procedures and has delegated the responsibility for exercising the voting rights associated with the securities purchased and/or held by the Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Board of Trustees' continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by general fiduciary principles. It must act prudently, solely in the interest of the Fund, and for the purpose of providing benefits to the Fund. The Adviser will consider the factors that could affect the value of the Fund's investment in its determination on a vote.

The Adviser has identified certain significant contributors to shareholder value with respect to a number of common or routine matters that are often the subject of proxy solicitations for shareholder meetings. The proxy voting procedures address these considerations and establish a framework for consideration of a vote that would be appropriate for the Fund. In particular, the proxy voting procedures outline principles and factors to be considered in the exercise of voting authority for proposals addressing such common or routine matters.

The Adviser's proxy voting procedures establish a protocol for voting of proxies in cases in which the Adviser or an affiliated entity has an interest that is reasonably likely to be affected by a proxy to be voted on behalf of the Fund, or that could compromise the Adviser's independence of judgment and action in voting the proxy in the best interest of the Fund's shareholders. The Adviser believes that consistently voting in accordance with its stated guidelines will address most conflicts of interest. If a material conflict of interest exists, the Adviser will determine an appropriate resolution, which may include consultation with management or Trustees of the Trust, analyses by independent third parties, or other means necessary to ensure and demonstrate the proxy was voted in the best interests of shareholders. A description of the Adviser's proxy voting policies is attached herewith as Appendix B. The Fund is required to file annually its proxy voting record on Form N-PX with the SEC. Form N-PX is required to be filed by August 31 of each year and, when filed, will be available without charge by request by calling the Fund at (855) 430-6487 or on the SEC's website at *www.sec.gov*.

**CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES**

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Any person who directly or indirectly owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, may be deemed an "affiliated person" of the Fund, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. As of August 1, 2025, the following persons were the only persons who were record owners (or to the knowledge of the Trust, beneficial owners) of 5% or more of the shares of the Fund. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Trustees or officers of the Trust owned individually and together in excess of 1% of any class of outstanding shares of the Fund.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br> of Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Percentage<br> Shares Owned** |
| **EIC Value Fund — Institutional Class** |  |  |
| UBS WM USA <br>SPEC CDY A/C EXL BEN CUSTOMERS OF UBSFSI<br>1000 Harbor Blvd <br>Weehawken, NJ 07086 | 5122039.103 | 31.23% |
| Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC <br>Special Custody Acct For The Exclusive Benefit of Customer<br> 2801 Market Street <br>St Louis, MO 63103 | 2539798.969 | 15.49% |
| Charles Schwab & Co Inc<br> ATTN Mutual Funds<br> 211 Main Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94105 | 1856379.654 | 11.32% |
| Charles Schwab & Co Inc<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br>ATTN Mutual Funds <br>211 Main Street <br>San Francisco, CA 94105 | 1126841.198 | 6.87% |
| National Financial Services Corp<br> (FBO) Our Customers<br> ATTN Mutual Funds Department 4th FL<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010 | 1069971.480 | 6.52% |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br> of Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Percentage<br> Shares Owned** |
| **EIC Value Fund — Class A** |  |  |
| Charles Schwab & Co Inc<br>Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> ATTN Mutual Funds <br>211 Main Street <br>San Francisco, CA 94105 | 366946.944 | 25.39% |
| Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC <br>Special Custody Acct For The Exclusive Benefit Of Customer<br> 2801 Market Street <br>St Louis, Mo 63103 | 323882.642 | 22.41% |
| UBS WM USA <br>SPEC CDY A/C EXL BEN CUSTOMERS OF UBSFSI<br>1000 Harbor Blvd <br>Weehawken, NJ 07086 | 139282.063 | 9.64% |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br> of Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Percentage<br> Shares Owned** |
| **EIC Value Fund — Class C** |  |  |
| Charles Schwab & Co Inc <br>Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> ATTN Mutual Funds<br> 211 Main Street <br>San Francisco, CA 94105 | 167325.242 | 38.52% |
| Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC <br>Special Custody Acct For The Exclusive Benefit Of Customer<br> 2801 Market Street <br> St Louis, MO 63103 | 113636.221 | 26.19% |

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**INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES**

Equity Investment Corporation ("EIC" or the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser located at 1776 Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 600S, Atlanta, GA 30309. EIC has been providing investment advisory services since 1986. In September 2016, a newly registered investment advisor entity formed by W. Andrew Bruner, R. Terrence Irrgang and Ian T. Zabor purchased substantially all of the assets of EIC, including the EIC name, and assumed all of the liabilities necessary for EIC's continuous operation. That new registrant succeeded to all of EIC's business and continued all operations under the same name. Effective January 1, 2025, Robert Ladyman and Thomas Knapp became shareholders of EIC. They acquired an economic ownership stake from Mr. Irrgang, though Mr. Irrgang retained voting rights. EIC continues to be majority-owned and controlled by Messrs. W. Andrew Bruner, R. Terrence Irrgang, and Ian T. Zabor. In addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, EIC provides portfolio management services to individuals, institutions, and retirement plans. As of June 30, 2025, EIC managed or advised $7.2 billion for clients, with $3.3 billion in assets under management and $3.9 billion in advisory business.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser manages the assets of the Fund (the "Investment Advisory Agreement"). The Investment Advisory Agreement has an initial term of two years and continues in effect from year to year thereafter if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees including a majority of the Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the Fund on 60 days' written notice without penalty, and the Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the Adviser on 90 days' written notice without penalty. The Investment Advisory Agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment, as defined in the 1940 Act.

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual investment advisory fee, paid monthly, comprising 0.75% of the average daily net assets of the Fund up to $500 million, 0.65% of average daily net assets of $500 million or more but less than $1 billion and 0.50% of average daily net assets of $1 billion and over. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive or otherwise reduce its annual compensation received from the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses," excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by the Trust, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses," interest, extraordinary items and brokerage commissions, do not exceed 0.95% of average daily net assets of the Fund (the "Expense Limitation"). Prior to September 1, 2020, the Expense Limitation was 0.90% (on an annual basis) of the Fund's average daily net assets and prior to September 1, 2018, the Expense Limitation was 1.00% (on an annual basis) of the Fund's average daily net assets. The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026, unless the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves its earlier termination. Subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, the Adviser may recoup any expenses or fees it has reimbursed within a three-year period from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses of the Fund. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of reimbursement. No recoupment will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation amount.

The following tables set forth the aggregate fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** |
| **Gross Advisory<br> Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers** <br> **and Expenses Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $2197640 | $(45414) | $2152226 |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** |
| **Gross Advisory<br> Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers** <br> **and Expenses Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $1826154 | $(82541) | $1743613 |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** |
| **Gross Advisory<br> Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers** <br> **and Expenses Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $1871193 | $(151677) | $1719516 |

---

Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser agrees to: (a) direct the investments of the Fund, subject to and in accordance with the Fund's investment objective, policies and limitations set forth in the Prospectus and this SAI; (b) purchase and sell for the Fund, securities and other investments consistent with the Fund's objective and policies; (c) supply office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary for servicing the investments of the Fund; (d) pay the salaries of all personnel of the Adviser performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities on behalf of the Trust; (e) make available and provide such information as the Trust and/or its administrator may reasonably request for use in the preparation of its registration statement, reports and other documents required by any applicable federal, foreign or state statutes or regulations; and (f) make its officers and employees available to the Trustees and officers of the Trust for consultation and discussion regarding the management of the Fund and its investment activities. Additionally, the Adviser agrees to create and maintain all necessary records in accordance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to the various functions performed by it and not otherwise created and maintained by another party pursuant to contract with the Fund. The Trust and/or the Adviser may at any time or times, upon approval by the Board of Trustees, enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements with a sub-adviser pursuant to which the Adviser delegates any or all of its duties as listed.

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which the agreement relates, except to the extent of a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its obligations and duties under the agreement.

The salaries of personnel of the Adviser performing services for the Fund relating to research, statistical, and investment activities are paid by the Adviser.

Additionally, the Adviser has agreed to compensate, at its own expense and out of its own legitimate profits, the Underwriter for, among other services: (i) entering into selling and/or service agreements to assist in facilitating the distribution of the Fund's shares; (ii) preparing and executing selling and service agreements; (iii) preparing quarterly Rule 12b-1 reports to the Board of Trustees; and (iv) reviewing and submitting to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") the Fund's advertising and sales literature. The front-end sales load re-allowed to dealers as a percentage of the offering price of the Fund's Class A shares is described in the Prospectus.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

The management of the Fund is the responsibility of a group of investment professionals employed by the Adviser. The information provided below supplements the information provided in the Prospectus under the heading "Portfolio Managers" with respect to the investment professionals responsible, either individually or jointly, for the day-to-day management of the Fund, including information regarding:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) "Other Accounts Managed or Advised." Other accounts managed or advised by the Portfolio Managers who are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund as of April 30, 2025;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) "Material Conflicts of Interest." Material conflicts of interest identified by the Adviser that may arise in connection with a Portfolio Manager's management of the Fund's investments and investments of other accounts managed. These potential conflicts of interest include material conflicts between the investment strategy of the Fund and the investment strategy of the other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager and conflicts associated with the allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager. *Additional conflicts of interest may potentially exist or arise that are not discussed below*;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) "Compensation." A description of the structure of and method used to determine the compensation received by the Fund's Portfolio Managers from the Fund, the Adviser or any other source with respect to managing the Fund and any other accounts as of April 30, 2025; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) "Ownership of Securities." Information regarding each Portfolio Manager's dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in the Fund as of April 30, 2025.

<u>Other Accounts Managed or Advised</u>. The table below includes details regarding the number of other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed or advised by Messrs. Bruner, Irrgang, Knapp, Ladyman and Zabor, total assets under management or advisement for each type of account and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees as of April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager/<br> Type of Accounts** | **Total<br> Number of<br> Accounts** | **Total Assets<br> (millions)** | **Number of<br> Accounts<br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance<br> Based<br> Advisory Fee** | **Total Assets<br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance<br> Based<br> Advisory Fee<br> (millions)** |
| **W. Andrew Bruner** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 17500 | $6763 | 0 | $0 |
| **R. Terrence Irrgang** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 17500 | $6763 | 0 | $0 |
| **Thomas W. Knapp** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 17500 | $6763 | 0 | $0 |
| **Robert M. Ladyman** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 17500 | $6763 | 0 | $0 |
| **Ian T. Zabor** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 17500 | $6763 | 0 | $0 |

---

<u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>. The Adviser provides advisory services to other clients which invest in securities of the same type in which the Fund invests. The Adviser is aware of its obligation to ensure that when orders for the same securities are entered on behalf of the Fund and other accounts, the Fund receives fair and equitable allocation of these orders, particularly where affiliated accounts may participate. The Adviser attempts to mitigate potential conflicts of interest by adopting policies and procedures regarding trade execution, brokerage allocation, and order aggregation, which provide a methodology for ensuring fair treatment for all clients in situations where orders cannot be completely filled or filled at different prices.

<u>Compensation</u>. Messrs. Bruner, Irrgang, Knapp, Ladyman and Zabor receive a combination of salary, bonus, and a 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan (PSP) contribution. In addition, as owners of EIC, they are compensated through their participation in EIC's profits. Bonuses are based on the success of the overall firm as well as each Portfolio Manager's contribution to that success. PSP contributions are calculated as a percentage of salary and bonus up to IRS contribution limits. We expect that contributions will largely be invested into the Fund, and in doing so, each Portfolio Manager will have an increased stake in the success of the Fund.

<u>Ownership of Shares of the Fund</u>. The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Portfolio Manager in the Fund as of April 30, 2025.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Dollar Range of Equity<br> Securities in the Fund** |
| W. Andrew Bruner | over $1,000,000 |
| R. Terrence Irrgang | over $1,000,000 |
| Thomas W. Knapp | $100001-$500000 |
| Robert M. Ladyman | $100001-$500000 |
| Ian T. Zabor | over $1,000,000 |

---

**ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES**

Pursuant to an Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated July 19, 2007, The Bank of New York Mellon performs certain administrative services for the Trust including, among other things, assisting in the preparation of the annual post-effective amendments to the Trust's registration statement, assisting in obtaining the fidelity bond and trustees' and officers'/errors and omissions insurance policies, preparing notices, agendas, and resolutions for quarterly Board of Trustees meetings, maintaining the Trust's corporate calendar, maintaining Trust contract files and providing executive and administrative services to support the Independent Trustees. The Bank of New York Mellon also performs certain administrative and accounting services for the Trust, such as preparing shareholder reports, providing statistical and research data, assisting the Adviser in compliance monitoring activities, and preparing and filing federal and state tax returns on behalf of the Trust. In addition, The Bank of New York Mellon prepares and files certain reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepares certain materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Trust. The accounting services performed by The Bank of New York Mellon include determining the NAV per share of the Fund and maintaining records relating to the securities transactions of the Fund.

The table below sets forth the administration and accounting service fees paid by the Fund to The Bank of New York Mellon for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Administration and Accounting Fee | $170908 | $144852 | $141265 |

---

**ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS**

**INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.** Cohen & Company, Ltd., 1835 Market St., Suite 310, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm to the EIC Value Fund.

**LEGAL COUNSEL.** Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, 3000 Two Logan Square, 18th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as counsel to the Trust.

**CUSTODIAN**. The Bank of New York Mellon (the "Custodian"), 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286, serves as the Fund's custodian. The Custodian's services include, in addition to the custody of all cash and securities owned by the Trust, the maintenance of custody accounts in the Custodian's trust department, the segregation of all certificated securities owned by the Trust, the appointment of authorized agents as sub-custodians, disbursement of funds from the custody accounts of the Trust, releasing and delivering securities from the custody accounts of the Trust, maintaining records with respect to such custody accounts, delivering to the Trust a daily and monthly statement with respect to such custody accounts and causing proxies to be executed. The Fund has made arrangements with BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company to serve as custodian for Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs").

**TRANSFER AGENT.** BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing"), 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, serves as the Trust's Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent.

**OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.** The Trust has engaged Tidal ETF Services LLC, 234 West Florida Street, Suite 203, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204 to provide persons to serve as Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer and provide various other services for the Trust. The Trust has engaged Chenery Compliance Group, LLC to provide on-going compliance services, including providing an individual to serve as the Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust.

**BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES**

The Adviser is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund, the selection of brokers and dealers to execute the Fund's portfolio transactions, and the negotiation of brokerage commissions. The cost of portfolio securities transactions of the Fund primarily consists of dealer or underwriter spreads and brokerage commissions. Purchases and sales of securities on a securities exchange are effected through brokers who charge a negotiated commission for their services. Increasingly, securities traded over-the-counter also involve the payment of negotiated brokerage commissions. In the over-the-counter market, most securities have historically traded on a "net" basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of a security usually includes a profit to the dealer.

In underwritten offerings, securities are purchased at a fixed price, which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter's concession or discount. On occasion, certain money market instruments may be purchased directly from an issuer, in which case no commissions or discounts are paid.

Orders may be directed to any broker or dealer, including, to the extent and manner permitted by applicable law, affiliated persons of the Adviser. The Adviser has no obligation to deal with any dealer or group of dealers in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities of the Fund. Where possible, the Adviser deals directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved except in those circumstances where better prices and execution are available elsewhere.

It is the objective of the Adviser to obtain the best results in conducting portfolio transactions for the Fund, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable dealer-spread or commission), the size, type and difficulty of the transaction involved, the firm's general execution and operations facilities and the firm's risk in positioning the securities involved. While reasonable competitive spreads or commissions are sought, the Fund will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or commission available. Subject to obtaining the best net results, dealers who provide supplemental investment research (such as quantitative and modeling information assessments and statistical data and provide other similar services) to the Adviser may receive orders for transactions by the Fund. Information so received will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Agreement, and the expense of the Adviser will not necessarily be reduced as a result of the receipt of such supplemental information. Supplemental investment research obtained from such dealers may be used by the Adviser in servicing all of its accounts, and such research may or may not be useful to the Adviser in connection with the Fund. In addition, as permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Adviser may pay a broker-dealer that provides brokerage and research services an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Fund in excess of the commission that another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the amount is believed by the Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the overall quality of the brokerage and research services provided. Such research and investment services are those which brokerage houses customarily provide to institutional investors and include research reports on particular industries and companies; economic surveys and analyses; recommendations as to specific securities; research products including quotation equipment and computer-related programs; advice concerning the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities and the availability of securities or the purchasers or sellers of securities; analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and performance of accounts; services relating to effecting securities transactions and functions incidental thereto (such as clearance and settlement); and other lawful and appropriate assistance to the Adviser in the performance of its decision-making responsibilities. Other clients of the Adviser may indirectly benefit from the provision of these services to the Adviser, and the Fund may indirectly benefit from services provided to the Adviser as a result of transactions for other clients.

Under the 1940 Act, except as permitted by exemptive order or rule, persons affiliated with the Fund are prohibited from dealing with the Fund as principal in the purchase and sale of securities. However, affiliated persons of the Fund may serve as its brokers in certain over-the-counter transactions conducted on an agency basis.

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the amount of brokerage transactions directed pursuant to the Adviser's internal allocation procedure and the related commissions were as follows:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Broker** | **Amount of<br> Directed Brokerage<br> Transactions** | **Related<br> Commissions** |
| Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | $41415209 | $21024 |
| Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., Inc. | $43840170 | $17631 |
| Raymond James & Associates, Inc. | $54420005 | $16414 |
| JP Morgan Securities LLC | $22727703 | $9873 |
| Abel Noser, LLC | $7347744 | $3846 |

---

Securities held by the Fund may also be held by, or be appropriate investments for, other funds or investment advisory clients for which the Adviser or its affiliates act as an adviser. Because of different investment objectives or other factors, a particular security may be bought for an advisory client when other clients are selling the same security. If purchases or sales of securities by the Adviser for the Fund as well as its other customers (including any other fund or other investment company or advisory account for which the Adviser acts as investment adviser or sub-adviser) arise for consideration at or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as are feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed equitable to all. Transactions effected by the Adviser (or its affiliates) on behalf of more than one of its clients during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, causing an adverse effect on price. On occasions when the Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interest of the Fund as well as its other customers the Adviser, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, may aggregate the securities to be sold or purchased for the Fund with those to be sold or purchased for such other customers in order to obtain the best net price and most favorable execution under the circumstances. In such event, allocation of the securities so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Adviser in the manner it considers to be equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and such other customers. In some instances, this procedure may adversely affect the price and size of the position obtainable for the Fund.

The table below sets forth the brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year<br> Ended April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Fund | $68788 | $99882 | $113475 |

---

For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2024, 2023 and 2025, the Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to an affiliate of the Trust.

The Fund may, at times, invest in securities of its regular broker-dealers or a parent of its regular broker-dealers. The Fund held securities in the parent of the following broker-dealers, which were its regular broker-dealers as of April 30, 2025:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Issuer** | **Value of Fund's<br> Aggregate Holdings<br> of Issuer** |
| Wells Fargo & Co. | $10118925 |

---

**ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES**

The additional compensation to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus may be calculated based on factors determined by the Adviser and its affiliates from time to time, including: the value of the Fund's shares sold to, or held by, a financial intermediary's customers; gross sales of the Fund's shares by a financial intermediary; or a negotiated lump sum payment.

In addition to the additional cash payments to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus, subject to applicable FINRA rules and regulations, the Adviser and its affiliates may provide compensation to financial intermediaries that may enable the Adviser and its affiliates to sponsor or participate in educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions involving the sales representatives and other employees of financial intermediaries in order to promote the sale of the Fund's shares. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses, meals, lodging, and entertainment of financial intermediaries and their sales representatives and other employees in connection with such educational or training programs, sales contests, and other promotions. These payments may vary with each such event.

**DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES AND RULE 12B-1 PLAN**

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101, serves as a principal underwriter of the Fund's shares pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement with the Trust. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriter continuously distributes shares of the Fund on a best-efforts basis. The Underwriter has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of shares of the Fund. The Underwriter and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Fund.

The Underwriter will furnish or enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions for distribution of shares of the Fund. With respect to certain financial institutions and related Fund "supermarket" platform agreements, the Fund and/or the Adviser, rather than the Underwriter, typically will furnish or enter into such agreements. These financial institutions may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from the Adviser and/or the Fund. These financial institutions may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for transmitting purchase, redemption, and other requests to the Fund.

To the extent that the Underwriter receives fees under the Fund's Plan of Distribution adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "12b-1 Plan"), the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with others for the furnishing of marketing or sales services with respect to the Class A and Class C shares as may be required pursuant to such plan. Moreover, to the extent that the Underwriter receives shareholder service fees under any shareholder services plan adopted by the Fund, the Underwriter will enter into arrangements with others for the furnishing of personal or account maintenance services with respect to the relevant shareholders of the Fund as may be required pursuant to such plan. The Underwriter receives no underwriting commissions or Rule 12b-1 fees in connection with the sale of the Fund's Institutional Class shares. The Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of Independent Trustees, have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Trust, the Fund, and the shareholders of the Fund's Class A and Class C shares.

The Underwriter received the following aggregate commissions on sales of Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Class A Shares** | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| **Class C Shares** | $0 | $0 | $0 |

---

The Underwriter received the following concessions on sales of Class A shares and Class C shares of the Fund during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Class A Shares** | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| **Class C Shares** | $0 | $0 | $0 |

---

The Underwriting Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods provided such continuance is approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Underwriter, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the agreement, will not be liable to the Fund or its shareholders for losses arising in connection with the sale of Fund shares.

The Underwriting Agreement terminates automatically in the event of an assignment. The Underwriting Agreement is also terminable without payment of any penalty with respect to the Fund (i) (by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of any 12b-1 Plan of the Fund or any agreements related to a 12b-1 Plan, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund) on sixty (60) days' written notice to the Underwriter; or (ii) by the Underwriter on sixty (60) days' written notice to the Fund. The Underwriter will be compensated for distribution services according to the 12b-1 Plan regardless of the Underwriter's expenses. The Underwriter uses the entire 12b-1 for distribution expenses and does not retain any amounts for profit. The Underwriter does not receive compensation from the Fund for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a 12b-1 Plan is effective. The Adviser pays the Underwriter a fee for certain distribution-related services.

The 12b-1 Plan provides that the Underwriter will be paid for distribution activities such as public relations services, telephone services, sales presentations, media charges, preparation, printing and mailing advertising and sales literature, data processing necessary to support a distribution effort and printing and mailing of prospectuses to prospective shareholders. Additionally, the Underwriter may pay certain financial institutions such as banks or broker-dealers who have entered into servicing agreements with the Underwriter and other financial institutions for distribution and shareholder servicing activities.

The 12b-1 Plan further provides that payment shall be made for any month only to the extent that such payment does not exceed 0.25% and 1.00% (0.75% distribution fee and 0.25% shareholder service fee), on an annualized basis of the Class A and Class C shares, respectively, of the Fund's average net assets, except with respect to limitations set from time to time by the Board of Trustees.

Under the 12b-1 Plan, if any payments made by the Adviser out of its advisory fee, not to exceed the amount of that fee, to any third parties (including banks), including payments for shareholder servicing and transfer agent functions, were deemed to be indirect financing by the Fund of the distribution of its Class A and Class C shares, such payments are authorized. The Fund may execute portfolio transactions with, and purchase securities issued by depository institutions that receive payments under the 12b-1 Plan. No preference for instruments issued by such depository institutions is shown in the selection of investments.

The following table sets forth the distribution fees received by the Underwriter for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended**<br> **April 30,**<br> **2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended**<br> **April 30,**<br> **2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended**<br> **April 30,**<br> **2023** |
| **Rule 12b-1 Distribution Fees** |  |  |  |
| **Class A Shares** | $62054 | $55423 | $50174 |
| **Class C Shares** | $53009 | $45035 | $56766 |

---

The following table sets forth the service fees received by the Underwriter for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Rule 12b-1 Shareholder Services Fees** |  |  |  |
| **Class C Shares** | $17670 | $15012 | $18922 |

---

During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Underwriter incurred the following expenses in connection with distribution under the 12b-1 Plan:

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Advertising** | **Printing and<br> Mailing of<br> Prospectuses<br> to other Than<br> Current<br> Shareholders** | **Compensation<br> to<br> Underwriters** | **Compensation<br> to Broker-<br> Dealers** | **Compensation<br> to Sales<br> Personnel** | **Interest,<br> Carrying<br> or other<br> Financing<br> Charges** |
| Class A | $0 | $0 | $0 | $58993 | $0 | $0 |
| Class C | $0 | $0 | $0 | $70568 | $0 | $0 |

---

**CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES**

The Trust issues and offers three separate classes of shares of the Fund: Class A, Class C and Institutional Class shares. The shares of the Fund, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Prospectus, will be fully paid and non-assessable shares, with equal voting rights and no preferences as to conversion, exchange, dividends, redemption, or any other feature.

The separate classes of shares of the Fund represent interests in the same portfolio of investments, have the same rights and are identical in all respects, except that Class A and Class C shares bear Rule 12b-1 distribution expenses and have exclusive voting rights with respect to the Rule 12b-1 Plan pursuant to which the distribution fee may be paid.

The net income attributable to a class of shares and the dividends payable on such shares will be reduced by the amount of any applicable shareholder service or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees. Accordingly, the NAV of the Class A and Class C shares will be reduced by such amount to the extent the Fund has undistributed net income.

Shares of the Fund entitle holders to one vote per share and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, do not have preemptive or subscription rights, and are transferable. Each class takes separate votes on matters affecting only that class.

The Fund does not hold an annual meeting of shareholders. The Trustees are required to call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any Trustee when requested in writing to do so by the shareholders of record owning not less than 10% of the Fund's outstanding shares.

**PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES**

**PURCHASE OF SHARES.** Information regarding the purchase of shares is discussed in the "Purchase of Shares" section of the Prospectus. Additionally, the following supplements the information contained in the "Purchase of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**EXCHANGING SHARE CLASSES.** Certain shareholders of the Fund may be eligible to exchange their shares of the Fund for another class of shares of the Fund if they meet the eligibility requirements for the class into which they wish to exchange. Shareholders that hold their shares through a financial intermediary may not be eligible to exchange into another share class of the Fund. If you hold your shares through a financial intermediary, you should consult your financial intermediary for information about the exchange privilege, if available. If you hold your shares directly with the Fund, call the transfer agent toll-free at (855) 430-6487 for information on exchanging share classes. Exchanges between share classes of the Fund are generally not considered a taxable transaction. Before making an exchange, you should consider the expenses of each class. This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES.** Information regarding the redemption of shares is discussed in the "Redemption of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**PRICING OF SHARES.** For the Fund, the NAV per share of the Fund is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets by the total number of the Fund's shares outstanding. This determination is made by The Bank of New York Mellon, as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) each day the Fund is open for business. The Fund is open for business on days when the Exchange is open for business.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Certain fixed income securities may be valued based upon appraisals received from a pricing service using a computerized matrix system or based upon appraisals derived from information concerning the security or similar securities received from a recognized dealer or dealers in those securities. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used to value fixed income securities with 60 days or less remaining until maturity, so long as such amortized cost method approximates fair value. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**DIVIDENDS**

The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income, if any. Dividends from the Fund's net investment income are declared and paid semi-annually or annually to the shareholders. Distributions, if any, of net short-term capital gain and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over the short-term capital loss) realized by the Fund, after deducting any available capital loss carryovers are declared and paid to its shareholders semi-annually or annually.

The Fund's dividends and distributions are taxable to shareholders (other than retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors) whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. A dividend or distribution paid by the Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend distribution. A dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares by an investor would, therefore, represent, in substance, a return of capital to the shareholder with respect to such shares even though it would be subject to federal income tax. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

A statement will be sent to you after the end of each year detailing the tax status of your distributions. Please see "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by the Fund.

**CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS**

The following discussion summarizes certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders. This discussion is for general information only and does not purport to consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that might be relevant to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund. The summary discussion that follows may not be considered to be individual tax advice and may not be relied upon by any shareholder. The summary is based upon provisions of the IRC, applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations (whether temporary, proposed or final) promulgated thereunder (the "Regulations"), and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, as are in effect as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, which change could be retroactive, and may affect the conclusions expressed herein. The summary applies only to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund in whose hands such shares are capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the IRC, and may not apply to certain types of beneficial owners of shares of the Fund, including, but not limited to insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, shareholders holding the Fund's shares through tax-advantaged accounts (such as an individual retirement account (an "IRA"), a 401(k) plan account, or other qualified retirement account), financial institutions, pass-through entities, broker-dealers, entities that are not organized under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, persons who are neither a citizen nor resident of the United States, shareholders holding the Fund's shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction, and shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax. Persons who may be subject to tax in more than one country should consult the provisions of any applicable tax treaty to determine the potential tax consequences to them.

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the Fund's common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of such partnership. A partner of a partnership holding the Fund's common stock should consult its own tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the partner of the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of the Fund's common stock by the partnership.

The summary assumes that shareholders will hold the Fund's common stock as capital assets, which generally means as property held for investment. This discussion addresses only the U.S. income tax consequences of an investment by U.S. shareholders, and, therefore, does not address U.S. estate and gift tax rules, U.S. state or local taxation, the alternative minimum tax, excise taxes, transfer taxes or foreign taxes.

For purposes of the following discussion, "U.S. shareholder" is a shareholder that is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) created or organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust if (a) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust's administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or (b) it has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. A "Non-U.S. shareholder" is a person that is neither a U.S. shareholder nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") as to the federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below, and such positions could be sustained. In addition, the following discussion applicable to shareholders of the Fund addresses only some of the federal income tax considerations generally affecting investments in the Fund.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of the ownership, purchase, and disposition of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**GENERAL.** The Fund has elected, and intends to continue to qualify each year for, taxation as a RIC under Subchapter M of the IRC. By qualifying as a RIC, the Fund (but not the shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders. Shareholders should be aware that investments made by the Fund, some of which are described below, may involve complex tax rules, some of which may result in income or gain recognition by a shareholder without the concurrent receipt of cash. Although the Fund seeks to avoid significant noncash income, such noncash income could be recognized by the Fund, in which case it may distribute cash derived from other sources in order to meet the minimum distribution requirements described below. Cash to make the required minimum distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by its governing documents and other regulatory restrictions, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed.

**QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY.** Qualification as a RIC under the IRC requires, among other things, that the Fund: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income from certain qualified publicly traded partnerships (together with (i), the "Qualifying Income Requirement"); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the value of its assets is comprised of cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with those other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of its total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers controlled by it and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (together with (i) the "Diversification Requirement").

The Treasury Department is authorized to promulgate regulations under which gains from foreign currencies (and options, futures, and forward contracts on foreign currency) would not constitute qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement only if such gains are not directly related to the principal business of the Fund in investing in stock or securities or options and futures with respect to stock or securities. To date, no such regulations have been issued.

As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders in any taxable year for which it distributes, in compliance with the IRC's timing and other requirements the sum of (i) at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount income, market discount income, income from securities lending, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, certain net realized foreign currency exchange gains, and any other taxable income other than "net capital gain" as defined below and is reduced by deductible expenses all determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid); and (ii) 90% of its tax-exempt interest, if any, net of certain expenses allocable thereto ("net tax-exempt interest"). The Fund may retain for investment all or a portion of its "net capital gain" (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). If the Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who will be (i) required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of tax paid by the Fund against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of the shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder's gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by the Fund on that amount of capital gain.

The qualifying income and asset requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC, as described above, may limit the extent to which it will be able to engage in derivative transactions. Rules governing the federal income tax aspects of derivatives, including swap agreements, are not entirely clear in certain respects, particularly in light of two IRS revenue rulings issued in 2006. Revenue Ruling 2006-1 held that income from a derivative contract with respect to a commodity index is not qualifying income for a RIC. Subsequently, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2006-31 in which it stated that the holding in Revenue Ruling 2006-1 "was not intended to preclude a conclusion that the income from certain instruments (such as certain structured notes) that create a commodity exposure for the holder is qualifying income." In 2016, the IRS issued a notice and stated they would not address what constitutes a "security" for purposes of Qualifying Income. In addition, the IRS requested comments as to whether the 2006 Revenue Rulings should be withdrawn. In 2019, the IRS concluded that it would not withdraw the 2006 Revenue Rulings at that time. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in commodity-related derivative transactions and other derivative transactions may be limited by the Qualifying Income Requirement. The Fund will account for any investments in commodity derivative transactions in a manner it deems to be appropriate; the IRS, however, might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized.

For purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, all of the net income of a RIC derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (generally defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (i) of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above) will be treated as qualifying income. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership, which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. In addition, although in general, the passive loss rules of the IRC do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. The transferee of a partnership interest generally is required to withhold 10% of the amount realized on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest after December 31, 2017 if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person.

For purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership.

If the Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures to satisfy the Diversification Requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, the Fund will fail to qualify as a RIC and will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation subject to tax on a flat tax rate of 21% and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) to its shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders, and a maximum long-term capital gains rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for a period of greater than two taxable years, the Fund generally would be required to recognize any built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a sale of such assets within ten years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

**EXCISE TAX.** If the Fund fails to distribute by December 31 of each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its taxable ordinary income (excluding capital gains and losses) for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (as adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the twelve-month period ending on October 31 of such year, and (3) all taxable ordinary income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for the prior year that were not distributed during such year and on which it did not pay federal income tax, the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax (the "Excise Tax") on the undistributed amounts. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November, or December of that year to shareholders of record on a date in such month and paid by it during January of the following year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders (other than those not subject to federal income tax) in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. The Fund intends to actually distribute or be deemed to have distributed substantially all of its net income and gain, if any, by the end of each calendar year in compliance with these requirements so that it will generally not be required to pay the Excise Tax. The Fund may, in certain circumstances, be required to liquidate its investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid Excise Tax liability at a time when its Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so. Liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Fund to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC.

**CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS.** The Fund is permitted to carry forward a net capital loss from any year to offset its capital gains, if any, realized indefinitely in the year following the year of the loss. The excess of the Fund's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gain is treated as short-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year and the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gain is treated as long-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year. If future capital gains are offset by carried-forward capital losses, such future capital gains are not subject to Fund-level federal income taxation, regardless of whether they are distributed to shareholders. Accordingly, the Fund does not expect to distribute any such offsetting capital gains. The Fund cannot carry back or carry forward any net operating losses.

**MLPs.** The Fund may invest in master limited partnerships which may be treated as qualified publicly traded partnerships. Income from qualified publicly traded partnerships is qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement, but a Fund's investment in one or more of such qualified publicly traded partnerships is limited to no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets and must otherwise satisfy the Diversification Requirement. In addition, a 10% withholding tax is imposed on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest for transfers if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person or another exception applies.

**ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT AND MARKET DISCOUNT.** The Fund may acquire debt securities that are treated as having original issue discount ("OID") (generally a debt obligation with a purchase price less than its principal amount, such as a zero-coupon bond). Generally, the Fund will be required to include the OID in income over the term of the debt security, even though it will not receive cash payments for such OID until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having OID, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income. Inflation-protected bonds generally can be expected to produce OID income as their principal amounts are adjusted upward for inflation. A portion of the OID includible in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities may be treated as a dividend for federal income tax purposes if securities are characterized as equity for federal income tax purposes.

A debt security acquired in the secondary market by the Fund may be treated as having market discount if acquired at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Market discount generally is accrued ratably, on a daily basis, over the period from the date of acquisition to the date of maturity even though no cash will be received. Absent an election by the Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on its disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.

In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income, which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund receives no interest payments in cash on such securities during the year.

The Fund may be required to include in income certain fees that are treated as OID and required to be included in income for financial statement purposes when received (rather than when accrued into income).

The Fund generally will be required to make distributions to shareholders representing the income accruing on the debt securities described above that is currently includable in income, even though cash representing such income may not have been received by the Fund. Cash to pay these distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by the Fund's governing documents, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions.

**OPTIONS, FUTURES AND FORWARD CONTRACTS.** The writing (selling) and purchasing of options and futures contracts and entering into forward currency contracts, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes the amount, character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses the Fund realizes in connection with such transactions.

Gains and losses on the sale, lapse, or other termination of options and futures contracts, options thereon, and certain forward contracts (except certain foreign currency options, forward contracts, and futures contracts) will generally be treated as capital gains and losses. Some regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts, and certain non-equity options (such as certain listed options or options on broad-based securities indexes) held by the Fund ("Section 1256 contracts"), other than contracts on which it has made a "mixed-straddle election," will be required to be "marked-to-market" for federal income tax purposes, that is, treated as having been sold at their market value on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. These provisions may require the Fund to recognize income or gains without a concurrent receipt of cash. Any gain or loss recognized on actual or deemed sales of Section 1256 contracts will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary income or loss as described below. Transactions that qualify as designated hedges are exempt from the mark-to-market rule but may require the Fund to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, foreign currency contracts, and certain options to the extent of any unrecognized gains on related positions held by it.

The tax provisions described above applicable to options, futures, and forward contracts may affect the amount, timing, and character of the Fund's distributions to its shareholders. For example, the Section 1256 rules described above may operate to increase the amount the Fund must distribute to satisfy the minimum distribution requirement for the portion treated as short-term capital gain which will be taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income, and to increase the net capital gain it recognizes, without, in either case, increasing the cash available to it. The Fund may elect to exclude certain transactions from the operation of Section 1256, although doing so may have the effect of increasing the relative proportion of net short-term capital gain (taxable as ordinary income) and, thus, increasing the amount of dividends it must distribute. Section 1256 contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of the Excise Tax.

When a covered call or put option written (sold) by the Fund expires, the Fund will realize a short-term capital gain equal to the amount of the premium it received for writing the option. When the Fund terminates its obligations under such an option by entering into a closing transaction, it will realize a short-term capital gain (or loss), depending on whether the cost of the closing transaction is less than (or exceeds) the premium received when it wrote the option. When a covered call option written by the Fund is exercised, the Fund will be treated as having sold the underlying security, producing long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon the holding period of the underlying security and whether the sum of the option price received upon the exercise plus the premium received when it wrote the option is more or less than the basis of the underlying security.

**STRADDLES.** Section 1092 deals with the taxation of straddles, which also may affect the taxation of options in which the Fund may invest. Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as options, futures, and forward currency contracts, may be considered, for federal income tax purposes, to constitute "straddles." Straddles are defined to include offsetting positions in actively traded personal property. In certain circumstances, the rules governing straddles override or modify the provisions of Section 1256, described above. If the Fund is treated as entering into a straddle and at least one (but not all) of its positions in derivative contracts comprising a part of such straddle is governed by Section 1256, then such straddle could be characterized as a "mixed straddle." The Fund may make one or more elections with respect to mixed straddles. Depending on which election is made, if any, the results with respect to the Fund may differ. Generally, to the extent the straddle rules apply to positions established by the Fund, losses realized by it may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in any offsetting positions. Moreover, as a result of the straddle rules, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be characterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be characterized as short-term capital gain. In addition, the existence of a straddle may affect the holding period of the offsetting positions and cause such sales to be subject to the "wash sale" and "short sale" rules. As a result, the straddle rules could cause distributions that would otherwise constitute "qualified dividend income" to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements, described below, and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income. Further, the Fund may be required to capitalize, rather than deduct currently, any interest expense and carrying charges applicable to a position that is part of a straddle. Because the application of the straddle rules may affect the character and timing of gains and losses from affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to the situation where the Fund had not engaged in such transactions.

In circumstances where the Fund has invested in certain pass-through entities, the amount of long-term capital gain that it may recognize from certain derivative transactions with respect to interests in such pass-through entities is limited under the IRC's constructive ownership rules. The amount of long-term capital gain is limited to the amount of such gain the Fund would have had if it directly invested in the pass-through entity during the term of the derivative contract. Any gain in excess of this amount is treated as ordinary income. An interest charge is imposed on the amount of gain that is treated as ordinary income.

**SWAPS AND DERIVATIVES.** As a result of entering into swap or derivative agreements, the Fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The Fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap or derivative is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap, derivative, or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap or derivative will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund has been a party to a swap or derivative for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps or derivatives, the Fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or derivatives or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps or derivatives to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss.

Rules governing the tax aspects of swap or derivative agreements are not entirely clear in certain respects, in particular, whether income generated is Qualifying Income. Accordingly, while the Fund intends to account for such transactions in a manner it deems appropriate, the IRS might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be adversely affected. The Fund intends to monitor developments in this area. Certain requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC may limit the extent to which the Fund will be able to engage in swap agreements and certain derivatives. The Fund's transactions in swaps or other derivatives may be subject to one or more special tax rules (e.g., notional principal contracts, straddles, constructive sales, wash sales, and short sales rules). These rules may affect whether gains or losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities. These rules could, therefore, affect the amount, timing, and/or character of distributions to shareholders.

**CONSTRUCTIVE SALES.** Certain rules may affect the timing and character of gain if the Fund engages in transactions that reduce or eliminate its risk of loss with respect to appreciated financial positions. If the Fund enters into certain transactions (including a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract, a futures or forward contract, or other transactions identified in Treasury regulations) in property while holding an appreciated financial position in substantially identical property, it will be treated as if it had sold and immediately repurchased the appreciated financial position and will be taxed on any gain (but not loss) from the constructive sale. The character of gain from a constructive sale will depend upon the Fund's holding period in the appreciated financial position. Loss from a constructive sale would be recognized when the position was subsequently disposed of, and its character would depend on the Fund's holding period and the application of various loss deferral provisions of the IRC.

In addition, if the appreciated financial position is itself a short sale or other such contract, acquisition of the underlying property or substantially identical property by the Fund will be deemed a constructive sale. The foregoing will not apply, however, to the Fund's transaction during any taxable year that otherwise would be treated as a constructive sale if the transaction is closed within 30 days after the end of that year and the Fund holds the appreciated financial position unhedged for 60 days after that closing (i.e., at no time during that 60-day period is the Fund's risk of loss regarding the position reduced by reason of certain specified transactions with respect to substantially identical or related property, such as having an option to sell, being contractually obligated to sell, making a short sale or granting an option to buy substantially identical stock or securities).

**WASH SALES.** The Fund may be impacted in certain circumstances by special rules relating to "wash sales." In general, the wash sale rules prevent the recognition of a loss by the Fund from the disposition of stock or securities at a loss in a case in which identical or substantially identical stock or securities (or an option to acquire such property) is or has been acquired by it within 30 days before or 30 days after the sale.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities. Short sales may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by the Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to its shareholders. Short sales also may be subject to the "Constructive Sales" rules discussed above.

**PASSIVE FOREIGN INVESTMENT COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in a non-U.S. corporation, which could be treated as a passive foreign investment company (a "PFIC") or become a PFIC under the IRC. A PFIC is generally defined as a foreign corporation that meets either of the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income for its taxable year is income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents, and royalties, or capital gains); or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, such passive income. If the Fund acquires any equity interest in a PFIC, the Fund could be subject to federal income tax and interest charges on "excess distributions" received with respect to such PFIC stock or on any gain from the sale of such PFIC stock (collectively "PFIC income"), plus interest thereon even if the Fund distributes the PFIC income as a taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in the Fund's investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. The Fund's distributions of PFIC income, if any, will be taxable as ordinary income even though, absent the application of the PFIC rules, some portion of the distributions may have been classified as capital gain.

The Fund will not be permitted to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for taxes and interest charges incurred with respect to a PFIC. Payment of this tax would, therefore, reduce the Fund's economic return from its investment in PFIC shares. To the extent the Fund invests in a PFIC, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" ("QEF"), then instead of the tax and interest obligation described above on excess distributions, the Fund would be required to include in income each taxable year its pro-rata share of the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain. As a result of a QEF election, the Fund would likely have to distribute to its shareholders an amount equal to the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain to satisfy the IRC's minimum distribution requirement described herein and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax even if the QEF did not distribute those earnings and gain to the Fund. In most instances, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain requirements in making the election.

The Fund may elect to "mark-to-market" its stock in any PFIC. "Marking-to-market," in this context, means including in ordinary income each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock over the Fund's adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, the Fund also may deduct (as an ordinary, not capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in the PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock it included in income for prior taxable years under the election. The Fund's adjusted basis in its PFIC stock subject to the election would be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken thereunder. In either case, the Fund may be required to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS.** Foreign currency gains and losses realized by the Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt instruments, certain options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments relating to foreign currency, foreign currencies, and foreign currency-denominated payables and receivables are subject to Section 988 of the IRC, which causes such gains and losses to be treated as ordinary income or loss and may affect the amount and timing of recognition of the Fund's income. In some cases, elections may be available that would alter this treatment, but such elections could be detrimental to the Fund by creating current recognition of income without the concurrent recognition of cash. If a foreign currency loss treated as an ordinary loss under Section 988 were to exceed the Fund's investment company taxable income (computed without regard to such loss) for a taxable year, the resulting loss would not be deductible by it or its shareholders in future years. The foreign currency income or loss will also increase or decrease the Fund's investment company income distributable to its shareholders.

**FOREIGN TAXATION.** Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the Fund's total assets at the close of any taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations and it meets the distribution requirements described above, the Fund may file an election (the "pass-through election") with the IRS pursuant to which shareholders of the Fund would be required to (i) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) their pro-rata shares of foreign income taxes paid by the Fund even though not actually received by such shareholders; and (ii) treat such respective pro-rata portions as foreign income taxes paid by them. The Fund will furnish its shareholders with a written statement providing the amount of foreign taxes paid by the Fund that will "pass-through" for the year, if any.

Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder's U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of the Fund's income will flow through to the Fund's shareholders. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. Shareholders may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Various limitations, including a minimum holding period requirement, apply to limit the credit and deduction for foreign taxes for purposes of regular federal tax and alternative minimum tax. In addition, a shareholder of the Fund may lose the ability to use foreign tax credits passed through by the Fund if the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement.

**REITs.** The Fund may invest in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require the Fund to accrue and distribute taxable income without the concurrent receipt of cash. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. The Fund's investments in REIT equity securities may, at other times, result in its receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

The Fund may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs") or taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs"), or such REITs may themselves constitute TMPs. Under an IRS notice, and Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of the Fund's income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT's residual interest in a REMIC or a TMP (referred to in the IRC as an "excess inclusion") will be subject to federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a RIC, such as the Fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or invested in the TMP directly. As a result, the Fund may not be a suitable investment for certain tax-exempt shareholders, including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan, and other tax-exempt entities. See "Tax-Exempt Shareholders."

Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that the Fund properly reports as "section 199A dividends," as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. Non-corporate shareholders are permitted a federal income tax deduction equal to 20% of qualified REIT dividends received by them, subject to certain limitations. Generally, a "section 199A dividend" is any dividend or portion thereof that is attributable to certain dividends received by a RIC from the REITs it holds to the extent such dividends are properly reported as such by the RIC in a written notice to its shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible but is not required to do so.

**DISTRIBUTIONS.** Distributions paid out of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined at the end of the year), whether reinvested in additional shares or paid in cash, are generally taxable and must be reported by each shareholder who is required to file a federal income tax return except in the case of certain tax-exempt shareholders. Distributions in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, as computed for federal income tax purposes, will first be treated as a return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares and then as capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as a capital asset. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder's tax basis in the shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by a shareholder of the Fund's shares. Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or receive them in additional shares.

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment company taxable income are generally taxable as ordinary income, and distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions designated by the Fund as "capital gain dividends" (distributions from the excess of net long-term capital gain over short-term capital losses) will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time they have held their shares of the Fund. Such dividends do not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction described below.

Non-corporate shareholders of the Fund may be eligible for the long-term capital gain tax rate applicable to distributions of "qualified dividend income" received by such non-corporate shareholders. The maximum long-term capital gains tax rate is 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). The Fund's distribution will be treated as qualified dividend income and, therefore, eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rate to the extent that it receives dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding periods and other requirements are met. A corporate shareholder of the Fund may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction with respect to the Fund's distributions attributable to dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations, which, if received directly by the corporate shareholder, would qualify for such a deduction. For eligible corporate shareholders, the dividends received deduction may be subject to certain reductions, and a distribution by the Fund attributable to dividends of a domestic corporation will be eligible for the deduction only if certain holding period and other requirements are met. If the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement, dividends paid while the shares are held by the borrower may not be qualified dividend income and may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax applies to net investment income, including interest (excluding, tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.

The Fund will furnish a statement to shareholders providing the federal income tax status of its dividends and distributions, including the portion of such dividends, if any, that qualifies as long-term capital gain.

Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement distributions, and certain prohibited transactions, is accorded to accounts maintained as qualified retirement plans. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers for more information.**

**PURCHASES OF FUND SHARES.** Prior to purchasing shares in the Fund, the impact of dividends or distributions which are expected to be or have been declared, but not paid, should be carefully considered. Any dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares of the Fund prior to the record date will have the effect of reducing the per-share net asset value by the per-share amount of the dividend or distribution, and to the extent the distribution consists of the Fund's taxable income, the purchasing shareholder will be taxed on the taxable portion of the dividend or distribution received even though some or all of the amount distributed is effectively a return of capital. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

**SALES, EXCHANGES, OR REDEMPTIONS.** Upon the disposition of shares of the Fund (whether by redemption, sale, or exchange), a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the shares. The capital gain will be long-term if the shares were held for more than 12 months and short-term if held for 12 months or less. If a shareholder sells or exchanges shares of the Fund within 90 days of having acquired such shares and if, before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the sale or exchange, as a result of having initially acquired those shares, the shareholder subsequently pays a reduced sales charge on a new purchase of shares of the Fund o, the sales charge previously incurred in acquiring the Fund's shares generally shall not be taken into account (to the extent the previous sales charges do not exceed the reduction in sales charges on the new purchase) for the purpose of determining the amount of gain or loss on the disposition, but generally will be treated as having been incurred in the new purchase. Any loss realized on a disposition will be disallowed under the "wash sale" rules to the extent that the shares disposed of by the shareholder are replaced by the shareholder within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends received by the shareholder with respect to such shares. Capital losses are generally deductible only against capital gains except that individuals may deduct up to $3,000 of capital losses against ordinary income.

The 3.8% Medicare contribution tax (applied as described above) will apply to gains from the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund.

**BACKUP WITHHOLDING.** The Fund generally is required to withhold, and remit to the U.S. Treasury, subject to certain exemptions, an amount equal to 24% of all distributions and redemption proceeds paid or credited to a shareholder of the Fund if (i) the shareholder fails to furnish the Fund with the correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") certified under penalties of perjury, (ii) the shareholder fails to provide a certified statement that the shareholder is not subject to "backup withholding", or (iii) the IRS or a broker has notified the Fund that the number furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report interest or dividend income. If the backup withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions or proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.

**STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.** State and local laws often differ from federal income tax laws with respect to the treatment of specific items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. This summary discussion does not address the state and local income taxes applicable to a shareholder.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the state and local tax rules affecting investments in the Fund.**

**NON-U.S. SHAREHOLDERS.** Distributions made to non-U.S. shareholders attributable to net investment income generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding at a 30% rate (or such lower rate provided under an applicable income tax treaty). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution described above is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States), federal income tax withholding and exemptions attributable to foreign persons will not apply. Instead, the distribution will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable U.S. tax rate (currently 37% in the case of individual and 21% in the case of corporations), and the non-U.S. shareholders will be subject to the federal income tax reporting requirements generally applicable to U.S. persons described above.

Under U.S. federal tax law, a non-U.S. shareholder is not, in general, subject to federal income tax or withholding tax on capital gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of the Fund, or on capital gains dividends provided that the Fund obtains a properly completed and signed certificate of foreign status, unless (i) such gains or distributions are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States of the non-U.S. shareholder); (ii) in the case of an individual non-U.S. shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale, and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the shares of the Fund constitute U.S. real property interests ("USRPIs"), as described below.

Under the current law, if the Fund is considered to be a "United States Real Property Holding Corporation" (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), then the distributions attributable to certain underlying REIT investments and redemption proceeds paid to a non-U.S. shareholder that owns at least 5% of the Fund generally will cause the non-U.S. shareholder to treat such gain or distribution as income effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States, subject such gain or distribution to withholding tax and cause the non-U.S. shareholder to be required to file a federal income tax return. In addition, in any year where at least 50% of the Fund's assets are USRPIs (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), distributions of the Fund that are attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of shares in USRPIs may be subject to U.S. withholding tax (regardless of such shareholder's percentage interest in the Fund) and may require the non-U.S. shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to receive a refund (if any) of the withheld amount.

Subject to the additional rules described herein, federal income tax withholding will apply to distributions attributable to dividends and other investment income distributed by the Fund. The federal income tax withholding rate may be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. shareholder's country of residence or incorporation. In order to qualify for treaty benefits, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign status (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN). **All non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

Pursuant to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"), a 30% withholding tax generally is imposed on payments of interest and dividends to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless the foreign financial institution or foreign entity provides the withholding agent with documentation sufficient to show that it is compliant with FATCA (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). If the payment is subject to the 30% withholding tax under FATCA, a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to the 30% withholding tax described above on the same income. Under proposed regulations, FATCA withholding on the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gain distributions, scheduled to take effect beginning January 1, 2019, has been eliminated. Such proposed regulations are subject to change.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of this reporting and withholding regime to their own tax situation.**

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**FOREIGN BANK AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS AND FOREIGN FINANCIAL ASSETS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.** A shareholder that owns directly or indirectly more than 50% by vote or value of the Fund is urged and advised to consult its own tax adviser regarding its filing obligations with respect to IRS Form FinCEN 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

Also, under enacted rules, subject to exceptions, individuals (and, to the extent provided in forthcoming future U.S. Treasury regulations, certain domestic entities) must report annually their interests in "specified foreign financial assets" on their U.S. federal income tax returns. It is currently unclear whether and under what circumstances shareholders would be required to report their indirect interests in the Fund's "specified foreign financial assets" (if any) under these new rules.

Shareholders may be subject to substantial penalties for failure to comply with these reporting requirements. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether these reporting requirements are applicable to them.**

**TAX-EXEMPT SHAREHOLDERS.** A tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") by virtue of its investment in the Fund as a result of the Fund's investments and if shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).

It is possible that a tax-exempt shareholder of the Fund will also recognize UBTI if the Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" (as described above) derived from direct or indirect investments in REMIC residual interests or TMPs. Furthermore, any investment in a residual interest of a CMO that has elected to be treated as a REMIC can create complex tax consequences, especially if the Fund has state or local governments or other tax-exempt organizations as shareholders.

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or in TMPs.

**Tax-exempt shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**TAX SHELTER REPORTING REGULATIONS.** Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

**TAX BASIS INFORMATION.** For shares of the Fund that are redeemed, your financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) will report gains and losses realized on redemptions of shares for shareholders who are individuals and S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012, to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This information will also be reported to a shareholder on Form 1099-B and the IRS each year. In calculating the gain or loss on redemptions of shares, the average cost method will be used to determine the cost basis of the Fund's shares purchased after January 1, 2012, unless the shareholder instructs the Fund in writing that the shareholder wants to use another available method for cost basis reporting (for example, First In, First Out (FIFO), Last In, First Out (LIFO), Specific Lot Identification (SLID) or High Cost, First Out (HCFO)). If the shareholder designated SLID as the shareholder's tax cost basis method, the shareholder will also need to designate a secondary cost basis method (Secondary Method). If a Secondary Method is not provided, the Fund will designate FIFO as the Secondary Method and will use the Secondary Method with respect to systematic withdrawals that are made.

A shareholder's financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) is also required to report gains and losses to the IRS in connection with redemptions of shares by S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012. If a shareholder is a corporation and has not instructed the Fund that it is a C corporation in its Account Application or by written instruction, the Fund will treat the shareholder as an S corporation and file a Form 1099-B.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**This summary is provided for general information only and should not be considered tax advice or relied on by an investor.**

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**

The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Fund's financial statements, included in the [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155424/d75285dncsr.htm), for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025 (the "Annual Report") are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The information provided for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025 in the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, has been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in Form N-CSR and whose report thereon is also incorporated herein by reference. No other parts of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, are incorporated by reference herein. Information for the fiscal years from April 30, 2024 and prior was audited by the former independent registered public accounting firm. Copies of the financial statements, included in From N-CSR, may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Fund at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, or calling the Fund at (855) 430-6487 or on the Fund's website at *www.eicvalue.com.*

**APPENDIX A**

**DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS**

**Description of Ratings**

The following descriptions of securities ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P Global Ratings"), and Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"), respectively.

**Description of Moody's Global Ratings**

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned for obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

**Description of Moody's Global Long-Term Ratings**

**Aaa** Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal risk.

**Aa** Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

**A** Obligations rated A are considered upper medium-grade and are subject to low credit risk.

**Baa** Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba** Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

**B** Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

**Caa** Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

**Ca** Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

**C** Obligations rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal and interest.

*Note*: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**Hybrid Indicator (hyb)**

The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

**Description of Moody's Global Short-Term Ratings**

**P-1** Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-2** Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-3** Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

**NP** Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's U.S. Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings**

The Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale is used to rate U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.

Moody's U.S. municipal short-term obligation ratings are as follows:

**MIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

**MIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

**MIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

**Description of Moody's Demand Obligation Ratings**

For variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), Moody's assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer's ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders ("on demand") and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer's long-term rating drops below investment grade. Please see their methodology that discusses obligations with conditional liquidity support.

For VRDOs, they typically assign a VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years, but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned, and it is denoted as "NR".

Moody's demand obligation ratings are as follows:

**VMIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Issue Credit Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings' view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P Global Ratings would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings S&P Global Ratings assigns to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings' analysis of the following considerations:

● The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

● The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P Global Ratings imputes; and

● The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

NR indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings\***

**AAA** An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

**AA** An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

**A** An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

**BBB** An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**BB; B; CCC; CC; and C** Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

**BB** An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CCC** An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CC** An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

**C** An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

\* Ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

**D** An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings**

**A-1** A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.

**A-2** A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

**A-3** A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

**C** A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**D** A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings' opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings' analysis will review the following considerations:

● Amortization schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

● Source of payment—the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P Global Ratings' municipal short-term note ratings are as follows:

**SP-1** Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

**SP-2** Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

**SP-3** Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

**D** 'D' is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

**Description of Fitch's Credit Ratings**

Fitch's credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issue level ratings are assigned and often include an expectation of recovery and may be notched above or below the issuer level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation).

Fitch's credit rating scale for issuers and issues is expressed using the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade) with an additional +/- for AA through CCC levels indicating relative differences of probability of default or recovery for issues. The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. Investment grade categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the speculative categories signal either a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

Fitch may also disclose issues relating to a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated. Such issues are also denoted as 'NR' on its web page.

Fitch's credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. Credit ratings do not deal with the risk of market value loss due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and/or other market considerations. However, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay or refinance a financial commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of payments linked to performance of an equity index).

Note: The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' ratings and ratings below the 'CCC' category. For the short-term rating category of 'F1', a '+' may be appended.

**Description of Fitch's Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Ratings**

**AAA** Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA** Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A** High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB** Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

**BB** Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

**B** Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

**CCC** Substantial credit risk. 'CCC' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present, and default is a real possibility.

**CC** Very high levels of credit risk. 'CC' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk and default of some kind appears probable.

**C** Near Default. 'C' ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk. A default or default-like process has begun, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired.

Ratings in the categories of 'CCC', 'CC' and 'C' can also relate to obligations or issuers that are in default. In this case, the rating does not opine on default risk but reflects the recovery expectation only.

Corporate Finance defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'RD' or 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'CCC' to 'C' rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

**Description of Fitch's Short-Term Ratings**

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Fitch's short-term ratings are as follows:

**F1** Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Under the agency's National Rating scale, this rating is assigned to the lowest default risk relative to others in the same country or monetary union. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a "+" is added to the assigned rating.

**F2** Good short-term credit quality. Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

**F3** Fair short-term credit quality. Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**B** Speculative short-term credit quality. Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**C** High short-term default risk. Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**RD** Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

**D** Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

**Equity Investment Corporation**

**PROXY VOTING POLICY & PROCEDURES** 

**February 2025**

Equity Investment Corporation ("EIC") has adopted this proxy voting policy and procedures ("Proxy Policy"), as required by Rule 206(4)-6 of the Investment Advisers Act ("Advisers Act"), to facilitate the voting of proxies relating to portfolio securities in what it perceives to be the best interests of persons for whom EIC performs investment management services and is authorized and required to vote or consider voting proxies.

**A.** **POLICY** 

As a matter of policy and as a fiduciary to our clients, EIC votes proxies consistent with what we believe are the best long-term economic interests of our clients. EIC maintains written procedures as to the handling, voting and reporting of proxy voting and makes appropriate disclosures about our proxy voting policies and practices. EIC's practices include monitoring corporate actions, voting client proxies for portfolio securities that are received, making information available to clients about the voting of proxies for their portfolio securities, and maintaining relevant and required records.

**B.** **PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES** 

In the absence of written and specific voting guidelines or instructions from clients, EIC votes proxies solely in accordance with what we believe are the best long-term economic interests of our clients. However, we vote against proposals that adversely affect:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. the firm's long-term economic attractiveness;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. the normal functioning of shareholder democracy; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. our clients' position as owners of the company.

For example, we normally vote against anti-takeover provisions since they often infringe on shareholder democracy. However, we have voted in favor of staggered board terms on the basis that these increase continuity of management regardless of who the owner is.

We vote in favor of plans that provide an incentive to stock ownership by employees, management, and directors. However, the potential for dilution that some stock option and grant plans present is a concern.

Since a fiduciary's endorsement of excessive dilution could be viewed as an imprudent action, we vote against plans that:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. allocate more than 5% of the firm's shares to incentive compensation, or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. do not set a limit on the maximum amount that can be awarded to an individual in a given year;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. grant options with an exercise price less than 100% of the fair market value at the date of grant, or less than 85% of the fair market value on the date of grant if the discount is granted in lieu of a reasonable amount of salary or cash bonus;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. do not delineate the conditions for grants to non-employee directors, but rather make it subject to management's discretion;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. expressly allow the repricing of underwater options.

Requirements #1, #2, and #4 may be waived if the option grant itself (not the exercising of the grant) requires a financial investment on the part of the recipient, since such an investment by the recipient may serve as a built-in control against excessive dilution.

**C.** **PROXY VOTING** 

Portfolio managers conduct independent research and communicate with issuers concerning ballot resolutions. Issuing companies reach out to us, the shareholder of record, to clarify their positions on ballot resolutions. We do not subscribe to a proxy voting advisory firm for research materials. However, EIC utilizes ProxyEdge, a proxy-voting service provided by Broadridge Investor Communications Services, Inc. ("Broadridge") for electronic delivery of ballots, online voting, and integrated reporting and recordkeeping of our proxy votes. Also, EIC subscribes to Broadridge's fully integrated vote recommendations, including auto–execute, provided by Glass, Lewis & Co., LLC ("Glass Lewis"), a proxy advisory firm not affiliated with EIC. Notwithstanding our subscriptions to these services, EIC retains final authority and fiduciary responsibility for proxy voting.

When Glass Lewis' auto-execute has been completed for an issuer's proxy voting ballot, we receive notification from ProxyEdge. Glass Lewis' vote recommendations are reviewed for conflicts with EIC's proxy voting guidelines as stated above. Generally, Glass Lewis' vote recommendations are consistent with our proxy voting guidelines. Where a Glass Lewis vote recommendation is in conflict with our proxy voting guidelines, we will override Glass Lewis' auto-execute vote. Additionally, where an issuer has a conflict with a Glass Lewis vote recommendation, as indicated by an issuer conflict flag recorded on ProxyEdge, we will further analyze Glass Lewis' vote recommendation. Consistent with our proxy voting guidelines and our perceived best long-term economic interests of our clients, we will either override or let stand the Glass Lewis vote recommendation.

**D.** **PROCEDURES** 

EIC's obligation to vote proxies is confirmed through a review of a client's agreement.

EIC votes proxies on shareholder matters where custodians of clients' accounts forwards to us or to Broadridge, in a timely manner, all necessary materials relating to clients' portfolio holdings. Proxy materials received at EIC's offices on behalf of clients' portfolio holdings must be forwarded to the Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO"), or designee.

The CCO, or designee, will determine which client accounts hold the security to which the proxy relates.

The CCO, or designee, votes the proxy in a timely and appropriate manner using ProxyEdge.

**E.** **CONFLICTS OF INTEREST** 

EIC will identify any conflicts that exist between the interests of the adviser and the client by reviewing periodically the relationship of EIC with the issuer of each security to determine if EIC or any of its directors, officers, and employees has any financial, business or personal relationship with the issuer.

If a material conflict of interest exists, the CCO will determine whether it is appropriate to disclose the conflict to the affected clients, to give the clients an opportunity to vote the proxies themselves, or to address the voting issue through other objective means such as voting in a manner consistent with a predetermined voting policy or receiving an independent third-party voting recommendation.

EIC will maintain a record of the voting resolution of any conflict of interest.

**F.** **DISCLOSURE** 

EIC's Client Brochure summarizes this proxy voting policy and procedures, including a statement that clients may request information regarding how EIC voted proxies and that clients may request a copy of this proxy voting policy and procedures.

**G.** **CLIENT REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION** 

Requests for information regarding proxy votes, or this policy and procedures, should be forwarded to the CCO, or designee.

**H.** **REVIEW OF POLICY AND PROCEDURES** 

Pursuant to the review requirements of Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act, the CCO, or designee, will conduct a periodic review of EIC's Proxy Voting Policy & Procedures. Elements of the review will include:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Quarterly, the CCO, or designee, will review a sample of the voting record to determine if EIC is exercising its authority to vote proxies on portfolio securities held in the selected accounts:

● Select one corporate action or proxy vote.

● Compare a list of all clients eligible to vote with documentation of how client proxies were voted.

● Review any differences and determine if corrective action and training is needed.

● Update procedures as necessitated by the results of the testing.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Annually, the CCO will meet with EIC's Director of Research to review proxy voting, communication of proxy votes, accumulation of voting results and the general functioning and adequacy of this policy and procedures.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Annually, the CCO and EIC's Director of Research will evaluate the performance of any proxy voting services or proxy advisory firms used by EIC, including whether or not the service or firm maintains its independence with respect to companies the securities of which are the subject of voting recommendations, information or analysis from the service or firm.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Prepare written reports to the Investment Team with respect to the foregoing items for which such a report is required or requested.

**I.** **RECORDKEEPING** 

EIC maintains records pertaining to proxy voting in accordance with Rule 204-2(c)(2) under the Advisers Act.

![](pro-ptxfx_001.jpg)

**PACIFIC CAPITAL TAX-FREE** **SECURITIES FUND**

Class Y

(PTXFX)

**PACIFIC CAPITAL TAX-FREE SHORT INTERMEDIATE SECURITIES FUND**

Class Y

(PTFSX)

*series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

**PROSPECTUS**

September 1, 2025

**These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.**

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[Fund Summaries](#pro-ptxfx_001)** | **1** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund](#pro-ptxfx_002) | 1 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund](#pro-ptxfx_003) | 6 |
| **[More Information about the Funds' Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks](#pro-ptxfx_004)** | **11** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Objectives](#pro-ptxfx_005) | 11 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Information about the Funds' Investment Strategies](#pro-ptxfx_006) | 11 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Principal Risks](#pro-ptxfx_007) | 11 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Risks](#pro-ptxfx_008) | 13 |
| **[More Information about Management of the Funds](#pro-ptxfx_009)** | **14** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Adviser](#pro-ptxfx_010) | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Portfolio Managers](#pro-ptxfx_011) | 14 |
| **[Shareholder Information](#pro-ptxfx_012)** | **15** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Pricing of Shares](#pro-ptxfx_013) | 15 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Purchase of Shares](#pro-ptxfx_014) | 16 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Open an Account](#pro-ptxfx_015) | 16 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Add to an Account](#pro-ptxfx_016) | 17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Redemption of Shares](#pro-ptxfx_017) | 20 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Redeem from Your Account](#pro-ptxfx_018) | 20 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchange of Shares](#pro-ptxfx_019) | 21 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Transaction Policies](#pro-ptxfx_020) | 22 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Shareholder Services](#pro-ptxfx_021) | 23 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributions](#pro-ptxfx_022) | 23 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[More Information about Taxes](#pro-ptxfx_023) | 24 |
| **[Financial Highlights](#pro-ptxfx_024)** | **26** |
| **[For More Information](#pro-ptxfx_025)** | **Back Cover** |

---

**FUND SUMMARIES**

**PACIFIC CAPITAL TAX-FREE SECURITIES FUND**

**Investment Objective**

The Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund (the "Tax-Free Securities Fund" or the "Fund") seeks high current income that is exempt from federal and Hawaii income tax.

**Fees and Expenses**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell Class Y shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** |
|  | **Class Y** |
| Management Fees | 0.20% |
| Distribution and/or Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees |  |
| Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") | 0.01% |
| Other Expenses | 0.14% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses<sup>1</sup>** | **0.35%** |
| Fee Waiver | (0.20)% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver<sup>1,2</sup>** | **0.15%** |

---

<sup>1</sup> "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" will not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets that will be disclosed in the Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information in the financial highlights table, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses."

<sup>2</sup> The Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii (the "Adviser") has agreed to waive its advisory fee (the "Waiver"). The Waiver will remain in effect until August 31, 2027. The Waiver may not be terminated at any time prior to that date without the consent of the Board of Trustees of FundVantage Trust (the "Trust").

**Example**

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (reflecting any contractual fee waivers). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Class Y | $15 | $92 | $176 | $422 |

---

**Portfolio Turnover**

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 20% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Summary of Principal Investment Strategies**

The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in investment grade municipal obligations — debt securities that pay interest which, in the opinion of counsel to the issuer, is exempt from both federal income tax and the federal alternative minimum tax. This is a non-fundamental investment policy

that may be changed by the Fund upon 60 days' prior notice to shareholders. The Fund generally only acquires municipal obligations that are rated "investment grade" at the time of purchase, which means they are rated in one of the top four categories by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, or unrated obligations that the Adviser determines are of comparable quality. The Fund normally invests not less than 50% of its net assets in Hawaii municipal obligations — debt securities issued by or on behalf of the State of Hawaii and its political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities that pay interest which is exempt from Hawaii income tax as well as federal income tax. However, there may be extended periods of time when the Fund will invest less than 50% of its net assets in Hawaiian municipal obligations due to a lack of supply. The Fund may also invest in other kinds of debt instruments issued by domestic issuers.

The Fund focuses on maximizing tax exempt income consistent with prudent investment risk. It varies the average maturity of its investment portfolio from time to time in response to actual and expected interest rate movements as well as other market and economic conditions. The Fund is non-diversified, which means that the Fund may invest most of its assets in securities issued by or representing a small number of issuers. No maturity limitations apply to the Fund's investment portfolio, and the average maturity of its portfolio can vary significantly. The Adviser monitors the Fund's portfolio performance and reallocates the Fund's assets in response to actual and expected market and economic changes.

This Fund is intended for investors who seek income that is exempt from federal and Hawaii income tax, a high level of liquidity, and professional portfolio management. This Fund is not intended for investors who seek high stability of principal, income that is not subject to any federal alternative minimum tax, or significant capital appreciation. As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

**Summary of Principal Risks**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor and the relative significance of each risk below may change over time. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value ("NAV"), yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund, or the Fund could underperform other investments. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

● **Credit Risk:** The risk that the issuer of a security, or the counterparty to a contract, will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation (such as the payment of interest or principal on a debt security).

● **Geographic Concentration Risk:** From time to time, the Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in issuers located in Hawaii. If the Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the risk that economic, political and social conditions in that geographic region will have a significant impact on its investment performance.

● **Interest Rate Risk:** The risk of market losses attributable to changes in interest rates. With fixed rate securities, a rise in interest rates typically causes a fall in values. The yield earned by the Fund will vary with changes in interest rates. The longer the average maturity of the Fund's investment portfolio, the greater the fluctuation in value.

● **Liquidity Risk:** The risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the seller would like.

● **Management Risk:** As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best performing securities or investment techniques, and the Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds. The Adviser may also miss out on an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in less advantageous investments.

**●** **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to

increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**●** **Municipal Securities Risk:** The amount of public information available about municipal securities is generally less than that for corporate equities or bonds, and the investment performance of the Fund may therefore be more dependent on the analytical abilities of the Adviser than that of an equity fund or taxable bond fund. The Fund invests significantly in municipal obligations of issuers located in Hawaii. The values of shares of the Fund therefore will be affected by economic and political developments in Hawaii.

● **Non-Diversification Risk:** The Fund is "non-diversified" and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than mutual funds that are classified as "diversified." A fund that invests in a relatively small number of issuers is more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than a more diversified portfolio might be. Some of those issuers also may present substantial credit or other risks.

● **Prepayment Risk:** The risk that a debt security may be paid off and proceeds invested earlier than anticipated. Depending on market conditions, the new investments may or may not carry the same interest rate.

● **Rating Agency Risk:** Investment grade debt securities may be downgraded by a major rating agency to below investment grade status, which would increase the risk of holding these securities. In addition, a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes to an issuer's financial condition. Ratings represent the rating agency's opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. Rating agencies may fail to make timely credit ratings in response to subsequent events. In addition, ratings agencies are subject to an inherent conflict of interest because they are often compensated by the same issuers whose securities they grade.

● **Valuation Risk:** The risk that the Fund has valued certain of its securities at a higher price than it can sell them.

**Performance Information**

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from calendar year to calendar year and by showing how the Fund's average annual total returns for 1 year, 5 years and 10 years compare with a broad-based securities market index that reflects the performance of the overall market applicable to the Fund and an additional index that represents the market sectors in which the Fund primarily invests. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.

Updated performance information is available on the Funds' website at *https://www.boh.com/personal/mutual-funds* or by calling the Funds toll-free at (888) 678-6034.

![](pro-ptxfx_002.jpg)

Calendar Year-to-Date Total Return as of June 30, 2025: 0.45%

During the periods shown in the chart:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best Quarter** | **Worst Quarter** |
| 5.51% | (5.26)% |
| (December 31, 2023) | (March 31, 2022) |

---

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Average Annual Total Returns For the period ended December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Class Y |  |  |  |
| Return Before Taxes | 2.11% | 0.91% | 1.87% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 2.05% | 0.88% | 1.86% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 2.38%<sup>1</sup> | 1.27%<sup>1</sup> | 2.02%<sup>1</sup> |
| Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index<sup>2</sup> (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) | 1.05% | 0.99% | 2.25% |
| Bloomberg Hawaii Municipal Bond Index<sup>2</sup> (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) | 1.02% | 0.76% | 1.98% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The "Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares" is higher than the "Return Before Taxes" and the "Return After Taxes on Distributions" because of realized losses that would have been sustained upon the sale of Fund shares after the relevant periods.

<sup>2</sup> Effective September 1, 2024, the Fund's primary broad-based performance index changed to the Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index due to regulatory requirements. The Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index measures the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Municipal bond market, which covers the USD-denominated long-term tax-exempt bond market with four main sectors: state and local general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, insured bonds and pre-refunded bonds. The Fund will retain the Bloomberg Hawaii Municipal Bond Index as its additional benchmark for performance comparison. The Bloomberg Hawaii Municipal Bond Index is a rules-based, market-value weighted index engineered for the long-term tax-exempt Hawaii bond market. The index has four main sectors: general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, insured bonds and prerefunded bonds. The index is unmanaged and does not reflect the deduction of fees associated with a mutual fund, such as investment management and fund accounting fees. The Fund's performance reflects the deduction of fees for these services. Investors cannot invest directly in an index.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown and are not relevant if you hold your shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. The calculation assumes that an investor holds the shares in a taxable account, is in the actual historical highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket for each year and would have been able to immediately utilize the full realized loss to reduce his or her federal tax liability. However, actual individual tax results may vary and investors should consult their tax advisers regarding their personal tax situations.

**Management of the Fund**

**Investment Adviser**

The Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii serves as the Fund's investment adviser.

**Portfolio Managers**

● **Reid Smith, CFA,** Vice President and Director of fixed Income at Bank of Hawaii, has been managing the Fund since August 23, 2021.

● **Roman Mahi,** Investment Analyst at Bank of Hawaii, has been the Assistant Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 2025.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

There are no minimum investment requirements for the Fund.

You can only purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on days the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open and through the means described below.

**Purchase or Redemption by Mail:**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6034 |

---

**Purchase by Wire:**

Please contact Fund shareholder services ("Shareholder Services") toll-free at (888) 678-6034 for current wire instructions.

**Redemption by Telephone:**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034.

**Tax Information**

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Such distributions are not currently taxable when shares are held through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. The Fund intends to pass on to shareholders the federal tax-exempt income. Income exempt from federal tax may be subject to state and local tax. A portion of the Fund's distributions may be subject to federal income tax. However, subsequent withdrawals from any tax-deferred account in which the shares are held may be subject to federal income tax.

**Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank, including Bank of Hawaii and its affiliates), the Fund and its related companies may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and/or for related services to shareholders. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's web site for more information.

**FUND SUMMARIES**

**PACIFIC CAPITAL TAX-FREE SHORT INTERMEDIATE SECURITIES FUND**

**Investment Objective**

The Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund (the "Tax-Free Intermediate Fund" or the "Fund") seeks high current income that is exempt from federal and Hawaii income tax, with greater stability in the price of your investment than a long-term bond fund.

**Fees and Expenses**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell Class Y shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** |
|  | **Class Y** |
| Management Fees | 0.20% |
| Distribution and/or Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees |  |
| Other Expenses | 0.42% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses** | **0.62%** |
| Fee Waiver | (0.20)% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver**<sup>1</sup> | **0.42%** |

---

<sup>1</sup> The Adviser has agreed to waive its advisory fee. The Waiver will remain in effect until August 31, 2027. The Waiver may not be terminated at any time prior to that date without the consent of the Board of Trustees of FundVantage Trust (the "Trust").

**Example**

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (reflecting any contractual fee waivers). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Class Y | $43 | $179 | $327 | $758 |

---

**Portfolio Turnover**

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 32% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Summary of Principal Investment Strategies**

The Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in investment grade municipal obligations — debt securities that pay interest which, in the opinion of counsel to the issuer, is exempt from both federal income tax and the federal alternative minimum tax. This is a non-fundamental investment policy that may be changed by the Fund upon 60 days' prior notice to shareholders. The Fund generally only acquires municipal obligations that are rated "investment grade" at the time of purchase, which means they are rated in one of the top four categories by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, or unrated obligations that the Adviser

determines are of comparable quality. The Fund normally invests not less than 50% of its net assets in Hawaii municipal obligations — debt securities issued by or on behalf of the State of Hawaii and its political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities that pay interest which is exempt from Hawaii income tax as well as federal income tax. However, there may be extended periods of time when the Fund will invest less than 50% of its net assets in Hawaiian municipal obligations due to a lack of supply.

Under normal market conditions, the average remaining maturity of the Fund's investment portfolio (measured on a dollar-weighted basis) will be between two to ten years. The Adviser also considers the duration of the Fund and anticipates that the duration range will be similar to the average remaining maturity range.

The Fund focuses on maximizing tax-exempt income consistent with prudent investment risk within this maturity range. The Fund's share value will likely be less volatile than the Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund, because the Fund generally will have a shorter average portfolio maturity.

The Fund may also invest in other kinds of debt instruments issued by domestic issuers. The Fund is non-diversified, which means that the Fund may invest its assets in securities of fewer issuers than would a diversified mutual fund.

This Fund is intended for investors who seek income that is exempt from federal and Hawaii income tax, less fluctuation in the value of your investment than a long-term bond fund, a high level of liquidity, and professional portfolio management. This Fund is not intended for investors who seek high stability of principal, income that is not subject to any federal alternative minimum tax, or significant capital appreciation. As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

**Summary of Principal Risks**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor and the relative significance of each risk below may change over time. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value ("NAV"), yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund, or the Fund could underperform other investments. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

● **Credit Risk:** The risk that the issuer of a security, or the counterparty to a contract, will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation (such as the payment of interest or principal on a debt security).

● **Geographic Concentration Risk:** From time to time, the Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in issuers located in Hawaii. If the Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the risk that economic, political and social conditions in that geographic region will have a significant impact on its investment performance.

● **Interest Rate Risk:** The risk of market losses attributable to changes in interest rates. With fixed rate securities, a rise in interest rates typically causes a fall in values. The yield earned by the Fund will vary with changes in interest rates. The longer the average maturity of the Fund's investment portfolio, the greater the fluctuation in value. Duration is a measure of the expected life of a debt security that is used to determine the sensitivity of the security's price to changes in interest rates. Generally, the longer the Fund's duration, the more sensitive the Fund will be to changes in interest rates.

● **Liquidity Risk:** The risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the seller would like.

● **Management Risk:** As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best performing securities or investment techniques, and the Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds. The Adviser may also miss out on an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in less advantageous investments.

**●** **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that

are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**●** **Municipal Securities Risk:** The amount of public information available about municipal securities is generally less than that for corporate equities or bonds, and the investment performance of the Fund may therefore be more dependent on the analytical abilities of the Adviser than that of an equity fund or taxable bond fund. The Fund invests significantly in municipal obligations of issuers located in Hawaii. The values of shares of the Fund therefore will be affected by economic and political developments in Hawaii.

● **Non-Diversification Risk:** The Fund is "non-diversified" and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than mutual funds that are classified as "diversified." A Fund that invests in a relatively small number of issuers is more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than a more diversified portfolio might be. Some of those issuers also may present substantial credit or other risks.

● **Prepayment Risk:** The risk that a debt security may be paid off and proceeds invested earlier than anticipated. Depending on market conditions, the new investments may or may not carry the same interest rate.

● **Rating Agency Risk:** Investment grade debt securities may be downgraded by a major rating agency to below investment grade status, which would increase the risk of holding these securities. In addition, a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes to an issuer's financial condition. Ratings represent the rating agency's opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. Rating agencies may fail to make timely credit ratings in response to subsequent events. In addition, ratings agencies are subject to an inherent conflict of interest because they are often compensated by the same issuers whose securities they grade.

**●** **Valuation Risk:** The risk that the Fund has valued certain of its securities at a higher price than it can sell them.

**Performance Information**

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from calendar year to calendar year and by showing how the Fund's average annual total returns for 1 year, 5 years and 10 years compare with a broad-based securities market index that reflects the performance of the overall market applicable to the Fund and an additional index that represents the market sectors in which the Fund primarily invests. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.

Updated performance information is available on the Funds' website at *https://www.boh.com/personal/mutual-funds* or by calling the Funds toll-free at (888) 678-6034.

![](pro-ptxfx_003.jpg)

Year to Date Total Return as of June 30, 2025: 0.99%

During the periods shown in the chart:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best Quarter** | **Worst Quarter** |
| 4.61% | (3.07)% |
| (December 31, 2023) | (September 30, 2023) |

---

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Average Annual Total Returns For the period ended December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Class Y |  |  |  |
| Return Before Taxes | 1.48% | 0.86% | 1.13% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 1.41% | 0.82% | 1.11% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 1.91%<sup>1</sup> | 1.05%<sup>1</sup> | 1.22%<sup>1</sup> |
| Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index<sup>2</sup> (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) | 1.05% | 0.99% | 2.25% |
| Bloomberg Hawaii 3-Year Municipal Bond Index<sup>2</sup> (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) | 2.05% | 0.58% | 1.07% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The "Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares" is higher than the "Return Before Taxes" and the "Return After Taxes on Distributions" because of realized losses that would have been sustained upon the sale of Fund shares after the relevant periods.

<sup>2</sup> Effective September 1, 2024, the Fund's primary broad-based performance index changed to the Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index due to regulatory requirements. The Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index measures the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Municipal bond market, which covers the USD-denominated long-term tax-exempt bond market with four main sectors: state and local general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, insured bonds and pre-refunded bonds. The Fund will retain the Bloomberg Hawaii 3-Year Municipal Bond Index as its additional benchmark for performance comparison. The Bloomberg Hawaii 3-Year Municipal Bond Index is the 2-4 year component of the Bloomberg Hawaii Municipal Bond Index and is a rules-based, market-value weighted index engineered for the Hawaii tax-exempt bond market. The index has four main sectors: general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, insured bonds, and pre-refunded bonds. The index is unmanaged and does not reflect the deduction of fees associated with a mutual fund, such as investment management and fund accounting fees. The Fund's performance reflects the deduction of fees for these services. Investors cannot invest directly in an index.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown and are not relevant if you hold your shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. The calculation assumes that an investor holds the shares in a taxable account, is in the actual historical highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket for each year and would have been able to immediately utilize the full realized loss to reduce his or her federal tax liability. However, actual individual tax results may vary and investors should consult their tax advisers regarding their personal tax situations.

**Management of the Fund**

**Investment Adviser**

The Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii serves as the Fund's investment adviser.

**Portfolio Managers**

● **Reid Smith, CFA,** Vice President and Director of Fixed Income at Bank of Hawaii, has been managing the Fund since August 23, 2021.

● **Roman Mahi,** Investment Analyst at Bank of Hawaii, has been the Assistant Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 2025.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

There are no minimum investment requirements for the Fund.

You can only purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on days the Exchange is open and through the means described below.

**Purchase or Redemption by Mail:**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6034 |

---

**Purchase by Wire:**

Please contact Fund Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034 for current wire instructions.

**Redemption by Telephone:**

Call Shareholder Services toll free at (888) 678-6034.

**Tax Information**

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Such distributions are not currently taxable when shares are held through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. The Fund intends to pass on to shareholders the federal tax-exempt income. Income exempt from federal tax may be subject to state and local tax. A portion of the Fund's distributions may be subject to federal income tax. Shares that are held in a tax-deferred account may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains once they are withdrawn from the tax-deferred account.

**Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank, including Bank of Hawaii and its affiliates) the Fund and its related companies may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and/or for related services to shareholders. The Funds will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker, or, if applicable, a broker's designee receives the order. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's web site for more information.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS'<br> INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND RISKS**

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES**

The Tax-Free Securities Fund seeks high current income that is exempt from federal and Hawaii income tax.

The Tax-Free Intermediate Fund seeks high current income that is exempt from federal and Hawaii income tax, with greater stability in the price of your investment than a long-term bond fund.

The investment objectives of the Tax-Free Securities Fund and the Tax-Free Intermediate Fund (each a "Fund" and together, the "Funds) are non-fundamental, and may be changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders. There is no guarantee that the Funds will achieve their investment objectives.

**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS' INVESTMENT STRATEGIES**

The Funds' principal investment strategies are discussed in the "Fund Summaries" section. Principal investment strategies are those that the Adviser will use on a day-to-day basis to achieve each Fund's investment objective. This section provides more information about these strategies, as well as information about some additional strategies that the Funds' Adviser uses, or may use, to achieve a Fund's objective. Additional information about these investment strategies and practices and related risks is also provided in the Funds' Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"). The Funds may also use strategies and invest in securities that are not described in this Prospectus, but that are described in the Funds' SAI. The investments and strategies discussed below are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions.

The Funds may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act") and their investment limitations. At times, a Fund may be required to segregate or earmark certain assets determined to be liquid by the investment adviser (generally, short-term investment grade fixed income securities) to cover borrowings or its obligations under certain investments such as reverse repurchase agreements and derivative instruments (including options contracts).

The Funds may invest in securities issued by other investment companies, including (to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder and applicable Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") staff interpretations thereof, or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC) other investment companies managed by the Adviser. To

the extent that a Fund makes such investments, the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective will depend on the ability of the funds in which it invests to achieve their own investment objectives. In addition, as a shareholder of another investment company, a Fund would bear, along with other shareholders, its pro rata portion of the other investment company's expenses, including advisory fees. Accordingly, in addition to bearing their proportionate share of the Fund's expenses (i.e., management fees and operating expenses), shareholders will also indirectly bear similar expenses of any other investment companies in which the Fund invests.

Subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees and a Fund's shareholders, the Adviser may, from time to time, engage one or more sub-advisers to assist in the management of a Fund (or a portion thereof).

In anticipation of or in response to adverse market or other conditions or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, each Fund may temporarily hold up to 100% of its assets in U.S. Government securities, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures. Under such conditions, a Fund may not invest in accordance with its investment objective or principal investment strategies and may not achieve its investment objective.

**PRINCIPAL RISKS**

The following is a list of certain principal risks that may apply to your investment in a Fund. Further information about investment risks is available in the Funds' SAI:

**●** **Credit Risk:** The risk that the issuer of a security, or the counterparty to a contract, will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation (such as the payment of interest or principal on a debt security). Certain U.S. Government agency securities are backed by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, while others, such as securities issued by the Federal Farm Credit Bank, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal National Mortgage Association and Federal Home Loan Bank, are supported only by the issuer's right to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the issuer's obligations, or by the issuer's own credit. However, the Funds will invest in the securities of such issuers only when the Adviser believes that the credit risk is minimal.

**●** **Geographic Concentration Risk:** From time to time a Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in issuers located in Hawaii. If a Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the risk that economic, political and social conditions in those countries will have a significant impact on its investment performance. A Fund's investment performance may also be more volatile if it concentrates its investments in certain countries, especially emerging market countries.

● **Interest Rate Risk:** The risk of market losses attributable to changes in interest rates. With fixed rate securities, a rise in interest rates typically causes a fall in values. The yield earned by a Fund will vary with changes in interest rates. The longer the average maturity of the Funds' investment portfolio, the greater the fluctuation in value. Duration is a measure of the expected life of a debt security that is used to determine the sensitivity of the security's price to changes in interest rates. Generally, the longer the Fund's duration, the more sensitive the Fund will be to changes in interest rates. For example, the price of a fixed income fund with a duration of five years would be expected to fall approximately 5% if interest rates rose by 1%.

● **Liquidity Risk:** The risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the seller would like. The seller may have to lower the price, sell other securities instead or forego an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund management or performance.

● **Management Risk:** As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best performing securities or investment techniques, and each Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds. The Adviser may also miss out on an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in less advantageous investments.

**●** **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to

 such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**●** **Municipal Securities Risk:** The amount of public information available about municipal securities is generally less than that for corporate equities or bonds, and the investment performance of a Fund may therefore be more dependent on the analytical abilities of the Adviser than that of an equity fund or taxable bond fund. The secondary market for municipal securities also tends to be less well-developed or liquid than many other securities markets, which may adversely affect a Fund's ability to sell its bonds at attractive prices or at prices approximating those at which a Fund currently values them. The ability of municipal issuers to make timely payments of interest and principal may be diminished during general economic downturns and as governmental cost burdens are reallocated among federal, state and local governments. In addition, laws enacted in the future by Congress, state legislatures or referenda could extend the time for payment of principal and/or interest, or impose other constraints on enforcement of such obligations, or on the ability of municipalities to levy taxes. Issuers of municipal securities might seek protection under the bankruptcy laws. In the event of bankruptcy of such an issuer, a Fund could experience delays in collecting principal and interest and a Fund may not, in all circumstances, be able to collect all principal and interest to which it is entitled. To enforce its rights in the event of a default in the payment of interest or repayment of principal, or both, a Fund may take possession of and manage the assets securing the issuer's obligations on such securities, which may increase a Fund's operating expenses. Any income derived from a Fund's ownership or management of such assets may not be tax-exempt. Although the municipal bonds acquired by a Fund will generally be the subject of an opinion of counsel to the affect that interest on the bonds is excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes, there can be no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") will in all cases agree. Any determination that interest on a municipal bond is not excludable

from gross income will likely have an adverse effect on the value of the bond. The value of municipal bonds may also be affected by changes in the tax laws including the modification of the rules relating to the exemption from gross income on municipal securities and changes in tax rates generally, which could affect the value of the tax exemption even if the exemption is not itself modified.

The Funds invest significantly in municipal obligations of issuers located in Hawaii. The values of shares of the Funds therefore will be affected by economic and political developments in Hawaii.

● **Non-Diversification Risk:** Each Fund is "non-diversified" and, therefore, may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than mutual funds that are classified as "diversified." Funds that invest in a relatively small number of issuers are more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political or regulatory occurrence than a more diversified portfolio might be. Some of those issuers also may present substantial credit or other risks.

● **Prepayment Risk:** The risk that a debt security may be paid off and proceeds invested earlier than anticipated. Depending on market conditions, the new investments may or may not carry the same interest rate.

● **Rating Agency Risk:** Investment grade debt securities may be downgraded by a major rating agency to below investment grade status, which would increase the risk of holding these securities. In addition, a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes to an issuer's financial condition. Ratings represent the rating agency's opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. Rating agencies may fail to make timely credit ratings in response to subsequent events. In addition, ratings agencies are subject to an inherent conflict of interest because they are often compensated by the same issuers whose securities they grade.

● **Valuation Risk:** The risk that a Fund has valued certain of its securities at a higher price than it can sell them.

**OTHER RISKS**

In addition to the principal risks described above, the Funds may also be subject to the following additional risk.

● **Cyber Security Risk:** As part of its business, the Adviser processes, stores and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Funds. The Adviser and Funds may be susceptible to operational and information security risk. Cyber security failures or breaches of the Adviser or the Funds' other service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of the Funds' shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties and/or reputational damage. The Funds and their shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

**Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings**

A description of the Funds' policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds' portfolio securities is available in the Funds' SAI which is available, free of charge, by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034. The SAI may also be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, on the Funds' website at *https://www.boh.com/personal/mutual-funds* or from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *www.sec.gov*.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS**

The Trust's Board of Trustees supervises the management, activities and affairs of the Funds and has approved contracts with various organizations to provide, among other services, the day-to-day management required by the Funds and their shareholders.

**INVESTMENT ADVISER**

The Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii (the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser located at 111 South King Street, 4<sup>th</sup> Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. As of June 30, 2025, the Adviser had approximately $1.2 billion in assets under management. The Adviser, subject to the general oversight of the Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of each Fund in accordance with its investment objective, policies and limitations. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Adviser waived its entire advisory fee with respect to each Fund.

A discussion of the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment management contract between the Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Funds is available in the Funds' Annual Financials and Additional Information for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

**Reid Smith, CFA** serves as the lead portfolio manager. He is a Vice President and the Director of Fixed Income at Bank of Hawaii. Mr. Smith has over 30 years of experience in fixed income portfolio management, with deep expertise in municipal bond strategies. Mr. Smith began his investment career in the investment department of Bank of Hawaii (formerly Hawaiian Trust Company), where he managed the Hawaiian Tax-Free Trust from 1989 to 1991. His career includes senior roles such as Principal and Senior Portfolio Manager at Vanguard Group (1992–2009), where he oversaw two prominent municipal bond funds totaling $12.5 billion in assets. He later served as Head of the Fixed Income Group at Barclays Wealth (2011–2015), CIO and Director at Ziegler Capital Management – BPG Group (2015–2019), and most recently as a Financial Advisor at Stifel (2020–2021). Mr. Smith is a Chartered Financial Analyst and holds both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Business Administration from the Shidler College of Business at the University of Hawai'i at Mãnoa.

**Roman Mahi** serves as the assistant portfolio manager, commencing in 2025. Prior to joining Bank of Hawaii in May 2024, he worked as a Graduate Student Assistant for Leadership Development at the University of Hawaii (October 2023-May 2024), an intern at Cantor Fitzgerald in New York City (June-July 2023), and an analyst at the Employees' Retirement System Hawaii in Honolulu (2022-2023). Mr. Mahi holds both a Master's degree and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the Shidler College of Business at the University of Hawai'i at Mãnoa. He has also passed Level I of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Program.

The Funds' SAI provides additional information about each Portfolio Manager's compensation, other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager and each Portfolio Manager's ownership of Fund shares.

**SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION**

**PRICING OF SHARES**

The price of each Fund's shares is based on its NAV. Each Fund values its assets, based on current market values when such values are available. The NAV per share of a Fund is calculated as follows:

Value of Assets Attributable to the Shares <br> NAV = – <u>Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Shares</u> <br> Number of Outstanding Shares

Each Fund's NAV per share is calculated once daily as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each business day (i.e., a day that the Exchange is open for business). The Exchange is generally open on Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The price at which a purchase, redemption or exchange is effected is based on the next calculation of NAV after the order is received in good form by an authorized financial institution or the transfer agent, plus any applicable sales charges.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Certain fixed income securities may be valued based upon appraisals received from a pricing service using a computerized matrix system or based upon appraisals derived from information concerning the security or similar securities received from a recognized dealer or dealers in those securities. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used to value fixed income securities with 60 days or less remaining until maturity, so long as such amortized cost method approximates fair value. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**PURCHASE OF SHARES**

Shares are offered on a continuous basis by the Funds' principal underwriter, Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter") and are sold without any sales charges. There is no minimum initial investment in a Fund. The Funds do not charge any sales loads, deferred sales loads or other fees, such as 12b-1 fees, in connection with the purchase of shares. You may purchase shares as specified below.

Class Y shares are available to Bank of Hawaii and its affiliated and correspondent banks acting on behalf of customers having a qualified trust account, employee benefit account or other qualifying account at the institution. Class Y shares may not be purchased by individual investors, either directly or through brokerage accounts. If you purchase Class Y shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a transaction-based fee or other fee for the services of such organization.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be redeemed by the Trust unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Funds' transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." To open an account directly with a Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest.

In addition, the availability of certain classes of shares may be limited to certain intermediary platforms, which means that your eligibility to purchase a specific class of Fund shares may depend on whether your intermediary offers that class.

The Trust is not responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Complete the application and mail it to BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing") at the address noted below, together with a check payable to the applicable Fund. Mail the application and your check to:

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|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital Funds<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital Funds<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6034 |

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The Funds will only accept checks drawn in U.S. dollars on domestic banks. The Funds will not accept any of the following: cash or cash equivalents, money orders, traveler's checks, cashier's checks, bank checks, official checks and treasurer's checks, payable through checks, third-party checks and third-party transactions.

While the Funds do not generally accept foreign investors, it may in instances where either (i) an intermediary makes shares of a Fund available or (ii) the transfer agent, in the case of a direct to Fund subscription, has satisfied its internal procedures with respect to the establishment of foreign investor accounts. Please contact the Adviser at (808) 694-4444 for more information.

The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions, including the Fund, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money-laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts. As requested on the application, you must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address. If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. This information will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, the Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a shareholder's identity. As required by law, the Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

**By Wire**

To make a same-day wire investment, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for current wire instructions. An account number will be assigned to you. Your wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, to receive that day's price per share. Your bank may charge a wire fee.

**TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Fill out an investment slip from a previous confirmation and write your account number on your check. Mail the slip and your check to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital Funds<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital Funds<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6034 |

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**By Wire**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034 for current wire instructions. The wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, for same day processing. Your bank may charge a wire fee.

**Automated Clearing House (ACH) Purchase**

Current shareholders may purchase additional shares via Automated Clearing House ("ACH"). To have this option added to your account, please send a letter to the applicable Fund requesting this option and supply a voided check for the bank account. Only bank accounts held at domestic institutions that are ACH members may be used for these transactions.

You may not use ACH transactions for your initial purchase of Fund shares. ACH purchases will be effective at the closing price per share on the same business day for orders placed prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Orders placed thereafter will be effective at the closing price per share on the next business day. The Funds may alter, modify or terminate this purchase option at any time.

Shares purchased by ACH will not be available for redemption until the transactions have cleared. Shares purchased via ACH transfer may take up to 15 days to clear.

**Purchase Price**

Class Y shares of each Fund are sold at the NAV next determined after receipt of the request in good order. "Good Order" means that the purchase request is complete and includes all required information.

**Financial Intermediaries**

You may purchase shares of a Fund through a financial intermediary who may charge you a commission on your purchase, may charge additional fees, and may require different minimum investments or impose other limitations on buying and selling shares. "Financial intermediaries" include brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), insurance companies, investment advisers, financial advisers, financial planners, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators, their designated intermediaries and any other firm having a selling, administration or similar agreement. If you purchase shares through a financial intermediary, that party is responsible for transmitting orders by close of business and may have an earlier cut-off time for purchases and sale requests. Purchase and redemption orders placed through a financial intermediary will be deemed to have been received and accepted by a Fund when the financial intermediary accepts the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Funds. Customer orders are required to be priced at the Fund's NAV next computed after the authorized financial intermediary or its authorized representatives' receipt of the order to buy or sell. Purchase and redemption requests sent to such authorized broker (or its designee) are executed at the NAV next determined

after the intermediary receives the request if transmitted to the Funds' transfer agent in accordance with the Funds' procedures and applicable law. Financial intermediaries may also designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on a Fund's behalf. Consult your investment representative for specific information.

It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary to transmit orders for the purchase of shares by its customers to the transfer agent and to deliver required funds on a timely basis, in accordance with the procedures stated above.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Funds' transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account."

**Networking and Sub-Transfer Agency Fees.**

A Fund may also directly enter into agreements with financial intermediaries pursuant to which it will pay the financial intermediary for services such as networking or sub-transfer agency, including the maintenance of "street name" or omnibus accounts and related sub-accounting, record-keeping and administrative services provided to such accounts. Payments made pursuant to such agreements are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of clients serviced by such financial intermediary, or (2) the number of accounts serviced by such financial intermediary. Any payments made pursuant to such agreements are in addition to, rather than in lieu of, Rule 12b-1 distribution or shareholder service fees the financial intermediary may also be receiving. From time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay a portion of the fees for networking or sub-transfer agency at its or their own expense and out of its or their own resources. These payments may be material to financial intermediaries relative to other compensation paid by a Fund and/or the Underwriter, the Adviser and their affiliates. The payments described above may differ and may vary from amounts paid to the Funds' transfer agent for providing similar services to other accounts. The financial intermediaries are not audited by the Funds, the Adviser or their service providers to determine whether such intermediaries are providing the services for which they are receiving such payments.

**Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries.**

The Adviser, and, from time to time, affiliates of the Adviser may also, at their own expense and out of their own resources, provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of a Fund. These additional cash payments are payments over and above sales commissions or reallowances, distribution fees or servicing fees (including networking, administration and sub-transfer agency fees) payable to a financial intermediary which are disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus. These additional cash payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency, shareholder or administrative services or marketing support. Marketing support may include: (i) access to sales meetings or conferences, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives; (ii) inclusion of a Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs to which financial intermediaries provide more marketing support than to other sales programs on which the Adviser or its affiliates may not need to make additional cash payments to be included; (iii) promotion of the sale of a Fund's shares in communications with a financial intermediaries' customers, sales representatives or management representatives; and/or (iv) other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of a Fund's shares. These additional cash payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to Fund shareholders. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay cash compensation in the form of finders' fees or referral fees that vary depending on the Funds and the dollar amount of shares sold.

The amount and value of additional cash payments vary for each financial intermediary. The additional cash payment arrangement between a particular financial intermediary and the Adviser or its affiliates may provide for increased rates of compensation as the dollar value of a Fund's shares sold or invested through such financial intermediary increases. The availability of these additional cash payments, the varying fee structure within a particular additional cash payment arrangement and the basis for and manner in which a financial intermediary compensates its sales representatives may create a financial incentive for a particular financial intermediary and its sales representatives to recommend a Fund's shares over the shares of other mutual funds based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. A financial intermediary and its sales representatives may have similar financial incentives to recommend a particular class of a Fund's shares over other classes of such Fund's shares. You should consult with your financial adviser and review carefully any disclosure by the financial firm as to compensation received by your financial adviser.

Although a Fund may use financial firms that sell Fund shares to effect portfolio transactions for the Fund, the Fund and the Adviser will not consider the sale of Fund shares as a factor when choosing financial firms to effect those transactions.

For more information about these additional cash payments made to financial intermediaries, please refer to the section entitled "Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries" located in the SAI.

**Rights Reserved by the Funds**

The Funds reserve the right to:

● reject any purchase order;

● suspend the offering of shares;

● vary the initial and subsequent investment minimums;

● waive the minimum investment requirement for any investor;

● redeem accounts with balances below the minimum account size after 30 days' written notice;

● redeem your shares in the event your financial intermediary's relationship with the Trust is modified or terminated;

● subject to applicable law, redeem your shares in other circumstances determined by the Board of Trustees to be in the best interest of the Funds; and

● redeem your shares if you hold your shares through a financial intermediary and you propose to transfer your shares to another financial intermediary that does not have a relationship with the Trust.

The Trust will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy**

The Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions, and the Trust's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures consistent with such position. The Funds are not designed to accommodate market timing or short-term trading. Frequent or excessive trades into or out of a Fund in an effort to anticipate changes in market prices of its investment portfolio is generally referred to as "market timing." Market timing can adversely impact the ability of the Adviser to invest assets in an orderly manner, which in turn may adversely impact the expenses and the performance of the Funds. These expenses are borne by all Fund shareholders, including long-term investors who do not generate such costs. Specifically, frequent trading may result in the Funds engaging in activities to a greater extent than they otherwise would, such as maintaining higher cash balances, using a line of credit and trading in portfolio securities, each of which may increase expenses and decrease performance. This occurs when market timers attempt to trade Fund shares when the NAVs of the Funds do not reflect the value of the underlying portfolio securities.

To deter market timing and to minimize harm to the Funds and their shareholders, the Funds reserve the right to restrict, reject or cancel, without prior notice, any purchase order by market timers or by those persons the Funds believe are engaging in similar trading activity that, in the judgment of the Funds or the Adviser, may be disruptive to the Funds. The Funds will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. No waivers of the provisions of this policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Funds and their shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Funds and their shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

The Funds' Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") reviews on an as-needed basis, as determined by the CCO in coordination with the Adviser and other service providers, available information related to the trading activity in the Funds in order to assess the likelihood that the Funds may be the target of market timing or similar trading practices. If, in the CCO's judgment, the Funds or the Adviser detect excessive, short-term trading, the Funds may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close the investor's account. The Funds may modify their procedures from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Funds will apply its procedures in a manner that, in the Funds' judgment, will be uniform.

There is no guarantee that the Funds or their agents will be able to detect frequent trading activity or the shareholders engaged in such activity, or, if it is detected, to prevent its recurrence.

In order for a financial intermediary to purchase shares of the Funds for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person, the Funds will enter into shareholder information agreements with such financial intermediary or its agent. These agreements require each financial intermediary to provide the Funds access, upon request, to

information about underlying shareholder transaction activity in these accounts and the Shareholder's Taxpayer Identification Number (or International Taxpayer Identification Number or other government issued identifier). If a shareholder information agreement has not been entered into by a financial intermediary, such financial intermediary will be prohibited from purchasing Fund shares for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person. If necessary, the Funds may prohibit additional purchases of Fund shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers' trading activities in the Funds. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Funds. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Funds' excessive trading policies, the Funds may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES**

You may "redeem" or sell your shares on any day the Exchange is open, either directly through the Funds' transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, or through your broker-dealer. The price you receive will be the NAV next calculated after receipt of the request in good order. "Good Order" means that the redemption request is complete and includes all accurate required information including any medallion signature guarantees, if necessary.

**Redemption Policies**

Payment for redemptions of Fund shares is usually made within one business day, but not later than seven calendar days after receipt of your redemption request, unless the check used to purchase the shares has not yet cleared. Each Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment for more than seven days during any period when: (1) trading on the Exchange is restricted or the Exchange is closed for other than customary weekends and holidays; (2) the SEC has, by order, permitted such suspension for the protection of a Fund's shareholders; or (3) an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets of a Fund not reasonably practicable. Each Fund will automatically redeem shares if a purchase check is returned for insufficient funds and the shareholder's account will be charged for any loss. The Funds reserve the right to reject any third-party check.

Under normal market conditions, each Fund generally meets redemption requests through its holdings of cash or cash equivalents or by selling a portion of the Fund's holdings consistent with its investment strategy. The Funds generally pay redemptions proceeds in cash; however, each Fund reserves the right to honor certain redemptions "in-kind" with securities, rather than cash. A Fund is more likely to redeem in-kind to meet large redemption requests or during times of market stress.

**TO REDEEM FROM YOUR ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

To redeem your shares by mail:

● Write a letter of instruction that includes: the name of the applicable Fund, your account number, the name(s) in which the account is registered and the dollar value or number of shares you wish to sell.

● Include all signatures and any additional documents that may be required.

● Mail your request to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital Funds<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital Funds<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6034 |

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● A check will be mailed to the name(s) and address in which the account is registered and may take up to seven days.

● The Funds may require additional documentation or a medallion signature guarantee on any redemption request to help protect against fraud.

● The Funds require a medallion signature guarantee if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record.

**By Telephone**

To redeem your shares by telephone, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034. The proceeds will be paid to the registered owner: (1) by mail at the address on the account, or (2) by wire to the pre-designated bank account on the account. To use the telephone redemption privilege, you must have selected this service on your original account application or submitted a subsequent medallion signature guaranteed request in writing to add this service to your account. The Funds and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing reserve the right to refuse any telephone transaction when they are unable to confirm to their satisfaction that a caller is the account owner or a person preauthorized by the account owner. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing has established security procedures to prevent unauthorized account access. Neither the Funds nor any of their service contractors will be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The telephone transaction privilege may be suspended, limited, modified or terminated at any time without prior notice by the Funds or BNY Mellon Investment Servicing.

**By Wire**

In the case of redemption proceeds that are wired to a bank, the Funds transmit the payment only on days that commercial banks are open for business and only to the bank and account previously authorized on your application or your medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. The Funds and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing will not be responsible for any delays in wired redemption proceeds due to heavy wire traffic over the Federal Reserve System. Each Fund reserves the right to refuse a wire redemption if the Fund believes it is advisable to do so. You may also have your redemption proceeds sent to your bank via ACH. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing does not charge for this service; however, please allow 2 to 3 business days for the transfer of money to reach your banking institution.

**Selling Recently Purchased Shares**

If you wish to sell shares that were recently purchased by check, a Fund may delay mailing your redemption check for up to 15 business days after your redemption request to allow the purchase check to clear. Each Fund reserves the right to reject any redemption request for shares recently purchased by check that has not cleared, and a Fund may require that a subsequent request be submitted.

**Late Trading**

Late trading is the practice of buying or selling Fund shares at the closing price after a Fund's NAV has been set for the day. Federal securities laws governing mutual funds prohibit late trading. The Funds have adopted trading policies designed to comply with requirements of the federal securities laws.

**EXCHANGE OF SHARES**

Class Y shares of the Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund may be exchanged for Class Y shares of the Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund.

Conversely, Class Y shares of the Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund may be exchanged for Class Y shares of the Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund.

Redemption of shares through an exchange will be effected at the NAV per share next determined after the transfer agent receives your exchange request. A purchase of shares through an exchange will be effected at the NAV per share determined at that time or as next determined thereafter. An exchange will be treated as a sale for federal income tax purposes. See "More Information about Taxes" for a discussion of the tax effect on an exchange of shares.

Exchange transactions will be subject to requirements of the particular fund into which the exchange is made.

To obtain more information about exchanges, or to place exchange orders, contact the transfer agent, or, if your shares are held in an account with a financial intermediary, contact the financial intermediary. The Funds may terminate or modify the exchange offer described here and will give you 60 days' notice of such termination or modification.

**TRANSACTION POLICIES**

**Timing of Purchase or Sale Requests**

All requests received in good order by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing or authorized dealers of Fund shares before the close of regular trading on the Exchange, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, will be executed the same day, at that day's NAV. Such orders received after the close of regular trading of the Exchange will be executed the following day, at that day's NAV. All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Purchase and redemption orders are executed only on days when the Exchange is open for trading. If the Exchange closes early, the deadlines for purchase and redemption orders are accelerated to the earlier closing time.

**New York Stock Exchange Closings**

The Exchange is typically closed for trading on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

**Investments through Financial Intermediaries/Nominees**

If you invest through a financial intermediary or nominee, such as a broker-dealer or financial adviser (rather than directly through a Fund), certain policies and fees regarding your investment in the Funds may be different than those described in this Prospectus. In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Funds' transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." Financial intermediaries and nominees may charge transaction fees, may charge you a commission on your purchase, and may set minimum investments or other limitations or procedures on buying or selling shares; however, in the event that your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust and you chose to open an account directly with a Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Funds. You will not be charged any additional fees by the Funds (other than those described in this Prospectus) if you purchase or redeem shares directly through the Funds' transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing.

Contact your financial intermediary for specific information regarding the availability and suitability of various account options described throughout this Prospectus. Contact your financial intermediary for specific information with respect to the financial intermediary's policies regarding minimum purchase and minimum balance requirements and involuntary redemption, which may differ from what is described throughout this Prospectus.

**Medallion Signature Guarantees**

The Funds may require additional documentation for the redemption of shares of the Funds held in corporate, partnership or fiduciary accounts, or medallion signature guarantees for certain types of transfer requests or account registration changes. A medallion signature guarantee helps protect against fraud. A medallion signature guarantee is required if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days, or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record. When a Fund requires a signature guarantee, a medallion signature must be provided. A medallion signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency, saving association or other financial institution that is participating in a medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The Funds recognize the following three medallion programs: (i) Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP), (ii) Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and (iii) New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature guarantees from a financial institution that does not participate in one of these programs will not be accepted. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034 for further information on obtaining a proper signature guarantee.

**Customer Identification Program**

Federal law requires the Funds to obtain, verify and record identifying information, which includes the name, residential or business street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or taxpayer identification number or other identifying information for each investor who opens or reopens an account with the Funds. Applications without the required information, or without any indication that a social security or taxpayer identification number has been applied for, will not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Funds reserve the right to (i) place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (ii) to refuse an investment in a Fund or to involuntarily redeem an investor's shares and close an account in the event that an investor's identity is not verified. The Funds and their agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account resulting from the investor's delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor's shares when an investor's identity cannot be verified.

**Other Documents**

Additional documents may be required for purchases and redemptions when shares are registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, association, agent, fiduciary, trust, estate or other organization. For further information, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034.

**SHAREHOLDER SERVICES**

**Your Account**

If you have questions about your account, including purchases, redemptions and distributions, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time.

**Account Statements**

The Funds currently provide the following account information:

● confirmation statements after transactions (except for certain automatic transactions, such as those related to automatic investment plan purchases or dividend reinvestments);

● account statements reflecting transactions made during the covered period (generally, quarterly or annually);

● tax information, which will be mailed each year by the IRS deadline, a copy of which will also be filed with the IRS, if necessary.

Financial statements with a summary of portfolio composition and performance will be available at least twice a year.

The Funds routinely provide the above shareholder services, but may charge additional fees for special services such as requests for historical transcripts of accounts.

With the exception of statutorily required items, the Funds may change any of the above practices without notice.

**Delivery of Shareholder Documents**

To reduce expenses, each Fund mails only one copy of its Prospectus and each Annual and Semi-Annual Financial and Additional Information to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034 or, if your shares are held through a financial institution, please contact the financial institution directly. A Fund will begin sending you individual copies within 30 days after receiving your request.

**DISTRIBUTIONS**

Distributions from net investment income are declared daily as a dividend and paid monthly to you. Any net capital gain realized by the Funds will be distributed annually. Distributions are payable to the shareholders of record at the time the distributions are declared (including holders of shares being redeemed but excluding holders of shares being purchased). All distributions are reinvested in additional shares, unless you elect to receive the distributions in cash. You may elect to receive the distributions in cash by calling the transfer agent. Shares become entitled to receive distributions on the day after the shares are issued (see "More Information about Taxes — Distributions").

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TAXES**

Each shareholder and prospective investor's particular tax situation is unique, and, therefore, the tax information in this Prospectus is provided only for general information purposes and only for U.S. taxpayers and should not be considered as tax advice or relied on by a shareholder or prospective investor.

**General.** The Funds intend to qualify annually to be treated as a regulated investment company (a "RIC") under Subchapter M of the Code. As such, each Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders provided it satisfies certain requirements and restrictions set forth in the Code one of which is to distribute to its shareholders substantially all of its income and gains each year. If for any taxable year a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC: (1) it will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and will be subject to tax at the corporate tax rates then in effect; and (2) all distributions from its earnings and profits (as determined under federal income tax principles) will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and the non-corporate shareholder long-term capital gain rate for "qualified dividend income" and ordinary rates for all other distributions, except for those treated as a return of capital or substitute dividends with respect to dividends paid on securities lent out by a Fund. In addition, dividends paid on securities lent out by a Fund may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

**Distributions.** The Funds will make distributions to you that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains (which may be taxed at different rates depending on the length of time a Fund holds its assets). The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions are taxable whether you reinvest such distributions in additional shares of the Fund or choose to receive cash.

Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred retirement account (such as a 401(k) or an IRA), you should consider avoiding a purchase of Fund shares shortly before the Fund makes a distribution, because making such a purchase can increase your taxes and the cost of the shares. This is known as "buying a dividend." For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the Fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you received — even if you reinvest it in more shares and have to pay the tax due on the dividend without receiving any cash to pay the taxes. To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest.

**Ordinary Income.** Net investment income (except for qualified dividends and income designated as tax-exempt), distributions of income from securities lending, and short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Certain dividends distributed to non-corporate shareholders and designated by a Fund as "qualified dividend income" are eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rates. Short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. In addition, certain qualified REIT dividends may be eligible for a deduction for non-corporate shareholders.

**Net Capital Gains.** Net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) distributed to you, if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains (based on a Fund's holding period) for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Sale or Exchange of Shares.** It is a taxable event for you if you sell shares of a Fund or exchange shares of a Fund for shares of another Fund. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you sell or exchange, you may have a taxable gain or loss on the transaction. Any realized gain will be taxable to you, and, generally, will be capital gain, assuming you held the shares of the Fund as a capital asset. The capital gain will be long-term or short-term depending on how long you have held your shares in the Fund. Sales of shares of a Fund that you have held for twelve months or less will be a short-term capital gain or loss and if held for more than twelve months will constitute a long-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends, if any, received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.

**Returns of Capital.** If a Fund's distributions exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in the same taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable to the extent of each shareholder's basis in the Fund's shares, but will reduce each shareholder's cost basis in a Fund and result in a higher reported capital gain

or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold. If the return of capital distribution exceeds a shareholder's cost basis, the excess amount will be capital gain, assuming you held your shares as a capital asset, and will be long-term or short-term capital gain depending on how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Medicare Contribution Tax.** U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000, if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately) will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income including interest (excluding tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains. If applicable, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of the individual's (i) net investment income or (ii) the excess of modified adjusted gross income over $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately).

**IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans.** One major exception to these tax principles is that a distribution on or the sale or exchange of shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless the shares were acquired with borrowed funds.

**Backup Withholding.** A Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on all taxable distributions and sales payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

**State and Local Income Taxes.** This Prospectus does not discuss the state and local tax consequences of an investment in a Fund. **You are urged and advised to consult your own tax adviser concerning state and local taxes, which may have different consequences from those of the federal income tax laws.**

**Non-U.S. Shareholders.** Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. tax as a result of an investment in a Fund. The Funds are required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments made to foreign entities that do not qualify for reduced withholding rates under a treaty and do not meet specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. This Prospectus does not discuss the U.S. or foreign country tax consequences of an investment by a non-U.S. shareholder in a Fund. **Non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the U.S. and foreign country tax consequences of an investment in a Fund.**

**Basis Reporting and Holding Periods.** A shareholder is responsible for tracking the tax basis and holding periods of the shareholder's shares in a Fund for federal income tax purposes. However, RICs, such as the Funds, must report cost basis information to you and the IRS when a shareholder sells or exchanges shares that are not in a tax deferred retirement account. The Funds will permit shareholders to elect from among several IRS accepted cost basis methods.

**Statements and Notices.** You will receive an annual statement outlining the tax status of your distributions. You may also receive written notices of certain foreign taxes and distributions paid by a Fund during the prior taxable year.

***This section is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations of taxable U.S shareholders that may affect your investment in a Fund. This summary is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered as tax advice and may not be relied on by a prospective investor. This general summary does not apply to non-U.S. shareholders or tax-exempt shareholders, and does not address state, local or foreign taxes. More information regarding these considerations is included in the Funds' SAI. All prospective investors and shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser regarding the effects of an investment in a Fund on their particular tax situation.***

**financial Highlights**

The Financial Highlights tables are intended to help you understand each Fund's financial performance for the periods shown. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in a Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Funds' financial statements, is included in form N-CSR for the period ended April 30, 2025. The 2025 financial statements and Financial Highlights are incorporated by reference to the Funds' SAI and is available upon request by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034.

**Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund**

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2022** | **For the**<br> **Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2021** |
| **Class Y Shares** |  |  |  |  |  |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $9.51 | $9.68 | $9.69 | $10.61 | $10.30 |
| Net investment income<sup>1</sup> | 0.29 | 0.27 | 0.25 | 0.24 | 0.26 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | (0.04) | (0.17) | (0.01) | (0.92) | 0.31 |
| Total from investment operations | 0.25 | 0.10 | 0.24 | (0.68) | 0.57 |
| **Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net investment income | (0.29) | (0.27) | (0.25) | (0.24) | (0.26) |
| Net asset value, end of year | $9.47 | $9.51 | $9.68 | $9.69 | $10.61 |
| Total investment return<sup>2</sup> | 2.62% | 1.05% | 2.49% | (6.56)% | 5.54% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year (in 000s) | $234594 | $235617 | $240807 | $259354 | $275648 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 0.14% | 0.13% | 0.14% | 0.12% | 0.11% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers<sup>3</sup> | 0.34% | 0.33% | 0.34% | 0.32% | 0.31% |
| Ratio of net investment income to average net assets | 3.01% | 2.80% | 2.54% | 2.27% | 2.43% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 20% | 16% | 9% | 14% | 9% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the year.

<sup>2</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any.

<sup>3</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived. If such fee waivers had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

**Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund**

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2022** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2021** |
| **Class Y Shares** |  |  |  |  |  |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $9.65 | $9.83 | $9.78 | $10.28 | $10.12 |
| Net investment income<sup>1</sup> | 0.27 | 0.24 | 0.16 | 0.12 | 0.15 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | (0.05) | (0.18) | 0.05 | (0.49) | 0.16 |
| Total from investment operations | 0.22 | 0.06 | 0.21 | (0.37) | 0.31 |
| **Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net investment income | (0.27) | (0.24) | (0.16) | (0.12) | (0.15) |
| Net realized capital gains |  |  |  | (0.01) |  |
| Total dividends and distributions to shareholders | (0.27) | (0.24) | (0.16) | (0.13) | (0.15) |
| Net asset value, end of year | $9.60 | $9.65 | $9.83 | $9.78 | $10.28 |
| Total investment return<sup>2</sup> | 2.26% | 0.65% | 2.16% | (3.61)% | 3.04% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year (in 000s) | $41794 | $44170 | $44439 | $47329 | $50023 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 0.42% | 0.41% | 0.37% | 0.38% | 0.28% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers<sup>3</sup> | 0.62% | 0.61% | 0.57% | 0.58% | 0.48% |
| Ratio of net investment income to average net assets | 2.75% | 2.49% | 1.61% | 1.18% | 1.43% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 32% | 55% | 31% | 27% | 22% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the year.

<sup>2</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any.

<sup>3</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived. If such fee waivers had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

**PACIFIC CAPITAL TAX-FREE SECURITIES FUND PACIFIC CAPITAL TAX-FREE SHORT INTERMEDIATE SECURITIES FUND**

*series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

(888) 678-6034

**FOR MORE INFORMATION**

**For additional information about the Funds, the following documents, when available, are free upon request:**

**Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information**

The Funds' Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information contain more information about the Funds' investments and performance including information on each Fund's portfolio holdings and operating results for the most recently completed fiscal year or half-year. The Annual Financials and Additional Information includes a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected each Fund's performance during its last fiscal year*.*

**Statement of Additional Information (SAI)**

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Funds and their policies. The information in the SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is part of this Prospectus.

These documents will be available free of charge on the Funds' website at *https://www.boh.com/personal/mutual-funds*. You can also get a free copy of these documents and other information, or ask us any questions, including information on how to purchase or redeem Fund shares, by calling us at (888) 678-6034 or writing to:

Pacific Capital Funds FundVantage Trust c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing P.O. Box 534445 Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445

If you buy your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact that financial intermediary directly for this information. You can also find information online at *https://www.boh.com/personal/mutual-funds.*

Reports and information about the Funds (including the SAI and Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information) may be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov*. Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: *publicinfo@sec.gov.*

The investment company registration number is 811-22027. STPAC-0925

![](sai-ptfsx_001.jpg)

**PACIFIC CAPITAL TAX-FREE SECURITIES FUND**

**Class Y Shares (PTXFX)**

**PACIFIC CAPITAL TAX-FREE SHORT INTERMEDIATE SECURITIES FUND**

**Class Y Shares (PTFSX)**

**SERIES OF**

**FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**

**September 1, 2025**

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") provides information about the Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund and the Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund (each a "Fund" and together the "Funds"). Each Fund is a series of FundVantage Trust (the "Trust").

This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with each Fund's current prospectus dated September 1, 2025, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the "Prospectus"). This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. The Funds' audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, and the notes thereto, which are included in the Funds' [Annual Financials and Additional Information](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000119312525155426/d942352dncsr.htm) to shareholders, are incorporated into this SAI by reference. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Financials and Additional Information may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Funds at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 or by calling (888) 678-6034 or on the Funds' website at *https://www.boh.com/personal/mutual-funds.*

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| [General Information](#pcmf_001) | 1 |
| [Investment Policies](#pcmf_002) | 1 |
| [Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings](#pcmf_003) | 22 |
| [Investment Limitations](#pcmf_004) | 23 |
| [Trustees and Officers](#pcmf_005) | 25 |
| [Code of Ethics](#pcmf_006) | 29 |
| [Proxy Voting](#pcmf_007) | 30 |
| [Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities](#pcmf_008) | 30 |
| [Investment Advisory Services](#pcmf_009) | 31 |
| [Portfolio Managers](#pcmf_010) | 32 |
| [Administration and Accounting Services](#pcmf_011) | 34 |
| [Additional Service Providers](#pcmf_012) | 34 |
| [Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices](#pcmf_013) | 35 |
| [Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries](#pcmf_014) | 35 |
| [Distribution of Shares](#pcmf_015) | 36 |
| [Capital Stock and Other Securities](#pcmf_016) | 36 |
| [Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares](#pcmf_017) | 37 |
| [Dividends](#pcmf_018) | 37 |
| [Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations](#pcmf_019) | 38 |
| [Financial Statements](#pcmf_020) | 49 |
| [Appendix A — Description of Ratings](#pcmf_021) | A-1 |
| [Appendix B — Proxy Voting Policies](#pcmf_022) | B-1 |

---

i

**GENERAL INFORMATION**

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 28, 2006. The Trust is a series trust authorized to issue separate series or classes of shares of beneficial interest. This SAI only relates to the Funds. The Trust has established each Fund as a separate series of the Trust. Each Fund offers Class Y shares. The Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii (the "Adviser") serves as investment adviser to the Funds. Each Fund is a non-diversified open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As non-diversified funds, the Funds are not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the portion of their assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. The Funds, however, intend to maintain the required level of diversification and otherwise conduct their operations so as to qualify as a regulated investment company ("RIC") for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "IRC"), to relieve the Funds of any liability for federal income tax to the extent that their earnings are distributed to shareholders. The IRC test applies at the end of each fiscal quarter and generally requires that at least 50% of the value of the Funds' total assets be represented by the types of assets that satisfy the asset diversification requirement imposed by the 1940 Act. In addition, no more than 25% of the value of the Funds' assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer. Stocks of particular issuers, or issuers in particular industries, may dominate the investment portfolio of the Fund, which may adversely affect the performance of the Funds or subject them to greater price volatility than that experienced by more diversified investment companies.

The Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund and the Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund operated as the Tax-Free Securities Fund and the Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund, respectively, series of Pacific Capital Funds (the "Predecessor Funds"). Before each Fund commenced operations, substantially all of the assets of each Predecessor Fund were transferred to its corresponding Fund in a tax-free reorganization (the "Reorganization"). The Reorganization occurred on June 28, 2010 after being approved by shareholders of the Predecessor Funds. As a result of the Reorganization, the performance and accounting history of each Predecessor Fund has been assumed by its corresponding Fund. Financial and performance information prior to June 28, 2010 included herein is that of the Predecessor Funds.

**INVESTMENT POLICIES**

The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objectives and policies of the Funds. The investment limitations below are considered to be non-fundamental policies which may be changed at any time by a vote of the Fund's Board of Trustees, unless designated as a "Fundamental" policy. In addition, any stated percentage limitations are measured at the time of the purchase of a security.

**BANK OBLIGATIONS.** Bank and savings and loan obligations in which the Funds may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, fixed time deposits and interest bearing demand accounts. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third-party, although there is no market for such deposits. Interest bearing demand accounts are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") up to $250,000 through December 31, 2013. The FDIC is an independent agency of the United States Government, and FDIC deposit insurance is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government.

The Funds limit their bank investments to dollar-denominated obligations of U.S., Canadian, Asian, Australian or European banks which have more than $500 million in total assets at the time of investment or of United States savings and loan associations which have more than $11 billion in total assets at the time of investment and, in the case of U.S. banks, are members of the Federal Reserve System or are examined by the Comptroller of the Currency or whose deposits are insured by the FDIC.

Obligations of foreign banks involve somewhat different investment risks than those affecting obligations of United States banks, including the possibilities that their liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments, that their obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of United States banks, that a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations, that foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized, that foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations and that the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to United States banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any U.S. Government agency or instrumentality.

● **BANKERS' ACCEPTANCES.** Bankers' acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft that has been drawn on it by a customer. These instruments reflect the obligation of both the bank and the drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity.

● **CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT.** Certificates of deposit are certificates evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank to repay funds deposited with it for a definite period of time (usually from 14 days to one year) at a stated or variable interest rate. Variable rate certificates of deposit provide that the interest rate will fluctuate on designated dates based on changes in a designated base rate (such as the composite rate for certificates of deposit established by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York).

● **TIME DEPOSITS.** Time deposits are bank deposits for fixed periods of time. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which may vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third-party, although there is no market for such deposits.

**BORROWING.** Each Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. This means that, in general, a Fund may borrow money from banks for any purpose on a secured basis in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets. A Fund may also borrow money for temporary administrative purposes on an unsecured basis in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets.

Specifically, provisions of the 1940 Act require a Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, a Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.

As noted below, a Fund also may enter into certain transactions, including reverse repurchase agreements (or economically similar transactions), that can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing or financing transaction by the Fund. The Derivatives Rule (as defined below) regulates a registered investment company's use of derivatives and certain other transactions that creature future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. This new rule became operative in August 2022. The Derivatives Rule prescribes specific "value at risk" or "VaR" (further defined below) leverage limits that apply to a Fund with derivatives and other applicable transactions (although the Fund may qualify for the Limited Derivatives User Exception (as defined below)). VaR is an estimate of potential losses on an instrument or portfolio over a specified time horizon and at a given confidence level. The Fund may apply a relative VaR test or an absolute VaR test (if the Fund's derivative risk manager, if applicable, determines that a designated reference portfolio would not provide an appropriate reference portfolio for purposes of the relative VaR test. The limit under the relative VaR test is 200% of the VaR of a designated reference portfolio, which, very generally, may be a designated unleveraged index or the Fund's securities portfolio excluding derivatives. If applicable, the limit under the absolute VaR test is 20% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Derivatives Rule also requires a Fund, if applicable, to appoint a derivatives risk manager, maintain a derivatives risk management program designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with transactions covered by the rule, and abide by certain Board and other reporting obligations and recordkeeping requirements. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, the Derivatives Rule permits a fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under the Derivatives Rule. The Funds have adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with the Derivatives Rule. Compliance with the Derivatives Rule could adversely affect the value or performance of a Fund. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which a Fund may engage in derivative transactions could also limit or prevent a Fund from using certain instruments.

Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value ("NAV") of any increase or decrease in the market value of a Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. A Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

Each Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements and economically similar transactions. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a portfolio-eligible security by a Fund to another party coupled with its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, a Fund continues to be entitled to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by a Fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by a Fund which it is obligated to repurchase.

It is possible that changing government regulation may affect a Fund's use of these strategies. Changes in regulatory requirements concerning margin for certain types of financing transactions, such as repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and borrowing, could impact a Fund's ability to utilize these investment strategies and techniques.

**COMMERCIAL PAPER.** Each Fund may invest in commercial paper that is rated at the date of purchase in the highest rating category assigned by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization ("NRSRO") or unrated if considered by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. Each Fund may invest in tax-exempt commercial paper that is rated at the date of purchase in one of the two highest rating categories by an NRSRO or not rated but is considered by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. See "Municipal Securities" below. Commercial paper consists of short-term (up to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes and variable floating rate demand notes issued by domestic and foreign bank holding companies, corporations and financial institutions as well as similar taxable and tax-exempt instruments issued by government agencies and instrumentalities.

**CREDIT RATINGS.** Credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments, not market value risk. The rating of an issuer is also heavily weighted by past developments and does not necessarily reflect probable future conditions. There is frequently a lag between the time a rating is assigned and the time it is updated. Also, because credit rating agencies may fail to timely change credit ratings to reflect subsequent events, the Adviser must monitor the issuers of bonds in a Fund's portfolio to determine if the issuers will have sufficient cash flow and profits to meet required principal and interest payments, and to assure the bonds' liquidity so that the Fund can meet redemption requests.

To the extent the rating of a debt security by an NRSRO changes as a result of changes in such organization or its rating systems, each Fund will attempt to use comparable ratings as standards for investments in accordance with the investment policies contained in its Prospectus and in this SAI. The ratings of the NRSROs currently used by the Funds are more fully described in Appendix A to this SAI.

**CYBER SECURITY.** The Fund and its service providers are susceptible to operational and information security risks due to cyber security incidents. In general, cyber security incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber security attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (*e.g*., through "hacking" or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. Cyber attacks also may be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (*i.e*., efforts to make services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security incidents affecting the Adviser, Transfer Agent or Custodian or other service providers such as financial intermediaries have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, including by interference with the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading for the Fund's portfolio; the inability of fund shareholders to transact business with the Fund; violations of applicable privacy, data security or other laws; regulatory fines and penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs; legal fees; or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber security incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions and other parties. While information risk management systems and business continuity plans have been developed which are designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there are inherent limitations in any cyber security risk management systems or business continuity plans, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified.

**DEBT SECURITIES.** Debt securities represent money borrowed that obligates the issuer (e.g., a corporation, municipality, government or government agency) to repay the borrowed amount at maturity (when the obligation is due and payable) and usually to pay the holder interest at specific times. Each of the Funds may invest in debt securities issued by domestic and foreign issuers. The Funds may only invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign debt securities. The debt securities in which the Funds will invest generally will be of investment grade (i.e., rated in the top four rating categories by an NRSRO), or, if unrated, determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser.

**DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS.** The Funds may, to the extent permitted by their investment objectives and policies, purchase and sell (write) both put options and call options on securities and securities indexes, enter into interest rate and index futures contracts, and purchase and sell options on such futures contracts ("futures options") for hedging or cash management purposes, to seek to replicate the composition and performance of a particular index, or as part of their overall investment strategies. If other types of financial instruments, including other types of options, futures contracts, or futures options are traded in the future, a Fund may also use those instruments, provided that such instruments are consistent with the Fund's investment objective. To the extent that a Fund uses futures and/or options on futures, it will do so in accordance with Rule 4.5 adopted by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") pursuant to the Commodity Exchange Act ("CEA").

The value of some derivative instruments in which the Funds invest may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Funds, the ability of a Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of the Adviser to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken positions in derivative instruments contrary to prevailing market trends, the Funds could be exposed to the risk of loss.

The Funds might not employ any of the strategies described below, and no assurance can be given that any strategy used will succeed. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts interest rates, market values or other economic factors in using a derivatives strategy for a Fund, the Fund might have been in a better position if it had not entered into the transaction at all. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances. The use of these strategies involves certain special risks, including a possible imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of derivative instruments and price movements of related investments. While some strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in related investments or otherwise, due to the possible inability of a Fund to purchase or sell a portfolio security at a time that otherwise would be favorable, the possible need to sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time because the Fund is required to maintain asset coverage, offsetting positions in connection with transactions in derivative instruments or the possible inability of a Fund to close out or to liquidate its derivatives positions. In addition, a Fund's use of such instruments may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains (generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates) than if it had not used such instruments. If a Fund gains exposure to an asset class using derivative instruments backed by a collateral portfolio of fixed income instruments, changes in the value of the fixed income instruments may result in greater or lesser exposure to that asset class than would have resulted from a direct investment in securities comprising that asset class.

The use of derivative instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), the Commodity Future Trading Commission ("CFTC"), various state regulatory authorities and, with respect to exchange-traded derivatives, the several exchanges upon which they are traded. In particular, under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act, a registered investment company's derivatives exposure, which includes short positions for this purpose, is limited through a value-at-risk test and Rule 18f-4 requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. However, subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4) are not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. Rule 18f-4 could limit a Fund's ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of a Fund. Moreover, there may be asset coverage requirements for certain arrangements. In order to engage in certain transactions in derivatives, a Fund may be required to hold offsetting positions or to hold cash or liquid securities in a segregated account or designated on the Fund's books. Changes in the value of a derivative may also create margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for a Fund. In addition, a Fund's ability to use derivative instruments may be limited by tax considerations.

<u>Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. A Fund may purchase put and call options and write covered put and call options on securities in which such Fund may invest, provided the value of the securities underlying such options do not exceed 5% of the Fund's net assets in the aggregate and (1) are traded on registered domestic securities exchanges or (2) result from separate privately negotiated transactions in the over-the-counter market with primary U.S. Government securities dealers recognized by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

An option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security. Upon exercise, the writer of an option on an index is obligated to pay the difference between the cash value of the index and the exercise price multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. (An index is designed to reflect features of a particular financial or securities market, a specific group of financial instruments or securities or certain economic indicators.)

A Fund will write call options and put options only if they are "covered." In the case of a call option on a security, the option is "covered" if a Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by the Fund. For a call option on an index, the option is covered if a Fund maintains with its custodian assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, in an amount equal to the contract value of the index. A call option is also covered if the Fund holds a call on the same security or index as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written. A put option on a security or an index is "covered" if a Fund holds a put on the same security or index as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written.

If an option written by a Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. If an option purchased by a Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid. Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, exchange, underlying security or index, exercise price and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when a Fund desires.

A Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option which is sold. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series. A Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, a Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security or index in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security or index and the time remaining until the expiration date.

The premium paid for a put or call option purchased by a Fund is an asset of the Fund. The premium received for an option written by a Fund is recorded as a deferred credit. The value of an option purchased or written is marked to market daily and is valued at the closing price on the exchange on which it is traded or, if not traded on an exchange or no closing price is available, at the mean between the last bid and asked prices.

<u>Risks Associated with Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and on indexes. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.

The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security at the exercise price. If a put or call option purchased by a Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security remains equal to or greater than the exercise price (in the case of a put), or remains less than or equal to the exercise price (in the case of a call), the Fund will lose its entire investment in the option. Also, where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security, the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when a Fund seeks to close out an option position. If a Fund were unable to close out an option that it had purchased on a security, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit or the option may expire worthless. If a Fund were unable to close out a covered call option that it had written on a security, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise. As the writer of a covered call option, a Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the exercise price of the call.

If trading were suspended in an option purchased by a Fund, the Fund would not be able to close out the option. If restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it has purchased. Except to the extent that a call option on an index written by the Fund is covered by an option on the same index purchased by the Fund, movements in the index may result in a loss to the Fund; however, such losses may be mitigated by changes in the value of the Fund's securities during the period the option was outstanding.

To the extent that the Fund writes a call option on a security it holds in its portfolio and intends to use such security as the sole means of "covering" its obligation under the call option, the Fund has, in return for the premium on the option, given up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the exercise price during the option period, but, as long as its obligation under such call option continues, has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. If the Fund were unable to close out such a call option, the Fund would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise.

<u>Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts</u>. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security or commodity for a set price on a future date. These contracts are traded on exchanges, so that, in most cases, either party can close out its position on the exchange for cash, without delivering the security or commodity. An option on a futures contract gives the holder of the option the right to buy or sell a position in a futures contract from or to the writer of the option, at a specified price and on or before a specified expiration date.

Each Fund may invest in futures contracts and options thereon ("futures options") with respect to, but not limited to, interest rates, commodities and security or commodity indexes. To the extent that a Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities, it may also invest in foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon.

An interest rate or index futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of a financial instrument or the cash value of an index at a specified price and time. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract was originally written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, no physical delivery of these securities is made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes as well as financial instruments, and it is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future.

A Fund may purchase and write call and put futures options. Futures options possess many of the same characteristics as options on securities and indexes (discussed above). A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. A call option is "in the money" if the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option exceeds the exercise price. A put option is "in the money" if the exercise price exceeds the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option.

Pursuant to a claim for exclusion from the definition of "commodity pool operator" filed by the Trust, with the National Futures Association ("NFA"), the Trust does not fall within the definition of "commodity pool operator" under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended ("CEA"), in respect of the Funds, and thus, is not subject to registration or regulation as such under the CEA in respect of the Funds.

<u>Limitations on Use of Futures and Futures Options</u>. A Fund will only enter into futures contracts and futures options which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity or quoted on an automated quotation system.

When a purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by a Fund, the Fund is required to deposit with its custodian (or broker, if legally permitted) a specified amount of assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees ("initial margin"). The margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. Margin requirements on foreign exchanges may be different than U.S. exchanges. The initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the futures contract which is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Each Fund expects to earn interest income on its initial margin deposits. A futures contract held by a Fund is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded. Each day a Fund pays or receives cash, called "variation margin," equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. This process is known as "marking to market." Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by a Fund but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract expired. In computing the daily NAV, each Fund will mark to market its open futures positions.

A Fund is also required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option and other futures positions held by the Fund.

Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities or commodities, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (same exchange, underlying security or index and delivery month). Closing out a futures contract sale is effected by purchasing a futures contract for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument or commodity with the same delivery date. If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, a Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, a Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, a Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, a Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations.

The Funds may write covered straddles consisting of a call and a put written on the same underlying futures contract. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Funds' immediate obligations.

A Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

When purchasing a futures contract, a Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, a Fund may "cover" its position by purchasing a put option on the same futures contract with a strike price as high or higher than the price of the contract held by the Fund.

When selling a futures contract, a Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees that are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, a Fund may "cover" its position by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract (or, in the case of an index futures contract, a portfolio with a volatility substantially similar to that of the index on which the futures contract is based), or by holding a call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price no higher than the price of the contract written by the Fund (or at a higher price if the difference is maintained in liquid assets with the Trust's custodian).

When selling a call option on a futures contract, a Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, equal the total market value of the futures contract underlying the call option. Alternatively, the Fund may cover its position by entering into a long position in the same futures contract at a price no higher than the strike price of the call option, by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract, or by holding a separate call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price not higher than the strike price of the call option sold by the Fund.

When selling a put option on a futures contract, a Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that equal the purchase price of the futures contract, less any margin on deposit. Alternatively, the Fund may cover the position either by entering into a short position in the same futures contract, or by owning a separate put option permitting it to sell the same futures contract so long as the strike price of the purchased put option is the same or higher than the strike price of the put option sold by the Fund.

The requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company ("RIC") provided under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("IRC"), also may limit the extent to which a Fund may enter into futures, futures options or forward contracts. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

<u>Risks Associated with Futures and Futures Options</u>. There are several risks associated with the use of futures contracts and futures options. A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the margin deposits relating to the futures contract. There can be no guarantee that there will be a correlation between price movements in the hedging vehicle and in the Fund securities being hedged. In addition, there are significant differences between the securities and futures markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between the markets, causing a given hedge not to achieve its objectives. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends on circumstances such as variations in speculative market demand for futures and futures options on securities, including technical influences in futures trading and futures options, and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard contracts available for trading in such respects as interest rate levels, maturities and creditworthiness of issuers. Successful hedging depends upon the Adviser's ability to predict movements of the securities markets, interest rates, and other factors, which requires different skills than predicting changes in the price of individual securities. Even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected interest rate trends. As noted above, a Fund might be required to maintain assets as "cover," maintain segregated accounts or make margin payments when it enters into a hedge that involves an obligation to a third-party.

Futures contracts on U.S. Government securities historically have reacted to an increase or decrease in interest rates in a manner similar to that in which the underlying U.S. Government securities reacted. To the extent, however, that a Fund enters into such futures contracts, the value of such futures will not vary in direct proportion to the value of the Fund's holdings. Thus, the anticipated spread between the price of the futures contract and the hedged security may be distorted due to differences in the nature of the markets. The spread also may be distorted by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets and the participation of speculators in such markets.

Futures exchanges may limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of the current trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a futures contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may work to prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market exists at a time when a Fund seeks to close out a futures or a futures option position and a Fund would remain obligated to meet margin requirements until the position is closed. In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.

<u>Correlation Risk</u>. In certain cases, the value of derivatives may not correlate perfectly, or at all, with the value of the assets, reference rates or indexes they are designed to closely track. In this regard, certain funds seek to achieve their investment objectives, in part, by investing in derivatives positions that are designed to closely track the performance (or inverse performance) of an index on a daily basis. However, the overall investment strategies of the Fund are not designed or expected to produce returns which replicate the performance (or inverse performance) of the particular index, and the degree of variation could be substantial, particularly over longer periods. There are a number of factors which may prevent a mutual fund, or derivatives or other strategies used by the Fund, from achieving desired correlation (or inverse correlation) with an index. These may include, but are not limited to: (i) the impact of fund fees, expenses and transaction costs, including borrowing and brokerage costs/bid-ask spreads, which are not reflected in index returns; (ii) differences in the timing of daily calculations of the value of an index and the timing of the valuation of derivatives, securities and other assets held by the Fund and the determination of the NAV of fund shares; (iii) disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for derivative instruments or securities in which the Fund invests; (iv) the Fund having exposure to or holding less than all of the securities in the underlying index and/or having exposure to or holding securities not included in the underlying index; (v) large or unexpected movements of assets into and out of the Fund (due to share purchases or redemptions, for example), potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the index; (vi) the impact of accounting standards or changes thereto; (vii) changes to the applicable index that are not disseminated in advance; (viii) a possible need to conform the Fund's portfolio holdings to comply with investment restrictions or policies or regulatory or tax law requirements; and (ix) fluctuations in currency exchange rates.

<u>Additional Risks of Options on Securities, Futures Contracts, Options on Futures Contracts and Options Thereon</u>. Options on securities and futures contracts may be traded on foreign exchanges. Such transactions may not be regulated as effectively as similar transactions in the United States may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Trust's ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States and (v) lesser trading volume.

<u>Risk of Potential Government Regulation of Derivatives</u>*.*** It is possible that additional government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, including futures, options and swap agreements, may limit or prevent a Fund from using such instruments potentially to the detriment of a Fund. It is impossible to fully predict the effects of past, present or future legislation and regulation in this area, but the effects could be substantial and adverse. It is possible that legislative and regulatory activity could limit or restrict the ability of a Fund to use certain instruments as a part of its investment strategy. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which a Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

There is a possibility of future regulatory changes altering, perhaps to a material extent, the nature of an investment in a Fund or the ability of a Fund to continue to implement their investment strategies. The futures, options and swaps markets are subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations, and margin requirements. In addition, the SEC, CFTC and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.

<u>Tax Risk</u>. The Funds intend to qualify annually to be treated as a RIC under the IRC. To qualify as a RIC under the IRC, the Funds must invest in assets which produce the types of income specified in the IRC and the Treasury Regulations ("Qualifying Income"). Whether the income from certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities is Qualifying Income must be determined on a case-by-case basis, and the Funds will endeavor to ensure that income that is not Qualifying Income will be limited to 10% or less of the Funds' income. If a Fund does invest in these types of securities, and the income is determined not to be Qualifying Income, it may cause a Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these restrictions.

**FOREIGN SECURITIES.** The Funds may invest directly in securities of foreign governmental and private issuers that are denominated in and pay interest in U.S. dollars.

There may be less information available about a foreign company than about a U.S. company, and foreign companies may not be subject to reporting standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. Foreign securities may not be as liquid as U.S. securities. Securities of foreign companies may involve greater market risk than securities of U.S. companies, and foreign brokerage commissions and custody fees are generally higher than in the United States. Investments in foreign securities may also be subject to local economic or political risks, political instability and possible nationalization of issuers.

To date, the market values of securities of issuers located in different countries have moved relatively independently of each other. During certain periods, the return on equity investments in some countries has exceeded the return on similar investments in the United States. A decline in the value of a Fund's investments in one country may offset potential gains from investments in another country.

Investments in securities of foreign issuers may involve risks that are not associated with domestic investments. Foreign issuers may lack uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements, and there is generally less publicly available information about foreign issuers than there is about domestic issuers. Governmental regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges, brokers and listed companies may be less pervasive than is customary in the United States. Securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and their prices are more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers. Foreign securities settlements may in some instances be subject to delays and related administrative uncertainties that could result in temporary periods when assets of a Fund are uninvested and no return is earned thereon and may involve a risk of loss to a Fund. Foreign securities markets may have substantially less volume than U.S. markets and far fewer traded issues. Fixed brokerage commissions on foreign securities exchanges are generally higher than in the United States, and transaction costs with respect to smaller capitalization companies may be higher than those of larger capitalization companies. Income from foreign securities may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source or other foreign taxes. In some countries, there may also be the possibility of nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation (in which case a Fund could lose its entire investment in a certain market), limitations on the removal of monies or other assets of a Fund, higher rates of inflation, political or social instability or revolution, or diplomatic developments that could affect investments in those countries. In addition, it may be difficult to obtain and enforce a judgment in a court outside the United States.

Some of the risks described in the preceding paragraph may be more severe for investments in emerging or developing countries. By comparison with the United States and other developed countries, emerging or developing countries may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on a less diversified industrial base and securities markets that trade a smaller number of securities. Companies in emerging markets may generally be smaller, less experienced and more recently organized than many domestic companies. Prices of securities traded in the securities markets of emerging or developing countries tend to be volatile. Furthermore, foreign investors are subject to many restrictions in emerging or developing countries. These restrictions may require, among other things, governmental approval prior to making investments or repatriating income or capital, or may impose limits on the amount or type of securities held by foreigners or on the companies in which the foreigners may invest.

The economies of individual emerging countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rates of inflation, currency depreciation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment position and may be based on a substantially less diversified industrial base. Further, the economies of developing countries generally are heavily dependent upon international trade and, accordingly, have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. These economies also have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade. U.S. securities and accounting regulatory agencies continue to express concern regarding information access and audit quality regarding issuers in China and other emerging market countries, which could present heightened risks associated with investments in these markets.

A number of publicly traded closed-end investment companies have been organized to facilitate indirect foreign investment in developing Asian countries, and some of these countries have specifically authorized such funds. There also are investment opportunities in some of these countries in pooled vehicles that resemble open-end investment companies. Any investment by the Funds in these companies will be subject to certain percentage limitations of the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder and applicable Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") staff interpretations thereof, or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC. This restriction on investments in securities of investment companies may limit opportunities for the Funds to invest indirectly in various developing Asian countries. Shares of some investment companies may at times be acquired only at market prices representing premiums to their NAVs. In certain countries, banks or other financial institutions may be among the leading companies to have actively traded securities. The 1940 Act and applicable SEC rules, staff interpretations and other guidance may restrict the Funds' investments in some foreign banks and other financial institutions.

**Other Matters**

Inflation accounting rules in some developing countries require, for companies that keep accounting records in the local currency, for both tax and accounting purposes, that certain assets and liabilities be restated on the company's balance sheet in order to express items in terms of currency of constant purchasing power. Inflation accounting may indirectly generate losses or profits for certain companies in developing countries. Satisfactory custodial services for investment securities may not be available in some developing countries, which may result in the Funds incurring additional costs and delays in providing transportation and custody services for such securities outside such countries.

**Regional Risk Considerations**

In addition to the risk of investments in foreign securities and in emerging markets described above, investments in issuers of securities in particular regions may be subject to additional regional risks.

<u>Asia</u>. Many Asian countries may be subject to a greater degree of social, political and economic instability than is the case in the United States and western European countries. Such instability may result from: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision-making; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; and (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection. The economies of most of the Asian countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by protective trade barriers and the economic conditions of their trading partners, principally the United States, Japan, China and the European Community. The enactment by the United States or other significant trading partners of protectionist trade legislation, reduction of foreign investment in the local economies and general declines in the international securities markets could have a significant adverse effect upon the securities markets of these Asian countries.

<u>Latin America</u>. Investing in securities of Latin American issuers may entail risks relating to the potential political and economic instability of certain Latin American countries and a consequent resurgence of the historical risk in Latin America of expropriation, nationalization, confiscation or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investment and on repatriation of capital invested. In the event of expropriation, nationalization or other confiscation by any country, a Fund could lose its entire investment in any such country. In addition, there is risk that certain Latin American countries may restrict the free conversion of their currencies into other currencies. Certain Latin American countries are among the world's largest debtors to commercial banks and foreign governments. At times, some Latin American countries have declared moratoria on the payment of principal and/or interest on outstanding debt.

<u>Europe, Middle East and Africa ("EMEA Countries")</u>. Investing in securities of issuers located in certain EMEA Countries may be subject to risks due to the inexperience of financial intermediaries, the lack of modern technology and the lack of a sufficient capital base to expand business operations. Additionally, former Communist regimes of a number of Eastern European countries have expropriated a large amount of property, the claims of which have not been entirely settled. There can be no assurance that an investment in certain EMEA Countries would not also be expropriated, nationalized or otherwise confiscated. The securities markets of many EMEA Countries are relatively small, or non-existent, with the majority of market capitalization and trading volume concentrated in a limited number of companies representing a small number of industries. These markets may be subject to greater influence by adverse events generally affecting the market, and by investors trading significantly larger blocks of securities than is usual in the United States. Securities settlements may, in some instances, be subject to delays and related administrative uncertainties. Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain EMEA Countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions or controls may at times limit or preclude investment in some securities and may increase the cost and expenses of an investment. As illustrations, certain EMEA Countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons, or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company, or limit the investment by foreign persons to only a specific class of securities of a company which may have less advantageous terms than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals. In addition, the repatriation of both investment income and capital from some countries is controlled by regulations, including in some cases the need for certain advance governmental notification or authority. Investments in these countries could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation.

**FUNDING AGREEMENTS.** Each of the Funds (may invest up to 5% of its net assets in Funding Agreements ("FAs") similar to Guaranteed Investment Contracts issued by highly rated U.S. insurance companies. Pursuant to such contracts, the Funds make cash contributions to a deposit fund of the insurance company's general account. The insurance company then credits to the respective Fund on a monthly basis guaranteed interest which is based on an index. The FAs provide that this guaranteed interest will not be less than a certain minimum rate. Generally, FAs allow a purchaser to buy an annuity with the monies accumulated under the contract; however, the Funds will not purchase any such annuities. The insurance company may assess periodic charges against an FA for expense and service costs allocable to it, and the charges will be deducted from the value of the deposit fund. An FA is a general obligation of the issuing insurance company and not a separate account. The purchase price paid for an FA becomes part of the general assets of the issuer, and the contract is paid from the general assets of the issuer.

The Funds will purchase FAs only from issuers which, at the time of purchase, are rated "A" or higher by A.M. Best Company, have assets of $1 billion or more and meet quality and credit standards established by the Adviser.

Generally, FAs are not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuing insurance companies, and an active secondary market for FAs does not currently exist. Also, a Fund may not receive the principal amount of an FA from the insurance company on seven days' notice or less. Therefore, FAs are considered to be illiquid investments and are subject to the Funds' 15% limitation on investment in illiquid securities. See "Illiquid Securities."

**HAWAII ISSUERS.** The Funds invest significantly in obligations of issuers located in Hawaii; the marketability and market value of these obligations may be affected by the Hawaii economy, state debt obligations, and certain Hawaiian constitutional provisions, legislative measures, executive orders, administrative regulations, and vote initiatives.

**ILLIQUID SECURITIES and Liquidity Risk Management PROGRAM.** Neither Fund may knowingly invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days at approximately the value at which they are being carried on a Fund's books. The Board of Trustees has the ultimate responsibility for determining whether specific securities are liquid or illiquid. The Board of Trustees has delegated the function of making day to day determinations of liquidity to the Adviser, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of securities held by a Fund and report periodically on such decisions to the Board of Trustees. If the limitations on illiquid securities are exceeded, other than by a change in market values, the condition will be reported by the Fund's Adviser to the Board of Trustees. Repurchase agreements with a duration of seven days or more, time deposits that do not provide for payment to a Fund within seven days after notice, FAs and most commercial paper issued in reliance upon the exemption in Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") (other than variable amount master demand notes with maturities of nine months or less) are subject to this 15% limit. External market conditions may impact the liquidity of portfolio securities and may cause a Fund to sell or divest certain illiquid securities in order to comply with its limitation on holding illiquid securities, which may result in losses to such Fund.

Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires, among other things, that the Funds establish a liquidity risk management program ("LRMP") that is reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 defines "liquidity risk" as the risk that a fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the fund without significant dilution of the remaining investors' interests in the fund. The Funds have implemented a LRMP to meet the relevant requirements. Additionally, the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the designation of a committee of individuals comprised of the Funds' President, Treasurer, and Chief Compliance Officer (the "LRMP Administrator") to administer the LRMP. The Board of Trustees will review no less frequently than annually a written report prepared by the LRMP Administrator that addresses the operation of the LRMP and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation. Among other things, the LRMP provides for the classification of each Fund investment as a "highly liquid investment," "moderately liquid investment," "less liquid investment" or "illiquid investment." The liquidity risk classifications of the Fund's investments are determined after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations. To the extent that a Fund investment is deemed to be an "illiquid investment" or a "less liquid investment," a Fund can expect to be exposed to greater liquidity risk. There is no guarantee the LRMP will be effective in its operations, and complying with Rule 22e-4, including bearing related costs, could impact a Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

**INFLATION-PROTECTED DEBT SECURITIES.** The Funds may invest in inflation-protected debt securities or inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers utilize a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index ("CPI") accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS") have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if a Fund purchased TIPS with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year's inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. A Fund may also invest in other inflation-related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal amount.

The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates, in turn, are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.

While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.

Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

**INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS.** Each Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies (each, an "Underlying Fund"), including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts ("UITs") and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the "Acquired Fund"), such as a Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the "Acquiring Fund") or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in a Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of a Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in a Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC no-action relief.

Set forth below is additional information about the manner in which ETFs generally operate and the risks associated with an investment in ETFs which are in addition to the risks associated with registered investment companies generally.

In the event that a Fund purchases shares of ETFs, such purchase is expected to be made through a broker-dealer in a transaction on a securities exchange, and in such case a Fund will pay customary brokerage commissions for each purchase and sale. Shares of an ETF may also be acquired by depositing a specified portfolio of the ETF's underlying securities, as well as a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit, with the ETF's custodian, in exchange for which the ETF will issue a quantity of new shares, sometimes referred to as a "creation unit". Similarly, shares of an ETF purchased on an exchange may be accumulated until they represent a creation unit, and the creation unit may redeemed in kind for a portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETF's NAV) together with a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. A Fund may redeem creation units for the underlying securities (and any applicable cash), and may assemble a portfolio of the underlying securities (and any required cash) to purchase creation units, if the Adviser believes it is in a Fund's interest to do so. A Fund's ability to redeem creation units may be limited by the 1940 Act, which provides that an ETF will not be obligated to redeem shares held by a Fund in an amount exceeding one percent of such ETF's total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days.

<u>Termination Risk</u>. There is a risk that an ETF in which a Fund invests may terminate due to extraordinary events. For example, any of the service providers to an ETF, such as the trustee or sponsor, may close or otherwise fail to perform its obligations to the ETF, and the ETF may not be able to find a substitute service provider. Also, the ETF may be dependent upon licenses to use the various indices as a basis for determining its composition and/or otherwise to use certain trade names. If these licenses are terminated, the ETF may also terminate or experience a disruption in its activities. In addition, an ETF may terminate if its net assets fall below a certain amount.

Although the Adviser believes that, in the event of the termination of an ETF, the Funds will be able to invest instead in shares of an alternate ETF tracking the same market index or another index covering the same general market, there can be no assurance that shares of an alternate ETF would be available for investment at that time.

**LETTERS OF CREDIT AND LIQUIDITY AGREEMENTS.** Each of the Funds may purchase debt obligations that are backed by an irrevocable letter of credit or liquidity agreement of a bank, savings and loan association or insurance company that assumes the obligation for payment of principal and interest in the event of default by the issuer. Only banks, savings and loan associations and insurance companies which, in the opinion of the Adviser, are of investment quality comparable to other permitted investments of a Fund, may be used for letter of credit and liquidity agreement backed investments.

**LOAN PARTICIPATIONS.** Each of the Funds may purchase participations in commercial loans. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Loan participations typically represent direct participation in a loan to a corporate borrower and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Funds may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing loan participations, a Fund assumes the credit risk associated with the corporate borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interests in which a Fund intends to invest may not be rated by any NRSRO.

A loan is often administered by an agent bank acting as agent for all holders. The agent bank administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. In addition, the agent bank is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the corporate borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions that are parties to the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, a Fund has direct recourse against the corporate borrower, the Fund may have to rely on the agent bank or other financial intermediary to apply appropriate credit remedies against a corporate borrower.

A financial institution's employment as agent bank might be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement should remain available to holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of a Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank's general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. In situations involving other interposed financial institutions (e.g., an insurance company or governmental agency) similar risks may arise.

Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the corporate borrower for payment of principal and interest. If a Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund's share price and yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer a Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.

The Funds may invest in loan participations with credit quality comparable to that of the issuers of each Fund's securities investments. Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, a Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

Each Fund limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in any one issuer or in issuers within the same industry (see "Investment Limitations"). For purposes of these limits, a Fund generally will treat the corporate borrower as the "issuer" of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between a Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as "issuers" for the purpose of determining whether the Fund has invested more than 5% of its assets in a single issuer. Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict a Fund's ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries.

Loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to readily dispose of at what the Adviser believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of illiquid indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining a Fund's NAV than if that value were based on available market quotations and could result in significant variations in the Fund's daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are traded among certain financial institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of these instruments is expected to improve. In addition, the Funds currently intend to treat indebtedness for which there is no readily available market as illiquid for purposes of the Funds' limitation on illiquid investments. Investments in loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of the Trust's investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by a Fund.

Investments in loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution's interests with respect to the loan may involve additional risks to the Funds. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, a Fund could become part owner of any collateral and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, a Fund could be held liable as co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protections against fraud and misrepresentation. In the absence of definitive regulatory guidance, the Funds rely on the Adviser's research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentation could adversely affect the Funds.

**LOWEST CATEGORY OF INVESTMENT GRADE.** Obligations rated in the lowest of the top four rating categories by an NRSRO have speculative characteristics, and changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to make principal and interest payments than is the case with higher grade bonds. Subsequent to its purchase by a Fund, an issue of securities may cease to be rated or its rating category may be reduced below the minimum rating required for purchase by the respective Fund. The Adviser will consider such an event in determining whether the relevant Fund should continue to hold the obligation.

**MONEY MARKET FUNDS.** Each Fund may invest in the securities of money market mutual funds. Such investments are subject to limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder and applicable SEC staff interpretations thereof, or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC. (See "Investment Company Securities and Exchange-Traded Funds" above.)

**MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES AND ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES.** Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. See "Mortgage Pass-Through Securities." The Funds may also invest in debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations").

The recent financial downturn—particularly the increase in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgages, falling home prices, and unemployment—has adversely affected the market for mortgage-related securities. In addition, various market and governmental actions may impair the ability to foreclose on or exercise other remedies against underlying mortgage holders, or may reduce the amount received upon foreclosure. These factors have caused certain mortgage-related securities to experience lower valuations and reduced liquidity. There is also no assurance that the U.S. Government will take further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economic downturn continue or the economy experience another downturn. Further, recent legislative action and any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk that a Fund could realize losses on mortgage-related securities.

<u>Mortgage Pass-Through Securities</u>*.* Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA")) are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase.

The residential mortgage market in the United States recently has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Funds' mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased recently and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has recently been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

<u>Agency Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA"), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA").

However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Trust's investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. A Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet the Trust's quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. A Fund will not purchase mortgage-related securities or any other assets which in the opinion of the Adviser are illiquid if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets will be illiquid.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. The substantial decline in real property values across the U.S. has exacerbated the level of losses that investors in privately issued mortgage-related securities have experienced. It is not certain when these trends may reverse. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in a Fund's portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

The Funds may purchase privately issued mortgage-related securities that are originated, packaged and serviced by third-party entities. It is possible these third parties could have interests that are in conflict with the holders of mortgage-related securities, and such holders (such as a Fund) could have rights against the third parties or their affiliates. For example, if a loan originator, servicer or its affiliates engaged in negligence or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties, then a holder of the mortgage-related security could seek recourse against the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable. Also, as a loan originator/servicer, the originator/servicer or its affiliates may make certain representations and warranties regarding the quality of the mortgages and properties underlying a mortgage-related security. If one or more of those representations or warranties is false, then the holders of the mortgage-related securities (such as a Fund) could trigger an obligation of the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable, to repurchase the mortgages from the issuing trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, many of the third parties that are legally bound by trust and other documents have failed to perform their respective duties, as stipulated in such trust and other documents, and investors have had limited success in enforcing terms.

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Funds' industry concentration restrictions, set forth below under "Investment Limitations," by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. Government securities. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities, the Funds take the position that mortgage-related securities do not represent interests in any particular "industry" or group of industries. Therefore, a Fund may invest more or less than 25% of its total assets in privately issued mortgage-related securities. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

<u>Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs")</u>*.* A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as "tranches," with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as "sequential pay" CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation ("issuer") issues multiple series (*e.g.*, A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds ("Bonds"). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates ("Collateral"). The Collateral is pledged to a third-party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common. For example, the Funds may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class ("PAC") CMOs and multi-class pass through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier.

PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches—known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds—which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk.

<u>Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits</u>. The Funds may invest in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs"). REMICs are pass-through vehicles created to issue multiclass mortgage backed securities. REMICs may be organized as corporations, partnerships or trusts and those meeting certain qualifications are not subject to double taxation. Interests in REMICs may be senior or junior, regular (debt instruments) or residual (equity interests).

<u>Other Asset-Backed Securities</u>. The Funds may invest in other, non-mortgage related asset-backed securities ("ABS"), including interests in pools of receivables such as motor vehicle installment purchase obligations and credit card receivables. Such securities are generally issued as pass-through certificates, which represent undivided fractional ownership interests in the underlying pool of assets. These securities also may be debt instruments, which also are known as collateralized obligations and are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt instruments. The Funds may purchase ABS only when such securities are readily marketable and rated at the time of purchase in one of the two highest rating categories assigned by an NRSRO or, if unrated, are considered by the Adviser to be of comparable quality.

The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement. Some ABS, particularly home equity loan transactions, are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments are used to pay investors as quickly as possible.

**MUNICIPAL SECURITIES.** The Funds each may invest in debt obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States, the District of Columbia and their sub-divisions, agencies and instrumentalities (collectively, "municipal securities") to obtain funds for various public purposes, such as the construction of public facilities, the payment of general operating expenses or the refunding of outstanding debts. Yields on municipal securities are the product of a variety of factors, including the general conditions of the money market and of the municipal bond and municipal note markets, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. Although the interest on municipal securities may be exempt from Federal income tax, dividends paid by a Fund to its shareholders may not be tax-exempt. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" for more information. A brief description of some typical types of municipal securities follows:

<u>General Obligation Securities</u>. General obligation securities are backed by the taxing power of the issuing municipality and are considered the safest type of municipal bond. The proceeds from general obligation securities are used to fund a wide range of public projects, including the construction or improvement of schools, highways and roads and water and sewer systems.

<u>Revenue or Special Obligation Securities</u>. Revenue or special obligation securities are backed by the revenues of a specific project or facility - tolls from a toll bridge, for example, or in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise tax. The proceeds from revenue or special obligation securities are used to fund a wide variety of capital projects, including electric, gas, water and sewer systems; highways, bridges and tunnels; port and airport facilities; colleges and universities; and hospitals. Many municipal issuers also establish a debt service reserve fund from which principal and interest payments are made. Further security may be available in the form of the issuer's ability, without obligation, to make up deficits in the reserve fund.

<u>Insured Municipal Bonds</u>. Insured municipal bonds are covered by insurance guaranteeing the scheduled payment of principal and interest until their maturity. The insurance can be purchased either by the issuing government entity or by a Fund purchasing the bond. This insurance feature minimizes the risks to the Funds and their shareholders associated with payment delays or defaults in these portfolio securities, but does not guarantee the market value of these portfolio securities or the value of the shares of the Funds.

<u>Moral Obligation Bonds</u>. Moral obligation bonds are tax-exempt bonds issued by a municipality or a state financial intermediary and backed by the moral obligation pledge of a state government. Under a moral obligation pledge, a state government indicates its intent to appropriate funds in the future if the primary obligor, the municipality or intermediary, defaults. The state's obligation to honor the pledge is moral rather than legal because future legislatures cannot be legally obligated to appropriate the funds required.

<u>Municipal Lease Obligations</u>. Municipal lease obligations may take the form of a lease, an installment purchase or a conditional sale contract issued by state and local governments and authorities to acquire land, equipment and facilities. Usually, the Funds will purchase a participation interest in a municipal lease obligation from a bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interest gives the holder a pro-rata, undivided interest in the total amount of the obligation.

Municipal leases frequently have risks distinct from those associated with general obligation or revenue bonds. The interest income from the lease obligation may become taxable if the lease is assigned. Also, to free the municipal issuer from constitutional or statutory debt issuance limitations, many leases and contracts include non-appropriation clauses providing that the municipality has no obligation to make future payments under the lease or contract unless money is appropriated for that purpose by the municipality on a yearly or other periodic basis. Finally, the lease may be illiquid.

<u>Bond Anticipation Notes</u>. Bond anticipation notes ("BANs") are normally issued to provide interim financing until long-term financing can be arranged. The long-term bonds then provide money for the repayment of the notes. The Funds may invest in BANs that are rated at the date of purchase in one of the two highest rating categories assigned by an NRSRO, or not rated but are considered by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. The ability of a municipal issuer to meet its obligations on its BANs primarily depends on the issuer's adequate access to the longer term municipal bond market and the likelihood that the proceeds of such bond sales will be used to pay the principal of, and interest on, BANs.

<u>Tax Anticipation Notes</u>. Tax anticipation notes ("TANs") finance the working capital needs of municipalities and are issued in anticipation of various seasonal tax revenues, to be payable by these specific future taxes. The Funds may invest in TANs that are rated at the date of purchase in one of the two highest rating categories assigned by an NRSRO, or not rated but are considered by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. Uncertainty in a municipal issuer's capacity to raise taxes as a result of such events as a decline in its tax base or a rise in delinquencies could adversely affect the issuer's ability to meet its obligations on outstanding TANs. Furthermore, some municipal issuers mix various tax proceeds into a general fund that is used to meet obligations other than those of the outstanding TANs. Use of such a general fund to meet various obligations could affect the likelihood of making payments on TANs.

<u>Revenue Anticipation Notes</u>. Revenue anticipation notes ("RANs") are issued in expectation of receipt of other kinds of revenue, such as federal revenues available under the Federal Revenue Sharing Program. The Funds may invest in RANs that are rated at the date of purchase in one of the two highest rating categories assigned by an NRSRO, or not rated but are considered by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. A decline in the receipt of certain revenues, such as anticipated revenues from another level of government, could adversely affect an issuer's ability to meet its obligations on outstanding RANs. In addition, the possibility that the revenues would, when received, be used to meet other obligations could affect the ability of the issuer to pay the principal of, and interest on, RANs.

<u>Industrial Development Bonds ("IDBs") and Private Activity Bonds ("PABs")</u>. IDBs and PABs are specific types of revenue bonds issued on or on behalf of public authorities to finance various privately operated facilities such as educational, hospital or housing facilities, local facilities for water supply, gas, electricity, sewage or solid waste disposal and industrial or commercial facilities. PABs generally are IDBs issued after April 15, 1986. These obligations are included within the term "municipal bonds" if the interest paid on them is exempt from Federal income tax in the opinion of the bond issuer's counsel. IDBs and PABs are in most cases revenue bonds and thus are not payable from the unrestricted revenues of the issuer. The credit quality of the IDBs and PABs is usually directly related to the credit standing of the user of the facilities being financed or some form of credit enhancement such as a letter of credit or insurance.

The Funds may not be an appropriate investment for entities which are "substantial users," or certain "related persons" of substantial users, of facilities financed by private activity bonds. "Substantial users" are defined under U.S. Treasury Regulations to include a non-exempt person who regularly uses a part of such facilities in his trade or business and whose gross revenues derived with respect to the facilities financed by the issuance of bonds are more than 5% of the total revenues derived by all users of such facilities, or who occupies more than 5% of the usable area of such facilities or for whom such facilities, or a part thereof, were specifically constructed, reconstructed or acquired. "Related persons" include certain related natural persons, affiliated corporations, partnerships and their partners and S corporations and their shareholders.

<u>Resource Recovery Bonds</u>. Resource recovery bonds are affected by a number of factors, which may affect the value and credit quality of these revenue or special obligations. These factors include the viability of the project being financed, environmental protection regulations and project operator tax incentives.

<u>Tax-Exempt Commercial Paper and Short-Term Municipal Notes</u>. Tax-exempt commercial paper and short-term municipal notes provide for short-term capital needs and usually have maturities of one year or less. They include tax anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes and construction loan notes. The Funds may invest in tax-exempt commercial paper and short-term municipal notes that are rated at the date of purchase in one of the two highest rating categories assigned by an NRSRO, or not rated but are considered by the Adviser to be of comparable quality.

<u>Construction Loan Notes</u>. Construction loan notes are sold to provide construction financing. After successful completion and acceptance, many projects receive permanent financing through the FHA by way of FNMA or GNMA. The Funds may invest in Construction loan notes that are rated at the date of purchase in one of the two highest rating categories assigned by an NRSRO, or not rated but are considered by the Adviser to be of comparable quality.

<u>Put Bonds</u>. Put bonds are municipal bonds which give the holder the right to sell the bond back to the issuer or a third party at a specified price and exercise date, which is typically well in advance of the bond's maturity date.

**PARTICIPATION INTERESTS.** Each Fund may invest in participation interests in fixed income securities. A participation interest provides the certificate holder with a specified interest in an issue of fixed income securities.

Some participation interests give the holders differing interests in the underlying securities, depending upon the type or class of certificate purchased. For example, coupon strip certificates give the holder the right to receive a specific portion of interest payments on the underlying securities; principal strip certificates give the holder the right to receive principal payments and the portion of interest not payable to coupon strip certificate holders. Holders of certificates of participation in interest payments may be entitled to receive a fixed rate of interest, a variable rate that is periodically reset to reflect the current market rate or an auction rate that is periodically reset at auction. Asset-backed residuals represent interests in any excess cash flow remaining after required payments of principal and interest have been made.

More complex participation interests involve special risk considerations. Since these instruments have only recently been developed, there can be no assurance that any market will develop or be maintained for the instruments. Generally, the fixed income securities that are deposited in trust for the holders of these interests are the sole source of payments on the interests; holders cannot look to the sponsor or trustee of the trust or to the issuers of the securities held in trust or to any of their affiliates for payment.

Participation interests purchased at a discount may experience price volatility. Certain types of interests are sensitive to fluctuations in market interest rates and to prepayments on the underlying securities. A rapid rate of prepayment can result in the failure to recover the holder's initial investment.

The extent to which the yield to maturity of a participation interest is sensitive to prepayments depends, in part, upon whether the interest was purchased at a discount or premium, and if so, the size of that discount or premium. Generally, if a participation interest is purchased at a premium and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that anticipated at the time of purchase, the holder's actual yield to maturity will be lower than that assumed at the time of purchase. Conversely, if a participation interest is purchased at a discount and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that assumed at the time of purchase, the investor's actual yield to maturity will be higher than that assumed at the time of purchase.

Participation interests in pools of fixed income securities backed by certain types of debt obligations involve special risk considerations. The issuers of securities backed by automobile and truck receivables typically file financing statements evidencing security interests in the receivables, and the servicers of those obligations take and retain custody of the obligations. If the servicers, in contravention of their duty to the holders of the securities backed by the receivables, were to sell the obligations, the third-party purchasers could acquire an interest superior to the interest of the security holders. Also, most states require that a security interest in a vehicle must be noted on the certificate of title and the certificate of title may not be amended to reflect the assignment of the lender's security interest. Therefore, the recovery of the collateral in some cases may not be available to support payments on the securities. Securities backed by credit card receivables are generally unsecured, and both Federal and state consumer protection laws may allow set-offs against certain amounts owed.

**PREFERRED STOCK.** Each Fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally dividends as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer's board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

**REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** Each Fund may enter into repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which a Fund purchases a security from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commits to resell that security to a bank or dealer at an agreed upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest, unrelated to the coupon rate or the maturity of the purchased security. The period of maturity is usually quite short, often overnight or a few days, although it may extend over a number of months. A Fund may only enter into repurchase agreements only with respect to obligations that could otherwise be purchased by the Fund. All repurchase agreements will be fully collateralized based on values that are marked to market daily by the Adviser. If the seller defaults and the value of the underlying securities has declined, a Fund may incur a loss. In addition, if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security, the Fund's disposition of the security may be delayed or limited. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered illiquid for purposes of a Fund's investment limitations.

**RESTRICTED SECURITIES.** Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption from registration. Each Fund is subject to an investment limitation on the purchase of illiquid securities. Restricted securities, including securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, that are determined to be liquid are not subject to this limitation. This determination is to be made by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees. Under these guidelines, the Adviser will consider the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers in, and potential purchasers for, the securities, dealer undertakings to make a market in the security and the nature of the security and of the marketplace trades. In purchasing such restricted securities, the Adviser intends to purchase securities that are exempt from registration under Rule 144A.

**SECURITIES LENDING.** For the purpose of achieving income, each Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions, provided: (i) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposits, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned; (ii) the Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of the securities loaned; (iii) the Fund will receive any interest or dividends paid on the loaned securities; and (iv) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33 1/3% of the total assets of the Fund. Each Fund's performance will continue to reflect the receipt of either interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments, or a fee, if the collateral is U.S. Government securities. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral should the borrower fail to return the securities loaned or become insolvent. The Funds may pay lending fees to the party arranging the loan.

**SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION COMPANIES.** Each Fund may invest in special purpose acquisition companies ("SPACs"). SPACs are collective investment structures that pool funds in order to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less an amount to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities and cash. SPACs and similar entities may be blank check companies with no operating history or ongoing business other than to seek a potential acquisition. Accordingly, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity's management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Certain SPACs may seek acquisitions only in limited industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. Investments in SPACs may be deemed illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact each Fund's ability to meet its investment objective. If a SPAC does not complete an acquisition within a specified period of time after going public, the SPAC is dissolved, at which point the invested funds are returned to the SPAC's shareholders (less certain permitted expenses) and any rights or warrants issued by the SPAC expire worthless.

**U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS.** Each Fund may invest in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Although all obligations of such agencies and instrumentalities are not direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Government generally directly or indirectly backs payment of the interest and principal on these obligations. This support can range from securities supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (for example, GNMA securities) to securities that are supported solely or primarily by the creditworthiness of the issuer, such as securities of FNMA, FHLMC, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Federal Farm Credit Banks and Federal Home Loan Banks. In the case of obligations not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, a Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Whether backed by full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury or not, U.S. Government obligations are not guaranteed against price movements due to fluctuating interest rates.

Each Fund may also make limited investments (not exceeding 5% of its net assets) in separately traded principal and interest components of securities issued by the United States Treasury. The principal and interest components or selected securities are traded independently under the Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal Securities program ("STRIPS"). Under the STRIPS program, the principal and interest components are individually numbered and separately issued by the U.S. Treasury at the request of depository financial institutions, which then trades the component parts independently.

**VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES.** Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular and range from daily up to annually, or may be event-based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

The Funds may invest in floating and variable rate debt instruments ("floaters"). The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as a money-market index or Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide a Fund with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, a Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well.

**WHEN-ISSUED, DELAYED DELIVERY AND FORWARD COMMITMENT TRANSACTIONS.** Each of the Funds may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Typically, no income accrues on securities a Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made.

When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, a Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations, and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its NAV. Because a Fund is not required to pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other investments. If a Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

When a Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, such Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, a Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or could suffer a loss. A Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a transaction after it is entered into, and may sell when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment securities before they are delivered, which may result in a capital gain or loss. There is no percentage limitation on the extent to which the Funds may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. The Funds do not intend to engage in when-issued purchases and forward commitments for speculative purposes but only in furtherance of their investment objectives. The forward commitments and when-issued purchases are not expected to exceed 25% of the value of either Fund's total assets absent unusual market conditions.

**TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS.** Each Fund may, without limit, invest in U.S. Government securities, commercial paper and other money market instruments, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents in response to adverse market conditions, as a temporary defensive position. The result of this action may be that a Fund will be unable to achieve its investment objective.

**PORTFOLIO TURNOVER.** There has not been any significant variation in the Funds' portfolio turnover rates over the two most recently completed fiscal years. The Adviser does not anticipate significant variation in the portfolio turnover rate from that reported in the Fund's Prospectus for the last fiscal year.

**DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS**

As required by the federal or state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Funds disclose portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT, or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require. The Funds' complete list of portfolio holdings are available sixty days after each fiscal quarter end in the Fund's Form N-CSR (semiannually) and Form N-PORT (quarterly).

The Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of portfolio securities holdings. The policies and procedures are designed to allow disclosure of a Fund's holdings information where it is deemed appropriate for a Fund's operations or it is determined to be useful to a Fund's shareholders without compromising the integrity or performance of a Fund. Except when there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure of a Fund's holdings, a Fund will not provide or permit others to provide information about such Fund's holdings on a selective basis. The Board of Trustees provides ongoing oversight of the Trust's policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Trustees receive from the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Trustees receive an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Funds, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any deviation to this policy as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such deviations must be reported to the Trust's Board of Trustees, at its next quarterly Board meeting or sooner, as determined by the Trust's CCO.

Each Fund may, but is not required to, post its schedule of investments on its website at regular intervals or from time to time at the discretion of the Adviser. This information may be as of the most recent practicable date available and need not be subject to a lag period prior to posting on its website. In addition to their schedule of investments, the Funds may post portfolio holdings information and other information on its website including, but not limited to, information about the number of securities a Fund holds, a summary schedule of investments, a Fund's top holdings, and a percentage breakdown of a Fund's investments by geographic region, sector, industry and market capitalization. After any portfolio holdings information becomes publicly available (by posting on its website or otherwise); it may be mailed, e-mailed or otherwise transmitted to any person.

The following disclosures of aggregate, composite or descriptive information about the Fund or its portfolio holdings are not subject to the Trust's policy on selective disclosure of portfolio information: (i) descriptions of allocations among classes, geographic regions, countries, industries or sectors; (ii) aggregated data such as average or median ratios or market capitalization; (iii) performance attribution by class, geographic region, country, industry or sector; (iv) aggregated risk statistics; (v) listing of top holdings without any reference to the amount of each Fund's holdings; and (vi) such other information that, in the opinion of the CCO or designee, does not present material risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading of the Funds. Each Fund's portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to financial consultants or other entities that have a legitimate business purpose in receiving such information, including to assist them in determining the suitability of the Fund as an investment for their clients. In each case, such disclosure will be made in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, the Adviser's fiduciary duties to the Funds' shareholders and subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Board of Trustees, a committee thereof, or an officer designated by the Board of Trustees, may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Funds may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about their holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Funds' or its Adviser's employees and affiliates that provide services to the Funds. The Funds may also distribute or authorize the distribution of information about each Fund's holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to each Fund's service providers who require access to the information: (i) in order to fulfill their contractual duties relating to the Funds; (ii) to facilitate the transition of a newly hired adviser prior to the commencement of its duties; (iii) to facilitate the review of the Funds by a ranking or ratings agency; (iv) for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition; or (v) for the purpose of effecting in-kind redemption of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of a Fund's assets and minimize impact on remaining shareholders of a Fund.

Each of the following third parties has been approved to receive portfolio holdings information: (i) the Funds' administrator and accounting agent; (ii) the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm, for use in providing audit opinions; (iii) financial printers, solely for the purpose of preparing the Funds' reports or regulatory filings; (iv) the Funds' custodian in connection with its custody of the Funds' assets; (v) if applicable, a proxy voting service; or (vi) disclosure to a ranking or rating agency, such as Lipper, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Moody's, Investors Service, Inc., Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Fitch. Information may be provided to these parties at any time so long as each of these parties is contractually and ethically prohibited from sharing a Fund's portfolio holding information without specific authorization. The Funds' Adviser and service providers have also established procedures to ensure that the Funds' portfolio holdings information is only disclosed in accordance with these policies.

Under no circumstances may a Fund, the Adviser or their affiliates receive any consideration or compensation for disclosing portfolio holdings information.

**INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS**

The Funds have adopted the investment limitations set forth below. Except with respect to the asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowing, if any percentage restriction on investment or utilization of assets is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market values of a Fund or a Fund's assets or redemptions of shares will not be considered a violation of the limitation. The asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowings is an ongoing requirement. Limitations which are designated as fundamental policies may not be changed without the affirmative vote of the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the shares of a Fund present at a shareholders' meeting if holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present in person or by proxy or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of a Fund. A Fund will not, as a matter of fundamental policy:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Issue senior securities or borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and then not in excess of 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets (including the amount of the senior securities issued but reduced by any liabilities not constituting senior securities) at the time of the issuance or borrowing, except that the Fund may borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets (not including the amount borrowed) for temporary purposes such as clearance of portfolio transactions and share redemptions. For purposes of these restrictions, the purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the purchase and sale of options and futures contracts and collateral arrangements with respect thereto are not deemed to be the issuance of a senior security, a borrowing or a pledge of assets;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Underwrite any issue of securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered to be acting as underwriter in connection with the disposition of any portfolio security;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Invest 25% or more of the value of the Fund's assets in securities of issuers in any one industry. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or to securities issued by other investment companies. For purposes of this limitation states, municipalities and their political subdivisions are not considered to be part of any industry;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Purchase or sell real estate or interests therein, although the Fund may purchase securities of issuers which engage in real estate operations and securities secured by real estate or interests therein, including real estate investment trusts ("REITs");

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of owning securities or other instruments, but the Fund may purchase, sell or enter into financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Make loans, except loans of portfolio securities or through repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction, the acquisition of bonds, debentures, other debt securities or instruments, or participations or other interests therein and investments in government obligations, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or similar instruments will not be considered the making of a loan.

The following non-fundamental policies apply to each Fund and the Board of Trustees may change them without shareholder approval, upon 60 days' notice to shareholders.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Each Fund may borrow from banks up to 20% of the current value of its net assets for temporary purposes only in order to meet redemptions, and these borrowings may be secured by the pledge of up to 20% of the current value of its net assets (but investments may not be purchased while any such outstanding borrowing in excess of 5% of its net assets exists).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Neither Fund will purchase securities on margin except for the use of short-term credit necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities, provided that the Fund may make initial and variation margin deposits in connection with permitted transactions in options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Neither Fund will engage in short sales of securities or maintain a short position, except that the Fund may (a) sell short "against the box"; and (b) maintain short positions in connection with its use of financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Each Fund may enter into repurchase agreements and lend portfolio securities to certain brokers, dealers and financial institutions aggregating up to 30% of the current value of the lending Fund's total assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Neither Fund will purchase interests, leases, or limited partnership interests in oil, gas, or other mineral exploration or development programs.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Neither Fund will make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management. Investments by a Fund in wholly-owned investment entities created under the laws of certain countries will not be deemed the making of investments for the purpose of exercising control or management.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Neither Fund will purchase securities of unseasoned issuers, including their predecessors, that have been in operation for less than three years, if as a result thereof the value of the Fund's investment in such classes of securities would exceed 15% of the Fund's total assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. Neither Fund will invest more than 10% of its net assets in warrants.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9. Neither Fund will invest more than 15% of the current value of its net assets in repurchase agreements having maturities of more than seven days and other illiquid securities. For purposes of this restriction, illiquid securities do not include securities which may be resold under Rule 144A under the 1933 Act that the Board of Trustees or its delegate determines to be liquid based upon the trading markets for such securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10. Neither Fund will purchase put and call options or write covered put and call options on securities unless (a) it may invest directly in such securities; (b) such options are traded on registered domestic securities exchanges or result from separate, privately negotiated transactions with primary U.S. Government securities dealers recognized by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; and (c) the total assets subject to such options does not exceed 5% of the Fund's net assets.

For the purpose of applying the fundamental limitation set forth in (3) above, a governmental issuer (including a foreign government or agency or instrumentality thereof) shall be deemed the sole issuer of a security when its assets and revenues are separate from other governmental entities and its securities are backed only by its assets and revenues. Similarly, in the case of a non-governmental user, such as an industrial corporation or a privately owned or operated hospital, if the security is backed only by the assets and revenues of the non-governmental user, then such non-governmental user would be deemed to be the sole issuer. Where a security is also backed by the enforceable obligation of a superior or unrelated governmental entity or other entity (other than a bond insurer), it shall also be included in the computation of securities owned that are issued by such governmental or other entity. Where a security is guaranteed by a governmental entity or some other facility, such as a bank guarantee or letter of credit, such a guarantee or letter of credit would be considered a separate security and would be treated as an issue of such government, other entity or bank. Where a security is insured by bond insurance, it shall not be considered a security issued or guaranteed by the insurer; instead the issuer of such security will be determined in accordance with the principles set forth above. The foregoing restrictions do not limit the percentage of a Fund's assets that may be invested in securities insured by any single insurer.

**TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS**

The following tables present certain information regarding the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust. None of the Trustees are an "interested person" of the Trust, the Adviser, another investment adviser of a series of the Trust, or Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, the principal underwriter of the Trust ("Underwriter"), within the meaning of the 1940 Act and each Trustee is referred to as an "Independent Trustee" and is listed under such heading below. Employees of certain service providers to the Trust serve as officers of the Trust; such persons are not compensated by the Fund. The address of each Trustee and officer as it relates to the Trust's business is 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809.

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** |
| **Robert J. Christian**<br> Date of Birth: 2/49 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. Chairman from 2007 until September 30, 2019. | Retired since February 2006; Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust Company from February 1996 to February 2006; President of Rodney Square Management Corporation ("RSMC") (investment advisory firm) from 1996 to 2005; Vice President of RSMC from 2005 to 2006. | 28 | Optimum Fund Trust (registered investment company with 6 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Iqbal Mansur**<br> Date of Birth: 6/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation (or removal. Trustee) since 2007. | Retired since September 2020; Professor of Finance, Widener University from 1998 to August 2020; Member of the Investment Committee of ChristianaCare Health System from January 2022 to present. | 28 | Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr.**<br> Date of Birth: 8/55 | Trustee and Chairman of the Board | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2016. Chairman since October 1, 2019. | Retired since March 2016. President of PNC Bank Delaware from June 2011 to March 2016; Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2011; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from September 1997 to July 2010. | 28 | Brinker Capital Destinations Trust (registered investment company with 10 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **Nancy B. Wolcott**<br> Date of Birth: 11/54 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2011. | Retired since May 2014; EVP, Head of GFI Client Service Delivery, BNY Mellon from January 2012 to May 2014; EVP, Head of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2012; President of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2008 to July 2010; Chief Operating Officer of PNC Global (Investment Servicing) from 2007 to 2008; Executive Vice President of PFPC (Worldwide Inc. from) 2006 to 2007. | 28 | Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (registered investment company with 97 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Stephen M. Wynne**<br> Date of Birth: 1/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2009. | Retired since December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from July 2010 to December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from March 2008 to July 2010; President, PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2003 to 2008. | 28 | Copeland Trust (registered investment company with 2 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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**EXECUTIVE OFFICERS**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **Joel L. Weiss**<br> Date of Birth: 1/63 | President and Chief Executive Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2007. | Senior Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; President of JW Fund Management LLC from June 2016 to July 2025; Vice President and Managing Director of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from 1993 to June 2016. |
| **Christine S. Catanzaro**<br> Date of Birth: 8/84 | Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; Consultant from October 2020 to July 2025; Senior Manager, Ernst & Young LLP from March 2013 to October 2020. |
| **T. Richard Keyes**<br> Date of Birth: 1/57 | Vice President | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2016. | President of TRK Fund Consulting LLC since July 2016; Head of Tax — U.S. Fund Services of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from February 2006 to July 2016. |

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **Gabriella Mercincavage**<br> Date of Birth: 6/68 | Assistant Treasurer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2019. | Fund Administration Consultant since January 2019; Fund Accounting and Tax Compliance Accountant to financial services companies from November 2003 to July 2018. |
| **Vincenzo A. Scarduzio**<br> Date of Birth: 4/72 | Secretary | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2012. | Director and Senior Vice President Regulatory Administration of The Bank of New York Mellon and predecessor firms since 2001. |
| **John Canning**<br> Date of Birth: 11/70 | Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Director of Chenery Compliance Group, LLC from March 2021 to present; Senior Consultant of Foreside Financial Group from August 2020 to March 2021; Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Operating Officer of Schneider Capital Management LP from May 2019 to July 2020; Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Context Capital Partners, LP from March 2016 to March 2018 and February 2019, respectively. |

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**LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES.** The basic responsibilities of the Trustees are to monitor the Trust and its funds' financial operations and performance, oversee the activities and legal compliance of the Adviser and other major service providers, keep themselves informed and exercise their business judgment in making decisions important to the Trust's proper functioning based on what the Trustees reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the shareholders. The Board of Trustees is comprised of five individuals, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Board of Trustees meets multiple times during the year (but at least quarterly) to review the investment performance of the funds and other operational matters, including policies and procedures with respect to compliance with regulatory and other requirements.

The Board of Trustees has appointed an Independent Trustee to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman's primary role is to participate in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board of Trustees and the identification of information to be presented to the Board of Trustees with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board of Trustees. The Chairman also presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and acts as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys, and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman may perform such other functions as may be requested by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Except for any duties specified herein or pursuant to the Trust's Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, the designation of Chairman does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liability that is greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Board of Trustees, generally.

Each Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees because of his or her experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills as set forth in the subsection "Trustee Qualifications," below. Based on a review of the Board of Trustees and its function, the Trustees have determined that the leadership structure of the Board of Trustees is appropriate and that the Board of Trustees' role in the risk oversight of the Trust, as discussed below, allows the Board of Trustees to effectively administer its oversight function.

The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. The responsibilities of each committee and its members are described below.

**AUDIT COMMITTEE.** The Audit Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Wynne currently serves as the chairman of the Audit Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter (the "Audit Committee Charter") for the Audit Committee. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee has the responsibility, among others, to (1) select the Trust's independent registered public accountants; (2) review and approve the scope of the independent registered public accountants' audit activity; (3) oversee the audit process of the financial statements which are the subject of the independent registered public accountants' certifications; and (4) review with such independent registered public accountants the adequacy of the Trust's basic accounting system and the effectiveness of the Trust's internal accounting controls. The Audit Committee meets at least two times per year. The Audit Committee met four times during the Funds' fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

**NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.** The Nominating and Governance Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini. Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott. Mr. Mansur serves as the chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for formulating a statement of corporate governance; assessing the size, structure and composition of the Board of Trustees; determining trustee qualification guidelines as well as compensation, insurance and indemnification of Trustees; identifying Trustee candidates; oversight of Board of Trustees self-evaluations; reviewing certain regulatory and corporate matters of the Trust; and identifying, from time to time, qualified candidates to serve as the CCO for the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee meets at least once a year. The Nominating and Governance Committee met two times during the Funds' fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. The Nominating and Governance Committee identifies potential nominees in accordance with its Statement of Policy on Qualifications for Board of Trustees Membership. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominee candidates recommended by shareholders. Shareholders who wish to recommend individuals for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee as nominee candidates may do so by submitting a written recommendation to the Secretary of the Trust at: 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809. Submissions must include sufficient biographical information concerning the recommended individual, including age, at least ten years of employment history with employer names and a description of the employer's business, and a list of board memberships (if any). The submission must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board of Trustees and to serve if elected. Recommendations must be received in a sufficient time, as determined by the Nominating and Governance Committee in its sole discretion, prior to the date proposed for the consideration of nominee candidates by the Board of Trustees. Upon the written request of shareholders holding at least a 5% interest in the Trust's shares in the aggregate, the Secretary shall present to any special meeting of shareholders such nominees for election as trustees as specified in such written request.

**TRUSTEE QUALIFICATIONS.** The following is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills that led to the Board of Trustees' conclusion that each individual identified below is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

The Board of Trustees believes that the Trustees' ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Adviser, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, support the conclusion that each Trustee is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply as to each Trustee: Mr. Marsini is the former President of PNC Bank Delaware, former Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon, former Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Wynne is the former Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Ms. Wolcott is the former Executive Vice President of US Fund Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former President of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee of other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Christian served as the Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; and Mr. Mansur is a Professor Emeritus at Widener University. He previously served as a Professor of Finance, School of Business Administration, at Widener University and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes.

In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Trustees considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board of Trustees' overall composition so that the Board of Trustees, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Trust and its funds. The summaries set forth above as to the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of the Trustees do not constitute holding out the Board of Trustees or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board of Trustees as a whole than would otherwise be the case.

**RISK OVERSIGHT.** Through its direct oversight role, and indirectly through its Committees, of officers and service providers, the Board of Trustees performs a risk oversight function for the Trust and its funds consisting, among other things, of the following activities: (1) at regular and special Board of Trustees meetings, and on an ad hoc basis as needed, receiving and reviewing reports related to the performance and operations of the Trust and its funds; (2) reviewing and approving, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust; (3) meeting with the portfolio management team to review investment strategies, techniques and the processes used to manage related risks; (4) meeting with representatives of key service providers, including the investment advisers, administrator, the distributor, the transfer agent, the custodian and the independent registered public accounting firms of the funds, to review and discuss the activities of the Trust and its funds and to provide direction with respect thereto; and (5) engaging the services of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust to test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service providers.

**SECURITY AND OTHER INTERESTS.** The following table sets forth the equity securities in the Funds and in all registered investment companies overseen by the Trustees within the Trust Complex that the Trustees beneficially owned as of December 31, 2024.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range of Equity<br> Securities in the Fund** | **Aggregate Dollar Range<br> of Equity Securities in<br> All Registered Investment<br> Companies Overseen by<br> Trustee within the Family of<br> Investment Companies** |
| **Independent Trustees** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Robert J. Christian |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Iqbal Mansur |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nancy B. Wolcott |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stephen M. Wynne |  | $50001 - $100000 |

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As of December 31, 2024, none of the Independent Trustees, or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) served as an officer, director or was an employee of the Trust, the Adviser or the Underwriter, or of any of their respective affiliates. Nor do any of such persons serve as an officer or director or is an employee of any company controlled by or under common control with such entities. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Independent Trustees or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) owned beneficially or of record any interest in the Adviser or the Underwriter, or in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities.

**COMPENSATION.** In addition to the fees below, the Trust reimburses the Trustees for their related business expenses. The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Trustees for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Aggregate<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust** | **Pension or<br> Retirement<br> Benefits Accrued as<br> Part of the Trust's<br> Expenses** | **Estimated<br> Annual<br> Benefits upon<br> Retirement** | **Total<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust<br> Complex** |
| Robert J. Christian | $120639 | $0 | $0 | $120639 |
| Iqbal Mansur | $135586 | $0 | $0 | $135586 |
| Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. | $145492 | $0 | $0 | $145492 |
| Nancy B. Wolcott | $120579 | $0 | $0 | $120579 |
| Stephen M. Wynne | $140509 | $0 | $0 | $140509 |

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**CODE OF ETHICS**

In accordance with Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, each of the Trust and the Adviser have adopted a code of ethics (each, a "Code" and together, the "Codes").

The Codes are intended to prohibit or restrict transactions that may be deemed to create a conflict of interest among the Adviser or the Trust. Each Code identifies the specific employees, officers or other persons who are subject thereto and all are required to abide by the provisions thereunder. Persons covered under the Codes may engage in personal trading for their own accounts, including securities that may also be purchased or held or traded by a Fund under certain circumstances.

Under the Code adopted by the Trust, personal trading is subject to specific restrictions, limitations, guidelines and other conditions. Under the Code adopted by the Adviser, personal trading is subject to pre-clearance and other conditions set forth in its Code.

On an annual basis, or whenever deemed necessary, the Board of Trustees reviews reports regarding all of the Codes including information about any material violations of the Codes. The Codes are on public file as exhibits to the Trust's registration statement with the SEC.

**PROXY VOTING**

The Board of Trustees has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting procedures and has delegated the responsibility for exercising the voting rights associated with the securities purchased and/or held by a Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Board of Trustees' continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by general fiduciary principles. It must act prudently, solely in the interest of the Funds, and for the purpose of providing benefits to such Funds. The Adviser will consider the factors that could affect the value of a Fund's investment in its determination on a vote.

The Adviser has identified certain significant contributors to shareholder value with respect to a number of common or routine matters that are often the subject of proxy solicitations for shareholder meetings. Their proxy voting procedures address these considerations and establish a framework for consideration of a vote that would be appropriate for a Fund. In particular, the proxy voting procedures outline principles and factors to be considered in the exercise of voting authority for proposals addressing such common or routine matters.

The Adviser's proxy voting procedures establish a protocol for voting of proxies in cases in which the Adviser or an affiliated entity has an interest that is reasonably likely to be affected by a proxy to be voted on behalf of a Fund or that could compromise the Adviser's independence of judgment and action in voting the proxy in the best interest of a Fund's shareholders. The Adviser believes that consistently voting in accordance with its stated guidelines will address most conflicts of interest, and to the extent any deviation of such guidelines occurs it will be carefully assessed by a securities review committee to determine if a conflict of interest exists, and if a material conflict of interest exists, the committee will determine an appropriate resolution, which may include consultation with management or Trustees of the Trust, analyses by independent third parties, or other means necessary to ensure and demonstrate the proxy was voted in the best interests of shareholders. The Adviser's proxy voting policies are attached herewith as Appendix B. The Funds are required to file annually their proxy voting record on Form N-PX with the SEC. Form N-PX is required to be filed by August 31 of each year and when filed will be available: (i) without charge by request by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6034 or; (ii) on the SEC's website at *www.sec.gov.*

**CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES**

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Any person who directly or indirectly owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, may be deemed an "affiliated person" of the Fund, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. As of August 1, 2025, the following persons were the only persons who were record owners (or to the knowledge of the Trust, beneficial owners) of 5% or more of the outstanding shares of each Fund. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Trustees or officers of the Trust owned individually and together in excess of 1% of any class of outstanding shares of the Funds.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**Fund, Name, Address** | **Number of<br> Shares Held**<br>**of Record or<br> Beneficially** |<br>**Ownership<br> Percentage** |
| **Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund** |  |  |
| National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310 | 25566128.09 | 99.11% |
| **Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund** |  |  |
| National Financial Services LLC<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310 | 4204084.91 | 99.15% |

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**INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES**

The Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii ("BOH" or the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser located at 111 South King Street, 4<sup>th</sup> Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 and serves as the investment adviser to the Funds. The Adviser is a separately identifiable department or division within Bank of Hawaii, which is wholly owned by the Bank of Hawaii Corporation. As of June 30, 2025, the Adviser had approximately $1.2 billion in assets under management.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Adviser (the "Investment Advisory Agreement"), the Adviser manages the assets of the Funds. The Investment Advisory Agreement has an initial term of two years and continues in effect from year to year thereafter if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees including a majority of the Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Funds. The Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the Funds or the Adviser on 60 days' written notice without penalty.

The Investment Advisory Agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment as defined in the 1940 Act. Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual investment advisory fee, paid monthly, comprising 0.20% of the average daily net assets of each Fund. The Adviser has agreed to waive its advisory fee (the "Waiver"). The Waiver will remain in effect until August 31, 2027. The Waiver may not be terminated at any time prior to that date without the consent of the Board of Trustees.

Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser agrees to: (a) direct the investments of each Fund, subject to and in accordance with each Fund's investment objective, policies and limitations set forth in the Prospectus and this SAI; (b) purchase and sell for each Fund, securities and other investments consistent with the Funds' objective and policies; (c) supply office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary for servicing the investments of the Funds; (d) pay the salaries of all personnel of the Adviser performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities on behalf of the Trust; (e) make available and provide such information as the Trust and/or its administrator may reasonably request for use in the preparation of its registration statement, reports and other documents required by any applicable federal, foreign or state statutes or regulations; and (f) make its officers and employees available to the Trustees and officers of the Trust for consultation and discussion regarding the management of each Fund and its investment activities. Additionally, the Adviser agrees to create and maintain all necessary records in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the various functions performed by it and not otherwise created and maintained by another party pursuant to contract with the Funds. The Trust and/or the Adviser may at any time or times, upon approval by the Board of Trustees, enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements with a sub-adviser pursuant to which the Adviser delegates any or all of its duties as listed.

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by a Fund in connection with the matters to which the agreement relates, except to the extent of a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its obligations and duties under the agreement.

The salaries of personnel of the Adviser performing services for each Fund relating to research, statistical and investment activities are paid by the Adviser.

The following table sets forth the aggregate fees paid by each Fund for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

<u>**For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025**</u>

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Gross Advisory <br> Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived<br> or Reimbursed** | **Net<br> Advisory<br> Fees** |
| Pacific Capital Tax Free Securities Fund | $474369 | $(474369) | $0 |
| Pacific Capital Tax Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund | $87722 | $(87722) | $0 |

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<u>**For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024**</u>

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Gross Advisory<br> Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived<br> or Reimbursed** | **Net<br> Advisory<br> Fees** |
| Pacific Capital Tax Free Securities Fund | $468150 | $(468150) | $0 |
| Pacific Capital Tax Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund | $90453 | $(90453) | $0 |

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<u>**For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023**</u>

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Gross Advisory<br> Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived<br> or Reimbursed** | **Net<br> Advisory<br> Fees** |
| Pacific Capital Tax Free Securities Fund | $490755 | $(490755) | $0 |
| Pacific Capital Tax Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund | $94359 | $(94359) | $0 |

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**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

The management of the Funds is the responsibility of Mr. Reid Smith, CFA an investment professional employed by the Adviser. The information provided below supplements the information provided in the Prospectus under the heading "Portfolio Managers" with respect to the investment professionals responsible for the day-to-day management of each of the Funds, including information regarding:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) " <u>Other Accounts Managed</u>." Other accounts managed by Reid Smith, who is the Portfolio Manager and Roman Mahi, the Assistant Portfolio Manager as of April 30, 2025;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) " <u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>." Material conflicts of interest identified by the Adviser that may arise in connection with each Portfolio Manager's management of a Fund's investments and investments of other accounts managed. These potential conflicts of interest include material conflicts between the investment strategy of a Fund and the investment strategy of the other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager and conflicts associated with the allocation of investment opportunities between a Fund and other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager. Additional conflicts of interest may potentially exist or arise that are not discussed below;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) " <u>Compensation</u>." A description of the structure of, and method used to determine the compensation received by the Funds' Portfolio Managers from the Funds, the Adviser or any other source with respect to managing the Funds and any other accounts as of April 30, 2025; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) " <u>Ownership of Securities</u>." Information regarding each Portfolio Manager's dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in the Funds as of April 30, 2025.

<u>Other Accounts Managed</u>: The table below includes details regarding the number of other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager, total assets under management for each type of account and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees, as of April 30, 2025.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager/<br> Type of Accounts** | **Total<br> Number of<br> Accounts<br> Managed** | **Total Assets<br> (millions)** | **Number of<br> Accounts<br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance<br> Based<br> Advisory Fee** | **Total Assets<br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance<br> Based<br> Advisory Fee<br> (millions)** |
| **Reid Smith** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Registered Investment Companies: | 2 | $392 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 300 | $4015 | 0 | $0 |
| **Roman Mahi** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Registered Investment Companies: | 2 | $392 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 300 | $4015 | 0 | $0 |

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<u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>. Potential conflicts may arise out of: (a) each Portfolio Manager's execution of different investment strategies for various accounts; or (b) the allocation of investment opportunities among a Portfolio Manager's accounts with the same strategy.

A Portfolio Manager may oversee funds and/or accounts managed under similar strategies and objectives. Potential conflicts of interest may arise as a result of a Portfolio Manager's responsibility for multiple accounts with similar investment guidelines. Under these circumstances, a potential investment may be suitable for more than one of a Portfolio Manager's accounts, but the quantity of the investment available for purchase is less than the aggregate amount the accounts would ideally devote to the opportunity.

Compensation paid by the clients varies, based on the type of account and services provided, and, in some situations, it is individually negotiated. A potential conflict may arise when a Portfolio Manager is responsible for accounts that have different advisory fees — the difference in fees could create an incentive for a Portfolio Manager to favor one account over another, for example, in terms of access to investment opportunities. Generally, compensation is computed as a percentage of assets under management for the client.

Generally speaking, there are no situations where the Funds' opportunities or the execution of their investment programs (e.g., purchases and sales) may be compromised or limited by the investments of other clients. There may be occurrences where a scarcity of Hawaii-issued bonds hinders the execution of a Fund's investment program, but this affects all accounts sharing the same investment strategy. In such situations, the Adviser is bound to allocate trades fairly among all such accounts, adhering to its policies and procedures on trade allocations, its Code of Ethics and compliance procedures.

<u>Compensation</u>.

Each Portfolio Manager is employed and compensated by BOH, and not the Funds. Under BOH's compensation program, each Portfolio Manager's incentive compensation is based on a number of factors, including fund and account performance measured against appropriate benchmarks selected by the fund(s) or by BOH's management in the case of separate accounts. This compensation program is intended to align each Portfolio Manager's level of expertise relative to the success of those funds and accounts. BOH's overall compensation program is also designed to attract and retain highly qualified investment management professionals and to motivate individuals to create shareholder value.

For the portion of the incentive bonus related to portfolio performance, two measures are used: 1) performance of the portfolio relative to the benchmark index, and 2) performance of the portfolio relative to a peer group of similarly managed funds. The percentage payout calculations are scaled such that if performance is at or below a minimum threshold (i.e. below the benchmark or peer group median), no bonus for performance will be paid, if slightly above, a small percentage is paid and if well above, the maximum percentage can be paid.

Like all employees of BOH, each Portfolio Manager is eligible to participate in BOH's Retirement Savings Plan. Under the Plan, various types of contributions are made to employees by BOH including value (profit) sharing, BOH match (which is linked to a participant's 401(k) savings contributions) and BOH fixed contribution. If a Portfolio Manager is a certain grade level or higher, he or she is also eligible to participate in a restricted share program where awards may be granted to employees whose responsibilities place them in a position to make a substantial contribution to the financial success of BOH. This component of the compensation program is intended to be internally equitable and serve to reduce potential conflicts of interest between the Trust and other funds and accounts managed by a Portfolio Manager. The compensation structure of the other Trusts and accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager is the same as the compensation structure of the Funds.

<u>Ownership of Securities</u>. As of April 30, 2025, each Portfolio Manager did not beneficially own equity securities in the Funds.

**ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES**

Pursuant to an Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated July 19, 2007, The Bank of New York Mellon performs certain administrative services for the Trust including, among other things, assisting in the preparation of the annual post-effective amendments to the Trust's registration statement, assisting in obtaining the fidelity bond and trustees' and officers'/errors and omissions insurance policies, preparing notices, agendas, and resolutions for quarterly Board of Trustees meetings, maintaining the Trust's corporate calendar, maintaining Trust contract files and providing executive and administrative services to support the Independent Trustees. The Bank of New York Mellon also performs certain administrative and accounting services for the Trust such as preparing shareholder reports, providing statistical and research data, assisting the Adviser in compliance monitoring activities, and preparing and filing federal and state tax returns on behalf of the Trust. In addition, The Bank of New York Mellon prepares and files certain reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepares certain materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Trust. The accounting services performed by The Bank of New York Mellon include determining the NAV per share of each Fund and maintaining records relating to the securities transactions of the Funds.

The table below sets forth the administration and accounting service fees paid by the Funds to The Bank of New York Mellon for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund | $59916 | $65462 | $74943 |
| Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund | $43386 | $47659 | $45380 |

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**ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS**

**INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.** PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market St #1800, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm to the Funds.

**LEGAL COUNSEL.** Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, 3000 Two Logan Square, 18th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as counsel to the Trust.

**CUSTODIAN.** The Bank of New York Mellon (the "Custodian"), 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286, serves as the Funds' custodian. The Custodian's services include, in addition to the custody of all cash and securities owned by the Trust, the maintenance of custody accounts in the Custodian's trust department, the segregation of all certificated securities owned by the Trust, the appointment of authorized agents as sub-custodians, disbursement of funds from the custody accounts of the Trust, releasing and delivering securities from the custody accounts of the Trust, maintaining records with respect to such custody accounts, delivering to the Trust a daily and monthly statement with respect to such custody accounts, and causing proxies to be executed. The Funds have made arrangements with BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company to serve as custodian for Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs").

**TRANSFER AGENT.** BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing"), 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, serves as the Trust's Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent.

**OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.** The Trust has engaged Tidal ETF Services LLC, 234 West Florida Street, Suite 203, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204 to provide persons to serve as Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer and provide various other services for the Trust. The Trust has engaged Chenery Compliance Group, LLC to provide on-going compliance services, including providing an individual to serve as the Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust.

**BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES**

Subject to policies established by the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is primarily responsible for the execution of a Fund's portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage. The Adviser has no obligation to deal with any dealer or group of dealers in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities of a Fund. It is the objective of the Adviser to obtain the best results in conducting portfolio transactions for a Fund over time, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable dealer-spread or commission), the size, type and difficulty of the transaction involved, the firm's general execution and operations facilities and the firm's risk in positioning the securities involved. The Adviser may utilize execution management systems that provide advanced capabilities such as algorithmic trading and/or direct market access to electronic communications networks when executing trades.

While reasonable competitive spreads or commissions are sought, a Fund will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or commission available. In addition, as permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Adviser may pay a broker-dealer that provides brokerage and research services an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Fund in excess of the commission that another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the amount is believed by the Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the overall quality of the brokerage and research services provided. Other clients of the Adviser may indirectly benefit from the provision of these services to the Adviser, and a Fund may indirectly benefit from services provided to the Adviser as a result of transactions for other clients. The Adviser currently has no soft dollar agreements.

Under the 1940 Act, except as permitted by exemptive order or rule, persons affiliated with a Fund are prohibited from dealing with a Fund as principal in the purchase and sale of securities. However, affiliated persons of a Fund may serve as its brokers in certain over-the-counter transactions conducted on an agency basis.

Securities held by a Fund may also be held by, or be appropriate investments for, other funds or investment advisory clients for which the Adviser or its affiliates act as an adviser. Because of different investment objectives or other factors, a particular security may be bought for an advisory client when other clients are selling the same security. If purchases or sales of securities by the Adviser for a Fund or other funds for which it acts as Adviser or for other advisory clients arise for consideration at or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed equitable to all. Transactions effected by the Adviser (or its affiliates) on behalf of more than one of its clients during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, causing an adverse effect on price. For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025, the Funds did not pay any brokerage commissions.

During the most recent fiscal year, neither the Funds nor the Adviser, through an agreement or understanding with a broker, or otherwise through an internal allocation procedure directed the Funds' brokerage transactions to a broker because of research services provided.

The Funds may at times invest in securities of their regular broker-dealers or a parent of their regular broker-dealers. During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Funds acquired no securities of their regular broker-dealers or a parent of their regular broker-dealers.

**ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES**

The additional compensation to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus may be calculated based on factors determined by the Adviser and its affiliates from time to time, including: the value of a Fund's shares sold to, or held by, a financial intermediary's customers; gross sales of a Fund's shares by a financial intermediary; or a negotiated lump sum payment.

In addition to the additional cash payments to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus, subject to applicable FINRA rules and regulations, the Adviser and its affiliates may provide compensation to financial intermediaries that may enable the Adviser and its affiliates to sponsor or participate in educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions involving the sales representatives and other employees of financial intermediaries in order to promote the sale of a Fund's shares. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses, meals, lodging and entertainment of financial intermediaries and their sales representatives and other employees in connection with such educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions. These payments may vary with each such event.

**DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES**

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101, serves as a principal underwriter of the Funds' shares pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement with the Trust. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriter is continuously distributes shares of the Fund on a best efforts basis. The Underwriter has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of Fund shares. The Underwriter and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Funds.

To the extent that the Underwriter receives shareholder service fees under any shareholder services plan adopted by the Funds, the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with others for the furnishing of personal or account maintenance services with respect to the relevant shareholders of the Funds as may be required pursuant to such plan. The Underwriter receives no underwriting commissions or Rule 12b-1 fees in connection with the sale of the Funds' shares.

The Underwriter does not receive compensation from the Fund for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a Rule 12b-1 plan is effective, as applicable. The Adviser pays the Underwriter a fee for certain distribution related services.

The Underwriting Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods provided such continuance is approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Underwriter, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the agreements, will not be liable to the Funds or their shareholders for losses arising in connection with the sale of Fund shares.

The Underwriting Agreement terminates automatically in the event of its assignment. The Underwriting Agreement is also terminable without payment of any penalty with respect to each of the Funds (i) by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Funds (or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund) on sixty (60) days' written notice to the Underwriter; or (ii) by the Underwriter on sixty (60) days' written notice to the Trust.

The Underwriter may furnish or enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions for distribution of shares of the Funds. With respect to certain financial institutions and related Fund "supermarket" platform agreements, the Funds and/or the Adviser, rather than the Underwriter, typically will furnish or enter into such agreements. These financial institutions may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from the Adviser and/or the Funds. These financial institutions may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Funds.

**CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES**

The Trust issues and offers Class Y shares of each Fund. The shares of each Fund, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Prospectus, will be fully paid and non-assessable shares, with equal voting rights and no preferences as to conversion, exchange, dividends, redemption or any other feature.

Shares of each Fund entitle holders to one vote per share and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, do not have preemptive or subscription rights and are transferable.

The Funds do not hold an annual meeting of shareholders. The Trustees are required to call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any Trustee when requested in writing to do so by the shareholders of record owning not less than 10% of a Fund's outstanding shares.

**PURCHASE, REDEMPTION, AND PRICING OF SHARES**

**PURCHASE OF SHARES.** Information regarding the purchase of shares is discussed in the "Purchase of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES.** Information regarding the redemption of shares is discussed in the "Redemption of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**PRICING OF SHARES.** The NAV per share of each Fund is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets by the total number of Fund shares outstanding. This determination is made by The Bank of New York Mellon, as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) each day the Funds are open for business. The Funds are open for business on days when the Exchange is open for business.

Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Certain fixed income securities may be valued based upon appraisals received from a pricing service using a computerized matrix system or based upon appraisals derived from information concerning the security or similar securities received from a recognized dealer or dealers in those securities. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used to value fixed income securities with 60 days or less remaining until maturity, so long as such amortized cost method approximates fair value. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values determined pursuant to the Adviser's procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain for a security if it were to dispose of that security as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**DIVIDENDS**

Each Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income, if any. Dividends from each Fund's net investment income are declared daily and paid to shareholders monthly. The dividend for a business day immediately preceding a weekend or holiday normally includes an amount equal to the net income expected for the subsequent non-business days on which dividends are not declared. Distributions, if any, of net short-term capital gain and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over the short-term capital loss) realized by a Fund, after deducting any available capital loss carryovers are declared and paid to its shareholders annually.

Each Fund's dividends and other distributions are taxable to shareholders (other than retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors) whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. A dividend or distribution paid by a Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend distribution. A dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares by an investor would, therefore, represent, in substance, a return of capital to the shareholder with respect to such shares even though it would be subject to federal income taxes. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check a Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

A statement will be sent to you within 60 days after the end of each year detailing the tax status of your distributions. Please see "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by the Funds.

**CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS** 

The following discussion summarizes certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Funds and their shareholders. This discussion is for general information only and does not purport to consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that might be relevant to beneficial owners of shares of the Funds. The summary discussion that follows may not be considered to be individual tax advice and may not be relied upon by any shareholder. The summary is based upon provisions of the IRC, applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations (whether temporary, proposed or final) promulgated thereunder (the "Regulations"), and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, as are in effect as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, which change could be retroactive, and may affect the conclusions expressed herein. The summary applies only to beneficial owners of shares of a Fund in whose hands such shares are capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the IRC, and may not apply to certain types of beneficial owners shares of a Fund, including, but not limited to insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, shareholders holding a Fund's shares through tax-advantaged accounts (such as an individual retirement account (an "IRA"), a 401(k) plan account, or other qualified retirement account), financial institutions, pass-through entities, broker-dealers, entities that are not organized under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, persons who are neither a citizen nor resident of the United States, shareholders holding a Fund's shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction, and shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax. Persons who may be subject to tax in more than one country should consult the provisions of any applicable tax treaty to determine the potential tax consequences to them.

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds a Fund's common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of such partnership. A partner of a partnership holding a Fund's common stock should consult its own tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the partner of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of a Fund's common stock by the partnership.

The summary assumes that shareholders will hold a Fund's common stock as capital assets, which generally means as property held for investment. This discussion addresses only the U.S. income tax consequences of an investment by U.S. shareholders, and, therefore, does not address U.S. estate and gift tax rules, U.S. state or local taxation, the alternative minimum tax, excise taxes, transfer taxes or foreign taxes.

For purposes of the following discussion, "U.S. shareholder" is a shareholder that is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) created or organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if (a) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust's administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) it has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. A "Non-U.S. shareholder" is a person that is neither a U.S. shareholder nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

No Fund has requested nor will any Fund request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") as to the federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. In addition, the following discussion applicable to shareholders of a Fund addresses only some of the federal income tax considerations generally affecting investments in the Fund.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of the ownership, purchase and disposition of an investment in a Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**GENERAL.** Each Fund has elected, and intends to continue to qualify each year for, taxation as a RIC under Subchapter M of the IRC. By qualifying as a RIC, a Fund (but not the shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders.

Shareholders should be aware that investments made by a Fund, some of which are described below, may involve complex tax rules some of which may result in income or gain recognition by a shareholder without the concurrent receipt of cash. Although each Fund seeks to avoid significant noncash income, such noncash income could be recognized by a Fund, in which case it may distribute cash derived from other sources in order to meet the minimum distribution requirements described below. Cash to make the required minimum distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by a Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by its governing documents and other regulatory restrictions, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed.

**QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY.** Qualification as a RIC under the IRC requires, among other things, that each Fund: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income from certain qualified publicly traded partnerships (together with (i), the "Qualifying Income Requirement"); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the value of its assets is comprised of cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with those other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of its total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers controlled by it and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (together with (i) the "Diversification Requirement").

The Treasury Department is authorized to promulgate regulations under which gains from foreign currencies (and options, futures, and forward contracts on foreign currency) would not constitute qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement only if such gains are not directly related to the principal business of a Fund in investing in stock or securities or options and futures with respect to stock or securities. To date, no such regulations have been issued.

As a RIC, a Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders in any taxable year for which it distributes, in compliance with the IRC's timing and other requirements the sum of (i) at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount income, market discount income, income from securities lending, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, certain net realized foreign currency exchange gains, and any other taxable income other than "net capital gain" as defined below and is reduced by deductible expenses all determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid); and (ii) 90% of its tax-exempt interest, if any, net of certain expenses allocable thereto ("net tax-exempt interest"). Each Fund may retain for investment all or a portion of its "net capital gain" (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). If a Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If a Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who will be (i) required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of tax paid by such Fund against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of the shares owned by a shareholder of a Fund will be increased by the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder's gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by such Fund on that amount of capital gain.

The qualifying income and asset requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for a Fund to qualify as a RIC, as described above, may limit the extent to which it will be able to engage in derivative transactions. Rules governing the federal income tax aspects of derivatives, including swap agreements, are not entirely clear in certain respects, particularly in light of two IRS revenue rulings issued in 2006. Revenue Ruling 2006-1 held that income from a derivative contract with respect to a commodity index is not qualifying income for a RIC. Subsequently, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2006-31 in which it stated that the holding in Revenue Ruling 2006-1 "was not intended to preclude a conclusion that the income from certain instruments (such as certain structured notes) that create a commodity exposure for the holder is qualifying income." In 2016, the IRS issued a notice and stated they would not address what constitutes a "security" for purposes of Qualifying Income. In addition, the IRS requested comments as to whether the 2006 Revenue Rulings should be withdrawn. In 2019, the IRS concluded that it would not withdraw the 2006 Revenue Rulings at that time.

Accordingly, each Fund's ability to invest in commodity related derivative transactions and other derivative transactions may be limited by the Qualifying Income Requirement. Each Fund will account for any investments in commodity derivative transactions in a manner it deems to be appropriate; the IRS, however, might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of such Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized.

For purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, all of the net income of a RIC derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (generally, defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (i) of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above) will be treated as qualifying income. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the IRC do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership The transferee of a partnership interest generally is required to withhold 10% of the amount realized on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest after December 31, 2017 if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person.

For purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership.

If a Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, such Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures to satisfy the Diversification Requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, such Fund will fail to qualify as a RIC and will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation subject to tax on a flat tax rate of 21% and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) to its shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders, and a maximum long-term capital gains rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). If a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for a period of greater than two taxable years, such Fund generally would be required to recognize any built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a sale of such assets within tax years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

**EXCISE TAX.** If a Fund fails to distribute by December 31 of each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its taxable ordinary income (excluding capital gains and losses) for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (as adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the twelve month period ending on October 31 of such year, and (3) all taxable ordinary income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for the prior year that were not distributed during such year and on which it did not pay federal income tax, such Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax (the "Excise Tax") on the undistributed amounts. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the calendar year if it is declared by a Fund in October, November, or December of that year to shareholders of record on a date in such month and paid by it during January of the following year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders (other than those not subject to federal income tax) in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. Each Fund intends to actually distribute or be deemed to have distributed substantially all of its net income and gain, if any, by the end of each calendar year in compliance with these requirements so that it will generally not be required to pay the Excise Tax. A Fund may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate its investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid Excise Tax liability at a time when its Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so. Liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of a Fund to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC.

**CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS.** A Fund is permitted to carry forward a net capital loss from any year to offset its capital gains, if any, realized indefinitely in the years following the year of the loss. The excess of a Fund's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gain is treated as short-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year and the excess of a Fund's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gain is treated as long-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year. If future capital gains are offset by carried forward capital losses, such future capital gains are not subject to Fund-level federal income taxation, regardless of whether they are distributed to shareholders. Accordingly, the Funds do not expect to distribute any such offsetting capital gains. A Fund cannot carry back or carry forward any net operating losses.

**MLPs.** The Funds may invest in master limited partnerships which may be treated as qualified publicly traded partnerships. Income from qualified publicly traded partnerships is qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement, but a Fund's investment in one or more of such qualified publicly traded partnerships is limited to no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets and must otherwise satisfy the Diversification Requirement. In addition, a 10% withholding tax is imposed on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest for transfers if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person or another exception applies.

**ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT AND MARKET DISCOUNT.** A Fund may acquire debt securities that are treated as having original issue discount ("OID") (generally a debt obligation with a purchase price less than its principal amount, such as a zero coupon bond). Generally, a Fund will be required to include the OID in income over the term of the debt security, even though it will not receive cash payments for such OID until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. A Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having OID which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income. Inflation-protected bonds generally can be expected to produce OID income as their principal amounts are adjusted upward for inflation. A portion of the OID includible in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities may be treated as a dividend for federal income tax purposes if the securities are characterized as equity for federal income tax purposes.

A debt security acquired in the secondary market by a Fund may be treated as having market discount if acquired at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Market discount generally is accrued ratably, on a daily basis, over the period from the date of acquisition to the date of maturity even though no cash will be received. Absent an election by a Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on its disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.

In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though a Fund receives no interest payments in cash on such securities during the year.

The Fund may be required to include in income certain fees that are treated as OID and required to be included in income for financial statement purposes when received (rather than when accrued into income).

Each Fund generally will be required to make distributions to shareholders representing the income accruing on the debt securities, described above, that is currently includable in income, even though cash representing such income may not have been received by such Fund. Cash to pay these distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by a Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by such Fund's governing documents, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed. In the event a Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions.

**OPTIONS, FUTURES, AND FORWARD CONTRACTS.** The writing (selling) and purchasing of options and futures contracts and entering into forward currency contracts, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes the amount, character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses a Fund realizes in connection with such transactions.

Gains and losses on the sale, lapse, or other termination of options and futures contracts, options thereon and certain forward contracts (except certain foreign currency options, forward contracts and futures contracts) will generally be treated as capital gains and losses. Some regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts, and certain non-equity options (such as certain listed options or options on broad-based securities indexes) held by a Fund ("Section 1256 contracts"), other than contracts on which it has made a "mixed-straddle election", will be required to be "marked-to-market" for federal income tax purposes, that is, treated as having been sold at their market value on the last day of such Fund's taxable year. These provisions may require a Fund to recognize income or gains without a concurrent receipt of cash. Any gain or loss recognized on actual or deemed sales of Section 1256 contracts will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary income or loss as described below. Transactions that qualify as designated hedges are exempt from the mark-to-market rule, but may require a Fund to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and certain options to the extent of any unrecognized gains on related positions held by it.

The tax provisions described above applicable to options, futures and forward contracts may affect the amount, timing, and character of a Fund's distributions to its shareholders. For example, the Section 1256 rules described above may operate to increase the amount a Fund must distribute to satisfy the minimum distribution requirement for the portion treated as short-term capital gain which will be taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income, and to increase the net capital gain it recognizes, without, in either case, increasing the cash available to it. A Fund may elect to exclude certain transactions from the operation of Section 1256, although doing so may have the effect of increasing the relative proportion of net short-term capital gain (taxable as ordinary income) and, thus, increasing the amount of dividends it must distribute. Section 1256 contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of the Excise Tax.

When a covered call or put option written (sold) by a Fund expires the Fund will realize a short-term capital gain equal to the amount of the premium it received for writing the option. When a Fund terminates its obligations under such an option by entering into a closing transaction, it will realize a short-term capital gain (or loss), depending on whether the cost of the closing transaction is less than (or exceeds) the premium received when it wrote the option. When a covered call option written by a Fund is exercised, the Fund will be treated as having sold the underlying security, producing long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon the holding period of the underlying security and whether the sum of the option price received upon the exercise plus the premium received when it wrote the option is more or less than the basis of the underlying security.

**STRADDLES.** Section 1092 deals with the taxation of straddles which also may affect the taxation of options in which a Fund may invest. Offsetting positions held by a Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as options, futures and forward currency contracts, may be considered, for federal income tax purposes, to constitute "straddles." Straddles are defined to include offsetting positions in actively traded personal property. In certain circumstances, the rules governing straddles override or modify the provisions of Section 1256, described above. If a Fund is treated as entering into a straddle and at least one (but not all) of its positions in derivative contracts comprising a part of such straddle is governed by Section 1256, then such straddle could be characterized as a "mixed straddle." A Fund may make one or more elections with respect to mixed straddles. Depending on which election is made, if any, the results with respect to a Fund may differ. Generally, to the extent the straddle rules apply to positions established by a Fund, losses realized by it may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in any offsetting positions. Moreover, as a result of the straddle rules, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be characterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be characterized as short-term capital gain. In addition, the existence of a straddle may affect the holding period of the offsetting positions and cause such sales to be subject to the "wash sale" and "short sale" rules. As a result, the straddle rules could cause distributions that would otherwise constitute "qualified dividend income" to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements, described below, and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income. Further, a Fund may be required to capitalize, rather than deduct currently, any interest expense and carrying charges applicable to a position that is part of a straddle. Because the application of the straddle rules may affect the character and timing of gains and losses from affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to the situation where a Fund had not engaged in such transactions.

In circumstances where a Fund has invested in certain pass-through entities, the amount of long-term capital gain that it may recognize from certain derivative transactions with respect to interests in such pass-through entities is limited under the IRC's constructive ownership rules. The amount of long-term capital gain is limited to the amount of such gain a Fund would have had if it directly invested in the pass-through entity during the term of the derivative contract. Any gain in excess of this amount is treated as ordinary income. An interest charge is imposed on the amount of gain that is treated as ordinary income.

**SWAPS AND DERIVATIVES.** As a result of entering into swap or derivative agreements, a Fund may make or receive periodic net payments. A Fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap or derivative is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap, derivative or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap or derivative will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund has been a party to a swap or derivative for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps or derivatives, a Fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or derivatives or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps or derivatives to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss. The Fund's transactions in swaps or other derivatives may be subject to one or more special tax rules (e.g., notional principal contracts, straddles, constructive sales, wash sales and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains or losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and/or character of distributions to shareholders.

Rules governing the tax aspects of swap or derivative agreements are not entirely clear in certain respects, in particular whether income generated is Qualifying Income. Accordingly, while each Fund intends to account for such transactions in a manner it deems appropriate, the IRS might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be adversely affected. The Funds intend to monitor developments in this area. Certain requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for each Fund to qualify as a RIC may limit the extent to which a Fund will be able to engage in swap agreements and certain derivatives.

**CONSTRUCTIVE SALES.** Certain rules may affect the timing and character of gain if a Fund engages in transactions that reduce or eliminate its risk of loss with respect to appreciated financial positions. If a Fund enters into certain transactions (including a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract, a futures or forward contract, or other transactions identified in Treasury regulations) in property while holding an appreciated financial position in substantially identical property, it will be treated as if it had sold and immediately repurchased the appreciated financial position and will be taxed on any gain (but not loss) from the constructive sale. The character of gain from a constructive sale will depend upon a Fund's holding period in the appreciated financial position. Loss from a constructive sale would be recognized when the position was subsequently disposed of, and its character would depend on a Fund's holding period and the application of various loss deferral provisions of the IRC.

In addition, if the appreciated financial position is itself a short sale or other such contract, acquisition of the underlying property or substantially identical property by a Fund will be deemed a constructive sale. The foregoing will not apply, however, to a Fund's transaction during any taxable year that otherwise would be treated as a constructive sale if the transaction is closed within 30 days after the end of that year and such Fund holds the appreciated financial position unhedged for 60 days after that closing (i.e., at no time during that 60-day period is such Fund's risk of loss regarding the position reduced by reason of certain specified transactions with respect to substantially identical or related property, such as having an option to sell, being contractually obligated to sell, making a short sale or granting an option to buy substantially identical stock or securities).

**WASH SALES.** A Fund may be impacted in certain circumstances by special rules relating to "wash sales." In general, the wash sale rules prevent the recognition of a loss by a Fund from the disposition of stock or securities at a loss in a case in which identical or substantially identical stock or securities (or an option to acquire such property) is or has been acquired by it within 30 days before or 30 days after the sale.

**SHORT SALES.** A Fund may make short sales of securities. Short sales may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by a Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to its shareholders. Short sales also may be subject to the "Constructive Sales" rules, discussed above.

**MUNICIPAL BONDS.** The Funds intend to invest at least 50% of their total assets in tax-exempt or municipal bonds at the end of each calendar quarter so that dividends derived from their net interest income on tax-exempt or municipal bonds and so designated by the Funds will be "exempt-interest dividends," which are generally exempt from federal income tax when received by a shareholder. A portion of the distributions paid by a Fund may be subject to tax as ordinary income (including certain amounts attributable to bonds acquired at a market discount). Exempt-interest dividends allocable to interest from certain "private activity bonds" will not be tax-exempt for purposes of the regular income tax to shareholders who are "substantial users" of the facilities financed by such obligations or "related persons" of "substantial users." Any distributions of net short-term capital gains would be taxed as ordinary income and any distribution of capital gain dividends would be taxed as long-term capital gains. Certain exempt-interest dividends may increase alternative minimum taxable income for purposes of determining a shareholder's liability for the alternative minimum tax.

The tax-exempt portion of the dividends paid for a calendar year constituting "exempt-interest dividends" will be designated after the end of that year and will be based upon the ratio of net tax-exempt income to total net income earned by a Fund during the entire year. That ratio may be substantially different than the ratio of net tax-exempt income to total net income earned during a portion of the year. Thus, an investor who holds shares for only a part of the year may be allocated more or less tax-exempt interest dividends than would be the case if the allocation were based on the ratio of net tax-exempt income to total net income actually earned by a Fund while the investor was a shareholder. Each Fund will furnish a statement notifying its shareholders of the portion of the dividends paid with respect to a taxable year that constitute exempt-interest dividends.

Under the IRC, all or a portion of interest on indebtedness incurred or continued by a shareholder to purchase or carry shares of a Fund will not be deductible by the shareholder. The portion of interest that is not deductible is equal to the total interest paid or accrued on the indebtedness multiplied by the percentage of such Fund's total distributions (not including distributions of the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) paid to the shareholder that are exempt-interest dividends. A shareholder's ability to deduct interest not limited under this rule may still be limited by other provisions of the IRC. Under rules used by the IRS for determining when borrowed funds are considered used for the purpose of purchasing or carrying particular assets, the purchase of shares may be considered to have been made with borrowed funds even though such funds are not directly traceable to the purchase of the shares.

Shareholders receiving social security or railroad retirement benefits may be taxed on a portion of those benefits as a result of receiving tax-exempt income from a Fund (including exempt-interest dividends distributed by such Fund). The tax may be imposed on up to 50% of a recipient's social security or railroad retirement benefits in cases where the sum of the recipient's adjusted gross income (with certain adjustments, including tax-exempt interest) and 50% of the recipient's social security or railroad retirement benefits, exceeds a base amount. In addition, up to 85% of a recipient's social security or railroad retirement benefits may be subject to tax if the sum of the recipient's adjusted gross income (with certain adjustments, including tax-exempt interest) and 50% of the recipient's social security or railroad retirement benefits exceeds a higher base amount. Shareholders receiving social security or railroad retirement benefits are urged and advised to consult with their own tax advisers.

**PASSIVE FOREIGN INVESTMENT COMPANIES.** A Fund may invest in a non-U.S. corporation, which could be treated as a passive foreign investment company (a "PFIC") or become a PFIC under the IRC. A PFIC is generally defined as a foreign corporation that meets either of the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income for its taxable year is income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties, or capital gains); or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, such passive income. If a Fund acquires any equity interest in a PFIC, such Fund could be subject to federal income tax and interest charges on "excess distributions" received with respect to such PFIC stock or on any gain from the sale of such PFIC stock (collectively "PFIC income"), plus interest thereon even if such Fund distributes the PFIC income as a taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in such Fund's investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. A Fund's distributions of PFIC income, if any, will be taxable as ordinary income even though, absent the application of the PFIC rules, some portion of the distributions may have been classified as capital gain.

A Fund will not be permitted to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for taxes and interest charges incurred with respect to a PFIC. Payment of this tax would therefore reduce a Fund's economic return from its investment in PFIC shares. To the extent a Fund invests in a PFIC, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" ("QEF"), then instead of the tax and interest obligation described above on excess distributions, such Fund would be required to include in income each taxable year its pro rata share of the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain. As a result of a QEF election, a Fund would likely have to distribute to its shareholders an amount equal to the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain to satisfy the IRC's minimum distribution requirement described herein and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax even if the QEF did not distribute those earnings and gain to such Fund. In most instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain requirements in making the election.

A Fund may elect to "mark-to-market" its stock in any PFIC. "Marking-to-market," in this context, means including in ordinary income each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock over such Fund's adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, a Fund also may deduct (as an ordinary, not capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in the PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock it included in income for prior taxable years under the election. A Fund's adjusted basis in its PFIC stock subject to the election would be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken thereunder. In either case, a Fund may be required to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS.** Foreign currency gains and losses realized by a Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt instruments, certain options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments relating to foreign currency, foreign currencies, and foreign currency-denominated payables and receivables are subject to Section 988 of the IRC, which causes such gains and losses to be treated as ordinary income or loss and may affect the amount and timing of recognition of such Fund's income. In some cases elections may be available that would alter this treatment, but such elections could be detrimental to a Fund by creating current recognition of income without the concurrent recognition of cash. If a foreign currency loss treated as an ordinary loss under Section 988 were to exceed a Fund's investment company taxable income (computed without regard to such loss) for a taxable year the resulting loss would not be deductible by it or its shareholders in future years. The foreign currency income or loss will also increase or decrease a Fund's investment company income distributable to its shareholders.

**FOREIGN TAXATION.** Income received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of a Fund's total assets at the close of any taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations and it meets the distribution requirements described above, such Fund may file an election (the "pass-through election") with the IRS pursuant to which shareholders of the Fund would be required to (i) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) their pro rata shares of foreign income taxes paid by the Fund even though not actually received by such shareholders; and (ii) treat such respective pro rata portions as foreign income taxes paid by them. A Fund will furnish its shareholders with a written statement providing the amount of foreign taxes paid by the Fund that will "pass-through" for the year, if any.

Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder's U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of a Fund's income will flow through to a Fund's shareholders. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. Shareholders may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by a Fund. Various limitations, including a minimum holding period requirement, apply to limit the credit and deduction for foreign taxes for purposes of regular federal tax and alternative minimum tax. In addition, a shareholder of a Fund may lose the ability to use foreign tax credits passed through by a Fund if a Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement.

**REITs.** A Fund may invest in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require a Fund to accrue and distribute taxable income without the concurrent receipt of cash. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, a Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. A Fund's investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in its receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if such Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by a Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

A Fund may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs") or taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs"), or such REITs may themselves constitute TMPs. Under an IRS notice, and Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of a Fund's income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT's residual interest in a REMIC or a TMP (referred to in the IRC as an "excess inclusion") will be subject to federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a RIC, such as the Funds, will be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or invested in the TMP directly. As a result, the Fund may not be a suitable investment for certain tax exempt-shareholders including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan and other tax-exempt entities. See "Tax-Exempt Shareholders."

Distributions by a Fund to its shareholders that a Fund properly reports as "section 199A dividends," as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. Non-corporate shareholders are permitted a federal income tax deduction equal to 20% of qualified REIT dividends received by them, subject to certain limitations. Generally, a "section 199A dividend" is any dividend or portion thereof that is attributable to certain dividends received by a RIC from the REITs it holds, to the extent such dividends are properly reported as such by the RIC in a written notice to its shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Funds are permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.

**DISTRIBUTIONS.** As described above, the Fund intends to invest in sufficient tax-exempt or municipal bonds so that it will qualify to pay "exempt-interest dividends" to shareholders. Except for exempt interest dividends, distributions paid out of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined at the end of the year), whether reinvested in additional shares or paid in cash, are generally taxable and must be reported by each shareholder who is required to file a federal income tax return except in the case of certain tax-exempt shareholders. Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, as computed for federal income tax purposes, will first be treated as a return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares and then as capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as a capital asset. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder's tax basis in the shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by a shareholder of the Fund's shares. With respect to distributions from a Fund, since certain expenses attributable to earning tax-exempt income do not reduce current earnings and profits, it is possible that distributions, if any, in excess of net tax-exempt and taxable income will be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of its remaining earnings and profits (i.e., the amount of such expenses). Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or receive them in additional shares.

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment company taxable income are generally taxable as ordinary income, and distributions of gains from the sale of investments that a Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions designated by a Fund as "capital gain dividends" (distributions from the excess of net long-term capital gain over short-term capital losses) will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time they have held their shares of such Fund. Such dividends do not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction described below.

Non-corporate shareholders of a Fund may be eligible for the long-term capital gain tax rate applicable to distributions of "qualified dividend income" received by such non-corporate shareholders. The maximum long-term capital gains tax rate is 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). A Fund's distribution will be treated as qualified dividend income and therefore eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rate to the extent that it receives dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding periods and other requirements are met. A corporate shareholder of a Fund may be eligible for the dividends received deduction with respect to such Fund's distributions attributable to dividends received by such Fund from domestic corporations, which, if received directly by the corporate shareholder, would qualify for such a deduction. For eligible corporate shareholders, the dividends received deduction may be subject to certain reductions, and a distribution by a Fund attributable to dividends of a domestic corporation will be eligible for the deduction only if certain holding period and other requirements are met. If a Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement, dividends paid while the shares are held by the borrower may not be qualified dividend income and may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax applies to net investment income including interest, (excluding, tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.

Each Fund will furnish a statement to shareholders providing the federal income tax status of its dividends and distributions including the portion of such dividends, if any, that qualifies as long-term capital gain.

Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement distributions, and certain prohibited transactions, is accorded to accounts maintained as qualified retirement plans. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers for more information.**

**PURCHASES OF FUND SHARES.** Prior to purchasing shares in a Fund, the impact of dividends or distributions which are expected to be or have been declared, but not paid, should be carefully considered. Any dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares of a Fund prior to the record date will have the effect of reducing the per share net asset value by the per share amount of the dividend or distribution, and to the extent the distribution consists of the Fund's taxable income, the purchasing shareholder will be taxed on the taxable portion of the dividend or distribution received even though some or all of the amount distributed is effectively a return of capital. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check a Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

**SALES, EXCHANGES OR REDEMPTIONS.** Upon the disposition of shares of a Fund (whether by redemption, sale or exchange), a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the shares. The capital gain will be long-term if the shares were held for more than 12 months and short-term if held for 12 months or less. If a shareholder sells or exchanges shares of a Fund within 90 days of having acquired such shares and if, before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the sale or exchange, as a result of having initially acquired those shares, the shareholder subsequently pays a reduced sales charge on a new purchase of shares of the Fund or another Fund, the sales charge previously incurred in acquiring the Fund's shares generally shall not be taken into account (to the extent the previous sales charges do not exceed the reduction in sales charges on the new purchase) for the purpose of determining the amount of gain or loss on the disposition, but generally will be treated as having been incurred in the new purchase. Any loss realized on a disposition will be disallowed under the "wash sale" rules to the extent that the shares disposed of by the shareholder are replaced by the shareholder within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends received by the shareholder with respect to such shares. Capital losses are generally deductible only against capital gains except that individuals may deduct up to $3,000 of capital losses against ordinary income.

The 3.8% Medicare contribution tax (applied as described above) will apply to gains from the sale or exchange of shares of a Fund.

**BACKUP WITHHOLDING.** Each Fund generally is required to withhold, and remit to the U.S. Treasury, subject to certain exemptions, an amount equal to 24% of all distributions and redemption proceeds paid or credited to a shareholder of such Fund if (i) the shareholder fails to furnish such Fund with the correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") certified under penalties of perjury, (ii) the shareholder fails to provide a certified statement that the shareholder is not subject to "backup withholding", or (iii) the IRS or a broker has notified such Fund that the number furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report interest or dividend income. If the backup withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions or proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.

**STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.** State and local laws often differ from federal income tax laws with respect to the treatment of specific items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit. This summary discussion does not address the state and local income taxes applicable to a shareholder.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the state and local tax rules affecting investments in the Funds.**

**NON-U.S. SHAREHOLDERS.** Distributions made to non-U.S. shareholders attributable to net investment income generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding at a 30% rate (or such lower rate provided under an applicable income tax treaty). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution described above is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States), federal income tax withholding and exemptions attributable to foreign persons will not apply. Instead, the distribution will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable U.S. tax rate (currently 37% in the case of individuals and 21% in the case of corporations) and the non-U.S. shareholders will be subject to the federal income tax reporting requirements generally applicable to U.S. persons described above.

Under U.S. federal tax law, a non-U.S. shareholder is not, in general, subject to federal income tax or withholding tax on capital gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of a Fund, or on capital gains dividends provided that the Fund obtains a properly completed and signed certificate of foreign status, unless (i) such gains or distributions are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States of the non-U.S. shareholder); (ii) in the case of an individual non-U.S. shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the shares of the Fund constitute U.S. real property interests ("USRPIs"), as described below.

Under current law, if a Fund is considered to be a "United States Real Property Holding Corporation" (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), then the distributions attributable to certain underlying REIT investments and redemption proceeds paid to a non-U.S. shareholder that owns at least 5% of the Fund, generally will cause the non-U.S. shareholder to treat such gain or distribution as income effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States, subject such gain or distribution to withholding tax and cause the non-U.S. shareholder to be required to file a federal income tax return. In addition, in any year where at least 50% of a Fund's assets are USRPIs (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), distributions of such Fund that are attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of shares in USRPIs may be subject to U.S. withholding tax (regardless of such shareholder's percentage interest in such Fund) and may require the non-U.S. shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to receive a refund (if any) of the withheld amount.

Subject to the additional rules described herein, federal income tax withholding will apply to distributions attributable to dividends and other investment income distributed by the Funds. The federal income tax withholding rate may be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. shareholder's country of residence or incorporation. In order to qualify for treaty benefits, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign status (generally by providing a Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN). **All non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in a Fund.**

Pursuant to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"), a 30% withholding tax generally is imposed on payments of interest and dividends to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless the foreign financial institution or foreign entity provides the withholding agent with documentation sufficient to show that it is compliant with FATCA (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). If the payment is subject to the 30% withholding tax under FATCA, a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to the 30% withholding tax described above on the same income. Under proposed regulations, FATCA withholding on the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gain distributions, scheduled to take effect beginning January 1, 2019, has been eliminated. Such proposed regulations are subject to change.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of this reporting and withholding regime to their own tax situation.**

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in a Fund.**

**FOREIGN BANK AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS AND FOREIGN FINANCIAL ASSETS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.** A shareholder that owns directly or indirectly more than 50% by vote or value of a Fund, is urged and advised to consult its own tax adviser regarding its filing obligations with respect to IRS Form FinCEN 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

Also, under enacted rules, subject to exceptions, individuals (and, to the extent provided in forthcoming future U.S. Treasury regulations, certain domestic entities) must report annually their interests in "specified foreign financial assets" on their U.S. federal income tax returns. It is currently unclear whether and under what circumstances shareholders would be required to report their indirect interests in a Fund's "specified foreign financial assets" (if any) under these new rules.

Shareholders may be subject to substantial penalties for failure to comply with these reporting requirements. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether these reporting requirements are applicable to them.**

**TAX-EXEMPT SHAREHOLDERS.** A tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") by virtue of its investment in a Fund as a result of such Fund's investments and if shares in the Fund constitute debt financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).

It is possible that a tax-exempt shareholder of a Fund will also recognize UBTI if such Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" (as described above) derived from direct or indirect investments in REMIC residual interests or TMPs. Furthermore, any investment in a residual interest of a CMO that has elected to be treated as a REMIC can create complex tax consequences, especially if a Fund has state or local governments or other tax-exempt organizations as shareholders.

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or in TMPs.

**Tax-exempt shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in a Fund.**

**TAX SHELTER REPORTING REGULATIONS.** Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

**TAX BASIS INFORMATION.** For shares of the Fund that are redeemed, your financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) will report gains and losses realized on redemptions of shares for shareholders who are individuals and S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This information will also be reported to a shareholder on Form 1099-B and the IRS each year. In calculating the gain or loss on redemptions of shares, the average cost method will be used to determine the cost basis of the Fund's shares purchased after January 1, 2012 unless the shareholder instructs the Fund in writing that the shareholder wants to use another available method for cost basis reporting (for example, First In, First Out (FIFO), Last In, First Out (LIFO), Specific Lot Identification (SLID) or High Cost, First Out (HCFO)). If the shareholder designated SLID as the shareholder's tax cost basis method, the shareholder will also need to designate a secondary cost basis method (Secondary Method). If a Secondary Method is not provided, the Fund will designate FIFO as the Secondary Method and will use the Secondary Method with respect to systematic withdrawals that are made.

A shareholder's financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) is also required to report gains and losses to the IRS in connection with redemptions of shares by S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012. If a shareholder is a corporation and has not instructed the Fund that it is a C corporation in its Account Application or by written instruction, the Fund will treat the shareholder as an S corporation and file a Form 1099-B.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in a Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**This summary is provided for general information only and should not be considered tax advice or relied on by an investor.**

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**

The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Funds' financial statements, included in the [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000119312525155426/d942352dncsr.htm), for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025 (the "Annual Report") are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The 2025 financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm, whose report thereon is also incorporated herein by reference. No other parts of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, are incorporated by reference herein. Copies of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Funds at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, by calling (888) 678-6034, or on the Funds' website at *https://www.boh.com/personal/mutual-funds.*

**APPENDIX A**

**DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS**

**Description of Ratings**

The following descriptions of securities ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P Global Ratings"), and Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"), respectively.

**Description of Moody's Global Ratings**

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned for obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

**Description of Moody's Global Long-Term Ratings**

**Aaa** Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal risk.

**Aa** Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

**A** Obligations rated A are considered upper medium-grade and are subject to low credit risk.

**Baa** Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba** Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

**B** Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

**Caa** Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

**Ca** Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

**C** Obligations rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal and interest.

*Note*: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**Hybrid Indicator (hyb)**

The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

**Description of Moody's Global Short-Term Ratings**

**P-1** Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-2** Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-3** Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

**NP** Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's U.S. Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings**

The Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale is used to rate U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.

Moody's U.S. municipal short-term obligation ratings are as follows:

**MIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

**MIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

**MIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

**Description of Moody's Demand Obligation Ratings**

For variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), Moody's assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer's ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders ("on demand") and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer's long-term rating drops below investment grade. Please see their methodology that discusses obligations with conditional liquidity support.

For VRDOs, they typically assign a VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years, but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned, and it is denoted as "NR".

Moody's demand obligation ratings are as follows:

**VMIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Issue Credit Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings' view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P Global Ratings would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings S&P Global Ratings assigns to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings' analysis of the following considerations:

● The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

● The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P Global Ratings imputes; and

● The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

NR indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings\***

**AAA** An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

**AA** An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

**A** An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

**BBB** An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**BB; B; CCC; CC; and C** Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

**BB** An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CCC** An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CC** An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

**C** An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

\* Ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

**D** An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings**

**A-1** A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.

**A-2** A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

**A-3** A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

**C** A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**D** A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings' opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings' analysis will review the following considerations:

● Amortization schedule — the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

● Source of payment — the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P Global Ratings' municipal short-term note ratings are as follows:

**SP-1** Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

**SP-2** Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

**SP-3** Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

**D** 'D' is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

**Description of Fitch's Credit Ratings**

Fitch's credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issue level ratings are assigned and often include an expectation of recovery and may be notched above or below the issuer level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation).

Fitch's credit rating scale for issuers and issues is expressed using the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade) with an additional +/- for AA through CCC levels indicating relative differences of probability of default or recovery for issues. The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. Investment grade categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the speculative categories signal either a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

Fitch may also disclose issues relating to a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated. Such issues are also denoted as 'NR' on its web page.

Fitch's credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. Credit ratings do not deal with the risk of market value loss due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and/or other market considerations. However, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay or refinance a financial commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of payments linked to performance of an equity index).

Note: The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' ratings and ratings below the 'CCC' category. For the short-term rating category of 'F1', a '+' may be appended.

**Description of Fitch's Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Ratings**

**AAA** Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA** Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A** High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB** Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

**BB** Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

**B** Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

**CCC** Substantial credit risk. 'CCC' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present, and default is a real possibility.

**CC** Very high levels of credit risk. 'CC' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk and default of some kind appears probable.

**C** Near Default. 'C' ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk. A default or default-like process has begun, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired.

Ratings in the categories of 'CCC', 'CC' and 'C' can also relate to obligations or issuers that are in default. In this case, the rating does not opine on default risk but reflects the recovery expectation only.

Corporate Finance defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'RD' or 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'CCC' to 'C' rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

**Description of Fitch's Short-Term Ratings**

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Fitch's short-term ratings are as follows:

**F1** Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Under the agency's National Rating scale, this rating is assigned to the lowest default risk relative to others in the same country or monetary union. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a "+" is added to the assigned rating.

**F2** Good short-term credit quality. Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

**F3** Fair short-term credit quality. Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**B** Speculative short-term credit quality. Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**C** High short-term default risk. Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**RD** Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

**D** Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

**APPENDIX B**

**A.** **Proxy Voting and Class Actions** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.** **Proxy Voting – Overview** 

Proxies are assets of AMG's Clients that must be voted with diligence, care, and loyalty. AMG will vote each proxy in accordance with its fiduciary duty to its Clients. AMG will generally seek to vote proxies in a way that maximizes the value of Clients' assets. However, AMG will document and abide by any specific proxy voting instructions conveyed by a Client with respect to that Client's Securities. The IAOC has primary responsibility for establishing proxy voting policy and overseeing the proxy voting process of AMG. The Securities Services department coordinates AMG's proxy voting process.

On the rare occasions that it is necessary for AMG to vote proxies on matters relating to securities held in Client portfolios, and absent specific Client instructions, AMG will generally vote proxies in accordance with the voting recommendations of Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS"), a third-party proxy voting service to which BOH subscribes.

The ISS proxy voting guidelines reflect normal voting positions on certain issues, but will not apply in every situation. Issues designated in the ISS guidelines that are to be voted on a case-by-case basis may be voted according to ISS recommendations or, if appropriate, as determined by AMG (for instance, certain consent rights of fixed income securities). Even when the guidelines specify how AMG should vote on a particular issue, AMG may choose to vote differently if it is determined that doing so will be in the clients' best interests.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.** **Conflicts of Interest in Proxy Voting** 

When facing conflicts between the interests of AMG and those of AMG Clients, AMG will act in the best interests of its Clients and take no action contrary to those interests.

As examples of potential conflicts of interest, AMG has identified the following:

● A principal of AMG or any person involved in the proxy decision-making process currently serves on the board of directors of the company to which the proxy vote relates.

● An immediate family member of a principal of AMG or any person involved in the proxy decision making process currently serves as a director or executive officer of the company to which the proxy vote relates.

● A potential or existing client battling a contentious shareholder proposal may ask for our vote in exchange for granting AMG business opportunities or other considerations.

● AMG or its related persons or entities may be a named party to, or participating in a bankruptcy work-out or other similar committee with respect to the fixed income issuer.

The foregoing is not intended to be an exhaustive list of potential conflicts of interest.

The process of screening for conflicts of interest that could influence proxy voting may include, but is not limited to, the following:

● Identify any situation where AMG does not intend to vote in accordance with ISS proxy voting guidelines;

● Determine who (PM, AMG executive, Client, etc.) is attempting to influence AMG to vote contrary to its proxy voting policy or guidelines;

● Review requests that would result in voting contrary to proxy voting policy or guidelines;

● Determine if a conflict exists, and submit the matter to the IAOC for a final decision on how to handle the voting of the proxy (e.g., retain outside counsel, abstain from voting, etc.); and

● As appropriate, report any conflict of interest and the resolution of that conflict to the client (or the board of trustees for the clients which are a registered investment company.)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.** **Class Actions** 

Litigation involving any security held by AMG is unlikely because the accounts are invested only in municipal securities, United States government and agency obligations, and money market funds. However, AMG subscribes to its custodian's service, BNY Mellon's Global Class Actions product, to assist with identifying possible actions, filing claims and receiving payments.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.** **Disclosures to Clients** 

AMG includes a description of its policies and procedures regarding proxy voting and class actions in Part 2 of Form ADV, along with a statement that Clients can contact the CCO to obtain a copy of these policies and procedures and information about how AMG voted with respect to the Client's securities.

Any request for information about proxy voting or class actions should be promptly forwarded to the CCO, who will respond to any such requests.

As a matter of policy, AMG does not disclose how it expects to vote on upcoming proxies. Additionally, AMG does not disclose the way it voted proxies to unaffiliated third parties without a legitimate need to know such information.

Each Fund is required to disclose annually the Fund's complete proxy voting record on Form N-PX, which provides information relating to how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30th. AMG should reconcile its voting record for the Funds versus the Form N-PX compiled by the various fund administrators.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**5.** **Books and Records** 

Paragraph (c)(ii) of Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act requires AMG to maintain certain books and records associated with its proxy voting policies and procedures. AMG's recordkeeping obligations are described in the *Maintenance of Books and Records* section of this Manual. The CCO will ensure that AMG complies with all applicable recordkeeping requirements associated with proxy voting.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**6.** **Annual and Ongoing Reviews** 

The CCO will review, no less frequently than annually, the adequacy of AMG's proxy voting and class action policies and procedures to make sure they have been implemented effectively, including whether the policies and procedures continue to be reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of clients and possible class action opportunities are identified and pursued.

![](pro-pcgxx_001.jpg)

**PACIFIC CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET FUND**

Institutional Class Investor Class <br> PCGXX PCUXX

*a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

**PROSPECTUS**

September 1, 2025

**These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.**

**Shares of the Fund are not currently being offered to shareholders**

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[Fund Summary](#pro-pcgxx_001)** | **1** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund](#pro-pcgxx_002) | 1 |
| **[More Information about the Fund's Investment Objectives, Strategies and Risks](#pro-pcgxx_003)** | **5** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Objectives](#pro-pcgxx_004) | 5 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Investment Strategies](#pro-pcgxx_005) | 5 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Principal Risks](#pro-pcgxx_006) | 6 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Risks](#pro-pcgxx_007) | 8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Description of Securities and Common Investment Techniques](#pro-pcgxx_008) | 9 |
| **[More Information about Management of the Fund](#pro-pcgxx_009)** | **11** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Adviser](#pro-pcgxx_010) | 11 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Portfolio Managers](#pro-pcgxx_011) | 11 |
| **[Shareholder Information](#pro-pcgxx_012)** | **12** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Pricing of Shares](#pro-pcgxx_013) | 12 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Purchase of Shares](#pro-pcgxx_014) | 12 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Open an Account](#pro-pcgxx_015) | 13 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Add to an Account](#pro-pcgxx_016) | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Redemption of Shares](#pro-pcgxx_017) | 17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Redeem from Your Account](#pro-pcgxx_018) | 17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Transaction Policies](#pro-pcgxx_019) | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Shareholder Services](#pro-pcgxx_020) | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributions](#pro-pcgxx_021) | 20 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[More Information about Taxes](#pro-pcgxx_022) | 20 |
| **[Financial Highlights](#pro-pcgxx_023)** | **22** |
| **[For More Information](#pro-pcgxx_024)** | **Back Cover** |

---

**FUND SUMMARY**

**PACIFIC CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET FUND**

**Investment Objective**

The Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund (the "Fund") is a money market fund that seeks to maintain a stable net asset value ("NAV") of $1.00 per share. The Fund seeks to maximize current income to the extent consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity by investing exclusively in high quality money market instruments.

**Fees and Expenses**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.**

**Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)**

None.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)** |
|  | **Institutional <br> Class** | **Investor <br> Class** |
| Management Fees | 0.40% | 0.40% |
| Distribution and/or Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees |  | 0.25% |
| Other Expenses<sup>1</sup> | 0.11% | 0.11% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses<sup>2</sup>** | **0.51%** | **0.76%** |

---

<sup>1</sup> "Other Expenses" are estimated based on expenses for the current fiscal year.

<sup>2</sup> The Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii (the "Adviser") has voluntarily agreed to waive fees and reimburse expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to maintain a minimum daily net yield for the Fund (the "Voluntary Waiver"). This is not reflected in the table above. Such Voluntary Waiver will continue until the Adviser notifies the Fund of a change in the amount of the Voluntary Waiver or its discontinuation. This Voluntary Waiver may be discontinued at any time at the discretion of the Adviser.

**Example**

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund's Institutional and Investor class shares for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (reflecting any contractual fee waivers). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Institutional Class | $52 | $164 | $291 | $640 |
| Investor Class | $78 | $243 | $422 | $942 |

---

**Principal Investment Strategies**

The Fund seeks to achieve its objectives by investing, under normal circumstances, substantially all of its net assets in securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. government or by its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises, and repurchase agreements backed by such securities.

The Fund operates as a "Government Money Market Fund" as defined in Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"). This means that the Fund invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in (1) cash, (2) U.S. government securities, (3) repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by U.S. government securities or cash, and/or (4) other money market mutual funds that operate as Government Money Market Funds. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. government securities and repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized by U.S. government securities. In contrast to the Fund's 99.5% policy, the Fund's 80% policy does not include cash.

The Fund makes significant investments in securities issued by U.S. government-sponsored entities. Such securities are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury. Under unusual circumstances, as when appropriate U.S. government securities and repurchase agreements backed by such securities are unavailable, the Fund may also invest in cash equivalents, including money market funds.

The Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") imposes strict requirements on the investment quality, maturity, and diversification of the Fund's investments. Accordingly, the Fund's investments must have a remaining maturity of no more than 397 days and must be high quality. The Fund's investment adviser may consider, among other things, credit, interest rate and prepayment risks as well as general market conditions when deciding whether to buy or sell investments for the Fund.

During extraordinary market conditions and interest rate environments, all or any portion of the Fund's assets may be uninvested and will therefore not generate income. The Fund may not achieve its investment objectives during this time.

The Fund also seeks to invest in securities the income from which may be tax exempt from state and local taxes. This Prospectus does not discuss all of the state and local tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. You are urged and advised to consult your own tax adviser concerning state and local taxes, which may have different consequences from those of the federal income tax laws.

**Principal Risks**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor, and the relative significance of each risk below may change over time. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, any other government agency, or The Bank of Hawaii, its affiliates, subsidiaries or any other bank. The Fund's sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.

● **Stable NAV Risk:** The risk that the Fund will not be able to maintain an NAV per share of $1.00 at all times. A significant enough market disruption or drop in market prices of securities held by the Fund, especially at a time when the Fund needs to sell securities to meet shareholder redemption requests, could cause the value of the Fund's shares to decrease to a price less than $1.00 per share.

● **Interest Rate Risk:** The risk that during periods of rising interest rates, the Fund's yield (and the market value of its securities) will tend to be lower than prevailing market rates; in periods of falling interest rates, the Fund's yield (and the market value of its securities) will tend to be higher.

● **Prepayment (Or Call) Risk:** The risk that prepayment of the underlying collateral of some fixed-income securities may result in a decreased rate of return and a decline in value of those securities.

● **Debt Extension Risk:** The risk that an issuer will exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by the Fund later than expected. This may happen during a period of rising interest rates. Under these circumstances, the value of the obligation will decrease and the Fund will suffer from the inability to invest in higher yielding securities.

● **Income Risk:** The risk that falling interest rates will cause the Fund's income to decline. Income risk is generally higher for short-term debt securities.

● **Management Risk:** The risk that a strategy used by the Fund's Adviser may fail to produce the intended results.

**●** **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**●** **U.S. Government Securities Risk:** The risk that the U.S. government will not provide financial support to its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. Many U.S. government securities purchased by the Fund are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. It is possible that the issuers of such securities will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

● **Credit Risk:** The risk that the issuer of a fixed income security (potentially even the U.S. Government) may be unable to make timely payments of interest and principle.

**Performance Information**

The bar chart and the performance table below illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from calendar year to calendar year and by showing the Fund's average annual total returns for 1 year and since inception period. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. The Fund commenced operations on June 14, 2018 and subsequently ceased investment operations on April 14, 2021 due to redemption of all shareholders. The Fund currently has no assets and no shareholders, and, therefore, no performance information is presented for periods after March 31, 2021.

![](pro-pcgxx_002.jpg)

Calendar Year-to-Date Total Return as of March 31, 2021: 0.00%

During the periods shown in the chart:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best Quarter** | **Worst Quarter** |
| 0.51% | 0.00% |
| (June 30, 2019) | (December 31, 2020) |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Average Annual Total Returns For the period ended December 31, 2020<sup>1</sup>** | **1 Year** | **Since <br> Inception <br> (June 14, 2018)** |
| Investor Class Shares | 0.25% | 1.18% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The Fund ceased investment operations on April 14, 2021.

**Management of the Fund**

**Investment Adviser**

The Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii serves as the Fund's investment adviser.

**Portfolio Managers**

● **Reid Smith, CFA,** Vice President and Director of Fixed Income, assumed responsibility for managing the fund on July 8, 2022.

● **Roman Mahi,** Investment Analyst at Bank of Hawaii, has been the Assistant Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 2025.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

Shares of the Fund may be purchased and sold (redeemed) on any business day when the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open for regular trading. Such purchases and redemptions can be made through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary or directly with the Fund by sending a completed application to the addresses below. There are no minimum investment requirements for the Fund.

**Purchase or Redemption by Mail:**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6034 |

---

**Purchase by Wire:**

Please contact Fund shareholder services ("Shareholder Services") toll-free at (888) 678-6034 for current wire instructions.

**Redemption by Telephone:**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034.

**Purchases and Redemptions for Accounts Held through a Financial Intermediary**

Contact your financial intermediary.

**Tax Information**

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Such distributions are not currently taxable when shares are held through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. However, subsequent withdrawals from any tax-deferred account in which the shares are held may be subject to federal income tax.

**Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S<br> INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND RISKS**

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES**

The Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund (the "Fund") is a money market fund that seeks to maintain a stable net asset value ("NAV") of $1.00 per share. The Fund seeks to maximize current income to the extent consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity by investing exclusively in high quality money market instruments. The Fund's investment objectives may be changed by the Board of Trustees of FundVantage Trust ("Trust") without shareholder approval. Shareholders will, however, be notified of any changes. Any such change may result in the Fund having an investment objective different from the objectives that the shareholder considered appropriate at the time of investment in the Fund.

**OTHER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES**

All investments carry some degree of risk that will affect the value of the Fund, its yield and investment performance and the price of its shares. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, any other government agency, or The Bank of Hawaii, its affiliates, subsidiaries or any other bank. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund. This section takes a closer look at some of the Fund's principal investment strategies and related risks.

The Fund seeks to maintain a stable NAV of $1.00 per share. Consistent with this policy, the Fund:

● Limits its dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity to 60 days or less;

● Limits its dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity without regard to maturity shortening provisions applicable to variable and floating rate securities (also known as dollar-weighted average portfolio life) to 120 days or less;

● Buys securities with remaining maturities of 397 days or less (except for certain variable and floating rate instruments and securities collateralizing repurchase agreements); and

● Invests only in U.S. dollar-denominated securities that represent minimal credit risks.

SEC regulations require the Fund to limit its dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity to 60 days or less, and its dollar-weighted average portfolio life to 120 days or

less. The Fund also is required to comply with SEC requirements with respect to the liquidity of the Fund's investments. Specifically, the Fund is required to hold at least 10% of its total assets in "daily liquid assets," and the Fund is required to hold at least 30% of its total assets in "weekly liquid assets." Daily liquid assets include (i) cash, (ii) U.S. Treasury securities, (iii) securities that will mature or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within one business day and (iv) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within one business day on pending sales of portfolio securities. Weekly liquid assets include (i) cash, (ii) U.S. Treasury securities, (iii) agency discount notes with remaining maturities of 60 days or less, (iv) securities that will mature or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five business days and (v) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities.

In accordance with current SEC regulations, the Fund generally will not invest more than 5% of the value of its total assets at the time of purchase in the securities of any single issuer. The Fund may, however, invest up to 25% of its total assets in the securities of a single issuer for up to three Business Days. These limitations do not apply to cash, certain repurchase agreements, U.S. government securities or securities of other investment companies.

The Fund may borrow money from banks and may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with banks and other financial institutions. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund subject to the Fund's agreement to repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date and price (including interest).

The Fund may invest in securities issued by other investment companies, including (to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder and applicable SEC staff interpretations thereof, or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC) other investment companies managed by the Adviser. To the extent that the Fund makes such investments, the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objectives will depend on the ability of the funds in which it invests to achieve their own investment objectives. In addition, as a shareholder of another investment company, the Fund would bear, along with other shareholders, its pro rata portion of the other investment company's expenses, including advisory fees. Accordingly, in addition to bearing their proportionate share of the Fund's expenses (i.e., management fees and operating expenses), shareholders will also indirectly bear similar expenses of any other investment companies in which the Fund invests.

In anticipation of or in response to adverse market or other conditions or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, the Fund may temporarily hold up to 100% of its assets in U.S. Government securities, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures. Under such conditions, the Fund may not invest in accordance with its investment objectives or principal investment strategies and may not achieve its investment objectives.

Subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees and the Fund's shareholders, the Adviser may, from time to time, engage one or more sub-advisers to assist in the management of the Fund (or a portion thereof).

The Fund also may use other strategies and engage in other investment practices, which are described in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"), available, free of charge, by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034. The SAI may also be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov.*

**PRINCIPAL RISKS**

The following is a list of certain principal risks that may apply to your investment in the Fund. Further information about investment risks is available in the Fund's SAI:

● **Stable NAV Risk:** The risk that the Fund will not be able to maintain an NAV per share of $1.00 at all times. A significant enough market disruption or drop in market prices of securities held by the Fund, especially at a time when the Fund needs to sell securities to meet shareholder redemption requests, could cause the value of the Fund's shares to decrease to a price less than $1.00 per share. The U.S. government has taken numerous steps to alleviate these market concerns, including without limitation, acquiring ownership interests in distressed institutions. However, there is no assurance that such actions will be successful. Continuing market problems and government intervention in the economy may adversely affect the Fund.

● **Interest Rate Risk:** The risk of market losses attributable to changes in interest rates. With fixed rate securities, a rise in interest rates typically causes a fall in values. The yield earned by the Fund will vary with changes in interest rates. The longer the average maturity of the Fund's investment portfolio, the greater the fluctuation in value.

● **Management Risk:** As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best performing securities or investment techniques,

and the Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds. The Adviser may also miss out on an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in less advantageous investments. The Adviser may also miss out on an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in less advantageous investments.

● **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**●** **Prepayment (Or Call) Risk:** The Fund may purchase securities including mortgage-related (mortgage-backed) securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or by its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. In addition to credit and market risk, such securities may involve prepayment risk because the underlying assets (loans) may be prepaid at any time. Prepayment (or call) risk is the risk that an issuer will exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by the Fund sooner than expected. This may happen during a period of falling interest rates. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to maintain positions in such securities will be affected by reductions in the principal amount of such securities resulting from prepayments, and its ability to reinvest the returns of principal at comparable yields is subject to generally prevailing

interest rates at that time. Like other fixed-income securities, when interest rates rise, the value of a mortgage-backed security generally will decline. However, when interest rates decline, the value of a mortgage-backed security with prepayment features may not increase as much as that of other fixed-income securities. As a result of the economic recession that commenced in the United States in 2008, there is a heightened risk that the receivables and loans underlying the mortgage-backed securities purchased by the Fund may suffer greater levels of default than were historically experienced. In addition to prepayment risk, investments in mortgage-backed securities comprised of subprime mortgages and similar underperforming assets may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk and liquidity risk.

**●** **Debt Extension Risk:** The risk that an issuer will exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by the Fund later than expected. This may happen during a period of rising interest rates. Under these circumstances, the value of the obligation will decrease and the Fund will suffer from the inability to invest in higher yielding securities.

● **Income Risk:** The risk that falling interest rates will cause the Fund's income to decline. Income risk is generally higher for short-term debt securities.

**●** **U.S. Government Securities Risk:** U.S. Government obligations include U.S. Treasury obligations, such as bills, notes and bonds, which generally differ only in terms of their interest rates, maturities and time of issuance. They also include obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or by its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. Securities guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. government or by its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises are deemed to include (a) securities for which the payment of principal and interest is backed by an irrevocable letter of credit issued by the U.S. government or by an agency, instrumentality or sponsored enterprise thereof, (b) securities of private issuers guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities pursuant to the FDIC Debt Guarantee Program, and (c) participations in loans made to foreign governments or their agencies that are so guaranteed. Not all U.S. government obligations carry the same credit support. Although many U.S. government securities in which the Fund may invest, such as those issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae"), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie

Mac") and Federal Home Loan Banks may be chartered or sponsored by Acts of Congress, their securities are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury and, therefore, are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Some, such as those of the Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae"), are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Other obligations, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; and others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agency's obligations. Still others are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality or sponsored enterprise. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government would provide financial support to its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. In addition, the secondary market for certain participations in loans made to foreign governments or their agencies may be limited.

An agency of the U.S. government has placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorship, a statutory process with the objective of returning the entities to normal business operations. It is unclear what effect this conservatorship will have on the securities issued or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. As a result, these securities are subject to more credit risk than U.S. government securities that are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (e.g. U.S. Treasury bonds).

To the extent the Fund invests in debt instruments or securities of non-U.S. government entities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, pursuant to the FDIC Debt Guarantee Program or other similar programs, there is a possibility that the guarantee provided under the Debt Guarantee Program or other similar programs may be discontinued or modified at a later date.

**●** **Credit (or Default) Risk:** The risk that an issuer of fixed-income securities held by the Fund may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal. Generally, the lower the credit rating of a security, the greater the risk that the issuer of the security will default on its obligation. High quality

securities are generally believed to have relatively low degrees of credit risk. The Fund intends to enter into financial transactions with counterparties that are creditworthy at the time of the transactions. There is always the risk that the Investment Adviser's analysis of creditworthiness is incorrect or may change due to market conditions. To the extent that the Fund focuses its transactions with a limited number of counterparties, it will be more susceptible to the risks associated with one or more counterparties.

**OTHER RISKS**

In addition to the principal risks described above, the Fund may also be subject to the following additional risks.

● **Cyber Security Risk:** As part of its business, the Adviser processes, stores and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Fund. The Adviser and Fund may be susceptible to operational and information security risk. Cyber security failures or breaches of the Adviser or the Fund's other service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of the Fund's shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties and/or reputational damage. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

● **Liquidity Risk:** The risk that the Fund will not be able to pay redemption proceeds within the time periods described in this Prospectus because of unusual market conditions, an unusually high volume of redemption requests or other reasons. Certain portfolio securities may be less liquid than others, which may make them difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the Fund would like. The Fund may have to lower the price, sell other securities instead or forgo an investment opportunity. Any of these events could have a negative effect on portfolio management or performance.

**●** **Repurchase Agreement Risk:** Repurchase agreements involve the purchase of securities by the Fund subject to the seller's agreement to repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date and price. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements, backed by the U.S. government or by its agencies, with financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers that are deemed to be creditworthy by the Investment Adviser. Although the securities subject to a repurchase agreement

may have maturities exceeding one year, settlement of the agreement will never occur more than one year after the Fund acquires the securities. In the event of a default, the Fund will suffer a loss to the extent that the proceeds from the sale of the underlying securities and other collateral are less than the repurchase price and the Fund's costs associated with delay and enforcement of the repurchase agreement. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, the Fund could suffer additional losses if a court determines that the Fund's interest in the collateral is unenforceable by the Fund. The Fund intends to enter into transactions with counterparties that are creditworthy at the time of the transactions. There is always the risk that the Adviser's analysis of creditworthiness is incorrect or may change due to market conditions. To the extent that the Fund focuses its transactions with a limited number of counterparties, it will be more susceptible to the risks associated with one or more counterparties. With respect to collateral received in repurchase transactions or other investments, the Fund may have significant exposure to the financial services and mortgage markets. Such exposure, depending on market conditions, could have a negative impact on the Fund, including minimizing the value of any collateral.

● **Stripped Securities Risk:** Stripped securities entitle the holder to receive either interest payments or principal payments that have been "stripped" from a debt obligation. These obligations include stripped mortgage-backed securities, which are derivative multi-class mortgage securities.

The Treasury Department has facilitated transfers of ownership of zero coupon securities by accounting separately for the beneficial ownership of particular interest coupon and principal payments on Treasury securities through the Federal Reserve book-entry record-keeping system. The Federal Reserve program as established by the Treasury Department is known as "Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities" or "STRIPS." Under the STRIPS program, the Fund will be able to have its beneficial ownership of zero coupon securities recorded directly in the book-entry record-keeping system in lieu of having to hold certificates or other evidences of ownership of the underlying U.S. Treasury securities. Stripped securities are very sensitive to changes in interest rates and to the rate of principal prepayments. A rapid or unexpected change in either interest rates or principal prepayments could depress the price of stripped securities held by the Fund and adversely affect the Fund's investment performance.

**●** **Variable and Floating Rate Instruments Risk:** The Fund may invest in variable and floating rate instruments to the extent consistent with its investment objectives and strategies. Variable and floating rate instruments have interest rates that periodically are adjusted either at set intervals or that float at a margin tied to a specified index rate. Variable and floating rate instruments are subject to many of the same risks as fixed rate instruments, particularly credit risk. Because there is no active secondary market for certain variable and floating rate instruments, they may be more difficult to sell if the issuer defaults on its payment obligations or during periods when the Fund is not entitled to exercise their demand rights. As a result, the Fund could suffer a loss with respect to these instruments. In addition, variable and floating rate instruments are subject to changes in value based on changes in market interest rates or changes in the issuer's or guarantor's creditworthiness.

● **When-Issued Securities, Delayed Delivery Transactions and Forward Commitments Risk:** The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Although the Fund generally would purchase securities in these transactions with the intention of acquiring the securities, the Fund may dispose of such securities prior to settlement if the Investment Adviser deems it appropriate to do so. A purchase of "when-issued" securities refers to a transaction made conditionally because the securities, although authorized, have not yet been issued. A delayed delivery or forward commitment transaction involves a contract to purchase or sell securities for a fixed price at a future date beyond the customary settlement period. The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Although the Fund generally would purchase securities in these transactions with the intention of acquiring the securities, the Fund may dispose of such securities prior to settlement if the Investment Adviser deems it appropriate to do so. Purchasing securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis involves the risk that the value of the securities may decrease by the time they actually are issued or delivered. Conversely, selling securities in these transactions involves the risk that the value of the securities may increase by the time they actually are issued or delivered. These transactions also involve the risk that the counterparty may fail to deliver the security or cash on the settlement date.

**ADDITIONAL DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES AND COMMON INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES**

This section explores various other investment securities and techniques that the Adviser may use.

**BORROWINGS AND REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may borrow money from banks and may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with banks and other financial institutions. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund subject to the Fund's agreement to repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date and price (including interest).

**INVESTMENT STRATEGY.** The Fund may borrow and enter into reverse repurchase agreements in amounts not exceeding one-fourth of its total assets (including the amount borrowed). The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements when the Investment Adviser expects that the interest income to be earned from the investment of the transaction proceeds will be greater than the related interest expense.

**SPECIAL RISKS.** Borrowings and reverse repurchase agreements involve leveraging. If the securities held by the Fund decline in value while these transactions are outstanding, the NAV of the Fund's outstanding shares will decline in value by proportionately more than the decline in value of the securities. In addition, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risks that (a) the interest income earned by the Fund (from the investment of the proceeds) will be less than the interest expense of the transaction; (b) the market value of the securities sold by the Fund will decline below the price the Fund is obligated to pay to repurchase the securities; and (c) the securities may not be returned to the Fund.

**ILLIQUID OR RESTRICTED SECURITIES.** Illiquid securities include repurchase agreements and time deposits with notice/termination dates of more than seven days, other securities that are traded in the U.S. but are subject to trading restrictions because they are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and securities that are not readily marketable.

**INVESTMENT STRATEGY.** The Fund may invest up to 5% of its net assets in securities that are illiquid.

**SPECIAL RISKS.** Because illiquid securities may be difficult to sell at an acceptable price, they may be subject to greater volatility and may result in a loss to the Fund. Securities purchased by the Fund that are liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid due to events relating to the issuer of the securities, market events, economic conditions and/or investor perception.

**INVESTMENT COMPANIES.** To the extent consistent with their respective investment objectives and strategies, the Fund may invest in securities issued by other affiliated and unaffiliated investment companies.

**INVESTMENT STRATEGY.** Investments by the Fund in other money market funds will be subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act and SEC orders. Although the Fund does not expect to do so in the foreseeable future, the Fund is authorized to invest substantially all of its assets in an open-end investment company or a series thereof that has substantially the same investment objectives, strategies and fundamental restrictions as the Fund.

**SPECIAL RISKS.** As a shareholder of another investment company, the Fund would be subject to the same risks as any other investor in that company. It would also bear a proportionate share of any fees or expenses paid by that company. These expenses would be in addition to the advisory fees and other expenses the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations.

**TEMPORARY INVESTMENTS.** For capital preservation and liquidity, the Fund may have a greater concentration in short-term securities, including investing up to all of its assets in overnight securities, which may result in a reduction of the Fund's yield.

Additionally, the Fund may purchase other types of securities or instruments similar to those described in these sections if otherwise consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and strategies. You should carefully consider the risks discussed in these sections before investing in the Fund.

The Fund may invest in other securities and are subject to further restrictions and risks that are described in the SAI. Additional information about the Fund, their investments and related risks can also be found in "Investment Objectives and Strategies" in the SAI.

**Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings**

A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund's portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI which is available, free of charge, by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034. The SAI may also be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov*.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND**

The Trust's Board of Trustees supervises the management, activities and affairs of the Fund and has approved contracts with various organizations to provide, among other services, the day-to-day management required by the Fund and its shareholders.

**INVESTMENT ADVISER**

The Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii (the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser located at 111 South King Street, 4<sup>th</sup> Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. As of June 30, 2025, the Adviser had approximately $1.2 billion in assets under management. The Adviser, subject to the general oversight of the Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objective, policies and limitations. As compensation for advisory services and the assumption of related expenses, the Adviser is entitled to an advisory fee computed daily and payable monthly, at annual rates of 0.40% (expressed as a percentage of the Fund's respective average daily net assets). The Adviser may voluntarily agree to waive fees and reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to maintain a minimum daily net yield for the Fund. This voluntary advisory fee

waiver and expense reimbursement may be changed or terminated by the Adviser at any time. The Adviser and its affiliates are under no obligation to support the share price or yield of the Fund. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2020, after fee waivers and expense reimbursements, the Adviser received an aggregate investment advisory fee as a percentage of average net assets of 0.13%.

A discussion of the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment management contract between the Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund is available in the Fund's annual report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2020.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

**Reid Smith, CFA**, Vice President and Director of Fixed Income, assumed responsibility for managing the fund on July 8, 2022.

**Roman Mahi,** Investment Analyst at Bank of Hawaii, has been the Assistant Portfolio Manager of the Fund since June 2025.

The Fund's SAI provides additional information about each Portfolio Manager's compensation, other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager and each Portfolio Manager's ownership of Fund shares.

**SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION**

**PRICING OF SHARES**

The price of each Fund's shares is based on its NAV. The Fund values its assets, based on current market values when such values are available. The NAV per share of the Fund is calculated as follows:

Value of Assets Attributable to the Shares <br> NAV = – <u>Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Shares</u> <br> Number of Outstanding Shares

The Fund's NAV per share is calculated once daily as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each business day (i.e., a day that the Exchange is open for business). The Exchange is generally open on Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The price at which a purchase, redemption or exchange is effected is based on the next calculation of NAV after the order is received in good form by an authorized financial institution or the transfer agent, plus any applicable sales charges.

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**PURCHASE OF SHARES**

Shares are offered on a continuous basis by the Fund's principal underwriter, Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter") and are sold without any sales charges. There is no minimum initial investment in the Fund. You may purchase shares as specified below.

**Purchase Price**

Purchase orders are effected at the NAV next computed after the Fund has received your purchase order in good order. Purchase orders placed through a financial intermediary will be deemed to have been received and accepted by the Fund when the financial intermediary receives the purchase order in good order.

Purchase orders received in good order by the transfer agent in good order before the close of regular trading on the Exchange on any business day will be priced at the NAV that is determined as of the close of trading on the Exchange. Purchase orders received in good order after the close of regular trading on the Exchange will be priced as of the close of regular trading on the following business day. "Good Order" means that the purchase request is complete and includes all accurate required information. Purchase requests not in good order may be rejected.

It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund on a timely basis. Purchase and redemption requests sent to such financial intermediary or nominee are executed at the NAV next determined after the intermediary receives the request if transmitted to the intermediary in good order. Financial intermediaries may also designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Fund's behalf.

**Distribution Plan**

The Trust's Board of Trustees, with respect to Investor Class shares of the Fund, has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to pay distribution and service fees for the sale and distribution of Investor Class shares and for services provided to Investor Class Shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plan for Investor Class shares provides for payments of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Investor Class shares. From time to time, the Distributor and/or financial intermediaries may agree to a reduction or waiver of these fees. Any voluntary reduction or waiver of the 12b-1 fees applicable to the Investor Class may be changed or terminated by the Distributor and/or financial intermediaries at any time. The Distributor and/or financial intermediaries are under no obligation to reduce or waive the Rule 12b-1 fees to maintain the minimum daily net yield of the Fund.

Fund shares are available to Bank of Hawaii and its affiliated and correspondent banks acting on behalf of customers having a qualified trust account, employee benefit account or other qualifying account at the institution. If you purchase shares through an institutional organization, you may be charged a transaction-based fee or other fee for the services of such organization. If you invest through a financial intermediary or nominee, such as a broker-dealer or financial adviser (rather than directly through the Fund), certain policies and fees regarding your investment in the Fund may be different than those described in this Prospectus. Financial intermediaries and nominees may also charge transaction fees and set different minimum investments or limitations or procedures on buying or selling shares. In addition, the availability of certain classes of shares may be limited to certain intermediary platforms, which means that your eligibility to purchase a specific class of Fund shares may depend on whether your intermediary offers that class.

**TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Complete the application and mail it to BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing") at the address noted below, together with a check payable to the Fund. Mail the application and your check to:

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| **Regular Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6034 |

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The Fund will only accept checks drawn in U.S. dollars on domestic banks. The Fund will not accept any of the following: cash or cash equivalents, money orders, traveler's checks, cashier's checks, bank checks, official checks and treasurer's checks, payable through checks, third party checks and third party transactions.

The Fund does not generally accept investments by non-U.S. persons. Non-U.S. persons may be permitted to invest in the Fund subject to the satisfaction of enhanced due diligence. While the Fund does not generally accept foreign investors, it may in instances where either (i) an intermediary makes shares of the Fund available or (ii) the transfer agent, in the case of a direct to Fund subscription, has satisfied its internal procedures with respect to the establishment of foreign investor accounts. Please contact the Adviser at (808) 694-4444 for more information.

The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions, including the Fund, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money-laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts. As requested on the application, you must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address. If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. This information will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, the Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a shareholder's identity. As required by law, the Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

**To Open An Account by Wire**

Call shareholder services ("Shareholder Services") toll-free at (888) 678-6034 for current wire instructions.

**Purchases and Redemptions for Accounts Held through a Financial Intermediary**

Contact your financial intermediary.

**TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Complete the application and mail it to BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing") at the address noted below, together with a check payable to the Fund. Mail the application and your check to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6034 |

---

**By Wire**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034 for current wire instructions. The wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, for same day processing. Your bank may charge a wire fee.

**Automated Clearing House (ACH) Purchase**

Current shareholders may purchase additional shares via Automated Clearing House ("ACH"). To have this option added to your account, please send a letter to the Fund requesting this option and supply a voided check for the bank account. Only bank accounts held at domestic institutions that are ACH members may be used for these transactions.

You may not use ACH transactions for your initial purchase of Fund shares. ACH purchases will be effective at the closing price per share on the same business day for orders placed prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Orders placed thereafter will be effective at the closing price per share on the next business day. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this purchase option at any time.

Shares purchased by ACH will not be available for redemption until the transactions have cleared. Shares purchased via ACH transfer may take up to 15 days to clear.

**Financial Intermediaries**

You may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary who may charge you a commission on your purchase, may charge additional fees, and may require different minimum investments or impose other limitations on buying and selling shares of the Fund. "Financial intermediaries" include brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), insurance companies, investment advisers, financial advisers, financial planners, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators, their designated intermediaries and any other firm having a selling, administration or similar agreement. If you purchase shares through a financial intermediary, that party is responsible for transmitting orders by close of business and may have an earlier cut-off time for purchases and sale requests. Purchase and redemption orders placed through a financial intermediary will be deemed to have been received and accepted by the Fund when the financial intermediary accepts the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. Customer orders are required to be priced at the Fund's NAV next computed after the authorized financial intermediary or its authorized representatives' receipt of the order to buy or sell. Purchase and redemption requests sent to such authorized broker (or its designee) are executed at the NAV next determined after the intermediary receives the request if transmitted to the Fund's transfer agent in accordance with the Fund's procedures and applicable law. Financial intermediaries may also designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Fund's behalf. Consult your investment representative for specific information.

It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary to transmit orders for the purchase of shares by its customers to the transfer agent and to deliver required funds on a timely basis, in accordance with the procedures stated above.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account".

**Networking and Sub-Transfer Agency Fees.** The Fund or Adviser may also directly enter into agreements with "financial intermediaries" pursuant to which they will pay the financial intermediary for services such as networking or sub-transfer agency, including the maintenance of "street name" or omnibus accounts and related sub-accounting, record keeping and administrative services provided to such accounts. Payments made pursuant to such agreements are generally based on either: (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of clients serviced by such financial intermediary, or (2) the number of accounts serviced by such financial intermediary. Any payments made pursuant to such agreements are in addition to, rather than in lieu of, Rule 12b-1 distribution or shareholder service fees the financial intermediary may also be receiving. From time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay a portion of the fees for networking or sub-transfer agency at its or their own expense and out of its or their own resources. These payments may be material to financial intermediaries relative to other compensation paid by the Fund and/or the Underwriter, the Adviser and their affiliates. The payments described above may differ and may vary from amounts paid to the Fund's transfer agent for providing similar services to other accounts. The financial intermediaries are not audited by the Fund, the Adviser or its service providers to determine whether such intermediaries are providing the services for which they are receiving such payments.

**Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries.** The Adviser and, from time to time, affiliates of the Adviser may also, at their own expense and out of their own resources, provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. These additional cash payments are payments over and above sales commissions or reallowances, distribution fees or servicing fees (including networking, administration and sub-transfer agency fees) payable to a financial intermediary which are disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus. These additional cash payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency, shareholder or administrative services or marketing support. Marketing support may include: (i) access to sales meetings or conferences, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives; (ii) inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs to which financial intermediaries provide more marketing support than to other sales programs on which the Adviser or its affiliates may not need to make additional cash payments to be included; (iii) promotion of the sale of the Fund's shares in communications with a financial intermediaries' customers, sales representatives or management representatives; and/or (iv) other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of the Fund's shares. These additional cash payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to Fund shareholders. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay cash compensation in the form of finders' fees or referral fees that vary depending on the Fund and the dollar amount of shares sold.

The amount and value of additional cash payments vary for each financial intermediary. The additional cash payment arrangement between a particular financial intermediary and the Adviser or its affiliates may provide for increased rates of compensation as the dollar value of the Fund's shares sold or invested through such financial intermediary increases. The availability of these additional cash payments, the varying fee structure within a particular additional cash payment arrangement and the basis for and manner in which a financial intermediary compensates its sales representatives may create a financial incentive for a particular financial intermediary and its sales representatives to recommend the Fund's shares over the shares of other mutual funds based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. A financial intermediary and its sales representatives may have similar financial incentives to recommend a particular class of a Fund's shares over other classes of its shares. You should consult with your financial adviser and review carefully any disclosure by the financial firm as to compensation received by your financial adviser.

Although the Fund may use financial firms that sell the Fund's shares to effect portfolio transactions for the Fund, the Fund and the Adviser will not consider the sale of the Fund's shares as a factor when choosing financial firms to effect those transactions.

For more information about these additional cash payments made to financial intermediaries, please refer to the section entitled "Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries" located in the SAI.

**Rights Reserved by the Fund**

The Fund reserves the right to:

● reject any purchase order;

● suspend the offering of shares;

● vary the initial and subsequent investment minimums;

● waive the minimum investment requirement for any investor;

● redeem accounts with balances below the minimum account size after 30 days' written notice;

● redeem your shares in the event your financial intermediary's relationship with the Trust is modified or terminated;

● subject to applicable law, redeem your shares in other circumstances determined by the Board of Trustees to be in the best interest of the Fund and

● redeem your shares if you hold your shares through a financial intermediary and you propose to transfer your shares to another financial intermediary that does not have a relationship with the Trust.

The Fund will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy**

The Fund discourages frequent purchases and redemptions, and the Trust's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures consistent with such position. The Fund is not designed to accommodate market timing or short-term trading. Frequent or excessive trades into or out of the Fund in an effort to anticipate changes in market prices of their investment portfolio is generally referred to as "market timing." Market timing can adversely impact the ability of the Adviser to invest assets in an orderly manner, which in turn may adversely impact the expenses and the performance of the Fund. These expenses are borne by all Fund shareholders, including long-term investors who do not generate such costs. Specifically, frequent trading may result in the Fund engaging in activities to a greater extent than it otherwise would, such as maintaining higher cash balances, using its line of credit and trading in portfolio securities, each of which may increase expenses and decrease performance. This occurs when market timers attempt to trade Fund shares when the NAV of the Fund does not reflect the value of the underlying portfolio securities.

To deter market timing and to minimize harm to the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to restrict, reject or cancel, without prior notice, any purchase order by market timers or by those persons the Fund believes are engaging in similar trading activity that, in the judgment of the Fund or the Adviser, may be disruptive to the Fund. The Fund will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. No waivers of the provisions of this policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

The Fund's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") reviews on an as-needed basis, as determined by the CCO in coordination with the Adviser and other service providers, available information related to the trading activity in the Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of market timing or similar trading practices. If, in the CCO's judgment, the Fund or the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, such Fund may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor's account. The Fund may modify their procedures from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. Each Fund will apply its procedures in a manner that, in the Fund's judgment, will be uniform.

There is no guarantee that the Fund or its agents will be able to detect frequent trading activity or the shareholders engaged in such activity, or, if it is detected, to prevent its recurrence.

In order for a financial intermediary to purchase shares of the Fund for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person, the Trust will enter into shareholder information agreements with such financial intermediary or its agent. These agreements require each financial intermediary to provide the Fund access, upon request, to information about underlying shareholder transaction activity in these accounts and the Shareholder's Taxpayer Identification Number (or International Taxpayer Identification Number or other government issued identifier). If a shareholder information agreement has not been entered into by a financial intermediary, such financial intermediary will

be prohibited from purchasing Fund shares for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person. If necessary, the Fund may prohibit additional purchases of Fund shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers' trading activities in the Fund. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Fund. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Fund's excessive trading policies, such Fund may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES**

You may "redeem" or sell your shares on any day the Exchange is open, either directly through the Fund's transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, or through your broker-dealer. The price you receive will be the NAV next calculated after receipt of the request in good order. "Good Order" means that the redemption request is complete and includes all accurate required information including any medallion signature guarantees, if necessary.

**Redemption Policies**

Payment for redemptions of Fund shares is usually made within one business day, but not later than seven calendar days after receipt of your redemption request, unless the check used to purchase the shares has not yet cleared. The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment for more than seven days during any period when: (1) trading on the Exchange is restricted or the Exchange is closed for other than customary weekends and holidays, (2) the SEC has by order permitted such suspension for the protection of the Fund's shareholders or (3) an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable. The Fund will automatically redeem shares if a purchase check is returned for insufficient funds and the shareholder's account will be charged for any loss. The Fund reserve the right to reject any third party check.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally meets redemption requests through its holdings of cash or cash equivalents or by selling a portion of the Fund's holdings consistent with its investment strategy. The Fund generally pays redemptions proceeds in cash; however, the Fund reserves the right to honor certain redemptions "in-kind" with securities, rather than cash. The Fund is more likely to redeem in-kind to meet large redemption requests or during times of market stress.

**TO REDEEM FROM YOUR ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

To redeem your shares by mail:

● Write a letter of instruction that includes the name of the applicable Fund, your account number, the name(s) in which the account is registered and the dollar value or number of shares you wish to sell.

● Include all signatures and any additional documents that may be required.

● Mail your request to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6034 |

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● A check will be mailed to the name(s) and address in which the account is registered and may take up to seven days.

● The Fund may require additional documentation or a medallion signature guarantee on any redemption request to help protect against fraud.

● The Fund requires a medallion signature guarantee if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record.

**By Telephone**

To redeem your shares by telephone, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034. The proceeds will be paid to the registered owner: (1) by mail at the address on the account, or (2) by wire to the pre-designated bank account on the fund account. To use the telephone redemption privilege, you must have selected this service on your original account application or submitted a subsequent medallion signature guaranteed request in writing to add this service to your account. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing reserve the right to refuse any telephone transaction when they are unable to confirm to their satisfaction that a caller is the account owner or a person preauthorized by the account owner. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing has established security procedures to prevent unauthorized account access. Neither the Fund nor any of its service contractors will be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The telephone transaction privilege may be suspended, limited, modified or terminated at any time without prior notice by the Fund or BNY Mellon Investment Servicing.

**By Wire**

In the case of redemption proceeds that are wired to a bank, the Fund transmits the payment only on days that the commercial banks are open for business and only to the bank and account previously authorized on your application or your medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing will not be responsible for any delays in wired redemption proceeds due to heavy wire traffic over the Federal Reserve System. Each Fund reserves the right to refuse a wire redemption if it believes that it is advisable to do so. You may also have your redemption proceeds sent to your bank via ACH. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing does not charge for this service, however please allow 2 to 3 business days for the transfer of money to reach your banking institution.

**Selling Recently Purchased Shares**

If you wish to sell shares that were recently purchased by check, the Fund may delay mailing your redemption check for up to 15 business days after your redemption request to allow the purchase check to clear. The Fund reserves the right to reject any redemption request for shares recently purchased by check that has not cleared, and the Fund may require that a subsequent request be submitted.

**Medallion Signature Guarantees**

The Fund may require additional documentation for the redemption of corporate, partnership or fiduciary accounts or medallion signature guarantees for certain types of transfer requests or account registration changes. A medallion signature guarantee helps protect against fraud. A medallion signature guarantee is required if the address of record has changed within the past 30 days, or if the proceeds are to be paid to a person or payee which is different from the address or payee information the Fund have on record, or if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000. When the Fund requires a signature guarantee, a medallion signature must be provided. A medallion signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency, saving association or other financial institution that is participating in a medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The Fund recognizes the following three medallion programs: (i) Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP), (ii) Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and (iii) New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature guarantees from financial institutions that are not participating in one of these programs will not be accepted. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678- 6034 for further information on obtaining a proper medallion signature guarantee.

**Customer Identification Program**

Federal law requires the Fund to obtain, verify and record identifying information, which may include the name, residential or business street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or taxpayer identification number or other identifying information for each investor who opens or reopens an account with the Fund. Applications without the required information, or without any indication that a social security or taxpayer identification number has been applied for, may not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Fund reserves the right to (i) place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (ii) refuse an investment in the Fund, or to involuntarily redeem an investor's shares and close an account in the event that an investor's identity is not verified. The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account resulting from the investor's delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor's shares when an investor's identity cannot be verified.

**Late Trading**

Late trading is the practice of buying or selling Fund shares at the closing price after the Fund's NAV has been set for the day. Federal securities laws governing mutual funds prohibit late trading. The Fund has adopted trading policies designed to comply with requirements of the federal securities laws.

**TRANSACTION POLICIES**

**Timing of Purchase or Sale Requests**

All requests received in good order by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing or authorized dealers of Fund shares before the close of regular trading on the Exchange, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, will be executed the same day, at that day's NAV. Such orders received after the close of regular trading of the Exchange will be executed the following day, at that day's NAV. All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Purchase and redemption orders are executed only on days when the Exchange is open for trading. If the Exchange closes early, the deadlines for purchase and redemption orders are accelerated to the earlier closing time.

**New York Stock Exchange Closings**

The Exchange is typically closed for trading on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

**Other Documents**

Additional documents may be required for purchases and redemptions when shares are registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, association, agent, fiduciary, trust, estate or other organization. For further information, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034.

**SHAREHOLDER SERVICES**

**Your Account with the Fund**

If you have questions about your account, including purchases, redemptions, and distributions, call Shareholder Services from Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern time. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034.

**Account Statements**

The Fund provides you with these helpful services and information about your account:

● a confirmation statement after every transaction;

● monthly account statements reflecting transactions made during the month;

● an annual account statement reflecting all transactions for the year; and

● tax information, after the end of each year, a copy of which will also be filed with the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS"), if necessary.

Financial statements with a summary of portfolio composition and performance will be mailed at least twice a year.

The Fund provides the above shareholder services without charge, but may charge for special services such as requests for historical transcripts of accounts.

**Delivery of Shareholder Documents**

To reduce expenses, the Fund mails only one copy of its Prospectus and each Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034 or, if your shares are held through a financial institution, please contact the financial institution directly. The Fund will begin sending you individual copies within 30 days after receiving your request.

**DISTRIBUTIONS**

Dividends from net investment income and distributions of net capital gains, if any, are declared and paid annually to you. The Fund will distribute net realized gains from foreign currency transactions, if any, after the end of the fiscal year in which the gain was realized. The amount of any distribution will vary and there is no guarantee that the Fund will pay either a dividend or a capital gain distribution.

Distributions are payable to the shareholders of record at the time the distributions are declared (including holders of shares being redeemed, but excluding holders of shares being purchased). All distributions are reinvested in additional shares, unless you elect to receive the distributions in cash. Shares become entitled to receive distributions on the day after the shares are issued. If you invest in the Fund shortly before the ex-dividend date of a taxable distribution, the distribution will lower the value of that Fund's shares by the amount of the distribution and, in effect, you will receive some of your investment back in the form of a taxable distribution (see "More Information about Taxes – Distributions").

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TAXES**

Each shareholder and prospective investor's particular tax situation is unique, and, therefore, the tax information in this Prospectus is provided only for general information purposes and only for U.S. taxpayers and should not be considered as tax advice or relied on by a shareholder or prospective investor.

**General.** The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a regulated investment company (a "RIC") under Subchapter M of the Code. As such, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders provided it satisfies certain requirements and restrictions set forth in the Code one of which is to distribute to its shareholders substantially all of its income and gains each year. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC: (1) it will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and will be subject to tax on at the corporate tax rates then in effect; and (2) all distributions from its earnings and profits (as determined under federal income tax principles) will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and the non-corporate shareholder long-term capital gain rate for "qualified dividend income" and ordinary rates for all other distributions, except for those treated as a return of capital or substitute dividends with respect to dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund. In addition, dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

**Distributions.** The Fund will make distributions to you that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains (which may be taxed at different rates depending on the length of time the Fund holds its assets). The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions are taxable whether you reinvest such distributions in additional shares of the Fund or choose to receive cash.

Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred retirement account (such as a 401(k) or an IRA), you should consider avoiding a purchase of Fund shares shortly before the Fund makes a distribution, because making such a purchase can increase your taxes and the cost of the shares. This is known as "buying a dividend". For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the Fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you received — even if you reinvest it in more shares and have to pay the tax due on the dividend without receiving any cash to pay the taxes. To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest.

**Ordinary Income.** Net investment income (except for qualified dividends and income designated as tax-exempt), distributions of income from securities lending, and short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Certain dividends distributed to non-corporate shareholders and designated by the Fund as "qualified dividend income" are eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rates. Short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. In addition, certain qualified REIT dividends may be eligible for a deduction for non-corporate shareholders.

**Net Capital Gains.** Net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) distributed to you, if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains (based on the Fund's holding period) for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Sale or Exchange of Shares.** It is a taxable event for you if you sell shares of the Fund or exchange shares of the Fund for shares of another Fund. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you sell or exchange, you

may have a taxable gain or loss on the transaction. Any realized gain will be taxable to you, and, generally, will be capital gain, assuming you held the shares of the Fund as a capital asset. The capital gain will be long-term or short-term depending on how long you have held your shares in the Fund. Sales of shares of the Fund that you have held for twelve months or less will be a short-term capital gain or loss and if held for more than twelve months will constitute a long-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends, if any, received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.

**Returns of Capital.** If the Fund's distributions exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in the same taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable, to the extent of each shareholder's basis in the Fund's shares but will reduce each shareholder's cost basis in the Fund and result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold. If the return of capital distribution exceeds a shareholder's cost basis, the excess amount will be capital gain, assuming you held your shares as a capital asset, and will be long-term or short-term capital gain depending on how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Medicare Contribution Tax.** U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000, if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately) will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income including interest (excluding tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains. If applicable, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of the individual's (i) net investment income or (ii) the excess of modified adjusted gross income over $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately).

**IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans.** One major exception to these tax principles is that a distribution on or the sale or exchange of shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless the shares were acquired with borrowed funds.

**Backup Withholding.** The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on all taxable distributions and sales payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

**State and Local Income Taxes.** Distributions may be exempt from state and local tax to the extent that they are derived from certain U.S. government securities and meet certain requirements. This Prospectus does not discuss the state and local tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. **You are urged and advised to consult your own tax adviser concerning state and local taxes, which may have different consequences from those of the federal income tax laws.**

**Non-U.S. Shareholders.** Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. tax as a result of an investment in the Fund. The Fund is required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments made to foreign entities that do not qualify for reduced withholding rates under a treaty and do not meet specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. This Prospectus does not discuss the U.S. or foreign country tax consequences of an investment by a non-U.S. shareholder in the Fund. **Non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the U.S. and foreign country tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**Basis Reporting and Holding Periods.** A shareholder is responsible for tracking the tax basis and holding periods of the shareholder's shares in the Fund for federal income tax purposes. However, RICs, such as the Fund, must report cost basis information to you and the IRS when a shareholder sells or exchanges shares that are not in a tax deferred retirement account. The Fund will permit shareholders to elect from among several IRS accepted cost basis methods.

**Statements and Notices.** You will receive an annual statement outlining the tax status of your distributions. You may also receive written notices of certain foreign taxes and distributions paid by the Fund during the prior taxable year.

***This section is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations of taxable U.S. shareholders that may affect your investment in the Fund. This summary is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered as tax advice and may not be relied on by a prospective investor. This general summary does not apply to non-U.S. shareholders or tax-exempt shareholders, and does not address state, local or foreign taxes. More information regarding these considerations is included in the Fund's SAI. All prospective investors and shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser regarding the effects of an investment in the Fund on their particular tax situation.***

**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS**

The Financial Highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the periods shown. Institutional Class shares have not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in a Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information for the fiscal periods ended April 30, 2019 and April 30, 2020 has been derived from financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the Fund's 2020 Annual Report. The information provided for the six month period ended October 31, 2020 is unaudited. The Fund's 2020 Annual Report and the unaudited financial statements and notes thereto in the Fund's semi-annual report for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2020 (the "Semi-Annual Report") are incorporated by reference to the Fund's SAI and are available upon request by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6034. The Fund commenced operations on June 14, 2018 and subsequently ceased investment operations on April 14, 2021 due to redemption of all shareholders. The Fund currently has no assets and no shareholders and, therefore, no financial statements are available for fiscal periods after October 31, 2020.

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Investor Class Shares** | **For the <br> Six Months <br> Ended <br> October 31, <br> 2020 <br> (Unaudited)** | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30, <br> 2020** | **For the<br> Period <br> June 14,<br> 2018<sup>(1)</sup> to <br> April 30, <br> 2019** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** | | | |
| Net asset value, beginning of year/period | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Net investment income | 0.0001 | 0.0136 | 0.0162 |
| Net realized gain/(loss) from investments |  | 0.0001 | (0.0000 |
| Net increase in net assets resulting from operations | 0.0001 | 0.0137 | 0.0162 |
| Dividends and distribution to shareholders from: |  |  |  |
| Net investment income | (0.0001 | (0.0137) | (0.0162 |
| Net asset value, end of year/period | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Total investment return<sup>3</sup> | 0.01 | 1.38% | 1.64 |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of period (in thousands) | $137550 | $356347 | $323892 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 0.08 | 0.43% | 0.33 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers<sup>4</sup> | 0.83 | 0.75% | 0.77 |
| Ratio of net investment income to average net assets | 0.01 | 1.36% | 1.88 |

---

\* Annualized.

<sup>1</sup> Commencement of operations.

<sup>2</sup> Amount is less than $0.00005 per share.

<sup>3</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not annualized.

<sup>4</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

**PACIFIC CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET FUND** *a series of* **FundVantage Trust**

(888) 678-6034

**FOR MORE INFORMATION**

**For additional information about the Fund, the following documents, when available, are free upon request:**

**Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information**

The Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information contain more information about the Fund's investments and performance including information on the Fund's portfolio holdings and operating results for the most recently completed fiscal year or half-year. The Annual Financials and Additional Information includes a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year*.*

**Statement of Additional Information (SAI)**

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Fund and its policies. The information in the SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is part of this Prospectus.

You can get a free copy of these documents and other information, or ask us any questions, including information on how to purchase or redeem Fund shares, by calling us at (888) 678-6034 or writing to:

Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund FundVantage Trust c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing P.O. Box 534445 Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445

If you buy your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact that financial intermediary directly for this information.

Reports and information about the Fund (including the SAI and Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information) may be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov*. Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: *publicinfo@sec.gov*.

The investment company registration number is 811-22027. STPCG-0925

![](sai-pcgxx_001.jpg)

**PACIFIC CAPITAL U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET FUND**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Institutional Class** | **Investor Class** |
| **PCGXX** | **PCUXX** |

---

**a series of**

**FundVantage Trust**

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**

**September 1, 2025**

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") provides information about the Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund (the "Fund") (a series of FundVantage Trust (the "Trust")).

This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Fund's current prospectus dated September 1, 2025, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the "Prospectus"). This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Financials and Additional Information may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Fund at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 or by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6034*.*

 

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| [GENERAL INFORMATION](#saipcus_001) | 1 |
| [INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES](#saipcus_002) | 1 |
| [DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS](#saipcus_003) | 7 |
| [INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS](#saipcus_004) | 8 |
| [TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS](#saipcus_005) | 10 |
| [EXECUTIVE OFFICERS](#saipcus_006) | 11 |
| [CODE OF ETHICS](#saipcus_007) | 14 |
| [PROXY VOTING](#saipcus_008) | 15 |
| [CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES](#saipcus_009) | 15 |
| [INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES](#saipcus_010) | 15 |
| [PORTFOLIO MANAGERS](#saipcus_011) | 17 |
| [ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES](#saipcus_012) | 19 |
| [ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS](#saipcus_013) | 19 |
| [BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES](#saipcus_014) | 20 |
| [ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES](#saipcus_015) | 20 |
| [DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES](#saipcus_016) | 21 |
| [CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES](#saipcus_017) | 23 |
| [PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES](#saipcus_018) | 24 |
| [DIVIDENDS](#saipcus_019) | 24 |
| [CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS](#saipcus_020) | 25 |
| [Financial Statements](#saipcus_021) | 32 |
| [APPENDIX A DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS](#saipcus_022) | A-1 |
| [APPENDIX B PROXY VOTING Policies](#saipcus_023) | B-1 |

---

i

**GENERAL INFORMATION**

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 28, 2006. The Trust is a series trust authorized to issue separate series or classes of shares of beneficial interest ("Shares"). The Trust has established the Fund as a separate series of the Trust. The Fund offers Institutional and Investor Class Shares. This SAI only relates to the Fund. The Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii (the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

The Fund operates as a money market fund and seeks to comply with the requirements of Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"), as that Rule may be interpreted and amended from time to time. The Rule's key provisions govern the maturity, liquidity, quality and diversification of its money market fund investments. For example, with respect to maturity, Rule 2a-7 currently provides that money funds limit their investments to securities with remaining maturities of 397 days or less, and maintain dollar-weighted average maturities of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life to maturity of 120 days or less, all calculated as described in the Rule or any interpretation thereunder. Taxable money funds are subject to minimum liquidity requirements that prohibit a fund from acquiring certain types of securities if, immediately after the acquisition, the fund's investments in daily or weekly liquid assets, as defined in the Rule, would be below 10% or 30%, respectively, of the fund's total assets. In addition, money funds may only invest in high quality instruments.

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES**

The following discussion supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objectives and policies of the Fund. In addition, although not principal strategies of the Fund, the Fund may invest in other types of securities and engage in other investment practices as described in the Prospectus or in this SAI. Unless otherwise indicated, the Fund is permitted to invest in each of the investments listed below, or engage in each of the investment techniques listed below consistent with the Fund's investment objectives, policies and strategies. The investment limitations below are considered to be non-fundamental policies which may be changed at any time by a vote of the Fund's Board of Trustees, unless designated as a "Fundamental" policy. In addition, any stated percentage limitations are measured at the time of the purchase of a security.

The Fund invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in (1) U.S. government securities, (2) repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by U.S. government securities or cash, (3) cash, and/or (4) other money market mutual funds that operate as Government Money Market Funds. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. government securities and repurchase agreements that are fully collateralized by U.S. government securities. In contrast to the Fund's 99.5% policy, the Fund's 80% policy does not include cash. The 80% policy is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.

**BORROWING.** The Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. This means that, in general, the Fund may borrow money from banks for any purpose on a secured basis in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may also borrow money for temporary administrative purposes on an unsecured basis in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets.

Specifically, provisions of the 1940 Act require the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.

As noted below, the Fund also may enter into certain transactions, including reverse repurchase agreements that can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing or financing transaction by the Fund. To the extent the Fund covers its commitment under a reverse repurchase agreement (or economically similar transaction) by the segregation or "earmarking" of assets determined in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, equal in value to the amount of the Fund's commitment to repurchase, such an agreement will not be considered a "senior security" by the Fund and therefore will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by the Fund. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value ("NAV") of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements and economically similar transactions. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a portfolio-eligible security by the Fund, coupled with its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund continues to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. The Fund typically will segregate or "earmark" assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, equal (on a daily mark-to-market basis) to its obligations under reverse repurchase agreements. However, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by the Fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by the Fund which it is obligated to repurchase. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings by the Fund under the 1940 Act. To the extent that positions in reverse repurchase agreements are not covered through the segregation or "earmarking" of liquid assets at least equal to the amount of any forward purchase commitment, such transactions would be subject to the Fund's limitations on borrowings.

The Fund has adopted non-fundamental limitations which restrict circumstances in which and the degree to which the Fund can engage in borrowing. See the section entitled "Investment Limitations," below.

**CREDIT RATINGS.** Credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments, not market value risk. The rating of an issuer is also heavily weighted by past developments and does not necessarily reflect probable future conditions. There is frequently a lag between the time a rating is assigned and the time it is updated. Also, because credit rating agencies may fail to timely change credit ratings to reflect subsequent events, the Adviser must monitor the issuers of bonds in the Fund's portfolio to determine if the issuers will have sufficient cash flow and profits to meet required principal and interest payments, and to assure the bonds' liquidity so that the Fund can meet redemption requests.

To the extent the rating of a debt security by an NRSRO changes as a result of changes in such organization or its rating systems, the Fund will attempt to use comparable ratings as standards for investments in accordance with the investment policies contained in its Prospectus and in this SAI. The ratings of the NRSROs currently used by the Fund are more fully described in Appendix A to this SAI.

**CYBER SECURITY.** The Fund and its service providers are susceptible to operational and information security risks due to cyber security incidents. In general, cyber security incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber security attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (*e.g*., through "hacking" or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. Cyber attacks also may be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (*i.e*., efforts to make services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security incidents affecting the Adviser, Transfer Agent or Custodian or other service providers such as financial intermediaries have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, including by interference with the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading for the Fund's portfolio; the inability of fund shareholders to transact business with the Fund; violations of applicable privacy, data security or other laws; regulatory fines and penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs; legal fees; or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber security incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions and other parties. While information risk management systems and business continuity plans have been developed which are designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there are inherent limitations in any cyber security risk management systems or business continuity plans, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified.

**DEBT SECURITIES.** Debt securities represent money borrowed that obligates the issuer to repay the borrowed amount at maturity (when the obligation is due and payable) and usually to pay the holder interest at specific times. The debt securities in which the Fund will invest will be consistent with its investment objectives and strategies and will be rated in the top two rating categories by an NRSRO, or, if unrated, determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser.

**ILLIQUID SECURITIES and Liquidity Risk Management PROGRAM.** The Fund may not knowingly invest more than 5% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days at approximately the value at which they are being carried on the Fund's books. The Board of Trustees has the ultimate responsibility for determining whether specific securities are liquid or illiquid. The Board of Trustees has delegated the function of making day to day determinations of liquidity to the Adviser, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of securities held by the Fund and report periodically on such decisions to the Board of Trustees. If the limitations on illiquid securities are exceeded, other than by a change in market values, the condition will be reported by the Fund's Adviser to the Board of Trustees. Repurchase agreements with a duration of seven days or more, time deposits that do not provide for payment to the Fund within seven days after notice are subject to this 5% limit. External market conditions may impact the liquidity of portfolio securities and may cause the Fund to sell or divest certain illiquid securities in order to comply with its limitation on holding illiquid securities, which may result in losses to the Fund.

Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires, among other things, that the Fund establish a liquidity risk management program ("LRMP") that is reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 defines "liquidity risk" as the risk that a fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the fund without significant dilution of the remaining investors' interests in the fund. The Fund has implemented a LRMP to meet the relevant requirements. Additionally, the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the designation of a committee of individuals comprised of the Fund's President, Treasurer, and Chief Compliance Officer (the "LRMP Administrator") to administer the LRMP. The Board of Trustees will review no less frequently than annually a written report prepared by the LRMP Administrator that addresses the operation of the LRMP and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation. Among other things, the LRMP provides for the classification of each Fund investment as a "highly liquid investment," "moderately liquid investment," "less liquid investment" or "illiquid investment." The liquidity risk classifications of the Fund's investments are determined after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations. To the extent that a Fund investment is deemed to be an "illiquid investment" or a "less liquid investment," the Fund can expect to be exposed to greater liquidity risk. There is no guarantee the LRMP will be effective in its operations, and complying with Rule 22e-4, including bearing related costs, could impact the Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

**INFLATION-PROTECTED DEBT SECURITIES.** To the extent consistent with its investment objective and strategy, the Fund may invest in inflation-protected debt securities or inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. The U.S. Treasury utilizes a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS") have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if the Fund purchased TIPS with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year's inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).

Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate.

**INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies (each, an "Underlying Fund"), including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts ("UITs") and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the "Acquired Fund"), such as the Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the "Acquiring Fund") or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of the Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC no-action relief.

Set forth below is additional information about the manner in which ETFs generally operate and the risks associated with an investment in ETFs.

The Fund generally expects to purchase shares of ETFs through broker-dealers in transactions on a securities exchange, and in such cases the Fund will pay customary brokerage commissions for each purchase and sale. Shares of an ETF may also be acquired by depositing a specified portfolio of the ETF's underlying securities, as well as a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit, with the ETF's custodian, in exchange the ETF will issue a quantity of new shares, sometimes referred to as a "creation unit". Similarly, shares of an ETF purchased on an exchange may be accumulated until they represent a creation unit, and the creation unit may redeemed in kind for a portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETF's NAV) together with a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. The Fund may redeem creation units for the underlying securities (and any applicable cash), and may assemble a portfolio of the underlying securities (and any required cash) to purchase creation units, if the Adviser believes it is in the Fund's interest to do so. The Fund's ability to redeem creation units may be limited by the 1940 Act, which provides that an ETF will not be obligated to redeem shares held by the Fund in an amount exceeding one percent of such ETF's total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days.

<u>Termination Risk</u>. There is a risk that an ETF in which the Fund invests may terminate due to extraordinary events. For example, any of the service providers to an ETF, such as the trustee or sponsor, may close or otherwise fail to perform its obligations to the ETF, and the ETF may not be able to find a substitute service provider. Also, the ETF may be dependent upon licenses to use the various indices as a basis for determining its composition and/or otherwise to use certain trade names. If these licenses are terminated, the ETF may also terminate or experience a disruption in its activities. In addition, an ETF may terminate if its net assets fall below a certain amount.

Although the Adviser believes that, in the event of the termination of an ETF, the Fund will be able to invest instead in shares of an alternate ETF tracking the same market index or another index covering the same general market, there can be no assurance that shares of an alternate ETF will be available for investment at that time.

**MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES.** To the extent consistent with its investment objective and strategy, the Fund may invest in mortgage-related securities. Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations (non-governmental mortgage securities cannot be treated as U.S. government securities for purposes of investment policy). See "Mortgage Pass-Through Securities." The Fund may also invest in debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations").

The recent financial downturn—particularly the increase in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgages, falling home prices, and unemployment — has adversely affected the market for mortgage-related securities. In addition, various market and governmental actions may impair the ability to foreclose on or exercise other remedies against underlying mortgage holders, or may reduce the amount received upon foreclosure. These factors have caused certain mortgage-related securities to experience lower valuations and reduced liquidity. There is also no assurance that the U.S. Government will take further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economic downturn continue or the economy experience another downturn. Further, recent legislative action and any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk that the Fund could realize losses on mortgage-related securities.

<u>Mortgage Pass-Through Securities</u>. Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA")) are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase.

The residential mortgage market in the United States recently has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Fund's mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased recently and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has recently been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

<u>Agency Mortgage-Related Securities</u>. The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA"), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA").

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Fund's industry concentration restrictions, set forth below under "Investment Limitations," by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. Government securities. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA.

<u>Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs")</u>. A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.

<u>Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits</u>. The Fund may also invest in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs"). REMICs are pass-through vehicles created to issue multiclass mortgage backed securities. Guaranteed REMIC pass-through certificates issued by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA are types of multiple class pass-through securities.

**REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commits to resell that security to a bank or dealer at an agreed upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest, unrelated to the coupon rate or the maturity of the purchased security. The period of maturity is usually quite short, often overnight or a few days, although it may extend over a number of months. The Fund may only enter into repurchase agreements only with respect to obligations that could otherwise be purchased by the Fund. All repurchase agreements will be fully collateralized based on values that are marked to market daily by the Adviser. If the seller defaults and the value of the underlying securities has declined, the Fund may incur a loss. In addition, if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security, the Fund's disposition of the security may be delayed or limited. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered illiquid for purposes of the Fund's investment limitations.

**SECURITIES LENDING.** For the purpose of achieving income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions, provided: (i) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposits, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned; (ii) the Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of the securities loaned; (iii) the Fund will receive any interest or dividends paid on the loaned securities; and (iv) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33 1/3% of the total assets of the Fund. The Fund's performance will continue to reflect the receipt of either interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments, or a fee, if the collateral is U.S. Government securities. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral should the borrower fail to return the securities loaned or become insolvent. The Fund may pay lending fees to the party arranging the loan.

**SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in special purpose acquisition companies ("SPACs"). SPACs are collective investment structures that pool funds in order to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less an amount to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities and cash. SPACs and similar entities may be blank check companies with no operating history or ongoing business other than to seek a potential acquisition. Accordingly, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity's management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Certain SPACs may seek acquisitions only in limited industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. Investments in SPACs may be deemed illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective. If a SPAC does not complete an acquisition within a specified period of time after going public, the SPAC is dissolved, at which point the invested funds are returned to the SPAC's shareholders (less certain permitted expenses) and any rights or warrants issued by the SPAC expire worthless.

**U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS.** The Fund may invest in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Although all obligations of such agencies and instrumentalities are not direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Government generally directly or indirectly backs payment of the interest and principal on these obligations. This support can range from securities supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (for example, GNMA securities) to securities that are supported solely or primarily by the creditworthiness of the issuer, such as securities of the FNMA, FHLMC, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Federal Farm Credit Banks and Federal Home Loan Banks. In the case of obligations not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Whether backed by full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury or not, U.S. Government obligations are not guaranteed against price movements due to fluctuating interest rates.

The Fund may also make limited investments (not exceeding 5% of its net assets) in separately traded (stripped) principal and interest components of securities issued by the United States Treasury. The principal and interest components of selected securities are traded independently under the Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal Securities program ("STRIPS"). Under the STRIPS program, the principal and interest components are individually numbered and separately issued by the U.S. Treasury at the request of depository financial institutions, which then trades the component parts independently.

Other types of stripped securities include stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS"). SMBS usually are structured with two or more classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions from a pool of mortgage-backed obligations. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving all of the interest, while the other class receives all of the principal. However, in some instances, one class will receive some of the interest and most of the principal while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. If the underlying obligations experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in these securities. The market value of the class consisting entirely of principal payments generally is extremely volatile in response to changes in interest rates. The yields on a class of SMBS that receives all or most of the interest generally are higher than prevailing market yields on other mortgage-backed obligations because their cash flow patterns also are volatile and there is a risk that the initial investment will not be recouped fully. SMBS issued by the U.S. government (or a U.S. government agency, instrumentality or sponsored enterprise) may be considered liquid pursuant to certain guidelines.

**UNRATED AND DOWNGRADED INVESTMENTS.** The Fund may purchase instruments that are not rated if, in the opinion of the adviser, such obligations are of comparable quality to other rated investments that are permitted to be purchased by the Fund. The Fund may purchase unrated instruments only if they are purchased in accordance with the Fund's procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees in accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act. After purchase by the Fund, a security may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum required for purchase by the Fund. In the event that a portfolio security ceases to be an "Eligible Security" or no longer "presents minimal credit risks," immediate sale of such security is not required, provided that the Board of Trustees has determined that disposal of the portfolio security would not be in the best interests of the Fund.

**VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in variable and floating rate instruments to the extent consistent with its investment objectives and strategies. Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular and range from daily up to annually, or may be event-based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

Some variable rate securities may be combined with a put or demand feature (variable rate demand securities) that entitles the holder to the right to demand repayment in full or to resell at a specific price and/or time. While the demand feature is intended to reduce credit risks, it is not always unconditional and may be subject to termination if the issuer's credit rating falls below investment grade or if the issuer fails to make payments on other debt. While most variable rate demand securities allow a fund to exercise its demand rights at any time, some such securities may only allow a fund to exercise its demand rights at certain times, which reduces the liquidity usually associated with this type of security. There may also be a period of time between when a fund exercises its demand rights and when the demand feature provider is obligated to pay. A fund could suffer losses in the event that the demand feature provider, usually a bank, fails to meet its obligation to pay the demand.

The Fund may invest in floating and variable rate debt instruments ("floaters"). The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as a money-market index or Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, the Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well.

**WHEN-ISSUED, DELAYED DELIVERY AND FORWARD COMMITMENT TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Typically, no income accrues on securities the Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made.

When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations, and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its NAV. Because the Fund is not required to pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other investments. If the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

When the Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or could suffer a loss. The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a transaction after it is entered into, and may sell when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment securities before they are delivered, which may result in a capital gain or loss. There is no percentage limitation on the extent to which the Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. The Fund does not intend to engage in when-issued purchases and forward commitments for speculative purposes but only in furtherance of its investment objectives. The forward commitments and when-issued purchases are not expected to exceed 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets absent unusual market conditions.

**TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS.** The Fund may, without limit, invest its assets in U.S. Government securities, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents in response to adverse market conditions, as a temporary defensive position. The result of this action may be that the Fund will not invest in accordance with its investment objectives or principal investment strategies and will be unable to achieve its investment objective.

**PORTFOLIO TURNOVER.** The Adviser does not anticipate significant variation in the portfolio turnover rate from that reported in the Fund's Prospectus for the last fiscal year.

**STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.** The Fund seeks to invest in securities that may be exempt from state and local taxes. This SAI does not discuss all of the state and local tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. You are urged and advised to consult your own tax adviser concerning state and local taxes, which may have different consequences from those of federal income tax laws.

**DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS**

As required by the federal or state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Fund discloses portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT, or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require. The Fund's complete list of portfolio holdings are available sixty days after each fiscal quarter end in the Fund's Form N-CSR (semiannually) and Form N-PORT (quarterly).

The Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of portfolio securities holdings. The policies and procedures are designed to allow disclosure of the Fund's holdings information where it is deemed appropriate for the Fund's operations or it is determined to be useful to the Fund's shareholders without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. Except when there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure of the Fund's holdings, the Fund will not provide or permit others to provide information about the Fund's holdings on a selective basis. The Board of Trustees provides ongoing oversight of the Trust's policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Trustees receive from the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Trustees receive an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any deviation to this policy as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such deviations must be reported to the Trust's Board of Trustees, at its next quarterly Board meeting or sooner, as determined by the Trust's CCO.

The Fund may, but is not required to, post its schedule of investments on its website at regular intervals or from time to time at the discretion of the Adviser. This information may be as of the most recent practicable date available and need not be subject to a lag period prior to its posting on its website. In addition to its schedule of investments, the Fund may post portfolio holdings information and other information on its website including, but not limited to, information about the number of securities the Fund holds, a summary schedule of investments, the Fund's top holdings, and a percentage breakdown of the Fund's investments by geographic region, sector, industry and market capitalization. After any portfolio holdings information becomes publicly available (by posting on its website or otherwise); it may be mailed, e-mailed or otherwise transmitted to any person.

The following disclosures of aggregate, composite or descriptive information about the Fund or its portfolio holdings are not subject to the Trust's policy on selective disclosure of portfolio information: (i) descriptions of allocations among classes, geographic regions, countries, industries or sectors; (ii) aggregated data such as average or median ratios or market capitalization; (iii) performance attribution by class, geographic region, country, industry or sector; (iv) aggregated risk statistics; (v) listing of top holdings without any reference to the amount of the Fund's holdings; and (vi) such other information that, in the opinion of the CCO or designee, does not present material risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading of the Fund. The Fund's portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to financial consultants or other entities that have a legitimate business purpose in receiving such information, including to assist them in determining the suitability of the Fund as an investment for their clients. In each case, such disclosure will be made in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, the Adviser's fiduciary duties to the Fund's shareholders and subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Board of Trustees, a committee thereof, or an officer designated by the Board of Trustees, may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Fund may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about its holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's, or its Adviser's employees and affiliates that provide services to the Fund. The Fund may also distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Fund's holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's service providers who require access to the information (i) in order to fulfill their contractual duties relating to the Fund; (ii) to facilitate the transition of a newly hired investment adviser prior to the commencement of its duties; (iii) to facilitate the review of the Fund by a ranking or ratings agency; (iv) for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition; or (v) for the purpose of effecting in-kind redemption of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of the Fund's assets and minimize impact on remaining shareholders of the Fund.

Each of the following third parties has been approved to receive portfolio holdings information: (i) the Fund's administrator and accounting agent; (ii) the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, for use in providing audit opinions; (iii) financial printers, solely for the purpose of preparing the Fund's reports or regulatory filings; (iv) the Fund's custodian in connection with its custody of the Fund's assets; (v) if applicable, a proxy voting service; or (vi) disclosure to a ranking or rating agency, such as Lipper, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Moody's, S&P and Fitch. Information may be provided to these parties at any time so long as each of these parties is contractually and ethically prohibited from sharing the Fund's portfolio holding information without specific authorization. The Fund's Adviser and service providers have also established procedures to ensure that the Fund's portfolio holdings information is only disclosed in accordance with these policies.

The Adviser manages other accounts such as separate accounts (in the U.S. and foreign countries) and other registered and unregistered pooled investment vehicles (in foreign countries). These other accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus may have similar portfolio holdings. Such accounts may make disclosures at different times than the Fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed. Additionally, such accounts may have access to their portfolio holdings and may not be subject to the forgoing restrictions.

Under no circumstances may the Fund, the Adviser or their affiliates receive any consideration or compensation for disclosing portfolio holdings information.

**INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS**

The Fund has adopted the investment limitations set forth below. Except with respect to the asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowing, if any percentage restriction on investment or utilization of assets is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market values of the Fund or the Fund's assets or redemptions of shares will not be considered a violation of the limitation. The asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowings is an ongoing requirement.

The following fundamental policies apply to the Fund and the Board of Trustees may not change them without shareholder approval.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, or other successor law governing the regulation of registered investment companies, or interpretations or modifications thereof by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), SEC staff or other authority of competent jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority of competent jurisdiction, the Fund may not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a. Borrow money;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b. Issue senior securities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c. Underwrite the securities of other issuers;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;d. Purchase or sell real estate or commodities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;e. Make loans; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;f. Purchase the securities of any issuer if, as a result of such purchase, the Fund's investments would be concentrated in any particular industry, except that the Fund may invest without limitation in U.S. government securities and bank obligations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. The Fund may not invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control or management.

Nonfundamental policies — The following policies may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. The Fund may not invest in securities of other investment companies, except as permitted by the 1940 Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. The Fund may not acquire securities of open-end investment companies or unit investment trusts registered under the 1940 Act in reliance on Sections 12(d)(1)(F) or 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

**Additional information about fundamental policies.** The information below is not part of the Fund's fundamental policies. This information is intended to provide a summary of what is currently required or permitted by the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, or by the interpretive guidance thereof by the SEC or SEC staff, for particular fundamental policies of the Fund. Information is also provided regarding the Fund's current intention with respect to certain investment practices permitted by the 1940 Act.

For purposes of fundamental policy 1a, the Fund may borrow money in amounts of up to 33-1/3% of its total assets from banks for any purpose. Additionally, the Fund may borrow up to 5% of its total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes (a loan is presumed to be for temporary purposes if it is repaid within 60 days and is not extended or renewed). The percentage limitations in this policy are considered at the time of borrowing and thereafter.

For purposes of fundamental policy 1b, a senior security does not include any promissory note or evidence of indebtedness if such loan is for temporary purposes only and in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund at the time the loan is made (a loan is presumed to be for temporary purposes if it is repaid within 60 days and is not extended or renewed). Further, to the extent the Fund covers its commitments under certain types of agreements and transactions, including sale-buybacks, when-issued, delayed-delivery, or forward commitment transactions, and other similar trading practices, by segregating or earmarking liquid assets equal in value to the amount of the Fund's commitment, such agreement or transaction will not be considered a senior security by the Fund.

For purposes of fundamental policy 1c, the policy will not apply to the Fund to the extent the Fund may be deemed an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of fund portfolio securities in the ordinary course of pursuing its investment objectives and strategies.

For purposes of fundamental policy 1e, the Fund may not lend more than 33-1/3% of its total assets, provided that this limitation shall not apply to the Fund's purchase of debt obligations, money market instruments and repurchase agreements.

For purposes of fundamental policy 1f, the Fund may not invest more than 25% of its total assets in the securities of issuers in a particular industry. This policy does not apply to investments in securities of the United States government, its agencies or instrumentalities, government sponsored enterprises and obligations of U.S. banks, including U.S. branches of banks based outside the United States (e.g., certificates of deposit, interest bearing time deposits, bank notes and banker's acceptances), or repurchase agreements with respect thereto. The Fund invests in such obligations using the investment criteria of, and in compliance with, Rule 2(a)(7) under the 1940 Act. In evaluating and selecting such investments, the investment adviser, on behalf of the Fund, uses the criteria set forth under the headings "Investment Objectives and Strategies" in this SAI.

**TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS**

The following tables present certain information regarding the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust. None of the Trustees are an "interested person" of the Trust, the Adviser, another investment adviser of a series of the Trust, or Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, the principal underwriter of the Trust (the "Underwriter"), within the meaning of the 1940 Act and each Trustee is referred to as an "Independent Trustee" and is listed under such heading below. Employees of certain service providers to the Trust serve as officers of the Trust; such persons are not compensated by the Fund or the Trust. The address of each Trustee and officer as it relates to the Trust's business is 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809.

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of**<br> **Funds in**<br> **Trust Complex**<br> **Overseen by**<br> **Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** |
| **Robert J. Christian**<br> Date of Birth: 2/49 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. Chairman from 2007 until September 30, 2019. | Retired since February 2006; Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust Company from February 1996 to February 2006; President of Rodney Square Management Corporation ("RSMC") (investment advisory firm) from 1996 to 2005; Vice President of RSMC from 2005 to 2006. | 28 | Optimum Fund Trust (registered investment company with 6 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Iqbal Mansur**<br> Date of Birth: 6/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. | Retired since September 2020; Professor of Finance, Widener University from 1998 to August 2020; Member of the Investment Committee of ChristianaCare Health System from January 2022 to present. | 28 | Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr.**<br> Date of Birth: 8/55 | Trustee and Chairman of the Board | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2016. Chairman since October 1, 2019. | Retired since March 2016. President of PNC Bank Delaware from June 2011 to March 2016; Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2011; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from September 1997 to July 2010. | 28 | Brinker Capital Destinations Trust (registered investment company with 10 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of**<br> **Funds in**<br> **Trust Complex**<br> **Overseen by**<br> **Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **Nancy B. Wolcott**<br> Date of Birth: 11/54 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2011. | Retired since May 2014; EVP, Head of GFI Client Service Delivery, BNY Mellon from January 2012 to May 2014; EVP, Head of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2012; President of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2008 to July 2010; Chief Operating Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2007 to 2008; Executive Vice President of PFPC Worldwide Inc. from 2006 to 2007. | 28 | Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (registered investment company with 97 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Stephen M. Wynne**<br> Date of Birth: 1/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2009. | Retired since December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from July 2010 to December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from March 2008 to July 2010; President, PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2003 to 2008. | 28 | Copeland Trust (registered investment company with 2 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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**EXECUTIVE OFFICERS**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** |
| **Joel L. Weiss**<br> Date of Birth: 1/63 | President and Chief Executive Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2007. | Senior Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; President of JW Fund Management LLC from June 2016 to July 2025; Vice President and Managing Director of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from 1993 to June 2016. |
| **Christine S. Catanzaro**<br> Date of Birth: 8/84 | Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; Consultant from October 2020 to July 2025; Senior Manager, Ernst & Young LLP from March 2013 to October 2020. |
| **T. Richard Keyes**<br> Date of Birth: 1/57 | Vice President | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2016. | President of TRK Fund Consulting LLC since July 2016; Head of Tax — U.S. Fund Services of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from February 2006 to July 2016. |

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **Gabriella Mercincavage** <br> Date of Birth: 6/68 | Assistant Treasurer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2019. | Fund Administration Consultant since January 2019; Fund Accounting and Tax Compliance Accountant to financial services companies from November 2003 to July 2018. |
| **Vincenzo A. Scarduzio**<br> Date of Birth: 4/72 | Secretary | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2012. | Director and Senior Vice President Regulatory Administration of The Bank of New York Mellon and predecessor firms since 2001. |
| **John Canning**<br> Date of Birth: 11/70 | Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Director of Chenery Compliance Group, LLC from March 2021 to present; Senior Consultant of Foreside Financial Group from August 2020 to March 2021; Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Operating Officer of Schneider Capital Management LP from May 2019 to July 2020; Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Context Capital Partners, LP from March 2016 to March 2018 and February 2019, respectively. |

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**LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES.** The basic responsibilities of the Trustees are to monitor the Trust and its funds' financial operations and performance, oversee the activities and legal compliance of the Adviser and other major service providers, keep themselves informed and exercise their business judgment in making decisions important to the Trust's proper functioning based on what the Trustees reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the shareholders. The Board of Trustees is comprised of five individuals, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Board of Trustees meets multiple times during the year (but at least quarterly) to review the investment performance of the funds and other operational matters, including policies and procedures with respect to compliance with regulatory and other requirements.

The Board of Trustees has appointed an Independent Trustee to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman's primary role is to participate in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board of Trustees and the identification of information to be presented to the Board of Trustees with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board of Trustees. The Chairman also presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and acts as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman may perform such other functions as may be requested by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Except for any duties specified herein or pursuant to the Trust's Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, the designation of Chairman does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liability that is greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Board of Trustees, generally.

Each Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees because of his or her experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills as set forth in the subsection "Trustee Qualifications," below. Based on a review of the Board of Trustees and its function, the Trustees have determined that the leadership structure of the Board of Trustees is appropriate and that the Board of Trustees' role in the risk oversight of the Trust, as discussed below, allows the Board of Trustees to effectively administer its oversight function.

The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. The responsibilities of each committee and its members are described below.

**AUDIT COMMITTEE.** The Audit Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Wynne currently serves as the chairman of the Audit Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter (the "Audit Committee Charter") for the Audit Committee. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee has the responsibility, among others, to (1) select the Trust's independent registered public accountants; (2) review and approve the scope of the independent registered public accountants' audit activity; (3) oversee the audit process of the financial statements which are the subject of the independent registered public accountants' certifications; and (4) review with such independent registered public accountants the adequacy of the Trust's basic accounting system and the effectiveness of the Trust's internal accounting controls. The Audit Committee meets at least two times per year. The Audit Committee met four times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

**NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.** The Nominating and Governance Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini. Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Mansur serves as the chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for formulating a statement of corporate governance; assessing the size, structure and composition of the Board of Trustees; determining trustee qualification guidelines as well as compensation, insurance and indemnification of Trustees; identifying Trustee candidates; oversight of Board of Trustees self-evaluations; reviewing certain regulatory and corporate matters of the Trust; and identifying, from time to time, qualified candidates to serve as the CCO for the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee meets at least once a year. The Nominating and Governance Committee met two times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. The Nominating and Governance Committee identifies potential nominees in accordance with its Statement of Policy on Qualifications for Board of Trustees Membership. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominee candidates recommended by shareholders. Shareholders who wish to recommend individuals for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee as nominee candidates may do so by submitting a written recommendation to the Secretary of the Trust at: 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809. Submissions must include sufficient biographical information concerning the recommended individual, including age, at least ten years of employment history with employer names and a description of the employer's business, and a list of board memberships (if any). The submission must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board of Trustees and to serve if elected. Recommendations must be received in a sufficient time, as determined by the Nominating and Governance Committee in its sole discretion, prior to the date proposed for the consideration of nominee candidates by the Board of Trustees. Upon the written request of shareholders holding at least a 5% interest in the Trust's shares in the aggregate, the Secretary shall present to any special meeting of shareholders such nominees for election as trustees as specified in such written request.

**TRUSTEE QUALIFICATIONS.** The following is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills that led to the Board of Trustees' conclusion that each individual identified below is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

The Board of Trustees believes that the Trustees' ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Adviser, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, support the conclusion that each Trustee is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply as to each Trustee: Mr. Marsini is the former President of PNC Bank Delaware, former Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon, former Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Wynne is the former Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Ms. Wolcott is the former Executive Vice President of US Fund Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former President of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee of other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Christian served as the Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; and Mr. Mansur is a Professor Emeritus at Widener University. He previously served as a Professor of Finance, School of Business Administration, at Widener University and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes.

In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Trustees considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board of Trustees' overall composition so that the Board of Trustees, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Trust and its funds. The summaries set forth above as to the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of the Trustees do not constitute holding out the Board of Trustees or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board of Trustees as a whole than would otherwise be the case.

**RISK OVERSIGHT.** Through its direct oversight role, and indirectly through its Committees, of officers and service providers, the Board of Trustees performs a risk oversight function for the Trust and its funds consisting, among other things, of the following activities: (1) at regular and special Board of Trustees meetings, and on an ad hoc basis as needed, receiving and reviewing reports related to the performance and operations of the Trust and its funds; (2) reviewing and approving, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust; (3) meeting with the portfolio management team to review investment strategies, techniques and the processes used to manage related risks; (4) meeting with representatives of key service providers, including the investment advisers, administrator, the distributor, the transfer agent, the custodian and the independent registered public accounting firms of the funds, to review and discuss the activities of the Trust and its funds and to provide direction with respect thereto; and (5) engaging the services of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust to test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service providers.

**SECURITY AND OTHER INTERESTS.** The following table sets forth the equity securities in the Fund and in all registered investment companies overseen by the Trustees within the Trust Complex that the Trustees beneficially owned as of December 31, 2024.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range of Equity<br> Securities in the Fund** | **Aggregate Dollar Range<br> of Equity Securities in<br> All Registered Investment<br> Companies Overseen by<br> Trustee within the Family of<br> Investment Companies** |
| **Independent Trustees** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Robert J. Christian |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Iqbal Mansur |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nancy B. Wolcott |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stephen M. Wynne |  | $50001 - $100000 |

---

As of December 31, 2024, none of the Independent Trustees, or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) served as an officer, director or was an employee of the Trust, the Adviser or the Underwriter, or of any of their respective affiliates. Nor do any of such persons serve as an officer or director or is an employee of any company controlled by or under common control with such entities. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Independent Trustees or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) owned beneficially or of record any interest in the Adviser or the Underwriter, or in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities.

**COMPENSATION.** In addition to the fees below, the Trust reimburses the Trustees for their related business expenses. The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Trustees for the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Aggregate<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust** | **Pension or<br> Retirement<br> Benefits Accrued as<br> Part of the Trust's<br> Expenses** | **Estimated<br> Annual<br> Benefits upon<br> Retirement** | **Total<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust<br> Complex** |
| Robert J. Christian | $120639 | $0 | $0 | $120639 |
| Iqbal Mansur | $135586 | $0 | $0 | $135586 |
| Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. | $145492 | $0 | $0 | $145492 |
| Nancy B. Wolcott | $120579 | $0 | $0 | $120579 |
| Stephen M. Wynne | $140509 | $0 | $0 | $140509 |

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**CODE OF ETHICS**

In accordance with Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, each of the Trust and the Adviser have adopted a code of ethics (each, a "Code" and together, the "Codes").

The Codes are intended to prohibit or restrict transactions that may be deemed to create a conflict of interest among the Adviser or the Trust. Each Code identifies the specific employees, officers or other persons who are subject thereto and all are required to abide by the provisions thereunder. Persons covered under the Codes may engage in personal trading for their own accounts, including securities that may also be purchased or held or traded by the Fund under certain circumstances.

Under the Code adopted by the Trust, personal trading is subject to specific restrictions, limitations, guidelines and other conditions. Under the Code adopted by the Adviser, personal trading is subject to pre-clearance and other conditions set forth in its Code.

On an annual basis or whenever deemed necessary, the Board of Trustees reviews reports regarding all of the Ethics Codes, including information about any material violations of the Codes. The Codes are on public file as exhibits to the Trust's registration statement with the SEC.

**PROXY VOTING**

The Board of Trustees has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting procedures and has delegated the responsibility for exercising the voting rights associated with the securities purchased and/or held by the Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Board of Trustees' continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by general fiduciary principles. It must act prudently, solely in the interest of the Fund, and for the purpose of providing benefits to the Fund. The Adviser will consider the factors that could affect the value of the Fund's investment in its determination on a vote.

The Adviser has identified certain significant contributors to shareholder value with respect to a number of common or routine matters that are often the subject of proxy solicitations for shareholder meetings. Their proxy voting procedures address these considerations and establish a framework for consideration of a vote that would be appropriate for the Fund. In particular, the proxy voting procedures outline principles and factors to be considered in the exercise of voting authority for proposals addressing such common or routine matters.

The Adviser's proxy voting procedures establish a protocol for voting of proxies in cases in which the Adviser or an affiliated entity has an interest that is reasonably likely to be affected by a proxy to be voted on behalf of the Fund or that could compromise the Adviser's independence of judgment and action in voting the proxy in the best interest of the Fund's shareholders. The Adviser believes that consistently voting in accordance with its stated guidelines will address most conflicts of interest, and to the extent any deviation of such guidelines occurs it will be carefully assessed by a securities review committee to determine if a conflict of interest exists, and if a material conflict of interest exists, the committee will determine an appropriate resolution, which may include consultation with management or Trustees of the Trust, analyses by independent third parties, or other means necessary to ensure and demonstrate the proxy was voted in the best interests of shareholders. The Adviser's proxy voting policies are attached herewith as Appendix B. The Fund is required to file annually their proxy voting record on Form N-PX with the SEC. Form N-PX is required to be filed by August 31 of each year and when filed will be available: (i) without charge by request by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6034; or (ii) on the SEC's website at *www.sec.gov*.

**CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES**

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Any person who directly or indirectly owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, may be deemed an "affiliated person" of the Fund, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. As of the date of this SAI, no person owned of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Trustees or officers of the Trust owned individually and together in excess of 1% of any class of outstanding shares of the Fund.

**INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES**

The Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii ("AMG" or the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser located at 111 South King Street, 4<sup>th</sup> Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 and serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is a separately identifiable department or division within Bank of Hawaii, which is wholly owned by the Bank of Hawaii Corporation ("BOH"). As of June 30, 2025, the Adviser had approximately $1.2 billion in assets under management. The Adviser may waive all or a portion of its advisory fee (the "Waiver"). The Waiver may be discontinued at any time at the discretion of the Adviser and does not require approval of shareholders.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Adviser (the "Investment Advisory Agreement"), the Adviser manages the assets of the Fund. The Investment Advisory Agreement has an initial term of two years and continues in effect from year to year thereafter if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees including a majority of the Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the Fund or the Adviser on 60 days' written notice without penalty.

The Investment Advisory Agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment as defined in the 1940 Act. Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual investment advisory fee, paid monthly, comprising 0.40% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.

Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser agrees to: (a) direct the investments of the Fund, subject to and in accordance with the Fund's investment objective, policies and limitations set forth in the Prospectus and this SAI; (b) purchase and sell for the Fund, securities and other investments consistent with the Fund's objective and policies; (c) supply office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary for servicing the investments of the Fund; (d) pay the salaries of all personnel of the Adviser performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities on behalf of the Trust; (e) make available and provide such information as the Trust and/or its administrator may reasonably request for use in the preparation of its registration statement, reports and other documents required by any applicable federal, foreign or state statutes or regulations; and (f) make its officers and employees available to the Trustees and officers of the Trust for consultation and discussion regarding the management of the Fund and its investment activities. Additionally, the Adviser agrees to create and maintain all necessary records in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the various functions performed by it and not otherwise created and maintained by another party pursuant to contract with the Fund. The Trust and/or the Adviser may at any time or times, upon approval by the Board of Trustees, enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements with a sub-adviser pursuant to which the Adviser delegates any or all of its duties as listed.

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which the agreement relates, except to the extent of a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its obligations and duties under the agreement.

The salaries of personnel of the Adviser performing services for the Fund relating to research, statistical and investment activities are paid by the Adviser.

The following tables set forth the aggregate fees paid by the Fund for services rendered during the period from May 1, 2020 to when the Fund ceased investment operations on April 14, 2021, the fiscal year ended April 30, 2020 and the fiscal period ended April 30, 2019:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Period from May 1, 2020 to April 14, 2021** | **For the Period from May 1, 2020 to April 14, 2021** | **For the Period from May 1, 2020 to April 14, 2021** |
| **Gross Advisory<br> Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived<br> or Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $639262 | $(1241306) | $(602044) |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2020** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2020** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2020** |
| **Gross Advisory<br> Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived<br> or Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $1340727 | $(911875) | $428852 |

---

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Period Ended April 30, 2019<sup>(1)</sup>** | **For the Fiscal Period Ended April 30, 2019<sup>(1)</sup>** | **For the Fiscal Period Ended April 30, 2019<sup>(1)</sup>** |
| **Gross Advisory<br> Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived<br> or Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $1160354 | $(959634) | $200720 |

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(1) The Fund commenced operations on June 14, 2018.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

The management of the Fund is the responsibility of Mr. Reid Smith, CFA an investment professional employed by the Adviser. The information provided below supplements the information provided in the Prospectus under the heading "Portfolio Managers" with respect to the investment professional responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, including information regarding:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) " <u>Other Accounts Managed</u>." Other accounts managed by Reid Smith, who is the Portfolio Manager and Roman Mahi, the Assistant Portfolio Manager as of April 30, 2025;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) " <u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>." Material conflicts of interest identified by the Adviser that may arise in connection with each Portfolio Manager's management of the Fund's investments and investments of other accounts managed. These potential conflicts of interest include material conflicts between the investment strategy of the Fund and the investment strategy of the other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager and conflicts associated with the allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager. Additional conflicts of interest may potentially exist or arise that are not discussed below;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) " <u>Compensation</u>." A description of the structure of, and method used to determine the compensation received by the Fund's Portfolio Managers from the Fund, the Adviser or any other source with respect to managing the Fund and any other accounts as of April 30, 2025; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) " <u>Ownership of Securities</u>." Information regarding each Portfolio Manager's dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in the Fund as of April 30, 2025.

<u>Other Accounts Managed</u>: The table below includes details regarding the number of other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager, total assets under management for each type of account and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees, as of April 30, 2025.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager/<br> Type of Accounts** | **Total<br> Number of<br> Accounts<br> Managed** | **Total Assets<br> (millions)** | **Number of<br> Accounts<br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance<br> Based<br> Advisory Fee** | **Total Assets<br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance<br> Based<br> Advisory Fee<br> (millions)** |
| **Reid Smith** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Registered Investment Companies: | 2 | $392 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 300 | $4015 | 0 | $0 |
| **Roman Mahi** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Registered Investment Companies: | 2 | $392 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 300 | $4015 | 0 | $0 |

---

<u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>. Potential conflicts may arise out of: (a) each Portfolio Manager's execution of different investment strategies for various accounts; or (b) the allocation of investment opportunities among each Portfolio Manager's accounts with the same strategy.

A Portfolio Manager may oversee funds and/or accounts managed under similar strategies and objectives. Potential conflicts of interest may arise as a result of a Portfolio Manager's responsibility for multiple accounts with similar investment guidelines. Under these circumstances, a potential investment may be suitable for more than one of a Portfolio Manager's accounts, but the quantity of the investment available for purchase is less than the aggregate amount the accounts would ideally devote to the opportunity.

Compensation paid by the clients varies, based on the type of account and services provided, and, in some situations, it is individually negotiated. A potential conflict may arise when a Portfolio Manager is responsible for accounts that have different advisory fees — the difference in fees could create an incentive for a Portfolio Manager to favor one account over another, for example, in terms of access to investment opportunities. Generally, compensation is computed as a percentage of assets under management for the client.

Generally speaking, there are no situations where the Fund's opportunities or the execution of their investment programs (e.g., purchases and sales) may be compromised or limited by the investments of other clients.

<u>Compensation</u>.

Each Portfolio Manager is employed and compensated by BOH, and not the Fund. Under BOH's compensation program, each Portfolio Manager's incentive compensation is based on a number of factors, including fund and account performance measured against appropriate benchmarks selected by the fund(s) or by BOH's management in the case of separate accounts. This compensation program is intended to align each Portfolio Manager's level of expertise relative to the success of those funds and accounts. BOH's overall compensation program is also designed to attract and retain highly qualified investment management professionals and to motivate individuals to create shareholder value.

For the portion of the incentive bonus related to portfolio performance, two measures are used: 1) performance of the portfolio relative to the benchmark index, and 2) performance of the portfolio relative to a peer group of similarly managed funds. The percentage payout calculations are scaled such that if performance is at or below a minimum threshold (i.e. below the benchmark or peer group median), no bonus for performance will be paid, if slightly above, a small percentage is paid and if well above, the maximum percentage can be paid.

Like all employees of BOH, each Portfolio Manager is eligible to participate in a Retirement Savings Plan. Under the Plan, various types of contributions are made to employees by BOH including value (profit) sharing, BOH match (which is linked to a participant's 401(k) savings contributions) and BOH fixed contribution. If a Portfolio Manager is a certain grade level or higher, he or she is also eligible to participate in a restricted share program where awards may be granted to employees whose responsibilities place them in a position to make a substantial contribution to the financial success of BOH. This component of the compensation program is intended to be internally equitable and serve to reduce potential conflicts of interest between the Trust and other funds and accounts managed by a Portfolio Manager. The compensation structure of the other Trusts and accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager are the same as the compensation structure of the Fund.

<u>Ownership of Securities</u>. As of April 30, 2025, each Portfolio Manager did not beneficially own equity securities in the Fund.

**ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES**

Pursuant to an Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated July 19, 2007, The Bank of New York Mellon performs certain administrative services for the Trust including, among other things, assisting in the preparation of the annual post-effective amendments to the Trust's registration statement, assisting in obtaining the fidelity bond and trustees' and officers'/errors and omissions insurance policies, preparing notices, agendas, and resolutions for quarterly Board of Trustees meetings, maintaining the Trust's corporate calendar, maintaining Trust contract files and providing executive and administrative services to support the Independent Trustees. The Bank of New York Mellon also performs certain administrative and accounting services for the Trust such as preparing shareholder reports, providing statistical and research data, assisting the Adviser in compliance monitoring activities, and preparing and filing federal and state tax returns on behalf of the Trust. In addition, The Bank of New York Mellon prepares and files certain reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepares certain materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Trust. The accounting services performed by The Bank of New York Mellon include determining the NAV per share of the Fund and maintaining records relating to the securities transactions of the Fund.

The tables below set forth the administration and accounting service fees paid by the Fund to The Bank of New York Mellon for services rendered for the period from May 1, 2020 to when the Fund ceased investment operations on April 14, 2021, the fiscal year ended April 30, 2020 and the fiscal period ended April 30, 2019:

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| |
|:---|
| **For the Period <br> from May 1, 2020 to <br> April 14, 2021** |
| $43110 |
| **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30, 2020** |
| $73217 |

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| |
|:---|
| **Fiscal Period Ended<br> April 30, 2019<sup>(1)</sup>** |
| $70656 |

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(1) The Fund commenced operations on June 14, 2018.

**ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS**

**INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.** PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market St #1800, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm to the Fund.

**LEGAL COUNSEL.** Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, 3000 Two Logan Square, 18th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as counsel to the Trust.

**CUSTODIAN.** The Bank of New York Mellon (the "Custodian"), 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286, serves as the Fund's custodian. The Custodian's services include, in addition to the custody of all cash and securities owned by the Trust, the maintenance of custody accounts in the Custodian's trust department, the segregation of all certificated securities owned by the Trust, the appointment of authorized agents as sub-custodians, disbursement of funds from the custody accounts of the Trust, releasing and delivering securities from the custody accounts of the Trust, maintaining records with respect to such custody accounts, delivering to the Trust a daily and monthly statement with respect to such custody accounts, and causing proxies to be executed. The Fund has made arrangements with BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company to serve as custodian for Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs").

**TRANSFER AGENT.** BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing"), 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, serves as the Trust's Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent.

**OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.** The Trust has engaged Tidal ETF Services LLC, 234 West Florida Street, Suite 203, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204 to provide persons to serve as Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer and provide various other services for the Trust. The Trust has engaged Chenery Compliance Group, LLC to provide on-going compliance services, including providing an individual to serve as the Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust.

**BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES**

Subject to policies established by the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is primarily responsible for the execution of the Fund's portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage. The Adviser has no obligation to deal with any dealer or group of dealers in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities of the Fund. It is the objective of the Adviser to obtain the best results in conducting portfolio transactions for the Fund over time, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable dealer-spread or commission), the size, type and difficulty of the transaction involved, the firm's general execution and operations facilities and the firm's risk in positioning the securities involved. The Adviser may utilize execution management systems that provide advanced capabilities such as algorithmic trading and/or direct market access to electronic communications networks when executing trades.

While reasonable competitive spreads or commissions are sought, the Fund will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or commission available. In addition, as permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Adviser may pay a broker-dealer that provides brokerage and research services an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Fund in excess of the commission that another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the amount is believed by the Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the overall quality of the brokerage and research services provided. Other clients of the Adviser may indirectly benefit from the provision of these services to the Adviser, and the Fund may indirectly benefit from services provided to the Adviser as a result of transactions for other clients. The Adviser currently has no soft dollar agreements.

Under the 1940 Act, except as permitted by exemptive order or rule, persons affiliated with the Fund are prohibited from dealing with the Fund as principal in the purchase and sale of securities. However, affiliated persons of the Fund may serve as its brokers in certain over-the-counter transactions conducted on an agency basis.

Securities held by the Fund may also be held by, or be appropriate investments for, other funds or investment advisory clients for which the Adviser or its affiliates act as an adviser. Because of different investment objectives or other factors, a particular security may be bought for an advisory client when other clients are selling the same security. If purchases or sales of securities by the Adviser for the Fund or other funds for which it acts as Adviser or for other advisory clients arise for consideration at or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as are feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed equitable to all. Transactions effected by the Adviser (or its affiliates) on behalf of more than one of its clients during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, causing an adverse effect on price. On occasions when the Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interest of the Fund as well as its other customers the Adviser, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, may aggregate the securities to be sold or purchased for the Fund with those to be sold or purchased for such other customers in order to obtain the best net price and most favorable execution under the circumstances. In such event, allocation of the securities so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Adviser in the manner it considers to be equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and such other customers. In some instances, this procedure may adversely affect the price and size of the position obtainable for the Fund. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2020 and the fiscal period ended April 30, 2019, the Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions.

During the most recent fiscal year, neither the Fund nor the Adviser, through an agreement or understanding with a broker, or otherwise through an internal allocation procedure directed the Fund's brokerage transactions to a broker because of research services provided.

The Fund may at times invest in securities of their regular broker-dealers or a parent of their regular broker-dealers. During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2020, the Fund acquired no securities of their regular broker-dealers or a parent of their regular broker-dealers.

**ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES**

The additional compensation to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus may be calculated based on factors determined by the Adviser and its affiliates from time to time, including: the value of the Fund's shares sold to, or held by, a financial intermediary's customers; gross sales of the Fund's shares by a financial intermediary; or a negotiated lump sum payment.

In addition to the additional cash payments to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus, subject to applicable FINRA rules and regulations, the Adviser and its affiliates may provide compensation to financial intermediaries that may enable the Adviser and its affiliates to sponsor or participate in educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions involving the sales representatives and other employees of financial intermediaries in order to promote the sale of the Fund's shares. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses, meals, lodging and entertainment of financial intermediaries and their sales representatives and other employees in connection with such educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions. These payments may vary with each such event.

**DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES**

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101, serves as a principal underwriter of the Fund's shares pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement with the Trust. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriter continuously distributes shares of the Fund on a best efforts basis. The Underwriter has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of Fund shares. The Underwriter and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Fund.

To the extent that the Underwriter receives shareholder service fees under any shareholder services plan adopted by the Fund, the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with others for the furnishing of personal or account maintenance services with respect to the relevant shareholders of the Fund as may be required pursuant to such plan. The Underwriter does not receive compensation from the Fund for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a Rule 12b-1 plan is effective, as applicable. The Adviser pays the Underwriter a fee for certain distribution-related services.

To the extent that the Underwriter receives fees under Fund's Plan of Distribution adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "12b-1 Plan"), the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangement with others for the furnishing of marketing or sales services with respect to the Investor Class shares as may be required pursuant to such plan. The Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of Independent Trustees, have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Trust, the Fund and the shareholders of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

The Underwriter will be compensated for distribution services according to the 12b-1 Plan regardless of the Underwriter's expenses. The Underwriter uses the entire 12b-1 for distribution expenses and does not retain any amounts for profit.

The 12b-1 Plan provides that the Underwriter will be paid for distribution activities such as public relations services, telephone services, sales presentations, media charges, preparation, printing and mailing advertising and sales literature, data processing necessary to support a distribution effort and printing and mailing of prospectuses to prospective shareholders. Additionally, the Underwriter may pay certain financial institutions such as banks or broker-dealers who have entered into servicing agreements with the Underwriter and other financial institutions for distribution and shareholder servicing activities.

The 12b-1 Plan further provides that payment shall be made for any month only to the extent that such payment does not exceed 0.25%, on an annualized basis of the Investor Class shares of the Fund's average net assets, except with respect to limitations set from time to time by the Board of Trustees.

Under the 12b-1 Plan, if any payments made by the Adviser out of its advisory fee, not to exceed the amount of that fee, to any third parties (including banks), including payments for shareholder servicing and transfer agent functions, were deemed to be indirect financing by the Funds of the distribution of Fund's Investor Class shares, such payments are authorized. The Fund may execute portfolio transactions with and purchase securities issued by depository institutions that receive payments under the 12b-1 Plan. No preference for instruments issued by such depository institutions is shown in the selection of investments.

The Underwriter received the following aggregate commissions on sales of Investor Class shares of the Fund during the period from May 1, 2020 to when the Fund ceased investment operations on April 14, 2021, the fiscal year ended April 30, 2020 and the fiscal period ended April 30, 2019:

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| |
|:---|
| **For the Period <br> from May 1, 2020 to <br> April 14, 2021** |
| $0 |

---

---

| |
|:---|
| **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30, 2020** |
| $0 |

---

---

| |
|:---|
| **Fiscal Period Ended<br> April 30, 2019<sup>(1)</sup>** |
| $0 |

---

(1) The Fund commenced operations on June 14, 2018.

The Underwriter received the following concessions on sales of Investor Class shares of the Fund during the period from May 1, 2020 to when the Fund ceased investment operations on April 14, 2021, the fiscal year ended April 30, 2020 and the fiscal period ended April 30, 2019:

---

| |
|:---|
| **For the Period <br> from May 1, 2020 to<br> April 14, 2021** |
| $0 |

---

---

| |
|:---|
| **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30, 2020** |
| $0 |

---

---

| |
|:---|
| **Fiscal Period Ended<br> April 30, 2019<sup>(1)</sup>** |
| $0 |

---

(1) The Fund commenced operations on June 14, 2018.

The Underwriting Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods provided such continuance is approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Underwriter, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the agreements, will not be liable to the Fund or its shareholders for losses arising in connection with the sale of Fund shares.

The Underwriting Agreement terminates automatically in the event of its assignment. The Underwriting Agreement is also terminable without payment of any penalty with respect to the Fund (i) by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Fund (or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund) on sixty (60) days' written notice to the Underwriter; or (ii) by the Underwriter on sixty (60) days' written notice to the Trust.

The Underwriter may furnish or enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions (each a "Financial Institution," and collectively, the "Financial Institutions") for distribution of shares of the Fund. With respect to certain Financial Institutions and related fund "supermarket" platform arrangements, the Fund and/or the Adviser, rather than the Underwriter, typically will furnish or enter into such agreements. These Financial Institutions may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from the Adviser and/or the Fund. These Financial Institutions may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Fund.

The following tables set forth the distribution fees received by the Underwriter for the period from May 1, 2020 to when the Fund ceased investment operations on April 14, 2021, the fiscal year ended April 30, 2020 and the fiscal period ended April 30, 2019:

---

| |
|:---|
| **For the Period <br> from May 1, 2020 to<br> April 14, 2021** |
| $219 |

---

---

| |
|:---|
| **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30, 2020** |
| $653681 |

---

---

| |
|:---|
| **Fiscal Period Ended<br> April 30, 2019<sup>(1)</sup>** |
| $421157 |

---

(1) The Fund commenced operations on June 14, 2018.

The following tables set forth the service fees received by the Underwriter for the period from May 1, 2020 to when the Fund ceased investment operations on April 14, 2021, the fiscal year ended April 30, 2020 and the fiscal period ended April 30, 2019:

---

| |
|:---|
| **For the Period<br> from May 1, 2020 to<br> April 14, 2021** |
| $0 |

---

---

| |
|:---|
| **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30, 2020** |
| $0 |

---

---

| |
|:---|
| **Fiscal Period Ended<br> April 30, 2019<sup>(1)</sup>** |
| $0 |

---

(1) The Fund commenced operations on June 14, 2018.

During the period from May 1, 2020 to when the Fund ceased investment operations on April 14, 2021 and the fiscal year ended April 30, 2020, the Underwriter incurred the following expenses in connection with distribution under the 12b-1 Plan for the Fund:

<br> **For the Period from May 1, 2020 to<br> Ended April 14, 2021**<br>

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Advertising** | **Printing and Mailing of<br> Prospectuses to other<br> Than Current Shareholders** | **Compensation to<br>Underwriters** | **Compensation to<br> Broker-Dealers** | **Compensation to<br> Sales Personnel** | **Interest, Carrying or<br> other Financing Charges** |
| $0 | $0 | $0 | $219 | $0 | $0 |

---

**Fiscal Year<br> Ended April 30, 2020**

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Advertising** | **Printing and Mailing of<br> Prospectuses to other<br> Than Current Shareholders** | **Compensation to<br>Underwriters** | **Compensation to<br> Broker-Dealers** | **Compensation to<br> Sales Personnel** | **Interest, Carrying or<br> other Financing Charges** |
| $0 | $0 | $0 | $653681 | $0 | $0 |

---

**CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES**

The Trust issues and offers shares of the Fund. The shares of the Fund, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Prospectus, will be fully paid and non-assessable shares, with equal voting rights and no preferences as to conversion, exchange, dividends, redemption or any other feature.

Shares of the Fund entitle holders to one vote per share and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, do not have preemptive or subscription rights and are transferable.

The Fund does not hold an annual meeting of shareholders. The Trustees are required to call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any Trustee when requested in writing to do so by the shareholders of record owning not less than 10% of the Fund's outstanding shares.

**PURCHASE, REDEMPTION, AND PRICING OF SHARES**

**PURCHASE OF SHARES.** Information regarding the purchase of shares is discussed in the "Purchase of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES.** Information regarding the redemption of shares is discussed in the "Redemption of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**PRICING OF SHARES.** The NAV per share of the Fund is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets by the total number of Fund shares outstanding. This determination is made by The Bank of New York Mellon, as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) each day the Fund is open for business. The Fund is open for business on days when the Exchange is open for business.

The Fund's assets are valued using the amortized cost method, in accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act. Portfolio securities are valued at their acquisition cost, adjusted for discounts or premiums reflected in their purchase price. This method of valuation is designed to enable the Fund to price its shares at $1.00 per share, although the Fund's share price may deviate from $1.00 per share. Calculations are made to compare the value of a fund's investments at amortized cost with market values.

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**DIVIDENDS**

The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income, if any. Dividends from the Fund's net investment income are declared daily and paid to shareholders monthly. The dividend for a business day immediately preceding a weekend or holiday normally includes an amount equal to the net income expected for the subsequent non-business days on which dividends are not declared. Distributions, if any, of net short-term capital gain and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over the short-term capital loss) realized by the Fund, after deducting any available capital loss carryovers are declared and paid to its shareholders annually.

The Fund's dividends and other distributions are taxable to shareholders (other than retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors) whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. A dividend or distribution paid by the Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend distribution. A dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares by an investor would, therefore, represent, in substance, a return of capital to the shareholder with respect to such shares even though it would be subject to federal income taxes. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

A statement will be sent to you within 60 days after the end of each year detailing the tax status of your distributions. Please see "Certain Material Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by the Fund.

**CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS**

The following discussion summarizes certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders. This discussion is for general information only and does not purport to consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that might be relevant to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund. The summary discussion that follows may not be considered to be individual tax advice and may not be relied upon by any shareholder. The summary is based upon provisions of the IRC, applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations (whether temporary, proposed or final) promulgated thereunder (the "Regulations"), and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, as are in effect as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, which change could be retroactive, and may affect the conclusions expressed herein. The summary applies only to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund in whose hands such shares are capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the IRC, and may not apply to certain types of beneficial owners of shares of the Fund, including, but not limited to insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, shareholders holding the Fund's shares through tax-advantaged accounts (such as an individual retirement account (an "IRA"), a 401(k) plan account, or other qualified retirement account), financial institutions, pass-through entities, broker-dealers, entities that are not organized under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, persons who are neither a citizen nor resident of the United States, shareholders holding the Fund's shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction, and shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax. Persons who may be subject to tax in more than one country should consult the provisions of any applicable tax treaty to determine the potential tax consequences to them.

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the Fund's common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of such partnership. A partner of a partnership holding the Fund's common stock should consult its own tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the partner of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Fund's common stock by the partnership.

The summary assumes that shareholders will hold the Fund's common stock as capital assets, which generally means as property held for investment. This discussion addresses only the U.S. income tax consequences of an investment by U.S. shareholders, and, therefore, does not address U.S. estate and gift tax rules, U.S. state or local taxation, the alternative minimum tax, excise taxes, transfer taxes or foreign taxes.

For purposes of the following discussion, "U.S. shareholder" is a shareholder that is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) created or organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if (a) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust's administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) it has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. A "Non-U.S. shareholder" is a person that is neither a U.S. shareholder nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") as to the federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. In addition, the following discussion applicable to shareholders of the Fund addresses only some of the federal income tax considerations generally affecting investments in the Fund.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of the ownership, purchase and disposition of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**GENERAL.** The Fund has elected, and intends to continue to qualify each year for, taxation as a RIC under Subchapter M of the IRC. By qualifying as a RIC, the Fund (but not the shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders.

Shareholders should be aware that investments made by the Fund, some of which are described below, may involve complex tax rules some of which may result in income or gain recognition by a shareholder without the concurrent receipt of cash. Although the Fund seeks to avoid significant noncash income, such noncash income could be recognized by the Fund, in which case it may distribute cash derived from other sources in order to meet the minimum distribution requirements described below. Cash to make the required minimum distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by its governing documents and other regulatory restrictions, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed.

**QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY.** Qualification as a RIC under the IRC requires, among other things, that the Fund: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income from certain qualified publicly traded partnerships (together with (i), the "Qualifying Income Requirement"); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the value of its assets is comprised of cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with those other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers controlled by it and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (together with (i) the "Diversification Requirement").

The Treasury Department is authorized to promulgate regulations under which gains from foreign currencies (and options, futures, and forward contracts on foreign currency) would not constitute qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement only if such gains are not directly related to the principal business of the Fund in investing in stock or securities or options and futures with respect to stock or securities. To date, no such regulations have been issued.

As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders in any taxable year for which it distributes, in compliance with the IRC's timing and other requirements the sum of (i) at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount income, market discount income, income from securities lending, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, certain net realized foreign currency exchange gains, and any other taxable income other than "net capital gain" as defined below and is reduced by deductible expenses all determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid); and (ii) 90% of its tax-exempt interest, if any, net of certain expenses allocable thereto ("net tax-exempt interest"). The Fund may retain for investment all or a portion of its net capital gain (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). If the Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who will be (i) required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of tax paid by the Fund against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of the shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder's gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by the Fund on that amount of capital gain.

The qualifying income and asset requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC, as described above, may limit the extent to which it will be able to engage in derivative transactions. Rules governing the federal income tax aspects of derivatives, including swap agreements, are not entirely clear in certain respects, particularly in light of two IRS revenue rulings issued in 2006. Revenue Ruling 2006-1 held that income from a derivative contract with respect to a commodity index is not qualifying income for a RIC. Subsequently, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2006-31 in which it stated that the holding in Revenue Ruling 2006-1 "was not intended to preclude a conclusion that the income from certain instruments (such as certain structured notes) that create a commodity exposure for the holder is qualifying income." In 2016, the IRS issued a notice and stated they would not address what constitutes a "security" for purposes of Qualifying Income. In addition, the IRS requested comments as to whether the 2006 Revenue Rulings should be withdrawn. In 2019, the IRS concluded that it would not withdraw the 2006 Revenue Rulings at that time. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in commodity related derivative transactions and other derivative transactions may be limited by the Qualifying Income Requirement. The Fund will account for any investments in commodity derivative transactions in a manner it deems to be appropriate; the IRS, however, might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized.

For purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, all of the net income of a RIC derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (generally, defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (i) of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above) will be treated as qualifying income. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the IRC do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. The transferee of a partnership interest generally is required to withhold 10% of the amount realized on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest after December 31, 2017 if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person.

For purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership.

If the Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures to satisfy the Diversification Requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, the Fund will fail to qualify as a RIC and will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation subject to tax on a flat tax rate of 21% and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) to its shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders, and a maximum long-term capital gains rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for a period of greater than two taxable years, the Fund generally would be required to recognize any built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a sale of such assets within ten years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

**EXCISE TAX.** If the Fund fails to distribute by December 31 of each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its taxable ordinary income (excluding capital gains and losses) for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (as adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the twelve month period ending on October 31 of such year, and (3) all taxable ordinary income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for the prior year that were not distributed during such year and on which it did not pay federal income tax, the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax (the "Excise Tax") on the undistributed amounts. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November, or December of that year to shareholders of record on a date in such month and paid by it during January of the following year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders (other than those not subject to federal income tax) in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. The Fund intends to actually distribute or be deemed to have distributed substantially all of its net income and gain, if any, by the end of each calendar year in compliance with these requirements so that it will generally not be required to pay the Excise Tax. The Fund may, in certain circumstances, be required to liquidate its investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid Excise Tax liability at a time when its Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so. Liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Fund to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC.

**CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS.** The excess of the Fund's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gain is treated as short-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year and the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gain is treated as long-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year. If future capital gains are offset by carried forward capital losses, such future capital gains are not subject to Fund-level federal income taxation, regardless of whether they are distributed to shareholders. Accordingly, the Fund does not expect to distribute any such offsetting capital gains. The Fund cannot carry back or carry forward any net operating losses.

**ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT AND MARKET DISCOUNT.** The Fund may acquire debt securities that are treated as having original issue discount ("OID") (generally a debt obligation with a purchase price less than its principal amount, such as a zero coupon bond). Generally, the Fund will be required to include the OID in income over the term of the debt security, even though it will not receive cash payments for such OID until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having OID which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income. Inflation-protected bonds generally can be expected to produce OID income as their principal amounts are adjusted upward for inflation. A portion of the OID includible in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities may be treated as a dividend for federal income tax purposes if the securities are characterized as equity for federal income tax purposes.

A debt security acquired in the secondary market by the Fund may be treated as having market discount if acquired at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Market discount generally is accrued ratably, on a daily basis, over the period from the date of acquisition to the date of maturity even though no cash will be received. Absent an election by the Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on its disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.

In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though a Fund receives no interest payments in cash on such securities during the year.

The Fund may be required to include in income certain fees that are treated as OID and required to be included in income for financial statement purposes when received (rather than when accrued into income).

The Fund generally will be required to make distributions to shareholders representing the income accruing on the debt securities, described above, that is currently includable in income, even though cash representing such income may not have been received by the Fund. Cash to pay these distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by the Fund's governing documents, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions.

**WASH SALES.** The Fund may be impacted in certain circumstances by special rules relating to "wash sales." In general, the wash sale rules prevent the recognition of a loss by the Fund from the disposition of stock or securities at a loss in a case in which identical or substantially identical stock or securities (or an option to acquire such property) is or has been acquired by it within 30 days before or 30 days after the sale.

**DISTRIBUTIONS.** Distributions paid out of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined at the end of the year), whether reinvested in additional shares or paid in cash, are generally taxable and must be reported by each shareholder who is required to file a federal income tax return except in the case of certain tax-exempt shareholders. Distributions in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, as computed for federal income tax purposes, will first be treated as a return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares and then as capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as a capital asset. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder's tax basis in the shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by a shareholder of the Fund's shares. Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or receive them in additional shares.

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment company taxable income are generally taxable as ordinary income, and distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions designated by the Fund as "capital gain dividends" (distributions from the excess of net long-term capital gain over short-term capital losses) will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time they have held their shares of the Fund. Such dividends do not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction described below.

Non-corporate shareholders of the Fund may be eligible for the long-term capital gain tax rate applicable to distributions of "qualified dividend income" received by such non-corporate shareholders. The maximum long-term capital gains tax rate is 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). The Fund's distribution will be treated as qualified dividend income and therefore eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rate to the extent that it receives dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding periods and other requirements are met. A corporate shareholder of the Fund may be eligible for the dividends received deduction with respect to the Fund's distributions attributable to dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations, which, if received directly by the corporate shareholder, would qualify for such a deduction. For eligible corporate shareholders, the dividends received deduction may be subject to certain reductions, and a distribution by the Fund attributable to dividends of a domestic corporation will be eligible for the deduction only if certain holding period and other requirements are met. If the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement, dividends paid while the shares are held by the borrower may not be qualified dividend income and may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax applies to net investment income including interest (excluding, tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.

The Fund will furnish a statement to shareholders providing the federal income tax status of its dividends and distributions including the portion of such dividends, if any, that qualifies as long-term capital gain.

Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement distributions, and certain prohibited transactions, is accorded to accounts maintained as qualified retirement plans. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers for more information.**

**PURCHASES OF FUND SHARES.** Prior to purchasing shares in the Fund, the impact of dividends or distributions which are expected to be or have been declared, but not paid, should be carefully considered. Any dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares of the Fund prior to the record date will have the effect of reducing the per share net asset value by the per share amount of the dividend or distribution, and to the extent the distribution consists of the Fund's taxable income, the purchasing shareholder will be taxed on the taxable portion of the dividend or distribution received even though some or all of the amount distributed is effectively a return of capital. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

**SALES, EXCHANGES OR REDEMPTIONS.** Upon the disposition of shares of the Fund (whether by redemption, sale or exchange), a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the shares. The capital gain will be long-term if the shares were held for more than 12 months and short-term if held for 12 months or less. If a shareholder sells or exchanges shares of the Fund within 90 days of having acquired such shares and if, before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the sale or exchange, as a result of having initially acquired those shares, the shareholder subsequently pays a reduced sales charge on a new purchase of shares of the Fund, the sales charge previously incurred in acquiring the Fund's shares generally shall not be taken into account (to the extent the previous sales charges do not exceed the reduction in sales charges on the new purchase) for the purpose of determining the amount of gain or loss on the disposition, but generally will be treated as having been incurred in the new purchase. Any loss realized on a disposition will be disallowed under the "wash sale" rules to the extent that the shares disposed of by the shareholder are replaced by the shareholder within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends received by the shareholder with respect to such shares. Capital losses are generally deductible only against capital gains except that individuals may deduct up to $3,000 of capital losses against ordinary income.

The 3.8% Medicare contribution tax (applied as described above) will apply to gains from the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund.

**BACKUP WITHHOLDING.** The Fund generally is required to withhold, and remit to the U.S. Treasury, subject to certain exemptions, an amount equal to 24% of all distributions and redemption proceeds paid or credited to a shareholder of the Fund if (i) the shareholder fails to furnish the Fund with the correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") certified under penalties of perjury, (ii) the shareholder fails to provide a certified statement that the shareholder is not subject to "backup withholding", or (iii) the IRS or a broker has notified the Fund that the number furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report interest or dividend income. If the backup withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions or proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.

**STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.** Distributions may be exempt from state and local tax to the extent that they are derived from certain U.S. government securities and meet certain requirements. State and local laws often differ from federal income tax laws with respect to the treatment of specific items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit. This summary discussion does not address the state and local income taxes applicable to a shareholder.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the state and local tax rules affecting investments in the Fund.**

**NON-U.S. SHAREHOLDERS.** Distributions made to non-U.S. shareholders attributable to net investment income generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding at a 30% rate (or such lower rate provided under an applicable income tax treaty). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution described above is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States), federal income tax withholding and exemptions attributable to foreign persons will not apply. Instead, the distribution will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable U.S. tax rate (currently 37% in the case of individuals and 21% in the case of corporations) and the non-U.S. shareholders will be subject to the federal income tax reporting requirements generally applicable to U.S. persons described above.

Under U.S. federal tax law, a non-U.S. shareholder is not, in general, subject to federal income tax or withholding tax on capital gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of the Fund, or on capital gains dividends, provided that the Fund obtains a properly completed and signed certificate of foreign status, unless (i) such gains or distributions are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States of the non-U.S. shareholder); (ii) in the case of an individual non-U.S. shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the shares of the Fund constitute U.S. real property interests (USRPIs), as described below.

Under current law, if the Fund is considered to be a "United States Real Property Holding Corporation" (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), then the distributions attributable to certain underlying REIT investments and redemption proceeds paid to a non-U.S. shareholder that owns at least 5% of the Fund generally will cause the non-U.S. shareholder to treat such gain or distribution as income effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States, subject such gain or distribution to withholding tax and cause the non-U.S. shareholder to be required to file a federal income tax return. In addition, in any year where at least 50% of the Fund's assets are USRPIs (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), distributions of the Fund that are attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of shares in USRPIs may be subject to U.S. withholding tax (regardless of such shareholder's percentage interest in the Fund) and may require the non-U.S. shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to receive a refund (if any) of the withheld amount.

Subject to the additional rules described herein, federal income tax withholding will apply to distributions attributable to dividends and other investment income distributed by the Fund. The federal income tax withholding rate may be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. shareholder's country of residence or incorporation. In order to qualify for treaty benefits, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign status (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN).

**All non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

Pursuant to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"), a 30% withholding tax generally is imposed on payments of interest and dividends to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless the foreign financial institution or foreign entity provides the withholding agent with documentation sufficient to show that it is compliant with FATCA (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). If the payment is subject to the 30% withholding tax under FATCA, a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to the 30% withholding tax described above on the same income. Under proposed regulations, FATCA withholding on the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gain distributions, scheduled to take effect beginning January 1, 2019, has been eliminated. Such proposed regulations are subject to change.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of this reporting and withholding regime to their own tax situatio**n.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**FOREIGN BANK AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS AND FOREIGN FINANCIAL ASSETS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.** A shareholder that owns directly or indirectly more than 50% by vote or value of the Fund, is urged and advised to consult its own tax adviser regarding its filing obligations with respect to IRS Form FinCEN 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

Also, under enacted rules, subject to exceptions, individuals (and, to the extent provided in forthcoming future U.S. Treasury regulations, certain domestic entities) must report annually their interests in "specified foreign financial assets" on their U.S. federal income tax returns. It is currently unclear whether and under what circumstances shareholders would be required to report their indirect interests in the Fund's "specified foreign financial assets" (if any) under these new rules.

Shareholders may be subject to substantial penalties for failure to comply with these reporting requirements.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether these reporting requirements are applicable to them.**

**TAX-EXEMPT SHAREHOLDERS.** A tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") by virtue of its investment in the Fund as a result of the Fund's investments and if shares in the Fund constitute debt financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).

**Tax-exempt shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**TAX SHELTER REPORTING REGULATIONS.** Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

**TAX BASIS INFORMATION.** For shares of the Fund that are redeemed, your financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) will report gains and losses realized on redemptions of shares for shareholders who are individuals and S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This information will also be reported to a shareholder on Form 1099-B and the IRS each year. In calculating the gain or loss on redemptions of shares, the average cost method will be used to determine the cost basis of the Fund's shares purchased after January 1, 2012 unless the shareholder instructs the Fund in writing that the shareholder wants to use another available method for cost basis reporting (for example, First In, First Out (FIFO), Last In, First Out (LIFO), Specific Lot Identification (SLID) or High Cost, First Out (HCFO)). If the shareholder designated SLID as the shareholder's tax cost basis method, the shareholder will also need to designate a secondary cost basis method (Secondary Method). If a Secondary Method is not provided, the Fund will designate FIFO as the Secondary Method and will use the Secondary Method with respect to systematic withdrawals that are made.

A shareholder's financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) is also required to report gains and losses to the IRS in connection with redemptions of shares by S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012. If a shareholder is a corporation and has not instructed the Fund that it is a C corporation in its Account Application or by written instruction, the Fund will treat the shareholder as an S corporation and file a Form 1099-B.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**This summary is provided for general information only and should not be considered tax advice or relied on by an investor.**

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**

The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Fund's Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2020 (the "Annual Report") are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The 2020 financial statements included in the Annual Report, have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, whose report thereon is also incorporated herein by reference. No other parts of the Annual Report are incorporated by reference herein. The unaudited financial statements and notes thereto in the Fund's semi-annual report for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2020 (the "Semi-Annual Report") are also incorporated by reference into this SAI. Copies of the Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Fund at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, by calling (888) 678-6034*.* The Fund commenced operations on June 14, 2018 and subsequently ceased investment operations on April 14, 2021 due to redemption of all shareholders. The Fund currently has no assets and no shareholders and, therefore, no financial statements are available for fiscal periods after October 31, 2020.

**APPENDIX A**

**DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS**

**Description of Ratings**

The following descriptions of securities ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P Global Ratings"), and Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"), respectively.

**Description of Moody's Global Ratings**

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned for obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

**Description of Moody's Global Long-Term Ratings**

**Aaa** Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal risk.

**Aa** Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

**A** Obligations rated A are considered upper medium-grade and are subject to low credit risk.

**Baa** Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba** Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

**B** Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

**Caa** Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

**Ca** Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

**C** Obligations rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal and interest.

*Note*: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**Hybrid Indicator (hyb)**

The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

**Description of Moody's Global Short-Term Ratings**

**P-1** Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-2** Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-3** Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

**NP** Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's U.S. Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings**

The Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale is used to rate U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.

Moody's U.S. municipal short-term obligation ratings are as follows:

**MIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

**MIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

**MIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

**Description of Moody's Demand Obligation Ratings**

For variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), Moody's assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer's ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders ("on demand") and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer's long-term rating drops below investment grade. Please see their methodology that discusses obligations with conditional liquidity support.

For VRDOs, they typically assign a VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years, but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned, and it is denoted as "NR".

Moody's demand obligation ratings are as follows:

**VMIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Issue Credit Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings' view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P Global Ratings would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings S&P Global Ratings assigns to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings' analysis of the following considerations:

● The likelihood of payment — the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

● The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P Global Ratings imputes; and

● The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

NR indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings\***

**AAA** An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

**AA** An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

**A** An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

**BBB** An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**BB; B; CCC; CC; and C** Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

**BB** An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CCC** An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CC** An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

**C** An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

\* Ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

**D** An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings**

**A-1** A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.

**A-2** A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

**A-3** A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

**C** A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**D** A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings' opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings' analysis will review the following considerations:

● Amortization schedule — the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

● Source of payment — the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P Global Ratings' municipal short-term note ratings are as follows:

**SP-1** Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

**SP-2** Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

**SP-3** Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

**D** 'D' is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

**Description of Fitch's Credit Ratings**

Fitch's credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issue level ratings are assigned and often include an expectation of recovery and may be notched above or below the issuer level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation).

Fitch's credit rating scale for issuers and issues is expressed using the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade) with an additional +/- for AA through CCC levels indicating relative differences of probability of default or recovery for issues. The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. Investment grade categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the speculative categories signal either a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

Fitch may also disclose issues relating to a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated. Such issues are also denoted as 'NR' on its web page.

Fitch's credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. Credit ratings do not deal with the risk of market value loss due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and/or other market considerations. However, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay or refinance a financial commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of payments linked to performance of an equity index).

Note: The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' ratings and ratings below the 'CCC' category. For the short-term rating category of 'F1', a '+' may be appended.

**Description of Fitch's Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Ratings**

**AAA** Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA** Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A** High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB** Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

**BB** Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

**B** Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

**CCC** Substantial credit risk. 'CCC' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present, and default is a real possibility.

**CC** Very high levels of credit risk. 'CC' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk and default of some kind appears probable.

**C** Near Default. 'C' ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk. A default or default-like process has begun, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired.

Ratings in the categories of 'CCC', 'CC' and 'C' can also relate to obligations or issuers that are in default. In this case, the rating does not opine on default risk but reflects the recovery expectation only.

Corporate Finance defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'RD' or 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'CCC' to 'C' rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

**Description of Fitch's Short-Term Ratings**

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Fitch's short-term ratings are as follows:

**F1** Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Under the agency's National Rating scale, this rating is assigned to the lowest default risk relative to others in the same country or monetary union. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a "+" is added to the assigned rating.

**F2** Good short-term credit quality. Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

**F3** Fair short-term credit quality. Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**B** Speculative short-term credit quality. Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**C** High short-term default risk. Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**RD** Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

**D** Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

**APPENDIX B**

**A.** **Proxy Voting and Class Actions** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.** **Proxy Voting – Overview** 

Proxies are assets of AMG's Clients that must be voted with diligence, care, and loyalty. AMG will vote each proxy in accordance with its fiduciary duty to its Clients. AMG will generally seek to vote proxies in a way that maximizes the value of Clients' assets. However, AMG will document and abide by any specific proxy voting instructions conveyed by a Client with respect to that Client's Securities. The IAOC has primary responsibility for establishing proxy voting policy and overseeing the proxy voting process of AMG. The Securities Services department coordinates AMG's proxy voting process.

On the rare occasions that it is necessary for AMG to vote proxies on matters relating to securities held in Client portfolios, and absent specific Client instructions, AMG will generally vote proxies in accordance with the voting recommendations of Institutional Shareholder Services ("ISS"), a third-party proxy voting service to which AMG subscribes.

The ISS proxy voting guidelines reflect normal voting positions on certain issues, but will not apply in every situation. Issues designated in the ISS guidelines that are to be voted on a case-by-case basis may be voted according to ISS recommendations or, if appropriate, as determined by AMG (for instance, certain consent rights of fixed income securities). Even when the guidelines specify how AMG should vote on a particular issue, AMG may choose to vote differently if it is determined that doing so will be in the clients' best interests.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.** **Conflicts of Interest in Proxy Voting** 

When facing conflicts between the interests of AMG and those of AMG Clients, AMG will act in the best interests of its Clients and take no action contrary to those interests.

As examples of potential conflicts of interest, AMG has identified the following:

● A principal of AMG or any person involved in the proxy decision-making process currently serves on the board of directors of the company to which the proxy vote relates.

● An immediate family member of a principal of AMG or any person involved in the proxy decision making process currently serves as a director or executive officer of the company to which the proxy vote relates.

● A potential or existing client battling a contentious shareholder proposal may ask for our vote in exchange for granting AMG business opportunities or other considerations.

● AMG or its related persons or entities may be a named party to, or participating in a bankruptcy work-out or other similar committee with respect to the fixed income issuer.

The foregoing is not intended to be an exhaustive list of potential conflicts of interest.

The process of screening for conflicts of interest that could influence proxy voting may include, but is not limited to, the following:

● Identify any situation where AMG does not intend to vote in accordance with ISS proxy voting guidelines;

● Determine who (PM, AMG executive, Client, etc.) is attempting to influence AMG to vote contrary to its proxy voting policy or guidelines;

● Review requests that would result in voting contrary to proxy voting policy or guidelines;

● Determine if a conflict exists, and submit the matter to the IAOC for a final decision on how to handle the voting of the proxy (e.g., retain outside counsel, abstain from voting, etc.); and

● As appropriate, report any conflict of interest and the resolution of that conflict to the client (or the board of trustees for the clients which are a registered investment company.)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.** **Class Actions** 

Litigation involving any security held by AMG is unlikely because the accounts are invested only in municipal securities, United States government and agency obligations, and money market funds. However, AMG subscribes to its custodian's service, BNY Mellon's Global Class Actions product, to assist with identifying possible actions, filing claims and receiving payments.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.** **Disclosures to Clients** 

AMG includes a description of its policies and procedures regarding proxy voting and class actions in Part 2 of Form ADV, along with a statement that Clients can contact the CCO to obtain a copy of these policies and procedures and information about how AMG voted with respect to the Client's securities.

Any request for information about proxy voting or class actions should be promptly forwarded to the CCO, who will respond to any such requests.

As a matter of policy, AMG does not disclose how it expects to vote on upcoming proxies. Additionally, AMG does not disclose the way it voted proxies to unaffiliated third parties without a legitimate need to know such information.

Each Fund is required to disclose annually the Fund's complete proxy voting record on Form N-PX, which provides information relating to how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30th. AMG should reconcile its voting record for the Funds versus the Form N-PX compiled by the various fund administrators.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**5.** **Books and Records** 

Paragraph (c)(ii) of Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act requires AMG to maintain certain books and records associated with its proxy voting policies and procedures. AMG's recordkeeping obligations are described in the *Maintenance of Books and Records* section of this Manual. The CCO will ensure that AMG complies with all applicable recordkeeping requirements associated with proxy voting.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**6.** **Annual and Ongoing Reviews** 

The CCO will review, no less frequently than annually, the adequacy of AMG's proxy voting and class action policies and procedures to make sure they have been implemented effectively, including whether the policies and procedures continue to be reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of clients and possible class action opportunities are identified and pursued.

![](pro-polrx_001.jpg)

**POLEN GROWTH FUND**

Investor Class POLRX Institutional Class POLIX

*a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

**PROSPECTUS**

September 1, 2025

**These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.**

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[Fund Summary](#pro-polrx_001)** | **1** |
| **[More Information about the Fund's Investment Objective, Strategies and Risks](#pro-polrx_002)** | **7** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Objective](#pro-polrx_003) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Information about the Fund's Investment Strategies](#pro-polrx_004) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Principal Risks](#pro-polrx_005) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Risks](#pro-polrx_006) | 8 |
| **[More Information about Management of the Fund](#pro-polrx_007)** | **10** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Adviser](#pro-polrx_008) | 10 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Portfolio Managers](#pro-polrx_009) | 10 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Prior Performance of the Investment Adviser](#pro-polrx_010) | 10 |
| **[Shareholder Information](#pro-polrx_011)** | **13** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Pricing of Shares](#pro-polrx_012) | 13 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Purchase of Shares](#pro-polrx_013) | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Open an Account](#pro-polrx_014) | 15 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Add to an Account](#pro-polrx_015) | 16 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Redemption of Shares](#pro-polrx_016) | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Redeem from Your Account](#pro-polrx_017) | 20 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Transaction Policies](#pro-polrx_018) | 21 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchanging Into Other Share Classes](#pro-polrx_019) | 22 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchanging Into Other Polen Funds](#pro-polrx_025) | 22 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Shareholder Services](#pro-polrx_020) | 23 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributions](#pro-polrx_021) | 23 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[More Information about Taxes](#pro-polrx_022) | 23 |
| **[Financial Highlights](#pro-polrx_023)** | **26** |
| **[For More Information](#pro-polrx_024)** | **Back Cover** |

---

**FUND SUMMARY**

**POLEN GROWTH FUND**

**Investment Objective**

Polen Growth Fund ("the Fund") seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital.

**Fees and Expenses**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** |
|  | **Investor <br> Class** | **Institutional <br> Class** |
| Management Fees | 0.85% | 0.85% |
| Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Fees | 0.25% |  |
| Other Expenses | 0.12% | 0.12% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses<sup>1</sup>** | **1.22%** | **0.97%** |

---

<sup>1</sup> Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses (excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by FundVantage Trust (the "Trust"), interest and other costs of borrowing, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.00% (on an annual basis) with respect to the Fund's average daily net assets (the "Expense Limitation"). The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, any fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed by the Adviser on or after January 1, 2017 with respect to the Fund for a three year period following the date of such fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of reimbursement. No recoupment will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation amount.

**Example**

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares of the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (reflecting any contractual fee waivers). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Investor Class | $124 | $387 | $671 | $1478 |
| Institutional Class | $99 | $309 | $537 | $1191 |

---

**Portfolio Turnover**

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 37% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Summary of Principal Investment Strategies**

The Fund typically invests in a focused portfolio of common stocks of large capitalization companies (market capitalizations greater than $10 billion at the time of purchase) that, in the Adviser's opinion, have a sustainable competitive advantage. In addition, the Fund may from time to time purchase a common stock, including the common stock of a medium capitalization company (market capitalizations greater than $2 billion but less than $10 billion at the time of purchase), that does not meet this criteria if, in the Adviser's opinion, the stock represents a particularly attractive investment opportunity.

The Adviser uses an intensive fundamental research process to identify companies that it believes have certain attractive characteristics, which typically reflect an underlying competitive advantage. Those characteristics include: (i) consistent and sustainable high return on capital, (ii) strong earnings growth and free cash flow generation, (iii) strong balance sheets typically with low or no net debt to total capital and (iv) competent and shareholder-oriented management teams. The Fund invests in companies that the Adviser believes have a sustainable competitive advantage within an industry with high barriers to entry.

The Adviser believes that consistent earnings growth is the primary driver of intrinsic value growth and long-term stock price appreciation. Accordingly, the Adviser focuses on identifying and investing in a concentrated portfolio of high-quality large capitalization growth companies that it believes has a competitive advantage and can deliver sustainable above average earnings growth. The Adviser integrates material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into research analysis as part of a comprehensive evaluation of a company's long-term financial sustainability. The Adviser believes that such companies not only have the potential to contribute greater returns to the Fund, but also may hold less risk of loss of capital.

The Fund is non-diversified, which means that a significant portion of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of a single or small number of companies and/or in a more limited number of sectors than a diversified mutual fund. Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, the Fund may focus its investments from time to time in one or more sectors of the economy or stock market.

The Fund will usually sell a security if, in the view of the Adviser, there is a potential threat to the company's competitive advantage or a degradation in its prospects for strong, long-term earnings growth. The Adviser may also sell a security if it is believed by the Adviser to be overvalued or if a more attractive investment opportunity exists. Although the Adviser may purchase and then sell a security in a shorter period of time, the Adviser typically invests in securities with the expectation of holding those investments on a long-term basis.

**Summary of Principal Risks**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor and the relative significance of each risk below may change over time. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value ("NAV"), yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not be a suitable investment for all investors.

**●** **Equity Securities Risk:** Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition, historical and prospective earnings of the company, interest rates, investor perceptions and overall market and economic conditions. The prices of securities change in response to many factors including the value of its assets.

**●** **Growth Style Risk:** Growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are generally more sensitive to investor perceptions and market movements. In addition, growth stocks as a group may be out of favor at times and underperform the overall equity market for long periods while the market concentrates on other types of stocks, such as "value" stocks.

● **Large Cap Risk:** Large cap risk is the risk that stocks of larger companies may underperform relative to those of small and mid-sized companies. Large cap companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.

**●** **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**●** **Management Risk:** The risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by the investment adviser, including but not limited to the Adviser's integration of ESG factors into its research analysis, will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment adviser and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Fund. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Fund will be achieved.

**●** **Mid-Cap Risk:** Medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk.

**●** **Non-Diversification Risk:** Because the Fund is non-diversified and may invest a larger portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified fund, an investment in the Fund could fluctuate in value more than an investment in a diversified fund.

**●** **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**●** **Information Technology Sector Risk.** At certain points, the Fund has focused its investments in the information technology sector. Information technology companies face competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. They are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by the loss or impairment of those rights. Companies in the information technology sector are facing increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action. Companies in the software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services and actual or perceived vulnerabilities in their products or services.

**●** **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

**Performance Information**

The bar chart and the performance table below provide an indication of the risks and volatility of investing in the Fund by showing: (a) changes in the performance of the Fund's Institutional Class shares from year to year; and (b) how the average annual total return of the Fund's Institutional Class and Investor Class shares compare to those of a regulatorily required broad-based securities market index (S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index) (the "Regulatory Benchmark") and the Russell 1000<sup>®</sup> Growth Index (the "Performance Benchmark"). The Performance Benchmark is generally more representative of the market sectors and/or types of investments in which the Fund invests or to which the Fund has exposure and which the Adviser uses to measure the Fund's performance. The Fund has included in the table below the performance of the Regulatory Benchmark, which represents a broader measure of market performance, to comply with new regulatory requirements. Total returns would have been lower had certain fees and expenses not been waived or reimbursed. Past performance, both before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/growth-fund* or by calling the Fund toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

![](pro-polrx_002.jpg)

Calendar Year-to-Date Total Return as of June 30, 2025: 2.19%

During the periods shown in the chart:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best Quarter** | **Worst Quarter** |
| 27.04% | (24.06)% |
| (June 30, 2020) | (June 30, 2022) |

---

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Polen Growth Fund — Institutional Class Shares<br> Average Annual Total Returns For the Periods Ended December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** | **Since <br> Inception <br> (September 15, 2010)** |
| Return Before Taxes | 16.23% | 10.41% | 13.48% | 14.37% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 14.91% | 9.39% | 12.72% | 13.66% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares | 10.63% | 8.12% | 11.15% | 12.28% |
| Russell 1000<sup>®</sup> Growth Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1</sup> | 33.36% | 18.96% | 16.78% | 17.24% |
| S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1</sup> | 25.02% | 14.53% | 13.10% | 14.45% |

---

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Polen Growth Fund — Investor Class Shares<br> Average Annual Total Returns For the Periods Ended December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** | **Since <br> Inception <br> (December 30, 2010)** |
| Return Before Taxes | 15.98% | 10.14% | 13.20% | 13.30% |
| Russell 1000<sup>®</sup> Growth Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1</sup> | 33.36% | 18.96% | 16.78% | 16.40% |
| S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1</sup> | 25.02% | 14.53% | 13.10% | 13.78% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The Russell 1000<sup>®</sup> Growth Index is an unmanaged index measuring the performance of the large-cap growth segment of the U.S. equity universe. It includes those Russell 1000<sup>®</sup> Index companies with higher price-to-value ratios and higher forecasted growth values. The S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index is a widely recognized, unmanaged index of 500 common stocks which are generally representative of the U.S. stock market as a whole.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown and are not relevant if you hold your shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns shown are for Institutional Class shares; after-tax returns for Investor Class shares will vary.

**Management of the Fund**

**Investment Adviser**

Polen Capital Management, LLC serves as the Fund's investment adviser.

**Portfolio Managers**

**●** **Dan Davidowitz, CFA,** Portfolio Manager, has served as portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2010. He has been a member of Polen Capital's Large Company Growth Team since joining the firm in 2005.

**●** **Damon Ficklin,** Head of Team, Portfolio Manager, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since January 2024. He previously served as portfolio manager for the Fund from 2012 to 2019. He has been a member of Polen Capital's Large Company Growth Team since joining the firm in 2003.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** |
| **Account Type** | **Minimum** | **Investor<br> Class** | **Institutional<br> Class** |
| Regular Accounts | Initial Investment | $3000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |
| Individual Retirement Accounts | Initial Investment | $2000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |
| Automatic Investment Plan | Initial Investment | $2000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |

---

You can only purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on days the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open and through the means described below.

**Purchase or Redemption by Mail:**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

---

**Purchase by Wire:**

Please contact Fund shareholder services ("Shareholder Services") toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for current wire instructions.

**Redemption by Telephone:**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**Tax Information**

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Such distributions are not currently taxable when shares are held through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. However, subsequent withdrawals from any tax-deferred account in which the shares are held may be subject to federal income tax.

**Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and/or for related services to shareholders. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S<br> INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, STRATEGIES AND RISKS**

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE**

The Fund seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital. Although no change is anticipated, the Fund's investment objective may be changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S INVESTMENT STRATEGIES**

The Fund's principal investment strategies are discussed in the "Fund Summary" section. Principal investment strategies are those that the Adviser will use on a day-to-day basis to achieve the Fund's investment objective. This section provides more information about these strategies, as well as information about some additional strategies that the Fund's Adviser uses, or may use, to achieve the Fund's objective. Additional information about these investment strategies and practices and related risks is also provided in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"). The Fund may also use strategies and invest in securities that are not described in this Prospectus, but that are described in the Fund's SAI. The investments and strategies discussed below are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions.

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"). At times, the Fund may be required to segregate or earmark certain assets determined to be liquid by the investment adviser (generally, short-term investment grade fixed income securities) to cover borrowings.

The investments and strategies discussed above are those that the investment adviser will use under normal market conditions. The Fund also may use other strategies and engage in other investment practices, which are described in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").

In anticipation of or in response to adverse market or other conditions or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, the Fund may temporarily hold all or a portion of its assets in U.S. Government securities, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents. The investment adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures. Under such conditions, the Fund may not invest in accordance with its investment objective or principal investment strategy and may not achieve its investment objective.

**PRINCIPAL RISKS**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's NAV, yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.

**●** **Equity Securities Risk:** Although investments in equity securities, such as common stocks, historically have been a leading choice for long-term investors, stock markets are volatile because of many factors. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition, historical and prospective earnings of the company, interest rates, investor perceptions and overall market and economic conditions. Market performance and economic factors may adversely affect securities markets generally, which could in turn adversely affect the value of the Fund's investments, regardless of the performance or expected performance of companies in which the Fund invests. Holders of common stock generally are subject to more risks than holders of preferred stock or debt securities because the right to repayment of common stockholders' claims is subordinated to that of preferred stock and debt securities upon the bankruptcy of the issuer.

**●** **Growth Style Risk:** Growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are generally more sensitive to investor perceptions and market movements. In addition, growth stocks as a group may be out of favor at times and underperform the overall equity market for long periods while the market concentrates on other types of stocks, such as "value" stocks.

**●** **Large Cap Risk:** Large cap risk is the risk that stocks of larger companies may underperform relative to those of small and mid-sized companies. Large cap companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.

**●** **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**●** **Management Risk:** The risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by the investment adviser, including but not limited to the Adviser's integration of ESG factors into its research analysis, will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment adviser and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Fund. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Fund will be achieved.

**●** **Mid-Cap Risk:** Investment in mid-cap companies may be riskier than investments in larger, more established companies. The securities of mid-cap companies may trade less frequently and in smaller volumes, and as a result, may be less liquid than securities of larger companies. In addition, mid-cap companies may be more vulnerable to economic, market and industry changes. As a result, share price changes may be more sudden or erratic than the prices of other equity securities, especially over the short-term. Because mid-cap companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources or may depend on a few key employees, they may be more susceptible to particular economic events or competitive factors than large capitalization companies.

**●** **Non-Diversification Risk:** Because the Fund is non-diversified and may invest a larger portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified fund, an investment in the Fund could fluctuate in value more than an investment in a diversified fund.

**●** **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**●** **Information Technology Sector Risk.** At certain points, the Fund has focused its investments in the information technology sector. Information technology companies face competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. They are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by the loss or impairment of those rights. Companies in the information technology sector are facing increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action. Companies in the software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services and actual or perceived vulnerabilities in their products or services.

**OTHER RISKS**

In addition to the principal risks described above, the Fund may also be subject to the following additional risk.

**●** **Cyber Security Risk:** As part of its business, the Adviser processes, stores and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Fund. The Adviser and Fund may be susceptible to operational and information security risk. Cyber security failures or breaches of the Adviser or the Fund's other service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of the Fund's shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties and/or reputational

damage. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

**●** **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected

**Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings**

A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI, which is available, free of charge, by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 and on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/growth-fund.* The SAI may also be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") website at *www.sec.gov.*

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND**

The Trust's Board of Trustees supervises the management, activities and affairs of the Fund and has approved contracts with various organizations to provide, among other services, the day-to-day management required by the Fund and its shareholders.

**INVESTMENT ADVISER**

Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Polen Capital was founded in 1979 and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Capital had approximately $46.7 billion in assets under management. Polen Capital, subject to the general oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objective, policies and limitations. For its services as Adviser to the Fund, Polen Capital is entitled to receive an investment advisory fee of 0.85% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, after fee waivers and expense reimbursements, Polen Capital received an aggregate investment advisory fee as a percentage of average net assets of 0.85%.

A discussion of the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment management agreement between Polen Capital and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, is available in the Fund's Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2024.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

**Dan Davidowitz, CFA,** Portfolio Manager, is portfolio manager for the Focus Growth strategy and a member of the investment team at Polen Capital. Mr. Davidowitz joined Polen Capital in 2005 after spending five years as Vice President and Research Analyst at Osprey Partners Investment Management, and with Mr. Ficklin, is responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management and investment analysis for the Fund. Mr. Davidowitz received his B.S. with high honors in Public Health from Rutgers University and an M.B.A. from the City University of New York, Baruch College Zicklin School of Business. Mr. Davidowitz is a CFA<sup>®</sup> charterholder.

**Damon Ficklin,** Head of Team, Portfolio Manager, is portfolio manager for the Focus Growth and Global Growth strategies, and a member of the investment team at Polen Capital. Mr. Ficklin joined Polen Capital in 2003

and previously served as a portfolio manager for the Fund from 2012 to 2019. Mr. Ficklin, with Mr. Davidowitz, is responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management and investment analysis for the Fund. Prior to joining Polen Capital, Mr. Ficklin spent one year as an equity analyst at Morningstar. Prior to that, he spent four years as a tax consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Mr. Ficklin earned a B.S., *magna cum laude*, in Accounting from the University of South Florida, an M.S.A. from Appalachian State University, and an M.B.A. with high honors from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

The Fund's SAI provides additional information about each Portfolio Manager's compensation, other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager and each Portfolio Manager's ownership of Fund shares.

**PRIOR PERFORMANCE OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISER**

Shown on the opposite page is performance information for the Adviser's Large Capitalization Equity Composite (the "Composite"), a composite of all fully discretionary accounts managed by the Adviser that are not managed within a wrap fee structure. These accounts are managed with the same investment objective as the Fund, and are subject to substantially similar investment policies and techniques as those used by the Fund. The results presented are not intended to predict or suggest the return to be experienced by the Fund or the return that an individual investor might achieve by investing in the Fund.

The Composite for which results are reported is both gross of fees and "net" of fees (after deduction of advisory, brokerage and other expenses excluding fees paid separately by the investor such as custody fees). However, the Composite is not subject to the same type of expenses to which the Fund is subject, nor to the diversification requirements, specific tax restrictions and investment limitations imposed on the Fund by the 1940 Act or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). Consequently, the performance results for the Composite could have been adversely affected if the separate accounts had been regulated as an investment company. In addition, to the extent that operating expenses incurred by the separate accounts are lower than the expected operating expenses of the Fund, the performance results of the Composite would be greater than what Fund performance would have been.

**Past performance is not indicative of future results. The actual return and value of an account will fluctuate and at any point in time could be worth more or less than the amount initially invested.**

**Historical Performance of Composite**

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| | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | | **Composite Assets** | **Composite Assets** | **Annual Performance Results** | **Annual Performance Results** | **Annual Performance Results** | **Annual Performance Results** | **Annual Performance Results** |
| | | | | **Composite** | **Composite** | | | |
| <br>**Year**<br>**End** |<br>**Total Firm <br> Assets**<br>**(millions)** | **U.S. <br> Dollars**<br>**(millions)** | **Number of**<br>**Accounts** | **Gross** | **Net** | **S&P**<br>**500<sup>®</sup>** | **Russell <br> 1000<sup>®</sup>**<br>**Growth** | **Composite**<br>**Dispersion** |
| 2024 | 52943 | 16538 | 1357 | 17.10% | 16.14% | 25.02% | 33.36% | 0.46% |
| 2023 | 58910 | 20007 | 1646 | 40.05% | 38.99% | 26.29% | 42.68% | 0.60% |
| 2022 | 48143 | 16657 | 1886 | -37.51% | -38.02% | -18.11% | -29.14% | 0.30% |
| **2021** | 82789 | 14809 | 2387 | 24.71% | 24.04% | 28.71% | 27.61% | 0.30% |
| 2020 | 59161 | 12257 | 1903 | 34.64% | 34.00% | 18.40% | 38.49% | 0.40% |
| 2019 | 34784 | 8831 | 939 | 38.80% | 38.16% | 31.49% | 36.40% | 0.30% |
| 2018 | 20591 | 6146 | 705 | 8.98% | 8.47% | -4.38% | -1.51% | 0.20% |
| 2017 | 17422 | 5310 | 513 | 27.74% | 27.14% | 21.83% | 30.22% | 0.40% |
| 2016 | 11251 | 3212 | 426 | 1.72% | 1.22% | 11.96% | 7.09% | 0.20% |
| 2015 | 7451 | 2239 | 321 | 15.89% | 15.27% | 1.38% | 5.68% | 0.10% |
| 2014 | 5328 | 1990 | 237 | 17.60% | 16.95% | 13.69% | 13.06% | 0.20% |
| 2013 | 5015 | 1834 | 245 | 23.77% | 23.07% | 32.39% | 33.49% | 0.30% |
| 2012 | 4527 | 1495 | 325 | 12.43% | 11.75% | 16.00% | 15.26% | 0.10% |
| 2011 | 2374 | 555 | 171 | 9.04% | 8.25% | 2.12% | 2.63% | 0.20% |
| 2010 | 1181 | 316 | 120 | 15.65% | 14.70% | 15.06% | 16.72% | 0.20% |
| 2009 | 626 | 225 | 120 | 39.71% | 38.50% | 26.45% | 37.21% | 0.30% |
| 2008 | 266 | 137 | 112 | -27.81% | -28.42% | -37.01% | -38.44% | 0.30% |
| 2007 | 682 | 491 | 149 | 10.78% | 9.86% | 5.49% | 11.81% | 0.20% |
| 2006 | 730 | 524 | 219 | 15.00% | 14.04% | 15.80% | 9.07% | 0.10% |
| 2005 | 1849 | 945 | 419 | -0.53% | -1.43% | 4.91% | 5.26% | 0.20% |
| 2004 | 2017 | 1124 | 665 | 8.72% | 7.76% | 10.88% | 6.30% | 0.20% |
| 2003 | 1617 | 907 | 513 | 17.73% | 16.67% | 28.68% | 29.75% | 0.70% |
| 2002 | 970 | 518 | 407 | -6.69% | -7.53% | -22.10% | -27.88% | 0.90% |
| 2001 | 703 | 408 | 289 | -4.61% | -5.50% | -11.89% | -20.42% | 1.00% |
| 2000 | 622 | 359 | 236 | -3.50% | -4.44% | -9.10% | -22.42% | 0.70% |
| 1999 | 640 | 377 | 228 | 23.89% | 22.65% | 21.04% | 33.16% | 0.60% |
| 1998 | 418 | 257 | 202 | 31.61% | 30.19% | 28.58% | 38.71% | 0.70% |
| 1997 | 252 | 145 | 158 | 37.14% | 35.63% | 33.36% | 30.49% | 0.90% |
| 1996 | 140 | 89 | 118 | 31.94% | 30.40% | 22.96% | 23.12% | 0.70% |
| 1995 | 70 | 45 | 61 | 48.07% | 46.33% | 37.58% | 37.18% | 1.00% |
| 1994 | 32 | 17 | 27 | 10.13% | 8.96% | 1.32% | 2.62% | 1.60% |
| 1993 | 24 | 16 | 26 | 13.07% | 11.85% | 10.08% | 2.87% | 2.90% |

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**Average Annualized Returns of Composite (as of 12/31/24)**

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Gross** | **Net** | **S&P<br> 500<sup>®</sup>** | **Russell <br> 1000<sup>®</sup> <br> Growth** |
| 1 Year | 17.10% | 16.14% | 25.02% | 33.36% |
| 3 Years | 0.82% | 0.02% | 8.93% | 10.46% |
| 5 Years | 11.46% | 10.70% | 14.51% | 18.94% |
| 10 Years | 14.64% | 13.97% | 13.09% | 16.76% |
| 15 Years | 14.96% | 14.26% | 13.87% | 16.44% |
| 20 Years | 12.39% | 11.64% | 10.35% | 12.55% |
| 25 Years | 10.21% | 9.42% | 8.32% | 7.80% |
| 30 Years | 13.90% | 13.01% | 10.92% | 11.56% |
| Since Inception (12/31/88) | 14.57% | 13.60% | 11.14% | 11.85% |

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The results shown above: (1) represent a composite of fully discretionary accounts, that are not managed within a wrap fee structure, with substantially similar investment objectives, policies and strategies to the Fund, including those accounts no longer with the firm; (2) are time weighted total rates of return expressed in U.S. Dollars; (3) reflect all income, gains and losses and the reinvestment of any dividends or capital gains without provision for federal or state income taxes; and (4) are shown both gross of fees and "net" of fees (after deduction of advisory, brokerage or other expenses (excluding fees such as custody fees, consulting fees or fees of other service providers which are paid separately by the investor)). Net of fees performance was calculated using actual management fees.

"Firm" assets include all fee-paying accounts of the Adviser under management.

The "Annual Composite Dispersion" presented is an asset-weighted standard deviation for the accounts included in the Composite for the entire year. Standard deviation is a statistical measure of the degree to which an individual account's return varies from the mean return for the Composite. A high "Composite Dispersion" percentage would indicate greater volatility and thus greater potential risk.

The average market capitalization of portfolios in the Composite may differ from the weighted average market capitalization of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index ("S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index") and Russell 1000<sup>®</sup> Growth Index. Market capitalization is the value of a corporation as determined by the market price of its issued and outstanding shares of common stock. Additionally, the volatility of each of the S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index and Russell 1000<sup>®</sup> Growth Index may be greater or less than the volatility of the separate accounts in the Composite. Each of the S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index and Russell 1000<sup>®</sup> Growth Index is a non-managed index that does not accrue advisory or transactional expenses.

A complete list and description of each of the Adviser's composites, as well as additional information regarding policies for calculating and reporting returns, is available upon request.

The information above has not been audited by the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, and the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm does not express an opinion thereon.

**SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION**

**PRICING OF SHARES**

The price of the Fund's shares is based on its NAV. The Fund values its assets, based on current market values when such values are available. The NAV per share of the Fund is calculated as follows:

Value of Assets Attributable to the Shares <br> NAV = – <u>Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Shares</u> <br> Number of Outstanding Shares

The Fund's NAV per share is calculated once daily as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each business day (i.e., a day that the Exchange is open for business). The Exchange is generally open on Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The price at which a purchase, redemption or exchange is effected is based on the next calculation of NAV after the order is received in good form by an authorized financial institution or the transfer agent, plus any applicable sales charges.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**PURCHASE OF SHARES**

**Share Classes**

The Trust offers Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares of the Fund. Each Class of shares has different expenses and distribution arrangements to provide for different investment needs. This allows you to choose the class of shares most suitable for you depending on the amount and expected length of your investment and other relevant factors. Sales personnel may receive different compensation for selling each class of shares. Investor Class shares are for individuals, corporate investors and retirement plans. Institutional Class shares are available to individuals who can meet the required investment minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or broker-dealers purchasing for the accounts of others. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Investor Class** | **Institutional Class** |
| No initial sales charge | No initial sales charge |
| Higher annual expenses than Institutional Class shares due to distribution fee | Lower annual expenses than Investor Class shares due to no distribution fee |

---

Shares representing interests in the Fund are offered on a continuous basis by the Fund's principal underwriter, Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"). Shares of the Fund do not charge any sales loads or deferred sales loads in connection with the purchase of shares. Shares of the Fund are offered only to residents of states in which the shares are registered or qualified. You can purchase Investor Class and Institutional Class shares of the Fund through certain financial intermediaries or directly through BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, the Fund's transfer agent, as discussed below. No share certificates are issued in connection with the purchase of Fund shares. The Fund reserves the right to waive the minimum initial investment requirement for any investor.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be redeemed by the Trust unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund's shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." To open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest.

In the event you modify or change your relationship with your financial intermediary through which you invest in the Fund (for instance, from an advisory relationship to a brokerage relationship) you may no longer be eligible to invest in a particular share class and your financial intermediary may exchange your shares for another share class which may be subject to higher expenses and Rule 12b-1 distribution fees.

In addition, the availability of certain classes of shares may be limited to certain intermediary platforms, which means that your eligibility to purchase a specific class of Fund shares may depend on whether your intermediary offers that class.

The Trust is not responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Investor Class Shares**

***Distribution Plan***

The Trust's Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Fund's Investor Class shares, has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to pay distribution and service fees for the sale and distribution of its shares and for services provided to its shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plan for Investor Class shares provides for payments of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

**Institutional Class Shares**

Sales of each Fund's Institutional Class shares are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee. Institutional Class shares are available to individuals who can meet the required investment minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or broker dealer purchasing for the accounts of others. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through an institutional organization, or a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization.

**TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Complete the application and mail it to BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing") at the address noted below, together with a check payable to the Fund. Please make sure your check is for at least $3,000 with respect to Investor Class shares ($2,000 if investing in an IRA) and at least $100,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares. Mail the application and your check to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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The Fund will only accept checks drawn on U.S. currency on domestic banks. The Fund will not accept any of the following: cash or cash equivalents, money orders, traveler's checks, cashier's checks, bank checks, official checks and treasurer's checks, payable through checks, third-party checks and third-party transactions.

While the Fund does not generally accept foreign investors, it may in instances where either (i) an intermediary makes shares of the Fund available or (ii) the transfer agent, in the case of a direct to Fund subscription, has satisfied its internal procedures with respect to the establishment of foreign investor accounts. Please contact Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for more information.

The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions, including the Fund, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money-laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts. As requested on the application, you must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address. If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. This information will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, the Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a shareholder's identity. As required by law, the Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

**By Wire**

To make a same-day wire investment, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for current wire instructions. An account number will be assigned to you. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $3,000 with respect to Investor Class shares ($2,000 if investing in an IRA) and at least $100,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares.** Your wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, to receive that day's price per share. Your bank may charge a wire fee.

**Individual Retirement Account and Education Savings Account Investments**

You may invest in the Fund through the following individual retirement accounts:

● Traditional Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs")

● Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees ("SIMPLE IRAs")

● Spousal IRAs

● Roth Individual Retirement Accounts ("Roth IRAs")

● Simplified Employee Pension Plans ("SEP IRAs")

● Coverdell Education Savings Accounts ("CESAs")

**Additional Information**

If you have questions regarding the purchase of Fund shares, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.

**TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Fill out an investment slip from a previous confirmation and write your account number on your check. **Please make sure that your check is payable to the Fund and that your additional investment is for at least $100 with respect to Investor Class shares.** There is no minimum additional investment with respect to Institutional Class shares. Mail the slip and your check to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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**By Wire**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for current wire instructions. The wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, for same day processing. Your bank may charge a wire fee. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $100 with respect to Investor Class shares.** There is no minimum additional investment with respect to Institutional Class shares.

**Automatic Investment Plan**

You may open an automatic investment plan account for Investor Class shares with a $2,000 initial purchase and a $100.00 monthly investment and for Institutional Class shares with a $100,000 initial purchase and no minimum monthly investment. If you have an existing account that does not include the automatic investment plan, you can contact the Fund toll-free at (888) 678-6024 to establish an automatic investment plan. The automatic investment plan provides a convenient method to have monies deducted directly from your bank account for investment in the Fund. You may authorize the automatic withdrawal of funds from your bank account for a monthly minimum amount of $100.00. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this plan at any time. To begin participating in this plan, please complete the "Automatic Investment Plan" section found on the application or contact the Fund's transfer agent toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**Automated Clearing House (ACH) Purchase**

Current shareholders may purchase additional shares via Automated Clearing House ("ACH"). To have this option added to your account, please send a letter to the Fund requesting this option and supply a voided check for the bank account. Only bank accounts held at domestic institutions that are ACH members may be used for these transactions.

You may not use ACH transactions for your initial purchase of Fund shares. ACH purchases will be effective at the closing price per share on the same business day for orders placed prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Orders placed thereafter will be effective at the closing price per share on the next business day. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this purchase option at any time.

Shares purchased by ACH will not be available for redemption until the transactions have cleared. Shares purchased via ACH transfer may take up to 15 days to clear.

**Purchase Price**

Purchase orders received in good order by the Fund's transfer agent before the close of regular trading on the Exchange on any business day will be priced at the NAV that is determined as of the close of trading on the Exchange. Purchase orders received in good order after the close of regular trading on the Exchange will be priced as of the close of regular trading on the following business day. "Good Order" means that the purchase request is complete and includes all accurate required information. Purchase requests not in good order may be rejected.

**Financial Intermediaries**

You may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary who may charge you a commission on your purchase, may charge additional fees, and may require different minimum investments or impose other limitations on buying and selling shares. "Financial intermediaries" include brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), insurance companies, investment advisers, financial advisers, financial planners, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators, their designated intermediaries and any other firm having a selling, administration or similar agreement. The financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting orders by close of business and may have an earlier cut-off time for purchase and sale requests. Purchase and redemption orders placed through a financial intermediary will be deemed to have been received and accepted by the Fund when the financial intermediary accepts the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. Customer orders are required to be priced at the Fund's NAV next computed after the authorized financial intermediary or its authorized representatives' receipt of the order to buy or sell. Purchase and redemption requests sent to such authorized broker (or its designee) are executed at the NAV next determined after the intermediary receives the request if transmitted to the Fund's transfer agent in accordance with the Fund's procedures and applicable law. Financial intermediaries may also designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Fund's behalf. Consult your investment representative for specific information.

It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary to transmit orders for the purchase of shares by its customers to the transfer agent and to deliver required funds on a timely basis, in accordance with the procedures stated above.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account."

**Networking and Sub-Transfer Agency Fees.** The Fund may also directly enter into agreements with financial intermediaries pursuant to which it will pay the financial intermediary for services such as networking or sub-transfer agency, including the maintenance of "street name" or omnibus accounts and related sub-accounting, record-keeping and administrative services provided to such accounts. Payments made pursuant to such agreements are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of clients serviced by such financial intermediary, or (2) the number of accounts serviced by such financial intermediary. Any payments made pursuant to such agreements are in addition to, rather than in lieu of, Rule 12b-1 distribution or shareholder service fees the financial intermediary may also be receiving. From time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay a portion of the fees for networking or sub-transfer agency at its or their own expense and out of its or their own resources. These payments may be material to financial intermediaries relative to other compensation paid by the Fund and/or the Underwriter, the Adviser and their affiliates. The payments described above may differ and may vary from amounts paid to the Fund's transfer agent for providing similar services to other accounts. The financial intermediaries are not audited by the Fund, the Adviser or their service providers to determine whether such intermediaries are providing the services for which they are receiving such payments.

**Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries.** The Adviser, and, from time to time, affiliates of the Adviser may also, at their own expense and out of their own resources, provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. These additional cash payments are payments over and above sales commissions or reallowances, distribution fees or servicing fees (including networking, administration and sub-transfer agency fees) payable to a financial intermediary which are disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus. These additional cash payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency, shareholder or administrative services or marketing support. Marketing support may include: (i) access to sales meetings or conferences, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives; (ii) inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs to which financial intermediaries provide more marketing support than to other sales programs on which the Adviser or its affiliates may not need to

make additional cash payments to be included; (iii) promotion of the sale of the Fund's shares in communications with a financial intermediaries' customers, sales representatives or management representatives; and/or (iv) other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of the Fund's shares. These additional cash payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to Fund shareholders. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay cash compensation in the form of finders' fees or referral fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of shares sold.

The amount and value of additional cash payments vary for each financial intermediary. The additional cash payment arrangement between a particular financial intermediary and the Adviser or its affiliates may provide for increased rates of compensation as the dollar value of the Fund's shares or particular class of shares sold or invested through such financial intermediary increases. The availability of these additional cash payments, the varying fee structure within a particular additional cash payment arrangement and the basis for and manner in which a financial intermediary compensates its sales representatives may create a financial incentive for a particular financial intermediary and its sales representatives to recommend the Fund's shares over the shares of other mutual funds based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. A financial intermediary and its sales representatives may have similar financial incentives to recommend a particular class of the Fund's shares over other classes of its shares. You should consult with your financial adviser and review carefully any disclosure by the financial firm as to compensation received by your financial adviser.

Although the Fund may use financial firms that sell the Fund's shares to effect portfolio transactions for the Fund, the Fund and the Adviser will not consider the sale of Fund shares as a factor when choosing financial firms to effect those transactions.

For more information about these additional cash payments made to financial intermediaries, please refer to the section entitled "Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries" located in the SAI.

**Rights Reserved by the Fund**

The Fund reserves the right to:

● reject any purchase order;

● suspend the offering of shares;

● vary the initial and subsequent investment minimums;

● waive the minimum investment requirement for any investor;

● redeem accounts with balances below the minimum account size after 30 days' written notice.

● redeem your shares in the event your financial intermediary's relationship with the Trust is modified or terminated;

● subject to applicable law, redeem your shares in other circumstances determined by the Board of Trustees to be in the best interest of the Fund; and

● redeem your shares if you hold your shares through a financial intermediary and you propose to transfer your shares to another financial intermediary that does not have a relationship with the Trust.

The Trust will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy**

The Fund discourages frequent purchases and redemptions, and the Trust's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures consistent with such position. The Fund is not designed to accommodate market timing or short-term trading. Frequent or excessive trades into or out of the Fund in an effort to anticipate changes in market prices of its investment portfolio is generally referred to as "market timing." Market timing can adversely impact the ability of the Adviser to invest assets in an orderly manner, which in turn may adversely impact the expenses and the performance of the Fund. These expenses are borne by all Fund shareholders, including long-term investors who do not generate such costs. Specifically, frequent trading may result in the Fund engaging in activities to a greater extent than it otherwise would, such as maintaining higher cash balances, using a line of credit and trading in portfolio securities, each of which may increase expenses and decrease performance. This occurs when market timers attempt to trade Fund shares when the NAV of the Fund does not reflect the value of the underlying portfolio securities.

To deter market timing and to minimize harm to the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to restrict, reject or cancel, without prior notice, any purchase order by market timers or by those persons the Fund believes are engaging in similar trading activity that, in the judgment of the Fund or the Adviser, may be disruptive to the Fund. The Fund will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. No waivers of the provisions of this policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

The Fund's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") reviews on an as-needed basis, as determined by the CCO in coordination with the Adviser and other service providers, available information related to the trading activity in the Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of market timing or similar trading practices. If, in its judgment, the Fund or the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Fund may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor's account with the Fund. The Fund may modify its procedures from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Fund will apply its procedures in a manner that, in the Fund's judgment, will be uniform.

There is no guarantee that the Fund or its agents will be able to detect frequent trading activity or the shareholders engaged in such activity, or, if it is detected, to prevent its recurrence.

In order for a financial intermediary to purchase shares of the Fund for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person, the Trust will enter into shareholder information agreements with such financial intermediary or its agent. These agreements require each financial intermediary to provide the Fund access, upon request, to information about underlying shareholder transaction activity in these accounts and the Shareholder's Taxpayer Identification Number (or International Taxpayer Identification Number or other government issued identifier). If a shareholder information agreement has not been entered into by a financial intermediary, such financial intermediary will be prohibited from purchasing Fund shares for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person. If necessary, the Fund may prohibit additional purchases of Fund shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers' trading activities in the Fund. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Fund. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Fund's excessive trading policies, the Fund may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES**

You may "redeem" or sell your shares on any day the Exchange is open, either directly through the Fund's transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, or through your broker-dealer. The price you receive will be the NAV next calculated after receipt of the request in good order. "Good Order" means that the redemption request is complete and includes all accurate required information including any medallion signature guarantees, if necessary.

**Redemption Policies**

Payment for redemptions of Fund shares is usually made within one business day, but not later than seven calendar days after receipt of your redemption request, unless the check used to purchase the shares has not yet cleared. The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment for more than seven days during any period when: (1) trading on the Exchange is restricted or the Exchange is closed for other than customary weekends and holidays, (2) the SEC has by order permitted such suspension for the protection of the Fund's shareholders or (3) an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable. The Fund will automatically redeem shares if a purchase check is returned for insufficient funds and the shareholder's account will be charged for any loss. The Fund reserves the right to reject any third-party check.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally meets redemption requests through its holdings of cash or cash equivalents or by selling a portion of the Fund's holdings consistent with its investment strategy. The Fund generally pays redemptions proceeds in cash; however, the Fund reserves the right to honor certain redemptions "in-kind" with securities, rather than cash. The Fund is more likely to redeem in-kind to meet large redemption requests or during times of market stress.

**TO REDEEM FROM YOUR ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

To redeem your shares by mail:

● Write a letter of instruction that includes: the name of the Fund, your account number, the name(s) in which the account is registered and the dollar value or number of shares you wish to sell.

● Include all signatures and any additional documents that may be required.

● Mail your request to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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● A check will be mailed to the name(s) and address in which the account is registered and may take up to seven days.

● The Fund may require additional documentation or a medallion signature guarantee on any redemption request to help protect against fraud.

● The Fund requires a medallion signature guarantee if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record.

**By Telephone**

To redeem your shares by telephone, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024. The proceeds will be paid to the registered owner: (1) by mail at the address on the account, or (2) by wire to the pre-designated bank account on the fund account. To use the telephone redemption privilege, you must have selected this service on your original account application or submitted a subsequent medallion signature guaranteed request in writing to add this service to your account. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing reserve the right to refuse any telephone transaction when they are unable to confirm to their satisfaction that a caller is the account owner or a person preauthorized by the account owner. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing has established security procedures to prevent unauthorized account access. Neither the Fund nor any of its service contractors will be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The telephone transaction privilege may be suspended, limited, modified or terminated at any time without prior notice by the Fund or BNY Mellon Investment Servicing.

**By Wire**

In the case of redemption proceeds that are wired to a bank, the Fund transmits the payment only on days that commercial banks are open for business and only to the bank and account previously authorized on your application or your medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing will not be responsible for any delays in wired redemption proceeds due to heavy wire traffic over the Federal Reserve System. The Fund reserves the right to refuse a wire redemption if it believes that it is advisable to do so. You may also have your redemption proceeds sent to your bank via ACH. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing does not charge for this service, however, please allow 2 to 3 business days for the transfer of money to reach your banking institution.

**Systematic Withdrawal Plan**

Once you have established an account with $10,000 or more, you may automatically receive funds from your account on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis (minimum withdrawal of $100). Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 to request a form to start the Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

**Selling Recently Purchased Shares**

If you wish to sell shares that were recently purchased by check, the Fund may delay mailing your redemption check for up to 15 business days after your redemption request to allow the purchase check to clear. The Fund reserves the right to reject any redemption request for shares recently purchased by check that has not cleared, and the Fund may require that a subsequent request be submitted.

**Late Trading**

Late trading is the practice of buying or selling Fund shares at the closing price after the Fund's NAV has been set for the day. Federal securities laws governing mutual funds prohibit late trading. The Fund has adopted trading policies designed to comply with requirements of the federal securities laws.

**TRANSACTION POLICIES**

**Timing of Purchase or Sale Requests**

All requests received in Good Order by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing or authorized dealers of Fund shares before the close of regular trading on the Exchange, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, will be executed the same day, at that day's NAV. Such orders received after the close of regular trading of the Exchange will be executed the following day, at that day's NAV. All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Purchase and redemption orders are executed only on days when the Exchange is open for trading. If the Exchange closes early, the deadlines for purchase and redemption orders are accelerated to the earlier closing time.

**New York Stock Exchange Closings**

The Exchange is typically closed for trading on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

**Investments through Financial Intermediaries/Nominees**

If you invest through a financial intermediary or nominee, such as a broker-dealer or financial adviser (rather than directly through the Fund), certain policies and fees regarding your investment in the Fund may be different than those described in this Prospectus. In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." Financial intermediaries and nominees may charge transaction fees, may charge you a commission on your purchase, and may set different minimum investments or limitations or procedures on buying or selling shares; however, in the event that your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust and you chose to open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker, or, if applicable, a broker's designee receives the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. You will not be charged any additional fees by the Fund (other than those described in this Prospectus) if you purchase or redeem shares directly through the Fund.

Contact your financial intermediary for specific information regarding the availability and suitability of various account options described throughout this Prospectus. Contact your financial intermediary for specific information with respect to the financial intermediary's policies regarding minimum purchase and minimum balance requirements and involuntary redemption, which may differ from what is described throughout this Prospectus.

**Account Minimum**

You must keep at least $2,000 worth of Investor Class and Institutional Class shares in your account to keep the account open. If, after giving you 30 days' prior written notice, your account value is still below $2,000 due to your redemptions (not including market fluctuations), the Fund may redeem your shares and send you a check for the redemption proceeds.

**Medallion Signature Guarantees**

The Fund may require additional documentation for the redemption of corporate, partnership or fiduciary accounts, or medallion signature guarantees for certain types of transfer requests or account registration changes. A medallion signature guarantee helps protect against fraud. A medallion signature guarantee is required if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days, or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record. When the Fund requires a signature guarantee, a medallion signature must be provided. A medallion signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency, saving association or other financial institution that is participating in a medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The Fund recognizes the following three medallion programs: (i) Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP), (ii) Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and (iii) New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature guarantees from a financial institution that does not participate in one of these programs will not be accepted. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for further information on obtaining a proper signature guarantee.

**Customer Identification Program**

Federal law requires the Fund to obtain, verify and record identifying information, which includes the name, residential or business street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or taxpayer identification number or other identifying information for each investor who opens or reopens an account with the Fund. Applications without the required information, or without any indication that a social security or taxpayer identification number has been applied for, will not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Fund reserves the right to: (i) place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (ii) refuse an investment in the Fund or to involuntarily redeem an investor's shares and close an account in the event that an investor's identity is not verified. The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account resulting from the investor's delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor's shares when an investor's identity cannot be verified.

**Other Documents**

Additional documents may be required for purchases and redemptions when shares are registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, association, agent, fiduciary, trust, estate or other organization. For further information, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**EXCHANGING INTO OTHER SHARE CLASSES**

You may transfer your shares into another class of shares of this Fund if you meet the eligibility requirements for the class into which you would like to transfer. If you purchased your shares from the Fund directly, call the transfer agent toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for information on exchanging shares into another class of the Fund. If you purchased your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact such financial intermediary for information on exchanging shares into another class of the Fund. Transfers between classes of a single Fund are generally not considered a taxable transaction. This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated upon sixty (60) days' written notice to shareholders.

**EXCHANGING INTO OTHER POLEN FUNDS**

An exchange occurs when you use the proceeds from the redemption of shares of one Polen fund to simultaneously purchase shares of a different Polen fund. You can make exchange requests by telephone or by mail. See "To Redeem from Your Account" for contact information.

If the Exchange is open for regular trading (generally until 4 p.m. Eastern time, on a business day) at the time an exchange request is received in good order, the trade date generally will be the same day. See "Redemption of Shares" for additional information on transaction requests.

The Funds will not accept your request to cancel any exchange request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing an exchange request. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time before attempting to exchange a large dollar amount. By calling us before you attempt to exchange a large dollar amount, you may avoid delayed or rejected transactions.

Please note that the Funds reserve the right, without notice, to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the amount of any exchange, or reject an exchange, at any time, for any reason. See "Market Timing and Frequent-Trading Policy" for additional restrictions on exchanges.

**SHAREHOLDER SERVICES**

**Your Account**

If you have questions about your account, including purchases, redemptions and distributions, call Shareholder Services toll free at (888) 678-6024 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time.

**Account Statements**

The Fund currently provides the following account information:

● confirmation statements after transactions (except for certain automatic transactions, such as those related to automatic investment plan purchases or dividend reinvestments);

● account statements reflecting transactions made during the covered period (generally, monthly for Institutional Class shares, and quarterly or annually for Investor Class shares);

● tax information, which will be mailed each year by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") deadline, a copy of which will also be filed with the IRS, if necessary.

Financial statements with a summary of portfolio composition and performance will be available at least twice a year.

The Fund routinely provides the above shareholder services, but may charge additional fees for special services such as requests for historical transcripts of accounts.

With the exception of statutorily required items, the Fund may change any of the above practices without notice.

**Delivery of Shareholder Documents**

To reduce expenses, the Fund mails only one copy of its Prospectus and each Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 or, if your shares are held through a financial institution, please contact the financial institution directly. The Fund will begin sending you individual copies within 30 days after receiving your request.

**DISTRIBUTIONS**

Distributions of net investment income and net capital gains, if any, are declared and paid annually to you. The amount of any distribution will vary and there is no guarantee that the Fund will distribute either investment income or capital gains.

Distributions are payable to the shareholders of record at the time the distributions are declared (including holders of shares being redeemed, but excluding holders of shares being purchased). All distributions are reinvested in additional shares, unless you elect to receive the distributions in cash. Shares become entitled to receive distributions on the day after the shares are issued. If you invest in the Fund shortly before the ex-dividend date of a taxable distribution, the distribution will lower the value of the Fund's shares by the amount of the distribution and, in effect, you will receive some of your investment back in the form of a taxable distribution. (see "More Information about Taxes — Distributions").

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TAXES**

Each shareholder and prospective investor's particular tax situation is unique, and, therefore, the tax information in this Prospectus is provided only for general information purposes and only for U.S. taxpayers and should not be considered as tax advice or relied on by a shareholder or prospective investor.

**General.** The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a regulated investment company (a "RIC") under Subchapter M of the Code. As such, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders provided it satisfies certain requirements and restrictions set forth in the Code one of which is to distribute to its shareholders substantially all of its income and gains each year. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify

as a RIC: (1) it will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and will be subject to tax at the corporate tax rates then in effect; and (2) all distributions from its earnings and profits (as determined under federal income tax principles) will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and the non-corporate shareholder long-term capital gain rate for "qualified dividend income" and ordinary rates for all other distributions, except for those treated as a return of capital or substitute dividends with respect to dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund. In addition, dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

**Distributions.** The Fund will make distributions to you that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains (which may be taxed at different rates depending on the length of time the Fund holds its assets). The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions are taxable whether you reinvest such distributions in additional shares of the Fund or choose to receive cash.

Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred retirement account (such as a 401(k) or an IRA), you should consider avoiding a purchase of Fund shares shortly before the Fund makes a distribution, because making such a purchase can increase your taxes and the cost of the shares. This is known as "buying a dividend." For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the Fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you received — even if you reinvest it in more shares and have to pay the tax due on the dividend without receiving any cash to pay the taxes. To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest.

**Ordinary Income.** Net investment income (except for qualified dividends and income designated as tax-exempt), distributions of income from securities lending, and short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Certain dividends distributed to non-corporate shareholders and designated by the Fund as "qualified dividend income" are eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rates. Short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. In addition, certain qualified REIT dividends may be eligible for a deduction for non-corporate shareholders.

**Net Capital Gains.** Net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) distributed to you, if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains (based on the Fund's holding period) for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Sale of Shares.** It is a taxable event for you if you sell shares of the Fund. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you sell, you may have a taxable gain or loss on the transaction. Any realized gain will be taxable to you, and, generally, will be capital gain, assuming you held the shares of the Fund as a capital asset. If you exchange shares of the Fund for shares of another fund, the exchange will be treated as a sale of the Fund's shares and any gain on the transaction may be subject to federal income tax. The capital gain will be long-term or short-term depending on how long you have held your shares in the Fund. Sales of shares of the Fund that you have held for twelve months or less will be a short-term capital gain or loss and if held for more than twelve months will constitute a long-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends, if any, received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.

**Returns of Capital.** If the Fund's distributions exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in the same taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable to the extent of each shareholder's basis in the Fund's shares, but will reduce each shareholder's cost basis in the Fund and result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold. If the return of capital distribution exceeds a shareholder's cost basis, the excess amount will be capital gain, assuming you held your shares as a capital asset, and will be long-term or short-term capital gain depending on how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Medicare Contribution Tax.** U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000, if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately) will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income including interest (excluding tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains. If applicable, the tax will be

imposed on the lesser of the individual's (i) net investment income or (ii) the excess of modified adjusted gross income over $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately).

**IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans.** One major exception to these tax principles is that a distribution on or the sale or exchange of shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless the shares were acquired with borrowed funds.

**Backup Withholding.** The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on all taxable distributions and sales payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

**State and Local Income Taxes.** This Prospectus does not discuss the state and local tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. **You are urged and advised to consult your own tax adviser concerning state and local taxes, which may have different consequences from those of the federal income tax laws.**

**Non-U.S. Shareholders.** Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. tax as a result of an investment in the Fund. The Fund is required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments made to foreign entities that do not qualify for reduced withholding rates under a treaty and do not meet specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. This Prospectus does not discuss the U.S. or foreign country tax consequences of an investment by a non-U.S. shareholder in the Fund. **Non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the U.S. and foreign country tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**Basis Reporting and Holding Periods.** A shareholder is responsible for tracking the tax basis and holding periods of the shareholder's shares in the Fund for federal income tax purposes. However, RICs, such as the Fund, must report cost basis information to you and the IRS when a shareholder sells or exchanges shares that are not in a tax deferred retirement account. The Fund will permit shareholders to elect from among several IRS accepted cost basis methods.

**Statements and Notices.** You will receive an annual statement outlining the tax status of your distributions. You may also receive written notices of certain foreign taxes and distributions paid by the Fund during the prior taxable year.

***This section is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations of taxable U.S. shareholders that may affect your investment in the Fund. This summary is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered as tax advice and may not be relied on by a prospective investor. This general summary does not apply to non-U.S. shareholders or tax-exempt shareholders, and does not address state, local or foreign taxes. More information regarding these considerations is included in the Fund's SAI. All prospective investors and shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser regarding the effects of an investment in the Fund on their particular tax situation.***

**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS**

The Financial Highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the periods shown. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total investment return in the table represents the rate at which an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in form N-CSR for the period ended April 30, 2025. The 2025 financial statements and Financial Highlights are incorporated by reference into the Fund's SAI and is available upon request by calling toll-free at (888) 678-6024 or visiting the website *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/growth-fund.*

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** |
|  | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30, <br> 2025** | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30, <br> 2024** | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30, <br> 2023** | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30, <br> 2022** | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30, <br> 2021** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $41.81 | $33.58 | $39.52 | $48.90 | $33.81 |
| Net investment loss<sup>1</sup> | (0.27) | (0.29) | (0.29) | (0.43) | (0.31) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 2.81 | 8.52 | (2.44) | (6.78) | 15.98 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.54 | 8.23 | (2.73) | (7.21) | 15.67 |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net realized capital gains | (2.46) |  | (3.21) | (2.17) | (0.58) |
| Redemption fees | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | 0.00<sup>2</sup> |  |  | 0.00<sup>2</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $41.89 | $41.81 | $33.58 | $39.52 | $48.90 |
| Total investment return<sup>3</sup> | 5.44% | 24.51% | (5.92)% | (15.90)% | 46.54% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year (in 000s) | $199328 | $269367 | $233752 | $332144 | $417735 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 1.22%<sup>4</sup> | 1.21% | 1.23% | 1.21% | 1.21% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, expense reimbursements and/or recoupment, if any | 1.22%<sup>4</sup> | 1.21% | 1.23% | 1.21% | 1.21% |
| Ratio of net investment loss to average net assets | (0.60)% | (0.75)% | (0.83)% | (0.85)% | (0.74)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 37% | 18% | 19% | 24% | 19% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the year.

<sup>2</sup> Amount is less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>3</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any.

<sup>4</sup> Expense ratio includes interest expense. Excluding such interest expense, the ratio of expenses to average net assets including waivers and/or reimbursements for the Fund would be 1.22% for the year ended April 30, 2025.

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** |
|  | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30,<br> 2022** | **For the <br> Year Ended<br> April 30, <br> 2021** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $43.38 | $34.76 | $40.67 | $50.14 | $34.57 |
| Net investment loss<sup>1</sup> | (0.16) | (0.20) | (0.21) | (0.31) | (0.22) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 2.90 | 8.82 | (2.49) | (6.99) | 16.37 |
| Total from investment operations | 2.74 | 8.62 | (2.70) | (7.30) | 16.15 |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net realized capital gains | (2.46) |  | (3.21) | (2.17) | (0.58) |
| Redemption fees | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | 0.00<sup>2</sup> |  |  | 0.00<sup>2</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $43.66 | $43.38 | $34.76 | $40.67 | $50.14 |
| Total investment return<sup>3</sup> | 5.71% | 24.80% | (5.67)% | (15.68)% | 46.91% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year (in 000s) | $5402994 | $7293884 | $6798041 | $9466044 | $10700658 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 0.97%<sup>4</sup> | 0.96% | 0.98% | 0.96% | 0.97% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, expense reimbursements and/or recoupment, if any | 0.97%<sup>4</sup> | 0.96% | 0.98% | 0.96% | 0.97% |
| Ratio of net investment loss to average net assets | (0.35)% | (0.50)% | (0.58)% | (0.60)% | (0.50)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 37% | 18% | 19% | 24% | 19% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the year.

<sup>2</sup> Amount is less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>3</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any.

<sup>4</sup> Expense ratio includes interest expense. Excluding such interest expense, the ratio of expenses to average net assets including waivers and/or reimbursements for the Fund would be 0.97% for the year ended April 30, 2025.

**POLEN GROWTH FUND** *a series of* **FundVantage Trust**

(888) 678-6024

**FOR MORE INFORMATION**

**For additional information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:**

**Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information**

The Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information contain more information about the Fund's investments and performance including information on the Fund's portfolio holdings and operating results for the most recently completed fiscal year or half-year. The Annual Financials and Additional Information include a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year.

**Statement of Additional Information (SAI)**

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Fund and its policies. The information in the SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is part of this Prospectus.

These documents will be available free of charge on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/growth-fund*. You can also get a free copy of these documents and other information, or ask us any questions, including information on how to purchase or redeem Fund shares, by calling us at (888) 678-6024 or writing to:

Polen Growth Fund FundVantage Trust c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing P.O. Box 534445 Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445

If you buy your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact that financial intermediary directly for this information. You can also find information online at *www.polencapital.com*.

Reports and information about the Fund (including the SAI and Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information) also may be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov*. Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: *publicinfo@sec.gov*.

The investment company registration number is 811-22027.

**POLEN GROWTH FUND**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **INVESTOR CLASS** | **INSTITUTIONAL CLASS** |
| **POLRX** | **POLIX** |

---

**A SERIES OF**

**FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**

**SEPTEMBER 1, 2025**

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") provides information about the Polen Growth Fund (the "Fund"). The Fund is a series of FundVantage Trust (the "Trust").

This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Fund's current prospectus dated September 1, 2025, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the "Prospectus"). This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. The Fund's audited financial statements and the notes thereto, which are included in the Fund's [Annual Financials and Additional Information](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm) dated April 30, 2025, are incorporated into this SAI by reference. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Financials and Additional Information may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Fund at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6024 or by visiting the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/growth-fund*.

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **Page** |
| [General Information](#sai-polrx_001) | 1 |
| [Investment Policies](#sai-polrx_002) | 1 |
| [Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings](#sai-polrx_003) | 31 |
| [Investment Limitations](#sai-polrx_004) | 32 |
| [Trustees and Officers](#sai-polrx_005) | 33 |
| [Code of Ethics](#sai-polrx_006) | 38 |
| [Proxy Voting](#sai-polrx_007) | 38 |
| [Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities](#sai-polrx_008) | 39 |
| [Investment Advisory Services](#sai-polrx_009) | 41 |
| [Portfolio Managers](#sai-polrx_010) | 42 |
| [Administration and Accounting Services](#sai-polrx_011) | 43 |
| [Additional Service Providers](#sai-polrx_012) | 43 |
| [Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices](#sai-polrx_013) | 44 |
| [Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries](#sai-polrx_014) | 46 |
| [Distribution of Shares and Rule 12b-1 Plan](#sai-polrx_015) | 46 |
| [Capital Stock and Other Securities](#sai-polrx_016) | 48 |
| [Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares](#sai-polrx_017) | 48 |
| [Dividends](#sai-polrx_018) | 49 |
| [Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations](#sai-polrx_019) | 49 |
| [Financial Statements](#sai-polrx_020) | 60 |
| [Appendix A — Description of Ratings](#sai-polrx_021) | A-1 |
| [Appendix B — Proxy Voting Policies](#sai-polrx_022) | B-1 |

---

i

**GENERAL INFORMATION**

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 28, 2006. The Trust is a series trust authorized to issue separate series or classes of shares of beneficial interest. The Trust has established the Fund as a separate series of the Trust. The Fund issues Investor Class and Institutional Class shares. Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

The Fund is a non-diversified, open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a non-diversified fund, the Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the portion of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. The Fund, however, intends to maintain the required level of diversification and otherwise conduct its operations so as to qualify as a regulated investment company ("RIC") for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "IRC"), to relieve the Fund of any liability for federal income tax to the extent that its earnings are distributed to shareholders. The IRC test applies at the end of each fiscal quarter and generally requires that at least 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets be represented by the types of assets that satisfy the asset diversification requirement imposed by the 1940 Act. In addition, no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer. Stocks of particular issuers, or issuers in particular industries, may dominate the investment portfolio of the Fund, which may adversely affect the performance of the Fund or subject it to greater price volatility than that experienced by more diversified investment companies.

**INVESTMENT POLICIES**

The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objective and policies of the Fund. The information below does not describe every type of investment, technique or risk to which the Fund may be exposed. Much of the information contained in this SAI expands on subjects discussed in the Fund's prospectus. No investment in the shares of the Fund should be made before reading the Prospectus.

**BANK OBLIGATIONS.** Bank obligations in which the Fund may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits. The Fund will not invest in fixed time deposits which (1) are not subject to prepayment or (2) provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits) if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in such deposits, repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days and other illiquid assets.

Obligations of foreign banks involve somewhat different investment risks than those affecting obligations of United States banks, including the possibilities that their liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments, that their obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of United States banks, that a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations, that foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized, that foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations and that the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to United States banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any U.S. Government agency or instrumentality.

● **BANKERS' ACCEPTANCES.** Bankers' acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft that has been drawn on it by a customer. These instruments reflect the obligation of both the bank and the drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity.

● **CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT.** Certificates of deposit are certificates evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank to repay funds deposited with it for a definite period of time (usually from 14 days to one year) at a stated or variable interest rate. Variable rate certificates of deposit provide that the interest rate will fluctuate on designated dates based on changes in a designated base rate (such as the composite rate for certificates of deposit established by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York).

● **TIME DEPOSITS.** Time deposits are bank deposits for fixed periods of time. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which may vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.

**BORROWING.** The Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. This means that, in general, the Fund may borrow money from banks for any purpose on a secured basis in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may also borrow money for temporary administrative purposes on an unsecured basis in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may choose to borrow in order to meet its redemptions.

Specifically, provisions of the 1940 Act require the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.

As noted below, the Fund also may enter into certain transactions, including reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and sale-buybacks, that can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing or financing transaction by the Fund. The Derivatives Rule (as defined below) regulates a registered investment company's use of derivatives and certain other transactions that creature future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. This new rule became operative in August 2022. The Derivatives Rule prescribes specific "value at risk" or "VaR" (further defined below) leverage limits that apply to the Fund with derivatives and other applicable transactions (although the Fund may qualify for the Limited Derivatives User Exception (as defined below)). VaR is an estimate of potential losses on an instrument or portfolio over a specified time horizon and at a given confidence level. The Fund may apply a relative VaR test or an absolute VaR test (if the Fund's derivative risk manager, if applicable, determines that a designated reference portfolio would not provide an appropriate reference portfolio for purposes of the relative VaR test. The limit under the relative VaR test is 200% of the VaR of a designated reference portfolio, which, very generally, may be a designated unleveraged index or the Fund's securities portfolio excluding derivatives. If applicable, the limit under the absolute VaR test is 20% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Derivatives Rule also requires the Fund, if applicable, to appoint a derivatives risk manager, maintain a derivatives risk management program designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with transactions covered by the rule, and abide by certain Board and other reporting obligations and recordkeeping requirements. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, the Derivatives Rule permits a fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under the Derivatives Rule. The Fund has adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with the Derivatives Rule. Compliance with the Derivatives Rule could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which the Fund may engage in derivative transactions could also limit or prevent the Fund from using certain instruments. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value ("NAV") of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and economically similar transactions. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a portfolio-eligible security by the Fund to another party, coupled with its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund continues to be entitled to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by the Fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by the Fund which it is obligated to repurchase.

A "mortgage dollar roll" is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement in certain respects. In a "dollar roll" transaction, the Fund sells a mortgage-related security, such as a security issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a predetermined price. A dollar roll can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which the Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Unlike in the case of reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but only securities which are "substantially identical." To be considered substantially identical, the securities returned to the Fund generally must: (1) be collateralized by the same types of underlying mortgages; (2) be issued by the same agency and be part of the same program; (3) have a similar original stated maturity; (4) have identical net coupon rates; (5) have similar market yields (and therefore price); and (6) satisfy "good delivery" requirements, meaning that the aggregate principal amounts of the securities delivered and received back must be within 0.01% of the initial amount delivered.

The Fund also may effect simultaneous purchase and sale transactions that are known as "sale-buybacks." A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty that purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of the Fund's repurchase of the underlying security. The Fund's obligation under a sale-buyback typically would be offset by liquid assets equal in value to the amount of the Fund's forward commitment to repurchase the subject security.

It is possible that changing government regulation may affect the Fund's use of these strategies. Changes in regulatory requirements concerning margin for certain types of financing transactions, such as repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and borrowing, could impact the Fund's ability to utilize these investment strategies and techniques.

**COMMERCIAL PAPER.** The Fund may invest in commercial paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (up to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities in order to finance their current operations.

**COMMON STOCK.** Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company or other entity. This ownership interest often gives the Fund the right to vote on measures affecting the company's organization and operations. Although common stocks generally have had a history of long-term growth in value, their prices are often volatile in the short-term and can be influenced by both general market risk and specific corporate risks. Accordingly, the Fund can lose money through its stock investments.

**CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in convertible securities, which may offer higher income than the common stocks into which they are convertible. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock, or other security that entitles the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to non-convertible debt or preferred securities, as applicable. Convertible securities are subordinate in rank to any senior debt obligations of the issuer, and, therefore, an issuer's convertible securities entail more risk than its debt obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible debt securities of similar credit quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. In addition, convertible securities are often lower-rated securities. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation's capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation's common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security.

Because of the conversion feature, the price of the convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying asset, and as such it is subject to risks relating to the activities of the issuer and/or general market and economic conditions. The income component of a convertible security may tend to cushion the security against declines in the price of the underlying asset. However, the income component of convertible securities causes fluctuations based upon changes in interest rates and the credit quality of the issuer.

If the convertible security's "conversion value," which is the market value of the underlying common stock that would be obtained upon the conversion of the convertible security, is substantially below the "investment value," which is the value of a convertible security viewed without regard to its conversion feature (i.e., strictly on the basis of its yield), the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. If the conversion value of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the value of the security will be principally influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security will sell at a premium over its conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding an income-producing security.

A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a predetermined price. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund would be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security and convert it to underlying common stock, or would sell the convertible security to a third party, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective. The Fund generally would invest in convertible securities for their favorable price characteristics and total return potential and would normally not exercise an option to convert unless the security is called or conversion is forced.

**CORPORATE DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund's investments in U.S. dollar or foreign currency-denominated corporate debt securities of domestic or foreign issuers are limited to corporate debt securities (corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar corporate debt instruments, including convertible securities) which meet the minimum ratings criteria set forth for the Fund, or, if unrated, are in the Adviser's opinion comparable in quality to corporate debt securities in which the Fund may invest.

Corporate income producing securities may include forms of preferred or preference stock. The rate of interest on a corporate debt security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may vary inversely with respect to a reference rate. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies. Debt securities may be acquired with warrants attached.

Securities rated Baa and BBB are the lowest which are considered "investment grade" obligations. Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") describes securities rated Baa as "subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics." Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P") describes securities rated BBB as "regarded as having adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation." For securities rated BBB, Fitch Ratings Ltd. ("Fitch") states that "…expectations of default risk are currently low…capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity." For a discussion of securities rated below-investment grade, see "Below-Investment Grade Securities" below.

**CYBER SECURITY.** The Fund and its service providers are susceptible to operational and information security risks due to cyber security incidents. In general, cyber security incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber security attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (*e.g*., through "hacking" or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks also may be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (*i.e*., efforts to make services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security incidents affecting the Adviser, Transfer Agent or Custodian or other service providers such as financial intermediaries have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, including by interference with the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading for the Fund's portfolio; the inability of fund shareholders to transact business with the Fund; violations of applicable privacy, data security or other laws; regulatory fines and penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs; legal fees; or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber security incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions and other parties. While information risk management systems and business continuity plans have been developed which are designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there are inherent limitations in any cyber security risk management systems or business continuity plans, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified.

**DEBT SECURITIES.** Debt securities represent money borrowed that obligates the issuer (e.g., a corporation, municipality, government, government agency) to repay the borrowed amount at maturity (when the obligation is due and payable) and usually to pay the holder interest at specific times.

**DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS.** American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") as well as other "hybrid" forms of ADRs, including European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"), are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. These certificates are issued by depository banks and generally trade on an established market in the United States or elsewhere. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends interest and shareholder information regarding corporate actions. ADRs may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and a depositary. An unsponsored facility may be established by a depositary without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities. These risks include foreign exchange risk as well as the political and economic risks of the underlying issuer's country.

**DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS.** In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund may, to the extent permitted by its investment objective and policies, purchase and sell (write) both put options and call options on securities, swap agreements, securities indexes, commodity indexes and foreign currencies, and enter into interest rate, index and commodity futures contracts and purchase and sell options on such futures contracts ("futures options"). The Fund also may purchase and sell foreign currency options for purposes of increasing exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another. The Fund may also enter into swap agreements with respect to interest rates, commodities and indexes of securities or commodities. The Fund may invest in structured notes. If other types of financial instruments, including other types of options, futures contracts or futures options are traded in the future, the Fund may also use those instruments, provided that such instruments are consistent with the Fund's investment objective.

The value of some derivative instruments in which the Fund invests may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of the Adviser to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken positions in derivative instruments contrary to prevailing market trends, the Fund could be exposed to the risk of loss.

The Fund might not employ any of the strategies described below, and no assurance can be given that any strategy used will succeed. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts interest rates, market values or other economic factors in using a derivatives strategy for the Fund, the Fund might have been in a better position if it had not entered into the transaction at all. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances. The use of these strategies involves certain special risks, including a possible imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of derivative instruments and price movements of related investments. While some strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in related investments or otherwise, due to the possible inability of the Fund to purchase or sell a portfolio security at a time that otherwise would be favorable, the possible need to sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time because the Fund is required to maintain asset coverage, offsetting positions in connection with transactions in derivative instruments or the possible inability of the Fund to close out or to liquidate its derivatives positions. In addition, the Fund's use of such instruments may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains (generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates) than if it had not used such instruments. If the Fund gains exposure to an asset class using derivative instruments backed by a collateral portfolio of fixed income instruments, changes in the value of the fixed income instruments may result in greater or lesser exposure to that asset class than would have resulted from a direct investment in securities comprising that asset class.

The use of derivative instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), the Commodity Future Trading Commission ("CFTC"), various state regulatory authorities and, with respect to exchange-traded derivatives, the several exchanges upon which they are traded. In particular, under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act, a registered investment company's derivatives exposure, which includes short positions for this purpose, is limited through a value-at-risk test and Rule 18f-4 requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. However, subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4) are not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. Rule 18f-4 could limit the Fund's ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Moreover, there may be asset coverage requirements for certain arrangements. In order to engage in certain transactions in derivatives, the Fund may be required to hold offsetting positions or to hold cash or liquid securities in a segregated account or designated on the Fund's books. Changes in the value of a derivative may also create margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for the Fund. In addition, the Fund's ability to use derivative instruments may be limited by tax considerations.

<u>Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. The Fund may, to the extent specified herein or in the Prospectus, purchase and sell both put and call options on fixed income or other securities or indexes in standardized contracts traded on foreign or domestic securities exchanges, boards of trade, or similar entities, or quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or on an over-the-counter market, and agreements, sometimes called cash puts, which may accompany the purchase of a new issue of bonds from a dealer.

An option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security. Upon exercise, the writer of an option on an index is obligated to pay the difference between the cash value of the index and the exercise price multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. (An index is designed to reflect features of a particular financial or securities market, a specific group of financial instruments or securities or certain economic indicators.)

The Fund will write call options and put options only if they are "covered." In the case of a call option on a security, the option is "covered" if the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by the Fund. For a call option on an index, the option is covered if the Fund maintains with its custodian assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, in an amount equal to the contract value of the index. A call option is also covered if the Fund holds a call on the same security or index as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written A put option on a security or an index is "covered" if the Fund holds a put on the same security or index as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written.

If an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid.

Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange-traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, exchange, underlying security or index, exercise price and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund desires.

The Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option which is sold. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series. The Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security or index in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.

The premium paid for a put or call option purchased by the Fund is an asset of the Fund. The premium received for an option written by the Fund is recorded as a deferred credit. The value of an option purchased or written is marked to market daily and is valued at the closing price on the exchange on which it is traded or, if not traded on an exchange or no closing price is available, at the mean between the last bid and asked prices.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a combination of a call and a put written on the same underlying security. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

<u>Risks Associated with Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and on indexes. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.

The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security at the exercise price. If a put or call option purchased by the Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security remains equal to or greater than the exercise price (in the case of a put), or remains less than or equal to the exercise price (in the case of a call), the Fund will lose its entire investment in the option. Also, where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security, the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out an option position. If the Fund were unable to close out an option that it had purchased on a security, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit or the option may expire worthless.

If trading were suspended in an option purchased by the Fund, the Fund would not be able to close out the option. If restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it has purchased. Except to the extent that a call option on an index written by the Fund is covered by an option on the same index purchased by the Fund, movements in the index may result in a loss to the Fund; however, such losses may be mitigated by changes in the value of the Fund's securities during the period the option was outstanding. If the Fund were unable to close out a covered call option that it had written on a security, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the exercise price of the call.

To the extent that the Fund writes a call option on a security it holds in its portfolio and intends to use such security as the sole means of "covering" its obligation under the call option, the Fund has, in return for the premium on the option, given up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the exercise price during the option period, but, as long as its obligation under such call option continues, has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. If the Fund were unable to close out such a call option, the Fund would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise.

<u>Foreign Currency Options</u>. Funds that invest in foreign currency-denominated securities may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies. The Fund may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies either on exchanges or in the over-the-counter market.

A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires.

Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits which may limit the ability of the Fund to reduce foreign currency risk using such options. Over-the-counter options differ from traded options in that over-the-counter options are two-party contracts with price and other terms negotiated between buyer and seller and generally do not have as much market liquidity as exchange traded options.

<u>Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts</u>. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security or commodity for a set price on a future date. These contracts are traded on exchanges, so that, in most cases, either party can close out its position on the exchange for cash, without delivering the security or commodity. An option on a futures contract gives the holder of the option the right to buy or sell a position in a futures contract from or to the writer of the option, at a specified price and on or before a specified expiration date. The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options thereon ("futures options") with respect to, but not limited to, interest rates, commodities and security or commodity indexes. To the extent that the Fund may invest in foreign currency denominated securities, it may also invest in foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon.

An interest rate, commodity, foreign currency or index futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of a financial instrument, foreign currency, commodity or the cash value of an index at a specified price and time. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract was originally written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, no physical delivery of these securities is made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes as well as financial instruments and foreign currencies and it is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future. The Fund may also invest in commodity futures contracts and options thereon. A commodity futures contract is an agreement between two parties, in which one party agrees to buy a commodity, such as an energy, agricultural or metal commodity from the other party at a later date at a price and quantity agreed-upon when the contract is made.

The Fund may purchase and write call and put futures options. Futures options possess many of the same characteristics as options on securities and indexes (discussed above). A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. A call option is "in the money" if the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option exceeds the exercise price. A put option is "in the money" if the exercise price exceeds the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option.

Pursuant to a claim for exclusion from the definition of "commodity pool operator" filed by the Trust with the National Futures Association ("NFA"), the Trust does not fall within the definition of "commodity pool operator" under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended ("CEA"), in respect of the Fund, and thus, is not subject to registration or regulation as such under the CEA in respect of the Fund.

<u>Limitations on Use of Futures and Futures Options</u>. The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and futures options which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity or quoted on an automated quotation system.

Additionally, the Fund will limit its trading in "commodity interests," as that term is defined under applicable CFTC Rules, and which generally includes commodity futures, futures options and swaps, such that, aside from commodity futures, commodity options contracts or swaps that, in each case, are used solely for bona fide hedging purposes within the meaning and intent of applicable CFTC Rules, (i) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish positions in commodity interests will not exceed five percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, or (ii) the aggregate net notional value of commodity interest positions does not exceed 100 percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, in each case, as further described in CFTC Rule 4.5(c)(2).

When a purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by the Fund, the Fund is required to deposit with the custodian (or broker, if legally permitted) a specified amount of assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees ("initial margin"). The margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. Margin requirements on foreign exchanges may be different than U.S. exchanges. The initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the futures contract which is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. The Fund expects to earn interest income on its initial margin deposits. A futures contract held by the Fund is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is

traded. Each day the Fund pays or receives cash, called "variation margin," equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. This process is known as "marking to market." Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract expired. In computing the daily NAV, the Fund will mark to market its open futures positions.

The Fund is also required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option and other futures positions held by the Fund.

Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities or commodities, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (same exchange, underlying security or index and delivery month). Closing out a futures contract sale is effected by purchasing a futures contract for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument or commodity with the same delivery date. If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a call and a put written on the same underlying futures contract. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

When purchasing a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" their position by purchasing a put option on the same futures contract with a strike price as high as or higher than the price of the contract held by the Fund.

When selling a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees that are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" its position by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract (or, in the case of an index futures contract, a portfolio with a volatility substantially similar to that of the index on which the futures contract is based), or by holding a call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price no higher than the price of the contract written by the Fund (or at a higher price if the difference is maintained in liquid assets with the Trust's custodian).

When selling a call option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, equal the total market value of the futures contract underlying the call option. Alternatively, the Fund may cover its position by entering into a long position in the same futures contract at a price no higher than the strike price of the call option, by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract, or by holding a separate call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price not higher than the strike price of the call option sold by the Fund.

When selling a put option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that equal the purchase price of the futures contract, less any margin on deposit. Alternatively, the Fund may cover the position either by entering into a short position in the same futures contract, or by owning a separate put option permitting it to sell the same futures contract so long as the strike price of the purchased put option is the same or higher than the strike price of the put option sold by the Fund.

The requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company ("RIC") provided under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("IRC") also may limit the extent to which the Fund may enter into futures, futures options or forward contracts. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

<u>Risks Associated with Futures and Futures Options</u>. There are several risks associated with the use of futures contracts and futures options. A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the margin deposits relating to the futures contract. There can be no guarantee that there will be a correlation between price movements in the hedging vehicle and in the Fund securities being hedged. In addition, there are significant differences between the securities and futures markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between the markets, causing a given hedge not to achieve its objectives. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends on circumstances such as variations in speculative market demand for futures and futures options on securities, including technical influences in futures trading and futures options, and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard contracts available for trading in such respects as interest rate levels, maturities and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision as to whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected interest rate trends.

Futures contracts on U.S. Government securities historically have reacted to an increase or decrease in interest rates in a manner similar to that in which the underlying U.S. Government securities reacted. To the extent, however, that the Fund enters into such futures contracts, the value of such futures will not vary in direct proportion to the value of the Fund's holdings. Thus, the anticipated spread between the price of the futures contract and the hedged security may be distorted due to differences in the nature of the markets. The spread also may be distorted by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets and the participation of speculators in such markets.

Futures exchanges may limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of the current trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a futures contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may work to prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when the Fund seeks to close out a futures or a futures option position, and that the Fund would remain obligated to meet margin requirements until the position is closed. In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.

<u>Risks Associated with Commodity Futures Contracts</u>. There are several additional risks associated with transactions in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Storage</u>. Unlike the financial futures markets, in the commodity futures markets there are costs of physical storage associated with purchasing the underlying commodity. The price of the commodity futures contract will reflect the storage costs of purchasing the physical commodity, including the time value of money invested in the physical commodity. To the extent that the storage costs for an underlying commodity change while the Fund is invested in futures contracts on that commodity, the value of the futures contract may change proportionately.

<u>Reinvestment</u>. In the commodity futures markets, producers of the underlying commodity may decide to hedge the price risk of selling the commodity by selling futures contracts today to lock in the price of the commodity at delivery tomorrow. In order to induce speculators to purchase the other side of the same futures contract, the commodity producer generally must sell the futures contract at a lower price than the expected future spot price. Conversely, if most hedgers in the futures market are purchasing futures contracts to hedge against a rise in prices, then speculators will only sell the other side of the futures contract at a higher futures price than the expected future spot price of the commodity. The changing nature of the hedgers and speculators in the commodity markets will influence whether futures prices are above or below the expected future spot price, which can have significant implications for the Fund. If the nature of hedgers and speculators in futures markets has shifted when it is time for the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a maturing contract in a new futures contract, the Fund might reinvest at higher or lower futures prices, or choose to pursue other investments.

Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the IRC may limit the Fund's ability to invest in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Tax Risk</u>. The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a RIC under the IRC. To qualify as a RIC under the IRC, the Fund must invest in assets which produce the types of income specified in the IRC and the Treasury Reporting Regulations ("Qualifying Income"). Whether the income from certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities is Qualifying Income must be determined on a case-by-case basis, and the Fund will endeavor to ensure that income that is not Qualifying Income will be limited to 10% or less of the Fund's income. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities may be restricted. Further, if the Fund does invest in these types of securities and the income is determined not to be Qualifying Income, it may cause the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these restrictions.

<u>Other Economic Factors</u>. The commodities which underlie commodity futures contracts may be subject to additional economic and non-economic variables, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments. These factors may have a larger impact on commodity prices and commodity-linked instruments, including futures contracts, than on traditional securities. Certain commodities are also subject to limited pricing flexibility because of supply and demand factors. Others are subject to broad price fluctuations as a result of the volatility of the prices for certain raw materials and the instability of supplies of other materials. These additional variables may create additional investment risks which subject the Fund's investments to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities.

<u>Additional Risks of Options on Securities, Futures Contracts, Options on Futures Contracts and Forward Currency Exchange Contracts and Options Thereon</u>. Options on securities, futures contracts and options on currencies may be traded on foreign exchanges. Such transactions may not be regulated as effectively as similar transactions in the United States may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Trust's ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States and (v) lesser trading volume.

<u>Swap Agreements and Options on Swap Agreements</u>. The Fund may engage in swap transactions, including, but not limited to, swap agreements on interest rates, security or commodity indexes, specific securities and commodities, and credit and event-linked swaps. To the extent the Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities, it also may invest in currency exchange rate swap agreements. The Fund also may enter into options on swap agreements ("swap options").

The Fund may enter into swap transactions for any legal purpose consistent with its investment objectives and policies, such as attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining a return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in other markets, to protect against currency fluctuations, as a duration management technique, to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in a more cost efficient manner.

OTC swap agreements are bilateral contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a "notional amount," i.e., the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a "basket" of securities or commodities representing a particular index. A "quanto" or "differential" swap combines both an interest rate and a currency transaction. Other forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap"; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or "floor"; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. Consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and general investment policies, the Fund may invest in commodity swap agreements. For example, an investment in a commodity swap agreement may involve the exchange of floating-rate interest payments for the total return on a commodity index. In a total return commodity swap, the Fund will receive the price appreciation of a commodity index, a portion of the index, or a single commodity in exchange for paying an agreed-upon fee. If the commodity swap is for one period, the Fund may pay a fixed fee, established at the outset of the swap. However, if the term of the commodity swap is more than one period, with interim swap payments, the Fund may pay an adjustable or floating fee. With a "floating" rate, the fee may be pegged to a base rate and is adjusted each period. Therefore, if interest rates increase over the term of the swap contract, the Fund may be required to pay a higher fee at each swap reset date.

The Fund also may enter into swap options. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. The Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swap options.

Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, the Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swap option than it will incur when it purchases a swap option. When the Fund purchases a swap option, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when the Fund writes a swap option, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

Most types of swap agreements entered into by the Fund will calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a "net basis." Consequently, the Fund's current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the "net amount"). The Fund's current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund).

The Fund also may enter into credit default swap agreements. The credit default swap agreement may reference one or more debt securities or obligations that are not currently held by the Fund. The protection "buyer" in a credit default contract is generally obligated to pay the protection "seller" an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract until a credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the "par value" (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount if the swap is cash settled. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer may receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity whose value may have significantly decreased. As a seller, the Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

The spread of a credit default swap is the annual amount the protection buyer must pay the protection seller over the length of the contract, expressed as a percentage of the notional amount. When spreads rise, market perceived credit risk rises and when spreads fall, market perceived credit risk falls. Wider credit spreads and decreasing market values, when compared to the notional amount of the swap, represent a deterioration of the credit soundness of the issuer of the reference obligation and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. For credit default swap agreements on asset-backed securities and credit indices, the quoted market prices and resulting values, as well as the annual payment rate, serve as an indication of the current status of the payment/performance risk.

Credit default swap agreements sold by the Fund may involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, and with respect to OTC credit default swaps, counterparty risk and credit risk. The Fund will enter into uncleared credit default swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. A buyer generally also will lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. The Fund's obligations under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund).

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") and related regulatory developments require the clearing and exchange-trading of many standardized OTC derivative instruments that the CFTC and SEC have defined as "swaps" including non-deliverable foreign exchange forwards, OTC foreign exchange options and swap options. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing is occurring on a phased-in basis based on type of market participant and CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing. The Adviser will continue to monitor developments in this area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the Fund's ability to enter into swap agreements.

Whether the Fund's use of swap agreements or swap options will be successful in furthering its investment objective will depend on the Adviser's ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. The Fund will enter into OTC swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the Internal Revenue Code may limit the Fund's ability to use swap agreements. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including additional government regulation, could adversely affect the Fund's ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the reference asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. Because OTC swap agreements are two-party contracts that may be subject to contractual restrictions on transferability and termination and because they may have remaining terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid and subject to the Fund's limitation on investments in illiquid securities. However, the Trust has adopted procedures pursuant to which the Adviser may determine swaps to be liquid under certain circumstances. To the extent that a swap is not liquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.

Like most other investments, swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to the Fund's interest. The Fund bears the risk that the Adviser will not accurately forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors in establishing swap positions for the Fund. If the Adviser attempts to use a swap as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the swap will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the Fund. While hedging strategies involving swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other Fund investments. Many swaps are complex and often valued subjectively.

<u>Correlation Risk</u>. In certain cases, the value of derivatives may not correlate perfectly, or at all, with the value of the assets, reference rates or indexes they are designed to closely track. In this regard, certain funds seek to achieve their investment objectives, in part, by investing in derivatives positions that are designed to closely track the performance (or inverse performance) of an index on a daily basis. However, the overall investment strategies of the Fund is not designed or expected to produce returns which replicate the performance (or inverse performance) of the particular index, and the degree of variation could be substantial, particularly over longer periods. There are a number of factors which may prevent a mutual fund, or derivatives or other strategies used by the Fund, from achieving desired correlation (or inverse correlation) with an index. These may include, but are not limited to: (i) the impact of fund fees, expenses and transaction costs, including borrowing and brokerage costs/bid-ask spreads, which are not reflected in index returns; (ii) differences in the timing of daily calculations of the value of an index and the timing of the valuation of derivatives, securities and other assets held by the Fund and the determination of the NAV of fund shares; (iii) disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for derivative instruments or securities in which the Fund invests; (iv) the Fund having exposure to or holding less than all of the securities in the underlying index and/or having exposure to or holding securities not included in the underlying index; (v) large or unexpected movements of assets into and out of the Fund (due to share purchases or redemptions, for example), potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the index; (vi) the impact of accounting standards or changes thereto; (vii) changes to the applicable index that are not disseminated in advance; (viii) a possible need to conform the Fund's portfolio holdings to comply with investment restrictions or policies or regulatory or tax law requirements; and (ix) fluctuations on currency exchange rates.

<u>Risk of Potential Government Regulation of Derivatives</u>. It is possible that additional government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, including futures, options and swap agreements, may limit or prevent the Fund from using such instruments potentially to the detriment of the Fund. It is impossible to fully predict the effects of past, present or future legislation and regulation in this area, but the effects could be substantial and adverse. It is possible that legislative and regulatory activity could limit or restrict the ability of the Fund to use certain instruments as a part of its investment strategy. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

There is a possibility of future regulatory changes altering, perhaps to a material extent, the nature of an investment in the Fund or the ability of the Fund to continue to implement their investment strategies. The futures, options and swaps markets are subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations, and margin requirements. In addition, the SEC, CFTC and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.

In particular, the Dodd-Frank Act sets forth a legislative framework for OTC derivatives, including financial instruments, such as swaps, in which the Fund may invest. Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act makes broad changes to the OTC derivatives market, grants significant new authority to the SEC and the CFTC to regulate OTC derivatives and market participants, and requires clearing and exchange trading of many OTC derivatives transactions.

Provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act include capital and margin requirements and the mandatory use of clearinghouse mechanisms for many OTC derivative transactions. The CFTC, SEC and other federal regulators have been developing the rules and regulations enacting the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. Because there is a prescribed phase-in period during which most of the mandated rulemaking and regulations will be implemented, it is not possible at this time to gauge the exact nature and full scope of the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on the Fund. However, swap dealers, major market participants and swap counterparties are experiencing, and will continue to experience, new and additional regulations, requirements, compliance burdens and associated costs. The new law and the rules to be promulgated thereunder may negatively impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective either through limits or requirements imposed on it or upon its counterparties. In particular, new position limits imposed on the Fund or its counterparties may impact the Fund's ability to invest in futures, options and swaps in a manner that efficiently meets its investment objective. New requirements even if not directly applicable to the Fund, including capital requirements, changes to the CFTC speculative position limits regime and mandatory clearing, may increase the cost of a Fund's investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.

<u>Structured Notes</u>. Structured notes are derivative debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities include structured notes as well as securities other than debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities may include a multiplier that multiplies the indexed element by a specified factor and, therefore, the value of such securities may be very volatile. The terms of the structured and indexed securities may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity and therefore, may result in a loss of invested capital. Structured and indexed securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the reference index may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the structured or indexed security at maturity may be calculated as a specified multiple of the change in the value of the reference; therefore, the value of such security may be very volatile. Structured and indexed securities may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the reference. Structured or indexed securities may also be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities. To the extent the Fund invests in these securities, however, the Adviser analyzes these securities in its overall assessment of the effective duration of the Fund's portfolio in an effort to monitor the Fund's interest rate risk.

**DOLLAR ROLLS.** The Fund may enter into dollar roll agreements, which are similar to reverse repurchase agreements. Dollar rolls are transactions in which securities are sold by the Fund for delivery in the current month and the Fund simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. Any difference between the sale price and the purchase price is netted against the interest income foregone on the securities sold to arrive at an implied borrowing rate. Alternatively, the sale and purchase transactions can be executed at the same price, with the Fund being paid a fee as consideration for entering into the commitment to purchase. Dollar rolls may be renewed prior to cash settlement and initially may involve only a firm commitment agreement by the Fund to buy a security. If the broker-dealer to which the Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund's right to repurchase the security may be restricted. At the time the Fund enters into a dollar roll, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained.

**EQUITY-LINKED SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in equity-linked securities. Equity-linked securities are privately issued securities whose investment results are designed to correspond generally to the performance of a specified stock index or "basket" of stocks, or sometimes a single stock. To the extent that the Fund invests in an equity-linked security whose return corresponds to the performance of a foreign securities index or one or more foreign stocks, investing in equity-linked securities will involve risks similar to the risks of investing in foreign equity securities. See "Foreign Securities" below. In addition, the Fund bears the risk that the issuer of an equity-linked security may default on its obligations under the security. Equity-linked securities are often used for many of the same purposes as, and share many of the same risks with, derivative instruments such as index futures on stock indexes, zero-strike options and warrants and swap agreements. See "Derivative Instruments" above. Equity-linked securities may be considered illiquid and thus subject to the Fund's restriction on investments in illiquid securities.

**EVENT-LINKED EXPOSURE.** The Fund may obtain event-linked exposure by investing in "event-linked bonds" or "event-linked swaps," or implement "event-linked strategies." Event-linked exposure results in gains that typically are contingent on the non-occurrence of a specific "trigger" event, such as a hurricane, earthquake or other physical or weather-related phenomena. Some event-linked bonds are commonly referred to as "catastrophe bonds." They may be issued by government agencies, insurance companies, reinsurers, special purpose corporations or other on-shore or off-shore entities (such special purpose entities are created to accomplish a narrow and well-defined objective, such as the issuance of a note in connection with a reinsurance transaction). If a trigger event causes

losses exceeding a specific amount in the geographic region and time period specified in a bond, the Fund, when investing in the bond may lose a portion or all of its principal invested in the bond. If no trigger event occurs, the Fund will recover its principal plus interest. For some event-linked bonds, the trigger event or losses may be based on company-wide losses, index-portfolio losses, industry indices or readings of scientific instruments rather than specified actual losses. Often the event-linked bonds provide for extensions of maturity that are mandatory, or optional at the discretion of the issuer, in order to process and audit loss claims in those cases where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension of maturity may increase volatility. In addition to the specified trigger events, event-linked bonds may also expose the Fund to certain unanticipated risks including but not limited to issuer risk, credit risk, counterparty risk, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations and adverse tax consequences.

Event-linked bonds are a relatively new type of financial instrument. As such, there is no significant trading history of these securities, and there can be no assurance that a liquid market in these instruments will develop. See "Illiquid Securities" below. Lack of a liquid market may impose the risk of higher transaction costs and the possibility that the Fund may be forced to liquidate positions when it would not be advantageous to do so. Event-linked bonds are typically rated, and the Fund will only invest in catastrophe bonds that meet the credit quality requirements for the Fund.

**FIXED INCOME SECURITIES WITH BUY-BACK FEATURES.** Fixed income securities with buy-back features enable the Fund to recover principal upon tendering the securities to the issuer or a third party. Letters of credit issued by domestic or foreign banks often support these buy-back features. In evaluating a foreign bank's credit, the Adviser considers whether adequate public information about the bank is available and whether the bank may be subject to unfavorable political or economic developments, currency controls or other governmental restrictions that could adversely affect the bank's ability to honor its commitment under the letter of credit. Buy-back features include standby commitments, put bonds and demand features.

<u>Standby Commitments</u>. The Fund may acquire standby commitments from broker-dealers, banks or other financial intermediaries to enhance the liquidity of portfolio securities. A standby commitment entitles the Fund to same day settlement at amortized cost plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise. The amount payable by the issuer of the standby commitment during the time that the commitment is exercisable generally approximates the market value of the securities underlying the commitment. Standby commitments are subject to the risk that the issuer of a commitment may not be in a position to pay for the securities at the time that the commitment is exercised.

Ordinarily, the Fund will not transfer a standby commitment to a third party, although the Fund may sell securities subject to a standby commitment at any time. The Fund may purchase standby commitments separate from or in conjunction with the purchase of the securities subject to the commitments. In the latter case, the Fund may pay a higher price for the securities acquired in consideration for the commitment.

In selecting put bonds for the Fund, the Adviser takes into consideration the creditworthiness of the issuers of the underlying bonds and the creditworthiness of the providers of the tender option features. A sponsor may withdraw the tender option feature if the issuer of the underlying bond defaults on interest or principal payments, the bond's rating is downgraded or, in the case of a municipal bond, the bond loses its tax-exempt status.

<u>Demand Features</u>. Many variable rate securities carry demand features that permit the holder to demand repayment of the principal amount of the underlying securities plus accrued interest, if any, upon a specified number of days' notice to the issuer or its agent. A demand feature may be exercisable at any time or at specified intervals. Variable rate securities with demand features are treated as having a maturity equal to the time remaining before the holder can next demand payment of principal. The issuer of a demand feature instrument may have a corresponding right to prepay the outstanding principal of the instrument plus accrued interest, if any, upon notice comparable to that required for the holder to demand payment.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities and may purchase and sell foreign currency options and foreign currency futures contracts and related options (see "Derivative Instruments") and may engage in foreign currency transactions either on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time or through forward currency contracts ("forwards") with terms generally of less than one year. The Fund may engage in these transactions in order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign exchange rates in the purchase and sale of securities. The Fund may also use foreign currency options and foreign currency forward contracts to increase exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another.

A forward involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts may be bought or sold to protect the Fund against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar or to increase exposure to a particular foreign currency Although forwards are intended to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currencies, at the same time, they tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currencies increase.

Forwards will be used primarily to adjust the foreign exchange exposure of the Fund with a view to protecting the outlook, and the Fund might be expected to enter into such contracts under the following circumstances:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) When the Adviser desires to lock in the U.S. dollar price on the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) If a particular currency is expected to decrease against another currency, the Fund may sell the currency expected to decrease and purchase a currency which is expected to increase against the currency sold in an amount approximately equal to some or all of the Fund's portfolio holdings denominated in the currency sold.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) If the Adviser wants to eliminate substantially all of the risk of owning a particular currency, and/or if the Adviser thinks that the Fund can benefit from price appreciation in a given country's bonds but does not want to hold the currency, it may employ a direct hedge back into the U.S. dollar. In either case, the Fund would enter into a forward contract to sell the currency in which a portfolio security is denominated and purchase U.S. dollars at an exchange rate established at the time it initiated the contract. The cost of the direct hedge transaction may offset most, if not all, of the yield advantage offered by the foreign security, but the Fund would hope to benefit from an increase (if any) in the value of the bond.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) The Adviser might choose to use a proxy hedge, which may be less costly than a direct hedge. In this case, the Fund, having purchased a security, will sell a currency whose value is believed to be closely linked to the currency in which the security is denominated. Interest rates prevailing in the country whose currency was sold would be expected to be closer to those in the U.S. and lower than those of securities denominated in the currency of the original holding. This type of hedging entails greater risk than a direct hedge because it is dependent on a stable relationship between the two currencies paired as proxies and the relationships can be very unstable at times.

<u>Costs of Hedging</u>. When the Fund purchases a foreign bond with a higher interest rate than is available on U.S. bonds of a similar maturity, the additional yield on the foreign bond could be substantially reduced or lost if the Fund were to enter into a direct hedge by selling the foreign currency and purchasing the U.S. dollar. This is what is known as the "cost" of hedging. Proxy hedging attempts to reduce this cost through an indirect hedge back to the U.S. dollar.

It is important to note that hedging costs are treated as capital transactions and are not, therefore, deducted from the Fund's dividend distribution and are not reflected in its yield. Instead such costs will, over time, be reflected in the Fund's NAV per share.

The forecasting of currency market movement is extremely difficult, and whether any hedging strategy will be successful is highly uncertain. Moreover, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of a foreign currency forward contract. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to buy or sell additional currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such transaction) if the Adviser's predictions regarding the movement of foreign currency or securities markets prove inaccurate. In addition, the use of cross-hedging transactions may involve special risks and may leave the Fund in a less advantageous position than if such a hedge had not been established. Because foreign currency forward contracts are privately negotiated transactions, there can be no assurance that the Fund will have flexibility to roll-over a foreign currency forward contract upon its expiration if it desires to do so. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the other party to the contract will perform its services thereunder.

The Fund may hold a portion of its assets in bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies, so as to facilitate investment in foreign securities as well as protect against currency fluctuations and the need to convert such assets into U.S. dollars (thereby also reducing transaction costs). To the extent these monies are converted back into U.S. dollars, the value of the assets so maintained will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations.

<u>Tax Consequences of Hedging</u>. Under applicable tax law, the Fund may be required to limit its gains from hedging in foreign currency forwards, futures and options. The extent to which these limits apply is subject to tax regulations that, to date, have not been issued. Hedging may also result in the application of the mark-to-market and straddle provisions of the IRC. Those provisions could result in an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund and could affect whether dividends paid by the Fund are classified as capital gains or ordinary income. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these tax issues.

**Foreign Currency Exchange-Related Securities.**

<u>Foreign Currency Warrants</u>. Foreign currency warrants such as Currency Exchange Warrants ("CEWs") are warrants which entitle the holder to receive from their issuer an amount of cash (generally, for warrants issued in the United States, in U.S. dollars) which is calculated pursuant to a predetermined formula and based on the exchange rate between a specified foreign currency and the U.S. dollar as of the exercise date of the warrant. Foreign currency warrants generally are exercisable upon their issuance and expire as of a specified date and time. Foreign currency warrants have been issued in connection with U.S. dollar-denominated debt offerings by major corporate issuers in an attempt to reduce the foreign currency exchange risk which, from the point of view of prospective purchasers of the securities, is inherent in the international fixed-income marketplace. Foreign currency warrants may attempt to reduce the foreign exchange risk assumed by purchasers of a security by, for example, providing for a supplemental payment in the event that the U.S. dollar depreciates against the value of a major foreign currency such as the Japanese yen or the euro. The formula used to determine the amount payable upon exercise of a foreign currency warrant may make the warrant worthless unless the applicable foreign currency exchange rate moves in a particular direction (e.g., unless the U.S. dollar appreciates or depreciates against the particular foreign currency to which the warrant is linked or indexed). Foreign currency warrants are severable from the debt obligations with which they may be offered and may be listed on exchanges. Foreign currency warrants may be exercisable only in certain minimum amounts, and an investor wishing to exercise warrants who possesses less than the minimum number required for exercise may be required either to sell the warrants or to purchase additional warrants, thereby incurring additional transaction costs. In the case of any exercise of warrants, there may be a time delay between the time a holder of warrants gives instructions to exercise and the time the exchange rate relating to exercise is determined, during which time the exchange rate could change significantly, thereby affecting both the market and cash settlement values of the warrants being exercised. The expiration date of the warrants may be accelerated if the warrants should be delisted from an exchange or if their trading should be suspended permanently, which would result in the loss of any remaining "time value" of the warrants (i.e., the difference between the current market value and the exercise value of the warrants), and, in the case the warrants were "out-of-the-money," in a total loss of the purchase price of the warrants. Warrants are generally unsecured obligations of their issuers and are not standardized foreign currency options issued by the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"). Unlike foreign currency options issued by OCC, the terms of foreign exchange warrants generally will not be amended in the event of governmental or regulatory actions affecting exchange rates or in the event of the imposition of other regulatory controls affecting the international currency markets. The initial public offering price of foreign currency warrants is generally considerably in excess of the price that a commercial user of foreign currencies might pay in the interbank market for a comparable option involving significantly larger amounts of foreign currencies. Foreign currency warrants are subject to significant foreign exchange risk, including risks arising from complex political or economic factors.

<u>Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities</u>. Principal exchange rate linked securities ("PERLs") are debt obligations the principal on which is payable at maturity in an amount that may vary based on the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and a particular foreign currency at or about that time. The return on "standard" PERLs is enhanced if the foreign currency to which the security is linked appreciates against the U.S. dollar and is adversely affected by increases in the foreign exchange value of the U.S. dollar; "reverse" PERLs are like the "standard" securities, except that their return is enhanced by increases in the value of the U.S. dollar and adversely impacted by increases in the value of foreign currency. Interest payments on the securities are generally made in U.S. dollars at rates that reflect the degree of foreign currency risk assumed or given up by the purchaser of the notes (i.e., at relatively higher interest rates if the purchaser has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, or relatively lower interest rates if the issuer has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, based on the expectations of the current market). PERLs may in limited cases be subject to acceleration of maturity (generally, not without the consent of the holders of the securities), which may have an adverse impact on the value of the principal payment to be made at maturity.

<u>Performance Indexed Paper</u>. Performance indexed paper ("PIPs") is U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper the yield of which is linked to certain foreign exchange rate movements. The yield to the investor on PIPs is established at maturity as a function of spot exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a designated currency as of or about that time (generally, the index maturity two days prior to maturity). The yield to the investor will be within a range stipulated at the time of purchase of the obligation, generally with a guaranteed minimum rate of return that is below, and a potential maximum rate of return that is above, market yields on U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper, with both the minimum and maximum rates of return on the investment corresponding to the minimum and maximum values of the spot exchange rate two business days prior to maturity.

**FOREIGN SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in foreign securities either directly by purchasing foreign securities or indirectly by purchasing depositary receipts or depositary shares of foreign securities. (See "Depositary Receipts" above.) Foreign securities include equity or debt securities issued by issuers outside the United States, and include securities in the form of ADRs and EDRs (see "Depositary Receipts"). Direct investments in foreign securities will be made in U.S. dollar denominated securities traded on U.S. exchanges and over-the-counter-markets.

Foreign investments may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency rates and exchange control regulations. There may be less information available about a foreign company than about a U.S. company, and foreign companies may not be subject to reporting standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. Foreign securities may not be as liquid as U.S. securities. Securities of foreign companies may involve greater market risk than securities of U.S. companies, Investments in foreign securities may also be subject to local economic or political risks, political instability and possible nationalization of issuers.

Investments in securities of foreign issuers may involve risks that are not associated with domestic investments. Foreign issuers may lack uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements, and there is generally less publicly available information about foreign issuers than there is about domestic issuers. Securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and their prices are more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers. Income from foreign securities may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source or other foreign taxes. In some countries, there may also be the possibility of nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation (in which case the Fund could lose its entire investment in a certain market), limitations on the removal of monies or other assets of the Fund, higher rates of inflation, political or social instability or revolution, or diplomatic developments that could affect investments in those countries. In addition, it may be difficult to obtain and enforce a judgment in a court outside the United States.

Some of the risks described in the preceding paragraph may be more severe for investments in emerging or developing countries. By comparison with the United States and other developed countries, emerging or developing countries may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on a less diversified industrial base and securities markets that trade a smaller number of securities. Companies in emerging markets may generally be smaller, less experienced and more recently organized than many domestic companies, and prices of those companies' securities tend to be more volatile.

The economies of individual emerging countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rates of inflation, currency depreciation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment position and may be based on a substantially less diversified industrial base. Further, the economies of developing countries generally are heavily dependent upon international trade and, accordingly, have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. These economies also have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade. U.S. securities and accounting regulatory agencies continue to express concern regarding information access and audit quality regarding issuers in China and other emerging market countries, which could present heightened risks associated with investments in these markets.

**GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACTS.** The Fund may invest in guaranteed investment contracts ("GIC"). A GIC is a general obligation of an insurance company. A GIC is generally structured as a deferred annuity under which the purchaser agrees to pay a given amount of money to an insurer (either in a lump sum or in installments) and the insurer promises to pay interest at a guaranteed rate (either fixed or variable) for the life of the contract. Some GICs provide that the insurer may periodically pay discretionary excess interest over and above the guaranteed rate. At the GIC's maturity, the purchaser generally is given the option of receiving payment or an annuity. Certain GICs may have features that permit redemption by the issuer at a discount from par value. Generally, GICs are not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuer. As a result, the acquisition of GICs is subject to the limitations applicable to the Fund's acquisition of illiquid and restricted securities. The holder of a GIC is dependent on the creditworthiness of the issuer as to whether the issuer is able to meet its obligations.

**HYBRID INSTRUMENTS.** A hybrid instrument is a type of potentially high-risk derivative that combines a traditional stock, bond or commodity with an option or forward contract. Generally, the principal amount, amount payable upon maturity or redemption or interest rate of a hybrid is tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency or securities index or another interest rate or some other economic factor (each a "benchmark"). The interest rate or (unlike most fixed income securities) the principal amount payable at maturity of a hybrid security may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark. An example of a hybrid could be a bond issued by an oil company that pays a small base level of interest with additional interest that accrues in correlation to the extent to which oil prices exceed a certain predetermined level. Such a hybrid instrument would be a combination of a bond and a call option on oil.

Hybrids can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging duration management and increased total return. Hybrids may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a hybrid or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could be zero. Thus, an investment in a hybrid may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of hybrids also exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrids. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the NAV of the Fund.

Certain hybrid instruments may provide exposure to the commodities markets. These are derivative securities with one or more commodity-linked components that have payment features similar to commodity futures contracts, commodity options or similar instruments. Commodity-linked hybrid instruments may be either equity or debt securities, leveraged or unleveraged, and are considered hybrid instruments because they have both security and commodity-like characteristics. A portion of the value of these instruments may be derived from the value of a commodity, futures contract, index or other economic variable. The Fund will only invest in commodity-linked hybrid instruments that qualify under applicable rules of the CFTC for an exemption from the provisions of the CEA.

Certain issuers of structured products such as hybrid instruments may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund's investments in these products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.

**ILLIQUID SECURITIES and liquidity risk management PROGRAM.** The Fund may not knowingly invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days at approximately the value at which they are being carried on the Fund's books. The Board of Trustees has the ultimate responsibility for determining whether specific securities are liquid or illiquid. The Board of Trustees has delegated the function of making day to day determinations of liquidity to the Adviser, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of securities held by the Fund and report periodically on such decisions to the Board of Trustees. If the limitations on illiquid securities are exceeded, other than by a change in market values, the condition will be reported by the Fund's Adviser to the Board of Trustees. Illiquid securities would generally include repurchase agreements with notice/termination dates in excess of seven days and certain securities which are subject to trading restrictions because they are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). External market conditions may impact the liquidity of portfolio securities and may cause the Fund to sell or divest certain illiquid securities in order to comply with its limitation on holding illiquid securities, which may result in realized losses to the Fund.

Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires, among other things, that the Fund establish a liquidity risk management program ("LRMP") that is reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 defines "liquidity risk" as the risk that a fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the fund without significant dilution of the remaining investors' interests in the fund. The Fund has implemented a LRMP to meet the relevant requirements. Additionally, the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the designation of a committee of individuals comprised of the Fund's President, Treasurer, and Chief Compliance Officer (the "LRMP Administrator") to administer the LRMP. The Board of Trustees will review no less frequently than annually a written report prepared by the LRMP Administrator that addresses the operation of the LRMP and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation. Among other things, the LRMP provides for the classification of each Fund investment as a "highly liquid investment," "moderately liquid investment," "less liquid investment" or "illiquid investment." The liquidity risk classifications of the Fund's investments are determined after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations. To the extent that a Fund investment is deemed to be an "illiquid investment" or a "less liquid investment," the Fund can expect to be exposed to greater liquidity risk. There is no guarantee the LRMP will be effective in its operations, and complying with Rule 22e-4, including bearing related costs, could impact the Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

**INFLATION-PROTECTED DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in inflation-protected debt securities or inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers utilize a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index ("CPI") accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS") have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if the Fund purchased TIPS with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year's inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. The Fund may also invest in other inflation-related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal amount.

The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.

While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.

Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

**INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies (each, an "Underlying Fund"), including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts ("UITs") and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the "Acquired Fund"), such as the Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the "Acquiring Fund") or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of the Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC no-action relief.

Set forth below is additional information about the manner in which ETFs generally operate and the risks associated with an investment in ETFs which are in addition to the risks associated with registered investment companies generally.

In the event that the Fund purchases shares of ETFs, such purchase is expected to be made through a broker-dealer in a transaction on a securities exchange, and in such a case the Fund will pay customary brokerage commissions for each purchase and sale. Shares of an ETF may also be acquired by depositing a specified portfolio of the ETF's underlying securities, as well as a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit, with the ETF's custodian, in exchange for which the ETF will issue a quantity of new shares sometimes referred to as a "creation unit." Similarly, shares of an ETF purchased on an exchange may be accumulated until they represent a creation unit, and the creation unit may be redeemed in kind for a portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETF's NAV) together with a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. The Fund may redeem creation units for the underlying securities (and any applicable cash), and may assemble a portfolio of the underlying securities (and any required cash) to purchase creation units, if the Adviser believes it is in the Fund's interest to do so. The Fund's ability to redeem creation units may be limited by the 1940 Act, which provides that an ETF will not be obligated to redeem shares held by the Fund in an amount exceeding one percent of such ETF's total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days.

<u>Termination Risk</u>. There is a risk that ETFs in which the Fund invests may terminate due to extraordinary events. For example, any of the service providers to ETFs, such as the trustee or sponsor, may close or otherwise fail to perform their obligations to the ETF, and the ETF may not be able to find a substitute service provider. Also, the ETFs may be dependent upon licenses to use the various indices as a basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade names. If these licenses are terminated, ETFs may also terminate or experience a disruption in its activities. In addition, an ETF may terminate if its net assets fall below a certain amount.

Although the Adviser believes that, in the event of the termination of an ETF, the Fund will be able to invest instead in shares of an alternate ETF tracking the same market index or another index covering the same general market, there can be no assurance that shares of an alternate ETF would be available for investment at that time.

**INVESTMENTS IN COMMODITY/NATURAL RESOURCE-RELATED SECURITIES.** As discussed under "Investment Limitations" below, the Fund does not invest directly in commodities. However, the Fund may from time to time invest in securities of companies whose business is related to commodities and natural resources, or in registered investment companies or other companies that invest directly or indirectly in commodities and natural resources. For example, the Fund may invest in companies whose business is related to mining of precious or other metals (e.g., gold, silver, etc.) or registered investment companies that invest in securities of mining companies and related instruments (including, without limitation, the underlying commodities). Investments in equity securities of companies involved in mining or related precious metals industries, and the value of the investment companies and other companies that invest in precious metals and other commodities are subject to a number of risks. For example, the prices of precious metals or other commodities can move sharply, up or down, in response to cyclical economic conditions, political events or the monetary policies of various countries, any of which may adversely affect the value of companies whose business is related to such commodities, or the value of investment companies and other companies investing in such business or commodities. Furthermore, such companies are subject to risks related to fluctuations of prices and perceptions of value in the commodity markets generally.

**LOAN PARTICIPATIONS.** The Fund may purchase participations in commercial loans. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Loan participations typically represent direct participation in a loan to a corporate borrower and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Fund may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing loan participations, the Fund assumes the credit risk associated with the corporate borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interests in which the Fund intends to invest may not be rated by any nationally recognized statistical ratings organization ("NRSRO").

A loan is often administered by an agent bank acting as agent for all holders. The agent bank administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. In addition, the agent bank is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the corporate borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions which are parties to the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, the Fund has direct recourse against the corporate borrower, the Fund may have to rely on the agent bank or other financial intermediary to apply appropriate credit remedies against a corporate borrower. A financial institution's employment as agent bank might be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement should remain available to holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank's general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. In situations involving other interposed financial institutions (e.g., an insurance company or governmental agency) similar risks may arise.

Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the corporate borrower for payment of principal and interest. If the Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund's share price and yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.

The Fund may invest in loan participations with credit quality comparable to that of the issuers of the Fund's securities investments. Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

The Fund limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in any one issuer or in issuers within the same industry (see "Investment Limitations"). For purposes of these limits, the Fund generally will treat the corporate borrower as the "issuer" of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between the Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as "issuers" for the purpose of determining whether the Fund has invested more than 5% of its assets in a single issuer. Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict the Fund's ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries.

Loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of readily at what the Adviser believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of illiquid indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining the Fund's NAV than if that value were based on available market quotations and could result in significant variations in the Fund's daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are traded among certain financial institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of these instruments is expected to improve. In addition, the Fund currently intends to treat indebtedness for which there is no readily available market as illiquid for purposes of the Fund's limitation on illiquid investments. Investments in loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of the Trust's investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by the Fund.

Investments in loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution's interests with respect to the loan may involve additional risks to the Fund. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, the Fund could be held liable as co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protections against fraud and misrepresentation. In the absence of definitive regulatory guidance, the Fund relies on the Adviser's research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentation could adversely affect the Fund.

**MONEY MARKET FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in the securities of money market mutual funds. Such investments are subject to limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder and applicable SEC staff interpretations thereof, or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC. (See "Investment Company Securities and Exchange-Traded Funds" above.)

**MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES AND ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES.** Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. See "Mortgage Pass-Through Securities." The Fund may also invest in debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations").

The recent financial downturn—particularly the increase in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgages, falling home prices, and unemployment—has adversely affected the market for mortgage-related securities. In addition, various market and governmental actions may impair the ability to foreclose on or exercise other remedies against underlying mortgage holders, or may reduce the amount received upon foreclosure. These factors have caused certain mortgage-related securities to experience lower valuations and reduced liquidity. There is also no assurance that the U.S. Government will take further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economic downturn continue or the economy experience another downturn. Further, recent legislative action and any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk that the Fund could realize losses on mortgage-related securities.

<u>Mortgage Pass-Through Securities</u>*.* Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA") are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase.

The residential mortgage market in the United States recently has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Fund's mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased recently and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has recently been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

<u>Agency Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA"), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA").

However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Trust's investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet the Trust's quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. The Fund will not purchase mortgage-related securities or any other assets which in the opinion of the Adviser are illiquid if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets will be illiquid.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. The substantial decline in real property values across the U.S. has exacerbated the level of losses that investors in privately issued mortgage-related securities have experienced. It is not certain when these trends may reverse. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in the Fund's portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

The Fund may purchase privately issued mortgage-related securities that are originated, packaged and serviced by third party entities. It is possible these third parties could have interests that are in conflict with the holders of mortgage-related securities, and such holders (such as the Fund) could have rights against the third parties or their affiliates. For example, if a loan originator, servicer or its affiliates engaged in negligence or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties, then a holder of the mortgage-related security could seek recourse against the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable. Also, as a loan originator/servicer, the originator/servicer or its affiliates may make certain representations and warranties regarding the quality of the mortgages and properties underlying a mortgage-related security. If one or more of those representations or warranties is false, then the holders of the mortgage-related securities (such as the Fund) could trigger an obligation of the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable, to repurchase the mortgages from the issuing trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, many of the third parties that are legally bound by trust and other documents have failed to perform their respective duties, as stipulated in such trust and other documents, and investors have had limited success in enforcing terms.

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Fund's industry concentration restrictions, set forth below under "Investment Limitations," by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. Government securities. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities, the Fund takes the position that mortgage-related securities do not represent interests in any particular "industry" or group of industries. Therefore, the Fund may invest more or less than 25% of its total assets in privately issued mortgage-related securities. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

<u>Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs")</u>*.* A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as "tranches," with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as "sequential pay" CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation ("issuer") issues multiple series (*e.g.*, A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds ("Bonds"). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates ("Collateral"). The Collateral is pledged to a third party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common. For example, the Fund may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class ("PAC") CMOs and multi-class pass through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches—known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds—which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk.

<u>Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Commercial mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

<u>Other Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals or stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS"). Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

<u>CMO Residuals</u>*.* CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only ("IO") class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. See "Other Mortgage-Related Securities—Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities." In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based.

As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.

CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. Transactions in CMO residuals are generally completed only after careful review of the characteristics of the securities in question. In addition, CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not have been registered under the 1933 Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the 1933 Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed "illiquid" and subject to the Fund's limitations on investment in illiquid securities.

<u>Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities ("ARMBSs") have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBSs permits the Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBSs are based. Such ARMBSs generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed income debt securities of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBSs, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, the Fund, when holding

an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (*i.e.*, the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBSs behave more like fixed income securities and less like adjustable rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed income securities. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

<u>Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the "IO" class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or "PO" class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund's yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated pre-payments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

<u>Collateralized Debt Obligations</u>*.* The Fund may invest in collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), which include collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and other similarly structured securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed income securities such as high yield debt, residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, commercial privately issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.

For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the "equity" tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade.

Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class.

The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities, however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Fund's Prospectus (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CDOs carry additional risks including, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the Fund may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

<u>Asset-Backed Securities</u>*.* Asset-backed securities ("ABS") are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. ABS are created from many types of assets, including auto loans, credit card receivables, home equity loans, and student loans. ABS are issued through special purpose vehicles that are bankruptcy remote from the issuer of the collateral. The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement. Some ABS, particularly home equity loan transactions, are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments (after expenses are paid) are used to pay investors as quickly as possible based upon a predetermined priority of payment.

Consistent with its investment objectives and policies, the Fund also may invest in other types of asset-backed securities.

**BELOW-INVESTMENT GRADE SECURITIES.** Subject to the limitations set forth in the Prospectus, the Fund may invest in "below-investment grade" or "high yield" fixed income securities commonly known to investors as "high yield bonds" or "junk bonds." High yield bonds are issued by a company whose credit rating (based on an NRSRO) evaluation of the likelihood of repayment) necessitates offering a higher coupon and yield on its issues when selling them to investors who may otherwise be hesitant in purchasing the debt of such a company. While generally providing greater income and opportunity for gain, below-investment grade debt securities are generally subject to greater risks than fixed income securities which have higher credit ratings, including a higher risk of default, and their yields will fluctuate over time. High yield bonds generally will be in the lower rating categories of NRSROs (rated "Ba" or lower by Moody's or "BB" or lower by S&P and Fitch or will be unrated. The credit rating of a high yield bond does not necessarily address its market value risk, and ratings may from time to time change, positively or negatively, to reflect developments regarding the issuer's financial condition. High yield bonds are considered to be speculative with respect to the capacity of the issuer to timely repay principal and pay interest or dividends in accordance with the terms of the obligation and may have more credit risk than higher rated securities.

While the market values of high yield bonds tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rates than do those of higher rated securities, the values of high yield bonds often reflect individual corporate developments and have a high sensitivity to economic changes to a greater extent than do higher rated securities. Issuers of high yield bonds are often in the growth stage of their development and/or involved in a reorganization or takeover. The companies are often highly leveraged (have a significant amount of debt relative to shareholders' equity) and may not have available to them more traditional financing methods, thereby increasing the risk associated with acquiring these types of securities. In some cases, obligations with respect to high yield bonds are subordinated to the prior repayment of senior indebtedness, which will potentially limit the Fund's ability to fully recover principal or to receive interest payments when senior securities are in default. Thus, investors in high yield bonds have a lower degree of protection with respect to principal and interest payments than do investors in higher rated securities.

During an economic downturn, a substantial period of rising interest rates or a recession, highly leveraged issuers of high yield bonds may experience financial distress possibly resulting in insufficient revenues to meet their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals and to obtain additional financing. An economic downturn could also disrupt the market for lower-rated securities and adversely affect the value of outstanding securities, the Fund's NAV and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest. If the issuer of a security held by the Fund has defaulted, the Fund may not receive full interest and principal payments due to it and could incur additional expenses if it chose to seek recovery of its investment.

The secondary markets for high yield bonds are not as liquid as the secondary markets for higher rated securities. The secondary markets for high yield bonds are concentrated in relatively few market makers and participants in the markets are mostly institutional investors, including insurance companies, banks, other financial institutions and mutual funds. In addition, the trading volume for high yield bonds is generally lower than that for higher rated securities and the secondary markets could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. Under certain economic and/or market conditions, the Fund may have difficulty disposing of certain high yield bonds due to the limited number of investors in that sector of the market. An illiquid secondary market may adversely affect the market price of the high yield security, which may result in increased difficulty selling the particular issue and obtaining accurate market quotations on the issue when valuing the Fund's assets. Market quotations on high yield bonds are available only from a limited number of dealers, and such quotations may not be the actual prices available for a purchase or sale.

The high yield markets may react strongly to adverse news about an issuer or the economy, or to the perception or expectation of adverse news, whether or not it is based on fundamental analysis. Additionally, prices for high yield bonds may be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. These developments could adversely affect the Fund's NAV and investment practices, the secondary market for high yield bonds, the financial condition of issuers of these securities and the value and liquidity of outstanding high yield bonds, especially in a thinly traded market. For example, Federal legislation requiring the divestiture by federally insured savings and loan associations of their investments in high yield bonds and limiting the deductibility of interest by certain corporate issuers of high yield bonds adversely affected the market in the past.

When the secondary market for high yield bonds becomes more illiquid, or in the absence of readily available market quotations for such securities, the relative lack of reliable objective data makes it more difficult to value the Fund's securities and judgment plays a more important role in determining such valuations. Increased illiquidity in the junk bond market, in combination with the relative youth and growth of the market for such securities, also may affect the ability of the Fund to dispose of such securities at a desirable price. Additionally, if the secondary markets for high yield bonds contract due to adverse economic conditions or for other reasons, some of the Fund's liquid securities may become illiquid and the proportion of the Fund's assets invested in illiquid securities may significantly increase.

The rating assigned by a rating agency evaluates the safety of a below-investment grade security's principal and interest payments but does not address market value risk. Because such ratings of NRSROs may not always reflect current conditions and events, in addition to using NRSROs and other sources, the Adviser performs its own analysis of the issuers whose below-investment grade securities are held by the Fund. Because of this, the Fund's performance may depend more on the Adviser's own credit analysis than in the case of mutual funds investing in higher-rated securities. For a description of these ratings, see "Appendix A - Description of Securities Ratings."

In selecting below-investment grade securities, the Adviser considers factors such as those relating to the creditworthiness of issuers, the ratings and performance of the securities, the protections afforded the securities and the diversity of the Fund. The Adviser continuously monitors the issuers of below-investment grade securities held by the Fund for their ability to make required principal and interest payments, as well as in an effort to control the liquidity of the Fund so that it can meet redemption requests. If a security's rating is reduced below the minimum credit rating that is permitted for the Fund, the Adviser will consider whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.

In the event that the Fund investing in high yield bonds experiences an unexpected level of net redemptions, the Fund could be forced to sell its holdings without regard to the investment merits, thereby decreasing the assets upon which the Fund's rate of return is based.

The costs attributable to investing in the high yield markets are usually higher for several reasons, such as higher investment research costs and higher commission costs.

**PARTICIPATION INTERESTS.** The Fund may invest in participation interests in fixed income securities. A participation interest provides the certificate holder with a specified interest in an issue of fixed income securities.

Some participation interests give the holders differing interests in the underlying securities, depending upon the type or class of certificate purchased. For example, coupon strip certificates give the holder the right to receive a specific portion of interest payments on the underlying securities; principal strip certificates give the holder the right to receive principal payments and the portion of interest not payable to coupon strip certificate holders. Holders of certificates of participation in interest payments may be entitled to receive a fixed rate of interest, a variable rate that is periodically reset to reflect the current market rate or an auction rate that is periodically reset at auction. Asset-backed residuals represent interests in any excess cash flow remaining after required payments of principal and interest have been made.

More complex participation interests involve special risk considerations. Since these instruments have only recently been developed, there can be no assurance that any market will develop or be maintained for the instruments. Generally, the fixed income securities that are deposited in trust for the holders of these interests are the sole source of payments on the interests; holders cannot look to the sponsor or trustee of the trust or to the issuers of the securities held in trust or to any of their affiliates for payment.

Participation interests purchased at a discount may experience price volatility. Certain types of interests are sensitive to fluctuations in market interest rates and to prepayments on the underlying securities. A rapid rate of prepayment can result in the failure to recover the holder's initial investment.

The extent to which the yield to maturity of a participation interest is sensitive to prepayments depends, in part, upon whether the interest was purchased at a discount or premium, and if so, the size of that discount or premium. Generally, if a participation interest is purchased at a premium and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that anticipated at the time of purchase, the holder's actual yield to maturity will be lower than that assumed at the time of purchase. Conversely, if a participation interest is purchased at a discount and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that assumed at the time of purchase, the investor's actual yield to maturity will be higher than that assumed at the time of purchase.

Participation interests in pools of fixed income securities backed by certain types of debt obligations involve special risk considerations. The issuers of securities backed by automobile and truck receivables typically file financing statements evidencing security interests in the receivables, and the servicers of those obligations take and retain custody of the obligations. If the servicers, in contravention of their duty to the holders of the securities backed by the receivables, were to sell the obligations, the third party purchasers could acquire an interest superior to the interest of the security holders. Also, most states require that a security interest in a vehicle must be noted on the certificate of title and the certificate of title may not be amended to reflect the assignment of the lender's security interest. Therefore, the recovery of the collateral in some cases may not be available to support payments on the securities. Securities backed by credit card receivables are generally unsecured, and both Federal and state consumer protection laws may allow set-offs against certain amounts owed.

**PREFERRED STOCK.** The Fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally dividends as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of

preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer's board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

**REAL ESTATE SECURITIES AND RELATED DERIVATIVES.** The Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in real estate-linked derivatives, real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Each of these types of investments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value and possible environmental liabilities. The Fund may also invest in rights or warrants to purchase income-producing common and preferred shares of issuers in real estate-related industries. It is anticipated that substantially all of the equity securities of issuers in real estate-related industries in which the Fund intends to invest will be traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market.

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that own, and typically operate, income-producing real estate. If a REIT meets certain requirements, including distributing to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income (other than net capital gains), then it is not taxed on the income distributed to shareholders. REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses, and so the Fund, when investing in REITs, will bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs' operations.

There are three general categories of REITs: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in direct fee ownership or leasehold ownership of real property; they derive most of their income from rents. Mortgage REITs invest mostly in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans, and the main source of their income is mortgage interest payments. Hybrid REITs hold both ownership and mortgage interests in real estate.

Along with the risks common to different types of real estate-related securities, REITs, no matter the type, involve additional risk factors. These include poor performance by the REIT's manager, changes to the tax laws, and failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free distribution of income or exemption under the 1940 Act. Furthermore, REITs are not diversified and are heavily dependent on cash flow. REITs can be listed and traded on national securities exchanges or can be traded privately between individual owners.

**REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commits to resell that security to a bank or dealer at an agreed upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest, unrelated to the coupon rate or the maturity of the purchased security. While it is not possible to eliminate all risks from these transactions (particularly the possibility of a decline in the market value of the underlying securities, as well as delays and costs to the Fund if the other party to the repurchase agreement defaults), it is the policy of the Fund to limit repurchase transactions to primary dealers and banks whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the Adviser. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered illiquid for purposes of the Fund's investment limitations.

**RESTRICTED SECURITIES.** Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption from registration. The Fund is subject to an investment limitation on the purchase of illiquid securities. Restricted securities, including securities eligible for re-sale pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, that are determined to be liquid are not subject to this limitation. This determination is to be made by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees. Under these guidelines, the Adviser will consider the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers in, and potential purchasers for, the securities, dealer undertakings to make a market in the security and the nature of the security and of the marketplace trades. In purchasing such restricted securities, the Adviser intends to purchase securities that are exempt from registration under Rule 144A.

**REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements in accordance with its investment restrictions. Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund would sell portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers, and agree to repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities, generally rated in one of the three highest ratings categories, consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value at least equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price at which it is obligated to repurchase the securities. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings by the Fund under the 1940 Act. The Fund will not engage in reverse repurchase transactions if such transactions, combined with any other borrowings, exceed 33-1/3% of the Fund's assets.

**RIGHTS OFFERINGS AND WARRANTS TO PURCHASE SECURITIES.** The Fund may participate in rights offerings and may purchase warrants, which are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time.

Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the rights' and warrants' expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security's market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. Buying a warrant does not make the Fund a shareholder of the underlying stock and changes in the value of a warrant do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security. The warrant holder has no voting or dividend rights with respect to the underlying stock. A warrant does not carry any right to assets of the issuer, and for this reason investment in warrants may be more speculative than other equity-based investments.

**SECTOR RISK.** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**SECURITIES LENDING.** For the purpose of achieving income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial institutions, provided: (i) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposits, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned; (ii) the Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of the securities loaned; (iii) the Fund will receive any interest or dividends paid on the loaned securities; and (iv) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33-1/3% of the total assets of the Fund. The Fund's performance will continue to reflect the receipt of either interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments, or a fee, if the collateral is U.S. Government securities. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral should the borrower fail to return the securities loaned or become insolvent. The Fund may pay lending fees to the party arranging the loan.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities as part of its overall portfolio management strategy involving the use of derivative instruments, to gain exposure to or adjust exposure to various market sectors, and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities or otherwise take advantage of market conditions. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.

When the Fund makes a short sale, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale as collateral for its obligation to deliver the security upon conclusion of the sale. The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over any accrued interest and dividends on such borrowed securities.

If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time that the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.

The Fund may invest pursuant to a risk arbitrage strategy to take advantage of a perceived relationship between the value of two securities. Frequently, a risk arbitrage strategy involves the short sale of a security.

The Fund may engage in short sales "against the box." A short sale is "against the box" to the extent that the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short. The Fund will engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the federal securities laws and rules and interpretations thereunder. To the extent the Fund engages in short selling in foreign (non-U.S.) jurisdictions, the Fund will do so to the extent permitted by the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction.

The Fund may also engage in so-called "naked" short sales (i.e., short sales that are not "against the box"), in which case the Fund's losses could theoretically be unlimited, in cases where the Fund is unable for whatever reason to close out its short position. The Fund has the flexibility to engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and interpretations thereunder.

**SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in special purpose acquisition companies ("SPACs"). SPACs are collective investment structures that pool funds in order to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less an amount to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities and cash. SPACs and similar entities may be blank check companies with no operating history or ongoing business other than to seek a potential acquisition. Accordingly, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity's management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Certain SPACs may seek acquisitions only in limited industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. Investments in SPACs may be deemed illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective. If a SPAC does not complete an acquisition within a specified period of time after going public, the SPAC is dissolved, at which point the invested funds are returned to the SPAC's shareholders (less certain permitted expenses) and any rights or warrants issued by the SPAC expire worthless.

**U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS**. The Fund may invest in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Although all obligations of such agencies and instrumentalities are not direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Government generally directly or indirectly backs payment of the interest and principal on these obligations. This support can range from securities supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (for example, GNMA securities) to securities that are supported solely or primarily by the creditworthiness of the issuer, such as securities of FNMA, FHLMC, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Federal Farm Credit Banks and Federal Home Loan Banks. In the case of obligations not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Whether backed by full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury or not, U.S. Government obligations are not guaranteed against price movements due to fluctuating interest rates.

**VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES.** Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

The Fund may invest in floating and variable rate debt instruments ("floaters") and engage in credit spread trades. The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as a money-market index or Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, the Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. A credit spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two securities or currencies, where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities or currencies.

The Fund may also invest in inverse floating rate debt instruments ("inverse floaters"). The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floating rate security may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation of similar credit quality. See "Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities" for a discussion of IOs and POs.

**WHEN-ISSUED, DELAYED DELIVERY AND FORWARD COMMITMENT TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Typically, no income accrues on securities the Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made.

When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its NAV. Because the Fund is not required to pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other investments. If the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

When the Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis, the Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or could suffer a loss. The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a transaction after it is entered into and may sell when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment securities before they are delivered, which may result in a capital gain or loss. There is no percentage limitation on the extent to which the Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis.

**ZERO COUPON BONDS.** The Fund may invest in zero coupon bonds of governmental or private issuers that generally pay no interest to their holders prior to maturity. Since zero coupon bonds do not make regular interest payments, they allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments and may involve greater credit risks than bonds paying interest currently. The IRC requires that the Fund accrue income on zero coupon bonds for each taxable year, even though no cash has been paid on the bonds, and generally requires the Fund to distribute such income (net of deductible expenses, if any) to avoid being subject to tax and to continue to maintain its status as a RIC under the IRC. Because no cash is generally received at the time of accrual, the Fund may be required to sell investments (even if such sales are not advantageous) to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy the federal tax distribution requirements applicable to the Fund under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information.

**TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS.** The Fund may, without limit, invest in U.S. Government securities, commercial paper and other money market instruments, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents in response to adverse market conditions, as a temporary defensive position. The result of this action may be that the Fund will be unable to achieve its investment objective.

**PORTFOLIO TURNOVER.** There has not been any significant variation in the Fund's portfolio turnover rates over the two most recently completed fiscal years. The Adviser does not anticipate significant variation in the portfolio turnover rate from that reported in the Fund's Prospectus for the last fiscal year.

**DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS**

As required by the federal or state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Fund discloses portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require. The Fund's complete list of portfolio holdings are available sixty days after each fiscal quarter end in the Fund's Form N-CSR (semiannually), and Form N-PORT (quarterly).

The Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of portfolio securities holdings. The policies and procedures are designed to allow disclosure of the Fund's holdings information where it is deemed appropriate for the Fund's operations or it is determined to be useful to the Fund's shareholders without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. Except when there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure of the Fund's holdings, the Fund will not provide or permit others to provide information about the Fund's holdings on a selective basis. The Board of Trustees provides ongoing oversight of the Trust's policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Trustees receive from the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Trustees receive an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any deviation to this policy as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such deviations must be reported to the Trust's Board of Trustees, at its next quarterly Board meeting or sooner, as determined by the Trust's CCO.

The Fund may, but is not required to, post its schedule of investments on its website at regular intervals or from time to time at the discretion of the Adviser. This information may be as of the most recent practicable date available and need not be subject to a lag period prior to posting on its website. In addition to its schedule of investments, the Fund may post portfolio holdings information and other information on a website including, but not limited to, information about the number of securities the Fund holds, a summary schedule of investments, the Fund's top holdings, and a percentage breakdown of the Fund's investments by geographic region, sector, industry and market capitalization. After any portfolio holdings information becomes publicly available (by posting on its website or otherwise); it may be mailed, e-mailed or otherwise transmitted to any person.

The following disclosures of aggregate, composite or descriptive information about the Fund or its portfolio holdings are not subject to the Trust's policy on selective disclosure of portfolio information: (i) descriptions of allocations among classes, geographic regions, countries, industries or sectors; (ii) aggregated data such as average or median ratios or market capitalization; (iii) performance attribution by class, geographic region, country, industry or sector; (iv) aggregated risk statistics; (v) listing of top holdings without any reference to the amount of the Fund's holdings; and (vi) such other information that, in the opinion of the CCO or designee, does not present material risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading of the Fund. The Fund's portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to financial consultants or other entities that have a legitimate business purpose in receiving such information, including to assist them in determining the suitability of the Fund as an investment for their clients. In each case, such disclosure will be made in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, the Adviser's fiduciary duties to the Fund's shareholders and subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Board of Trustees of the Trust, a committee thereof, or an officer designated by the Board of Trustees, may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Fund may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about its holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's, or its Adviser's, employees and affiliates that provide services to the Fund. The Fund may also distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Fund's holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's service providers who require access to the information (i) in order to fulfill their contractual duties relating to the Fund; (ii) to facilitate the transition of a newly hired investment adviser prior to the commencement of its duties; (iii) to facilitate the review of the Fund by a ranking or ratings agency; (iv) for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition; or (v) for the purpose of effecting in-kind redemption of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of the Fund's assets and minimize impact on remaining shareholders of the Fund.

Each of the following third parties has been approved to receive portfolio holdings information: (i) the Fund's administrator and accounting agent; (ii) the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, for use in providing audit opinions; (iii) financial printers, solely for the purpose of preparing the Fund's reports or regulatory filings; (iv) the Fund's custodian in connection with its custody of the Fund's assets; (v) if applicable, a proxy voting service; or (vi) disclosure to a ranking or rating agency, such as Lipper, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Moody's, S&P and Fitch. Information may be provided to these parties at any time so long as each of these parties is contractually and ethically prohibited from sharing the Fund's portfolio holding information without specific authorization. The Fund's Adviser and service providers have also established procedures to ensure that the Fund's portfolio holdings information is only disclosed in accordance with these policies.

Under no circumstances may the Fund, the Adviser or their affiliates receive any consideration or compensation for disclosing portfolio holdings information.

The Adviser manages other accounts such as separate accounts and other registered or unregistered pooled investment vehicles. These other accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus may have similar portfolio holdings. Such accounts may have disclosures at different times than a Fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed. Additionally, such accounts may have access to their portfolio holdings and may not be subject to the foregoing restrictions.

**INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS**

The Fund has adopted the investment limitations set forth below. Except with respect to the asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowing, if any percentage restriction on investment or utilization of assets is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market values of the Fund or the Fund's assets or redemptions of shares will not be considered a violation of the limitation. The asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowings is an ongoing requirement. The following non-fundamental policies apply to the Fund and the Board of Trustees may change them without shareholder approval unless shareholder approval is required by the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. The Fund will not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Issue senior securities or borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and then not in excess of 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets (including the amount of the senior securities issued but reduced by any liabilities not constituting senior securities) at the time of the issuance or borrowing, except that the Fund may borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets (not including the amount borrowed) for temporary purposes such as clearance of portfolio transactions and share redemptions. For purposes of these restrictions, the purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the purchase and sale of options and futures contracts and collateral arrangements with respect thereto are not deemed to be the issuance of a senior security, a borrowing or a pledge of assets;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets except to secure indebtedness permitted to be incurred by the Fund. (For the purpose of this restriction, the deposit in escrow of securities in connection with the writing of put and call options, collateralized loans of securities by and collateral arrangements with respect to margin for future contracts by the Fund are not deemed to be pledges or hypothecations);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Underwrite any issue of securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered to be acting as underwriter in connection with the disposition of any portfolio security;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Purchase or sell real estate or interests therein, although the Fund may purchase securities of issuers which engage in real estate operations and securities secured by real estate or interests therein, including real estate investment trusts;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Invest 25% or more of the value of the Fund's assets in securities of issuers in any one industry. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or to securities issued by other investment companies. For purposes of this limitation, states, municipalities and their political subdivisions are not considered to be part of any industry;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of owning securities or other instruments, but the Fund may purchase, sell or enter into financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Make loans, except loans of portfolio securities or through repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction, the acquisition of bonds, debentures, other debt securities or instruments, or participations or other interests therein and investments in government obligations, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or similar instruments will not be considered the making of a loan;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. Engage in short sales of securities or maintain a short position, except that the Fund may (a) sell short "against the box" and (b) maintain short positions in connection with its use of financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9. Purchase securities on margin except for the use of short-term credit necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities, provided that the Fund may make initial and variation margin deposits in connection with permitted transactions in options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments.

**TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS**

The following tables present certain information regarding the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust. None of the Trustees are an "interested person" of the Trust, the Adviser, another investment adviser of a series of the Trust, or Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, the principal underwriter of the Trust ("Underwriter"), within the meaning of the 1940 Act and each Trustee is referred to as an "Independent Trustee" and is listed under such heading below. Employees of certain service providers to the Trust serve as officers of the Trust; such persons are not compensated by the Fund. The address of each Trustee and officer as it relates to the Trust's business is 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809.

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** |
| **Robert J. Christian**<br> Date of Birth: 2/49 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. Chairman from 2007 until September 30, 2019. | Retired since February 2006; Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust Company from February 1996 to February 2006; President of Rodney Square Management Corporation ("RSMC") (investment advisory firm) from 1996 to 2005; Vice President of RSMC from 2005 to 2006. | 28 | Optimum Fund Trust (registered investment company with 6 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **Iqbal Mansur**<br> Date of Birth: 6/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. | Retired since September 2020; Professor of Finance, Widener University from 1998 to August 2020; Member of the Investment Committee of ChristianaCare Health System from January 2022 to present. | 28 | Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr.**<br> Date of Birth: 8/55 | Trustee and Chairman of the Board | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2016. Chairman since October 1, 2019. | Retired since March 2016. President of PNC Bank Delaware from June 2011 to March 2016; Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2011; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from September 1997 to July 2010. | 28 | Brinker Capital Destinations Trust (registered investment company with 10 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Nancy B. Wolcott**<br> Date of Birth: 11/54 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2011. | Retired since May 2014; EVP, Head of GFI Client Service Delivery, BNY Mellon from January 2012 to May 2014; EVP, Head of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2012; President of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2008 to July 2010; Chief Operating Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2007 to 2008; Executive Vice President of PFPC Worldwide Inc. from 2006 to 2007. | 28 | Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (registered investment company with 97 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Stephen M. Wynne**<br> Date of Birth: 1/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2009. | Retired since December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from July 2010 to December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from March 2008 to July 2010; President, PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2003 to 2008. | 28 | Copeland Trust (registered investment company with 2 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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**EXECUTIVE OFFICERS**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **Joel L. Weiss**<br> Date of Birth: 1/63 | President and Chief Executive Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2007. | Senior Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; President of JW Fund Management LLC from June 2016 to July 2025; Vice President and Managing Director of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from 1993 to June 2016. |
| **Christine Catanzaro**<br> Date of Birth: 8/84 | Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; Consultant from October 2020 to July 2025; Senior Manager, Ernst & Young LLP from March 2013 to October 2020. |
| **T. Richard Keyes**<br> Date of Birth: 1/57 | Vice President | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2016. | President of TRK Fund Consulting LLC since July 2016; Head of Tax — U.S. Fund Services of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from February 2006 to July 2016. |
| **Gabriella Mercincavage**<br> Date of Birth: 6/68 | Assistant Treasurer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2019. | Fund Administration Consultant since January 2019; Fund Accounting and Tax Compliance Accountant to financial services companies from November 2003 to July 2018. |
| **Vincenzo A. Scarduzio**<br> Date of Birth: 4/72 | Secretary | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2012. | Director and Senior Vice President Regulatory Administration of The Bank of New York Mellon and predecessor firms since 2001. |
| **John Canning**<br> Date of Birth: 11/70 | Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Director of Chenery Compliance Group, LLC from March 2021 to present; Senior Consultant of Foreside Financial Group from August 2020 to March 2021; Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Operating Officer of Schneider Capital Management LP from May 2019 to July 2020; Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Context Capital Partners, LP from March 2016 to March 2018 and February 2019, respectively. |

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**LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES.** The basic responsibilities of the Trustees are to monitor the Trust and its funds' financial operations and performance, oversee the activities and legal compliance of the Adviser and other major service providers, keep themselves informed, and exercise their business judgment in making decisions important to the Trust's proper functioning based on what the Trustees reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the shareholders. The Board of Trustees is comprised of five individuals, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Board of Trustees meets multiple times during the year (but at least quarterly) to review the investment performance of the funds and other operational matters, including policies and procedures with respect to compliance with regulatory and other requirements.

The Board of Trustees has appointed an Independent Trustee to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman's primary role is to participate in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board of Trustees and the identification of information to be presented to the Board of Trustees with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board of Trustees. The Chairman also presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and acts as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys, and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman may perform such other functions as may be requested by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Except for any duties specified herein or pursuant to the Trust's Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, the designation of Chairman does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liability that is greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Board of Trustees, generally.

Each Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees because of his or her experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills as set forth in the subsection "Trustee Qualifications," below. Based on a review of the Board of Trustees and its function, the Trustees have determined that the leadership structure of the Board of Trustees is appropriate and that the Board of Trustees' role in the risk oversight of the Trust, as discussed below, allows the Board of Trustees to effectively administer its oversight function.

The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. The responsibilities of each committee and its members are described below.

**AUDIT COMMITTEE.** The Audit Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Wynne currently serves as the chairman of the Audit Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter (the "Audit Committee Charter") for the Audit Committee. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee has the responsibility, among others, to (1) select the Trust's independent registered public accountants; (2) review and approve the scope of the independent registered public accountants' audit activity; (3) oversee the audit process of the financial statements which are the subject of the independent registered public accountants' certifications; and (4) review with such independent registered public accountants the adequacy of the Trust's basic accounting system and the effectiveness of the Trust's internal accounting controls. The Audit Committee meets at least two times per year. The Audit Committee met four times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

**NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.** The Nominating and Governance Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott. Mr. Mansur serves as the chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for formulating a statement of corporate governance; assessing the size, structure and composition of the Board of Trustees; determining trustee qualification guidelines as well as compensation, insurance and indemnification of Trustees; identifying Trustee candidates; oversight of Board of Trustees self-evaluations; reviewing certain regulatory and corporate matters of the Trust; and identifying, from time to time, qualified candidates to serve as the CCO for the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee meets at least once a year. The Nominating and Governance Committee met two times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. The Nominating and Governance Committee identifies potential nominees in accordance with its Statement of Policy on Qualifications for Board of Trustees Membership. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominee candidates recommended by shareholders. Shareholders who wish to recommend individuals for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee as nominee candidates may do so by submitting a written recommendation to the Secretary of the Trust at: 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809. Submissions must include sufficient biographical information concerning the recommended individual, including age, at least ten years of employment history with employer names and a description of the employer's business, and a list of board memberships (if any).

The submission must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board of Trustees and to serve if elected. Recommendations must be received in a sufficient time, as determined by the Nominating and Governance Committee in its sole discretion, prior to the date proposed for the consideration of nominee candidates by the Board of Trustees. Upon the written request of shareholders holding at least a 5% interest in the Trust's shares in the aggregate, the Secretary shall present to any special meeting of shareholders such nominees for election as trustees as specified in such written request.

**TRUSTEE QUALIFICATIONS.** The following is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills that led to the Board of Trustees' conclusion that each individual identified below is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

The Board of Trustees believes that the Trustees' ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Adviser, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, support the conclusion that each Trustee is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply as to each Trustee: Mr. Marsini is the former

President of PNC Bank Delaware, former Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon, former Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Wynne is the former Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Ms. Wolcott is the former Executive Vice President of US Fund Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former President of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee of other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Christian served as the Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; and Mr. Mansur is a Professor Emeritus at Widener University. He previously served as a Professor of Finance, School of Business Administration, at Widener University and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes.

In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Trustees considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board of Trustees' overall composition so that the Board of Trustees, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Trust and its funds. The summaries set forth above as to the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of the Trustees do not constitute holding out the Board of Trustees or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board of Trustees as a whole than would otherwise be the case.

**RISK OVERSIGHT.** Through its direct oversight role, and indirectly through its Committees, of officers and service providers, the Board of Trustees performs a risk oversight function for the Trust and its funds consisting, among other things, of the following activities: (1) at regular and special Board of Trustees meetings, and on an ad hoc basis as needed, receiving and reviewing reports related to the performance and operations of the Trust and its funds; (2) reviewing and approving, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust; (3) meeting with the portfolio management team to review investment strategies, techniques and the processes used to manage related risks; (4) meeting with representatives of key service providers, including the investment advisers, administrator, the distributor, the transfer agent, the custodian and the independent registered public accounting firms of the funds, to review and discuss the activities of the Trust and its funds and to provide direction with respect thereto; and (5) engaging the services of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust to test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service providers.

**SECURITY AND OTHER INTERESTS.** The following table sets forth the equity securities in the Fund and in all registered investment companies overseen by the Trustees within the Trust Complex that the Trustees beneficially owned as of December 31, 2024.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range of Equity<br> Securities in the Fund** | **Aggregate Dollar Range<br> of Equity Securities in<br> All Registered Investment<br> Companies Overseen by<br> Trustee within the Family of<br> Investment Companies** |
| **Independent Trustees** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Robert J. Christian |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Iqbal Mansur | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nancy B. Wolcott |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stephen M. Wynne | $50001 - $100000 | $50001 - $100000 |

---

As of December 31, 2024, none of the Independent Trustees, or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) served as an officer, director or was an employee of the Trust, the Adviser or the Underwriter, or of any of their respective affiliates. Nor do any of such persons serve as an officer or director or is an employee of any company controlled by or under common control with such entities. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Independent Trustees or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) owned beneficially or of record any interest in the Adviser or the Underwriter, or in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities.

**COMPENSATION.** In addition to the fees below, the Trust reimburses the Trustees for their related business expenses. The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Trustees for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Aggregate<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust** | **Pension or<br> Retirement<br> Benefits Accrued as<br> Part of the Trust's<br> Expenses** | **Estimated<br> Annual<br> Benefits upon<br> Retirement** | **Total<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust<br> Complex** |
| Robert J. Christian | $120639 | $0 | $0 | $120639 |
| Iqbal Mansur | $135586 | $0 | $0 | $135586 |
| Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. | $145492 | $0 | $0 | $145492 |
| Nancy B. Wolcott | $120579 | $0 | $0 | $120579 |
| Stephen M. Wynne | $140509 | $0 | $0 | $140509 |

---

**CODE OF ETHICS**

In accordance with Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, each of the Trust and the Adviser have adopted a code of ethics (each, a "Code" and together, the "Codes").

The Codes are intended to prohibit or restrict transactions that may be deemed to create a conflict of interest among the Adviser or the Trust. Each Code identifies the specific employees, officers or other persons who are subject thereto and all are required to abide by the provisions thereunder. Persons covered under the Codes may engage in personal trading for their own accounts, including securities that may also be purchased or held or traded by the Fund under certain circumstances.

Under the Code adopted by the Trust, personal trading is subject to specific restrictions, limitations, guidelines and other conditions. Under the Code adopted by the Adviser, personal trading is subject to pre-clearance and other conditions set forth in its Code.

On an annual basis or whenever deemed necessary, the Board of Trustees reviews reports regarding all of the Codes including information about any material violations of the Codes. The Codes are on public file as exhibits to the Trust's registration statement with the SEC.

**PROXY VOTING**

The Board of Trustees has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting procedures and has delegated the responsibility for exercising the voting rights associated with the securities purchased and/or held by the Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Board of Trustees' continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by general fiduciary principles. It must act prudently, solely in the interest of the Fund, and for the purpose of providing benefits to the Fund. The Adviser will consider the factors that could affect the value of the Fund's investment in its determination on a vote.

The Adviser has identified certain significant contributors to shareholder value with respect to a number of common or routine matters that are often the subject of proxy solicitations for shareholder meetings. The proxy voting procedures address these considerations and establish a framework for consideration of a vote that would be appropriate for the Fund. In particular, the proxy voting procedures outline principles and factors to be considered in the exercise of voting authority for proposals addressing such common or routine matters. In considering voting proxies, including shareholder proposals on environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-related topics, the Adviser votes in a direction it believes supports the company's long-term financial sustainability. For shareholder proposals seeking reports or increased disclosure, the Adviser gauges whether this information would be material to an enhanced understanding of the company's management of risks and opportunity.

The Adviser's proxy voting procedures establish a protocol for voting of proxies in cases in which the Adviser or an affiliated entity has an interest that is reasonably likely to be affected by a proxy to be voted on behalf of the Fund or that could compromise the Adviser's independence of judgment and action in voting the proxy in the best interest of the Fund's shareholders. The Adviser believes that consistently voting in accordance with its stated guidelines will address most conflicts of interest, and to the extent any deviation of such guidelines occurs it will be carefully assessed by a securities review committee to determine if a conflict of interest exists, and if a material conflict of interest exists, the committee will determine an appropriate resolution, which may include consultation with management or Trustees of the Trust, analyses by independent third parties, or other means necessary to ensure and demonstrate the proxy was voted in the best interests of shareholders. The Adviser's proxy voting policies and procedures are attached herewith as Appendix B. The Fund is required to file annually its proxy voting record on Form N-PX with the SEC. Form N-PX is required to be filed by August 31 of each year and when filed will be available by request by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6024 or on the SEC's website at *www.sec.gov*.

**CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES**

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Any person who directly or indirectly owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, may be deemed an "affiliated person" of the Fund, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. As of August 1, 2025, the following persons were the only persons who were record owners (or to the knowledge of the Trust, beneficial owners) of 5% or more of the shares of the Fund. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Trustees or officers of the Trust owned individually and together in excess of 1% of any class of outstanding shares of the Fund.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Institutional Class <br> Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br> of Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br> Institutional Class<br> Shares Owned** |
| Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC<br> For The Exclusive Benefit of Its Customers<br> 1 New York Plaza<br> 12th Floor<br> New York, NY 10004-1901 | 25783644.784 | 22.41% |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122 | 20624271.926 | 17.93% |
| National Financial Services Corp.<br> (FBO) Our Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds Department, 4th Floor<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010 | 16295603.212 | 14.16% |
| JP Morgan Securities LLC<br> Omnibus Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer<br> Chase Metrotech Center<br> 3rd Floor, Mutual Fund Department<br> Brooklyn, NY 11245 | 9486093.153 | 8.24% |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Investor Class <br> Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br> of Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br> Institutional Class<br> Shares Owned** |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122 | 1451770.596 | 32.83% |
| National Financial Services Corp.<br> (FBO) Our Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds Department, 4th Floor<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010  | 734188.632 | 16.60% |
| Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC<br> For The Exclusive Benefit of Its Customers<br> 1 New York Plaza<br> 12th Floor<br> New York, NY 10004-1901 | 699813.019 | 15.83% |
| UBS WM USA<br> Special Custody A/C EXL BEN Customers<br> Of UBSFSI<br> 1000 Harbor Boulevard<br> Weehawken, NJ 07086 | 409402.244 | 9.26% |
| Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith Inc.<br> For the Sole Benefit of its Customers<br> 4800 Deer Lake Dr. E<br> Jacksonville, FL 32246-6486 | 302864.106 | 6.85% |

---

**INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES**

Polen Capital Management, LLC is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Polen Capital was founded in 1979 and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Capital had approximately $46.7 billion in assets under management.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser manages the assets of the Fund (the "Investment Advisory Agreement"). The Investment Advisory Agreement has an initial term of two years and continues in effect from year to year thereafter if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees including a majority of the Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the Fund on 60 days' written notice or the Adviser on 90 days' written notice without penalty. The Investment Advisory Agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment as defined in the 1940 Act.

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual investment advisory fee, paid monthly, comprising 0.85% of the average daily net assets of the Fund (prior to January 1, 2017, the advisory fee was 1.00%). Each class of shares of the Fund bears its respective pro-rata portion of the advisory fee payable by the Fund. The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses (excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by the Trust, interest, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.00% (on an annual basis) with respect to the Fund's average daily net assets (the "Expense Limitation"). The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Board of Trustees approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, any fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed by the Adviser on or after January 1, 2017 with respect to the Fund for a three year period following the date of such waiver and/or expense reimbursement. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of reimbursement. No recoupment will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation amount.

The following tables set forth the aggregate fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived<br> or Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $58355698 | $0 | $58355698 |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived<br> or Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $64665355 | $0 | $64665355 |
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fees Recouped** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $66746655 | $0 | $66746655 |

---

Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser agrees to: (a) direct the investments of the Fund, subject to and in accordance with the Fund's investment objective, policies and limitations set forth in the Prospectus and this SAI; (b) purchase and sell for the Fund, securities and other investments consistent with the Fund's objective and policies; (c) supply office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary for servicing the investments of the Fund; (d) pay the salaries of all personnel of the Adviser performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities on behalf of the Trust; (e) make available and provide such information as the Trust and/or its administrator may reasonably request for use in the preparation of its registration statement, reports and other documents required by any applicable federal, foreign or state statutes or regulations; and (f) make its officers and employees available to the Trustees and officers of the Trust for consultation and discussion regarding the management of the Fund and its investment activities.

Additionally, the Adviser agrees to create and maintain all necessary records in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the various functions performed by it and not otherwise created and maintained by another party pursuant to contract with the Fund. The Trust and/or the Adviser may at any time or times, upon approval by the Board of Trustees, enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements with a sub-adviser pursuant to which the Adviser delegates any or all of its duties as listed.

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which the agreement relates, except to the extent of a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its obligations and duties under the agreement.

The salaries of personnel of the Adviser performing services for the Fund relating to research, statistical and investment activities are paid by the Adviser.

Polen Capital Management, LLC is controlled by the Management Committee of the firm. The Management Committee is comprised of Stan C. Moss, CEO, Daniel Davidowitz, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, and Damon Ficklin, Head of Team, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, and the Management Committee is controlled by Messrs. Moss and Davidowitz.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

The management of the Fund is the responsibility of a group of investment professionals employed by the Adviser. The information provided below supplements the information provided in the Prospectus under the heading "Portfolio Managers" with respect to the investment professionals responsible, either individually or jointly, for the day-to-day management of the Fund, including information regarding:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) " <u>Other Accounts Managed</u>." Other accounts managed by Messrs. Davidowitz and Ficklin, who collectively are the Portfolio Managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund as of April 30, 2025;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) " <u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>." Material conflicts of interest may arise in connection with the Portfolio Managers' management of the Fund's investments and investments of other accounts managed. These potential conflicts of interest include material conflicts between the investment strategy of the Fund and the investment strategy of the other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers and conflicts associated with the allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers. Additional conflicts of interest may potentially exist or arise that are not discussed below;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) " <u>Compensation</u>." A description of the structure of and method used to determine the compensation received by the Fund's Portfolio Managers from the Fund, the Adviser or any other source with respect to managing the Fund and any other accounts as of April 30, 2025; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) " <u>Ownership of Securities</u>." Information regarding the Portfolio Managers' dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in the Fund as of April 30, 2025.

<u>Other Accounts Managed</u>. The table below includes details regarding the number of other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by Messrs. Davidowitz and Ficklin, total assets under management for each type of account and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees as of April 30, 2025:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**Type of Accounts** | **Total<br> Number of<br> Accounts**<br>**Managed** | **Total Assets**<br>**(millions)** | **Number of <br> Accounts <br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance<br> Based**<br>**Advisory Fee** | **Total Assets <br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance <br> Based<br> Advisory Fee**<br>**(millions)** |
| **Dan Davidowitz** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 2 | $22675.413 |  | $- |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 6 | $3762.731 |  | $- |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 1712 | $28283.548 | 6 | $2956.437 |
| **Damon Ficklin** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 5 | $902.774 |  | $- |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 9 | $4276.650 | 1 | $24.669 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 2199 | $31585.961 | 7 | $3151.576 |

---

<u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>. Polen Capital provides advisory services to other clients which invest in securities of the same type in which the Fund invests. The Adviser is aware of its obligation to ensure that when orders for the same securities are entered on behalf of the Fund and other accounts, the Fund receives fair and equitable allocation of these orders, particularly where affiliated accounts may participate. The Adviser attempts to mitigate potential conflicts of interest by adopting policies and procedures regarding trade execution, brokerage allocation and order aggregation which provide a methodology for ensuring fair treatment for all clients in situations where orders cannot be completely filled or filled at different prices.

<u>Compensation</u>. The Adviser compensates the Fund's Portfolio Managers for management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager's compensation consists of fixed and variable components taking into account individual performance as well as the performance of the Adviser. Each Portfolio Manger's salary is not directly dependent on the performance of the Fund or the level of assets in the Fund.

<u>Ownership of Shares of the Fund</u>. As of April 30, 2025, Mr. Davidowitz beneficially owned over $1,000,000 of equity securities in the Fund and Mr. Ficklin beneficially owned $500,001-$1,000,000of equity securities in the Fund.

**ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES**

Pursuant to an Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated July 19, 2007, The Bank of New York Mellon performs certain administrative services for the Trust including, among other things, assisting in the preparation of the annual post-effective amendments to the Trust's registration statement, assisting in obtaining the fidelity bond and trustees' and officers'/errors and omissions insurance policies, preparing notices, agendas, and resolutions for quarterly Board of Trustees meetings, maintaining the Trust's corporate calendar, maintaining Trust contract files and providing executive and administrative services to support the Independent Trustees. The Bank of New York Mellon also performs certain administrative and accounting services for the Trust such as preparing shareholder reports, providing statistical and research data, assisting the Adviser in compliance monitoring activities, and preparing and filing federal and state tax returns on behalf of the Trust. In addition, The Bank of New York Mellon prepares and files certain reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepares certain materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Trust. The accounting services performed by The Bank of New York Mellon include determining the NAV per share of the Fund and maintaining records relating to the securities transactions of the Fund.

The table below sets forth the administration and accounting service fees paid by the Fund to The Bank of New York Mellon for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Administration and Accounting Fee | $713155 | $758509 | $811978 |

---

**ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS**

**INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.** PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market St #1800, PA 19103 serves as the independent registered public accounting firm to the Fund.

**LEGAL COUNSEL.** Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, 3000 Two Logan Square, 18th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as counsel to the Trust.

**CUSTODIAN.** The Bank of New York Mellon (the "Custodian"), 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286, serves as the Fund's custodian. The Custodian's services include, in addition to the custody of all cash and securities owned by the Trust, the maintenance of custody accounts in the Custodian's trust department, the segregation of all certificated securities owned by the Trust, the appointment of authorized agents as sub-custodians, disbursement of funds from the custody accounts of the Trust, releasing and delivering securities from the custody accounts of the Trust, maintaining records with respect to such custody accounts, delivering to the Trust a daily and monthly statement with respect to such custody accounts and causing proxies to be executed. The Fund has made arrangements with BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company to serve as custodian for Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs").

**TRANSFER AGENT.** BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing"), 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, serves as the Trust's Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent.

**OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.** The Trust has engaged Tidal ETF Services LLC, 234 West Florida Street, Suite 203, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204 to provide persons to serve as Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer and provide various other services for the Trust. The Trust has engaged Chenery Compliance Group, LLC to provide on-going compliance services, including providing an individual to serve as the Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust.

**BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES**

Subject to policies established by the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is primarily responsible for the execution of the Fund's portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage. The Adviser has no obligation to deal with any dealer or group of dealers in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities of the Fund. The Adviser often deals directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved except in those circumstances where better prices and execution are available elsewhere. It is the objective of the Adviser to seek to obtain the best results in conducting portfolio transactions for the Fund, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable dealer-spread or commission), the size, type and difficulty of the transaction involved, the firm's general execution and operations facilities and the firm's risk in positioning the securities involved. The cost of portfolio securities transactions of the Fund primarily consists of dealer or underwriter spreads and brokerage commissions.

While reasonable competitive spreads or commissions are sought, the Fund will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or commission available. Subject to obtaining the best net results, dealers who provide supplemental investment research (such as quantitative and modeling information assessments and statistical data and provide other similar services) to the Adviser may receive orders for transactions by the Fund. Information so received will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Agreement and the expense of the Adviser will not necessarily be reduced as a result of the receipt of such supplemental information. Supplemental investment research obtained from such dealers may be used by the Adviser in servicing all of its accounts and such research may or may not be useful to the Adviser in connection with the Fund. In addition, as permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Adviser may pay a broker-dealer that provides brokerage and research services an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Fund in excess of the commission that another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the amount is believed by the Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the overall quality of the brokerage and research services provided. Other clients of the Adviser may indirectly benefit from the provision of these services to the Adviser, and the Fund may indirectly benefit from services provided to the Adviser as a result of transactions for other clients. In all cases, the Adviser understands its on-going obligation to seek "best execution" of its clients' transactions. The Adviser considers the range of services provided by brokers in selecting those with whom to place trades including, but not limited to, value of research, commission rate, execution capability, responsiveness, and financial responsibility. In general, the Adviser receives a limited amount of research and/ or brokerage services paid for by brokers. The Adviser has a Best Execution Committee consisting of representatives from trading, operations, portfolio management team and investment research and compliance. The Best Execution Committee meets quarterly and is responsible for overseeing the Adviser's trading activities in accordance with the firm's Best Execution and Soft Dollar Policy and Procedures. Annually, the Best Execution Committee evaluates brokerage relationships and allocates commissions. Such evaluation considers many factors in making allocation decisions including research services provided. Such allocations are reviewed and, if necessary, revised quarterly.

The Fund invests in securities traded in the over-the-counter markets, and the Fund often deals directly with dealers who make markets in the securities involved, except in those circumstances where better execution is available elsewhere. Under the 1940 Act, except as permitted by exemptive order or rule, persons affiliated with the Fund are prohibited from dealing with the Fund as principal in the purchase and sale of securities. However, affiliated persons of the Fund may serve as its brokers in certain over-the-counter transactions conducted on an agency basis.

In certain instances, the Adviser, on behalf of its clients (including the Fund), may engage in private securities transactions directly with broker-dealers instead of effecting transactions through established exchanges or markets, and may enter into price improvement rebate arrangements with such broker-dealers, all subject to the general execution principles of the Adviser's Best Execution and Soft Dollar Policy and Procedures.

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the amount of brokerage transactions directed pursuant to the Adviser's internal allocation procedure and the related commissions were as follows:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Broker** | **Amount of<br> Directed Brokerage<br> Transactions** | **Related<br> Commissions** |
| Bank of America | $793045094.10 | $101198.73 |
| BTIG | $39048415.39 | $2014.50 |
| Block Cross | $126525388.64 | $5090.42 |
| CLSA | $269700777.58 | $22475.85 |
| Exane/BNP | $5344237.50 | $834.38 |
| Goldman Sachs | $133952000.75 | $20278.30 |
| Jefferies | $512748732.94 | $20921.69 |
| Jones Trading | $48742452.17 | $6293.42 |
| JPM | $964390961.99 | $129274.98 |
| Liquidnet | $728024431.74 | $43118.28 |
| Loop Capital | $59378419.91 | $5245.00 |
| LUMINEX | $250468284.09 | $10398.92 |
| Morgan Stanley | $91892914.02 | $4504.33 |
| Needham | $143041487.19 | $16057.50 |
| Piper Jaffray | $434754955.89 | $21011.43 |
| RW Baird | $32554751.02 | $2943.98 |
| Sanford Bernstein | $1401334795.01 | $108984.93 |
| UBS | $327006506.48 | $10648.20 |
| Virtu | $553310307.92 | $27859.40 |
| William Blair | $408969877.92 | $39593.21 |

---

Securities held by the Fund may also be held by, or be appropriate investments for, other funds or investment advisory clients for which the Adviser or its affiliates act as an adviser. Because of different investment objectives or other factors, a particular security may be bought for an advisory client when other clients are selling the same security. If purchases or sales of securities by the Adviser for the Fund or other funds for which it acts as investment adviser or for other advisory clients arise for consideration at or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as are feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed by the Adviser to be on a fair and equitable basis. Transactions effected by the Adviser (or its affiliates) on behalf of more than one of its clients during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, causing an adverse effect on price.

The table below sets forth the brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Fund | $601884 | $337455 | $432472 |

---

Neither the Fund nor the Adviser has an agreement or understanding with a broker-dealer, or other arrangements to direct the Fund's brokerage transactions to a broker-dealer because of the research services such broker provides to the Fund or the Adviser. While the Adviser does not have arrangements with any broker-dealers to direct such brokerage transactions to them because of research services provided, the Adviser may receive research services from such broker-dealers. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Adviser directed all of its brokerage transactions in the amount of $7,324,234,792.25 to 20 broker-dealers and paid related commissions of $598,747.43 to such broker-dealers, respectively.

For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025, the Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to the Adviser or to an affiliate of the Fund or the Adviser.

The Fund may at times invest in securities of its regular broker-dealers or a parent of its regular broker-dealers. As of April 30, 2025, the Fund acquired no securities of its regular broker dealers, or a parent of its regular broker-dealers.

**ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES**

The additional compensation to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus may be calculated based on factors determined by the Adviser and its affiliates from time to time, including: the value of the Fund's shares sold to, or held by, a financial intermediary's customers; gross sales of the Fund's shares by a financial intermediary; or a negotiated lump sum payment.

In addition to the additional cash payments to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus, subject to applicable FINRA rules and regulations, the Adviser and its affiliates may provide compensation to financial intermediaries that may enable the Adviser and its affiliates to sponsor or participate in educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions involving the sales representatives and other employees of financial intermediaries in order to promote the sale of the Fund's shares. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses, meals, lodging and entertainment of financial intermediaries and their sales representatives and other employees in connection with such educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions. These payments may vary with each such event.

**DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES AND RULE 12B-1 PLAN**

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101, serves as a principal underwriter of the Fund's shares pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement with the Trust. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriter continuously distributes shares of the Fund on a best efforts basis. The Underwriter has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of shares of the Fund. The Underwriter and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Fund.

To the extent that the Underwriter receives fees under the Fund's Plan of Distribution adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "12b-1 Plan"), the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of marketing or sales services with respect to the Investor Class shares as may be required pursuant to such plan.

Moreover, to the extent that the Underwriter receives shareholder service fees under any shareholder services plan adopted by the Fund, the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of personal or account maintenance services with respect to the relevant shareholders of the Fund as may be required pursuant to such plan. The Underwriter receives no underwriting commissions or Rule 12b-1 fees in connection with the sale of the Fund's Institutional Class shares. The Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of Independent Trustees, have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Trust, the Fund and the shareholders of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

The Underwriter will furnish or enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions for distribution of shares of the Fund. With respect to certain financial institutions and related fund "supermarket" platform arrangements, the Fund and/or the Adviser, rather than the Underwriter, typically will furnish or enter into such agreements. These financial institutions may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from the Adviser and/or the Fund. These financial institutions may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Fund.

The Underwriter received the following aggregate commissions on sales of Investor Class shares of the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Investor Class** | $0 | $0 | $0 |

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The Underwriter received the following concessions on sales of Investor Class shares of the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Investor Class** | $0 | $0 | $0 |

---

The Underwriting Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods provided such continuance is approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Underwriter, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the agreement, will not be liable to the Fund or its shareholders for losses arising in connection with the sale of Fund shares.

The Underwriting Agreement terminates automatically in the event of an assignment. The Underwriting Agreement is also terminable without payment of any penalty with respect to the Fund (i) by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Trust or the Fund and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan of the Fund or any agreements related to the 12b-1 Plan or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on sixty (60) days written notice to the Underwriter; or (ii) by the Underwriter on sixty (60) days written notice to the Fund. The Underwriter will be compensated for distribution services according to the 12b-1 Plan regardless of the Underwriter's expenses. The Underwriter uses the entire 12b-1 for distribution expenses and does not retain any amounts for profit. The Underwriter does not receive compensation from the Fund for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a 12b-1 Plan is effective. The Adviser pays the Underwriter a fee for certain distribution-related services.

The 12b-1 Plan provides that the Underwriter will be paid for distribution activities such as public relations services, telephone services, sales presentations, media charges, preparation, printing and mailing advertising and sales literature, data processing necessary to support a distribution effort and printing and mailing of prospectuses to prospective shareholders. Additionally, the Underwriter may pay certain financial institutions such as banks or broker-dealers who have entered into servicing agreements with the Underwriter and other financial institutions for distribution and shareholder servicing activities.

The 12b-1 Plan further provides that payment shall be made for any month only to the extent that such payment does not exceed 0.25% on an annualized basis of the Fund's Investor Class Shares average net assets, except with respect to limitations set from time to time by the Board of Trustees.

Under the 12b-1 Plan, if any payments made by the Adviser out of its advisory fee, not to exceed the amount of that fee, to any third parties (including banks), including payments for shareholder servicing and transfer agent functions, were deemed to be indirect financing by the Fund of the distribution of its Investor Class shares, such payments are authorized. The Fund may execute portfolio transactions with and purchase securities issued by depository institutions that receive payments under the 12b-1 Plan. No preference for instruments issued by such depository institutions is shown in the selection of investments.

The following table sets forth the distribution fees received by the Underwriter for the Investor Class shares for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Rule 12b-1<br> Distribution Fees** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Investor Class** | $617725 | $653775 | $659893 |

---

During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Underwriter incurred the following expenses in connection with distribution under the 12b-1 Plan:

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Advertising** | **Printing and<br> Mailing of<br> Prospectuses<br> to other Than<br> Current<br> Shareholders** | **Compensation<br> to<br> Underwriters** | **Compensation<br> to Broker-<br> Dealers** | **Compensation<br> to Sales<br> Personnel** | **Interest,<br> Carrying or<br> other<br> Financing<br> Charges** |
| **Investor Class** | $0 | $0 | $0 | $610853 | $0 | $0 |

---

**CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES**

The Trust issues and offers separate classes of shares of the Fund: Investor Class and Institutional Class shares. The shares of the Fund, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Prospectus, will be fully paid and non-assessable shares, with equal voting rights and no preferences as to conversion, exchange, dividends, redemption or any other feature.

The separate classes of shares of the Fund represent interests in the same portfolio of investments, have the same rights and are identical in all respects, except that Investor Class shares bear Rule 12b-1 distribution expenses and have exclusive voting rights with respect to the 12b-1 Plan pursuant to which the distribution fee may be paid.

The net income attributable to a class of shares and the dividends payable on such shares will be reduced by the amount of any applicable shareholder service or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees. Accordingly, the NAV of the Investor Class shares will be reduced by such amount to the extent the Fund has undistributed net income.

Shares of the Fund entitle holders to one vote per share and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, do not have preemptive or subscription rights and are transferable. Each class takes separate votes on matters affecting only that class.

The Fund does not hold an annual meeting of shareholders. The Trustees are required to call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any Trustee when requested in writing to do so by the shareholders of record owning not less than 10% of the Fund's outstanding shares.

**PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES**

**PURCHASE OF SHARES.** Information regarding the purchase of shares is discussed in the "Purchase of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES.** Information regarding the redemption of shares is discussed in the "Redemption of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**PRICING OF SHARES.** For the Fund, the NAV per share of the Fund is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets by the total number of the Fund's shares outstanding. This determination is made by The Bank of New York Mellon, as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) each day the Fund is open for business. The Fund is open for business on days when the Exchange is open for business.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Certain fixed income securities may be valued based upon appraisals received from a pricing service using a computerized matrix system or based upon appraisals derived from information concerning the security or similar securities received from a recognized dealer or dealers in those securities. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used to value fixed income securities with 60 days or less remaining until maturity, so long as such amortized cost method approximates fair value. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**DIVIDENDS**

The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income, if any. Dividends from the Fund's net investment income are declared and paid annually to the shareholders. Distributions, if any, of net short-term capital gain and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over the short-term capital loss) realized by the Fund, after deducting any available capital loss carryovers are declared and paid to its shareholders annually.

The Fund's dividends and distributions are taxable to shareholders (other than retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors) whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. A dividend or distribution paid by the Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend distribution. A dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares by an investor would, therefore, represent, in substance, a return of capital to the shareholder with respect to such shares even though it would be subject to federal income tax. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

A statement will be sent to you after the end of each year detailing the tax status of your distributions. Please see "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by the Fund.

**CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS** 

The following discussion summarizes certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders. This discussion is for general information only and does not purport to consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that might be relevant to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund. The summary discussion that follows may not be considered to be individual tax advice and may not be relied upon by any shareholder. The summary is based upon provisions of the IRC, applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations (whether temporary, proposed or final) promulgated thereunder (the "Regulations"), and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, as are in effect as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, which change could be retroactive and may affect the conclusions expressed herein. The summary applies only to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund in whose hands such shares are capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the IRC, and may not apply to certain types of beneficial owners of shares of the Fund, including, but not limited to insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, shareholders holding the Fund's shares through tax-advantaged accounts (such as an individual retirement account (an "IRA"), a 401(k) plan account, or other qualified retirement account), financial institutions, pass-through entities, broker-dealers, entities that are not organized under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, persons who are neither a citizen nor resident of the United States, shareholders holding the Fund's shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction and shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax. Persons who may be subject to tax in more than one country should consult the provisions of any applicable tax treaty to determine the potential tax consequences to them.

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the Fund's common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of such partnership. A partner of a partnership holding the Fund's common stock should consult its own tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the partner of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Fund's common stock by the partnership.

The summary assumes that shareholders will hold the Fund's common stock as capital assets, which generally means as property held for investment. This discussion addresses only the U.S. income tax consequences of an investment by U.S. shareholders, and, therefore, does not address U.S. estate and gift tax rules, U.S. state or local taxation, the alternative minimum tax, excise taxes, transfer taxes or foreign taxes.

For purposes of the following discussion, "U.S. shareholder" is a shareholder that is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) created or organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if (a) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust's administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) it has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. A "Non-U.S. shareholder" is a person that is neither a U.S. shareholder nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") as to the federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. In addition, the following discussion applicable to shareholders of the Fund addresses only some of the federal income tax considerations generally affecting investments in the Fund.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of the ownership, purchase and disposition of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**GENERAL.** The Fund has elected, and intends to continue to qualify each year for, taxation as a RIC under Subchapter M of the IRC. By qualifying as a RIC, the Fund (but not the shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders.

Shareholders should be aware that investments made by the Fund, some of which are described below, may involve complex tax rules some of which may result in income or gain recognition by a shareholder without the concurrent receipt of cash. Although the Fund seeks to avoid significant noncash income, such noncash income could be recognized by the Fund, in which case it may distribute cash derived from other sources in order to meet the minimum distribution requirements described below. Cash to make the required minimum distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by its governing documents and other regulatory restrictions, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed.

**QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY.** Qualification as a RIC under the IRC requires, among other things, that the Fund: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income from certain qualified publicly traded partnerships (together with (i), the "Qualifying Income Requirement"), and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the value of its assets is comprised of cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with those other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers controlled by it and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (together with (i) the "Diversification Requirement").

The Treasury Department is authorized to promulgate regulations under which gains from foreign currencies (and options, futures, and forward contracts on foreign currency) would not constitute qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement only if such gains are not directly related to the principal business of the Fund in investing in stock or securities or options and futures with respect to stock or securities. To date, no such regulations have been issued.

As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders in any taxable year for which it distributes, in compliance with the IRC's timing and other requirements the sum of (i) at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount income, market discount income, income from securities lending, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, certain net realized foreign currency exchange gains, and any other taxable income other than "net capital gain" as defined below and is reduced by deductible expenses all determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid); and (ii) 90% of its tax-exempt interest, if any, net of certain expenses allocable thereto ("net tax-exempt interest"). The Fund may retain for investment all or a portion of its "net capital gain" (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). If the Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who will be (i) required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of tax paid by the Fund against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of the shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder's gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by the Fund on that amount of capital gain.

The qualifying income and asset requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC, as described above, may limit the extent to which it will be able to engage in derivative transactions. Rules governing the federal income tax aspects of derivatives, including swap agreements, are not entirely clear in certain respects, particularly in light of two IRS revenue rulings issued in 2006. Revenue Ruling 2006-1 held that income from a derivative contract with respect to a commodity index is not qualifying income for a RIC. Subsequently, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2006-31 in which it stated that the holding in Revenue Ruling 2006-1 "was not intended to preclude a conclusion that the income from certain instruments (such as certain structured notes) that create a commodity exposure for the holder is qualifying income." In 2016, the IRS issued a notice and stated they would not address what constitutes a "security" for purposes of Qualifying Income. In addition, the IRS requested comments as to whether the 2006 Revenue Rulings should be withdrawn. In 2019, the IRS concluded that it would not withdraw the 2006 revenue rulings at that time. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in commodity related derivative transactions and other derivative transactions may be limited by the Qualifying Income Requirement. The Fund will account for any investments in commodity derivative transactions in a manner it deems to be appropriate; the IRS, however, might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized.

For purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, all of the net income of a RIC derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (generally, defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (i) of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above) will be treated as qualifying income. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the IRC do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. The transferee of a partnership interest generally is required to withhold 10% of the amount realized on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest after December 31, 2017 if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person.

For purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership.

If the Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures to satisfy the Diversification Requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, the Fund will fail to qualify as a RIC and will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation subject to tax on a flat tax rate of 21% and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) to its shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders, and a maximum long-term capital gains rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for a period of greater than two taxable years, the Fund generally would be required to recognize any built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a sale of such assets within ten years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

**EXCISE TAX.** If the Fund fails to distribute by December 31 of each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its taxable ordinary income (excluding capital gains and losses) for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (as adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the twelve month period ending on October 31 of such year), and (3) all taxable ordinary income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for the prior year that were not distributed during such year and on which it did not pay federal income tax, the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax (the "Excise Tax") on the undistributed amounts. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November, or December of that year to shareholders of record on a date in such month and paid by it during January of the following year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders (other than those not subject to federal income tax) in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. The Fund intends to actually distribute or be deemed to have distributed substantially all of its net income and gain, if any, by the end of each calendar year in compliance with these requirements so that it will generally not be required to pay the Excise Tax. The Fund may, in certain circumstances, be required to liquidate its investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid Excise Tax liability at a time when its Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so. Liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Fund to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC.

**CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS.** The Fund is permitted to carry forward a net capital loss from any year to offset its capital gains, if any, realized indefinitely in the years following the year of the loss. The excess of the Fund's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gain is treated as short-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year and the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gain is treated as long-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year. If future capital gains are offset by carried forward capital losses, such future capital gains are not subject to Fund-level federal income taxation, regardless of whether they are distributed to shareholders. Accordingly, the Fund does not expect to distribute any such offsetting capital gains. The Fund cannot carry back or carry forward any net operating losses.

**MLPs.** The Fund may invest in master limited partnerships which may be treated as qualified publicly traded partnerships. Income from qualified publicly traded partnerships is qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement, but the Fund's investment in one or more of such qualified publicly traded partnerships is limited to no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets and must otherwise satisfy the Diversification Requirement. In addition, a 10% withholding tax is imposed on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest for transfers if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person or another exception applies.

**ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT AND MARKET DISCOUNT.** The Fund may acquire debt securities that are treated as having original issue discount ("OID") (generally a debt obligation with a purchase price less than its principal amount, such as a zero coupon bond). Generally, the Fund will be required to include the OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though it will not receive cash payments for such OID until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having OID which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income. Inflation-protected bonds generally can be expected to produce OID income as their principal amounts are adjusted upward for inflation. A portion of the OID includible in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities may be treated as a dividend for federal income tax purposes if the securities are characterized as equity for federal income tax purposes.

A debt security acquired in the secondary market by the Fund may be treated as having market discount if acquired at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Market discount generally is accrued ratably, on a daily basis, over the period from the date of acquisition to the date of maturity even though no cash will be received. Absent an election by the Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on its disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.

The Fund may be required to include in income certain fees that are treated as OID and required to be included in income for financial statement purposes when received (rather than when accrued into income).

In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund receives no interest payments in cash on such securities during the year.

The Fund generally will be required to make distributions to shareholders representing the income accruing on the debt securities, described above that is currently includable in income, even though cash representing such income may not have been received by the Fund. Cash to pay these distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by the Fund's governing documents, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions.

**OPTIONS, FUTURES AND FORWARD CONTRACTS.** The writing (selling) and purchasing of options and futures contracts and entering into forward currency contracts, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes the amount, character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses the Fund realizes in connection with such transactions.

Gains and losses on the sale, lapse, or other termination of options and futures contracts, options thereon and certain forward contracts (except certain foreign currency options, forward contracts and futures contracts) will generally be treated as capital gains and losses. Some regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts, and certain non-equity options (such as certain listed options or options on broad-based securities indexes) held by the Fund ("Section 1256 contracts"), other than contracts on which it has made a "mixed-straddle election," will be required to be "marked-to-market" for federal income tax purposes, that is, treated as having been sold at their market value on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. These provisions may require the Fund to recognize income or gains without a concurrent receipt of cash. Any gain or loss recognized on actual or deemed sales of Section 1256 contracts will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary income or loss as described below. Transactions that qualify as designated hedges are exempt from the mark-to-market rule, but may require the Fund to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and certain options to the extent of any unrecognized gains on related positions held by it.

The tax provisions described above applicable to options, futures and forward contracts may affect the amount, timing, and character of the Fund's distributions to its shareholders. For example, the Section 1256 rules described above may operate to increase the amount the Fund must distribute to satisfy the minimum distribution requirement for the portion treated as short-term capital gain which will be taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income, and to increase the net capital gain it recognizes, without, in either case, increasing the cash available to it. The Fund may elect to exclude certain transactions from the operation of Section 1256, although doing so may have the effect of increasing the relative proportion of net short-term capital gain (taxable as ordinary income) and, thus, increasing the amount of dividends it must distribute. Section 1256 contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of the Excise Tax.

When a covered call or put option written (sold) by the Fund expires the Fund will realize a short-term capital gain equal to the amount of the premium it received for writing the option. When the Fund terminates its obligations under such an option by entering into a closing transaction, it will realize a short-term capital gain (or loss), depending on whether the cost of the closing transaction is less than (or exceeds) the premium received when it wrote the option. When a covered call option written by the Fund is exercised, the Fund will be treated as having sold the underlying security, producing long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon the holding period of the underlying security and whether the sum of the option price received upon the exercise plus the premium received when it wrote the option is more or less than the basis of the underlying security.

**STRADDLES.** Section 1092 deals with the taxation of straddles which also may affect the taxation of options in which the Fund may invest. Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as options, futures and forward currency contracts, may be considered, for federal income tax purposes, to constitute "straddles." Straddles are defined to include offsetting positions in actively traded personal property. In certain circumstances, the rules governing straddles override or modify the provisions of Section 1256, described above. If the Fund is treated as entering into a straddle and at least one (but not all) of its positions in derivative contracts comprising a part of such straddle is governed by Section 1256, then such straddle could be characterized as a "mixed straddle." The Fund may make one or more elections with respect to mixed straddles. Depending on which election is made, if any, the results with respect to the Fund may differ. Generally, to the extent the straddle rules apply to positions established by the Fund, losses realized by it may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in any offsetting positions. Moreover, as a result of the straddle rules, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be characterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be characterized as short-term capital gain. In addition, the existence of a straddle may affect the holding period of the offsetting positions and cause such sales to be subject to the "wash sale" and "short sale" rules. As a result, the straddle rules could cause distributions that would otherwise constitute "qualified dividend income" to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements, described below, and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income. Further, the Fund may be required to capitalize, rather than deduct currently, any interest expense and carrying charges applicable to a position that is part of a straddle. Because the application of the straddle rules may affect the character and timing of gains and losses from affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to the situation where the Fund had not engaged in such transactions.

In circumstances where the Fund has invested in certain pass-through entities, the amount of long-term capital gain that it may recognize from certain derivative transactions with respect to interests in such pass-through entities is limited under the IRC's constructive ownership rules. The amount of long-term capital gain is limited to the amount of such gain the Fund would have had if it directly invested in the pass-through entity during the term of the derivative contract. Any gain in excess of this amount is treated as ordinary income. An interest charge is imposed on the amount of gain that is treated as ordinary income.

**SWAPS AND DERIVATIVES.** As a result of entering into swap or derivative agreements, the Fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The Fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap or derivative is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap, derivative or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap or derivative will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund has been a party to a swap or derivative for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps or derivatives, the Fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or derivatives or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps or derivatives to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss. The Fund's transactions in swaps or other derivatives may be subject to one or more special tax rules (e.g., notional principal contracts, straddles, constructive sales, wash sales and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains or losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and/or character of distributions to shareholders.

Rules governing the tax aspects of swap or derivative agreements are not entirely clear in certain respects, in particular whether income generated is Qualifying Income. Accordingly, while the Fund intends to account for such transactions in a manner it deems appropriate, the IRS might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be adversely affected. The Fund intends to monitor developments in this area. Certain requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC may limit the extent to which the Fund will be able to engage in swap agreements and certain derivatives.

**CONSTRUCTIVE SALES.** Certain rules may affect the timing and character of gain if the Fund engages in transactions that reduce or eliminate its risk of loss with respect to appreciated financial positions. If the Fund enters into certain transactions (including a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract, a futures or forward contract, or other transactions identified in Treasury regulations) in property while holding an appreciated financial position in substantially identical property, it will be treated as if it had sold and immediately repurchased the appreciated financial position and will be taxed on any gain (but not loss) from the constructive sale. The character of gain from a constructive sale will depend upon the Fund's holding period in the appreciated financial position. Loss from a constructive sale would be recognized when the position was subsequently disposed of, and its character would depend on the Fund's holding period and the application of various loss deferral provisions of the IRC.

In addition, if the appreciated financial position is itself a short sale or other such contract, acquisition of the underlying property or substantially identical property by the Fund will be deemed a constructive sale. The foregoing will not apply, however, to the Fund's transaction during any taxable year that otherwise would be treated as a constructive sale if the transaction is closed within 30 days after the end of that year and the Fund holds the appreciated financial position unhedged for 60 days after that closing (i.e., at no time during that 60-day period is the Fund's risk of loss regarding the position reduced by reason of certain specified transactions with respect to substantially identical or related property, such as having an option to sell, being contractually obligated to sell, making a short sale or granting an option to buy substantially identical stock or securities).

**WASH SALES.** The Fund may be impacted in certain circumstances by special rules relating to "wash sales." In general, the wash sale rules prevent the recognition of a loss by the Fund from the disposition of stock or securities at a loss in a case in which identical or substantially identical stock or securities (or an option to acquire such property) is or has been acquired by it within 30 days before or 30 days after the sale.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities. Short sales may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by the Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to its shareholders. Short sales also may be subject to the "Constructive Sales" rules, discussed above.

**PASSIVE FOREIGN INVESTMENT COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in a non-U.S. corporation, which could be treated as a passive foreign investment company (a "PFIC") or become a PFIC under the IRC. A PFIC is generally defined as a foreign corporation that meets either of the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income for its taxable year is income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties, or capital gains); or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, such passive income. If the Fund acquires any equity interest in a PFIC, the Fund could be subject to federal income tax and interest charges on "excess distributions" received with respect to such PFIC stock or on any gain from the sale of such PFIC stock (collectively "PFIC income"), plus interest thereon even if the Fund distributes the PFIC income as a taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in the Fund's investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. The Fund's distributions of PFIC income, if any, will be taxable as ordinary income even though, absent the application of the PFIC rules, some portion of the distributions may have been classified as capital gain.

The Fund will not be permitted to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for taxes and interest charges incurred with respect to a PFIC. Payment of this tax would therefore reduce the Fund's economic return from its investment in PFIC shares. To the extent the Fund invests in a PFIC, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" ("QEF"), then instead of the tax and interest obligation described above on excess distributions, the Fund would be required to include in income each taxable year its pro rata share of the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain. As a result of a QEF election, the Fund would likely have to distribute to its shareholders an amount equal to the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain to satisfy the IRC's minimum distribution requirement described herein and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax even if the QEF did not distribute those earnings and gain to the Fund. In most instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain requirements in making the election.

The Fund may elect to "mark-to-market" its stock in any PFIC. "Marking-to-market," in this context, means including in ordinary income each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock over the Fund's adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, the Fund also may deduct (as an ordinary, not capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in the PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock it included in income for prior taxable years under the election. The Fund's adjusted basis in its PFIC stock subject to the election would be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken thereunder. In either case, the Fund may be required to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS.** Foreign currency gains and losses realized by the Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt instruments, certain options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments relating to foreign currency, foreign currencies, and foreign currency-denominated payables and receivables are subject to Section 988 of the IRC, which causes such gains and losses to be treated as ordinary income or loss and may affect the amount and timing of recognition of the Fund's income. In some cases elections may be available that would alter this treatment, but such elections could be detrimental to the Fund by creating current recognition of income without the concurrent recognition of cash. If a foreign currency loss treated as an ordinary loss under Section 988 were to exceed the Fund's investment company taxable income (computed without regard to such loss) for a taxable year the resulting loss would not be deductible by it or its shareholders in future years. The foreign currency income or loss will also increase or decrease the Fund's investment company income distributable to its shareholders.

**FOREIGN TAXATION.** Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the Fund's total assets at the close of any taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations and it meets the distribution requirements described above, the Fund may file an election (the "pass-through election") with the IRS pursuant to which shareholders of the Fund would be required to (i) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) their pro rata shares of foreign income taxes paid by the Fund even though not actually received by such shareholders; and (ii) treat such respective pro rata portions as foreign income taxes paid by them. The Fund will furnish its shareholders with a written statement providing the amount of foreign taxes paid by the Fund that will "pass-through" for the year, if any.

Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder's U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of the Fund's income will flow through to the Fund's shareholders. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. Shareholders may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Various limitations, including a minimum holding period requirement, apply to limit the credit and deduction for foreign taxes for purposes of regular federal tax and alternative minimum tax. In addition, a shareholder of the Fund may lose the ability to use foreign tax credits passed through by the Fund if the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement.

**REITS.** The Fund may invest in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require the Fund to accrue and distribute taxable income without the concurrent receipt of cash. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. The Fund's investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in its receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

The Fund may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs") or taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs"), or such REITs may themselves constitute TMPs. Under an IRS notice, and Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of the Fund's income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT's residual interest in a REMIC or a TMP (referred to in the IRC as an "excess inclusion") will be subject to federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a RIC, such as the Fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or invested in the TMP directly. As a result, the Fund may not be a suitable investment for certain tax-exempt shareholders, including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan and other tax-exempt entities. See "Tax-Exempt Shareholders."

Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that the Fund properly reports as "section 199A dividends," as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. Non-corporate shareholders are permitted a federal income tax deduction equal to 20% of qualified REIT dividends received by them, subject to certain limitations. Generally, a "section 199A dividend" is any dividend or portion thereof that is attributable to certain dividends received by a RIC from the REITs it holds, to the extent such dividends are properly reported as such by the RIC in a written notice to its shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.

**DISTRIBUTIONS.** Distributions paid out of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined at the end of the year), whether reinvested in additional shares or paid in cash, are generally taxable and must be reported by each shareholder who is required to file a federal income tax return except in the case of certain tax-exempt shareholders. Distributions in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, as computed for federal income tax purposes, will first be treated as a return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares and then as capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as a capital asset. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder's tax basis in the shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by a shareholder of the Fund's shares. Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or receive them in additional shares.

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment company taxable income are generally taxable as ordinary income, and distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions designated by the Fund as "capital gain dividends" (distributions from the excess of net long-term capital gain over short-term capital losses) will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time they have held their shares of the Fund. Such dividends do not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction described below.

Non-corporate shareholders of the Fund may be eligible for the long-term capital gain tax rate applicable to distributions of "qualified dividend income" received by such non-corporate shareholders. The maximum long-term capital gains tax rate is 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). The Fund's distribution will be treated as qualified dividend income and therefore eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rate to the extent that it receives dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding periods and other requirements are met. A corporate shareholder of the Fund may be eligible for the dividends received deduction with respect to the Fund's distributions attributable to dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations, which, if received directly by the corporate shareholder, would qualify for such a deduction. For eligible corporate shareholders, the dividends received deduction may be subject to certain reductions, and a distribution by the Fund attributable to dividends of a domestic corporation will be eligible for the deduction only if certain holding period and other requirements are met. If the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement, dividends paid while the shares are held by the borrower may not be qualified dividend income and may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax applies to net investment income including interest (excluding, tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.

The Fund will furnish a statement to shareholders providing the federal income tax status of its dividends and distributions including the portion of such dividends, if any, that qualifies as long-term capital gain.

Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement distributions and certain prohibited transactions, is accorded to accounts maintained as qualified retirement plans. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers for more information.**

**PURCHASES OF FUND SHARES.** Prior to purchasing shares in the Fund, the impact of dividends or distributions which are expected to be or have been declared, but not paid, should be carefully considered. Any dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of such shares of the Fund prior to the record date will have the effect of reducing the per share net asset value by the per share amount of the dividend or distribution, and to the extent the distribution consists of the Fund's taxable income, the purchasing shareholder will be taxed on the taxable portion of the dividend or distribution received even though some or all of the amount distributed is effectively a return of capital. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

**SALES, EXCHANGES OR REDEMPTIONS.** Upon the disposition of shares of the Fund (whether by redemption, sale or exchange), a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the shares. The capital gain will be long-term if the shares were held for more than 12 months and short-term if held for 12 months or less. If a shareholder sells or exchanges shares of the Fund within 90 days of having acquired such shares and if, before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the sale or exchange, as a result of having initially acquired those shares, the shareholder subsequently pays a reduced sales charge on a new purchase of shares of the Fund, the sales charge previously incurred in acquiring the Fund's shares generally shall not be taken into account (to the extent the previous sales charges do not exceed the reduction in sales charges on the new purchase) for the purpose of determining the amount of gain or loss on the disposition, but generally will be treated as having been incurred in the new purchase. Any loss realized on a disposition will be disallowed under the "wash sale" rules to the extent that the shares disposed of by the shareholder are replaced by the shareholder within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends received by the shareholder with respect to such shares. Capital losses are generally deductible only against capital gains except that individuals may deduct up to $3,000 of capital losses against ordinary income.

The 3.8% Medicare contribution tax (applied as described above) will apply to gains from the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund.

**BACKUP WITHHOLDING.** The Fund generally is required to withhold, and remit to the U.S. Treasury, subject to certain exemptions, an amount equal to 24% of all distributions and redemption proceeds paid or credited to a shareholder of the Fund if (i) the shareholder fails to furnish the Fund with the correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") certified under penalties of perjury, (ii) the shareholder fails to provide a certified statement that the shareholder is not subject to "backup withholding," or (iii) the IRS or a broker has notified the Fund that the number furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report interest or dividend income. If the backup withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions or proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.

**STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.** State and local laws often differ from federal income tax laws with respect to the treatment of specific items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit. This summary discussion does not address the state and local income taxes applicable to a shareholder.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the state and local tax rules affecting investments in the Fund.**

**NON-U.S. SHAREHOLDERS.** Distributions made to non-U.S. shareholders attributable to net investment income generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding at a 30% rate (or such lower rate provided under an applicable income tax treaty). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution described above is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States), federal income tax withholding and exemptions attributable to foreign persons will not apply. Instead, the distribution will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable U.S. tax rate (currently 37% in the case of individuals and 21% in the case of corporations) and the non-U.S. shareholders will be subject to the federal income tax reporting requirements generally applicable to U.S. persons described above.

Under U.S. federal tax law, a non-U.S. shareholder is not, in general, subject to federal income tax or withholding tax on capital gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of the Fund, or on capital gains dividends, provided that the Fund obtains a properly completed and signed certificate of foreign status, unless (i) such gains or distributions are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States of the non-U.S. shareholder); (ii) in the case of an individual non-U.S. shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the shares of the Fund constitute U.S. real property interests ("USRPIs"), as described below.

Under current law, if the Fund is considered to be a "United States Real Property Holding Corporation" (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), then the distributions attributable to certain underlying REIT investments and redemption proceeds paid to a non-U.S. shareholder that owns at least 5% of the Fund, generally will cause the non-U.S. shareholder to treat such gain or distribution as income effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States, subject such gain or distribution to withholding tax, and cause the non-U.S. shareholder to be required to file a federal income tax return. In addition, in any year where at least 50% of the Fund's assets are USRPIs (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), distributions of the Fund that are attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of shares in USRPIs may be subject to U.S. withholding tax (regardless of such shareholder's percentage interest in the Fund) and may require the non-U.S. shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to receive a refund (if any) of the withheld amount.

Subject to the additional rules described herein, federal income tax withholding will apply to distributions attributable to dividends and other investment income distributed by the Fund. The federal income tax withholding rate may be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. shareholder's country of residence or incorporation. In order to qualify for treaty benefits, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign status (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN). **All non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

Pursuant to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"), a 30% withholding tax generally is imposed on payments of interest and dividends to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless the foreign financial institution or foreign entity provides the withholding agent with documentation sufficient to show that it is compliant with FATCA (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). If the payment is subject to the 30% withholding tax under FATCA, a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to the 30% withholding tax described above on the same income. Under proposed regulations, FATCA withholding on the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gain distributions, scheduled to take effect beginning January 1, 2019, has been eliminated. Such proposed regulations are subject to change.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of this reporting and withholding regime to their own tax situation.**

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**FOREIGN BANK AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS AND FOREIGN FINANCIAL ASSETS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.** A shareholder that owns directly or indirectly more than 50% by vote or value of the Fund, is urged and advised to consult its own tax adviser regarding its filing obligations with respect to IRS Form FinCEN 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

Also, under enacted rules, subject to exceptions, individuals (and, to the extent provided in forthcoming future U.S. Treasury regulations, certain domestic entities) must report annually their interests in "specified foreign financial assets" on their U.S. federal income tax returns. It is currently unclear whether and under what circumstances shareholders would be required to report their indirect interests in the Fund's "specified foreign financial assets" (if any) under these new rules.

Shareholders may be subject to substantial penalties for failure to comply with these reporting requirements. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether these reporting requirements are applicable to them.**

**TAX-EXEMPT SHAREHOLDERS.** A tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") by virtue of its investment in the Fund as a result of the Fund's investments and if shares in the Fund constitute debt financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).

It is possible that a tax-exempt shareholder of the Fund will also recognize UBTI if the Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" (as described above) derived from direct or indirect investments in REMIC residual interests or TMPs. Furthermore, any investment in a residual interest of a CMO that has elected to be treated as a REMIC can create complex tax consequences, especially if the Fund has state or local governments or other tax-exempt organizations as shareholders.

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or in TMPs.

**Tax-exempt shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**TAX SHELTER REPORTING REGULATIONS.** Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

**TAX BASIS INFORMATION.** For shares of the Fund that are redeemed, your financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) will report gains and losses realized on redemptions of shares for shareholders who are individuals and S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This information will also be reported to a shareholder on Form 1099-B and the IRS each year. In calculating the gain or loss on redemptions of shares, the average cost method will be used to determine the cost basis of the Fund's shares purchased after January 1, 2012 unless the shareholder instructs the Fund in writing that the shareholder wants to use another available method for cost basis reporting (for example, First In, First Out (FIFO), Last In, First Out (LIFO), Specific Lot Identification (SLID) or High Cost, First Out (HCFO)). If the shareholder designated SLID as the shareholder's tax cost basis method, the shareholder will also need to designate a secondary cost basis method (Secondary Method). If a Secondary Method is not provided, the Fund will designate FIFO as the Secondary Method and will use the Secondary Method with respect to systematic withdrawals that are made.

A shareholder's financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) is also required to report gains and losses to the IRS in connection with redemptions of shares by S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012. If a shareholder is a corporation and has not instructed the Fund that it is a C corporation in its Account Application or by written instruction, the Fund will treat the shareholder as an S corporation and file a Form 1099-B.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**This summary is provided for general information only and should not be considered tax advice or relied on by an investor.**

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**

The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Fund's financial statements, included in [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm), for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025 (the "Annual Report") are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The 2025 financial statements, included in Form N-CSR have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report thereon is also incorporated herein by reference. No other parts of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, are incorporated by reference herein. Copies of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Trust at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 or calling the Trust at (888) 678-6024 or on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/growth-fund*.

**APPENDIX A**

**DESCRIPTION OF Securities RATINGS**

**Description of Ratings**

The following descriptions of securities ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P Global Ratings"), and Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"), respectively.

**Description of Moody's Global Ratings**

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned for obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

**Description of Moody's Global Long-Term Ratings**

**Aaa** Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal risk.

**Aa** Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

**A** Obligations rated A are considered upper medium-grade and are subject to low credit risk.

**Baa** Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba** Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

**B** Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

**Caa** Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

**Ca** Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

**C** Obligations rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal and interest.

*Note*: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**Hybrid Indicator (hyb)**

The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

**Description of Moody's Global Short-Term Ratings**

**P-1** Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-2** Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-3** Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

**NP** Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's U.S. Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings**

The Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale is used to rate U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.

Moody's U.S. municipal short-term obligation ratings are as follows:

**MIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

**MIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

**MIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

**Description of Moody's Demand Obligation Ratings**

For variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), Moody's assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer's ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders ("on demand") and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer's long-term rating drops below investment grade. Please see their methodology that discusses obligations with conditional liquidity support.

For VRDOs, they typically assign a VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years, but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned, and it is denoted as "NR".

Moody's demand obligation ratings are as follows:

**VMIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Issue Credit Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings' view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P Global Ratings would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings S&P Global Ratings assigns to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings' analysis of the following considerations:

● The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

● The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P Global Ratings imputes; and

● The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

NR indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings\***

**AAA** An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

**AA** An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

**A** An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

**BBB** An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**BB; B; CCC; CC; and C** Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

**BB** An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CCC** An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CC** An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

**C** An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

\* Ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

**D** An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings**

**A-1** A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.

**A-2** A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

**A-3** A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

**C** A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**D** A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings' opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings' analysis will review the following considerations:

● Amortization schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

● Source of payment—the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P Global Ratings' municipal short-term note ratings are as follows:

**SP-1** Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

**SP-2** Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

**SP-3** Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

**D** 'D' is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

**Description of Fitch's Credit Ratings**

Fitch's credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issue level ratings are assigned and often include an expectation of recovery and may be notched above or below the issuer level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation).

Fitch's credit rating scale for issuers and issues is expressed using the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade) with an additional +/- for AA through CCC levels indicating relative differences of probability of default or recovery for issues. The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. Investment grade categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the speculative categories signal either a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

Fitch may also disclose issues relating to a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated. Such issues are also denoted as 'NR' on its web page.

Fitch's credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. Credit ratings do not deal with the risk of market value loss due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and/or other market considerations. However, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay or refinance a financial commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of payments linked to performance of an equity index).

Note: The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' ratings and ratings below the 'CCC' category. For the short-term rating category of 'F1', a '+' may be appended.

**Description of Fitch's Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Ratings**

**AAA** Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA** Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A** High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB** Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

**BB** Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

**B** Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

**CCC** Substantial credit risk. 'CCC' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present, and default is a real possibility.

**CC** Very high levels of credit risk. 'CC' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk and default of some kind appears probable.

**C** Near Default. 'C' ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk. A default or default-like process has begun, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired.

Ratings in the categories of 'CCC', 'CC' and 'C' can also relate to obligations or issuers that are in default. In this case, the rating does not opine on default risk but reflects the recovery expectation only.

Corporate Finance defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'RD' or 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'CCC' to 'C' rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

**Description of Fitch's Short-Term Ratings**

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Fitch's short-term ratings are as follows:

**F1** Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Under the agency's National Rating scale, this rating is assigned to the lowest default risk relative to others in the same country or monetary union. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a "+" is added to the assigned rating.

**F2** Good short-term credit quality. Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

**F3** Fair short-term credit quality. Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**B** Speculative short-term credit quality. Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**C** High short-term default risk. Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**RD** Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

**D** Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

**APPENDIX B**

**PROXY VOTING POLICY**

**Proxy Voting Disclosure**

Polen Capital Management, LLC and/or Polen Capital UK LLP (collectively, the "Firm" or "Polen Capital") will accept discretionary authority over a client's proxy if the Firm has discretionary authority over the client's advisory account and the advisory contract does not expressly state that the Firm will not be voting proxies or the client does not retain voting authority. The Firm currently has client accounts over which it has proxy voting authority.

The Firm exercises proxy voting to fulfill its fiduciary duty and directly influence corporate policy in a way that the Firm believes will maximize shareholder value. The investment teams are responsible for proxy voting and undertake close review and consideration of all proxy votes for governance matters and shareholder proposal issues.

The Firm utilizes a third party service provider (currently Institutional Shareholder Services or "ISS") for research and recommendations on proxy issues facilitating the processing of the Firm's ultimate selections for each proxy vote. The Firm specifically uses ISS's Sustainability Voting Guidelines currently, which we believe generally supports positive corporate ESG actions that promote practices that present new opportunities or mitigate related financial and reputational risks.

In voting proxies, the Firm currently consults ISS's Sustainability Voting Guidelines but makes an independent decision for each vote. If the Firm disagrees with ISS's recommendation, the reasons are documented internally.

Additional information about ISS and the ISS Sustainability Voting Guidelines is available at http://www.issgovernance.com/policy.

The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital has been delegated the authority for ensuring voting decisions are documented in accordance with these policies and ensuring there are processes in place to facilitate the voting of proxies in a timely manner.

Polen Capital relies on ISS to maintain proxy statements and records of proxy votes cast and can provide a client with an annual proxy voting summary upon request.

The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital maintains a list of those companies which issue publicly traded securities and with which the Firm (or its affiliates) has such a relationship that proxies presented with respect to those companies may be perceived to give rise to a conflict of interest between the Firm and its clients. Examples of such a relationship include:

● Companies affiliated with directors, or immediate family members of directors of the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm;

● Companies affiliated with officers, or immediate family members of officers of the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm; and

● Companies that maintain significant business relationships with the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm, or with which the Firm or an affiliate of the Firm is actively seeking a significant business relationship.

In addition, any proxy vote that would result in increased compensation to the Firm or an affiliate due to increased or additional fees or other charges to be paid by the client, would also be considered a vote where the Firm has a conflict of interest. The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital will determine, based on a review of the issues raised by the conflict of interest, the nature of the potential conflict and, most importantly, given the Firm's commitment to voting proxies in the best interests of client accounts, how the proxy will be handled. The Chief Compliance Officer will perform one of the following duties as a result:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Disclose the conflict to the client(s), providing sufficient information regarding the matter and the nature of the Firm's conflict, and obtaining consent before voting;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Employ ISS to advise in the voting of the proxy;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Employ ISS to vote the proxy on behalf of the Firm and its clients; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Decline to vote the proxy because of the cost of addressing the potential conflict of interest is greater than the benefit to the clients of voting the proxy.

To request a copy of how a proxy was voted please contact compliance@polencapital.com.

![](pro-pgirx_001.jpg)

**POLEN GLOBAL GROWTH FUND**

Investor Class PGIRX Institutional Class PGIIX

*a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

**PROSPECTUS**

September 1, 2025

**These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.**

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[Fund Summary](#pro-pgirx_001)** | **1** |
| **[More Information about the Fund's Investment Objective, Strategies and Risks](#pro-pgirx_002)** | **7** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Objective](#pro-pgirx_003) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Information about the Fund's Investment Strategies](#pro-pgirx_004) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Principal Risks](#pro-pgirx_005) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Risks](#pro-pgirx_006) | 10 |
| **[More Information about Management of the Fund](#pro-pgirx_007)** | **11** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Adviser](#pro-pgirx_008) | 11 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Portfolio Managers](#pro-pgirx_009) | 11 |
| **[Shareholder Information](#pro-pgirx_010)** | **12** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Pricing of Shares](#pro-pgirx_011) | 12 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Purchase of Shares](#pro-pgirx_012) | 13 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Open an Account](#pro-pgirx_013) | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Add to an Account](#pro-pgirx_014) | 15 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Redemption of Shares](#pro-pgirx_015) | 18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Redeem from Your Account](#pro-pgirx_016) | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Transaction Policies](#pro-pgirx_017) | 20 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchanging Into Other Share Classes](#pro-pgirx_018) | 21 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchanging Into Other Polen Funds](#pro-pgirx_018a) | 21 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Shareholder Services](#pro-pgirx_019) | 22 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributions](#pro-pgirx_020) | 22 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[More Information about Taxes](#pro-pgirx_021) | 22 |
| **[Financial Highlights](#pro-pgirx_022)** | **25** |
| **[For More Information](#pro-pgirx_023)** | **Back Cover** |

---

**FUND SUMMARY**

**POLEN GLOBAL GROWTH FUND**

**Investment Objective**

Polen Global Growth Fund ("the Fund") seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital.

**Fees and Expenses**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** |
|  | **Investor <br> Class** | **Institutional <br> Class** |
| Management Fees | 0.85% | 0.85% |
| Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Fees | 0.25% |  |
| Other Expenses | 0.16% | 0.16% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses**<sup>1</sup> | **1.26%** | **1.01%** |

---

<sup>1</sup> Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses (excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by FundVantage Trust (the "Trust"), interest and other costs of borrowing, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.10% (on an annual basis) with respect to the Fund's average daily net assets (the "Expense Limitation"). The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, such amounts reduced or reimbursed for a period of up to three (3) years from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of reimbursement. No recoupment will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation amount.

**Example**

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares of the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (reflecting any contractual fee waivers). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Investor Class | $128 | $400 | $692 | $1523 |
| Institutional Class | $103 | $321 | $557 | $1235 |

---

**Portfolio Turnover**

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 32% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Summary of Principal Investment Strategies**

The Fund typically invests in a focused portfolio of approximately 25 to 40 common stocks of large capitalization companies (market capitalizations greater than $10 billion at the time of purchase) that are located anywhere in the world, including companies in both developed and emerging markets, and, in the Adviser's opinion, have a sustainable competitive advantage. In addition, the Fund may from time to time purchase a common stock, including the common stock of medium capitalization or "mid-cap" companies (market capitalizations greater than $2 billion but less than $10 billion at the time of purchase), that do not meet this criteria if, in the Adviser's opinion, the stock represents a particularly attractive investment opportunity. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest in at least three different countries and will typically invest at least 35% of its net assets in non-U.S. equity securities, or, if conditions are not favorable, invest at least 25% of its assets in non-U.S. equity securities. Non-U.S. equity securities are securities of companies that (i) have their principal securities trading market outside the U.S.; (ii) alone or on a consolidated basis derive 50% or more of annual revenue from goods produced, sales made or services performed outside the U.S.; (iii) are organized under the laws of, and have a principal office in, a country other than the U.S.; (iv) are depositary receipts of issuers described in (i) and (iii) above; or (v) are exchange-traded funds that invest in a country or countries other than the U.S. While the Fund will under normal market conditions invest in at least three different countries, the Adviser anticipates that the Fund will ordinarily invest in approximately six or more countries. Consistent with its investment criteria, the Fund may invest in certain emerging market companies. Emerging market companies are companies that (i) have their principal securities trading market in an emerging country; (ii) alone or on a consolidated basis derive 50% or more of annual revenue from goods produced, sales made or services performed in emerging countries; (iii) are organized under the laws of, and have a principal office in, an emerging country, (iv) are depositary receipts of issuers described in (i) and (iii) above, or (v) are exchange-traded funds that invest in an emerging country or countries.

"Emerging countries" include those currently considered to be an emerging or developing country by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the United Nations, or the countries' authorities, and all countries represented in any widely-recognized index of emerging market securities. Typically, emerging markets are in countries that are in the process of industrialization, with lower gross national products (GNP) than more developed countries.

The Adviser uses an intensive fundamental research process to identify companies that it believes have certain attractive characteristics, which typically reflect an underlying competitive advantage. Those characteristics include: (i) consistent and sustainable high return on capital, (ii) strong earnings growth and free cash flow generation, (iii) strong balance sheets typically with low or no net debt to total capital and (iv) competent and shareholder-oriented management teams. The Fund invests in companies that the Adviser believes have a sustainable competitive advantage within an industry with high barriers to entry.

The Adviser believes that consistent earnings growth is the primary driver of intrinsic value growth and long-term stock price appreciation. Accordingly, the Adviser focuses on identifying and investing in a concentrated portfolio of high-quality large capitalization growth companies that it believes has a competitive advantage and can deliver sustainable, above-average earnings growth. The Adviser integrates material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into research analysis as part of a comprehensive evaluation of a company's long-term financial sustainability. The Adviser believes that such companies not only have the potential to contribute greater returns to the Fund, but also may hold less risk of loss of capital.

The Fund is non-diversified, which means that a significant portion of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of a single or small number of companies and/or in a more limited number of sectors than a diversified mutual fund. Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, the Fund may focus its investments from time to time in one or more sectors of the economy or stock market.

The Fund will usually sell a security if, in the view of the Adviser, there is a potential threat to the company's competitive advantage or a degradation in its prospects for strong, long-term earnings growth. The Adviser may also sell a security if it is believed by the Adviser to be overvalued or if a more attractive investment opportunity exists. Although the Adviser may purchase and then sell a security in a shorter period of time, the Adviser typically invests in securities with the expectation of holding those investments on a long-term basis.

**Summary of Principal Risks**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor and the relative significance of each risk below may change over time. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value ("NAV"), yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not be a suitable investment for all investors.

**●** **Emerging Markets Risk:** Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Their development may be negatively impacted by less stable governments. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging securities markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets. U.S. securities and accounting regulatory agencies continue to express concern regarding information access and audit quality regarding issuers in China and other emerging market countries, which could present heightened risks associated with investments in these markets.

**●** **Equity Securities Risk:** Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition, historical and prospective earnings of the company, interest rates, investor perceptions and overall market and economic conditions. The prices of securities change in response to many factors including the value of its assets.

**●** **Foreign Securities Risk:** Foreign stocks may underperform U.S. stocks and may be more volatile than U.S. stocks. Risks relating to investments in foreign securities (including, but not limited to, depositary receipts) include: currency exchange rate fluctuation; less available public information about the issuers of securities; less stringent regulatory standards; lack of uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards; and country risks including less liquidity, high inflation rates, unfavorable economic practices; political instability and expropriation and nationalization risks. The Fund's investment in foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes, and to the extent that is the case, the Fund's return on such investments will be decreased.

**●** **Geographic Concentration Risk:** From time to time, the Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in issuers located in a limited number of countries. If the Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the risk that economic, political and social conditions in those countries will have a significant impact on its investment performance. The Fund's investment performance may also be more volatile if it concentrates its investments in certain countries, especially emerging market countries.

**●** **Growth Style Risk:** Growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are generally more sensitive to investor perceptions and market movements. In addition, growth stocks as a group may be out of favor at times and underperform the overall equity market for long periods while the market concentrates on other types of stocks, such as "value" stocks.

**●** **Large Cap Risk:** Large cap risk is the risk that stocks of larger companies may underperform relative to those of small and mid-sized companies. Large cap companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.

**●** **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**●** **Management Risk:** The risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by the investment adviser, including but not limited to the Adviser's integration of ESG factors into its research analysis, will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment adviser and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Fund. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Fund will be achieved.

**●** **Mid-Cap Risk:** Investments in mid-cap companies may be riskier than investments in larger, more established companies. The securities of mid-cap companies may trade less frequently and in smaller volumes, and as a result, may be less liquid than securities of larger companies. In addition, mid-cap companies may be more vulnerable to economic, market and industry changes. As a result, share price changes may be more sudden or erratic than the prices of other equity securities, especially over the short-term. Because mid-cap companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources or may depend on a few key employees, they may be more susceptible to particular economic events or competitive factors than large capitalization companies.

**●** **Non-Diversification Risk:** Because the Fund is non-diversified and may invest a larger portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified fund, an investment in the Fund could fluctuate in value more than an investment in a diversified fund.

**●** **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

● **Information Technology Sector Risk.** At certain points, the Fund has focused its investments in the information technology sector. Information technology companies face competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. They are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by the loss or impairment of those rights. Companies in the information technology sector are facing increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action. Companies in the software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services and actual or perceived vulnerabilities in their products or services.

● **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

**Performance Information**

The bar chart and the performance table illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in Institutional Class shares of the Fund for the past nine calendar years and show how the Fund's average annual total returns for one year, five years and since inception, before and after taxes, compare with those of the MSCI All Country World<sup>®</sup> Index ("ACWI") (Net Dividend), a broad measure of market performance. Total returns would have been lower had certain fees and expenses not been waived or reimbursed. Past performance, both before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/global-growth-fund* or by calling the Fund toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

![](pro-pgirx_002.jpg)

Calendar Year-to-Date Total Return as of June 30, 2025: 2.15%

During the periods shown in the chart:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best Quarter** | **Worst Quarter** |
| 20.58% | (18.05)% |
| (June 30, 2020) | (June 30, 2022) |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Polen Global Growth Fund — Institutional Class Shares <br> Average Annual Total Returns For the Periods Ended December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** | **Since <br> Inception <br> (December 30, 2014)** |
| Return Before Taxes | 12.16% | 7.99% | 11.38% | 11.26% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 11.24% | 7.63% | 11.14% | 11.02% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares | 7.91% | 6.29% | 9.47% | 9.36% |
| MSCI All Country World<sup>®</sup> Index ("ACWI") (Net Dividend) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1</sup> | 20.21% | 11.14% | 10.08% | 9.95% |

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Polen Global Growth Fund — Investor Class Shares <br> Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **Since <br> Inception <br> (July 6, 2015)** |
| Return Before Taxes | 11.89% | 7.73% | 11.24% |
| MSCI All Country World<sup>®</sup> Index ("ACWI") (Net Dividend) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1</sup> | 20.21% | 11.14% | 10.06% |

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<sup>1</sup> The MSCI All Country World<sup>®</sup> Index ("ACWI") (Net Dividend) captures large and mid-cap representation across 23 Developed Markets and 24 Emerging Markets countries. With 2,837 constituents, the MSCI ACWI (Net Dividend) covers approximately 85% of the global investable equity opportunity.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown and are not relevant if you hold your shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns shown are for Institutional Class shares; after-tax returns for Investor Class shares will vary.

**Management of the Fund**

**Investment Adviser**

Polen Capital Management, LLC serves as the Fund's investment adviser.

**Portfolio Managers**

**●** **Damon Ficklin,** Head of Team, Portfolio Manager, has served as portfolio manager of the Fund since 2017. He has been a member of Polen Capital's Large Company Growth Team since joining the firm in 2003.

**●** **Stephen Atkins, CFA,** Portfolio Manager and Analyst, has served as a portfolio manager for the Fund since May 2025. He has been a member of Polen Capital's Large Company Growth Team since joining the firm in 2012.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** |
| **Account Type** | **Minimum** | **Investor <br> Class** | **Institutional <br> Class** |
| Regular Accounts | Initial Investment | $3000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |
| Individual Retirement Accounts | Initial Investment | $2000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |
| Automatic Investment Plan | Initial Investment | $2000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |

---

You can only purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on days the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open and through the means described below.

**Purchase or Redemption by Mail:**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Global Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Global Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

---

**Purchase by Wire:**

Please contact Fund shareholder services ("Shareholder Services") toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for current wire instructions.

**Redemption by Telephone:**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**Tax Information**

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Such distributions are not currently taxable when shares are held through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. However, subsequent withdrawals from any tax-deferred account in which the shares are held may be subject to federal income tax.

**Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and/or for related services to shareholders. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S<br> INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, STRATEGIES AND RISKS**

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE**

The Fund seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital. Although no change is anticipated, the Fund's investment objective may be changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S INVESTMENT STRATEGIES**

The Fund's principal investment strategies are discussed in the "Fund Summary" section. Principal investment strategies are those that the Adviser will use on a day-to-day basis to achieve the Fund's investment objective. This section provides more information about these strategies, as well as information about some additional strategies that the Fund's Adviser uses, or may use, to achieve the Fund's objective. Additional information about these investment strategies and practices and related risks is also provided in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"). The Fund may also use strategies and invest in securities that are not described in this Prospectus, but that are described in the Fund's SAI. The investments and strategies discussed below are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions.

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"). At times, the Fund may be required to segregate or earmark certain assets determined to be liquid by the investment adviser (generally, short-term investment grade fixed income securities) to cover borrowings.

The investments and strategies discussed above are those that the investment adviser will use under normal market conditions. The Fund also may use other strategies and engage in other investment practices, which are described in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").

In anticipation of or in response to adverse market or other conditions or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, the Fund may temporarily hold all or a portion of its assets in U.S. Government securities, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents. The investment adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures. Under such conditions, the Fund temporarily may not invest in accordance with its investment objective or principal investment strategy and may not achieve its investment objective.

**PRINCIPAL RISKS**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's NAV, yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.

**●** **Emerging Markets Risk:** Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging securities markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets. Since these markets are often small, they may be more likely to suffer sharp and frequent price changes or long-term price depression because of adverse publicity, investor perceptions or the actions of a few large investors. Also, there may be less publicly available information about issuers in emerging markets than would be available about issuers in more developed capital markets, and these issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those in developed markets. Many emerging markets have histories of political instability and abrupt changes in policies. As a result, their governments may be more likely to take actions that are hostile or detrimental to private enterprise or foreign investment than those of more developed countries, including expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, high rates of inflation or unfavorable diplomatic developments. In the past, governments of certain emerging market countries have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and many claims of the property owners under such circumstances have never been fully settled. In the event of expropriation of private property, it is possible that an entire investment in an affected market could be lost. Some countries have pervasiveness of corruption and crime that may hinder investments. Certain emerging markets may also face other significant internal or external risks, including the risk of war, and ethnic, religious and racial conflicts. In addition, governments in many emerging market countries participate to a significant degree in their economies and securities markets, which may impair investment

 and economic growth. Emerging markets may also have differing legal systems and the existence or possible imposition of exchange controls, custodial restrictions or other foreign or U.S. governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such investments. Sometimes, they may lack or be in the relatively early development of legal structures governing private and foreign investments and private property. In addition to withholding taxes on investment income, some countries with emerging markets may impose differential capital gains taxes on foreign investors. U.S. securities and accounting regulatory agencies continue to express concern regarding information access and audit quality regarding issuers in China and other emerging market countries, which could present heightened risks associated with investments in these markets.

**●** **Equity Securities Risk:** Although investments in equity securities, such as common stocks, historically have been a leading choice for long-term investors, stock markets are volatile because of many factors. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition, historical and prospective earnings of the company, interest rates, investor perceptions and overall market and economic conditions. Market performance and economic factors may adversely affect securities markets generally, which could in turn adversely affect the value of the Fund's investments, regardless of the performance or expected performance of companies in which the Fund invests. Holders of common stock generally are subject to more risks than holders of preferred stock or debt securities because the right to repayment of common stockholders' claims is subordinated to that of preferred stock and debt securities upon the bankruptcy of the issuer.

**●** **Foreign Securities Risk:** Foreign (non-U.S.) securities may experience more rapid and extreme changes in value than investments in securities of U.S. companies, due to less liquid securities and markets, and adverse economic, political, diplomatic, financial, and regulatory factors. For example, recent developments in certain Eurozone countries have caused the prices of securities to decline throughout the region. In addition, there may be fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of securities traded each day, making it more difficult for an account to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. Foreign governments also may impose limits on investment and repatriation and impose taxes. Income from foreign issuers may be subject to non-U.S. withholding taxes. In some

 countries, investor accounts also may be subject to taxes on trading profits and, on certain securities transactions, transfer or stamp duties tax. Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the U.S. and may involve certain risks (such as delays on payment for or delivery of securities) not typically associated with the settlement of U.S. investments. Foreign companies generally are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards or to other regulatory requirements that apply to U.S. companies. As a result, less information may be available concerning non-U.S. issuers. Accounting and financial reporting standards in emerging markets may be especially lacking. Further, it is often more expensive to trade securities in foreign markets as commissions are generally higher than in the U.S., and foreign exchanges and investment professionals are subject to less governmental regulation than in the U.S. Any of these events could cause the value of the foreign securities in which the Fund invests in to decline. Governmental economic policies, whether in the form of tariffs or the imposition or threat of other measures, that would have a restrictive effect on global trade could negatively impact foreign companies. The impact of such policies could be more significant for smaller foreign companies operating in emerging economies that may be more susceptible to adverse economic conditions, which in turn could have a commensurately negative impact on the Fund. The Fund's investment in foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes, and to the extent that is the case, the Fund's return on such investments will be decreased.

**●** **Geographic Concentration Risk:** From time to time, the Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in issuers located in a limited number of countries. If the Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the risk that economic, political and social conditions in those countries will have a significant impact on its investment performance. The Fund's investment performance may also be more volatile if it concentrates its investments in certain countries, especially emerging market countries.

**●** **Growth Style Risk:** Growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are generally more sensitive to investor perceptions and market movements. In addition, growth stocks as a group may be out of favor at times and underperform the overall equity market for long periods while the market concentrates on other types of stocks, such as "value" stocks.

**●** **Large Cap Risk:** Large cap risk is the risk that stocks of larger companies may underperform relative to those of small and mid-sized companies. Large cap companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.

**●** **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**●** **Management Risk:** The risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by the investment adviser, including but not limited to the Adviser's integration of ESG factors into its research analysis, will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment adviser and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Fund. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Fund will be achieved.

● **Mid-Cap Risk:** Investments in mid-cap companies may be riskier than investments in larger, more established companies. The securities of mid-cap companies may trade less frequently and in smaller volumes, and as a result, may be less liquid than securities of larger companies. In addition, mid-cap companies may be more vulnerable to economic,

market and industry changes. As a result, share price changes may be more sudden or erratic than the prices of other equity securities, especially over the short-term. Because mid-cap companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources or may depend on a few key employees, they may be more susceptible to particular economic events or competitive factors than large capitalization companies.

**●** **Non-Diversification Risk:** Because the Fund is non-diversified and may invest a larger portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified fund, an investment in the Fund could fluctuate in value more than an investment in a diversified fund.

**●** **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**●** **Information Technology Sector Risk.** At certain points, the Fund has focused its investments in the information technology sector. Information technology companies face competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. They are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by the loss or impairment of those rights. Companies in the information technology sector are facing increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action. Companies in the software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services and actual or perceived vulnerabilities in their products or services.

● **China Risk:** Investing in Chinese securities is riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Investing in China involves risk of loss due to nationalization, expropriation, and confiscation of assets and property. Losses may also occur due to new or expanded restrictions on foreign investments or repatriation of capital. Participants in the Chinese market are subject to less regulation and oversight

than participants in the U.S. market. This may lead to trading volatility, difficulty in the settlement and recording of transactions, and uncertainty in interpreting and applying laws and regulations. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of tariffs or other trade barriers, or a downturn in the economies of any of China's key trading partners may adversely affect the securities of Chinese issuers. Regional conflict could also have an adverse effect on the Chinese economy.

The U.S. government may occasionally place restrictions on investments in Chinese companies. For example, in November 2020, an Executive Order was issued that prohibits U.S. persons from purchasing or investing in certain publicly-traded securities of companies identified as "Communist Chinese military companies" or in instruments that are designed to provide investment exposure to those companies. The companies identified may change from time to time. A fund may incur losses if more investors attempt to sell such securities or if the fund is unable to participate in an otherwise attractive investment. Securities that are or become prohibited may become less liquid and their market prices may decline. In addition, the market for securities of other Chinese-based issuers may also be negatively impacted, resulting in reduced liquidity and price declines.

**OTHER RISKS**

In addition to the principal risks described above, the Fund may also be subject to the following additional risk.

● **Cyber Security Risk:** As part of its business, the Adviser processes, stores and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Fund. The Adviser and Fund may be susceptible to operational and information security risk. Cyber security failures or breaches of the Adviser or the Fund's other service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of the Fund's shareholders to transact business,

violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties and/or reputational damage. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

● **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected

**Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings**

A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI, which is available, free of charge, by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 and on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/global-growth-fund*. The SAI may also be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") website at *www.sec.gov*.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND**

The Trust's Board of Trustees supervises the management, activities and affairs of the Fund and has approved contracts with various organizations to provide, among other services, the day-to-day management required by the Fund and its shareholders.

**INVESTMENT ADVISER**

Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Polen Capital was founded in 1979 and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Capital had approximately $46.7 billion in assets under management. Polen Capital, subject to the general oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objective, policies and limitations. For its services as Adviser to the Fund, Polen Capital is entitled to receive an investment advisory fee of 0.85% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, after fee waivers and expense reimbursements, Polen Capital received an aggregate investment advisory fee as a percentage of net assets of 0.85%.

A discussion of the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment management agreement between Polen Capital and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, is available in the Fund's Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2024.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

**Damon Ficklin,** Head of Team, Portfolio Manager, is a portfolio manager for the Global Growth and Focus Growth strategies, and a member of the investment team at Polen Capital. Mr. Ficklin joined Polen Capital in 2003 and, with Mr. Atkins, is responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management and investment analysis for the Fund. Prior to joining Polen Capital, Mr. Ficklin spent one year as an equity analyst at Morningstar. Prior to that, he spent four years as a tax consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Mr. Ficklin earned a B.S., ***magna cum laude***, in Accounting from the University of South Florida, an M.S.A. from Appalachian State University, and an M.B.A. with high honors from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

**Stephen Atkins, CFA**, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, is a portfolio manager for the Global Growth Strategy, and a member of the investment team at Polen Capital. Mr. Atkins joined Polen in 2012 and, with Mr. Ficklin is responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management and investment analysis for the Fund. Prior to joining Polen Capital, he was a Portfolio Manager at Northern Trust Investments, including eight years as a mutual fund Co-Manager. Prior to that, Mr. Atkins was a Portfolio Manager at Carl Domino Associates, LP. Mr. Atkins earned a B.S., in Business Administration from Georgetown University and a General Course degree from the London School of Economics. Mr. Atkins is a CFA<sup>®</sup> charterholder.

The Fund's SAI provides additional information about each Portfolio Manager's compensation, other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager and each Portfolio Manager's ownership of Fund shares.

**SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION**

**PRICING OF SHARES**

The price of the Fund's shares is based on its NAV. The Fund values its assets, based on current market values when such values are available. The NAV per share of the Fund is calculated as follows:

Value of Assets Attributable to the Shares <br> NAV = – <u>Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Shares</u> <br> Number of Outstanding Shares

The Fund's NAV per share is calculated once daily as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each business day (i.e., a day that the Exchange is open for business). The Exchange is generally open on Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The price at which a purchase, redemption or exchange is effected is based on the next calculation of NAV after the order is received in good form by an authorized financial institution or the transfer agent, plus any applicable sales charges.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**PURCHASE OF SHARES**

**Share Classes**

The Trust offers Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares of the Fund. Each Class of shares has different expenses and distribution arrangements to provide for different investment needs. This allows you to choose the class of shares most suitable for you depending on the amount and expected length of your investment and other relevant factors. Sales personnel may receive different compensation for selling each class of shares. Investor Class shares are for individuals, corporate investors and retirement plans. Institutional Class shares are available to individuals who can meet the required investment minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or broker-dealers purchasing for the accounts of others. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Investor Class** | **Institutional Class** |
| No initial sales charge | No initial sales charge |
| Higher annual expenses than Institutional Class shares due to distribution fee | Lower annual expenses than Investor Class shares due to no distribution fee |

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Shares representing interests in the Fund are offered on a continuous basis by the Fund's principal underwriter, Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"). Shares of the Fund do not charge any sales loads or deferred sales loads in connection with the purchase of shares. Shares of the Fund are offered only to residents of states in which the shares are registered or qualified. You can purchase Investor Class and Institutional Class shares of the Fund through certain financial intermediaries or directly through BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, the Fund's transfer agent, as discussed below. No share certificates are issued in connection with the purchase of Fund shares. The Fund reserves the right to waive the minimum initial investment requirement for any investor.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be redeemed by the Trust unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund's shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." To open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest.

In the event you modify or change your relationship with your financial intermediary through which you invest in the Fund (for instance, from an advisory relationship to a brokerage relationship) you may no longer be eligible to invest in a particular share class and your financial intermediary may exchange your shares for another share class which may be subject to higher expenses and Rule 12b-1 distribution fees.

In addition, the availability of certain classes of shares may be limited to certain intermediary platforms, which means that your eligibility to purchase a specific class of Fund shares may depend on whether your intermediary offers that class.

The Trust is not responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Investor Class Shares**

***Distribution Plan***

The Trust's Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Fund's Investor Class shares, has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to pay distribution and service fees for the sale and distribution of its shares and for services provided to its shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plan for Investor Class shares provides for payments of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

**Institutional Class Shares**

Sales of each Fund's Institutional Class shares are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee. Institutional Class shares are available to individuals who can meet the required investment minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or broker dealer purchasing for the accounts of others. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through an institutional organization, or a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization.

**TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Complete the application and mail it to BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing") at the address noted below, together with a check payable to the Fund. Please make sure your check is for at least $3,000 with respect to Investor Class shares ($2,000 if investing in an IRA) and at least $100,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares. Mail the application and your check to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Global Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Global Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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The Fund will only accept checks drawn on U.S. currency on domestic banks. The Fund will not accept any of the following: cash or cash equivalents, money orders, traveler's checks, cashier's checks, bank checks, official checks and treasurer's checks, payable through checks, third-party checks and third-party transactions.

While the Fund does not generally accept foreign investors, it may in instances where either (i) an intermediary makes shares of the Fund available or (ii) the transfer agent, in the case of a direct to Fund subscription, has satisfied its internal procedures with respect to the establishment of foreign investor accounts. Please contact Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for more information.

The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions, including the Fund, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money-laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts. As requested on the application, you must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address. If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. This information will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, the Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a shareholder's identity. As required by law, the Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

**By Wire**

To make a same-day wire investment, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for current wire instructions. An account number will be assigned to you. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $3,000 with respect to Investor Class shares ($2,000 if investing in an IRA) and at least $100,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares.** Your wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, to receive that day's price per share. Your bank may charge a wire fee.

**Individual Retirement Account and Education Savings Account Investments**

You may invest in the Fund through the following individual retirement accounts:

● Traditional Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs")

● Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees ("SIMPLE IRAs")

● Spousal IRAs

● Roth Individual Retirement Accounts ("Roth IRAs")

● Simplified Employee Pension Plans ("SEP IRAs")

● Coverdell Education Savings Accounts ("CESAs")

**Additional Information**

If you have questions regarding the purchase of Fund shares, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.

**TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Fill out an investment slip from a previous confirmation and write your account number on your check. **Please make sure that your check is payable to the Fund and that your additional investment is for at least $100 with respect to Investor Class shares.** There is no minimum additional investment with respect to Institutional Class shares. Mail the slip and your check to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Global Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Global Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

---

**By Wire**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for current wire instructions. The wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, for same day processing. Your bank may charge a wire fee. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $100 with respect to Investor Class shares.** There is no minimum additional investment with respect to Institutional Class shares.

**Automatic Investment Plan**

You may open an automatic investment plan account for Investor Class shares with a $2,000 initial purchase and a $100.00 monthly investment and for Institutional Class shares with a $100,000 initial purchase and no minimum monthly investment. If you have an existing account that does not include the automatic investment plan, you can contact the Fund toll-free at (888) 678-6024 to establish an automatic investment plan. The automatic investment plan provides a convenient method to have monies deducted directly from your bank account for investment in the Fund. You may authorize the automatic withdrawal of funds from your bank account for a monthly minimum amount of $100.00. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this plan at any time. To begin participating in this plan, please complete the "Automatic Investment Plan" section found on the application or contact the Fund's transfer agent toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**Automated Clearing House (ACH) Purchase**

Current shareholders may purchase additional shares via Automated Clearing House ("ACH"). To have this option added to your account, please send a letter to the Fund requesting this option and supply a voided check for the bank account. Only bank accounts held at domestic institutions that are ACH members may be used for these transactions.

You may not use ACH transactions for your initial purchase of Fund shares. ACH purchases will be effective at the closing price per share on the same business day for orders placed prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Orders placed thereafter will be effective at the closing price per share on the next business day. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this purchase option at any time.

Shares purchased by ACH will not be available for redemption until the transactions have cleared. Shares purchased via ACH transfer may take up to 15 days to clear.

**Purchase Price**

Purchase orders received in good order by the Fund's transfer agent before the close of regular trading on the Exchange on any business day will be priced at the NAV that is determined as of the close of trading on the Exchange. Purchase orders received in good order after the close of regular trading on the Exchange will be priced as of the close of regular trading on the following business day. "Good Order" means that the purchase request is complete and includes all accurate required information. Purchase requests not in good order may be rejected.

**Financial Intermediaries**

You may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary who may charge you a commission on your purchase, may charge additional fees, and may require different minimum investments or impose other limitations on buying and selling shares. "Financial intermediaries" include brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), insurance companies, investment advisers, financial advisers, financial planners, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators, their designated intermediaries and any other firm having a selling, administration or similar agreement. The financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting orders by close of business and may have an earlier cut-off time for purchase and sale requests. Purchase and redemption orders placed through a financial intermediary will be deemed to have been received and accepted by the Fund when the financial intermediary accepts the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. Customer orders are required to be priced at the Fund's NAV next computed after the authorized financial intermediary or its authorized representatives' receipt of the order to buy or sell. Purchase and redemption requests sent to such authorized broker (or its designee) are executed at the NAV next determined after the intermediary receives the request if transmitted to the Fund's transfer agent in accordance with the Fund's procedures and applicable law. Financial intermediaries may also designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Fund's behalf. Consult your investment representative for specific information.

It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary to transmit orders for the purchase of shares by its customers to the transfer agent and to deliver required funds on a timely basis, in accordance with the procedures stated above.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account."

**Networking and Sub-Transfer Agency Fees.** The Fund may also directly enter into agreements with financial intermediaries pursuant to which it will pay the financial intermediary for services such as networking or sub-transfer agency, including the maintenance of "street name" or omnibus accounts and related sub-accounting, record-keeping and administrative services provided to such accounts. Payments made pursuant to such agreements are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of clients serviced by such financial intermediary, or (2) the number of accounts serviced by such financial intermediary. Any payments made pursuant to such agreements are in addition to, rather than in lieu of, Rule 12b-1 distribution or shareholder service fees the financial intermediary may also be receiving. From time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay a portion of the fees for networking or sub-transfer agency at its or their own expense and out of its or their own resources. These payments may be material to financial intermediaries relative to other compensation paid by the Fund and/or the Underwriter, the Adviser and their affiliates. The payments described above may differ and may vary from amounts paid to the Fund's transfer agent for providing similar services to other accounts. The financial intermediaries are not audited by the Fund, the Adviser or their service providers to determine whether such intermediaries are providing the services for which they are receiving such payments.

**Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries.** The Adviser, and, from time to time, affiliates of the Adviser may also, at their own expense and out of their own resources, provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. These additional cash payments are payments over and above sales commissions or reallowances, distribution fees or servicing fees (including networking, administration and sub-transfer agency fees) payable to a financial intermediary which are disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus. These additional cash payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency, shareholder or administrative services or marketing support. Marketing support may include: (i) access to sales meetings or conferences, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives; (ii) inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs to which financial intermediaries

provide more marketing support than to other sales programs on which the Adviser or its affiliates may not need to make additional cash payments to be included; (iii) promotion of the sale of the Fund's shares in communications with a financial intermediaries' customers, sales representatives or management representatives; and/or (iv) other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of the Fund's shares. These additional cash payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to Fund shareholders. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay cash compensation in the form of finders' fees or referral fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of shares sold.

The amount and value of additional cash payments vary for each financial intermediary. The additional cash payment arrangement between a particular financial intermediary and the Adviser or its affiliates may provide for increased rates of compensation as the dollar value of the Fund's shares or particular class of shares sold or invested through such financial intermediary increases. The availability of these additional cash payments, the varying fee structure within a particular additional cash payment arrangement and the basis for and manner in which a financial intermediary compensates its sales representatives may create a financial incentive for a particular financial intermediary and its sales representatives to recommend the Fund's shares over the shares of other mutual funds based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. A financial intermediary and its sales representatives may have similar financial incentives to recommend a particular class of the Fund's shares over other classes of its shares. You should consult with your financial adviser and review carefully any disclosure by the financial firm as to compensation received by your financial adviser.

Although the Fund may use financial firms that sell the Fund's shares to effect portfolio transactions for the Fund, the Fund and the Adviser will not consider the sale of Fund shares as a factor when choosing financial firms to effect those transactions.

For more information about these additional cash payments made to financial intermediaries, please refer to the section entitled "Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries" located in the SAI.

**Rights Reserved by the Fund**

The Fund reserves the right to:

● reject any purchase order;

● suspend the offering of shares;

● vary the initial and subsequent investment minimums;

● waive the minimum investment requirement for any investor;

● redeem accounts with balances below the minimum account size after 30 days' written notice;

● redeem your shares in the event your financial intermediary's relationship with the Trust is modified or terminated;

● subject to applicable law, redeem your shares in other circumstances determined by the Board of Trustees to be in the best interest of the Fund; and

● redeem your shares if you hold your shares through a financial intermediary and you propose to transfer your shares to another financial intermediary that does not have a relationship with the Trust.

The Trust will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy**

The Fund discourages frequent purchases and redemptions, and the Trust's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures consistent with such position. The Fund is not designed to accommodate market timing or short-term trading. Frequent or excessive trades into or out of the Fund in an effort to anticipate changes in market prices of its investment portfolio is generally referred to as "market timing." Market timing can adversely impact the ability of the Adviser to invest assets in an orderly manner, which in turn may adversely impact the expenses and the performance of the Fund. These expenses are borne by all Fund shareholders, including long-term investors who do not generate such costs. Specifically, frequent trading may result in the Fund engaging in activities to a greater extent than it otherwise

would, such as maintaining higher cash balances, using a line of credit and trading in portfolio securities, each of which may increase expenses and decrease performance. This occurs when market timers attempt to trade Fund shares when the NAV of the Fund does not reflect the value of the underlying portfolio securities.

To deter market timing and to minimize harm to the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to restrict, reject or cancel, without prior notice, any purchase order by market timers or by those persons the Fund believes are engaging in similar trading activity that, in the judgment of the Fund or the Adviser, may be disruptive to the Fund. The Fund will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. No waivers of the provisions of this policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

The Fund's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") reviews on an as-needed basis, as determined by the CCO in coordination with the Adviser and other service providers, available information related to the trading activity in the Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of market timing or similar trading practices. If, in its judgment, the Fund or the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Fund may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor's account with the Fund. The Fund may modify its procedures from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Fund will apply its procedures in a manner that, in the Fund's judgment, will be uniform.

There is no guarantee that the Fund or its agents will be able to detect frequent trading activity or the shareholders engaged in such activity, or, if it is detected, to prevent its recurrence.

In order for a financial intermediary to purchase shares of the Fund for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person, the Trust will enter into shareholder information agreements with such financial intermediary or its agent. These agreements require each financial intermediary to provide the Fund access, upon request, to information about underlying shareholder transaction activity in these accounts and the Shareholder's Taxpayer Identification Number (or International Taxpayer Identification Number or other government issued identifier). If a shareholder information agreement has not been entered into by a financial intermediary, such financial intermediary will be prohibited from purchasing Fund shares for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person. If necessary, the Fund may prohibit additional purchases of Fund shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers' trading activities in the Fund. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Fund. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Fund's excessive trading policies, the Fund may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES**

You may "redeem" or sell your shares on any day the Exchange is open, either directly through the Fund's transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, or through your broker-dealer. The price you receive will be the NAV next calculated after receipt of the request in good order. "Good Order" means that the redemption request is complete and includes all accurate required information including any medallion signature guarantees, if necessary.

**Redemption Policies**

Payment for redemptions of Fund shares is usually made within one business day, but not later than seven calendar days after receipt of your redemption request, unless the check used to purchase the shares has not yet cleared. The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment for more than seven days during any period when: (1) trading on the Exchange is restricted or the Exchange is closed for other than customary weekends and holidays, (2) the SEC has by order permitted such suspension for the protection of the Fund's shareholders or (3) an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable. The Fund will automatically redeem shares if a purchase check is returned for insufficient funds and the shareholder's account will be charged for any loss. The Fund reserves the right to reject any third-party check.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally meets redemption requests through its holdings of cash or cash equivalents or by selling a portion of the Fund's holdings consistent with its investment strategy. The Fund generally pays redemptions proceeds in cash; however, the Fund reserves the right to honor certain redemptions "in-kind" with securities, rather than cash. The Fund is more likely to redeem in-kind to meet large redemption requests or during times of market stress.

**TO REDEEM FROM YOUR ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

To redeem your shares by mail:

● Write a letter of instruction that includes: the name of the Fund, your account number, the name(s) in which the account is registered and the dollar value or number of shares you wish to sell.

● Include all signatures and any additional documents that may be required.

● Mail your request to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Global Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Global Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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● A check will be mailed to the name(s) and address in which the account is registered and may take up to seven days.

● The Fund may require additional documentation or a medallion signature guarantee on any redemption request to help protect against fraud.

● The Fund requires a medallion signature guarantee if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record.

**By Telephone**

To redeem your shares by telephone, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024. The proceeds will be paid to the registered owner: (1) by mail at the address on the account, or (2) by wire to the pre-designated bank account on the fund account. To use the telephone redemption privilege, you must have selected this service on your original account application or submitted a subsequent medallion signature guaranteed request in writing to add this service to your account. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing reserve the right to refuse any telephone transaction when they are unable to confirm to their satisfaction that a caller is the account owner or a person preauthorized by the account owner. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing has established security procedures to prevent unauthorized account access. Neither the Fund nor any of its service contractors will be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The telephone transaction privilege may be suspended, limited, modified or terminated at any time without prior notice by the Fund or BNY Mellon Investment Servicing.

**By Wire**

In the case of redemption proceeds that are wired to a bank, the Fund transmits the payment only on days that commercial banks are open for business and only to the bank and account previously authorized on your application or your medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing will not be responsible for any delays in wired redemption proceeds due to heavy wire traffic over the Federal Reserve System. The Fund reserves the right to refuse a wire redemption if it believes that it is advisable to do so. You may also have your redemption proceeds sent to your bank via ACH. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing does not charge for this service, however, please allow 2 to 3 business days for the transfer of money to reach your banking institution.

**Systematic Withdrawal Plan**

Once you have established an account with $10,000 or more, you may automatically receive funds from your account on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis (minimum withdrawal of $100). Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 to request a form to start the Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

**Selling Recently Purchased Shares**

If you wish to sell shares that were recently purchased by check, the Fund may delay mailing your redemption check for up to 15 business days after your redemption request to allow the purchase check to clear. The Fund reserves the right to reject any redemption request for shares recently purchased by check that has not cleared, and the Fund may require that a subsequent request be submitted.

**Late Trading**

Late trading is the practice of buying or selling Fund shares at the closing price after the Fund's NAV has been set for the day. Federal securities laws governing mutual funds prohibit late trading. The Fund has adopted trading policies designed to comply with requirements of the federal securities laws.

**TRANSACTION POLICIES**

**Timing of Purchase or Sale Requests**

All requests received in Good Order by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing or authorized dealers of Fund shares before the close of regular trading on the Exchange, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, will be executed the same day, at that day's NAV. Such orders received after the close of regular trading of the Exchange will be executed the following day, at that day's NAV. All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Purchase and redemption orders are executed only on days when the Exchange is open for trading. If the Exchange closes early, the deadlines for purchase and redemption orders are accelerated to the earlier closing time.

**New York Stock Exchange Closings**

The Exchange is typically closed for trading on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

**Investments through Financial Intermediaries/Nominees**

If you invest through a financial intermediary or nominee, such as a broker-dealer or financial adviser (rather than directly through the Fund), certain policies and fees regarding your investment in the Fund may be different than those described in this Prospectus. In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." Financial intermediaries and nominees may charge transaction fees, may charge you a commission on your purchase, and may set different minimum investments or limitations or procedures on buying or selling shares; however, in the event that your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust and you chose to open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker, or, if applicable, a broker's designee receives the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. You will not be charged any additional fees by the Fund (other than those described in this Prospectus) if you purchase or redeem shares directly through the Fund.

Contact your financial intermediary for specific information regarding the availability and suitability of various account options described throughout this Prospectus. Contact your financial intermediary for specific information with respect to the financial intermediary's policies regarding minimum purchase and minimum balance requirements and involuntary redemption, which may differ from what is described throughout this Prospectus.

**Account Minimum**

You must keep at least $2,000 worth of Investor Class and Institutional Class shares in your account to keep the account open. If, after giving you 30 days' prior written notice, your account value is still below $2,000 due to your redemptions (not including market fluctuations), the Fund may redeem your shares and send you a check for the redemption proceeds.

**Medallion Signature Guarantees**

The Fund may require additional documentation for the redemption of corporate, partnership or fiduciary accounts, or medallion signature guarantees for certain types of transfer requests or account registration changes. A medallion signature guarantee helps protect against fraud. A medallion signature guarantee is required if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days, or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record. When the Fund requires a signature guarantee, a medallion signature must be provided. A medallion signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency, saving association or other financial institution that is participating in a medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The Fund recognizes the following three medallion programs: (i) Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP), (ii) Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and (iii) New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature guarantees from a financial institution that does not participate in one of these programs will not be accepted. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for further information on obtaining a proper signature guarantee.

**Customer Identification Program**

Federal law requires the Fund to obtain, verify and record identifying information, which includes the name, residential or business street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or taxpayer identification number or other identifying information for each investor who opens or reopens an account with the Fund. Applications without the required information, or without any indication that a social security or taxpayer identification number has been applied for, will not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Fund reserves the right to (i) place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (ii) refuse an investment in the Fund or to involuntarily redeem an investor's shares and close an account in the event that an investor's identity is not verified. The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account resulting from the investor's delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor's shares when an investor's identity cannot be verified.

**Other Documents**

Additional documents may be required for purchases and redemptions when shares are registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, association, agent, fiduciary, trust, estate or other organization. For further information, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**EXCHANGING INTO OTHER SHARE CLASSES**

You may transfer your shares into another class of shares of this Fund if you meet the eligibility requirements for the class into which you would like to transfer. If you purchased your shares from the Fund directly, call the transfer agent toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for information on exchanging shares into another class of the Fund. If you purchased your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact such financial intermediary for information on exchanging shares into another class of the Fund. Transfers between classes of a single Fund are generally not considered a taxable transaction. This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated upon sixty (60) days' written notice to shareholders.

**EXCHANGING INTO OTHER POLEN FUNDS**

An exchange occurs when you use the proceeds from the redemption of shares of one Polen fund to simultaneously purchase shares of a different Polen fund. You can make exchange requests by telephone or by mail. See "To Redeem from Your Account" for contact information.

If the Exchange is open for regular trading (generally until 4 p.m. Eastern time, on a business day) at the time an exchange request is received in good order, the trade date generally will be the same day. See "Redemption of Shares" for additional information on transaction requests.

The Funds will not accept your request to cancel any exchange request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing an exchange request. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time before attempting to exchange a large dollar amount. By calling us before you attempt to exchange a large dollar amount, you may avoid delayed or rejected transactions.

Please note that the Funds reserve the right, without notice, to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the amount of any exchange, or reject an exchange, at any time, for any reason. See "Market Timing and Frequent-Trading Policy" for additional restrictions on exchanges.

**SHAREHOLDER SERVICES**

**Your Account**

If you have questions about your account, including purchases, redemptions and distributions, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time.

**Account Statements**

The Fund currently provides the following account information:

● confirmation statements after transactions (except for certain automatic transactions, such as those related to automatic investment plan purchases or dividend reinvestments);

● account statements reflecting transactions made during the covered period (generally, monthly for Institutional Class shares, and quarterly or annually for Investor Class shares);

● tax information, which will be mailed each year by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") deadline, a copy of which will also be filed with the IRS, if necessary.

Financial statements with a summary of portfolio composition and performance will be available at least twice a year.

The Fund routinely provides the above shareholder services, but may charge additional fees for special services such as requests for historical transcripts of accounts.

With the exception of statutorily required items, the Fund may change any of the above practices without notice.

**Delivery of Shareholder Documents**

To reduce expenses, the Fund mails only one copy of its Prospectus and each Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 or, if your shares are held through a financial institution, please contact the financial institution directly. The Fund will begin sending you individual copies within 30 days after receiving your request.

**DISTRIBUTIONS**

Distributions of net investment income and net capital gains, if any, are declared and paid annually to you. The amount of any distribution will vary and there is no guarantee that the Fund will distribute either investment income or capital gains.

Distributions are payable to the shareholders of record at the time the distributions are declared (including holders of shares being redeemed, but excluding holders of shares being purchased). All distributions are reinvested in additional shares, unless you elect to receive the distributions in cash. Shares become entitled to receive distributions on the day after the shares are issued. If you invest in the Fund shortly before the ex-dividend date of a taxable distribution, the distribution will lower the value of the Fund's shares by the amount of the distribution and, in effect, you will receive some of your investment back in the form of a taxable distribution. (see "More Information about Taxes — Distributions").

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TAXES**

Each shareholder and prospective investor's particular tax situation is unique, and, therefore, the tax information in this Prospectus is provided only for general information purposes and only for U.S. taxpayers and should not be considered as tax advice or relied on by a shareholder or prospective investor.

**General.** The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a regulated investment company (a "RIC") under Subchapter M of the Code. As such, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders provided it satisfies certain requirements and restrictions set forth in the Code one of which is to distribute to its shareholders substantially all of its income and gains each year. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify

as a RIC: (1) it will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and will be subject to tax at the corporate tax rates then in effect; and (2) all distributions from its earnings and profits (as determined under federal income tax principles) will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and the non-corporate shareholder long-term capital gain rate for "qualified dividend income" and ordinary rates for all other distributions, except for those treated as a return of capital or substitute dividends with respect to dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund. In addition, dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

**Distributions.** The Fund will make distributions to you that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains (which may be taxed at different rates depending on the length of time the Fund holds its assets). The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions are taxable whether you reinvest such distributions in additional shares of the Fund or choose to receive cash.

Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred retirement account (such as a 401(k) or an IRA), you should consider avoiding a purchase of Fund shares shortly before the Fund makes a distribution, because making such a purchase can increase your taxes and the cost of the shares. This is known as "buying a dividend." For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the Fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you received — even if you reinvest it in more shares and have to pay the tax due on the dividend without receiving any cash to pay the taxes. To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest.

**Ordinary Income.** Net investment income (except for qualified dividends and income designated as tax-exempt), distributions of income from securities lending, and short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Certain dividends distributed to non-corporate shareholders and designated by the Fund as "qualified dividend income" are eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rates. Short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. In addition, certain qualified REIT dividends may be eligible for a deduction for non-corporate shareholders.

**Net Capital Gains.** Net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) distributed to you, if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains (based on the Fund's holding period) for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Sale of Shares.** It is a taxable event for you if you sell shares of the Fund. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you sell, you may have a taxable gain or loss on the transaction. Any realized gain will be taxable to you, and, generally, will be capital gain, assuming you held the shares of the Fund as a capital asset. If you exchange shares of the Fund for shares of another fund, the exchange will be treated as a sale of the Fund's shares and any gain on the transaction may be subject to federal income tax. The capital gain will be long-term or short-term depending on how long you have held your shares in the Fund. Sales of shares of the Fund that you have held for twelve months or less will be a short-term capital gain or loss and if held for more than twelve months will constitute a long-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends, if any, received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.

**Returns of Capital.** If the Fund's distributions exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in the same taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable to the extent of each shareholder's basis in the Fund's shares, but will reduce each shareholder's cost basis in the Fund and result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold. If the return of capital distribution exceeds a shareholder's cost basis, the excess amount will be capital gain, assuming you held your shares as a capital asset, and will be long-term or short-term capital gain depending on how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Medicare Contribution Tax.** U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000, if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately) will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income including interest (excluding tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains. If applicable, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of the individual's (i) net investment income or (ii) the excess of modified adjusted gross income over $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately).

**IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans.** One major exception to these tax principles is that a distribution on or the sale or exchange of shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless the shares were acquired with borrowed funds.

**Backup Withholding.** The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on all taxable distributions and sales payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

**State and Local Income Taxes.** This Prospectus does not discuss the state and local tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. **You are urged and advised to consult your own tax adviser concerning state and local taxes, which may have different consequences from those of the federal income tax laws.**

**Non-U.S. Shareholders.** Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. tax as a result of an investment in the Fund. The Fund is required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments made to foreign entities that do not qualify for reduced withholding rates under a treaty and do not meet specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. This Prospectus does not discuss the U.S. or foreign country tax consequences of an investment by a non-U.S. shareholder in the Fund. **Non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the U.S. and foreign country tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**Basis Reporting and Holding Periods.** A shareholder is responsible for tracking the tax basis and holding periods of the shareholder's shares in the Fund for federal income tax purposes. However, RICs, such as the Fund, must report cost basis information to you and the IRS when a shareholder sells or exchanges shares that are not in a tax deferred retirement account. The Fund will permit shareholders to elect from among several IRS accepted cost basis methods.

**Statements and Notices.** You will receive an annual statement outlining the tax status of your distributions. You may also receive written notices of certain foreign taxes and distributions paid by the Fund during the prior taxable year.

***This section is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations of taxable U.S. shareholders that may affect your investment in the Fund. This summary is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered as tax advice and may not be relied on by a prospective investor. This general summary does not apply to non-U.S. shareholders or tax-exempt shareholders, and does not address state, local or foreign taxes. More information regarding these considerations is included in the Fund's SAI. All prospective investors and shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser regarding the effects of an investment in the Fund on their particular tax situation.***

**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS**

The Financial Highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the periods shown. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total investment return in the table represents the rate at which an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the Fund's Form N-CSR for the period ended April 30, 2025. The 2025 financial statements and Financial Highlights are incorporated by reference into the Fund's SAI and is available upon request by calling toll-free at (888) 678-6024 or visiting the website *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/global-growth-fund*.

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** |
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended <br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Year Ended <br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2022** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2021** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $24.27 | $20.80 | $20.71 | $25.68 | $18.24 |
| Net investment loss<sup>1</sup> | (0.12) | (0.10) | (0.07) | (0.16) | (0.13) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.19 | 3.57 | 0.37 | (4.13) | 7.57 |
| Total from investment operations | 1.07 | 3.47 | 0.30 | (4.29) | 7.44 |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net realized capital gains | (0.99) |  | (0.21) | (0.68) |  |
| Redemption fees |  |  |  |  | 0.00<sup>2</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $24.35 | $24.27 | $20.80 | $20.71 | $25.68 |
| Total investment return<sup>3</sup> | 4.01% | 16.68% | 1.59% | (17.30)% | 40.79% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year (in 000s) | $18726 | $21559 | $20923 | $27111 | $45081 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 1.26% | 1.23% | 1.26% | 1.24% | 1.31% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, expense reimbursements and/or recoupment, if any<sup>4</sup> | 1.26% | 1.23% | 1.26% | 1.24% | 1.26% |
| Ratio of net investment loss to average net assets | (0.47)% | (0.41)% | (0.35)% | (0.61)% | (0.60)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 32% | 21% | 21% | 36% | 12% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the year.

<sup>2</sup> Amount is less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>3</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any.

<sup>4</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed; or recouped, if any. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** |
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2022** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2021** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $24.84 | $21.23 | $21.09 | $26.07 | $18.47 |
| Net investment loss<sup>1</sup> | (0.06) | (0.04) | (0.02) | (0.09) | (0.08) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 1.22 | 3.65 | 0.37 | (4.21) | 7.68 |
| Total from investment operations | 1.16 | 3.61 | 0.35 | (4.30) | 7.60 |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net realized capital gains | (0.99) |  | (0.21) | (0.68) |  |
| Redemption fees |  |  |  |  | 0.00<sup>2</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $25.01 | $24.84 | $21.23 | $21.09 | $26.07 |
| Total investment return<sup>3</sup> | 4.29% | 17.00% | 1.80% | (17.08)% | 41.15% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year (in 000s) | $326283 | $440863 | $422798 | $531927 | $587255 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 1.01% | **0.98%** | 1.01% | 0.99% | 1.06% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and expense reimbursements and/or recoupment, if any<sup>4</sup> | 1.01% | 0.98% | 1.01% | 0.99% | 1.01% |
| Ratio of net investment loss to average net assets | (0.22)% | (0.16)% | (0.10)% | (0.36)% | (0.35)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 32% | 21% | 21% | 36% | 12% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the year.

<sup>2</sup> Amount is less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>3</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

<sup>4</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed; or recouped, if any. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

**POLEN GLOBAL GROWTH FUND** *a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

(888) 678-6024

**FOR MORE INFORMATION**

**For additional information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:**

**Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information**

The Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information contain more information about the Fund's investments and performance including information on the Fund's portfolio holdings and operating results for the most recently completed fiscal year or half-year. The Annual Financials and Additional Information include a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year.

**Statement of Additional Information (SAI)**

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Fund and its policies. The information in the SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is part of this Prospectus.

These documents will be available free of charge on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/global-growth-fund*. You can also get a free copy of these documents and other information, or ask us any questions, including information on how to purchase or redeem Fund shares, by calling us at (888) 678-6024 or writing to:

Polen Global Growth Fund FundVantage Trust c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing P.O. Box 534445 Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445

If you buy your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact that financial intermediary directly for this information. You can also find information online at *www.polencapital.com*.

Reports and information about the Fund (including the SAI and Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information) also may be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov*. Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: *publicinfo@sec.gov*.

The investment company registration number is 811-22027.

**POLEN GLOBAL GROWTH FUND**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **INVESTOR CLASS** | **INSTITUTIONAL CLASS** |
| **PGIRX** | **PGIIX** |

---

**A SERIES OF**

**FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**

**SEPTEMBER 1, 2025**

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") provides information about the Polen Global Growth Fund (the "Fund"). The Fund is a series of FundVantage Trust (the "Trust").

This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Fund's current prospectus dated September 1, 2025, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the "Prospectus"). This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. The Fund's audited financial statements and the notes thereto, which are included in the Fund's [Annual Financials and Additional Information](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm) dated April 30, 2025, are incorporated into this SAI by reference. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Financials and Additional Information may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Fund at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6024 or by visiting the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/global-growth-fund*.

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **Page** |
| [General Information](#polonglosai_001) | 1 |
| [Investment Policies](#polonglosai_002) | 1 |
| [Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings](#polonglosai_003) | 31 |
| [Investment Limitations](#polonglosai_004) | 32 |
| [Trustees and Officers](#polonglosai_005) | 33 |
| [Code of Ethics](#polonglosai_006) | 37 |
| [Proxy Voting](#polonglosai_007) | 38 |
| [Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities](#polonglosai_008) | 38 |
| [Investment Advisory Services](#polonglosai_009) | 39 |
| [Portfolio Managers](#polonglosai_010) | 40 |
| [Administration and Accounting Services](#polonglosai_011) | 42 |
| [Additional Service Providers](#polonglosai_012) | 42 |
| [Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices](#polonglosai_013) | 42 |
| [Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries](#polonglosai_014) | 44 |
| [Distribution of Shares and Rule 12b-1 Plan](#polonglosai_015) | 44 |
| [Capital Stock and Other Securities](#polonglosai_016) | 46 |
| [Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares](#polonglosai_017) | 46 |
| [Dividends](#polonglosai_018) | 47 |
| [Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations](#polonglosai_019) | 48 |
| [Financial Statements](#polonglosai_020) | 59 |
| [Appendix A — Description of Ratings](#polonglosai_021) | A-1 |
| [Appendix B — Proxy Voting Policies](#polonglosai_022) | B-1 |

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**GENERAL INFORMATION**

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 28, 2006. The Trust is a series trust authorized to issue separate series or classes of shares of beneficial interest. The Trust has established the Fund as a separate series of the Trust. The Fund issues Investor Class and Institutional Class shares. Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

The Fund is a non-diversified, open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a non-diversified fund, the Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the portion of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. The Fund, however, intends to maintain the required level of diversification and otherwise conduct its operations so as to qualify as a regulated investment company ("RIC") for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "IRC"), to relieve the Fund of any liability for federal income tax to the extent that its earnings are distributed to shareholders. The IRC test applies at the end of each fiscal quarter and generally requires that at least 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets be represented by the types of assets that satisfy the asset diversification requirement imposed by the 1940 Act. In addition, no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer. Stocks of particular issuers, or issuers in particular industries, may dominate the investment portfolio of the Fund, which may adversely affect the performance of the Fund or subject it to greater price volatility than that experienced by more diversified investment companies.

**INVESTMENT POLICIES**

The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objective and policies of the Fund. The information below does not describe every type of investment, technique or risk to which the Fund may be exposed. Much of the information contained in this SAI expands on subjects discussed in the Fund's prospectus. No investment in the shares of the Fund should be made before reading the Prospectus.

**BANK OBLIGATIONS.** Bank obligations in which the Fund may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits. The Fund will not invest in fixed time deposits which (1) are not subject to prepayment or (2) provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits) if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in such deposits, repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days and other illiquid assets.

Obligations of foreign banks involve somewhat different investment risks than those affecting obligations of United States banks, including the possibilities that their liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments, that their obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of United States banks, that a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations, that foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized, that foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations and that the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to United States banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any U.S. Government agency or instrumentality.

● **BANKERS' ACCEPTANCES**. Bankers' acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft that has been drawn on it by a customer. These instruments reflect the obligation of both the bank and the drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity.

● **CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT**. Certificates of deposit are certificates evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank to repay funds deposited with it for a definite period of time (usually from 14 days to one year) at a stated or variable interest rate. Variable rate certificates of deposit provide that the interest rate will fluctuate on designated dates based on changes in a designated base rate (such as the composite rate for certificates of deposit established by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York).

● **TIME DEPOSITS**. Time deposits are bank deposits for fixed periods of time. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which may vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.

**BORROWING.** The Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. This means that, in general, the Fund may borrow money from banks for any purpose on a secured basis in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may also borrow money for temporary administrative purposes on an unsecured basis in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may choose to borrow in order to meet its redemptions.

Specifically, provisions of the 1940 Act require the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.

As noted below, the Fund also may enter into certain transactions, including reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and sale-buybacks, that can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing or financing transaction by the Fund. The Derivatives Rule (as defined below) regulates a registered investment company's use of derivatives and certain other transactions that creature future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. This new rule became operative in August 2022. The Derivatives Rule prescribes specific "value at risk" or "VaR" (further defined below) leverage limits that apply to the Fund with derivatives and other applicable transactions (although the Fund may qualify for the Limited Derivatives User Exception (as defined below)). VaR is an estimate of potential losses on an instrument or portfolio over a specified time horizon and at a given confidence level. The Fund may apply a relative VaR test or an absolute VaR test (if the Fund's derivative risk manager, if applicable, determines that a designated reference portfolio would not provide an appropriate reference portfolio for purposes of the relative VaR test. The limit under the relative VaR test is 200% of the VaR of a designated reference portfolio, which, very generally, may be a designated unleveraged index or the Fund's securities portfolio excluding derivatives. If applicable, the limit under the absolute VaR test is 20% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Derivatives Rule also requires the Fund, if applicable, to appoint a derivatives risk manager, maintain a derivatives risk management program designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with transactions covered by the rule, and abide by certain Board and other reporting obligations and recordkeeping requirements. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, the Derivatives Rule permits a fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under the Derivatives Rule. The Fund has adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with the Derivatives Rule. Compliance with the Derivatives Rule could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which the Fund may engage in derivative transactions could also limit or prevent the Fund from using certain instruments. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value ("NAV") of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and economically similar transactions. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a portfolio-eligible security by the Fund to another party, coupled with its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund continues to be entitled to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by the Fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by the Fund which it is obligated to repurchase.

A "mortgage dollar roll" is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement in certain respects. In a "dollar roll" transaction, the Fund sells a mortgage-related security, such as a security issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a predetermined price. A dollar roll can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which the Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Unlike in the case of reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but only securities which are "substantially identical." To be considered substantially identical, the securities returned to the Fund generally must: (1) be collateralized by the same types of underlying mortgages; (2) be issued by the same agency and be part of the same program; (3) have a similar original stated maturity; (4) have identical net coupon rates; (5) have similar market yields (and therefore price); and (6) satisfy "good delivery" requirements, meaning that the aggregate principal amounts of the securities delivered and received back must be within 0.01% of the initial amount delivered.

The Fund also may effect simultaneous purchase and sale transactions that are known as "sale-buybacks." A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty that purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of the Fund's repurchase of the underlying security. The Fund's obligation under a sale-buyback typically would be offset by liquid assets equal in value to the amount of the Fund's forward commitment to repurchase the subject security.

It is possible that changing government regulation may affect the Fund's use of these strategies. Changes in regulatory requirements concerning margin for certain types of financing transactions, such as repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and borrowing, could impact the Fund's ability to utilize these investment strategies and techniques.

**COMMERCIAL PAPER.** The Fund may invest in commercial paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (up to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities in order to finance their current operations.

**COMMON STOCK.** Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company or other entity. This ownership interest often gives the Fund the right to vote on measures affecting the company's organization and operations. Although common stocks generally have had a history of long-term growth in value, their prices are often volatile in the short-term and can be influenced by both general market risk and specific corporate risks. Accordingly, the Fund can lose money through its stock investments.

**CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in convertible securities, which may offer higher income than the common stocks into which they are convertible. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock, or other security that entitles the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to non-convertible debt or preferred securities, as applicable. Convertible securities are subordinate in rank to any senior debt obligations of the issuer, and, therefore, an issuer's convertible securities entail more risk than its debt obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible debt securities of similar credit quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. In addition, convertible securities are often lower-rated securities. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation's capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation's common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security.

Because of the conversion feature, the price of the convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying asset, and as such it is subject to risks relating to the activities of the issuer and/or general market and economic conditions. The income component of a convertible security may tend to cushion the security against declines in the price of the underlying asset. However, the income component of convertible securities causes fluctuations based upon changes in interest rates and the credit quality of the issuer.

If the convertible security's "conversion value," which is the market value of the underlying common stock that would be obtained upon the conversion of the convertible security, is substantially below the "investment value," which is the value of a convertible security viewed without regard to its conversion feature (i.e., strictly on the basis of its yield), the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. If the conversion value of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the value of the security will be principally influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security will sell at a premium over its conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding an income-producing security.

A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a predetermined price. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund would be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security and convert it to underlying common stock, or would sell the convertible security to a third party, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective. The Fund generally would invest in convertible securities for their favorable price characteristics and total return potential and would normally not exercise an option to convert unless the security is called or conversion is forced.

**CORPORATE DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund's investments in U.S. dollar or foreign currency-denominated corporate debt securities of domestic or foreign issuers are limited to corporate debt securities (corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar corporate debt instruments, including convertible securities) which meet the minimum ratings criteria set forth for the Fund, or, if unrated, are in the Adviser's opinion comparable in quality to corporate debt securities in which the Fund may invest.

Corporate income producing securities may include forms of preferred or preference stock. The rate of interest on a corporate debt security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may vary inversely with respect to a reference rate. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies. Debt securities may be acquired with warrants attached.

Securities rated Baa and BBB are the lowest which are considered "investment grade" obligations. Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") describes securities rated Baa as "subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics." Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P") describes securities rated BBB as "regarded as having adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation." For securities rated BBB, Fitch Ratings Ltd. ("Fitch") states that "…expectations of default risk are currently low…capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity." For a discussion of securities rated below-investment grade, see "Below-Investment Grade Securities" below.

**CYBER SECURITY.** The Fund and its service providers are susceptible to operational and information security risks due to cyber security incidents. In general, cyber security incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber security attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (*e.g*., through "hacking" or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks also may be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (*i.e*., efforts to make services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security incidents affecting the Adviser, Transfer Agent or Custodian or other service providers such as financial intermediaries have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, including by interference with the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading for the Fund's portfolio; the inability of fund shareholders to transact business with the Fund; violations of applicable privacy, data security or other laws; regulatory fines and penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs; legal fees; or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber security incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions and other parties. While information risk management systems and business continuity plans have been developed which are designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there are inherent limitations in any cyber security risk management systems or business continuity plans, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified.

**DEBT SECURITIES.** Debt securities represent money borrowed that obligates the issuer (e.g., a corporation, municipality, government, government agency) to repay the borrowed amount at maturity (when the obligation is due and payable) and usually to pay the holder interest at specific times.

**DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS.** American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") as well as other "hybrid" forms of ADRs, including European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"), are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. These certificates are issued by depository banks and generally trade on an established market in the United States or elsewhere. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends interest and shareholder information regarding corporate actions. ADRs may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and a depositary. An unsponsored facility may be established by a depositary without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities. These risks include foreign exchange risk as well as the political and economic risks of the underlying issuer's country.

**DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS.** In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund may, to the extent permitted by its investment objective and policies, purchase and sell (write) both put options and call options on securities, swap agreements, securities indexes, commodity indexes and foreign currencies, and enter into interest rate, index and commodity futures contracts and purchase and sell options on such futures contracts ("futures options"). The Fund also may purchase and sell foreign currency options for purposes of increasing exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another. The Fund may also enter into swap agreements with respect to interest rates, commodities and indexes of securities or commodities. The Fund may invest in structured notes. If other types of financial instruments, including other types of options, futures contracts or futures options are traded in the future, the Fund may also use those instruments, provided that such instruments are consistent with the Fund's investment objective.

The value of some derivative instruments in which the Fund invests may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of the Adviser to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken positions in derivative instruments contrary to prevailing market trends, the Fund could be exposed to the risk of loss.

The Fund might not employ any of the strategies described below, and no assurance can be given that any strategy used will succeed. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts interest rates, market values or other economic factors in using a derivatives strategy for the Fund, the Fund might have been in a better position if it had not entered into the transaction at all. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances. The use of these strategies involves certain special risks, including a possible imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of derivative instruments and price movements of related investments. While some strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in related investments or otherwise, due to the possible inability of the Fund to purchase or sell a portfolio security at a time that otherwise would be favorable, the possible need to sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time because the Fund is required to maintain asset coverage, offsetting positions in connection with transactions in derivative instruments or the possible inability of the Fund to close out or to liquidate its derivatives positions. In addition, the Fund's use of such instruments may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains (generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates) than if it had not used such instruments. If the Fund gains exposure to an asset class using derivative instruments backed by a collateral portfolio of fixed income instruments, changes in the value of the fixed income instruments may result in greater or lesser exposure to that asset class than would have resulted from a direct investment in securities comprising that asset class.

The use of derivative instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), the Commodity Future Trading Commission ("CFTC"), various state regulatory authorities and, with respect to exchange-traded derivatives, the several exchanges upon which they are traded. In particular, under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act, a registered investment company's derivatives exposure, which includes short positions for this purpose, is limited through a value-at-risk test and Rule 18f-4 requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. However, subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4) are not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. Rule 18f-4 could limit the Fund's ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Moreover, there may be asset coverage requirements for certain arrangements. In order to engage in certain transactions in derivatives, the Fund may be required to hold offsetting positions or to hold cash or liquid securities in a segregated account or designated on the Fund's books. Changes in the value of a derivative may also create margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for the Fund. In addition, the Fund's ability to use derivative instruments may be limited by tax considerations.

<u>Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. The Fund may, to the extent specified herein or in the Prospectus, purchase and sell both put and call options on fixed income or other securities or indexes in standardized contracts traded on foreign or domestic securities exchanges, boards of trade, or similar entities, or quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or on an over-the-counter market, and agreements, sometimes called cash puts, which may accompany the purchase of a new issue of bonds from a dealer.

An option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security. Upon exercise, the writer of an option on an index is obligated to pay the difference between the cash value of the index and the exercise price multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. (An index is designed to reflect features of a particular financial or securities market, a specific group of financial instruments or securities or certain economic indicators.)

The Fund will write call options and put options only if they are "covered." In the case of a call option on a security, the option is "covered" if the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by the Fund. For a call option on an index, the option is covered if the Fund maintains with its custodian assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, in an amount equal to the contract value of the index. A call option is also covered if the Fund holds a call on the same security or index as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written. A put option on a security or an index is "covered" if the Fund holds a put on the same security or index as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written.

If an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid.

Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange-traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, exchange, underlying security or index, exercise price and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund desires.

The Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option which is sold. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series. The Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security or index in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.

The premium paid for a put or call option purchased by the Fund is an asset of the Fund. The premium received for an option written by the Fund is recorded as a deferred credit. The value of an option purchased or written is marked to market daily and is valued at the closing price on the exchange on which it is traded or, if not traded on an exchange or no closing price is available, at the mean between the last bid and asked prices.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a combination of a call and a put written on the same underlying security. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

<u>Risks Associated with Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and on indexes. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.

The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security at the exercise price. If a put or call option purchased by the Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security remains equal to or greater than the exercise price (in the case of a put), or remains less than or equal to the exercise price (in the case of a call), the Fund will lose its entire investment in the option. Also, where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security, the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out an option position. If the Fund were unable to close out an option that it had purchased on a security, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit or the option may expire worthless.

If trading were suspended in an option purchased by the Fund, the Fund would not be able to close out the option. If restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it has purchased. Except to the extent that a call option on an index written by the Fund is covered by an option on the same index purchased by the Fund, movements in the index may result in a loss to the Fund; however, such losses may be mitigated by changes in the value of the Fund's securities during the period the option was outstanding. If the Fund were unable to close out a covered call option that it had written on a security, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the exercise price of the call.

To the extent that the Fund writes a call option on a security it holds in its portfolio and intends to use such security as the sole means of "covering" its obligation under the call option, the Fund has, in return for the premium on the option, given up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the exercise price during the option period, but, as long as its obligation under such call option continues, has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. If the Fund were unable to close out such a call option, the Fund would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise.

<u>Foreign Currency Options</u>. Funds that invest in foreign currency-denominated securities may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies. These Funds may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies either on exchanges or in the over-the-counter market.

A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires.

Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits which may limit the ability of the Fund to reduce foreign currency risk using such options. Over-the-counter options differ from traded options in that over-the-counter options are two-party contracts with price and other terms negotiated between buyer and seller and generally do not have as much market liquidity as exchange traded options.

<u>Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts</u>. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security or commodity for a set price on a future date. These contracts are traded on exchanges, so that, in most cases, either party can close out its position on the exchange for cash, without delivering the security or commodity. An option on a futures contract gives the holder of the option the right to buy or sell a position in a futures contract from or to the writer of the option, at a specified price and on or before a specified expiration date. The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options thereon ("futures options") with respect to, but not limited to, interest rates, commodities and security or commodity indexes. To the extent that the Fund may invest in foreign currency denominated securities, it may also invest in foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon.

An interest rate, commodity, foreign currency or index futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of a financial instrument, foreign currency, commodity or the cash value of an index at a specified price and time. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract was originally written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, no physical delivery of these securities is made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes as well as financial instruments and foreign currencies and it is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future. The Fund may also invest in commodity futures contracts and options thereon. A commodity futures contract is an agreement between two parties, in which one party agrees to buy a commodity, such as an energy, agricultural or metal commodity from the other party at a later date at a price and quantity agreed-upon when the contract is made.

The Fund may purchase and write call and put futures options. Futures options possess many of the same characteristics as options on securities and indexes (discussed above). A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. A call option is "in the money" if the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option exceeds the exercise price. A put option is "in the money" if the exercise price exceeds the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option.

Pursuant to a claim for exclusion from the definition of "commodity pool operator" filed by the Trust with the National Futures Association ("NFA"), the Trust does not fall within the definition of "commodity pool operator" under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended ("CEA"), in respect of the Fund, and thus, is not subject to registration or regulation as such under the CEA in respect of the Fund.

<u>Limitations on Use of Futures and Futures Options</u>. The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and futures options which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity or quoted on an automated quotation system.

Additionally, the Fund will limit its trading in "commodity interests," as that term is defined under applicable CFTC Rules, and which generally includes commodity futures, futures options and swaps, such that, aside from commodity futures, commodity options contracts or swaps that, in each case, are used solely for bona fide hedging purposes within the meaning and intent of applicable CFTC Rules, (i) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish positions in commodity interests will not exceed five percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, or (ii) the aggregate net notional value of commodity interest positions does not exceed 100 percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, in each case, as further described in CFTC Rule 4.5(c)(2).

When a purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by the Fund, the Fund is required to deposit with the custodian (or broker, if legally permitted) a specified amount of assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees ("initial margin"). The margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. Margin requirements on foreign exchanges may be different than U.S. exchanges. The initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the futures contract which is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. The Fund expects to earn interest income on its initial margin deposits. A futures contract held by the Fund is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded. Each day the Fund pays or receives cash, called "variation margin," equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. This process is known as "marking to market." Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract expired. In computing the daily NAV, the Fund will mark to market its open futures positions.

The Fund is also required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option and other futures positions held by the Fund.

Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities or commodities, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (same exchange, underlying security or index and delivery month). Closing out a futures contract sale is effected by purchasing a futures contract for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument or commodity with the same delivery date. If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a call and a put written on the same underlying futures contract. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

When purchasing a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" their position by purchasing a put option on the same futures contract with a strike price as high as or higher than the price of the contract held by the Fund.

When selling a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees that are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" its position by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract (or, in the case of an index futures contract, a portfolio with a volatility substantially similar to that of the index on which the futures contract is based), or by holding a call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price no higher than the price of the contract written by the Fund (or at a higher price if the difference is maintained in liquid assets with the Trust's custodian).

When selling a call option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, equal the total market value of the futures contract underlying the call option. Alternatively, the Fund may cover its position by entering into a long position in the same futures contract at a price no higher than the strike price of the call option, by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract, or by holding a separate call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price not higher than the strike price of the call option sold by the Fund.

When selling a put option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that equal the purchase price of the futures contract, less any margin on deposit. Alternatively, the Fund may cover the position either by entering into a short position in the same futures contract, or by owning a separate put option permitting it to sell the same futures contract so long as the strike price of the purchased put option is the same or higher than the strike price of the put option sold by the Fund.

The requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company ("RIC") provided under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("IRC") also may limit the extent to which the Fund may enter into futures, futures options or forward contracts. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

<u>Risks Associated with Futures and Futures Options</u>. There are several risks associated with the use of futures contracts and futures options. A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the margin deposits relating to the futures contract. There can be no guarantee that there will be a correlation between price movements in the hedging vehicle and in the Fund securities being hedged. In addition, there are significant differences between the securities and futures markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between the markets, causing a given hedge not to achieve its objectives. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends on circumstances such as variations in speculative market demand for futures and futures options on securities, including technical influences in futures trading and futures options, and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard contracts available for trading in such respects as interest rate levels, maturities and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision as to whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected interest rate trends.

Futures contracts on U.S. Government securities historically have reacted to an increase or decrease in interest rates in a manner similar to that in which the underlying U.S. Government securities reacted. To the extent, however, that the Fund enters into such futures contracts, the value of such futures will not vary in direct proportion to the value of the Fund's holdings. Thus, the anticipated spread between the price of the futures contract and the hedged security may be distorted due to differences in the nature of the markets. The spread also may be distorted by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets and the participation of speculators in such markets.

Futures exchanges may limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of the current trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a futures contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may work to prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when the Fund seeks to close out a futures or a futures option position, and that the Fund would remain obligated to meet margin requirements until the position is closed. In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.

<u>Risks Associated with Commodity Futures Contracts</u>. There are several additional risks associated with transactions in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Storage</u>. Unlike the financial futures markets, in the commodity futures markets there are costs of physical storage associated with purchasing the underlying commodity. The price of the commodity futures contract will reflect the storage costs of purchasing the physical commodity, including the time value of money invested in the physical commodity. To the extent that the storage costs for an underlying commodity change while the Fund is invested in futures contracts on that commodity, the value of the futures contract may change proportionately.

<u>Reinvestment</u>. In the commodity futures markets, producers of the underlying commodity may decide to hedge the price risk of selling the commodity by selling futures contracts today to lock in the price of the commodity at delivery tomorrow. In order to induce speculators to purchase the other side of the same futures contract, the commodity producer generally must sell the futures contract at a lower price than the expected future spot price. Conversely, if most hedgers in the futures market are purchasing futures contracts to hedge against a rise in prices, then speculators will only sell the other side of the futures contract at a higher futures price than the expected future spot price of the commodity. The changing nature of the hedgers and speculators in the commodity markets will influence whether futures prices are above or below the expected future spot price, which can have significant implications for the Fund. If the nature of hedgers and speculators in futures markets has shifted when it is time for the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a maturing contract in a new futures contract, the Fund might reinvest at higher or lower futures prices, or choose to pursue other investments.

Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the IRC may limit the Fund's ability to invest in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Tax Risk</u>. The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a RIC under the IRC. To qualify as a RIC under the IRC, the Fund must invest in assets which produce the types of income specified in the IRC and the Treasury Reporting Regulations ("Qualifying Income"). Whether the income from certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities is Qualifying Income must be determined on a case-by-case basis, and the Fund will endeavor to ensure that income that is not Qualifying Income will be limited to 10% or less of the Fund's income. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities may be restricted. Further, if the Fund does invest in these types of securities and the income is determined not to be Qualifying Income, it may cause the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these restrictions.

<u>Other Economic Factors</u>. The commodities which underlie commodity futures contracts may be subject to additional economic and non-economic variables, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments. These factors may have a larger impact on commodity prices and commodity-linked instruments, including futures contracts, than on traditional securities. Certain commodities are also subject to limited pricing flexibility because of supply and demand factors. Others are subject to broad price fluctuations as a result of the volatility of the prices for certain raw materials and the instability of supplies of other materials. These additional variables may create additional investment risks which subject the Fund's investments to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities.

<u>Additional Risks of Options on Securities, Futures Contracts, Options on Futures Contracts and Forward Currency Exchange Contracts and Options Thereon</u>. Options on securities, futures contracts and options on currencies may be traded on foreign exchanges. Such transactions may not be regulated as effectively as similar transactions in the United States may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Trust's ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States and (v) lesser trading volume.

<u>Swap Agreements and Options on Swap Agreements</u>. The Fund may engage in swap transactions, including, but not limited to, swap agreements on interest rates, security or commodity indexes, specific securities and commodities, and credit and event-linked swaps. To the extent the Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities, it also may invest in currency exchange rate swap agreements. The Fund also may enter into options on swap agreements ("swap options").

The Fund may enter into swap transactions for any legal purpose consistent with its investment objectives and policies, such as attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining a return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in other markets, to protect against currency fluctuations, as a duration management technique, to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in a more cost efficient manner.

OTC swap agreements are bilateral contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a "notional amount," i.e., the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a "basket" of securities or commodities representing a particular index. A "quanto" or "differential" swap combines both an interest rate and a currency transaction. Other forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap"; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or "floor"; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. Consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and general investment policies, the Fund may invest in commodity swap agreements. For example, an investment in a commodity swap agreement may involve the exchange of floating-rate interest payments for the total return on a commodity index. In a total return commodity swap, the Fund will receive the price appreciation of a commodity index, a portion of the index, or a single commodity in exchange for paying an agreed-upon fee. If the commodity swap is for one period, the Fund may pay a fixed fee, established at the outset of the swap. However, if the term of the commodity swap is more than one period, with interim swap payments, the Fund may pay an adjustable or floating fee. With a "floating" rate, the fee may be pegged to a base rate and is adjusted each period. Therefore, if interest rates increase over the term of the swap contract, the Fund may be required to pay a higher fee at each swap reset date..

The Fund also may enter into swap options. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. The Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swap options.

Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, the Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swap option than it will incur when it purchases a swap option. When the Fund purchases a swap option, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when the Fund writes a swap option, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

Most types of swap agreements entered into by the Fund will calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a "net basis." Consequently, the Fund's current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the "net amount"). The Fund's current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund).

The Fund also may enter into credit default swap agreements. The credit default swap agreement may reference one or more debt securities or obligations that are not currently held by the Fund. The protection "buyer" in a credit default contract is generally obligated to pay the protection "seller" an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract until a credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the "par value" (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount if the swap is cash settled. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer may receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity whose value may have significantly decreased. As a seller, the Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

The spread of a credit default swap is the annual amount the protection buyer must pay the protection seller over the length of the contract, expressed as a percentage of the notional amount. When spreads rise, market perceived credit risk rises and when spreads fall, market perceived credit risk falls. Wider credit spreads and decreasing market values, when compared to the notional amount of the swap, represent a deterioration of the credit soundness of the issuer of the reference obligation and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. For credit default swap agreements on asset-backed securities and credit indices, the quoted market prices and resulting values, as well as the annual payment rate, serve as an indication of the current status of the payment/performance risk.

Credit default swap agreements sold by the Fund may involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, and with respect to OTC credit default swaps, counterparty risk and credit risk. The Fund will enter into uncleared credit default swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. A buyer generally also will lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. The Fund's obligations under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund).

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") and related regulatory developments require the clearing and exchange-trading of many standardized OTC derivative instruments that the CFTC and SEC have defined as "swaps" including non-deliverable foreign exchange forwards, OTC foreign exchange options and swap options. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing is occurring on a phased-in basis based on type of market participant and CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing. The Adviser will continue to monitor developments in this area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the Fund's ability to enter into swap agreements.

Whether the Fund's use of swap agreements or swap options will be successful in furthering its investment objective will depend on the Adviser's ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. The Fund will enter into OTC swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the Internal Revenue Code may limit the Fund's ability to use swap agreements. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including additional government regulation, could adversely affect the Fund's ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the reference asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. Because OTC swap agreements are two-party contracts that may be subject to contractual restrictions on transferability and termination and because they may have remaining terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid and subject to the Fund's limitation on investments in illiquid securities. However, the Trust has adopted procedures pursuant to which the Adviser may determine swaps to be liquid under certain circumstances. To the extent that a swap is not liquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.

Like most other investments, swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to the Fund's interest. The Fund bears the risk that the Adviser will not accurately forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors in establishing swap positions for the Fund. If the Adviser attempts to use a swap as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the swap will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the Fund. While hedging strategies involving swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other Fund investments. Many swaps are complex and often valued subjectively.

<u>Correlation Risk</u>. In certain cases, the value of derivatives may not correlate perfectly, or at all, with the value of the assets, reference rates or indexes they are designed to closely track. In this regard, certain funds seek to achieve their investment objectives, in part, by investing in derivatives positions that are designed to closely track the performance (or inverse performance) of an index on a daily basis. However, the overall investment strategies of the Fund is not designed or expected to produce returns which replicate the performance (or inverse performance) of the particular index, and the degree of variation could be substantial, particularly over longer periods. There are a number of factors which may prevent a mutual fund, or derivatives or other strategies used by the Fund, from achieving desired correlation (or inverse correlation) with an index. These may include, but are not limited to: (i) the impact of fund fees, expenses and transaction costs, including borrowing and brokerage costs/bid-ask spreads, which are not reflected in index returns; (ii) differences in the timing of daily calculations of the value of an index and the timing of the valuation of derivatives, securities and other assets held by the Fund and the determination of the NAV of fund shares; (iii) disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for derivative instruments or securities in which the Fund invests; (iv) the Fund having exposure to or holding less than all of the securities in the underlying index and/or having exposure to or holding securities not included in the underlying index; (v) large or unexpected movements of assets into and out of the Fund (due to share purchases or redemptions, for example), potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the index; (vi) the impact of accounting standards or changes thereto; (vii) changes to the applicable index that are not disseminated in advance; (viii) a possible need to conform the Fund's portfolio holdings to comply with investment restrictions or policies or regulatory or tax law requirements; and (ix) fluctuations on currency exchange rates.

<u>Risk of Potential Government Regulation of Derivatives</u>. It is possible that additional government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, including futures, options and swap agreements, may limit or prevent the Fund from using such instruments potentially to the detriment of the Fund. It is impossible to fully predict the effects of past, present or future legislation and regulation in this area, but the effects could be substantial and adverse. It is possible that legislative and regulatory activity could limit or restrict the ability of the Fund to use certain instruments as a part of its investment strategy. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

There is a possibility of future regulatory changes altering, perhaps to a material extent, the nature of an investment in the Fund or the ability of the Fund to continue to implement their investment strategies. The futures, options and swaps markets are subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations, and margin requirements. In addition, the SEC, CFTC and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.

In particular, the Dodd-Frank Act sets forth a legislative framework for OTC derivatives, including financial instruments, such as swaps, in which the Fund may invest. Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act makes broad changes to the OTC derivatives market, grants significant new authority to the SEC and the CFTC to regulate OTC derivatives and market participants, and requires clearing and exchange trading of many OTC derivatives transactions.

Provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act include capital and margin requirements and the mandatory use of clearinghouse mechanisms for many OTC derivative transactions. The CFTC, SEC and other federal regulators have been developing the rules and regulations enacting the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. Because there is a prescribed phase-in period during which most of the mandated rulemaking and regulations will be implemented, it is not possible at this time to gauge the exact nature and full scope of the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on the Fund. However, swap dealers, major market participants and swap counterparties are experiencing, and will continue to experience, new and additional regulations, requirements, compliance burdens and associated costs. The new law and the rules to be promulgated thereunder may negatively impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective either through limits or requirements imposed on it or upon its counterparties. In particular, new position limits imposed on the Fund or its counterparties may impact the Fund's ability to invest in futures, options and swaps in a manner that efficiently meets its investment objective. New requirements even if not directly applicable to the Fund, including capital requirements, changes to the CFTC speculative position limits regime and mandatory clearing, may increase the cost of a Fund's investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.

<u>Structured Notes</u>. Structured notes are derivative debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities include structured notes as well as securities other than debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities may include a multiplier that multiplies the indexed element by a specified factor and, therefore, the value of such securities may be very volatile. The terms of the structured and indexed securities may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity and therefore, may result in a loss of invested capital. Structured and indexed securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the reference index may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the structured or indexed security at maturity may be calculated as a specified multiple of the change in the value of the reference; therefore, the value of such security may be very volatile. Structured and indexed securities may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the reference. Structured or indexed securities may also be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities. To the extent the Fund invests in these securities, however, the Adviser analyzes these securities in its overall assessment of the effective duration of the Fund's portfolio in an effort to monitor the Fund's interest rate risk.

**DOLLAR ROLLS.** The Fund may enter into dollar roll agreements, which are similar to reverse repurchase agreements. Dollar rolls are transactions in which securities are sold by the Fund for delivery in the current month and the Fund simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. Any difference between the sale price and the purchase price is netted against the interest income foregone on the securities sold to arrive at an implied borrowing rate. Alternatively, the sale and purchase transactions can be executed at the same price, with the Fund being paid a fee as consideration for entering into the commitment to purchase. Dollar rolls may be renewed prior to cash settlement and initially may involve only a firm commitment agreement by the Fund to buy a security. If the broker-dealer to which the Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund's right to repurchase the security may be restricted. At the time the Fund enters into a dollar roll, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained.

**EQUITY-LINKED SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in equity-linked securities. Equity-linked securities are privately issued securities whose investment results are designed to correspond generally to the performance of a specified stock index or "basket" of stocks, or sometimes a single stock. To the extent that the Fund invests in an equity-linked security whose return corresponds to the performance of a foreign securities index or one or more foreign stocks, investing in equity-linked securities will involve risks similar to the risks of investing in foreign equity securities. See "Foreign Securities" below. In addition, the Fund bears the risk that the issuer of an equity-linked security may default on its obligations under the security. Equity-linked securities are often used for many of the same purposes as, and share many of the same risks with, derivative instruments such as index futures on stock indexes, zero-strike options and warrants and swap agreements. See "Derivative Instruments" above. Equity-linked securities may be considered illiquid and thus subject to the Fund's restriction on investments in illiquid securities.

**EVENT-LINKED EXPOSURE.** The Fund may obtain event-linked exposure by investing in "event-linked bonds" or "event-linked swaps," or implement "event-linked strategies." Event-linked exposure results in gains that typically are contingent on the non-occurrence of a specific "trigger" event, such as a hurricane, earthquake or other physical or weather-related phenomena. Some event-linked

bonds are commonly referred to as "catastrophe bonds." They may be issued by government agencies, insurance companies, reinsurers, special purpose corporations or other on-shore or off-shore entities (such special purpose entities are created to accomplish a narrow and well-defined objective, such as the issuance of a note in connection with a reinsurance transaction). If a trigger event causes losses exceeding a specific amount in the geographic region and time period specified in a bond, the Fund, when investing in the bond may lose a portion or all of its principal invested in the bond. If no trigger event occurs, the Fund will recover its principal plus interest. For some event-linked bonds, the trigger event or losses may be based on company-wide losses, index-portfolio losses, industry indices or readings of scientific instruments rather than specified actual losses. Often the event-linked bonds provide for extensions of maturity that are mandatory, or optional at the discretion of the issuer, in order to process and audit loss claims in those cases where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension of maturity may increase volatility. In addition to the specified trigger events, event-linked bonds may also expose the Fund to certain unanticipated risks including but not limited to issuer risk, credit risk, counterparty risk, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations and adverse tax consequences.

Event-linked bonds are a relatively new type of financial instrument. As such, there is no significant trading history of these securities, and there can be no assurance that a liquid market in these instruments will develop. See "Illiquid Securities" below. Lack of a liquid market may impose the risk of higher transaction costs and the possibility that the Fund may be forced to liquidate positions when it would not be advantageous to do so. Event-linked bonds are typically rated, and the Fund will only invest in catastrophe bonds that meet the credit quality requirements for the Fund.

**FIXED INCOME SECURITIES WITH BUY-BACK FEATURES.** Fixed income securities with buy-back features enable the Fund to recover principal upon tendering the securities to the issuer or a third party. Letters of credit issued by domestic or foreign banks often support these buy-back features. In evaluating a foreign bank's credit, the Adviser considers whether adequate public information about the bank is available and whether the bank may be subject to unfavorable political or economic developments, currency controls or other governmental restrictions that could adversely affect the bank's ability to honor its commitment under the letter of credit. Buy-back features include standby commitments, put bonds and demand features.

<u>Standby Commitments</u>. The Fund may acquire standby commitments from broker-dealers, banks or other financial intermediaries to enhance the liquidity of portfolio securities. A standby commitment entitles the Fund to same day settlement at amortized cost plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise. The amount payable by the issuer of the standby commitment during the time that the commitment is exercisable generally approximates the market value of the securities underlying the commitment. Standby commitments are subject to the risk that the issuer of a commitment may not be in a position to pay for the securities at the time that the commitment is exercised.

Ordinarily, the Fund will not transfer a standby commitment to a third party, although the Fund may sell securities subject to a standby commitment at any time. The Fund may purchase standby commitments separate from or in conjunction with the purchase of the securities subject to the commitments. In the latter case, the Fund may pay a higher price for the securities acquired in consideration for the commitment.

In selecting put bonds for the Fund, the Adviser takes into consideration the creditworthiness of the issuers of the underlying bonds and the creditworthiness of the providers of the tender option features. A sponsor may withdraw the tender option feature if the issuer of the underlying bond defaults on interest or principal payments, the bond's rating is downgraded or, in the case of a municipal bond, the bond loses its tax-exempt status.

<u>Demand Features</u>. Many variable rate securities carry demand features that permit the holder to demand repayment of the principal amount of the underlying securities plus accrued interest, if any, upon a specified number of days' notice to the issuer or its agent. A demand feature may be exercisable at any time or at specified intervals. Variable rate securities with demand features are treated as having a maturity equal to the time remaining before the holder can next demand payment of principal. The issuer of a demand feature instrument may have a corresponding right to prepay the outstanding principal of the instrument plus accrued interest, if any, upon notice comparable to that required for the holder to demand payment.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities and may purchase and sell foreign currency options and foreign currency futures contracts and related options (see "Derivative Instruments") and may engage in foreign currency transactions either on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time or through forward currency contracts ("forwards") with terms generally of less than one year. The Fund may engage in these

transactions in order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign exchange rates in the purchase and sale of securities. The Fund may also use foreign currency options and foreign currency forward contracts to increase exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another.

A forward involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts may be bought or sold to protect the Fund against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar or to increase exposure to a particular foreign currency. Although forwards are intended to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currencies, at the same time, they tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currencies increase.

Forwards will be used primarily to adjust the foreign exchange exposure of the Fund with a view to protecting the outlook, and the Fund might be expected to enter into such contracts under the following circumstances:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) When the Adviser desires to lock in the U.S. dollar price on the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) If a particular currency is expected to decrease against another currency, the Fund may sell the currency expected to decrease and purchase a currency which is expected to increase against the currency sold in an amount approximately equal to some or all of the Fund's portfolio holdings denominated in the currency sold.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) If the Adviser wants to eliminate substantially all of the risk of owning a particular currency, and/or if the Adviser thinks that the Fund can benefit from price appreciation in a given country's bonds but does not want to hold the currency, it may employ a direct hedge back into the U.S. dollar. In either case, the Fund would enter into a forward contract to sell the currency in which a portfolio security is denominated and purchase U.S. dollars at an exchange rate established at the time it initiated the contract. The cost of the direct hedge transaction may offset most, if not all, of the yield advantage offered by the foreign security, but the Fund would hope to benefit from an increase (if any) in the value of the bond.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) The Adviser might choose to use a proxy hedge, which may be less costly than a direct hedge. In this case, the Fund, having purchased a security, will sell a currency whose value is believed to be closely linked to the currency in which the security is denominated. Interest rates prevailing in the country whose currency was sold would be expected to be closer to those in the U.S. and lower than those of securities denominated in the currency of the original holding. This type of hedging entails greater risk than a direct hedge because it is dependent on a stable relationship between the two currencies paired as proxies and the relationships can be very unstable at times.

<u>Costs of Hedging</u>. When the Fund purchases a foreign bond with a higher interest rate than is available on U.S. bonds of a similar maturity, the additional yield on the foreign bond could be substantially reduced or lost if the Fund were to enter into a direct hedge by selling the foreign currency and purchasing the U.S. dollar. This is what is known as the "cost" of hedging. Proxy hedging attempts to reduce this cost through an indirect hedge back to the U.S. dollar.

It is important to note that hedging costs are treated as capital transactions and are not, therefore, deducted from the Fund's dividend distribution and are not reflected in its yield. Instead such costs will, over time, be reflected in the Fund's NAV per share.

The forecasting of currency market movement is extremely difficult, and whether any hedging strategy will be successful is highly uncertain. Moreover, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of a foreign currency forward contract. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to buy or sell additional currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such transaction) if the Adviser's predictions regarding the movement of foreign currency or securities markets prove inaccurate. In addition, the use of cross-hedging transactions may involve special risks and may leave the Fund in a less advantageous position than if such a hedge had not been established. Because foreign currency forward contracts are privately negotiated transactions, there can be no assurance that the Fund will have flexibility to roll-over a foreign currency forward contract upon its expiration if it desires to do so. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the other party to the contract will perform its services thereunder.

The Fund may hold a portion of its assets in bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies, so as to facilitate investment in foreign securities as well as protect against currency fluctuations and the need to convert such assets into U.S. dollars (thereby also reducing transaction costs). To the extent these monies are converted back into U.S. dollars, the value of the assets so maintained will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations.

<u>Tax Consequences of Hedging</u>. Under applicable tax law, the Fund may be required to limit its gains from hedging in foreign currency forwards, futures and options. The extent to which these limits apply is subject to tax regulations that, to date, have not been issued. Hedging may also result in the application of the mark-to-market and straddle provisions of the IRC. Those provisions could result in

an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund and could affect whether dividends paid by the Fund are classified as capital gains or ordinary income. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these tax issues.

**Foreign Currency Exchange-Related Securities.**

<u>Foreign Currency Warrants</u>. Foreign currency warrants such as Currency Exchange Warrants ("CEWs") are warrants which entitle the holder to receive from their issuer an amount of cash (generally, for warrants issued in the United States, in U.S. dollars) which is calculated pursuant to a predetermined formula and based on the exchange rate between a specified foreign currency and the U.S. dollar as of the exercise date of the warrant. Foreign currency warrants generally are exercisable upon their issuance and expire as of a specified date and time. Foreign currency warrants have been issued in connection with U.S. dollar-denominated debt offerings by major corporate issuers in an attempt to reduce the foreign currency exchange risk which, from the point of view of prospective purchasers of the securities, is inherent in the international fixed-income marketplace. Foreign currency warrants may attempt to reduce the foreign exchange risk assumed by purchasers of a security by, for example, providing for a supplemental payment in the event that the U.S. dollar depreciates against the value of a major foreign currency such as the Japanese yen or the euro. The formula used to determine the amount payable upon exercise of a foreign currency warrant may make the warrant worthless unless the applicable foreign currency exchange rate moves in a particular direction (e.g., unless the U.S. dollar appreciates or depreciates against the particular foreign currency to which the warrant is linked or indexed). Foreign currency warrants are severable from the debt obligations with which they may be offered and may be listed on exchanges. Foreign currency warrants may be exercisable only in certain minimum amounts, and an investor wishing to exercise warrants who possesses less than the minimum number required for exercise may be required either to sell the warrants or to purchase additional warrants, thereby incurring additional transaction costs. In the case of any exercise of warrants, there may be a time delay between the time a holder of warrants gives instructions to exercise and the time the exchange rate relating to exercise is determined, during which time the exchange rate could change significantly, thereby affecting both the market and cash settlement values of the warrants being exercised. The expiration date of the warrants may be accelerated if the warrants should be delisted from an exchange or if their trading should be suspended permanently, which would result in the loss of any remaining "time value" of the warrants (i.e., the difference between the current market value and the exercise value of the warrants), and, in the case the warrants were "out-of-the-money," in a total loss of the purchase price of the warrants. Warrants are generally unsecured obligations of their issuers and are not standardized foreign currency options issued by the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"). Unlike foreign currency options issued by OCC, the terms of foreign exchange warrants generally will not be amended in the event of governmental or regulatory actions affecting exchange rates or in the event of the imposition of other regulatory controls affecting the international currency markets. The initial public offering price of foreign currency warrants is generally considerably in excess of the price that a commercial user of foreign currencies might pay in the interbank market for a comparable option involving significantly larger amounts of foreign currencies. Foreign currency warrants are subject to significant foreign exchange risk, including risks arising from complex political or economic factors.

<u>Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities</u>. Principal exchange rate linked securities ("PERLs") are debt obligations the principal on which is payable at maturity in an amount that may vary based on the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and a particular foreign currency at or about that time. The return on "standard" PERLs is enhanced if the foreign currency to which the security is linked appreciates against the U.S. dollar and is adversely affected by increases in the foreign exchange value of the U.S. dollar; "reverse" PERLs are like the "standard" securities, except that their return is enhanced by increases in the value of the U.S. dollar and adversely impacted by increases in the value of foreign currency. Interest payments on the securities are generally made in U.S. dollars at rates that reflect the degree of foreign currency risk assumed or given up by the purchaser of the notes (i.e., at relatively higher interest rates if the purchaser has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, or relatively lower interest rates if the issuer has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, based on the expectations of the current market). PERLs may in limited cases be subject to acceleration of maturity (generally, not without the consent of the holders of the securities), which may have an adverse impact on the value of the principal payment to be made at maturity.

<u>Performance Indexed Paper</u>. Performance indexed paper ("PIPs") is U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper the yield of which is linked to certain foreign exchange rate movements. The yield to the investor on PIPs is established at maturity as a function of spot exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a designated currency as of or about that time (generally, the index maturity two days prior to maturity). The yield to the investor will be within a range stipulated at the time of purchase of the obligation, generally with a guaranteed minimum rate of return that is below, and a potential maximum rate of return that is above, market yields on U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper, with both the minimum and maximum rates of return on the investment corresponding to the minimum and maximum values of the spot exchange rate two business days prior to maturity.

**FOREIGN SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in foreign securities either directly by purchasing foreign securities or indirectly by purchasing depositary receipts or depositary shares of foreign securities. (See "Depositary Receipts" above.) Foreign securities include equity or debt securities issued by issuers outside the United States, and include securities in the form of ADRs and EDRs (see "Depositary Receipts"). Direct investments in foreign securities will be made in U.S. dollar denominated securities traded on U.S. exchanges and over-the-counter-markets.

Foreign investments may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency rates and exchange control regulations. There may be less information available about a foreign company than about a U.S. company, and foreign companies may not be subject to reporting standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. Foreign securities may not be as liquid as U.S. securities. Securities of foreign companies may involve greater market risk than securities of U.S. companies, Investments in foreign securities may also be subject to local economic or political risks, political instability and possible nationalization of issuers.

Investments in securities of foreign issuers may involve risks that are not associated with domestic investments. Foreign issuers may lack uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements, and there is generally less publicly available information about foreign issuers than there is about domestic issuers. Securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and their prices are more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers. Income from foreign securities may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source or other foreign taxes. In some countries, there may also be the possibility of nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation (in which case the Fund could lose its entire investment in a certain market), limitations on the removal of monies or other assets of the Fund, higher rates of inflation, political or social instability or revolution, or diplomatic developments that could affect investments in those countries. In addition, it may be difficult to obtain and enforce a judgment in a court outside the United States.

Some of the risks described in the preceding paragraph may be more severe for investments in emerging or developing countries. By comparison with the United States and other developed countries, emerging or developing countries may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on a less diversified industrial base and securities markets that trade a smaller number of securities. Companies in emerging markets may generally be smaller, less experienced and more recently organized than many domestic companies, and prices of those companies' securities tend to be more volatile.

The economies of individual emerging countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rates of inflation, currency depreciation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment position and may be based on a substantially less diversified industrial base. Further, the economies of developing countries generally are heavily dependent upon international trade and, accordingly, have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. These economies also have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade. U.S. securities and accounting regulatory agencies continue to express concern regarding information access and audit quality regarding issuers in China and other emerging market countries, which could present heightened risks associated with investments in these markets.

**GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACTS.** The Fund may invest in guaranteed investment contracts ("GIC"). A GIC is a general obligation of an insurance company. A GIC is generally structured as a deferred annuity under which the purchaser agrees to pay a given amount of money to an insurer (either in a lump sum or in installments) and the insurer promises to pay interest at a guaranteed rate (either fixed or variable) for the life of the contract. Some GICs provide that the insurer may periodically pay discretionary excess interest over and above the guaranteed rate. At the GIC's maturity, the purchaser generally is given the option of receiving payment or an annuity. Certain GICs may have features that permit redemption by the issuer at a discount from par value. Generally, GICs are not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuer. As a result, the acquisition of GICs is subject to the limitations applicable to the Fund's acquisition of illiquid and restricted securities. The holder of a GIC is dependent on the creditworthiness of the issuer as to whether the issuer is able to meet its obligations.

**HYBRID INSTRUMENTS.** A hybrid instrument is a type of potentially high-risk derivative that combines a traditional stock, bond or commodity with an option or forward contract. Generally, the principal amount, amount payable upon maturity or redemption or interest rate of a hybrid is tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency or securities index or another interest rate or some other economic factor (each a "benchmark"). The interest rate or (unlike most fixed income securities) the principal amount payable at maturity of a hybrid security may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark. An example of a hybrid could be a bond issued by an oil company that pays a small base level of interest with additional interest that accrues in correlation to the extent to which oil prices exceed a certain predetermined level. Such a hybrid instrument would be a combination of a bond and a call option on oil.

Hybrids can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging duration management and increased total return. Hybrids may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a hybrid or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could be zero. Thus, an investment in

a hybrid may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of hybrids also exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrids. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the NAV of the Fund.

Certain hybrid instruments may provide exposure to the commodities markets. These are derivative securities with one or more commodity-linked components that have payment features similar to commodity futures contracts, commodity options or similar instruments. Commodity-linked hybrid instruments may be either equity or debt securities, leveraged or unleveraged, and are considered hybrid instruments because they have both security and commodity-like characteristics. A portion of the value of these instruments may be derived from the value of a commodity, futures contract, index or other economic variable. The Fund will only invest in commodity-linked hybrid instruments that qualify under applicable rules of the CFTC for an exemption from the provisions of the CEA.

Certain issuers of structured products such as hybrid instruments may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund's investments in these products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.

**ILLIQUID SECURITIES and liquidity risk management pROGRAM.** The Fund may not knowingly invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days at approximately the value at which they are being carried on the Fund's books. The Board of Trustees has the ultimate responsibility for determining whether specific securities are liquid or illiquid. The Board of Trustees has delegated the function of making day to day determinations of liquidity to the Adviser, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of securities held by the Fund and report periodically on such decisions to the Board of Trustees. If the limitations on illiquid securities are exceeded, other than by a change in market values, the condition will be reported by the Fund's Adviser to the Board of Trustees. Illiquid securities would generally include repurchase agreements with notice/termination dates in excess of seven days and certain securities which are subject to trading restrictions because they are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). External market conditions may impact the liquidity of portfolio securities and may cause the Fund to sell or divest certain illiquid securities in order to comply with its limitation on holding illiquid securities, which may result in realized losses to the Fund.

Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires, among other things, that the Fund establish a liquidity risk management program ("LRMP") that is reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 defines "liquidity risk" as the risk that a fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the fund without significant dilution of the remaining investors' interests in the fund. The Fund has implemented a LRMP to meet the relevant requirements. Additionally, the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the designation of a committee of individuals comprised of the Fund's President, Treasurer, and Chief Compliance Officer (the "LRMP Administrator") to administer the LRMP. The Board of Trustees will review no less frequently than annually a written report prepared by the LRMP Administrator that addresses the operation of the LRMP and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation. Among other things, the LRMP provides for the classification of each Fund investment as a "highly liquid investment," "moderately liquid investment," "less liquid investment" or "illiquid investment." The liquidity risk classifications of the Fund's investments are determined after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations. To the extent that a Fund investment is deemed to be an "illiquid investment" or a "less liquid investment," the Fund can expect to be exposed to greater liquidity risk. There is no guarantee the LRMP will be effective in its operations, and complying with Rule 22e-4, including bearing related costs, could impact the Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

**INFLATION-PROTECTED DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in inflation-protected debt securities or inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers utilize a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index ("CPI") accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS") have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if the Fund purchased TIPS with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year's inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. The Fund may also invest in other inflation-related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal amount.

The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.

While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.

Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

**INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies (each, an "Underlying Fund"), including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts ("UITs") and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the "Acquired Fund"), such as the Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the "Acquiring Fund") or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of the Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC no-action relief.

Set forth below is additional information about the manner in which ETFs generally operate and the risks associated with an investment in ETFs which are in addition to the risks associated with registered investment companies generally.

In the event that the Fund purchases shares of ETFs, such purchase is expected to be made through a broker-dealer in a transaction on a securities exchange, and in such a case the Fund will pay customary brokerage commissions for each purchase and sale. Shares of an ETF may also be acquired by depositing a specified portfolio of the ETF's underlying securities, as well as a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit, with the ETF's custodian, in exchange for which the ETF will issue a quantity of new shares sometimes referred to as a "creation unit." Similarly, shares of an ETF purchased on an exchange may be accumulated until they represent a creation unit, and the creation unit may be redeemed in kind for a portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETF's NAV) together with a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. The Fund may redeem creation units for the underlying securities (and any applicable cash), and may assemble a portfolio of the underlying securities (and any required cash) to purchase creation units, if the Adviser believes it is in the Fund's interest to do so. The Fund's ability to redeem creation units may be limited by the 1940 Act, which provides that an ETF will not be obligated to redeem shares held by the Fund in an amount exceeding one percent of such ETF's total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days.

<u>Termination Risk</u>. There is a risk that ETFs in which the Fund invests may terminate due to extraordinary events. For example, any of the service providers to ETFs, such as the trustee or sponsor, may close or otherwise fail to perform their obligations to the ETF, and the ETF may not be able to find a substitute service provider. Also, the ETFs may be dependent upon licenses to use the various indices as a basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade names. If these licenses are terminated, ETFs may also terminate or experience a disruption in its activities. In addition, an ETF may terminate if its net assets fall below a certain amount.

Although the Adviser believes that, in the event of the termination of an ETF, the Fund will be able to invest instead in shares of an alternate ETF tracking the same market index or another index covering the same general market, there can be no assurance that shares of an alternate ETF would be available for investment at that time.

**INVESTMENTS IN COMMODITY/NATURAL RESOURCE-RELATED SECURITIES.** As discussed under "Investment Limitations" below, the Fund does not invest directly in commodities. However, the Fund may from time to time invest in securities of companies whose business is related to commodities and natural resources, or in registered investment companies or other companies that invest directly or indirectly in commodities and natural resources. For example, the Fund may invest in companies whose business is related to mining of precious or other metals (e.g., gold, silver, etc.) or registered investment companies that invest in securities of mining companies and related instruments (including, without limitation, the underlying commodities). Investments in equity securities of companies involved in mining or related precious metals industries, and the value of the investment companies and other companies that invest in precious metals and other commodities are subject to a number of risks. For example, the prices of precious metals or other commodities can move sharply, up or down, in response to cyclical economic conditions, political events or the monetary policies of various countries, any of which may adversely affect the value of companies whose business is related to such commodities, or the value of investment companies and other companies investing in such business or commodities. Furthermore, such companies are subject to risks related to fluctuations of prices and perceptions of value in the commodity markets generally.

**LOAN PARTICIPATIONS.** The Fund may purchase participations in commercial loans. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Loan participations typically represent direct participation in a loan to a corporate borrower and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Fund may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing loan participations, the Fund assumes the credit risk associated with the corporate borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interests in which the Fund intends to invest may not be rated by any nationally recognized statistical ratings organization ("NRSRO").

A loan is often administered by an agent bank acting as agent for all holders. The agent bank administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. In addition, the agent bank is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the corporate borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions which are parties to the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, the Fund has direct recourse against the corporate borrower, the Fund may have to rely on the agent bank or other financial intermediary to apply appropriate credit remedies against a corporate borrower. A financial institution's employment as agent bank might be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement should remain available to holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank's general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. In situations involving other interposed financial institutions (e.g., an insurance company or governmental agency) similar risks may arise.

Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the corporate borrower for payment of principal and interest. If the Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund's share price and yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.

The Fund may invest in loan participations with credit quality comparable to that of the issuers of the Fund's securities investments. Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

The Fund limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in any one issuer or in issuers within the same industry (see "Investment Limitations"). For purposes of these limits, the Fund generally will treat the corporate borrower as the "issuer" of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between the Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as "issuers" for the purpose of determining whether the Fund has invested more than 5% of its assets in a single issuer. Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict the Fund's ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries.

Loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of readily at what the Adviser believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of illiquid indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining the Fund's NAV than if that value were based on available market quotations and could result in significant variations in the Fund's daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are traded among certain financial institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of these instruments is expected to improve. In addition, the Fund currently intends to treat indebtedness for which there is no readily available market as illiquid for purposes of the Fund's limitation on illiquid investments. Investments in loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of the Trust's investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by the Fund.

Investments in loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution's interests with respect to the loan may involve additional risks to the Fund. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, the Fund could be held liable as co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protections against fraud and misrepresentation. In the absence of definitive regulatory guidance, the Fund relies on the Adviser's research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentation could adversely affect the Fund.

**MONEY MARKET FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in the securities of money market mutual funds. Such investments are subject to limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder and applicable SEC staff interpretations thereof, or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC. (See "Investment Company Securities and Exchange-Traded Funds" above.)

**MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES AND ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES.** Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. See "Mortgage Pass-Through Securities." The Fund may also invest in debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations").

The recent financial downturn—particularly the increase in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgages, falling home prices, and unemployment—has adversely affected the market for mortgage-related securities. In addition, various market and governmental actions may impair the ability to foreclose on or exercise other remedies against underlying mortgage holders, or may reduce the amount received upon foreclosure. These factors have caused certain mortgage-related securities to experience lower valuations and reduced liquidity. There is also no assurance that the U.S. Government will take further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economic downturn continue or the economy experience another downturn. Further, recent legislative action and any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk that the Fund could realize losses on mortgage-related securities.

<u>Mortgage Pass-Through Securities</u>*.* Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA") are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase.

The residential mortgage market in the United States recently has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Fund's mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased recently and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has recently been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates,

which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

<u>Agency Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA"), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA").

However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Trust's investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet the Trust's quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. The Fund will not purchase mortgage-related securities or any other assets which in the opinion of the Adviser are illiquid if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets will be illiquid.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. The substantial decline in real property values across the U.S. has exacerbated the level of losses that investors in privately issued mortgage-related securities have experienced. It is not certain when these trends may reverse. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in the Fund's portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

The Fund may purchase privately issued mortgage-related securities that are originated, packaged and serviced by third party entities. It is possible these third parties could have interests that are in conflict with the holders of mortgage-related securities, and such holders (such as the Fund) could have rights against the third parties or their affiliates. For example, if a loan originator, servicer or its affiliates engaged in negligence or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties, then a holder of the mortgage-related security could seek recourse against the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable. Also, as a loan originator/servicer, the originator/servicer or its affiliates may make certain representations and warranties regarding the quality of the mortgages and properties underlying a mortgage-related security. If one or more of those representations or warranties is false, then the holders of the mortgage-related securities (such as the Fund) could trigger an obligation of the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable, to repurchase the mortgages from the issuing trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, many of the third parties that are legally bound by trust and other documents have failed to perform their respective duties, as stipulated in such trust and other documents, and investors have had limited success in enforcing terms.

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Fund's industry concentration restrictions, set forth below under "Investment Limitations," by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. Government securities. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities, the Fund takes the position that mortgage-related securities do not represent interests in any particular "industry" or group of industries. Therefore, the Fund may invest more or less than 25% of its total assets in privately issued mortgage-related securities. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

<u>Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs")</u>*.* A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as "tranches," with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as "sequential pay" CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation ("issuer") issues multiple series (*e.g.*, A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds ("Bonds"). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates ("Collateral"). The Collateral is pledged to a third party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common. For example, the Fund may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class ("PAC") CMOs and multi-class pass through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches—known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds—which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk.

<u>Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Commercial mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

<u>Other Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals or stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS"). Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

<u>CMO Residuals</u>*.* CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only ("IO") class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. See "Other Mortgage-Related Securities—Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities." In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based.

As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.

CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. Transactions in CMO residuals are generally completed only after careful review of the characteristics of the securities in question. In addition, CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not have been registered under the 1933 Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the 1933 Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed "illiquid" and subject to the Fund's limitations on investment in illiquid securities.

<u>Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities ("ARMBSs") have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBSs permits the Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBSs are based. Such ARMBSs generally have higher

current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed income debt securities of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBSs, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, the Fund, when holding an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (*i.e.*, the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBSs behave more like fixed income securities and less like adjustable rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed income securities. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

<u>Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the "IO" class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or "PO" class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund's yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated pre-payments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

<u>Collateralized Debt Obligations</u>*.* The Fund may invest in collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), which include collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and other similarly structured securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed income securities such as high yield debt, residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, commercial privately issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.

For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the "equity" tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade.

Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class.

The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities, however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Fund's Prospectus (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CDOs carry additional risks including, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the Fund may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

<u>Asset-Backed Securities</u>*.* Asset-backed securities ("ABS") are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. ABS are created from many types of assets, including auto loans, credit card receivables, home equity loans, and student loans. ABS are issued through special purpose vehicles that are bankruptcy remote from the issuer of the collateral. The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement. Some ABS, particularly home equity loan transactions, are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans

default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments (after expenses are paid) are used to pay investors as quickly as possible based upon a predetermined priority of payment.

Consistent with its investment objectives and policies, the Fund also may invest in other types of asset-backed securities.

**BELOW-INVESTMENT GRADE SECURITIES.** Subject to the limitations set forth in the Prospectus, the Fund may invest in "below-investment grade" or "high yield" fixed income securities commonly known to investors as "high yield bonds" or "junk bonds." High yield bonds are issued by a company whose credit rating (based on an NRSRO) evaluation of the likelihood of repayment) necessitates offering a higher coupon and yield on its issues when selling them to investors who may otherwise be hesitant in purchasing the debt of such a company. While generally providing greater income and opportunity for gain, below-investment grade debt securities are generally subject to greater risks than fixed income securities which have higher credit ratings, including a higher risk of default, and their yields will fluctuate over time. High yield bonds generally will be in the lower rating categories of NRSROs (rated "Ba" or lower by Moody's or "BB" or lower by S&P and Fitch or will be unrated. The credit rating of a high yield bond does not necessarily address its market value risk, and ratings may from time to time change, positively or negatively, to reflect developments regarding the issuer's financial condition. High yield bonds are considered to be speculative with respect to the capacity of the issuer to timely repay principal and pay interest or dividends in accordance with the terms of the obligation and may have more credit risk than higher rated securities.

While the market values of high yield bonds tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rates than do those of higher rated securities, the values of high yield bonds often reflect individual corporate developments and have a high sensitivity to economic changes to a greater extent than do higher rated securities. Issuers of high yield bonds are often in the growth stage of their development and/or involved in a reorganization or takeover. The companies are often highly leveraged (have a significant amount of debt relative to shareholders' equity) and may not have available to them more traditional financing methods, thereby increasing the risk associated with acquiring these types of securities. In some cases, obligations with respect to high yield bonds are subordinated to the prior repayment of senior indebtedness, which will potentially limit the Fund's ability to fully recover principal or to receive interest payments when senior securities are in default. Thus, investors in high yield bonds have a lower degree of protection with respect to principal and interest payments than do investors in higher rated securities.

During an economic downturn, a substantial period of rising interest rates or a recession, highly leveraged issuers of high yield bonds may experience financial distress possibly resulting in insufficient revenues to meet their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals and to obtain additional financing. An economic downturn could also disrupt the market for lower-rated securities and adversely affect the value of outstanding securities, the Fund's NAV and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest. If the issuer of a security held by the Fund has defaulted, the Fund may not receive full interest and principal payments due to it and could incur additional expenses if it chose to seek recovery of its investment.

The secondary markets for high yield bonds are not as liquid as the secondary markets for higher rated securities. The secondary markets for high yield bonds are concentrated in relatively few market makers and participants in the markets are mostly institutional investors, including insurance companies, banks, other financial institutions and mutual funds. In addition, the trading volume for high yield bonds is generally lower than that for higher rated securities and the secondary markets could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. Under certain economic and/or market conditions, the Fund may have difficulty disposing of certain high yield bonds due to the limited number of investors in that sector of the market. An illiquid secondary market may adversely affect the market price of the high yield security, which may result in increased difficulty selling the particular issue and obtaining accurate market quotations on the issue when valuing the Fund's assets. Market quotations on high yield bonds are available only from a limited number of dealers, and such quotations may not be the actual prices available for a purchase or sale.

The high yield markets may react strongly to adverse news about an issuer or the economy, or to the perception or expectation of adverse news, whether or not it is based on fundamental analysis. Additionally, prices for high yield bonds may be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. These developments could adversely affect the Fund's NAV and investment practices, the secondary market for high yield bonds, the financial condition of issuers of these securities and the value and liquidity of outstanding high yield bonds, especially in a thinly traded market. For example, Federal legislation requiring the divestiture by federally insured savings and loan associations of their investments in high yield bonds and limiting the deductibility of interest by certain corporate issuers of high yield bonds adversely affected the market in the past.

When the secondary market for high yield bonds becomes more illiquid, or in the absence of readily available market quotations for such securities, the relative lack of reliable objective data makes it more difficult to value the Fund's securities and judgment plays a more important role in determining such valuations. Increased illiquidity in the junk bond market, in combination with the relative youth and growth of the market for such securities, also may affect the ability of the Fund to dispose of such securities at a desirable price. Additionally, if the secondary markets for high yield bonds contract due to adverse economic conditions or for other reasons, some of the Fund's liquid securities may become illiquid and the proportion of the Fund's assets invested in illiquid securities may significantly increase.

The rating assigned by a rating agency evaluates the safety of a below-investment grade security's principal and interest payments but does not address market value risk. Because such ratings of NRSROs may not always reflect current conditions and events, in addition to using NRSROs and other sources, the Adviser performs its own analysis of the issuers whose below-investment grade securities are held by the Fund. Because of this, the Fund's performance may depend more on the Adviser's own credit analysis than in the case of mutual funds investing in higher-rated securities. For a description of these ratings, see "Appendix A - Description of Securities Ratings."

In selecting below-investment grade securities, the Adviser considers factors such as those relating to the creditworthiness of issuers, the ratings and performance of the securities, the protections afforded the securities and the diversity of the Fund. The Adviser continuously monitors the issuers of below-investment grade securities held by the Fund for their ability to make required principal and interest payments, as well as in an effort to control the liquidity of the Fund so that it can meet redemption requests. If a security's rating is reduced below the minimum credit rating that is permitted for the Fund, the Adviser will consider whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.

In the event that the Fund investing in high yield bonds experiences an unexpected level of net redemptions, the Fund could be forced to sell its holdings without regard to the investment merits, thereby decreasing the assets upon which the Fund's rate of return is based.

The costs attributable to investing in the high yield markets are usually higher for several reasons, such as higher investment research costs and higher commission costs.

**PARTICIPATION INTERESTS.** The Fund may invest in participation interests in fixed income securities. A participation interest provides the certificate holder with a specified interest in an issue of fixed income securities.

Some participation interests give the holders differing interests in the underlying securities, depending upon the type or class of certificate purchased. For example, coupon strip certificates give the holder the right to receive a specific portion of interest payments on the underlying securities; principal strip certificates give the holder the right to receive principal payments and the portion of interest not payable to coupon strip certificate holders. Holders of certificates of participation in interest payments may be entitled to receive a fixed rate of interest, a variable rate that is periodically reset to reflect the current market rate or an auction rate that is periodically reset at auction. Asset-backed residuals represent interests in any excess cash flow remaining after required payments of principal and interest have been made.

More complex participation interests involve special risk considerations. Since these instruments have only recently been developed, there can be no assurance that any market will develop or be maintained for the instruments. Generally, the fixed income securities that are deposited in trust for the holders of these interests are the sole source of payments on the interests; holders cannot look to the sponsor or trustee of the trust or to the issuers of the securities held in trust or to any of their affiliates for payment.

Participation interests purchased at a discount may experience price volatility. Certain types of interests are sensitive to fluctuations in market interest rates and to prepayments on the underlying securities. A rapid rate of prepayment can result in the failure to recover the holder's initial investment.

The extent to which the yield to maturity of a participation interest is sensitive to prepayments depends, in part, upon whether the interest was purchased at a discount or premium, and if so, the size of that discount or premium. Generally, if a participation interest is purchased at a premium and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that anticipated at the time of purchase, the holder's actual yield to maturity will be lower than that assumed at the time of purchase. Conversely, if a participation interest is purchased at a discount and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that assumed at the time of purchase, the investor's actual yield to maturity will be higher than that assumed at the time of purchase.

Participation interests in pools of fixed income securities backed by certain types of debt obligations involve special risk considerations. The issuers of securities backed by automobile and truck receivables typically file financing statements evidencing security interests in the receivables, and the servicers of those obligations take and retain custody of the obligations. If the servicers, in contravention of their duty to the holders of the securities backed by the receivables, were to sell the obligations, the third party purchasers could acquire an interest superior to the interest of the security holders. Also, most states require that a security interest

in a vehicle must be noted on the certificate of title and the certificate of title may not be amended to reflect the assignment of the lender's security interest. Therefore, the recovery of the collateral in some cases may not be available to support payments on the securities. Securities backed by credit card receivables are generally unsecured, and both Federal and state consumer protection laws may allow set-offs against certain amounts owed.

**PREFERRED STOCK.** The Fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally dividends as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer's board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

**REAL ESTATE SECURITIES AND RELATED DERIVATIVES.** The Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in real estate-linked derivatives, real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Each of these types of investments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value and possible environmental liabilities. The Fund may also invest in rights or warrants to purchase income-producing common and preferred shares of issuers in real estate-related industries. It is anticipated that substantially all of the equity securities of issuers in real estate-related industries in which the Fund intends to invest will be traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market.

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that own, and typically operate, income-producing real estate. If a REIT meets certain requirements, including distributing to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income (other than net capital gains), then it is not taxed on the income distributed to shareholders. REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses, and so the Fund, when investing in REITs, will bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs' operations.

There are three general categories of REITs: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in direct fee ownership or leasehold ownership of real property; they derive most of their income from rents. Mortgage REITs invest mostly in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans, and the main source of their income is mortgage interest payments. Hybrid REITs hold both ownership and mortgage interests in real estate.

Along with the risks common to different types of real estate-related securities, REITs, no matter the type, involve additional risk factors. These include poor performance by the REIT's manager, changes to the tax laws, and failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free distribution of income or exemption under the 1940 Act. Furthermore, REITs are not diversified and are heavily dependent on cash flow. REITs can be listed and traded on national securities exchanges or can be traded privately between individual owners.

**REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commits to resell that security to a bank or dealer at an agreed upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest, unrelated to the coupon rate or the maturity of the purchased security. While it is not possible to eliminate all risks from these transactions (particularly the possibility of a decline in the market value of the underlying securities, as well as delays and costs to the Fund if the other party to the repurchase agreement defaults), it is the policy of the Fund to limit repurchase transactions to primary dealers and banks whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the Adviser. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered illiquid for purposes of the Fund's investment limitations.

**RESTRICTED SECURITIES.** Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption from registration. The Fund is subject to an investment limitation on the purchase of illiquid securities. Restricted securities, including securities eligible for re-sale pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, that are determined to be liquid are not subject to this limitation. This determination is to be made by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees. Under these guidelines, the Adviser will consider the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers in, and potential purchasers for, the securities, dealer undertakings to make a market in the security and the nature of the security and of the marketplace trades. In purchasing such restricted securities, the Adviser intends to purchase securities that are exempt from registration under Rule 144A.

**REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements in accordance with its investment restrictions. Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund would sell portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers, and agree to repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse

repurchase agreement, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities, generally rated in one of the three highest ratings categories, consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value at least equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price at which it is obligated to repurchase the securities. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings by the Fund under the 1940 Act. The Fund will not engage in reverse repurchase transactions if such transactions, combined with any other borrowings, exceed 33-1/3% of the Fund's assets.

**SECTOR RISK.** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**SECURITIES LENDING.** For the purpose of achieving income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial institutions, provided: (i) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposits, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned; (ii) the Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of the securities loaned; (iii) the Fund will receive any interest or dividends paid on the loaned securities; and (iv) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33-1/3% of the total assets of the Fund. The Fund's performance will continue to reflect the receipt of either interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments, or a fee, if the collateral is U.S. Government securities. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral should the borrower fail to return the securities loaned or become insolvent. The Fund may pay lending fees to the party arranging the loan.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities as part of its overall portfolio management strategy involving the use of derivative instruments, to gain exposure to or adjust exposure to various market sectors, and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities or otherwise take advantage of market conditions. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.

When the Fund makes a short sale, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale as collateral for its obligation to deliver the security upon conclusion of the sale. The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over any accrued interest and dividends on such borrowed securities.

If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time that the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.

The Fund may invest pursuant to a risk arbitrage strategy to take advantage of a perceived relationship between the value of two securities. Frequently, a risk arbitrage strategy involves the short sale of a security.

The Fund may engage in short sales "against the box." A short sale is "against the box" to the extent that the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short. The Fund will engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the federal securities laws and rules and interpretations thereunder. To the extent the Fund engages in short selling in foreign (non-U.S.) jurisdictions, the Fund will do so to the extent permitted by the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction.

The Fund may also engage in so-called "naked" short sales (i.e., short sales that are not "against the box"), in which case the Fund's losses could theoretically be unlimited, in cases where the Fund is unable for whatever reason to close out its short position. The Fund has the flexibility to engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and interpretations thereunder.

**SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in special purpose acquisition companies ("SPACs"). SPACs are collective investment structures that pool funds in order to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less an amount to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities and cash. SPACs and similar entities may be blank check companies with no operating history or ongoing business other than to seek a potential acquisition. Accordingly, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity's management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Certain SPACs may seek acquisitions only in limited industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. Investments in SPACs may be deemed illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment

objective. If a SPAC does not complete an acquisition within a specified period of time after going public, the SPAC is dissolved, at which point the invested funds are returned to the SPAC's shareholders (less certain permitted expenses) and any rights or warrants issued by the SPAC expire worthless.

**U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS.** The Fund may invest in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Although all obligations of such agencies and instrumentalities are not direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Government generally directly or indirectly backs payment of the interest and principal on these obligations. This support can range from securities supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (for example, GNMA securities) to securities that are supported solely or primarily by the creditworthiness of the issuer, such as securities of FNMA, FHLMC, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Federal Farm Credit Banks and Federal Home Loan Banks. In the case of obligations not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Whether backed by full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury or not, U.S. Government obligations are not guaranteed against price movements due to fluctuating interest rates.

**VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES.** Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

The Fund may invest in floating and variable rate debt instruments ("floaters") and engage in credit spread trades. The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as a money-market index or Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, the Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. A credit spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two securities or currencies, where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities or currencies.

The Fund may also invest in inverse floating rate debt instruments ("inverse floaters"). The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floating rate security may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation of similar credit quality. See "Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities" for a discussion of IOs and POs.

**WHEN-ISSUED, DELAYED DELIVERY AND FORWARD COMMITMENT TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Typically, no income accrues on securities the Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made.

When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its NAV. Because the Fund is not required to pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other investments. If the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

When the Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis, the Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or could suffer a loss. The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a transaction after it is entered into and may sell when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment securities before they are delivered, which may result in a capital gain or loss. There is no percentage limitation on the extent to which the Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis.

**ZERO COUPON BONDS.** The Fund may invest in zero coupon bonds of governmental or private issuers that generally pay no interest to their holders prior to maturity. Since zero coupon bonds do not make regular interest payments, they allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments and may involve greater credit risks than bonds paying interest currently. The IRC requires that the Fund accrue income on zero coupon bonds for each taxable year, even though no cash has been paid on the bonds, and generally requires the Fund to distribute such income (net of deductible expenses, if any) to avoid being subject to tax and to continue to maintain its status as a RIC under the IRC. Because no cash is generally received at the time of accrual, the Fund may be required to sell investments (even if such sales are not advantageous) to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy the federal tax distribution requirements applicable to the Fund under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information.

**TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS.** The Fund may, without limit, invest in U.S. Government securities, commercial paper and other money market instruments, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents in response to adverse market conditions, as a temporary defensive position. The result of this action may be that the Fund will be unable to achieve its investment objective.

**PORTFOLIO TURNOVER**. There has not been any significant variation in the Fund's portfolio turnover rates over the two most recently completed fiscal years. The Adviser does not anticipate significant variation in the portfolio turnover rate from that reported in the Fund's Prospectus for the last fiscal year.

**DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS**

As required by the federal or state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Fund discloses portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require. The Fund's complete list of portfolio holdings are available sixty days after each fiscal quarter end in the Fund's Form N-CSR (semiannually), and Form N-PORT (quarterly).

The Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of portfolio securities holdings. The policies and procedures are designed to allow disclosure of the Fund's holdings information where it is deemed appropriate for the Fund's operations or it is determined to be useful to the Fund's shareholders without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. Except when there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure of the Fund's holdings, the Fund will not provide or permit others to provide information about the Fund's holdings on a selective basis. The Board of Trustees provides ongoing oversight of the Trust's policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Trustees receive from the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Trustees receive an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any deviation to this policy as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such deviations must be reported to the Trust's Board of Trustees, at its next quarterly Board meeting or sooner, as determined by the Trust's CCO.

The Fund may, but is not required to, post its schedule of investments on its website at regular intervals or from time to time at the discretion of the Adviser. This information may be as of the most recent practicable date available and need not be subject to a lag period prior to posting on its website. In addition to its schedule of investments, the Fund may post portfolio holdings information and other information on its website including, but not limited to, information about the number of securities the Fund holds, a summary schedule of investments, the Fund's top holdings, and a percentage breakdown of the Fund's investments by geographic region, sector, industry and market capitalization. After any portfolio holdings information becomes publicly available (by posting on its website or otherwise); it may be mailed, e-mailed or otherwise transmitted to any person.

The following disclosures of aggregate, composite or descriptive information about the Fund or its portfolio holdings are not subject to the Trust's policy on selective disclosure of portfolio information: (i) descriptions of allocations among classes, geographic regions, countries, industries or sectors; (ii) aggregated data such as average or median ratios or market capitalization; (iii) performance attribution by class, geographic region, country, industry or sector; (iv) aggregated risk statistics; (v) listing of top holdings without any reference to the amount of the Fund's holdings; and (vi) such other information that, in the opinion of the CCO or designee, does not present material risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading of the Fund. The Fund's portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to financial consultants or other entities that have a legitimate business purpose in receiving such information, including to assist them in determining the suitability of the Fund as an investment for their clients. In each case, such disclosure will be made in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, the Adviser's fiduciary duties to the Fund's shareholders and subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Board of Trustees of the Trust, a committee thereof, or an officer designated by the Board of Trustees, may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Fund may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about its holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's, or its Adviser's, employees and affiliates that provide services to the Fund. The Fund may also distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Fund's holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's service providers who require access to the information (i) in order to fulfill their contractual duties relating to the Fund; (ii) to facilitate the transition of a newly hired investment adviser prior to the commencement of its duties; (iii) to facilitate the review of the Fund by a ranking or ratings agency; (iv) for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition; or (v) for the purpose of effecting in-kind redemption of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of the Fund's assets and minimize impact on remaining shareholders of the Fund.

Each of the following third parties has been approved to receive portfolio holdings information: (i) the Fund's administrator and accounting agent; (ii) the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, for use in providing audit opinions; (iii) financial printers, solely for the purpose of preparing the Fund's reports or regulatory filings; (iv) the Fund's custodian in connection with its custody of the Fund's assets; (v) if applicable, a proxy voting service; or (vi) disclosure to a ranking or rating agency, such as Lipper, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Moody's, S&P and Fitch. Information may be provided to these parties at any time so long as each of these parties is contractually and ethically prohibited from sharing the Fund's portfolio holding information without specific authorization. The Fund's Adviser and service providers have also established procedures to ensure that the Fund's portfolio holdings information is only disclosed in accordance with these policies.

Under no circumstances may the Fund, the Adviser or their affiliates receive any consideration or compensation for disclosing portfolio holdings information.

The Adviser manages other accounts such as separate accounts and other registered or unregistered pooled investment vehicles. These other accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus may have similar portfolio holdings. Such accounts may have disclosures at different times than a Fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed. Additionally, such accounts may have access to their portfolio holdings and may not be subject to the foregoing restrictions.

**INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS**

The Fund has adopted the investment limitations set forth below. Except with respect to the asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowing, if any percentage restriction on investment or utilization of assets is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market values of the Fund or the Fund's assets or redemptions of shares will not be considered a violation of the limitation. The asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowings is an ongoing requirement. The following non-fundamental policies apply to the Fund and the Board of Trustees may change them without shareholder approval unless shareholder approval is required by the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. The Fund will not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Issue senior securities or borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and then not in excess of 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets (including the amount of the senior securities issued but reduced by any liabilities not constituting senior securities) at the time of the issuance or borrowing, except that the Fund may borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets (not including the amount borrowed) for temporary purposes such as clearance of portfolio transactions and share redemptions. For purposes of these restrictions, the purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the purchase and sale of options and futures contracts and collateral arrangements with respect thereto are not deemed to be the issuance of a senior security, a borrowing or a pledge of assets;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets except to secure indebtedness permitted to be incurred by the Fund. (For the purpose of this restriction, the deposit in escrow of securities in connection with the writing of put and call options, collateralized loans of securities by and collateral arrangements with respect to margin for future contracts by the Fund are not deemed to be pledges or hypothecations);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Underwrite any issue of securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered to be acting as underwriter in connection with the disposition of any portfolio security;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Purchase or sell real estate or interests therein, although the Fund may purchase securities of issuers which engage in real estate operations and securities secured by real estate or interests therein, including real estate investment trusts;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Invest 25% or more of the value of the Fund's assets in securities of issuers in any one industry. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or to securities issued by other investment companies. For purposes of this limitation, states, municipalities and their political subdivisions are not considered to be part of any industry;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of owning securities or other instruments, but the Fund may purchase, sell or enter into financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Make loans, except loans of portfolio securities or through repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction, the acquisition of bonds, debentures, other debt securities or instruments, or participations or other interests therein and investments in government obligations, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or similar instruments will not be considered the making of a loan;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. Engage in short sales of securities or maintain a short position, except that the Fund may (a) sell short "against the box" and (b) maintain short positions in connection with its use of financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9. Purchase securities on margin except for the use of short-term credit necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities, provided that the Fund may make initial and variation margin deposits in connection with permitted transactions in options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments.

**TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS**

The following tables present certain information regarding the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust. None of the Trustees are an "interested person" of the Trust, the Adviser, another investment adviser of a series of the Trust, or Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, the principal underwriter of the Trust ("Underwriter"), within the meaning of the 1940 Act and each Trustee is referred to as an "Independent Trustee" and is listed under such heading below. Employees of certain service providers to the Trust serve as officers of the Trust; such persons are not compensated by the Fund. The address of each Trustee and officer as it relates to the Trust's business is 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809.

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** |
| **Robert J. Christian**<br> Date of Birth: 2/49 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. Chairman from 2007 until September 30, 2019. | Retired since February 2006; Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust Company from February 1996 to February 2006; President of Rodney Square Management Corporation ("RSMC") (investment advisory firm) from 1996 to 2005; Vice President of RSMC from 2005 to 2006. | 28 | Optimum Fund Trust (registered investment company with 6 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Iqbal Mansur**<br> Date of Birth: 6/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. | Retired since September 2020; Professor of Finance, Widener University from 1998 to August 2020; Member of the Investment Committee of ChristianaCare Health System from January 2022 to present. | 28 | Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr.**<br> Date of Birth: 8/55 | Trustee and Chairman of the Board | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2016. Chairman since October 1, 2019. | Retired since March 2016. President of PNC Bank Delaware from June 2011 to March 2016; Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2011; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from September 1997 to July 2010. | 28 | Brinker Capital Destinations Trust (registered investment company with 10 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)**<br> **Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **Nancy B. Wolcott**<br> Date of Birth: 11/54 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2011. | Retired since May 2014; EVP, Head of GFI Client Service Delivery, BNY Mellon from January 2012 to May 2014; EVP, Head of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2012; President of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2008 to July 2010; Chief Operating Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2007 to 2008; Executive Vice President of PFPC Worldwide Inc. from 2006 to 2007. | 28 | Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (registered investment company with 97 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Stephen M. Wynne**<br> Date of Birth: 1/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2009. | Retired since December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from July 2010 to December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from March 2008 to July 2010; President, PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2003 to 2008. | 28 | Copeland Trust (registered investment company with 2 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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**EXECUTIVE OFFICERS**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **Joel L. Weiss**<br> Date of Birth: 1/63 | President and Chief Executive Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2007. | Senior Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; President of JW Fund Management LLC from June 2016 to July 2025; Vice President and Managing Director of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from 1993 to June 2016. |
| **Christine Catanzaro**<br> Date of Birth: 8/84 | Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; Consultant from October 2020 to July 2025; Senior Manager, Ernst & Young LLP from March 2013 to October 2020. |
| **T. Richard Keyes**<br> Date of Birth: 1/57 | Vice President | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2016. | President of TRK Fund Consulting LLC since July 2016; Head of Tax — U.S. Fund Services of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from February 2006 to July 2016. |

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **Gabriella Mercincavage**<br> Date of Birth: 6/68 | Assistant Treasurer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2019. | Fund Administration Consultant since January 2019; Fund Accounting and Tax Compliance Accountant to financial services companies from November 2003 to July 2018. |
| **Vincenzo A. Scarduzio**<br> Date of Birth: 4/72 | Secretary | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2012. | Director and Senior Vice President Regulatory Administration of The Bank of New York Mellon and predecessor firms since 2001. |
| **John Canning**<br> Date of Birth: 11/70 | Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Director of Chenery Compliance Group, LLC from March 2021 to present; Senior Consultant of Foreside Financial Group from August 2020 to March 2021; Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Operating Officer of Schneider Capital Management LP from May 2019 to July 2020; Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Context Capital Partners, LP from March 2016 to March 2018 and February 2019, respectively. |

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**LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES.** The basic responsibilities of the Trustees are to monitor the Trust and its funds' financial operations and performance, oversee the activities and legal compliance of the Adviser and other major service providers, keep themselves informed, and exercise their business judgment in making decisions important to the Trust's proper functioning based on what the Trustees reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the shareholders. The Board of Trustees is comprised of five individuals, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Board of Trustees meets multiple times during the year (but at least quarterly) to review the investment performance of the funds and other operational matters, including policies and procedures with respect to compliance with regulatory and other requirements.

The Board of Trustees has appointed an Independent Trustee to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman's primary role is to participate in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board of Trustees and the identification of information to be presented to the Board of Trustees with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board of Trustees. The Chairman also presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and acts as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys, and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman may perform such other functions as may be requested by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Except for any duties specified herein or pursuant to the Trust's Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, the designation of Chairman does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liability that is greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Board of Trustees, generally.

Each Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees because of his or her experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills as set forth in the subsection "Trustee Qualifications," below. Based on a review of the Board of Trustees and its function, the Trustees have determined that the leadership structure of the Board of Trustees is appropriate and that the Board of Trustees' role in the risk oversight of the Trust, as discussed below, allows the Board of Trustees to effectively administer its oversight function.

The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. The responsibilities of each committee and its members are described below.

**AUDIT COMMITTEE.** The Audit Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Wynne currently serves as the chairman of the Audit Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter (the "Audit Committee Charter") for the Audit Committee. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee has the responsibility, among others, to (1) select the Trust's independent registered public accountants; (2) review and approve the scope of the independent registered public accountants' audit activity; (3) oversee the audit process of the financial statements which are the subject of the independent registered public accountants' certifications; and (4) review with such independent registered public accountants the adequacy of the Trust's basic accounting system and the effectiveness of the Trust's internal accounting controls. The Audit Committee meets at least two times per year. The Audit Committee met four times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

**NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.** The Nominating and Governance Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott. Mr. Mansur serves as the chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for formulating a statement of corporate governance; assessing the size, structure and composition of the Board of Trustees; determining trustee qualification guidelines as well as compensation, insurance and indemnification of Trustees; identifying Trustee candidates; oversight of Board of Trustees self-evaluations; reviewing certain regulatory and corporate matters of the Trust; and identifying, from time to time, qualified candidates to serve as the CCO for the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee meets at least once a year. The Nominating and Governance Committee met two times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. The Nominating and Governance Committee identifies potential nominees in accordance with its Statement of Policy on Qualifications for Board of Trustees Membership. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominee candidates recommended by shareholders. Shareholders who wish to recommend individuals for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee as nominee candidates may do so by submitting a written recommendation to the Secretary of the Trust at: 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809. Submissions must include sufficient biographical information concerning the recommended individual, including age, at least ten years of employment history with employer names and a description of the employer's business, and a list of board memberships (if any).

The submission must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board of Trustees and to serve if elected. Recommendations must be received in a sufficient time, as determined by the Nominating and Governance Committee in its sole discretion, prior to the date proposed for the consideration of nominee candidates by the Board of Trustees. Upon the written request of shareholders holding at least a 5% interest in the Trust's shares in the aggregate, the Secretary shall present to any special meeting of shareholders such nominees for election as trustees as specified in such written request.

**TRUSTEE QUALIFICATIONS.** The following is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills that led to the Board of Trustees' conclusion that each individual identified below is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

The Board of Trustees believes that the Trustees' ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Adviser, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, support the conclusion that each Trustee is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply as to each Trustee: Mr. Marsini is the former President of PNC Bank Delaware, former Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon, former Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Wynne is the former Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Ms. Wolcott is the former Executive Vice President of US Fund Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former President of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee of other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Christian served as the Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; and Mr. Mansur is a Professor Emeritus at Widener University. He previously served as a Professor of Finance, School of Business Administration, at Widener University and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes.

In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Trustees considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board of Trustees' overall composition so that the Board of Trustees, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Trust and its funds. The summaries set forth above as to the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of the Trustees do not constitute holding out the Board of Trustees or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board of Trustees as a whole than would otherwise be the case.

**RISK OVERSIGHT.** Through its direct oversight role, and indirectly through its Committees, of officers and service providers, the Board of Trustees performs a risk oversight function for the Trust and its funds consisting, among other things, of the following activities: (1) at regular and special Board of Trustees meetings, and on an ad hoc basis as needed, receiving and reviewing reports related to the performance and operations of the Trust and its funds; (2) reviewing and approving, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust; (3) meeting with the portfolio management team to review investment strategies, techniques and the processes used to manage related risks; (4) meeting with representatives of key service providers, including the investment advisers, administrator, the distributor, the transfer agent, the custodian and the independent registered public accounting firms of the funds, to review and discuss the activities of the Trust and its funds and to provide direction with respect thereto; and (5) engaging the services of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust to test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service providers.

**SECURITY AND OTHER INTERESTS.** The following table sets forth the equity securities in the Fund and in all registered investment companies overseen by the Trustees within the Trust Complex that the Trustees beneficially owned as of December 31, 2024.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range of Equity<br> Securities in the Fund** | **Aggregate Dollar Range<br> of Equity Securities in<br> All Registered Investment<br> Companies Overseen by<br> Trustee within the Family of<br> Investment Companies** |
| **Independent Trustees** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Robert J. Christian |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Iqbal Mansur |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nancy B. Wolcott |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stephen M. Wynne |  | $50001 - $100000 |

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As of December 31, 2024, none of the Independent Trustees, or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) served as an officer, director or was an employee of the Trust, the Adviser or the Underwriter, or of any of their respective affiliates. Nor do any of such persons serve as an officer or director or is an employee of any company controlled by or under common control with such entities. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Independent Trustees or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) owned beneficially or of record any interest in the Adviser or the Underwriter, or in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities.

**COMPENSATION.** In addition to the fees below, the Trust reimburses the Trustees for their related business expenses. The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Trustees for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Aggregate Compensation from the Trust** | **Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of the Trust's Expenses** | **Estimated Annual Benefits upon Retirement** | **Total<br> Compensation from the Trust Complex** |
| Robert J. Christian | $120639 | $0 | $0 | $120639 |
| Iqbal Mansur | $135586 | $0 | $0 | $135586 |
| Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. | $145492 | $0 | $0 | $145492 |
| Nancy B. Wolcott | $120579 | $0 | $0 | $120579 |
| Stephen M. Wynne | $140509 | $0 | $0 | $140509 |

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**CODE OF ETHICS**

In accordance with Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, each of the Trust and the Adviser have adopted a code of ethics (each, a "Code" and together, the "Codes").

The Codes are intended to prohibit or restrict transactions that may be deemed to create a conflict of interest among the Adviser or the Trust. Each Code identifies the specific employees, officers or other persons who are subject thereto and all are required to abide by the provisions thereunder. Persons covered under the Codes may engage in personal trading for their own accounts, including securities that may also be purchased or held or traded by the Fund under certain circumstances.

Under the Code adopted by the Trust, personal trading is subject to specific restrictions, limitations, guidelines and other conditions. Under the Code adopted by the Adviser, personal trading is subject to pre-clearance and other conditions set forth in its Code.

On an annual basis or whenever deemed necessary, the Board of Trustees reviews reports regarding all of the Codes including information about any material violations of the Codes. The Codes are on public file as exhibits to the Trust's registration statement with the SEC.

**PROXY VOTING**

The Board of Trustees has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting procedures and has delegated the responsibility for exercising the voting rights associated with the securities purchased and/or held by the Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Board of Trustees' continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by general fiduciary principles. It must act prudently, solely in the interest of the Fund, and for the purpose of providing benefits to the Fund. The Adviser will consider the factors that could affect the value of the Fund's investment in its determination on a vote.

The Adviser has identified certain significant contributors to shareholder value with respect to a number of common or routine matters that are often the subject of proxy solicitations for shareholder meetings. The proxy voting procedures address these considerations and establish a framework for consideration of a vote that would be appropriate for the Fund. In particular, the proxy voting procedures outline principles and factors to be considered in the exercise of voting authority for proposals addressing such common or routine matters. In considering voting proxies, including shareholder proposals on environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-related topics, the Adviser votes in a direction it believes supports the company's long-term financial sustainability. For shareholder proposals seeking reports or increased disclosure, the Adviser gauges whether this information would be material to an enhanced understanding of the company's management of risks and opportunity.

The Adviser's proxy voting procedures establish a protocol for voting of proxies in cases in which the Adviser or an affiliated entity has an interest that is reasonably likely to be affected by a proxy to be voted on behalf of the Fund or that could compromise the Adviser's independence of judgment and action in voting the proxy in the best interest of the Fund's shareholders. The Adviser believes that consistently voting in accordance with its stated guidelines will address most conflicts of interest, and to the extent any deviation of such guidelines occurs it will be carefully assessed by a securities review committee to determine if a conflict of interest exists, and if a material conflict of interest exists, the committee will determine an appropriate resolution, which may include consultation with management or Trustees of the Trust, analyses by independent third parties, or other means necessary to ensure and demonstrate the proxy was voted in the best interests of shareholders. The Adviser's proxy voting policies and procedures are attached herewith as Appendix B. The Fund is required to file annually its proxy voting record on Form N-PX with the SEC. Form N-PX is required to be filed by August 31 of each year and when filed will be available by request by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6024 or on the SEC's website at *www.sec.gov*.

**CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES**

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Any person who directly or indirectly owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, may be deemed an "affiliated person" of the Fund, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. As of August 1, 2025, the following persons were the only persons who were record owners (or to the knowledge of the Trust, beneficial owners) of 5% or more of the shares of the Fund. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Trustees or officers of the Trust owned individually and together in excess of 1% of any class of outstanding shares of the Fund.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Institutional Class<br> Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held <br> of Record or <br> Beneficially** | **Percentage of <br> Institutional Class <br> Shares Owned** |
| Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC<br> For The Exclusive Benefit of Its Customers<br> 1 New York Plaza<br> 12th Floor<br> New York, NY 10004-1901 | 3912725.554 | 31.77% |
| National Financial Services Corp.<br> (FBO) Our Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds Department, 4th Floor<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010 | 1875540.699 | 15.23% |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122 | 1369611.141 | 11.12% |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Institutional Class<br> Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held <br> of Record or <br> Beneficially** | **Percentage of <br> Institutional Class <br> Shares Owned** |
| UBS WM USA<br> Special Custody A/C EXL BEN Customers<br> Of UBSFSI<br> 1000 Harbor Boulevard<br> Weehawken, NJ 07086 | 1216215.068 | 9.88% |
| RBC Capital Markets LLC<br> Mutual Fund Omnibus Processing<br> Attn: Mutual Fund Ops Manager<br> 250 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1400<br> Minneapolis, MN 55401-1931 | 792454.074 | 6.43% |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Investor Class<br> Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br> of Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br> Institutional Class<br> Shares Owned** |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122 | 371693.640 | 51.20% |
| National Financial Services Corp.<br> (FBO) Our Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds Department, 4th Floor<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010 | 206990.533 | 28.51% |

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**INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES**

Polen Capital Management, LLC is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Polen Capital was founded in 1979 and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Capital had approximately $46.7 billion in assets under management.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser manages the assets of the Fund (the "Investment Advisory Agreement"). The Investment Advisory Agreement has an initial term of two years and continues in effect from year to year thereafter if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees including a majority of the Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the Fund on 60 days' written notice or the Adviser on 90 days' written notice without penalty. The Investment Advisory Agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment as defined in the 1940 Act.

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual investment advisory fee, paid monthly, comprising 0.85% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. Each class of shares of the Fund bears its respective pro-rata portion of the advisory fee payable by the Fund. The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses (excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by the Trust, interest, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.10% (on an annual basis) with respect to the Fund's average daily net assets (the "Expense Limitation"). The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Board of Trustees approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, such amounts reduced or reimbursed for a period of up to three (3) years from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of reimbursement. No recoupment will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation amount.

The following tables set forth the aggregate fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees**<br> **Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived <br> or Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $3590107 | $0 | $3590107 |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fees Recouped** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $3950491 | $0 | $3950491 |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived<br> or Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $4049391 | $0 | $4049391 |

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Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser agrees to: (a) direct the investments of the Fund, subject to and in accordance with the Fund's investment objective, policies and limitations set forth in the Prospectus and this SAI; (b) purchase and sell for the Fund, securities and other investments consistent with the Fund's objective and policies; (c) supply office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary for servicing the investments of the Fund; (d) pay the salaries of all personnel of the Adviser performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities on behalf of the Trust; (e) make available and provide such information as the Trust and/or its administrator may reasonably request for use in the preparation of its registration statement, reports and other documents required by any applicable federal, foreign or state statutes or regulations; and (f) make its officers and employees available to the Trustees and officers of the Trust for consultation and discussion regarding the management of the Fund and its investment activities. Additionally, the Adviser agrees to create and maintain all necessary records in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the various functions performed by it and not otherwise created and maintained by another party pursuant to contract with the Fund. The Trust and/or the Adviser may at any time or times, upon approval by the Board of Trustees, enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements with a sub-adviser pursuant to which the Adviser delegates any or all of its duties as listed.

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which the agreement relates, except to the extent of a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its obligations and duties under the agreement.

The salaries of personnel of the Adviser performing services for the Fund relating to research, statistical and investment activities are paid by the Adviser.

Polen Capital Management, LLC is controlled by the Management Committee of the firm. The Management Committee is comprised of Stan C. Moss, CEO, Daniel Davidowitz, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, and Damon Ficklin, Head of Team, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, and the Management Committee is controlled by Messrs. Moss and Davidowitz.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

The management of the Fund is the responsibility of investment professionals employed by the Adviser. The information provided below supplements the information provided in the Prospectus under the heading "Portfolio Managers" with respect to the investment professionals responsible, either individually or jointly, for the day-to-day management of the Fund, including information regarding:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) " <u>Other Accounts Managed</u>." Other accounts managed by Messrs. Ficklin, and Atkins, who are the portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund as of April 30, 2025;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) " <u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>." Material conflicts of interest that may arise in connection with the portfolio managers' management of the Fund's investments and investments of other accounts managed. These potential conflicts of interest include material conflicts between the investment strategy of the Fund and the investment strategy of the other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and conflicts associated with the allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and other accounts managed by the portfolio managers. Additional conflicts of interest may potentially exist or arise that are not discussed below;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) " <u>Compensation</u>." A description of the structure of and method used to determine the compensation received by the Fund's portfolio managers from the Fund, the Adviser or any other source with respect to managing the Fund and any other accounts as of April 30, 2025; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) " <u>Ownership of Securities</u>." Information regarding the portfolio managers' dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in the Fund as of April 30, 2025.

<u>Other Accounts Managed</u>. The table below includes details regarding the number of other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by Messrs. Ficklin, and Atkins, total assets under management for each type of account and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees as of April 2025:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**Type of Accounts** | **Total<br> Number of<br> Accounts**<br>**Managed** | **Total Assets**<br>**(millions)** | **Number of<br> Accounts<br> Managed <br> subject to a<br> Performance <br> Based**<br>**Advisory Fee** | **Total Assets<br> Managed <br> subject to a<br> Performance<br> Based<br> Advisory Fee**<br>**(millions)** |
| **Damon Ficklin** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 5 | $6165.011 |  | $- |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 9 | $4276.650 | 1 | $24.669 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 2199 | $31585.961 | 7 | $3151.576 |
| **Stephen Atkins** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 2 | $175.793 |  | $- |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 3 | $513.919 | 1 | $24.669 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 488 | $3303.373 | 1 | $195.138 |

---

<u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>. Polen Capital provides advisory services to other clients which invest in securities of the same type in which the Fund invests. The Adviser is aware of its obligation to ensure that when orders for the same securities are entered on behalf of the Fund and other accounts, the Fund receives fair and equitable allocation of these orders, particularly where affiliated accounts may participate. The Adviser attempts to mitigate potential conflicts of interest by adopting policies and procedures regarding trade execution, brokerage allocation and order aggregation which provide a methodology for ensuring fair treatment for all clients in situations where orders cannot be completely filled or filled at different prices.

<u>Compensation</u>. The Adviser compensates the Fund's Portfolio Managers for management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager's compensation consists of fixed and variable components taking into account individual performance as well as the performance of the Adviser. Each Portfolio Manger's salary is not directly dependent on the performance of the Fund or the level of assets in the Fund.

<u>Ownership of Shares of the Fund</u>. As of April 30, 2025, Mr. Ficklin beneficially owned over $1,000,000 of equity securities in the Fund and Mr. Atkins did not beneficially own any equity securities in the Fund.

**ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES**

Pursuant to an Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated July 19, 2007, The Bank of New York Mellon performs certain administrative services for the Trust including, among other things, assisting in the preparation of the annual post-effective amendments to the Trust's registration statement, assisting in obtaining the fidelity bond and trustees' and officers'/errors and omissions insurance policies, preparing notices, agendas, and resolutions for quarterly Board of Trustees meetings, maintaining the Trust's corporate calendar, maintaining Trust contract files and providing executive and administrative services to support the Independent Trustees. The Bank of New York Mellon also performs certain administrative and accounting services for the Trust such as preparing shareholder reports, providing statistical and research data, assisting the Adviser in compliance monitoring activities, and preparing and filing federal and state tax returns on behalf of the Trust. In addition, The Bank of New York Mellon prepares and files certain reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepares certain materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Trust. The accounting services performed by The Bank of New York Mellon include determining the NAV per share of the Fund and maintaining records relating to the securities transactions of the Fund.

The table below sets forth the administration and accounting service fees paid by the Fund to The Bank of New York Mellon for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 20, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Administration and Accounting Fee | $43369 | $51749 | $71515 |

---

**ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS**

**INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.** PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market St #1800, PA 19103, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm to the Fund.

**LEGAL COUNSEL.** Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, 3000 Two Logan Square, 18th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as counsel to the Trust.

**CUSTODIAN.** The Bank of New York Mellon (the "Custodian"), 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286, serves as the Fund's custodian. The Custodian's services include, in addition to the custody of all cash and securities owned by the Trust, the maintenance of custody accounts in the Custodian's trust department, the segregation of all certificated securities owned by the Trust, the appointment of authorized agents as sub-custodians, disbursement of funds from the custody accounts of the Trust, releasing and delivering securities from the custody accounts of the Trust, maintaining records with respect to such custody accounts, delivering to the Trust a daily and monthly statement with respect to such custody accounts and causing proxies to be executed. The Fund has made arrangements with BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company to serve as custodian for Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs").

**TRANSFER AGENT.** BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing"), 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, serves as the Trust's Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent.

**OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.** The Trust has engaged Tidal ETF Services LLC, 234 West Florida Street, Suite 203, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204 to provide persons to serve as Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer and provide various other services for the Trust. The Trust has engaged Chenery Compliance Group, LLC to provide on-going compliance services, including providing an individual to serve as the Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust.

**BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES**

Subject to policies established by the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is primarily responsible for the execution of the Fund's portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage. The Adviser has no obligation to deal with any dealer or group of dealers in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities of the Fund. The Adviser often deals directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved except in those circumstances where better prices and execution are available elsewhere. It is the objective of the Adviser to seek to obtain the best results in conducting portfolio transactions for the Fund, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable dealer-spread or commission), the size, type and difficulty of the transaction involved, the firm's general execution and operations facilities and the firm's risk in positioning the securities involved. The cost of portfolio securities transactions of the Fund primarily consists of dealer or underwriter spreads and brokerage commissions.

While reasonable competitive spreads or commissions are sought, the Fund will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or commission available. Subject to obtaining the best net results, dealers who provide supplemental investment research (such as quantitative and modeling information assessments and statistical data and provide other similar services) to the Adviser may receive orders for transactions by the Fund. Information so received will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Agreement and the expense of the Adviser will not necessarily be reduced as a result of the receipt of such supplemental information. Supplemental investment research obtained from such dealers may be used by the Adviser in servicing all of its accounts and such research may or may not be useful to the Adviser in connection with the Fund. In addition, as permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Adviser may pay a broker-dealer that provides brokerage and research services an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Fund in excess of the commission that another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the amount is believed by the Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the overall quality of the brokerage and research services provided. Other clients of the Adviser may indirectly benefit from the provision of these services to the Adviser, and the Fund may indirectly benefit from services provided to the Adviser as a result of transactions for other clients. In all cases, the Adviser understands its on-going obligation to seek "best execution" of its clients' transactions. The Adviser considers the range of services provided by brokers in selecting those with whom to place trades including, but not limited to, value of research, commission rate, execution capability, responsiveness, and financial responsibility. In general, the Adviser receives a limited amount of research and/ or brokerage services paid for by brokers. The Adviser has a Best Execution Committee consisting of representatives from trading, operations, portfolio management team and investment research and compliance. The Best Execution Committee meets quarterly and is responsible for overseeing the Adviser's trading activities in accordance with the firm's Best Execution and Soft Dollar Policy and Procedures. Annually, the Best Execution Committee evaluates brokerage relationships and allocates commissions. Such evaluation considers many factors in making allocation decisions including research services provided. Such allocations are reviewed and, if necessary, revised quarterly.

The Fund invests in securities traded in the over-the-counter markets, and the Fund often deals directly with dealers who make markets in the securities involved, except in those circumstances where better execution is available elsewhere. Under the 1940 Act, except as permitted by exemptive order or rule, persons affiliated with the Fund are prohibited from dealing with the Fund as principal in the purchase and sale of securities. However, affiliated persons of the Fund may serve as its brokers in certain over-the-counter transactions conducted on an agency basis.

In certain instances, the Adviser, on behalf of its clients (including the Fund), may engage in private securities transactions directly with broker-dealers instead of effecting transactions through established exchanges or markets, and may enter into price improvement rebate arrangements with such broker-dealers, all subject to the general execution principles of the Adviser's Best Execution and Soft Dollar Policy and Procedures.

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the amount of brokerage transactions directed pursuant to the Adviser's internal allocation procedure and the related commissions were as follows:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Broker** | **Amount of**<br> **Directed Brokerage Transactions** | **Related**<br> **Commissions** |
| Bank of America | $25976688.83 | $5256.18 |
| Berenberg | $17552259.85 | $13769.19 |
| Block Cross | $1834696.77 | $91.03 |
| CLSA | $62277561.26 | $12206.32 |
| Exane/BNP | $5962430.87 | $4737.00 |
| Goldman Sachs | $2794099.05 | $894.38 |
| Jefferies | $87577887.91 | $17297.16 |
| JPM | $51192098.46 | $5431.77 |
| Liquidnet | $42709132.57 | $11686.81 |
| Luminex | $1456321.56 | $103.16 |
| Morgan Stanley | $8757585.77 | $1913.63 |
| Piper Jaffray | $13805001.85 | $403.90 |
| RW Baird | $8117906.77 | $1429.81 |
| Sanford Bernstein | $32022728.52 | $3280.34 |
| UBS | $1618657.85 | $103.54 |
| Virtu | $20014168.44 | $3895.64 |
| William Blair | $16275571.25 | $2668.55 |

---

Securities held by the Fund may also be held by, or be appropriate investments for, other funds or investment advisory clients for which the Adviser or its affiliates act as an adviser. Because of different investment objectives or other factors, a particular security may be bought for an advisory client when other clients are selling the same security. If purchases or sales of securities by the Adviser for the Fund or other funds for which it acts as investment adviser or for other advisory clients arise for consideration at or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as are feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed by the Adviser to be on a fair and equitable basis. Transactions effected by the Adviser (or its affiliates) on behalf of more than one of its clients during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, causing an adverse effect on price.

The table below sets forth the brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023 April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Fund | $85206 | $47732 | $51355 |

---

Neither the Fund nor the Adviser has an agreement or understanding with a broker-dealer, or other arrangements to direct the Fund's brokerage transactions to a broker-dealer because of the research services such broker provides to the Fund or the Adviser. While the Adviser does not have arrangements with any broker-dealers to direct such brokerage transactions to them because of research services provided, the Adviser may receive research services from such broker-dealers. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Adviser directed all of its brokerage transactions in the amount of $399,944,797.58 to 17 broker-dealers and paid related commissions of $85,168.41 to such broker-dealers, respectively.

For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023 April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025, the Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to the Adviser or to an affiliate of the Fund or the Adviser.

The Fund may at times invest in securities of its regular broker-dealers or a parent of its regular broker-dealers. As of April 30, 2025, the Fund acquired no securities of its regular broker dealers, or a parent of its regular broker-dealers.

**ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES**

The additional compensation to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus may be calculated based on factors determined by the Adviser and its affiliates from time to time, including: the value of the Fund's shares sold to, or held by, a financial intermediary's customers; gross sales of the Fund's shares by a financial intermediary; or a negotiated lump sum payment.

In addition to the additional cash payments to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus, subject to applicable FINRA rules and regulations, the Adviser and its affiliates may provide compensation to financial intermediaries that may enable the Adviser and its affiliates to sponsor or participate in educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions involving the sales representatives and other employees of financial intermediaries in order to promote the sale of the Fund's shares. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses, meals, lodging and entertainment of financial intermediaries and their sales representatives and other employees in connection with such educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions. These payments may vary with each such event.

**DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES AND RULE 12B-1 PLAN**

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101, serves as a principal underwriter of the Fund's shares pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement with the Trust. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriter continuously distributes shares of the Fund on a best efforts basis. The Underwriter has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of shares of the Fund. The Underwriter and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Fund.

To the extent that the Underwriter receives fees under the Fund's Plan of Distribution adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "12b-1 Plan"), the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of marketing or sales services with respect to the Investor Class shares as may be required pursuant to such plan.

Moreover, to the extent that the Underwriter receives shareholder service fees under any shareholder services plan adopted by the Fund, the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of personal or account maintenance services with respect to the relevant shareholders of the Fund as may be required pursuant to such plan. The Underwriter receives no underwriting commissions or Rule 12b-1 fees in connection with the sale of the Fund's Institutional Class shares. The Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of Independent Trustees, have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Trust, the Fund and the shareholders of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

The Underwriter will furnish or enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions for distribution of shares of the Fund. With respect to certain financial institutions and related fund "supermarket" platform arrangements, the Fund and/or the Adviser, rather than the Underwriter, typically will furnish or enter into such agreements. These financial institutions may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from the Adviser and/or the Fund. These financial institutions may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Fund.

The Underwriter received the following aggregate commissions on sales of Investor Class shares of the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023 April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Investor Class** | $0 | $0 | $0 |

---

The Underwriter received the following concessions on sales of Investor Class shares of the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023 April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Investor Class** | $0 | $0 | $0 |

---

The Underwriting Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods provided such continuance is approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Underwriter, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the agreement, will not be liable to the Fund or its shareholders for losses arising in connection with the sale of Fund shares.

The Underwriting Agreement terminates automatically in the event of an assignment. The Underwriting Agreement is also terminable without payment of any penalty with respect to the Fund (i) by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Trust or the Fund and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan of the Fund or any agreements related to the 12b-1 Plan or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on sixty (60) days written notice to the Underwriter; or (ii) by the Underwriter on sixty (60) days written notice to the Fund. The Underwriter will be compensated for distribution services according to the 12b-1 Plan regardless of the Underwriter's expenses. The Underwriter uses the entire 12b-1 for distribution expenses and does not retain any amounts for profit. The Underwriter does not receive compensation from the Fund for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a 12b-1 Plan is effective. The Adviser pays the Underwriter a fee for certain distribution-related services.

The 12b-1 Plan provides that the Underwriter will be paid for distribution activities such as public relations services, telephone services, sales presentations, media charges, preparation, printing and mailing advertising and sales literature, data processing necessary to support a distribution effort and printing and mailing of prospectuses to prospective shareholders. Additionally, the Underwriter may pay certain financial institutions such as banks or broker-dealers who have entered into servicing agreements with the Underwriter and other financial institutions for distribution and shareholder servicing activities.

The 12b-1 Plan further provides that payment shall be made for any month only to the extent that such payment does not exceed 0.25% on an annualized basis of the Fund's Investor Class Shares average net assets, except with respect to limitations set from time to time by the Board of Trustees.

Under the 12b-1 Plan, if any payments made by the Adviser out of its advisory fee, not to exceed the amount of that fee, to any third parties (including banks), including payments for shareholder servicing and transfer agent functions, were deemed to be indirect financing by the Fund of the distribution of its Investor Class shares, such payments are authorized. The Fund may execute portfolio transactions with and purchase securities issued by depository institutions that receive payments under the 12b-1 Plan. No preference for instruments issued by such depository institutions is shown in the selection of investments.

The following table sets forth the distribution fees received by the Underwriter for the Investor Class shares for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023 April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Rule 12b-1 <br> Distribution Fees** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Investor Class** | $52699 | $55273 | $55962 |

---

During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Underwriter incurred the following expenses in connection with distribution under the 12b-1 Plan:

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Advertising** | **Printing and<br> Mailing of<br> Prospectuses to<br> other Than<br> Current<br> Shareholders** | **Compensation to<br> Underwriters** | **Compensation<br> to Broker-<br> Dealers** | **Compensation to<br> Sales Personnel** | **Interest,<br> Carrying or<br> other Financing<br> Charges** |
| **Investor Class** | $0 | $0 | $0 | $52095 | $0 | $0 |

---

**CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES**

The Trust issues and offers separate classes of shares of the Fund: Investor Class and Institutional Class shares. The shares of the Fund, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Prospectus, will be fully paid and non-assessable shares, with equal voting rights and no preferences as to conversion, exchange, dividends, redemption or any other feature.

The separate classes of shares of the Fund represent interests in the same portfolio of investments, have the same rights and are identical in all respects, except that Investor Class shares bear Rule 12b-1 distribution expenses and have exclusive voting rights with respect to the 12b-1 Plan pursuant to which the distribution fee may be paid.

The net income attributable to a class of shares and the dividends payable on such shares will be reduced by the amount of any applicable shareholder service or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees. Accordingly, the NAV of the Investor Class shares will be reduced by such amount to the extent the Fund has undistributed net income.

Shares of the Fund entitle holders to one vote per share and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, do not have preemptive or subscription rights and are transferable. Each class takes separate votes on matters affecting only that class.

The Fund does not hold an annual meeting of shareholders. The Trustees are required to call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any Trustee when requested in writing to do so by the shareholders of record owning not less than 10% of the Fund's outstanding shares.

**PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES**

**PURCHASE OF SHARES.** Information regarding the purchase of shares is discussed in the "Purchase of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES.** Information regarding the redemption of shares is discussed in the "Redemption of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**PRICING OF SHARES.** For the Fund, the NAV per share of the Fund is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets by the total number of the Fund's shares outstanding. This determination is made by The Bank of New York Mellon, as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) each day the Fund is open for business. The Fund is open for business on days when the Exchange is open for business.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Certain fixed income securities may be valued based upon appraisals received from a pricing service using a computerized matrix system or based upon appraisals derived from information concerning the security or similar securities received from a recognized dealer or dealers in those securities. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used to value fixed income securities with 60 days or less remaining until maturity, so long as such amortized cost method approximates fair value. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**DIVIDENDS**

The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income, if any. Dividends from the Fund's net investment income are declared and paid annually to the shareholders. Distributions, if any, of net short-term capital gain and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over the short-term capital loss) realized by the Fund, after deducting any available capital loss carryovers are declared and paid to its shareholders annually.

The Fund's dividends and distributions are taxable to shareholders (other than retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors) whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. A dividend or distribution paid by the Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend distribution. A dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares by an investor would, therefore, represent, in substance, a return of capital to the shareholder with respect to such shares even though it would be subject to federal income tax. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

A statement will be sent to you after the end of each year detailing the tax status of your distributions. Please see "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by the Fund.

**CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS**

The following discussion summarizes certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders. This discussion is for general information only and does not purport to consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that might be relevant to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund. The summary discussion that follows may not be considered to be individual tax advice and may not be relied upon by any shareholder. The summary is based upon provisions of the IRC, applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations (whether temporary, proposed or final) promulgated thereunder (the "Regulations"), and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, as are in effect as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, which change could be retroactive and may affect the conclusions expressed herein. The summary applies only to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund in whose hands such shares are capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the IRC, and may not apply to certain types of beneficial owners of shares of the Fund, including, but not limited to insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, shareholders holding the Fund's shares through tax-advantaged accounts (such as an individual retirement account (an "IRA"), a 401(k) plan account, or other qualified retirement account), financial institutions, pass-through entities, broker-dealers, entities that are not organized under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, persons who are neither a citizen nor resident of the United States, shareholders holding the Fund's shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction and shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax. Persons who may be subject to tax in more than one country should consult the provisions of any applicable tax treaty to determine the potential tax consequences to them.

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the Fund's common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of such partnership. A partner of a partnership holding the Fund's common stock should consult its own tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the partner of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Fund's common stock by the partnership.

The summary assumes that shareholders will hold the Fund's common stock as capital assets, which generally means as property held for investment. This discussion addresses only the U.S. income tax consequences of an investment by U.S. shareholders, and, therefore, does not address U.S. estate and gift tax rules, U.S. state or local taxation, the alternative minimum tax, excise taxes, transfer taxes or foreign taxes.

For purposes of the following discussion, "U.S. shareholder" is a shareholder that is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) created or organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if (a) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust's administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) it has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. A "Non-U.S. shareholder" is a person that is neither a U.S. shareholder nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") as to the federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. In addition, the following discussion applicable to shareholders of the Fund addresses only some of the federal income tax considerations generally affecting investments in the Fund.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of the ownership, purchase and disposition of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**GENERAL**. The Fund has elected, and intends to continue to qualify each year for, taxation as a RIC under Subchapter M of the IRC. By qualifying as a RIC, the Fund (but not the shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders.

Shareholders should be aware that investments made by the Fund, some of which are described below, may involve complex tax rules some of which may result in income or gain recognition by a shareholder without the concurrent receipt of cash. Although the Fund seeks to avoid significant noncash income, such noncash income could be recognized by the Fund, in which case it may distribute cash derived from other sources in order to meet the minimum distribution requirements described below. Cash to make the required minimum distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by its governing documents and other regulatory restrictions, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed.

**QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY.** Qualification as a RIC under the IRC requires, among other things, that the Fund: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income from certain qualified publicly traded partnerships (together with (i), the "Qualifying Income Requirement"), and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the value of its assets is comprised of cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with those other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers controlled by it and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (together with (i) the "Diversification Requirement").

The Treasury Department is authorized to promulgate regulations under which gains from foreign currencies (and options, futures, and forward contracts on foreign currency) would not constitute qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement only if such gains are not directly related to the principal business of the Fund in investing in stock or securities or options and futures with respect to stock or securities. To date, no such regulations have been issued.

As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders in any taxable year for which it distributes, in compliance with the IRC's timing and other requirements the sum of (i) at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount income, market discount income, income from securities lending, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, certain net realized foreign currency exchange gains, and any other taxable income other than "net capital gain" as defined below and is reduced by deductible expenses all determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid); and (ii) 90% of its tax-exempt interest, if any, net of certain expenses allocable thereto ("net tax-exempt interest"). The Fund may retain for investment all or a portion of its "net capital gain" (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). If the Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who will be (i) required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of tax paid by the Fund against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of the shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder's gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by the Fund on that amount of capital gain.

The qualifying income and asset requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC, as described above, may limit the extent to which it will be able to engage in derivative transactions. Rules governing the federal income tax aspects of derivatives, including swap agreements, are not entirely clear in certain respects, particularly in light of two IRS revenue rulings issued in 2006. Revenue Ruling 2006-1 held that income from a derivative contract with respect to a commodity index is not qualifying income for a RIC. Subsequently, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2006-31 in which it stated that the holding in Revenue Ruling 2006-1 "was not intended to preclude a conclusion that the income from certain instruments (such as certain structured notes) that create a commodity exposure for the holder is qualifying income." In 2016, the IRS issued a notice and stated they would not address what constitutes a "security" for purposes of Qualifying Income. In addition, the IRS requested comments as to whether the 2006 Revenue Rulings should be withdrawn. In 2019, the IRS concluded that it would not withdraw the 2006 revenue rulings at that time. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in commodity related derivative transactions and other derivative transactions may be limited by the Qualifying Income Requirement. The Fund will account for any investments in commodity derivative transactions in a manner it deems to be appropriate; the IRS, however, might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized.

For purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, all of the net income of a RIC derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (generally, defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (i) of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above) will be treated as qualifying income. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the IRC do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. The transferee of a partnership interest generally is required to withhold 10% of the amount realized on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest after December 31, 2017 if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person.

For purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership.

If the Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures to satisfy the Diversification Requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, the Fund will fail to qualify as a RIC and will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation subject to tax on a flat tax rate of 21% and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) to its shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders, and a maximum long-term capital gains rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for a period of greater than two taxable years, the Fund generally would be required to recognize any built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a sale of such assets within ten years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

**EXCISE TAX.** If the Fund fails to distribute by December 31 of each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its taxable ordinary income (excluding capital gains and losses) for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (as adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the twelve month period ending on October 31 of such year), and (3) all taxable ordinary income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for the prior year that were not distributed during such year and on which it did not pay federal income tax, the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax (the "Excise Tax") on the undistributed amounts. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November, or December of that year to shareholders of record on a date in such month and paid by it during January of the following year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders (other than those not subject to federal income tax) in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. The Fund intends to actually distribute or be deemed to have distributed substantially all of its net income and gain, if any, by the end of each calendar year in compliance with these requirements so that it will generally not be required to pay the Excise Tax. The Fund may, in certain circumstances, be required to liquidate its investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid Excise Tax liability at a time when its Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so. Liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Fund to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC.

**CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS.** The Fund is permitted to carry forward a net capital loss from any year to offset its capital gains, if any, realized indefinitely in the year following the year of the loss. The excess of the Fund's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gain is treated as short-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year and the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gain is treated as long-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year. If future capital gains are offset by carried forward capital losses, such future capital gains are not subject to Fund-level federal income taxation, regardless of whether they are distributed to shareholders. Accordingly, the Fund does not expect to distribute any such offsetting capital gains. The Fund cannot carry back or carry forward any net operating losses.

**MLPs.** The Fund may invest in master limited partnerships which may be treated as qualified publicly traded partnerships. Income from qualified publicly traded partnerships is qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement, but the Fund's investment in one or more of such qualified publicly traded partnerships is limited to no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets and must otherwise satisfy the Diversification Requirement. In addition, a 10% withholding tax is imposed on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest for transfers if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person or another exception applies.

**ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT AND MARKET DISCOUNT.** The Fund may acquire debt securities that are treated as having original issue discount ("OID") (generally a debt obligation with a purchase price less than its principal amount, such as a zero coupon bond). Generally, the Fund will be required to include the OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though it will not receive cash payments for such OID until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having OID which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income. Inflation-protected bonds generally can be expected to produce OID income as their principal amounts are adjusted upward for inflation. A portion of the OID includible in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities may be treated as a dividend for federal income tax purposes if the securities are characterized as equity for federal income tax purposes.

A debt security acquired in the secondary market by the Fund may be treated as having market discount if acquired at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Market discount generally is accrued ratably, on a daily basis, over the period from the date of acquisition to the date of maturity even though no cash will be received. Absent an election by the Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on its disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.

The Fund may be required to include in income certain fees that are treated as OID and required to be included in income for financial statement purposes when received (rather than when accrued into income).

In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund receives no interest payments in cash on such securities during the year.

The Fund generally will be required to make distributions to shareholders representing the income accruing on the debt securities described above, that is currently includable in income, even though cash representing such income may not have been received by the Fund. Cash to pay these distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by the Fund's governing documents, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions.

**OPTIONS, FUTURES AND FORWARD CONTRACTS.** The writing (selling) and purchasing of options and futures contracts and entering into forward currency contracts, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes the amount, character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses the Fund realizes in connection with such transactions.

Gains and losses on the sale, lapse, or other termination of options and futures contracts, options thereon and certain forward contracts (except certain foreign currency options, forward contracts and futures contracts) will generally be treated as capital gains and losses. Some regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts, and certain non-equity options (such as certain listed options or options on broad-based securities indexes) held by the Fund ("Section 1256 contracts"), other than contracts on which it has made a "mixed-straddle election," will be required to be "marked-to-market" for federal income tax purposes, that is, treated as having been sold at their market value on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. These provisions may require the Fund to recognize income or gains without a concurrent receipt of cash. Any gain or loss recognized on actual or deemed sales of Section 1256 contracts will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary income or loss as described below. Transactions that qualify as designated hedges are exempt from the mark-to-market rule, but may require the Fund to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and certain options to the extent of any unrecognized gains on related positions held by it.

The tax provisions described above applicable to options, futures and forward contracts may affect the amount, timing, and character of the Fund's distributions to its shareholders. For example, the Section 1256 rules described above may operate to increase the amount the Fund must distribute to satisfy the minimum distribution requirement for the portion treated as short-term capital gain which will be taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income, and to increase the net capital gain it recognizes, without, in either case, increasing the cash available to it. The Fund may elect to exclude certain transactions from the operation of Section 1256, although doing so may have the effect of increasing the relative proportion of net short-term capital gain (taxable as ordinary income) and, thus, increasing the amount of dividends it must distribute. Section 1256 contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of the Excise Tax.

When a covered call or put option written (sold) by the Fund expires the Fund will realize a short-term capital gain equal to the amount of the premium it received for writing the option. When the Fund terminates its obligations under such an option by entering into a closing transaction, it will realize a short-term capital gain (or loss), depending on whether the cost of the closing transaction is less than (or exceeds) the premium received when it wrote the option. When a covered call option written by the Fund is exercised, the Fund will be treated as having sold the underlying security, producing long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon the holding period of the underlying security and whether the sum of the option price received upon the exercise plus the premium received when it wrote the option is more or less than the basis of the underlying security.

**STRADDLES.** Section 1092 deals with the taxation of straddles which also may affect the taxation of options in which the Fund may invest. Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as options, futures and forward currency contracts, may be considered, for federal income tax purposes, to constitute "straddles." Straddles are defined to include offsetting positions in actively traded personal property. In certain circumstances, the rules governing straddles override or modify the provisions of Section 1256, described above. If the Fund is treated as entering into a straddle and at least one (but not all) of its positions in derivative contracts comprising a part of such straddle is governed by Section 1256, then such straddle could be characterized as a "mixed straddle." The Fund may make one or more elections with respect to mixed straddles. Depending on which election is made, if any, the results with respect to the Fund may differ. Generally, to the extent the straddle rules apply to positions established by the Fund, losses realized by it may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in any offsetting positions. Moreover, as a result of the straddle rules, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be characterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be characterized as short-term capital gain. In addition, the existence of a straddle may affect the holding period of the offsetting positions and cause such sales to be subject to the "wash sale" and "short sale" rules. As a result, the straddle rules could cause distributions that would otherwise constitute "qualified dividend income" to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements, described below, and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income. Further, the Fund may be required to capitalize, rather than deduct currently, any interest expense and carrying charges applicable to a position that is part of a straddle. Because the application of the straddle rules may affect the character and timing of gains and losses from affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to the situation where the Fund had not engaged in such transactions.

In circumstances where the Fund has invested in certain pass-through entities, the amount of long-term capital gain that it may recognize from certain derivative transactions with respect to interests in such pass-through entities is limited under the IRC's constructive ownership rules. The amount of long-term capital gain is limited to the amount of such gain the Fund would have had if it directly invested in the pass-through entity during the term of the derivative contract. Any gain in excess of this amount is treated as ordinary income. An interest charge is imposed on the amount of gain that is treated as ordinary income.

**SWAPS AND DERIVATIVES.** As a result of entering into swap or derivative agreements, the Fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The Fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap or derivative is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap, derivative or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap or derivative will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund has been a party to a swap or derivative for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps or derivatives, the Fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or derivatives or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps or derivatives to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss. The Fund's transactions in swaps or other derivatives may be subject to one or more special tax rules (e.g., notional principal contracts, straddles, constructive sales, wash sales and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains or losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and/or character of distributions to shareholders.

Rules governing the tax aspects of swap or derivative agreements are not entirely clear in certain respects, in particular whether income generated is Qualifying Income. Accordingly, while the Fund intends to account for such transactions in a manner it deems appropriate, the IRS might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be adversely affected. The Fund intends to monitor developments in this area. Certain requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC may limit the extent to which the Fund will be able to engage in swap agreements and certain derivatives.

**CONSTRUCTIVE SALES.** Certain rules may affect the timing and character of gain if the Fund engages in transactions that reduce or eliminate its risk of loss with respect to appreciated financial positions. If the Fund enters into certain transactions (including a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract, a futures or forward contract, or other transactions identified in Treasury regulations) in property while holding an appreciated financial position in substantially identical property, it will be treated as if it had sold and immediately repurchased the appreciated financial position and will be taxed on any gain (but not loss) from the constructive sale. The character of gain from a constructive sale will depend upon the Fund's holding period in the appreciated financial position. Loss from a constructive sale would be recognized when the position was subsequently disposed of, and its character would depend on the Fund's holding period and the application of various loss deferral provisions of the IRC.

In addition, if the appreciated financial position is itself a short sale or other such contract, acquisition of the underlying property or substantially identical property by the Fund will be deemed a constructive sale. The foregoing will not apply, however, to the Fund's transaction during any taxable year that otherwise would be treated as a constructive sale if the transaction is closed within 30 days after the end of that year and the Fund holds the appreciated financial position unhedged for 60 days after that closing (i.e., at no time during that 60-day period is the Fund's risk of loss regarding the position reduced by reason of certain specified transactions with respect to substantially identical or related property, such as having an option to sell, being contractually obligated to sell, making a short sale or granting an option to buy substantially identical stock or securities).

**WASH SALES.** The Fund may be impacted in certain circumstances by special rules relating to "wash sales." In general, the wash sale rules prevent the recognition of a loss by the Fund from the disposition of stock or securities at a loss in a case in which identical or substantially identical stock or securities (or an option to acquire such property) is or has been acquired by it within 30 days before or 30 days after the sale.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities. Short sales may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by the Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to its shareholders. Short sales also may be subject to the "Constructive Sales" rules, discussed above.

**PASSIVE FOREIGN INVESTMENT COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in a non-U.S. corporation, which could be treated as a passive foreign investment company (a "PFIC") or become a PFIC under the IRC. A PFIC is generally defined as a foreign corporation that meets either of the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income for its taxable year is income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties, or capital gains); or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, such passive income. If the Fund acquires any equity interest in a PFIC, the Fund could be subject to federal income tax and interest charges on "excess distributions" received with respect to such PFIC stock or on any gain from the sale of such PFIC stock (collectively "PFIC income"), plus interest thereon even if the Fund distributes the PFIC income as a taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in the Fund's investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. The Fund's distributions of PFIC income, if any, will be taxable as ordinary income even though, absent the application of the PFIC rules, some portion of the distributions may have been classified as capital gain.

The Fund will not be permitted to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for taxes and interest charges incurred with respect to a PFIC. Payment of this tax would therefore reduce the Fund's economic return from its investment in PFIC shares. To the extent the Fund invests in a PFIC, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" ("QEF"), then instead of the tax and interest obligation described above on excess distributions, the Fund would be required to include in income each taxable year its pro rata share of the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain. As a result of a QEF election, the Fund would likely have to distribute to its shareholders an amount equal to the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain to satisfy the IRC's minimum distribution requirement described herein and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax even if the QEF did not distribute those earnings and gain to the Fund. In most instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain requirements in making the election.

The Fund may elect to "mark-to-market" its stock in any PFIC. "Marking-to-market," in this context, means including in ordinary income each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock over the Fund's adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, the Fund also may deduct (as an ordinary, not capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in the PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock it included in income for prior taxable years under the election. The Fund's adjusted basis in its PFIC stock subject to the election would be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken thereunder. In either case, the Fund may be required to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS.** Foreign currency gains and losses realized by the Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt instruments, certain options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments relating to foreign currency, foreign currencies, and foreign currency-denominated payables and receivables are subject to Section 988 of the IRC, which causes such gains and losses to be treated as ordinary income or loss and may affect the amount and timing of recognition of the Fund's income. In some cases elections may be available that would alter this treatment, but such elections could be detrimental to the Fund by creating current recognition of income without the concurrent recognition of cash. If a foreign currency loss treated as an ordinary loss under Section 988 were to exceed the Fund's investment company taxable income (computed without regard to such loss) for a taxable year the resulting loss would not be deductible by it or its shareholders in future years. The foreign currency income or loss will also increase or decrease the Fund's investment company income distributable to its shareholders.

**FOREIGN TAXATION.** Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the Fund's total assets at the close of any taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations and it meets the distribution requirements described above, the Fund may file an election (the "pass-through election") with the IRS pursuant to which shareholders of the Fund would be required to (i) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) their pro rata shares of foreign income taxes paid by the Fund even though not actually received by such shareholders; and (ii) treat such respective pro rata portions as foreign income taxes paid by them. The Fund will furnish its shareholders with a written statement providing the amount of foreign taxes paid by the Fund that will "pass-through" for the year, if any.

Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder's U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of the Fund's income will flow through to the Fund's shareholders. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. Shareholders may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Various limitations, including a minimum holding period requirement, apply to limit the credit and deduction for foreign taxes for purposes of regular federal tax and alternative minimum tax. In addition, a shareholder of the Fund may lose the ability to use foreign tax credits passed through by the Fund if the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement.

**REITS.** The Fund may invest in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require the Fund to accrue and distribute taxable income without the concurrent receipt of cash. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. The Fund's investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in its receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

The Fund may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs") or taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs"), or such REITs may themselves constitute TMPs. Under an IRS notice, and Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of the Fund's income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT's residual interest in a REMIC or a TMP (referred to in the IRC as an "excess inclusion") will be subject to federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a RIC, such as the Fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or invested in the TMP directly. As a result, the Fund may not be a suitable investment for certain tax-exempt shareholders, including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan and other tax-exempt entities. See "Tax-Exempt Shareholders."

Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that the Fund properly reports as "section 199A dividends," as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. Non-corporate shareholders are permitted a federal income tax deduction equal to 20% of qualified REIT dividends received by them, subject to certain limitations. Generally, a "section 199A dividend" is any dividend or portion thereof that is attributable to certain dividends received by a RIC from the REITs it holds, to the extent such dividends are properly reported as such by the RIC in a written notice to its shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.

**DISTRIBUTIONS.** Distributions paid out of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined at the end of the year), whether reinvested in additional shares or paid in cash, are generally taxable and must be reported by each shareholder who is required to file a federal income tax return except in the case of certain tax-exempt shareholders. Distributions in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, as computed for federal income tax purposes, will first be treated as a return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares and then as capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as a capital asset. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder's tax basis in the shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by a shareholder of the Fund's shares. Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or receive them in additional shares.

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment company taxable income are generally taxable as ordinary income, and distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions designated by the Fund as "capital gain dividends" (distributions from the excess of net long-term capital gain over short-term capital losses) will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time they have held their shares of the Fund. Such dividends do not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction described below.

Non-corporate shareholders of the Fund may be eligible for the long-term capital gain tax rate applicable to distributions of "qualified dividend income" received by such non-corporate shareholders. The maximum long-term capital gains tax rate is 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). The Fund's distribution will be treated as qualified dividend income and therefore eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rate to the extent that it receives dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding periods and other requirements are met. A corporate shareholder of the Fund may be eligible for the dividends received deduction with respect to the Fund's distributions attributable to dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations, which, if received directly by the corporate shareholder, would qualify for such a deduction. For eligible corporate shareholders, the dividends received deduction may be subject to certain reductions, and a distribution by the Fund attributable to dividends of a domestic corporation will be eligible for the deduction only if certain holding period and other requirements are met. If the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement, dividends paid while the shares are held by the borrower may not be qualified dividend income and may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax applies to net investment income including interest (excluding, tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.

The Fund will furnish a statement to shareholders providing the federal income tax status of its dividends and distributions including the portion of such dividends, if any, that qualifies as long-term capital gain.

Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement distributions and certain prohibited transactions, is accorded to accounts maintained as qualified retirement plans. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers for more information.**

**PURCHASES OF FUND SHARES.** Prior to purchasing shares in the Fund, the impact of dividends or distributions which are expected to be or have been declared, but not paid, should be carefully considered. Any dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of such shares of the Fund prior to the record date will have the effect of reducing the per share net asset value by the per share amount of the dividend or distribution, and to the extent the distribution consists of the Fund's taxable income, the purchasing shareholder will be taxed on the taxable portion of the dividend or distribution received even though some or all of the amount distributed is effectively a return of capital. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

**SALES, EXCHANGES OR REDEMPTIONS.** Upon the disposition of shares of the Fund (whether by redemption, sale or exchange), a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the shares. The capital gain will be long-term if the shares were held for more than 12 months and short-term if held for 12 months or less. If a shareholder sells or exchanges shares of the Fund within 90 days of having acquired such shares and if, before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the sale or exchange, as a result of having initially

acquired those shares, the shareholder subsequently pays a reduced sales charge on a new purchase of shares of the Fund, the sales charge previously incurred in acquiring the Fund's shares generally shall not be taken into account (to the extent the previous sales charges do not exceed the reduction in sales charges on the new purchase) for the purpose of determining the amount of gain or loss on the disposition, but generally will be treated as having been incurred in the new purchase. Any loss realized on a disposition will be disallowed under the "wash sale" rules to the extent that the shares disposed of by the shareholder are replaced by the shareholder within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends received by the shareholder with respect to such shares. Capital losses are generally deductible only against capital gains except that individuals may deduct up to $3,000 of capital losses against ordinary income.

The 3.8% Medicare contribution tax (applied as described above) will apply to gains from the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund.

**BACKUP WITHHOLDING.** The Fund generally is required to withhold, and remit to the U.S. Treasury, subject to certain exemptions, an amount equal to 24% of all distributions and redemption proceeds paid or credited to a shareholder of the Fund if (i) the shareholder fails to furnish the Fund with the correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") certified under penalties of perjury, (ii) the shareholder fails to provide a certified statement that the shareholder is not subject to "backup withholding," or (iii) the IRS or a broker has notified the Fund that the number furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report interest or dividend income. If the backup withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions or proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.

**STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.** State and local laws often differ from federal income tax laws with respect to the treatment of specific items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit. This summary discussion does not address the state and local income taxes applicable to a shareholder.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the state and local tax rules affecting investments in the Fund.**

**NON-U.S. SHAREHOLDERS.** Distributions made to non-U.S. shareholders attributable to net investment income generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding at a 30% rate (or such lower rate provided under an applicable income tax treaty). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution described above is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States), federal income tax withholding and exemptions attributable to foreign persons will not apply. Instead, the distribution will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable U.S. tax rate (currently 37% in the case of individuals and 21% in the case of corporations) and the non-U.S. shareholders will be subject to the federal income tax reporting requirements generally applicable to U.S. persons described above.

Under U.S. federal tax law, a non-U.S. shareholder is not, in general, subject to federal income tax or withholding tax on capital gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of the Fund, or on capital gains dividends, provided that the Fund obtains a properly completed and signed certificate of foreign status, unless (i) such gains or distributions are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States of the non-U.S. shareholder); (ii) in the case of an individual non-U.S. shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the shares of the Fund constitute U.S. real property interests ("USRPIs"), as described below.

Under current law, if the Fund is considered to be a "United States Real Property Holding Corporation" (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), then the distributions attributable to certain underlying REIT investments and redemption proceeds paid to a non-U.S. shareholder that owns at least 5% of the Fund, generally will cause the non-U.S. shareholder to treat such gain or distribution as income effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States, subject such gain or distribution to withholding tax, and cause the non-U.S. shareholder to be required to file a federal income tax return. In addition, in any year where at least 50% of the Fund's assets are USRPIs (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), distributions of the Fund that are attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of shares in USRPIs may be subject to U.S. withholding tax (regardless of such shareholder's percentage interest in the Fund) and may require the non-U.S. shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to receive a refund (if any) of the withheld amount.

Subject to the additional rules described herein, federal income tax withholding will apply to distributions attributable to dividends and other investment income distributed by the Fund. The federal income tax withholding rate may be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. shareholder's country of residence or incorporation. In order to qualify for treaty benefits, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign status (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN). **All non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

Pursuant to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"), a 30% withholding tax generally is imposed on payments of interest and dividends to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless the foreign financial institution or foreign entity provides the withholding agent with documentation sufficient to show that it is compliant with FATCA (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). If the payment is subject to the 30% withholding tax under FATCA, a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to the 30% withholding tax described above on the same income. Under proposed regulations, FATCA withholding on the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gain distributions, scheduled to take effect beginning January 1, 2019, has been eliminated. Such proposed regulations are subject to change.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of this reporting and withholding regime to their own tax situation.**

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**FOREIGN BANK AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS AND FOREIGN FINANCIAL ASSETS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.** A shareholder that owns directly or indirectly more than 50% by vote or value of the Fund, is urged and advised to consult its own tax adviser regarding its filing obligations with respect to IRS Form FinCEN 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

Also, under enacted rules, subject to exceptions, individuals (and, to the extent provided in forthcoming future U.S. Treasury regulations, certain domestic entities) must report annually their interests in "specified foreign financial assets" on their U.S. federal income tax returns. It is currently unclear whether and under what circumstances shareholders would be required to report their indirect interests in the Fund's "specified foreign financial assets" (if any) under these new rules.

Shareholders may be subject to substantial penalties for failure to comply with these reporting requirements. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether these reporting requirements are applicable to them.**

**TAX-EXEMPT SHAREHOLDERS.** A tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") by virtue of its investment in the Fund as a result of the Fund's investments and if shares in the Fund constitute debt financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).

It is possible that a tax-exempt shareholder of the Fund will also recognize UBTI if the Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" (as described above) derived from direct or indirect investments in REMIC residual interests or TMPs. Furthermore, any investment in a residual interest of a CMO that has elected to be treated as a REMIC can create complex tax consequences, especially if the Fund has state or local governments or other tax-exempt organizations as shareholders.

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or in TMPs.

**Tax-exempt shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**TAX SHELTER REPORTING REGULATIONS.** Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

**TAX BASIS INFORMATION.** For shares of the Fund that are redeemed, your financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) will report gains and losses realized on redemptions of shares for shareholders who are individuals and S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This information will also be reported to a shareholder on Form 1099-B and the IRS each year. In calculating the gain or loss on redemptions of shares, the average cost method will be used to determine the cost basis of the Fund's shares purchased after January 1, 2012 unless the shareholder instructs the Fund in writing that the shareholder wants to use another available method for cost basis reporting (for example, First In, First Out (FIFO), Last In, First Out (LIFO), Specific Lot Identification (SLID) or High Cost, First Out (HCFO)). If the shareholder designated SLID as the shareholder's tax cost basis method, the shareholder will also need to designate a secondary cost basis method (Secondary Method). If a Secondary Method is not provided, the Fund will designate FIFO as the Secondary Method and will use the Secondary Method with respect to systematic withdrawals that are made.

A shareholder's financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) is also required to report gains and losses to the IRS in connection with redemptions of shares by S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012. If a shareholder is a corporation and has not instructed the Fund that it is a C corporation in its Account Application or by written instruction, the Fund will treat the shareholder as an S corporation and file a Form 1099-B.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**This summary is provided for general information only and should not be considered tax advice or relied on by an investor.**

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**

The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Fund's financial statements, included in [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm), for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025 (the "Annual Report") are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The 2025 financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report thereon is also incorporated herein by reference. No other parts of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, are incorporated by reference herein. Copies of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Trust at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 or calling the Trust at (888) 678-6024 or on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/global-growth-fund*.

**APPENDIX A**

**DESCRIPTION OF Securities RATINGS**

**Description of Ratings**

The following descriptions of securities ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P Global Ratings"), and Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"), respectively.

**Description of Moody's Global Ratings**

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned for obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

**Description of Moody's Global Long-Term Ratings**

**Aaa** Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal risk.

**Aa** Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

**A** Obligations rated A are considered upper medium-grade and are subject to low credit risk.

**Baa** Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba** Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

**B** Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

**Caa** Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

**Ca** Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

**C** Obligations rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal and interest.

*Note*: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**Hybrid Indicator (hyb)**

The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

**Description of Moody's Global Short-Term Ratings**

**P-1** Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-2** Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-3** Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

**NP** Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's U.S. Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings**

The Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale is used to rate U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.

Moody's U.S. municipal short-term obligation ratings are as follows:

**MIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

**MIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

**MIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

**Description of Moody's Demand Obligation Ratings**

For variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), Moody's assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer's ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders ("on demand") and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer's long-term rating drops below investment grade. Please see their methodology that discusses obligations with conditional liquidity support.

For VRDOs, they typically assign a VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years, but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned, and it is denoted as "NR".

Moody's demand obligation ratings are as follows:

**VMIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Issue Credit Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings' view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P Global Ratings would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings S&P Global Ratings assigns to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings' analysis of the following considerations:

● The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

● The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P Global Ratings imputes; and

● The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

NR indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings\***

**AAA** An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

**AA** An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

**A** An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

**BBB** An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**BB; B; CCC; CC; and C** Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

**BB** An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CCC** An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CC** An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

**C** An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

\* Ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

**D** An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings**

**A-1** A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.

**A-2** A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

**A-3** A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

**C** A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**D** A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings' opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings' analysis will review the following considerations:

● Amortization schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

● Source of payment—the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P Global Ratings' municipal short-term note ratings are as follows:

**SP-1** Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

**SP-2** Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

**SP-3** Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

**D** 'D' is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

**Description of Fitch's Credit Ratings**

Fitch's credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issue level ratings are assigned and often include an expectation of recovery and may be notched above or below the issuer level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation).

Fitch's credit rating scale for issuers and issues is expressed using the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade) with an additional +/- for AA through CCC levels indicating relative differences of probability of default or recovery for issues. The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. Investment grade categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the speculative categories signal either a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

Fitch may also disclose issues relating to a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated. Such issues are also denoted as 'NR' on its web page.

Fitch's credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. Credit ratings do not deal with the risk of market value loss due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and/or other market considerations. However, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay or refinance a financial commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of payments linked to performance of an equity index).

Note: The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' ratings and ratings below the 'CCC' category. For the short-term rating category of 'F1', a '+' may be appended.

**Description of Fitch's Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Ratings**

**AAA** Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA** Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A** High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB** Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

**BB** Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

**B** Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

**CCC** Substantial credit risk. 'CCC' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present, and default is a real possibility.

**CC** Very high levels of credit risk. 'CC' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk and default of some kind appears probable.

**C** Near Default. 'C' ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk. A default or default-like process has begun, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired.

Ratings in the categories of 'CCC', 'CC' and 'C' can also relate to obligations or issuers that are in default. In this case, the rating does not opine on default risk but reflects the recovery expectation only.

Corporate Finance defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'RD' or 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'CCC' to 'C' rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

**Description of Fitch's Short-Term Ratings**

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Fitch's short-term ratings are as follows:

**F1** Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Under the agency's National Rating scale, this rating is assigned to the lowest default risk relative to others in the same country or monetary union. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a "+" is added to the assigned rating.

**F2** Good short-term credit quality. Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

**F3** Fair short-term credit quality. Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**B** Speculative short-term credit quality. Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**C** High short-term default risk. Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**RD** Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

**D** Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

**APPENDIX B**

**PROXY VOTING POLICY**

**Proxy Voting Disclosure**

Polen Capital Management, LLC and/or Polen Capital UK LLP (collectively, the "Firm" or "Polen Capital") will accept discretionary authority over a client's proxy if the Firm has discretionary authority over the client's advisory account and the advisory contract does not expressly state that the Firm will not be voting proxies or the client does not retain voting authority. The Firm currently has client accounts over which it has proxy voting authority.

The Firm exercises proxy voting to fulfill its fiduciary duty and directly influence corporate policy in a way that the Firm believes will maximize shareholder value. The investment teams are responsible for proxy voting and undertake close review and consideration of all proxy votes for governance matters and shareholder proposal issues.

The Firm utilizes a third party service provider (currently Institutional Shareholder Services or "ISS") for research and recommendations on proxy issues facilitating the processing of the Firm's ultimate selections for each proxy vote. The Firm specifically uses ISS's Sustainability Voting Guidelines currently, which we believe generally supports positive corporate ESG actions that promote practices that present new opportunities or mitigate related financial and reputational risks.

In voting proxies, the Firm currently consults ISS's Sustainability Voting Guidelines but makes an independent decision for each vote. If the Firm disagrees with ISS's recommendation, the reasons are documented internally.

Additional information about ISS and the ISS Sustainability Voting Guidelines is available at http://www.issgovernance.com/policy.

The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital has been delegated the authority for ensuring voting decisions are documented in accordance with these policies and ensuring there are processes in place to facilitate the voting of proxies in a timely manner.

Polen Capital relies on ISS to maintain proxy statements and records of proxy votes cast and can provide a client with an annual proxy voting summary upon request.

The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital maintains a list of those companies which issue publicly traded securities and with which the Firm (or its affiliates) has such a relationship that proxies presented with respect to those companies may be perceived to give rise to a conflict of interest between the Firm and its clients. Examples of such a relationship include:

● Companies affiliated with directors, or immediate family members of directors of the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm;

● Companies affiliated with officers, or immediate family members of officers of the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm; and

● Companies that maintain significant business relationships with the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm, or with which the Firm or an affiliate of the Firm is actively seeking a significant business relationship.

In addition, any proxy vote that would result in increased compensation to the Firm or an affiliate due to increased or additional fees or other charges to be paid by the client, would also be considered a vote where the Firm has a conflict of interest. The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital will determine, based on a review of the issues raised by the conflict of interest, the nature of the potential conflict and, most importantly, given the Firm's commitment to voting proxies in the best interests of client accounts, how the proxy will be handled. The Chief Compliance Officer will perform one of the following duties as a result:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Disclose the conflict to the client(s), providing sufficient information regarding the matter and the nature of the Firm's conflict, and obtaining consent before voting;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Employ ISS to advise in the voting of the proxy;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Employ ISS to vote the proxy on behalf of the Firm and its clients; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Decline to vote the proxy because of the cost of addressing the potential conflict of interest is greater than the benefit to the clients of voting the proxy.

To request a copy of how a proxy was voted please contact compliance@polencapital.com.

![](pro-poirx_001.jpg)

**POLEN INTERNATIONAL**

**GROWTH FUND**

Investor Class Institutional Class <br> POIRX POIIX

*a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

**PROSPECTUS**

September 1, 2025

**These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.**

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[Fund Summary](#pro-poirx_001)** | **1** |
| **[More Information about the Fund's Investment Objective, Strategies and Risks](#pro-poirx_002)** | **7** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Objective](#pro-poirx_003) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Information about the Fund's Investment Strategies](#pro-poirx_004) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Principal Risks](#pro-poirx_005) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Risks](#pro-poirx_006) | 10 |
| **[More Information about Management of the Fund](#pro-poirx_007)** | **12** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Adviser](#pro-poirx_008) | 12 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Portfolio Managers](#pro-poirx_009) | 12 |
| **[Shareholder Information](#pro-poirx_010)** | **13** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Pricing of Shares](#pro-poirx_011) | 13 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Purchase of Shares](#pro-poirx_012) | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Open an Account](#pro-poirx_013) | 15 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Add to an Account](#pro-poirx_014) | 16 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Redemption of Shares](#pro-poirx_015) | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Redeem from Your Account](#pro-poirx_016) | 20 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Transaction Policies](#pro-poirx_017) | 21 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchanging Into Other Share Classes](#pro-poirx_018) | 22 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchanging Into Other Polen Funds](#pro-poirx_024) | 22 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Shareholder Services](#pro-poirx_019) | 23 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributions](#pro-poirx_020) | 23 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[More Information about Taxes](#pro-poirx_021) | 23 |
| **[Financial Highlights](#pro-poirx_022)** | **26** |
| **[For More Information](#pro-poirx_023)** | **Back Cover** |

---

**FUND SUMMARY**

**POLEN INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND**

**Investment Objective**

Polen International Growth Fund ("the Fund") seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital.

**Fees and Expenses**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** |
|  | **Investor <br> Class** | **Institutional <br> Class** |
| Management Fees | 0.85% | 0.85% |
| Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Fees | 0.25% |  |
| Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| Other Expenses | 0.22% | 0.22% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses<sup>1,2</sup>** | **1.33%** | **1.08%** |

---

<sup>1</sup> "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" will not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets that will be disclosed in the Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information in the financial highlights table, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses".

<sup>2</sup> Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses (excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by FundVantage Trust (the "Trust"), interest and other costs of borrowing, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.10% (on an annual basis) with respect to the Fund's average daily net assets (the "Expense Limitation"). The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, any fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed for a three year period following the date of such fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of reimbursement. No recoupment will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation amount.

**Example**

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares of the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (reflecting any contractual fee waivers). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Investor Class | $136 | $422 | $731 | $1605 |
| Institutional Class | $110 | $344 | $597 | $1320 |

---

**Portfolio Turnover**

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 37% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Summary of Principal Investment Strategies**

The Fund typically invests in a focused portfolio of approximately 25 to 35 common stocks of large capitalization companies (market capitalizations greater than $10 billion at the time of purchase), including companies in both developed and emerging markets, that, in the Adviser's opinion, have a sustainable competitive advantage. In addition, the Fund may from time to time purchase common stock, including the common stock of medium capitalization or "mid-cap" companies (market capitalizations greater than $2 billion but less than $10 billion at the time of purchase), that do not meet this criteria if, in the Adviser's opinion, the stock represents a particularly attractive investment opportunity. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests primarily in non-U.S. equity securities. Non-U.S. equity securities are securities of companies that (i) have their principal securities trading market outside the U.S.; (ii) alone or on a consolidated basis derive 50% or more of annual revenue from goods produced, sales made or services performed outside the U.S.; (iii) are organized under the laws of, and have a principal office in, a country other than the U.S.; (iv) are depositary receipts of issuers described in (i) and (iii) above; or (v) are exchange-traded funds that invest in a country or countries other than the U.S. While the Fund will, under normal market conditions invest in at least three different countries, the Adviser anticipates that the Fund will ordinarily invest in approximately six or more countries. Consistent with its investment criteria, the Fund may invest in certain emerging market companies. Emerging market companies are companies that (i) have their principal securities trading market in an emerging country; (ii) alone or on a consolidated basis derive 50% or more of annual revenue from goods produced, sales made or services performed in emerging countries; (iii) are organized under the laws of, and have a principal office in, an emerging country, (iv) are depositary receipts of issuers described in (i) and (iii) above, or (v) are exchange-traded funds that invest in an emerging country or countries.

"Emerging countries" include those currently considered to be an emerging or developing country by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the United Nations, or the countries' authorities, and all countries represented in any widely-recognized index of emerging market securities. Typically, emerging markets are in countries that are in the process of industrialization, with lower gross national products (GNP) than more developed countries.

The Adviser uses an intensive fundamental research process to identify companies that it believes have certain attractive characteristics, which typically reflect an underlying competitive advantage. Those characteristics include: (i) consistent and sustainable high return on capital, (ii) strong earnings growth and free cash flow generation, (iii) strong balance sheets and (iv) competent and shareholder-oriented management teams. The Fund invests in companies that the Adviser believes have a sustainable competitive advantage within an industry with high barriers to entry.

The Adviser believes that consistent earnings growth is the primary driver of intrinsic value growth and long-term stock price appreciation. Accordingly, the Adviser focuses on identifying and investing in a concentrated portfolio of high-quality large capitalization growth companies that it believes has a competitive advantage and can deliver sustainable, above-average earnings growth. The Adviser integrates material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into research analysis as part of a comprehensive evaluation of a company's long-term financial sustainability. The Adviser believes that such companies not only have the potential to contribute greater returns to the Fund, but also may hold less risk of loss of capital.

The Fund is non-diversified, which means that a significant portion of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of a single or small number of companies and/or in a more limited number of sectors than a diversified mutual fund. Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, the Fund may focus its investments from time to time in one or more sectors of the economy or stock market.

The Fund will usually sell a security if, in the view of the Adviser, there is a potential threat to the company's competitive advantage or a degradation in its prospects for strong, long-term earnings growth. The Adviser may also sell a security if it is believed by the Adviser to be overvalued or if a more attractive investment opportunity exists. Although the Adviser may purchase and then sell a security in a shorter period of time, the Adviser typically invests in securities with the expectation of holding those investments on a long-term basis.

**Summary of Principal Risks**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor and the relative significance of each risk below may change over time. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value ("NAV"), yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not be a suitable investment for all investors.

**●** **Currency Risk:** Investment in foreign securities involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls.

**●** **Emerging Markets Risk:** Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Their development may be negatively impacted by less stable governments. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging securities markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets. U.S. securities and accounting regulatory agencies continue to express concern regarding information access and audit quality regarding issuers in China and other emerging market countries, which could present heightened risks associated with investments in these markets.

**●** **Equity Securities Risk:** Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition, historical and prospective earnings of the company, interest rates, investor perceptions and overall market and economic conditions. The prices of securities change in response to many factors including the value of its assets.

**●** **Foreign Securities Risk:** Foreign stocks may underperform U.S. stocks and may be more volatile than U.S. stocks. Risks relating to investments in foreign securities (including, but not limited to, depositary receipts) include: currency exchange rate fluctuation; less available public information about the issuers of securities; less stringent regulatory standards; lack of uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards; and country risks including less liquidity, high inflation rates, unfavorable economic practices; political instability and expropriation and nationalization risks. The Fund's investment in foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes, and to the extent that is the case, the Fund's return on such investments will be decreased.

**●** **Geographic Concentration Risk:** From time to time, the Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in issuers located in a limited number of countries. If the Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the risk that economic, political and social conditions in those countries will have a significant impact on its investment performance. The Fund's investment performance may also be more volatile if it concentrates its investments in certain countries, especially emerging market countries.

**●** **Growth Style Risk:** Growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are generally more sensitive to investor perceptions and market movements. In addition, growth stocks as a group may be out of favor at times and underperform the overall equity market for long periods while the market concentrates on other types of stocks, such as "value" stocks.

● **Large Cap Risk:** Large cap risk is the risk that stocks of larger companies may underperform relative to those of small and mid-sized companies. Large cap companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.

● **Management Risk:** The risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by the investment adviser, including but not limited to the Adviser's integration of ESG factors into its research analysis, will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment adviser and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Fund. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Fund will be achieved.

**●** **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different

sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**●** **Mid-Cap Risk:** Medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk.

**●** **Non-Diversification Risk:** Because the Fund is non-diversified and may invest a larger portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified fund, an investment in the Fund could fluctuate in value more than an investment in a diversified fund.

**●** **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**●** **Valuation Risk:** The risk that the Fund has valued certain of its securities at a higher price than it can sell them.

**●** **China Risk:** Investing in Chinese securities is riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Investing in China involves risk of loss due to nationalization, expropriation, and confiscation of assets and property. Losses may also occur due to new or expanded restrictions on foreign investments or repatriation of capital. Participants in the Chinese market are subject to less regulation and oversight than participants in the U.S. market. This may lead to trading volatility, difficulty in the settlement and recording of transactions, and uncertainty in interpreting and applying laws and regulations. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of tariffs or other trade barriers, or a downturn in the economies of any of China's key trading partners may adversely affect the securities of Chinese issuers. Regional conflict could also have an adverse effect on the Chinese economy.

**●** **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

**Performance Information**

The bar chart and the performance table illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in Institutional Class shares of the Fund for the past seven calendar years and show how the Fund's average annual total returns for one year, and since inception, before and after taxes, compare with those of the MSCI All Country World<sup>®</sup> Index ("ACWI")(ex-USA) (Net Dividend) a broad measure of market performance. Total returns would have been lower had certain fees and expenses not been waived or reimbursed. Past performance, both before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/international-growth-fund* or by calling the Fund toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

![](pro-poirx_002.jpg)

Calendar Year-to-Date Total Return as of June 30, 2025: 7.37%

During the periods shown in the chart

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best Quarter** | **Worst Quarter** |
| 15.52% | (16.77)% |
| (December 31, 2023) | (June 30, 2022) |

---

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Polen International Growth Fund — Institutional Class Shares<br> Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **Since <br> Inception <br> (December 30, 2016)** |
| Return Before Taxes | (3.77)% | 0% | 5.91% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | (3.80)% | (0.02)% | 5.86% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares | (2.08)%<sup>1</sup> | 0.01%<sup>1</sup> | 4.70% |
| MSCI ACWI (ex-USA) (Net Dividend) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>2</sup> | 12.62% | 6.83% | 7.44% |

---

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Polen International Growth Fund — Investor Class Shares<br> Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **Since <br> Inception <br> (March 15, 2017)** |
| Return Before Taxes | (4.01)% | (0.25)% | 4.63% |
| MSCI ACWI (ex-USA) (Net Dividend) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>2</sup> | 12.62% | 6.83% | 7.02% |

---

---

| |
|:---|
| <sup>1</sup> |
| <sup>2</sup> The MSCI All Country World<sup>®</sup> Index ("ACWI") (ex-USA) (Net Dividend) captures large and mid-cap representation across 22 of 23 Developed Markets countries (excluding the US) and 24 Emerging Markets countries. With 2,226 constituents, the index covers approximately 85% of the global equity opportunity set outside the US. |

---

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown and are not relevant if you hold your shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns shown are for Institutional Class shares; after-tax returns for Investor Class shares will vary.

**Management of the Fund**

**Investment Adviser**

Polen Capital Management, LLC serves as the Fund's investment adviser.

**Portfolio Managers**

**Todd Morris,** Portfolio Manager and Analyst**,** has served as portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2017. He has been a member of Polen Capital's Large Company Growth Team since joining the firm in 2011.

**Daniel Fields, CFA,** Portfolio Manager, Director of Research and Analyst, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since January 2019. He has been a member of Polen Capital's Large Company Growth Team since joining the firm in 2017.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

**Minimum Investment Requirements**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Account Type** | **Minimum** | **Investor<br> Class** | **Institutional<br> Class** |
| Regular Accounts | Initial Investment | $3000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |
| Individual Retirement Accounts | Initial Investment | $2000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |
| Automatic Investment Plan | Initial Investment | $2000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |

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You can only purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on days the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open and through the means described below.

**Purchase or Redemption by Mail:**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen International Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen International Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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**Purchase by Wire:**

Please contact Fund shareholder services ("Shareholder Services") toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for current wire instructions.

**Redemption by Telephone:**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**Tax Information**

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Such distributions are not currently taxable when shares are held through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. However, subsequent withdrawals from any tax-deferred account in which the shares are held may be subject to federal income tax.

**Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and/or for related services to shareholders. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S<br> INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, STRATEGIES AND RISKS**

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE**

The Fund seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital. Although no change is anticipated, the Fund's investment objective may be changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S INVESTMENT STRATEGIES**

The Fund's principal investment strategies are discussed in the "Fund Summary" section. Principal investment strategies are those that the Adviser will use on a day-to-day basis to achieve the Fund's investment objective. This section provides more information about these strategies, as well as information about some additional strategies that the Fund's Adviser uses, or may use, to achieve the Fund's objective. Additional information about these investment strategies and practices and related risks is also provided in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"). The Fund may also use strategies and invest in securities that are not described in this Prospectus, but that are described in the Fund's SAI. The investments and strategies discussed below are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions.

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"). At times, the Fund may be required to segregate or earmark certain assets determined to be liquid by the investment adviser (generally, short-term investment grade fixed income securities) to cover borrowings.

The investments and strategies discussed above are those that the investment adviser will use under normal market conditions. The Fund also may use other strategies and engage in other investment practices, which are described in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").

In anticipation of or in response to adverse market or other conditions or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, the Fund may temporarily hold all or a portion of its assets in U.S. Government securities, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents. The investment adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures. Under such conditions, the Fund temporarily may not invest in accordance with its investment objective or principal investment strategy and may not achieve its investment objective.

**PRINCIPAL RISKS**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's NAV, yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.

**●** **Foreign Securities Risk:** Foreign (non-U.S.) securities may experience more rapid and extreme changes in value than investments in securities of U.S. companies, due to less liquid securities and markets, and adverse economic, political, diplomatic, financial, and regulatory factors. For example, recent developments in certain Eurozone countries have caused the prices of securities to decline throughout the region. In addition, there may be fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of securities traded each day, making it more difficult for an account to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. Foreign governments also may impose limits on investment and repatriation and impose taxes. Income from foreign issuers may be subject to non-U.S. withholding taxes. In some countries, investor accounts also may be subject to taxes on trading profits and, on certain securities transactions, transfer or stamp duties tax. Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the U.S. and may involve certain risks (such as delays on payment for or delivery of securities) not typically associated with the settlement of U.S. investments. Foreign companies generally are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards or to other regulatory requirements that apply to U.S. companies. As a result, less information may be available concerning non-U.S. issuers. Accounting and financial reporting standards in emerging markets may be especially lacking. Further, it is often more expensive to trade securities in foreign markets as commissions are generally higher than in the U.S., and foreign exchanges and investment professionals are subject to less governmental regulation than in the U.S. Any of these events could cause the value of the foreign securities in which the Fund invests in to decline.

The Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers that are traded or denominated in U.S. dollars (including equity securities of foreign issuers trading in U.S. markets) directly or through American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), Global Depositary

Receipts ("GDRs"), European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") or International Depositary Receipts ("IDRs"). Depositary receipts may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and the depository, whereas an unsponsored facility is established by the depository without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all of the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depository of an unsponsored facility is frequently under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. The depository of unsponsored depositary receipts may provide less information to receipt holders. Governmental economic policies, whether in the form of tariffs or the imposition or threat of other measures, that would have a restrictive effect on global trade could negatively impact foreign companies. The impact of such policies could be more significant for smaller foreign companies operating in emerging economies that may be more susceptible to adverse economic conditions, which in turn could have a commensurately negative impact on the Fund. The Fund's investment in foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes, and to the extent that is the case, the Fund's return on such investments will be decreased.

**●** **Emerging Markets Risk:** Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging securities markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets. Since these markets are often small, they may be more likely to suffer sharp and frequent price changes or long-term price depression because of adverse publicity, investor perceptions or the actions of a few large investors. Also, there may be less publicly available information about issuers in emerging markets than would be available about issuers in more developed capital markets, and these issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those in developed markets. Many emerging markets have histories of political instability and abrupt changes in policies.

As a result, their governments may be more likely to take actions that are hostile or detrimental to private enterprise or foreign investment than those of more developed countries, including expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, high rates of inflation or unfavorable diplomatic developments. In the past, governments of certain emerging market countries have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and many claims of the property owners under such circumstances have never been fully settled. In the event of expropriation of private property, it is possible that an entire investment in an affected market could be lost. Some countries have pervasiveness of corruption and crime that may hinder investments. Certain emerging markets may also face other significant internal or external risks, including the risk of war, and ethnic, religious and racial conflicts. In addition, governments in many emerging market countries participate to a significant degree in their economies and securities markets, which may impair investment and economic growth. Emerging markets may also have differing legal systems and the existence or possible imposition of exchange controls, custodial restrictions or other foreign or U.S. governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such investments. Sometimes, they may lack or be in the relatively early development of legal structures governing private and foreign investments and private property. In addition to withholding taxes on investment income, some countries with emerging markets may impose differential capital gains taxes on foreign investors. U.S. securities and accounting regulatory agencies continue to express concern regarding information access and audit quality regarding issuers in China and other emerging market countries, which could present heightened risks associated with investments in these markets.

● **Equity Securities Risk:** Although investments in equity securities, such as common stocks, historically have been a leading choice for long-term investors, stock markets are volatile because of many factors. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition, historical and prospective earnings of the company, interest rates, investor perceptions and overall market and economic conditions. Market performance and economic factors may adversely affect securities markets generally, which could in turn adversely affect the value of the Fund's investments, regardless of the performance or expected performance of companies in which the Fund invests. Holders of common stock generally are subject to more risks than holders of preferred stock or debt securities because the

 right to repayment of common stockholders' claims is subordinated to that of preferred stock and debt securities upon the bankruptcy of the issuer.

**●** **Currency Risk:** The Fund will invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies and in multinational currencies such as the Euro. The Fund will value its securities and other assets in U.S. dollars. Changes in foreign currency rates relative to the U.S. dollar will affect the U.S. dollar value of the Fund's assets denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Unless hedged, currency fluctuations may have a material impact on the performance of a portfolio of non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities and such a portfolio may experience a decline or increase in value, in U.S. dollar terms, due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates.

**●** **Geographic Concentration Risk:** From time to time, the Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in issuers located in a limited number of countries. If the Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the risk that economic, political and social conditions in those countries will have a significant impact on its investment performance. The Fund's investment performance may also be more volatile if it concentrates its investments in certain countries, especially emerging market countries.

**●** **Growth Style Risk:** Growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are generally more sensitive to investor perceptions and market movements. In addition, growth stocks as a group may be out of favor at times and underperform the overall equity market for long periods while the market concentrates on other types of stocks, such as "value" stocks.

● **Large Cap Risk:** Large cap risk is the risk that stocks of larger companies may underperform relative to those of small and mid-sized companies. Large cap companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.

**●** **Management Risk:** The risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by the investment adviser, including but not limited to the Adviser's integration of ESG factors into its research analysis, will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment adviser and the individual portfolio

 manager in connection with managing the Fund. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Fund will be achieved.

**●** **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**●** **Mid-Cap Risk:** In addition to large cap securities, the Fund may also invest in the securities of mid-cap companies. Investments in mid-cap companies may be riskier than investments in larger, more established companies. The securities of mid-cap companies may trade less frequently and in smaller volumes, and as a result, may be less liquid than securities of larger companies. In addition, mid-cap companies may be more vulnerable to economic, market and industry changes. As a result, share price changes may be more sudden or erratic than the prices of other equity securities, especially over the short-term. Because mid-cap companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources or may depend on a few key employees, they may be more susceptible to particular economic events or competitive factors than large capitalization companies.

**●** **Non-Diversification Risk:** Because the Fund is non-diversified and may invest a larger portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified fund, an investment in the Fund could fluctuate in value more than an investment in a diversified fund.

● **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**●** **Valuation Risk:** The risk that the Fund has valued certain of its securities at a higher price than it can sell them.

● **China Risk:** Investing in Chinese securities is riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Investing in China involves risk of loss due to nationalization, expropriation, and confiscation of assets and property. Losses may also occur due to new or expanded restrictions on foreign investments or repatriation of capital. Participants in the Chinese market are subject to less regulation and oversight than participants in the U.S. market. This may lead to trading volatility, difficulty in the settlement and recording of transactions, and uncertainty in interpreting and applying laws and regulations. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of tariffs or other trade barriers, or a downturn in the economies of any of China's key trading partners may adversely affect the securities of Chinese issuers. Regional conflict could also have an adverse effect on the Chinese economy.

The U.S. government may occasionally place restrictions on investments in Chinese companies. For example, in November 2020, an Executive Order was issued that prohibits U.S. persons from purchasing or investing in certain publicly-traded securities of companies identified as "Communist Chinese military companies" or in instruments that are designed to provide investment exposure to those companies. The companies identified may change from time to time. A fund may incur losses if more investors attempt to sell such securities or if the fund is unable to participate in an otherwise attractive investment. Securities that are or become prohibited may become less liquid and their market prices may decline. In addition, the market for securities of other Chinese-based issuers may also be negatively impacted, resulting in reduced liquidity and price declines.

**OTHER RISKS**

In addition to the principal risks described above, the Fund may also be subject to the following additional risk.

● **Cyber Security Risk:** As part of its business, the Adviser processes, stores and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Fund. The Adviser and Fund may be susceptible to operational and information security risk. Cyber security failures or breaches of the Adviser or the Fund's other service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of the Fund's shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties and/or reputational damage. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

● **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

**Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings**

A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI, which is available, free of charge, by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 and on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/international-growth-fund*. The SAI may also be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") website at *www.sec.gov*.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND**

The Trust's Board of Trustees supervises the management, activities and affairs of the Fund and has approved contracts with various organizations to provide, among other services, the day-to-day management required by the Fund and its shareholders.

**INVESTMENT ADVISER**

Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Polen Capital was founded in 1979 and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Capital had approximately $46.7 billion in assets under management. Polen Capital, subject to the general oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objective, policies and limitations. For its services as Adviser to the Fund, Polen Capital is entitled to receive an investment advisory fee of 0.85% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, after fee waivers and expenses recouped, Polen Capital received an aggregate investment advisory fee as a percentage of average net assets of 0.85%.

A discussion of the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment management agreement between Polen Capital and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, is available in the Fund's Semi-Annual report for the period ended October 31, 2024.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

**Todd Morris,** Portfolio Manager and Analyst, is a portfolio manager for the International Growth strategy and a member of the investment team at Polen Capital. Mr. Morris joined Polen Capital in 2011 and, with Mr. Fields, is responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management and investment analysis for the Fund. Prior to joining Polen Capital, Mr. Morris spent one year in research and marketing roles with Prudential Insurance and Millennium Global Asset Management. Prior to that, he served as an officer in the U.S Navy for seven years. Mr. Morris earned a B.S. in History from the U.S. Naval Academy and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School.

**Daniel Fields, CFA,** Portfolio Manager, Director of Research and Analyst, is portfolio manager for the International Growth strategy and a member of the investment team at Polen Capital. Mr. Fields joined Polen Capital in 2017 and, with Mr. Morris, is responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management and investment analysis for the Fund. Prior to joining Polen Capital, Mr. Fields spent eight years in Hong Kong where he worked for GaveKal Capital and Marshall Wace LLP as a research analyst evaluating Asian growth companies. He began his career at Fisher Investments as a junior analyst analyzing emerging markets companies. Mr. Fields received a B.S. in Finance from the University of Idaho and a M.S. in Global Finance from the NYU Stern School of Business and HKUST Business School. Mr. Fields is a CFA<sup>®</sup> charterholder.

The Fund's SAI provides additional information about each Portfolio Manager's compensation, other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager and each Portfolio Manager's ownership of Fund shares.

**SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION**

**PRICING OF SHARES**

The price of the Fund's shares is based on its NAV. The Fund values its assets, based on current market values when such values are available. The NAV per share of the Fund is calculated as follows:

Value of Assets Attributable to the Shares <br> NAV = – <u>Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Shares</u> <br> Number of Outstanding Shares

The Fund's NAV per share is calculated once daily as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each business day (i.e., a day that the Exchange is open for business). The Exchange is generally open on Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The price at which a purchase, redemption or exchange is effected is based on the next calculation of NAV after the order is received in good form by an authorized financial institution or the transfer agent, plus any applicable sales charges.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**PURCHASE OF SHARES**

**Share Classes**

The Trust offers Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares of the Fund. Each Class of shares has different expenses and distribution arrangements to provide for different investment needs. This allows you to choose the class of shares most suitable for you depending on the amount and expected length of your investment and other relevant factors. Sales personnel may receive different compensation for selling each class of shares. Investor Class shares are for individuals, corporate investors and retirement plans. Institutional Class shares are available to individuals who can meet the required investment minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or broker-dealers purchasing for the accounts of others. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization.

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|:---|:---|
| **Investor Class** | **Institutional Class** |
| No initial sales charge | No initial sales charge |
| Higher annual expenses than Institutional Class shares due to distribution fee | Lower annual expenses than Investor Class shares due to no distribution fee |

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Shares representing interests in the Fund are offered on a continuous basis by the Fund's principal underwriter, Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"). Shares of the Fund do not charge any sales loads or deferred sales loads in connection with the purchase of shares. Shares of the Fund are offered only to residents of states in which the shares are registered or qualified. You can purchase Investor Class and Institutional Class shares of the Fund through certain financial intermediaries or directly through BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, the Fund's transfer agent, as discussed below. No share certificates are issued in connection with the purchase of Fund shares. The Fund reserves the right to waive the minimum initial investment requirement for any investor.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be redeemed by the Trust unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund's shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." To open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest.

In the event you modify or change your relationship with your financial intermediary through which you invest in the Fund (for instance, from an advisory relationship to a brokerage relationship) you may no longer be eligible to invest in a particular share class and your financial intermediary may exchange your shares for another share class which may be subject to higher expenses and Rule 12b-1 distribution fees.

In addition, the availability of certain classes of shares may be limited to certain intermediary platforms, which means that your eligibility to purchase a specific class of Fund shares may depend on whether your intermediary offers that class.

The Trust is not responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Investor Class Shares**

***Distribution Plan***

The Trust's Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Fund's Investor Class shares, has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to pay distribution and service fees for the sale and distribution of its shares and for services provided to its shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plan for Investor Class shares provides for payments of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

**Institutional Class Shares**

Sales of each Fund's Institutional Class shares are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee. Institutional Class shares are available to individuals who can meet the required investment minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or broker dealer purchasing for the accounts of others. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through an institutional organization, or a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization.

**TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Complete the application and mail it to BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing") at the address noted below, together with a check payable to the Fund. Please make sure your check is for at least $3,000 with respect to Investor Class shares ($2,000 if investing in an IRA) and at least $100,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares. Mail the application and your check to:

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|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen International Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen International Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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The Fund will only accept checks drawn on U.S. currency on domestic banks. The Fund will not accept any of the following: cash or cash equivalents, money orders, traveler's checks, cashier's checks, bank checks, official checks and treasurer's checks, payable through checks, third-party checks and third-party transactions.

While the Fund does not generally accept foreign investors, it may in instances where either (i) an intermediary makes shares of the Fund available or (ii) the transfer agent, in the case of a direct to Fund subscription, has satisfied its internal procedures with respect to the establishment of foreign investor accounts. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for more information.

The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions, including the Fund, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money-laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts. As requested on the application, you must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address. If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. This information will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, the Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a shareholder's identity. As required by law, the Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

**By Wire**

To make a same-day wire investment, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for current wire instructions. An account number will be assigned to you. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $3,000 with respect to Investor Class shares ($2,000 if investing in an IRA) and at least $100,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares.** Your wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, to receive that day's price per share. Your bank may charge a wire fee.

**Individual Retirement Account and Education Savings Account Investments**

You may invest in the Fund through the following individual retirement accounts:

● Traditional Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs")

● Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees ("SIMPLE IRAs")

● Spousal IRAs

● Roth Individual Retirement Accounts ("Roth IRAs")

● Simplified Employee Pension Plans ("SEP IRAs")

● Coverdell Education Savings Accounts ("CESAs")

**Additional Information**

If you have questions regarding the purchase of Fund shares, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.

**TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Fill out an investment slip from a previous confirmation and write your account number on your check. **Please make sure that your check is payable to the Fund and that your additional investment is for at least $100 with respect to Investor Class shares.** There is no minimum additional investment with respect to Institutional Class shares. Mail the slip and your check to:

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|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen International Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen International Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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**By Wire**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for current wire instructions. The wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, for same day processing. Your bank may charge a wire fee. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $100 with respect to Investor Class shares.** There is no minimum additional investment with respect to Institutional Class shares.

**Automatic Investment Plan**

You may open an automatic investment plan account for Investor Class shares with a $2,000 initial purchase and a $100.00 monthly investment and for Institutional Class shares with a $100,000 initial purchase and no minimum monthly investment. If you have an existing account that does not include the automatic investment plan, you can contact the Fund toll-free at (888) 678-6024 to establish an automatic investment plan. The automatic investment plan provides a convenient method to have monies deducted directly from your bank account for investment in the Fund. You may authorize the automatic withdrawal of funds from your bank account for a monthly minimum amount of $100.00. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this plan at any time. To begin participating in this plan, please complete the "Automatic Investment Plan" section found on the application or contact the Fund's transfer agent toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**Automated Clearing House (ACH) Purchase**

Current shareholders may purchase additional shares via Automated Clearing House ("ACH"). To have this option added to your account, please send a letter to the Fund requesting this option and supply a voided check for the bank account. Only bank accounts held at domestic institutions that are ACH members may be used for these transactions.

You may not use ACH transactions for your initial purchase of Fund shares. ACH purchases will be effective at the closing price per share on the same business day for orders placed prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Orders placed thereafter will be effective at the closing price per share on the next business day. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this purchase option at any time.

Shares purchased by ACH will not be available for redemption until the transactions have cleared. Shares purchased via ACH transfer may take up to 15 days to clear.

**Purchase Price**

Purchase orders received in good order by the Fund's transfer agent before the close of regular trading on the Exchange on any business day will be priced at the NAV that is determined as of the close of trading on the Exchange. Purchase orders received in good order after the close of regular trading on the Exchange will be priced as of the close of regular

trading on the following business day. "Good Order" means that the purchase request is complete and includes all accurate required information. Purchase requests not in good order may be rejected.

**Financial Intermediaries**

You may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary who may charge you a commission on your purchase, may charge additional fees, and may require different minimum investments or impose other limitations on buying and selling shares. "Financial intermediaries" include brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), insurance companies, investment advisers, financial advisers, financial planners, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators, their designated intermediaries and any other firm having a selling, administration or similar agreement. The financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting orders by close of business and may have an earlier cut-off time for purchase and sale requests. Purchase and redemption orders placed through a financial intermediary will be deemed to have been received and accepted by the Fund when the financial intermediary accepts the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. Customer orders are required to be priced at the Fund's NAV next computed after the authorized financial intermediary or its authorized representatives' receipt of the order to buy or sell. Purchase and redemption requests sent to such authorized broker (or its designee) are executed at the NAV next determined after the intermediary receives the request if transmitted to the Fund's transfer agent in accordance with the Fund's procedures and applicable law. Financial intermediaries may also designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Fund's behalf. Consult your investment representative for specific information.

It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary to transmit orders for the purchase of shares by its customers to the transfer agent and to deliver required funds on a timely basis, in accordance with the procedures stated above.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account."

**Networking and Sub-Transfer Agency Fees.** The Fund may also directly enter into agreements with financial intermediaries pursuant to which it will pay the financial intermediary for services such as networking or sub-transfer agency, including the maintenance of "street name" or omnibus accounts and related sub-accounting, record-keeping and administrative services provided to such accounts. Payments made pursuant to such agreements are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of clients serviced by such financial intermediary, or (2) the number of accounts serviced by such financial intermediary. Any payments made pursuant to such agreements are in addition to, rather than in lieu of, Rule 12b-1 distribution or shareholder service fees the financial intermediary may also be receiving. From time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay a portion of the fees for networking or sub-transfer agency at its or their own expense and out of its or their own resources. These payments may be material to financial intermediaries relative to other compensation paid by the Fund and/or the Underwriter, the Adviser and their affiliates. The payments described above may differ and may vary from amounts paid to the Fund's transfer agent for providing similar services to other accounts. The financial intermediaries are not audited by the Fund, the Adviser or their service providers to determine whether such intermediaries are providing the services for which they are receiving such payments.

**Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries.** The Adviser, and, from time to time, affiliates of the Adviser may also, at their own expense and out of their own resources, provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. These additional cash payments are payments over and above sales commissions or reallowances, distribution fees or servicing fees (including networking, administration and sub-transfer agency fees) payable to a financial intermediary which are disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus. These additional cash payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency, shareholder or administrative services or marketing support. Marketing support may include: (i) access to sales meetings or conferences, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives; (ii) inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs to which financial intermediaries provide more marketing support than to other sales programs on which the Adviser or its affiliates may not need to make additional cash payments to be included; (iii) promotion of the sale of the Fund's shares in communications with a financial intermediaries' customers, sales representatives or management representatives; and/or (iv) other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of the Fund's shares. These additional cash payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to

Fund shareholders. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay cash compensation in the form of finders' fees or referral fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of shares sold.

The amount and value of additional cash payments vary for each financial intermediary. The additional cash payment arrangement between a particular financial intermediary and the Adviser or its affiliates may provide for increased rates of compensation as the dollar value of the Fund's shares or particular class of shares sold or invested through such financial intermediary increases. The availability of these additional cash payments, the varying fee structure within a particular additional cash payment arrangement and the basis for and manner in which a financial intermediary compensates its sales representatives may create a financial incentive for a particular financial intermediary and its sales representatives to recommend the Fund's shares over the shares of other mutual funds based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. A financial intermediary and its sales representatives may have similar financial incentives to recommend a particular class of the Fund's shares over other classes of its shares. You should consult with your financial adviser and review carefully any disclosure by the financial firm as to compensation received by your financial adviser.

Although the Fund may use financial firms that sell the Fund's shares to effect portfolio transactions for the Fund, the Fund and the Adviser will not consider the sale of Fund shares as a factor when choosing financial firms to effect those transactions.

For more information about these additional cash payments made to financial intermediaries, please refer to the section entitled "Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries" located in the SAI.

**Rights Reserved by the Fund**

The Fund reserves the right to:

● reject any purchase order;

● suspend the offering of shares;

● vary the initial and subsequent investment minimums;

● waive the minimum investment requirement for any investor;

● redeem accounts with balances below the minimum account size after 30 days' written notice;

● redeem your shares in the event your financial intermediary's relationship with the Trust is modified or terminated;

● subject to applicable law, redeem your shares in other circumstances determined by the Board of Trustees to be in the best interest of the Fund; and

● redeem your shares if you hold your shares through a financial intermediary and you propose to transfer your shares to another financial intermediary that does not have a relationship with the Trust.

The Trust will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy**

The Fund discourages frequent purchases and redemptions, and the Trust's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures consistent with such position. The Fund is not designed to accommodate market timing or short-term trading. Frequent or excessive trades into or out of the Fund in an effort to anticipate changes in market prices of its investment portfolio is generally referred to as "market timing." Market timing can adversely impact the ability of the Adviser to invest assets in an orderly manner, which in turn may adversely impact the expenses and the performance of the Fund. These expenses are borne by all Fund shareholders, including long-term investors who do not generate such costs. Specifically, frequent trading may result in the Fund engaging in activities to a greater extent than it otherwise would, such as maintaining higher cash balances, using a line of credit and trading in portfolio securities, each of which may increase expenses and decrease performance. This occurs when market timers attempt to trade Fund shares when the NAV of the Fund does not reflect the value of the underlying portfolio securities.

To deter market timing and to minimize harm to the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to restrict, reject or cancel, without prior notice, any purchase order by market timers or by those persons the Fund believes are engaging in similar trading activity that, in the judgment of the Fund or the Adviser, may be disruptive to the Fund. The Fund will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. No waivers of the provisions of this policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the

Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

The Fund's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") reviews on an as-needed basis, as determined by the CCO in coordination with the Adviser and other service providers, available information related to the trading activity in the Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of market timing or similar trading practices. If, in its judgment, the Fund or the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Fund may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor's account with the Fund. The Fund may modify its procedures from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Fund will apply its procedures in a manner that, in the Fund's judgment, will be uniform.

There is no guarantee that the Fund or its agents will be able to detect frequent trading activity or the shareholders engaged in such activity, or, if it is detected, to prevent its recurrence.

In order for a financial intermediary to purchase shares of the Fund for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person, the Trust will enter into shareholder information agreements with such financial intermediary or its agent. These agreements require each financial intermediary to provide the Fund access, upon request, to information about underlying shareholder transaction activity in these accounts and the Shareholder's Taxpayer Identification Number (or International Taxpayer Identification Number or other government issued identifier). If a shareholder information agreement has not been entered into by a financial intermediary, such financial intermediary will be prohibited from purchasing Fund shares for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person. If necessary, the Fund may prohibit additional purchases of Fund shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers' trading activities in the Fund. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Fund. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Fund's excessive trading policies, the Fund may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES**

You may "redeem" or sell your shares on any day the Exchange is open, either directly through the Fund's transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, or through your broker-dealer. The price you receive will be the NAV next calculated after receipt of the request in good order. "Good Order" means that the redemption request is complete and includes all accurate required information including any medallion signature guarantees, if necessary.

**Redemption Policies**

Payment for redemptions of Fund shares is usually made within one business day, but not later than seven calendar days after receipt of your redemption request, unless the check used to purchase the shares has not yet cleared. The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment for more than seven days during any period when: (1) trading on the Exchange is restricted or the Exchange is closed for other than customary weekends and holidays, (2) the SEC has by order permitted such suspension for the protection of the Fund's shareholders or (3) an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable. The Fund will automatically redeem shares if a purchase check is returned for insufficient funds and the shareholder's account will be charged for any loss. The Fund reserves the right to reject any third-party check.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally meets redemption requests through its holdings of cash or cash equivalents or by selling a portion of the Fund's holdings consistent with its investment strategy. The Fund generally pays redemptions proceeds in cash; however, the Fund reserves the right to honor certain redemptions "in-kind" with securities, rather than cash. The Fund is more likely to redeem in-kind to meet large redemption requests or during times of market stress.

**TO REDEEM FROM YOUR ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

To redeem your shares by mail:

● Write a letter of instruction that includes: the name of the Fund, your account number, the name(s) in which the account is registered and the dollar value or number of shares you wish to sell.

● Include all signatures and any additional documents that may be required.

● Mail your request to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen International Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen International Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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● A check will be mailed to the name(s) and address in which the account is registered and may take up to seven days.

● The Fund may require additional documentation or a medallion signature guarantee on any redemption request to help protect against fraud.

● The Fund requires a medallion signature guarantee if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record.

**By Telephone**

To redeem your shares by telephone, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024. The proceeds will be paid to the registered owner: (1) by mail at the address on the account, or (2) by wire to the pre-designated bank account on the fund account. To use the telephone redemption privilege, you must have selected this service on your original account application or submitted a subsequent medallion signature guaranteed request in writing to add this service to your account. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing reserve the right to refuse any telephone transaction when they are unable to confirm to their satisfaction that a caller is the account owner or a person preauthorized by the account owner. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing has established security procedures to prevent unauthorized account access. Neither the Fund nor any of its service contractors will be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The telephone transaction privilege may be suspended, limited, modified or terminated at any time without prior notice by the Fund or BNY Mellon Investment Servicing.

**By Wire**

In the case of redemption proceeds that are wired to a bank, the Fund transmits the payment only on days that commercial banks are open for business and only to the bank and account previously authorized on your application or your medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing will not be responsible for any delays in wired redemption proceeds due to heavy wire traffic over the Federal Reserve System. The Fund reserves the right to refuse a wire redemption if it believes that it is advisable to do so. You may also have your redemption proceeds sent to your bank via ACH. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing does not charge for this service, however, please allow 2 to 3 business days for the transfer of money to reach your banking institution.

**Systematic Withdrawal Plan**

Once you have established an account with $10,000 or more, you may automatically receive funds from your account on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis (minimum withdrawal of $100). Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 to request a form to start the Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

**Selling Recently Purchased Shares**

If you wish to sell shares that were recently purchased by check, the Fund may delay mailing your redemption check for up to 15 business days after your redemption request to allow the purchase check to clear. The Fund reserves the right to reject any redemption request for shares recently purchased by check that has not cleared, and the Fund may require that a subsequent request be submitted.

**Late Trading**

Late trading is the practice of buying or selling Fund shares at the closing price after the Fund's NAV has been set for the day. Federal securities laws governing mutual funds prohibit late trading. The Fund has adopted trading policies designed to comply with requirements of the federal securities laws.

**TRANSACTION POLICIES**

**Timing of Purchase or Sale Requests**

All requests received in Good Order by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing or authorized dealers of Fund shares before the close of regular trading on the Exchange, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, will be executed the same day, at that day's NAV. Such orders received after the close of regular trading of the Exchange will be executed the following day, at that day's NAV. All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Purchase and redemption orders are executed only on days when the Exchange is open for trading. If the Exchange closes early, the deadlines for purchase and redemption orders are accelerated to the earlier closing time.

**New York Stock Exchange Closings**

The Exchange is typically closed for trading on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

**Investments through Financial Intermediaries/Nominees**

If you invest through a financial intermediary or nominee, such as a broker-dealer or financial adviser (rather than directly through the Fund), certain policies and fees regarding your investment in the Fund may be different than those described in this Prospectus. In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." Financial intermediaries and nominees may charge transaction fees, may charge you a commission on your purchase, and may set different minimum investments or limitations or procedures on buying or selling shares; however, in the event that your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust and you chose to open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker, or, if applicable, a broker's designee receives the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. You will not be charged any additional fees by the Fund (other than those described in this Prospectus) if you purchase or redeem shares directly through the Fund.

Contact your financial intermediary for specific information regarding the availability and suitability of various account options described throughout this Prospectus. Contact your financial intermediary for specific information with respect to the financial intermediary's policies regarding minimum purchase and minimum balance requirements and involuntary redemption, which may differ from what is described throughout this Prospectus.

**Account Minimum**

You must keep at least $2,000 worth of Investor Class and Institutional Class shares in your account to keep the account open. If, after giving you 30 days' prior written notice, your account value is still below $2,000 due to your redemptions (not including market fluctuations), the Fund may redeem your shares and send you a check for the redemption proceeds.

**Medallion Signature Guarantees**

The Fund may require additional documentation for the redemption of corporate, partnership or fiduciary accounts, or medallion signature guarantees for certain types of transfer requests or account registration changes. A medallion signature guarantee helps protect against fraud. A medallion signature guarantee is required if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days, or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record. When the Fund requires a signature guarantee, a medallion signature must be provided. A medallion signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency, saving association or other financial institution that is participating in a medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The Fund recognizes the following three medallion programs: (i) Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP), (ii) Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and (iii) New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature guarantees from a financial institution that does not participate in one of these programs will not be accepted. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for further information on obtaining a proper signature guarantee.

**Customer Identification Program**

Federal law requires the Fund to obtain, verify and record identifying information, which includes the name, residential or business street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or taxpayer identification number or other identifying information for each investor who opens or reopens an account with the Fund. Applications without the required information, or without any indication that a social security or taxpayer identification number has been applied for, will not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Fund reserves the right to (i) place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (ii) refuse an investment in the Fund or to involuntarily redeem an investor's shares and close an account in the event that an investor's identity is not verified. The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account resulting from the investor's delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor's shares when an investor's identity cannot be verified.

**Other Documents**

Additional documents may be required for purchases and redemptions when shares are registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, association, agent, fiduciary, trust, estate or other organization. For further information, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**EXCHANGING INTO OTHER SHARE CLASSES**

You may transfer your shares into another class of shares of this Fund if you meet the eligibility requirements for the class into which you would like to transfer. If you purchased your shares from the Fund directly, call the transfer agent toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for information on exchanging shares into another class of the Fund. If you purchased your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact such financial intermediary for information on exchanging shares into another class of the Fund. Transfers between classes of a single Fund are generally not considered a taxable transaction. This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated upon sixty (60) days' written notice to shareholders.

**EXCHANGING INTO OTHER POLEN FUNDS**

An exchange occurs when you use the proceeds from the redemption of shares of one Polen fund to simultaneously purchase shares of a different Polen fund. You can make exchange requests by telephone or by mail. See "To Redeem from Your Account" for contact information.

If the Exchange is open for regular trading (generally until 4 p.m. Eastern time, on a business day) at the time an exchange request is received in good order, the trade date generally will be the same day. See "Redemption of Shares" for additional information on transaction requests.

The Funds will not accept your request to cancel any exchange request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing an exchange request. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time before attempting to exchange a large dollar amount. By calling us before you attempt to exchange a large dollar amount, you may avoid delayed or rejected transactions.

Please note that the Funds reserve the right, without notice, to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the amount of any exchange, or reject an exchange, at any time, for any reason. See "Market Timing and Frequent-Trading Policy" for additional restrictions on exchanges.

**SHAREHOLDER SERVICES**

**Your Account**

If you have questions about your account, including purchases, redemptions and distributions, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time.

**Account Statements**

The Fund currently provides the following account information:

● confirmation statements after transactions (except for certain automatic transactions, such as those related to automatic investment plan purchases or dividend reinvestments);

● account statements reflecting transactions made during the covered period (generally, monthly for Institutional Class shares, and quarterly or annually for Investor Class shares); and

● tax information, which will be mailed each year by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") deadline, a copy of which will also be filed with the IRS, if necessary.

Financial statements with a summary of portfolio composition and performance will be available at least twice a year.

The Fund routinely provides the above shareholder services, but may charge additional fees for special services such as requests for historical transcripts of accounts.

With the exception of statutorily required items, the Fund may change any of the above practices without notice.

**Delivery of Shareholder Documents**

To reduce expenses, the Fund mails only one copy of its Prospectus and each Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 or, if your shares are held through a financial institution, please contact the financial institution directly. The Fund will begin sending you individual copies within 30 days after receiving your request.

**DISTRIBUTIONS**

Distributions of net investment income and net capital gains, if any, are declared and paid annually to you. The amount of any distribution will vary and there is no guarantee that the Fund will distribute either investment income or capital gains.

Distributions are payable to the shareholders of record at the time the distributions are declared (including holders of shares being redeemed, but excluding holders of shares being purchased). All distributions are reinvested in additional shares, unless you elect to receive the distributions in cash. Shares become entitled to receive distributions on the day after the shares are issued. If you invest in the Fund shortly before the ex-dividend date of a taxable distribution, the distribution will lower the value of the Fund's shares by the amount of the distribution and, in effect, you will receive some of your investment back in the form of a taxable distribution. (see "More Information about Taxes — Distributions").

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TAXES**

Each shareholder and prospective investor's particular tax situation is unique, and, therefore, the tax information in this Prospectus is provided only for general information purposes and only for U.S. taxpayers and should not be considered as tax advice or relied on by a shareholder or prospective investor.

**General.** The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a regulated investment company (a "RIC") under Subchapter M of the Code. As such, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders provided it satisfies certain requirements and restrictions set forth in the Code one of which is to distribute to its shareholders substantially all of its income and gains each year. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify

as a RIC: (1) it will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and will be subject to tax at the corporate tax rates then in effect; and (2) all distributions from its earnings and profits (as determined under federal income tax principles) will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and the non-corporate shareholder long-term capital gain rate for "qualified dividend income" and ordinary rates for all other distributions, except for those treated as a return of capital or substitute dividends with respect to dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund. In addition, dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

**Distributions.** The Fund will make distributions to you that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains (which may be taxed at different rates depending on the length of time the Fund holds its assets). The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions are taxable whether you reinvest such distributions in additional shares of the Fund or choose to receive cash.

Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred retirement account (such as a 401(k) or an IRA), you should consider avoiding a purchase of Fund shares shortly before the Fund makes a distribution, because making such a purchase can increase your taxes and the cost of the shares. This is known as "buying a dividend." For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the Fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you received — even if you reinvest it in more shares and have to pay the tax due on the dividend without receiving any cash to pay the taxes. To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest.

**Ordinary Income.** Net investment income (except for qualified dividends and income designated as tax-exempt), distributions of income from securities lending, and short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Certain dividends distributed to non-corporate shareholders and designated by the Fund as "qualified dividend income" are eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rates. Short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. In addition, certain qualified REIT dividends may be eligible for a deduction for non-corporate shareholders.

**Net Capital Gains.** Net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) distributed to you, if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains (based on the Fund's holding period) for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Sale of Shares.** It is a taxable event for you if you sell shares of the Fund. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you sell, you may have a taxable gain or loss on the transaction. Any realized gain will be taxable to you, and, generally, will be capital gain, assuming you held the shares of the Fund as a capital asset. If you exchange shares of the Fund for shares of another fund, the exchange will be treated as a sale of the Fund's shares and any gain on the transaction may be subject to federal income tax. The capital gain will be long-term or short-term depending on how long you have held your shares in the Fund. Sales of shares of the Fund that you have held for twelve months or less will be a short-term capital gain or loss and if held for more than twelve months will constitute a long-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends, if any, received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.

**Returns of Capital.** If the Fund's distributions exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in the same taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable to the extent of each shareholder's basis in the Fund's shares, but will reduce each shareholder's cost basis in the Fund and result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold. If the return of capital distribution exceeds a shareholder's cost basis, the excess amount will be capital gain, assuming you held your shares as a capital asset, and will be long-term or short-term capital gain depending on how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Medicare Contribution Tax.** U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000, if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately) will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income including interest (excluding tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains. If applicable, the tax will be

imposed on the lesser of the individual's (i) net investment income or (ii) the excess of modified adjusted gross income over $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately).

**IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans.** One major exception to these tax principles is that a distribution on or the sale or exchange of shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless the shares were acquired with borrowed funds.

**Backup Withholding.** The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on all taxable distributions and sales payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

**State and Local Income Taxes.** This Prospectus does not discuss the state and local tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. **You are urged and advised to consult your own tax adviser concerning state and local taxes, which may have different consequences from those of the federal income tax laws.**

**Non-U.S. Shareholders.** Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. tax as a result of an investment in the Fund. The Fund is required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments made to foreign entities that do not qualify for reduced withholding rates under a treaty and do not meet specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. This Prospectus does not discuss the U.S. or foreign country tax consequences of an investment by a non-U.S. shareholder in the Fund. **Non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the U.S. and foreign country tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**Basis Reporting and Holding Periods.** A shareholder is responsible for tracking the tax basis and holding periods of the shareholder's shares in the Fund for federal income tax purposes. However, RICs, such as the Fund, must report cost basis information to you and the IRS when a shareholder sells or exchanges shares that are not in a tax deferred retirement account. The Fund will permit shareholders to elect from among several IRS accepted cost basis methods.

**Statements and Notices.** You will receive an annual statement outlining the tax status of your distributions. You may also receive written notices of certain foreign taxes and distributions paid by the Fund during the prior taxable year.

***This section is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations of taxable U.S. shareholders that may affect your investment in the Fund. This summary is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered as tax advice and may not be relied on by a prospective investor. This general summary does not apply to non-U.S. shareholders or tax-exempt shareholders, and does not address state, local or foreign taxes. More information regarding these considerations is included in the Fund's SAI. All prospective investors and shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser regarding the effects of an investment in the Fund on their particular tax situation.***

**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS**

The Financial Highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the periods shown. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total investment return in the table represents the rate at which an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the Fund's Form N-CSR for the period ended April 30, 2025. The 2025 financial statements and Financial Highlights are incorporated by reference into the Fund's SAI and is available upon request by calling toll-free at (888) 678-6024 or visiting the website *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/international-growth-fund.*

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** |
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2022** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2021** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $15.58 | $14.60 | $14.10 | $18.04 | $13.84 |
| Net investment income/(loss)<sup>1</sup> | (0.01) | 0.02 | 0.01 | (0.04) | (0.06) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 0.18 | 0.97 | 0.49 | (3.90) | 4.26 |
| Total from investment operations | 0.17 | 0.99 | 0.50 | (3.94) | 4.20 |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net realized capital gains | (0.03) | (0.01) |  |  |  |
| Redemption fees |  |  |  |  | 0.00<sup>2</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $15.72 | $15.58 | $14.60 | $14.10 | $18.04 |
| Total investment return<sup>3</sup> | 1.07% | 6.76% | 3.55% | (21.84)% | 30.35% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year (in 000s) | $2282 | $2696 | $2805 | $3976 | $5394 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 1.32% | 1.29% | 1.33% | 1.29% | 1.35% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets, and expense reimbursements and/or recoupment, if any<sup>4</sup> | 1.32% | 1.29% | 1.33% | 1.28% | 1.29% |
| Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets | (0.07)% | 0.16% | 0.08% | (0.23)% | (0.34)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 37% | 15% | 20% | 35% | 33% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

<sup>2</sup> Amount is less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>3</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

<sup>4</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** |
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2022** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2021** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2020** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $15.80 | $14.81 | $14.27 | $18.20 | $13.93 |
| Net investment income/(loss)<sup>1</sup> | 0.03 | 0.06 | 0.04 | 0.00<sup>2</sup> | (0.02) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 0.18 | 0.98 | 0.50 | (3.93) | 4.29 |
| Total from investment operations | 0.21 | 1.04 | 0.54 | (3.93) | 4.27 |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net investment income | (0.07) | (0.05) |  |  |  |
| Redemption fees |  |  |  |  | 0.00<sup>2</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $15.94 | $15.80 | $14.81 | $14.27 | $18.20 |
| Total investment return<sup>3</sup> | 1.31% | 7.04% | 3.78% | (21.59)% | 30.65% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year (in 000s) | $174248 | $234106 | $227176 | $278801 | $461059 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 1.07% | 1.04% | 1.08% | 1.04% | 1.10% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers, expense reimbursements and/or recoupment, if any<sup>4</sup> | 1.07% | 1.04% | 1.08% | 1.03% | 1.03% |
| Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets | 0.18% | 0.41% | 0.26% | 0.02% | (0.09)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 37% | 15% | 20% | 35% | 33% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

<sup>2</sup> Amount is less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>3</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

<sup>4</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

**POLEN INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND**

*a series of* **FundVantage Trust**

(888) 678-6024

**FOR MORE INFORMATION**

**For additional information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:**

**Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information**

The Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information contain more information about the Fund's investments and performance including information on the Fund's portfolio holdings and operating results for the most recently completed fiscal year or half-year. The Annual Financials and Additional Information include a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year.

**Statement of Additional Information (SAI)**

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Fund and its policies. The information in the SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is part of this Prospectus.

These documents will be available free of charge on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/international-growth-fund*. You can also get a free copy of these documents and other information, or ask us any questions, including information on how to purchase or redeem Fund shares, by calling us at (888) 678-6024 or writing to:

Polen International Growth Fund FundVantage Trust c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing P.O. Box 534445 Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445

If you buy your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact that financial intermediary directly for this information. You can also find information online at *www.polencapital.com*.

Reports and information about the Fund (including the SAI and Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information) also may be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov*. Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: *publicinfo@sec.gov*.

The investment company registration number is 811-22027.

**POLEN INTERNATIONAL GROWTH FUND**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **INVESTOR CLASS** | **INSTITUTIONAL CLASS** |
| **POIRX** | **POIIX** |

---

**A SERIES OF**

**FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**

**SEPTEMBER 1, 2025**

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") provides information about the Polen International Growth Fund (the "Fund"). The Fund is a series of FundVantage Trust (the "Trust").

This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Fund's current prospectus dated September 1, 2025, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the "Prospectus"). This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. The Fund's audited financial statements and the notes thereto, which are included in the Fund's [Annual Financials and Additional Information](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm) dated April 30, 2025, are incorporated into this SAI by reference. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Financials and Additional Information may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Fund at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6024 or by visiting the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/international-growth-fund*.

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **Page** |
| [General Information](#sai-poirx_001) | 1 |
| [Investment Policies](#sai-poirx_002) | 1 |
| [Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings](#sai-poirx_003) | 34 |
| [Investment Limitations](#sai-poirx_004) | 35 |
| [Trustees and Officers](#sai-poirx_005) | 36 |
| [Code of Ethics](#sai-poirx_006) | 41 |
| [Proxy Voting](#sai-poirx_007) | 41 |
| [Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities](#sai-poirx_008) | 42 |
| [Investment Advisory Services](#sai-poirx_009) | 43 |
| [Portfolio Managers](#sai-poirx_010) | 44 |
| [Administration and Accounting Services](#sai-poirx_011) | 46 |
| [Additional Service Providers](#sai-poirx_012) | 46 |
| [Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices](#sai-poirx_013) | 47 |
| [Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries](#sai-poirx_014) | 49 |
| [Distribution of Shares and Rule 12b-1 Plan](#sai-poirx_015) | 49 |
| [Capital Stock and Other Securities](#sai-poirx_016) | 51 |
| [Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares](#sai-poirx_017) | 51 |
| [Dividends](#sai-poirx_018) | 52 |
| [Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations](#sai-poirx_019) | 52 |
| [Financial Statements](#sai-poirx_020) | 63 |
| [Appendix A — Description of Ratings](#sai-poirx_021) | A-1 |
| [Appendix B — Proxy Voting Policies](#sai-poirx_022) | B-1 |

---

i

**GENERAL INFORMATION**

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 28, 2006. The Trust is a series trust authorized to issue separate series or classes of shares of beneficial interest. The Trust has established the Fund as a separate series of the Trust. The Fund issues Investor Class and Institutional Class shares. Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

The Fund is a non-diversified, open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a non-diversified fund, the Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the portion of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. The Fund, however, intends to maintain the required level of diversification and otherwise conduct its operations so as to qualify as a regulated investment company ("RIC") for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "IRC"), to relieve the Fund of any liability for federal income tax to the extent that its earnings are distributed to shareholders. The IRC test applies at the end of each fiscal quarter and generally requires that at least 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets be represented by the types of assets that satisfy the asset diversification requirement imposed by the 1940 Act. In addition, no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer. Stocks of particular issuers, or issuers in particular industries, may dominate the investment portfolio of the Fund, which may adversely affect the performance of the Fund or subject it to greater price volatility than that experienced by more diversified investment companies.

**INVESTMENT POLICIES**

The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objective and policies of the Fund. The information below does not describe every type of investment, technique or risk to which the Fund may be exposed. Much of the information contained in this SAI expands on subjects discussed in the Fund's prospectus. No investment in the shares of the Fund should be made before reading the Prospectus.

**BANK OBLIGATIONS.** Bank obligations in which the Fund may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits. The Fund will not invest in fixed time deposits which (1) are not subject to prepayment or (2) provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits) if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in such deposits, repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days and other illiquid assets.

Obligations of foreign banks involve somewhat different investment risks than those affecting obligations of United States banks, including the possibilities that their liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments, that their obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of United States banks, that a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations, that foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized, that foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations and that the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to United States banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any U.S. Government agency or instrumentality.

● **BANKERS' ACCEPTANCES.** Bankers' acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft that has been drawn on it by a customer. These instruments reflect the obligation of both the bank and the drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity.

● **CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT.** Certificates of deposit are certificates evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank to repay funds deposited with it for a definite period of time (usually from 14 days to one year) at a stated or variable interest rate. Variable rate certificates of deposit provide that the interest rate will fluctuate on designated dates based on changes in a designated base rate (such as the composite rate for certificates of deposit established by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York).

● **TIME DEPOSITS.** Time deposits are bank deposits for fixed periods of time. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which may vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.

**BORROWING.** The Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. This means that, in general, the Fund may borrow money from banks for any purpose on a secured basis in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may also borrow money for temporary administrative purposes on an unsecured basis in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may choose to borrow in order to meet its redemptions.

Specifically, provisions of the 1940 Act require the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.

As noted below, the Fund also may enter into certain transactions, including reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and sale-buybacks, that can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing or financing transaction by the Fund. The Derivatives Rule (as defined below) regulates a registered investment company's use of derivatives and certain other transactions that creature future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. This new rule became operative in August 2022. The Derivatives Rule prescribes specific "value at risk" or "VaR" (further defined below) leverage limits that apply to the Fund with derivatives and other applicable transactions (although the Fund may qualify for the Limited Derivatives User Exception (as defined below)). VaR is an estimate of potential losses on an instrument or portfolio over a specified time horizon and at a given confidence level. The Fund may apply a relative VaR test or an absolute VaR test (if the Fund's derivative risk manager, if applicable, determines that a designated reference portfolio would not provide an appropriate reference portfolio for purposes of the relative VaR test. The limit under the relative VaR test is 200% of the VaR of a designated reference portfolio, which, very generally, may be a designated unleveraged index or the Fund's securities portfolio excluding derivatives. If applicable, the limit under the absolute VaR test is 20% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Derivatives Rule also requires the Fund, if applicable, to appoint a derivatives risk manager, maintain a derivatives risk management program designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with transactions covered by the rule, and abide by certain Board and other reporting obligations and recordkeeping requirements. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, the Derivatives Rule permits a fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under the Derivatives Rule. The Fund has adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with the Derivatives Rule. Compliance with the Derivatives Rule could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which the Fund may engage in derivative transactions could also limit or prevent the Fund from using certain instruments. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value ("NAV") of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and economically similar transactions. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a portfolio-eligible security by the Fund to another party, coupled with its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund continues to be entitled to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by the Fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by the Fund which it is obligated to repurchase.

A "mortgage dollar roll" is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement in certain respects. In a "dollar roll" transaction, the Fund sells a mortgage-related security, such as a security issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a predetermined price. A dollar roll can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which the Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Unlike in the case of reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but only securities which are "substantially identical." To be considered substantially identical, the securities returned to the Fund generally must: (1) be collateralized by the same types of underlying mortgages; (2) be issued by the same agency and be part of the same program; (3) have a similar original stated maturity; (4) have identical net coupon rates; (5) have similar market yields (and therefore price); and (6) satisfy "good delivery" requirements, meaning that the aggregate principal amounts of the securities delivered and received back must be within 0.01% of the initial amount delivered.

The Fund also may effect simultaneous purchase and sale transactions that are known as "sale-buybacks." A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty that purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of the Fund's repurchase of the underlying security. The Fund's obligation under a sale-buyback typically would be offset by liquid assets equal in value to the amount of the Fund's forward commitment to repurchase the subject security.

It is possible that changing government regulation may affect the Fund's use of these strategies. Changes in regulatory requirements concerning margin for certain types of financing transactions, such as repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and borrowing, could impact the Fund's ability to utilize these investment strategies and techniques.

**COMMERCIAL PAPER.** The Fund may invest in commercial paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (up to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities in order to finance their current operations.

**COMMON STOCK.** Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company or other entity. This ownership interest often gives the Fund the right to vote on measures affecting the company's organization and operations. Although common stocks generally have had a history of long-term growth in value, their prices are often volatile in the short-term and can be influenced by both general market risk and specific corporate risks. Accordingly, the Fund can lose money through its stock investments.

**CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in convertible securities, which may offer higher income than the common stocks into which they are convertible. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock, or other security that entitles the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to non-convertible debt or preferred securities, as applicable. Convertible securities are subordinate in rank to any senior debt obligations of the issuer, and, therefore, an issuer's convertible securities entail more risk than its debt obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible debt securities of similar credit quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. In addition, convertible securities are often lower-rated securities. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation's capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation's common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security.

Because of the conversion feature, the price of the convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying asset, and as such it is subject to risks relating to the activities of the issuer and/or general market and economic conditions. The income component of a convertible security may tend to cushion the security against declines in the price of the underlying asset. However, the income component of convertible securities causes fluctuations based upon changes in interest rates and the credit quality of the issuer.

If the convertible security's "conversion value," which is the market value of the underlying common stock that would be obtained upon the conversion of the convertible security, is substantially below the "investment value," which is the value of a convertible security viewed without regard to its conversion feature (i.e., strictly on the basis of its yield), the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. If the conversion value of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the value of the security will be principally influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security will sell at a premium over its conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding an income-producing security.

A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a predetermined price. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund would be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security and convert it to underlying common stock, or would sell the convertible security to a third party, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective. The Fund generally would invest in convertible securities for their favorable price characteristics and total return potential and would normally not exercise an option to convert unless the security is called or conversion is forced.

**CORPORATE DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund's investments in U.S. dollar or foreign currency-denominated corporate debt securities of domestic or foreign issuers are limited to corporate debt securities (corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar corporate debt instruments, including convertible securities) which meet the minimum ratings criteria set forth for the Fund, or, if unrated, are in the Adviser's opinion comparable in quality to corporate debt securities in which the Fund may invest.

Corporate income producing securities may include forms of preferred or preference stock. The rate of interest on a corporate debt security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may vary inversely with respect to a reference rate. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies. Debt securities may be acquired with warrants attached.

Securities rated Baa and BBB are the lowest which are considered "investment grade" obligations. Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") describes securities rated Baa as "subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics." Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P") describes securities rated BBB as "regarded as having adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation." For securities rated BBB, Fitch Ratings Ltd. ("Fitch") states that "…expectations of default risk are currently low…capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity." For a discussion of securities rated below-investment grade, see "Below-Investment Grade Securities" below.

**CYBER SECURITY.** The Fund and its service providers are susceptible to operational and information security risks due to cyber security incidents. In general, cyber security incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber security attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (*e.g*., through "hacking" or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks also may be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (*i.e*., efforts to make services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security incidents affecting the Adviser, Transfer Agent or Custodian or other service providers such as financial intermediaries have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, including by interference with the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading for the Fund's portfolio; the inability of fund shareholders to transact business with the Fund; violations of applicable privacy, data security or other laws; regulatory fines and penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs; legal fees; or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber security incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions and other parties. While information risk management systems and business continuity plans have been developed which are designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there are inherent limitations in any cyber security risk management systems or business continuity plans, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified.

**DEBT SECURITIES.** Debt securities represent money borrowed that obligates the issuer (e.g., a corporation, municipality, government, government agency) to repay the borrowed amount at maturity (when the obligation is due and payable) and usually to pay the holder interest at specific times.

**DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS.** American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") as well as other "hybrid" forms of ADRs, including European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"), are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. These certificates are issued by depository banks and generally trade on an established market in the United States or elsewhere. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends interest and shareholder information regarding corporate actions. ADRs may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and a depositary. An unsponsored facility may be established by a depositary without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities. These risks include foreign exchange risk as well as the political and economic risks of the underlying issuer's country.

**DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS.** In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund may, to the extent permitted by its investment objective and policies, purchase and sell (write) both put options and call options on securities, swap agreements, securities indexes, commodity indexes and foreign currencies, and enter into interest rate, index and commodity futures contracts and purchase and sell options on such futures contracts ("futures options"). The Fund also may purchase and sell foreign currency options for purposes of increasing exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another. The Fund may also enter into swap agreements with respect to interest rates, commodities and indexes of securities or commodities. The Fund may invest in structured notes. If other types of financial instruments, including other types of options, futures contracts or futures options are traded in the future, the Fund may also use those instruments, provided that such instruments are consistent with the Fund's investment objective.

The value of some derivative instruments in which the Fund invests may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of the Adviser to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken positions in derivative instruments contrary to prevailing market trends, the Fund could be exposed to the risk of loss.

The Fund might not employ any of the strategies described below, and no assurance can be given that any strategy used will succeed. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts interest rates, market values or other economic factors in using a derivatives strategy for the Fund, the Fund might have been in a better position if it had not entered into the transaction at all. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances. The use of these strategies involves certain special risks, including a possible imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of derivative instruments and price movements of related investments. While some strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in related investments or otherwise, due to the possible inability of the Fund to purchase or sell a portfolio security at a time that otherwise would be favorable, the possible need to sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time because the Fund is required to maintain asset coverage, offsetting positions in connection with transactions in derivative instruments or the possible inability of the Fund to close out or to liquidate its derivatives positions. In addition, the Fund's use of such instruments may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains (generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates) than if it had not used such instruments. If the Fund gains exposure to an asset class using derivative instruments backed by a collateral portfolio of fixed income instruments, changes in the value of the fixed income instruments may result in greater or lesser exposure to that asset class than would have resulted from a direct investment in securities comprising that asset class.

The use of derivative instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), the Commodity Future Trading Commission ("CFTC"), various state regulatory authorities and, with respect to exchange-traded derivatives, the several exchanges upon which they are traded. In particular, under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act, a registered investment company's derivatives exposure, which includes short positions for this purpose, is limited through a value-at-risk test and Rule 18f-4 requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. However, subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4) are not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. Rule 18f-4 could limit the Fund's ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Moreover, there may be asset coverage requirements for certain arrangements. In order to engage in certain transactions in derivatives, the Fund may be required to hold offsetting positions or to hold cash or liquid securities in a segregated account or designated on the Fund's books. Changes in the value of a derivative may also create margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for the Fund. In addition, the Fund's ability to use derivative instruments may be limited by tax considerations.

<u>Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. The Fund may, to the extent specified herein or in the Prospectus, purchase and sell both put and call options on fixed income or other securities or indexes in standardized contracts traded on foreign or domestic securities exchanges, boards of trade, or similar entities, or quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or on an over-the-counter market, and agreements, sometimes called cash puts, which may accompany the purchase of a new issue of bonds from a dealer.

An option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security. Upon exercise, the writer of an option on an index is obligated to pay the difference between the cash value of the index and the exercise price multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. (An index is designed to reflect features of a particular financial or securities market, a specific group of financial instruments or securities or certain economic indicators.)

The Fund will write call options and put options only if they are "covered." In the case of a call option on a security, the option is "covered" if the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by the Fund. For a call option on an index, the option is covered if the Fund maintains with its custodian assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, in an amount equal to the contract value of the index. A call option is also covered if the Fund holds a call on the same security or index as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written. A put option on a security or an index is "covered" if the Fund holds a put on the same security or index as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written.

If an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid.

Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange-traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, exchange, underlying security or index, exercise price and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund desires.

The Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option which is sold. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series. The Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security or index in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.

The premium paid for a put or call option purchased by the Fund is an asset of the Fund. The premium received for an option written by the Fund is recorded as a deferred credit. The value of an option purchased or written is marked to market daily and is valued at the closing price on the exchange on which it is traded or, if not traded on an exchange or no closing price is available, at the mean between the last bid and asked prices.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a combination of a call and a put written on the same underlying security. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

<u>Risks Associated with Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and on indexes. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.

The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security at the exercise price. If a put or call option purchased by the Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security remains equal to or greater than the exercise price (in the case of a put), or remains less than or equal to the exercise price (in the case of a call), the Fund will lose its entire investment in the option. Also, where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security, the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out an option position. If the Fund were unable to close out an option that it had purchased on a security, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit or the option may expire worthless.

If trading were suspended in an option purchased by the Fund, the Fund would not be able to close out the option. If restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it has purchased. Except to the extent that a call option on an index written by the Fund is covered by an option on the same index purchased by the Fund, movements in the index may result in a loss to the Fund; however, such losses may be mitigated by changes in the value of the Fund's securities during the period the option was outstanding. If the Fund were unable to close out a covered call option that it had written on a security, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the exercise price of the call.

To the extent that the Fund writes a call option on a security it holds in its portfolio and intends to use such security as the sole means of "covering" its obligation under the call option, the Fund has, in return for the premium on the option, given up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the exercise price during the option period, but, as long as its obligation under such call option continues, has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. If the Fund were unable to close out such a call option, the Fund would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise.

<u>Foreign Currency Options</u>. Funds that invest in foreign currency-denominated securities may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies. These Funds may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies either on exchanges or in the over-the-counter market.

A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires.

Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits which may limit the ability of the Fund to reduce foreign currency risk using such options. Over-the-counter options differ from traded options in that over-the-counter options are two-party contracts with price and other terms negotiated between buyer and seller and generally do not have as much market liquidity as exchange traded options.

<u>Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts</u>. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security or commodity for a set price on a future date. These contracts are traded on exchanges, so that, in most cases, either party can close out its position on the exchange for cash, without delivering the security or commodity. An option on a futures contract gives the holder of the option the right to buy or sell a position in a futures contract from or to the writer of the option, at a specified price and on or before a specified expiration date. The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options thereon ("futures options") with respect to, but not limited to, interest rates, commodities and security or commodity indexes. To the extent that the Fund may invest in foreign currency denominated securities, it may also invest in foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon.

An interest rate, commodity, foreign currency or index futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of a financial instrument, foreign currency, commodity or the cash value of an index at a specified price and time. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract was originally written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, no physical delivery of these securities is made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes as well as financial instruments and foreign currencies and it is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future. The Fund may also invest in commodity futures contracts and options thereon. A commodity futures contract is an agreement between two parties, in which one party agrees to buy a commodity, such as an energy, agricultural or metal commodity from the other party at a later date at a price and quantity agreed-upon when the contract is made.

The Fund may purchase and write call and put futures options. Futures options possess many of the same characteristics as options on securities and indexes (discussed above). A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. A call option is "in the money" if the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option exceeds the exercise price. A put option is "in the money" if the exercise price exceeds the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option.

Pursuant to a claim for exclusion from the definition of "commodity pool operator" filed by the Trust with the National Futures Association ("NFA"), the Trust does not fall within the definition of "commodity pool operator" under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended ("CEA"), in respect of the Fund, and thus, is not subject to registration or regulation as such under the CEA in respect of the Fund.

<u>Limitations on Use of Futures and Futures Options</u>. The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and futures options which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity or quoted on an automated quotation system.

Additionally, the Fund will limit its trading in "commodity interests," as that term is defined under applicable CFTC Rules, and which generally includes commodity futures, futures options and swaps, such that, aside from commodity futures, commodity options contracts or swaps that, in each case, are used solely for bona fide hedging purposes within the meaning and intent of applicable CFTC Rules, (i) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish positions in commodity interests will not exceed five percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, or (ii) the aggregate net notional value of commodity interest positions does not exceed 100 percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, in each case, as further described in CFTC Rule 4.5(c)(2).

When a purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by the Fund, the Fund is required to deposit with the custodian (or broker, if legally permitted) a specified amount of assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees ("initial margin"). The margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. Margin requirements on foreign exchanges may be different than U.S. exchanges. The initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the futures contract which is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. The Fund expects to earn interest income on its initial margin deposits. A futures contract held by the Fund is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded. Each day the Fund pays or receives cash, called "variation margin," equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract.

This process is known as "marking to market." Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract expired. In computing the daily NAV, the Fund will mark to market its open futures positions.

The Fund is also required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option and other futures positions held by the Fund.

Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities or commodities, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (same exchange, underlying security or index and delivery month). Closing out a futures contract sale is effected by purchasing a futures contract for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument or commodity with the same delivery date. If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a call and a put written on the same underlying futures contract. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

When purchasing a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" their position by purchasing a put option on the same futures contract with a strike price as high as or higher than the price of the contract held by the Fund.

When selling a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees that are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" its position by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract (or, in the case of an index futures contract, a portfolio with a volatility substantially similar to that of the index on which the futures contract is based), or by holding a call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price no higher than the price of the contract written by the Fund (or at a higher price if the difference is maintained in liquid assets with the Trust's custodian).

When selling a call option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, equal the total market value of the futures contract underlying the call option. Alternatively, the Fund may cover its position by entering into a long position in the same futures contract at a price no higher than the strike price of the call option, by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract, or by holding a separate call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price not higher than the strike price of the call option sold by the Fund.

When selling a put option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that equal the purchase price of the futures contract, less any margin on deposit. Alternatively, the Fund may cover the position either by entering into a short position in the same futures contract, or by owning a separate put option permitting it to sell the same futures contract so long as the strike price of the purchased put option is the same or higher than the strike price of the put option sold by the Fund.

The requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company ("RIC") provided under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("IRC") also may limit the extent to which the Fund may enter into futures, futures options or forward contracts. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

<u>Risks Associated with Futures and Futures Options</u>. There are several risks associated with the use of futures contracts and futures options. A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the margin deposits relating to the futures contract. There can be no guarantee that there will be a correlation between price movements in the hedging vehicle and in the Fund securities being hedged. In addition, there are significant differences between the securities and futures markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between the markets, causing a given hedge not to achieve its objectives. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends on circumstances such as variations in speculative market demand for futures and futures options on securities, including technical influences in futures trading and futures options, and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard contracts available for trading in such respects as interest rate levels, maturities and creditworthiness of issuers.

A decision as to whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected interest rate trends.

Futures contracts on U.S. Government securities historically have reacted to an increase or decrease in interest rates in a manner similar to that in which the underlying U.S. Government securities reacted. To the extent, however, that the Fund enters into such futures contracts, the value of such futures will not vary in direct proportion to the value of the Fund's holdings. Thus, the anticipated spread between the price of the futures contract and the hedged security may be distorted due to differences in the nature of the markets. The spread also may be distorted by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets and the participation of speculators in such markets.

Futures exchanges may limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of the current trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a futures contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may work to prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when the Fund seeks to close out a futures or a futures option position, and that the Fund would remain obligated to meet margin requirements until the position is closed. In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.

<u>Risks Associated with Commodity Futures Contracts</u>. There are several additional risks associated with transactions in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Storage</u>. Unlike the financial futures markets, in the commodity futures markets there are costs of physical storage associated with purchasing the underlying commodity. The price of the commodity futures contract will reflect the storage costs of purchasing the physical commodity, including the time value of money invested in the physical commodity. To the extent that the storage costs for an underlying commodity change while the Fund is invested in futures contracts on that commodity, the value of the futures contract may change proportionately.

<u>Reinvestment</u>. In the commodity futures markets, producers of the underlying commodity may decide to hedge the price risk of selling the commodity by selling futures contracts today to lock in the price of the commodity at delivery tomorrow. In order to induce speculators to purchase the other side of the same futures contract, the commodity producer generally must sell the futures contract at a lower price than the expected future spot price. Conversely, if most hedgers in the futures market are purchasing futures contracts to hedge against a rise in prices, then speculators will only sell the other side of the futures contract at a higher futures price than the expected future spot price of the commodity. The changing nature of the hedgers and speculators in the commodity markets will influence whether futures prices are above or below the expected future spot price, which can have significant implications for the Fund. If the nature of hedgers and speculators in futures markets has shifted when it is time for the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a maturing contract in a new futures contract, the Fund might reinvest at higher or lower futures prices, or choose to pursue other investments.

Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the IRC may limit the Fund's ability to invest in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Tax Risk</u>. The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a RIC under the IRC. To qualify as a RIC under the IRC, the Fund must invest in assets which produce the types of income specified in the IRC and the Treasury Reporting Regulations ("Qualifying Income"). Whether the income from certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities is Qualifying Income must be determined on a case-by-case basis, and the Fund will endeavor to ensure that income that is not Qualifying Income will be limited to 10% or less of the Fund's income. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities may be restricted. Further, if the Fund does invest in these types of securities and the income is determined not to be Qualifying Income, it may cause the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these restrictions.

<u>Other Economic Factors</u>. The commodities which underlie commodity futures contracts may be subject to additional economic and non-economic variables, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments. These factors may have a larger impact on commodity prices and commodity-linked instruments, including futures contracts, than on traditional securities. Certain commodities are also subject to limited pricing flexibility because of supply and demand factors. Others are subject to broad price fluctuations as a result of the volatility of the prices for certain raw materials and the instability of supplies of other materials. These additional variables may create additional investment risks which subject the Fund's investments to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities.

<u>Additional Risks of Options on Securities, Futures Contracts, Options on Futures Contracts and Forward Currency Exchange Contracts and Options Thereon</u>. Options on securities, futures contracts and options on currencies may be traded on foreign exchanges. Such transactions may not be regulated as effectively as similar transactions in the United States may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Trust's ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States and (v) lesser trading volume.

<u>Swap Agreements and Options on Swap Agreements</u>. The Fund may engage in swap transactions, including, but not limited to, swap agreements on interest rates, security or commodity indexes, specific securities and commodities, and credit and event-linked swaps. To the extent the Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities, it also may invest in currency exchange rate swap agreements. The Fund also may enter into options on swap agreements ("swap options").

The Fund may enter into swap transactions for any legal purpose consistent with its investment objectives and policies, such as attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining a return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in other markets, to protect against currency fluctuations, as a duration management technique, to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in a more cost efficient manner.

OTC swap agreements are bilateral contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a "notional amount," i.e., the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a "basket" of securities or commodities representing a particular index. A "quanto" or "differential" swap combines both an interest rate and a currency transaction. Other forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap"; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or "floor"; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. Consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and general investment policies, the Fund may invest in commodity swap agreements. For example, an investment in a commodity swap agreement may involve the exchange of floating-rate interest payments for the total return on a commodity index. In a total return commodity swap, the Fund will receive the price appreciation of a commodity index, a portion of the index, or a single commodity in exchange for paying an agreed-upon fee. If the commodity swap is for one period, the Fund may pay a fixed fee, established at the outset of the swap. However, if the term of the commodity swap is more than one period, with interim swap payments, the Fund may pay an adjustable or floating fee. With a "floating" rate, the fee may be pegged to a base rate and is adjusted each period. Therefore, if interest rates increase over the term of the swap contract, the Fund may be required to pay a higher fee at each swap reset date.

The Fund also may enter into swap options. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. The Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swap options.

Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, the Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swap option than it will incur when it purchases a swap option. When the Fund purchases a swap option, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when the Fund writes a swap option, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

Most types of swap agreements entered into by the Fund will calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a "net basis." Consequently, the Fund's current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the "net amount"). The Fund's current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund).

The Fund also may enter into credit default swap agreements. The credit default swap agreement may reference one or more debt securities or obligations that are not currently held by the Fund. The protection "buyer" in a credit default contract is generally obligated to pay the protection "seller" an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract until a credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the "par value" (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount if the swap is cash settled. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer may receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity whose value may have significantly decreased. As a seller, the Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

The spread of a credit default swap is the annual amount the protection buyer must pay the protection seller over the length of the contract, expressed as a percentage of the notional amount. When spreads rise, market perceived credit risk rises and when spreads fall, market perceived credit risk falls. Wider credit spreads and decreasing market values, when compared to the notional amount of the swap, represent a deterioration of the credit soundness of the issuer of the reference obligation and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. For credit default swap agreements on asset-backed securities and credit indices, the quoted market prices and resulting values, as well as the annual payment rate, serve as an indication of the current status of the payment/performance risk.

Credit default swap agreements sold by the Fund may involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, and with respect to OTC credit default swaps, counterparty risk and credit risk. The Fund will enter into uncleared credit default swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. A buyer generally also will lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. The Fund's obligations under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund).

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") and related regulatory developments require the clearing and exchange-trading of many standardized OTC derivative instruments that the CFTC and SEC have defined as "swaps" including non-deliverable foreign exchange forwards, OTC foreign exchange options and swap options. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing is occurring on a phased-in basis based on type of market participant and CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing. The Adviser will continue to monitor developments in this area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the Fund's ability to enter into swap agreements.

Whether the Fund's use of swap agreements or swap options will be successful in furthering its investment objective will depend on the Adviser's ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. The Fund will enter into OTC swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the Internal Revenue Code may limit the Fund's ability to use swap agreements. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including additional government regulation, could adversely affect the Fund's ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the reference asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. Because OTC swap agreements are two-party contracts that may be subject to contractual restrictions on transferability and termination and because they may have remaining terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid and subject to the Fund's limitation on investments in illiquid securities. However, the Trust has adopted procedures pursuant to which the Adviser may determine swaps to be liquid under certain circumstances. To the extent that a swap is not liquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.

Like most other investments, swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to the Fund's interest. The Fund bears the risk that the Adviser will not accurately forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors in establishing swap positions for the Fund. If the Adviser attempts to use a swap as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the swap will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the Fund. While hedging strategies involving swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other Fund investments. Many swaps are complex and often valued subjectively.

<u>Correlation Risk</u>. In certain cases, the value of derivatives may not correlate perfectly, or at all, with the value of the assets, reference rates or indexes they are designed to closely track. In this regard, certain funds seek to achieve their investment objectives, in part, by investing in derivatives positions that are designed to closely track the performance (or inverse performance) of an index on a daily basis. However, the overall investment strategies of the Fund is not designed or expected to produce returns which replicate the performance (or inverse performance) of the particular index, and the degree of variation could be substantial, particularly over longer periods. There are a number of factors which may prevent a mutual fund, or derivatives or other strategies used by the Fund, from achieving desired correlation (or inverse correlation) with an index. These may include, but are not limited to: (i) the impact of fund fees, expenses and transaction costs, including borrowing and brokerage costs/bid-ask spreads, which are not reflected in index returns; (ii) differences in the timing of daily calculations of the value of an index and the timing of the valuation of derivatives, securities and other assets held by the Fund and the determination of the NAV of fund shares; (iii) disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for derivative instruments or securities in which the Fund invests; (iv) the Fund having exposure to or holding less than all of the securities in the underlying index and/or having exposure to or holding securities not included in the underlying index; (v) large or unexpected movements of assets into and out of the Fund (due to share purchases or redemptions, for example), potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the index; (vi) the impact of accounting standards or changes thereto; (vii) changes to the applicable index that are not disseminated in advance; (viii) a possible need to conform the Fund's portfolio holdings to comply with investment restrictions or policies or regulatory or tax law requirements; and (ix) fluctuations on currency exchange rates.

<u>Risk of Potential Government Regulation of Derivatives</u>. It is possible that additional government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, including futures, options and swap agreements, may limit or prevent the Fund from using such instruments potentially to the detriment of the Fund. It is impossible to fully predict the effects of past, present or future legislation and regulation in this area, but the effects could be substantial and adverse. It is possible that legislative and regulatory activity could limit or restrict the ability of the Fund to use certain instruments as a part of its investment strategy. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

There is a possibility of future regulatory changes altering, perhaps to a material extent, the nature of an investment in the Fund or the ability of the Fund to continue to implement their investment strategies. The futures, options and swaps markets are subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations, and margin requirements. In addition, the SEC, CFTC and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.

In particular, the Dodd-Frank Act sets forth a legislative framework for OTC derivatives, including financial instruments, such as swaps, in which the Fund may invest. Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act makes broad changes to the OTC derivatives market, grants significant new authority to the SEC and the CFTC to regulate OTC derivatives and market participants, and requires clearing and exchange trading of many OTC derivatives transactions.

Provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act include capital and margin requirements and the mandatory use of clearinghouse mechanisms for many OTC derivative transactions. The CFTC, SEC and other federal regulators have been developing the rules and regulations enacting the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. Because there is a prescribed phase-in period during which most of the mandated rulemaking and regulations will be implemented, it is not possible at this time to gauge the exact nature and full scope of the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on the Fund. However, swap dealers, major market participants and swap counterparties are experiencing, and will continue to experience, new and additional regulations, requirements, compliance burdens and associated costs. The new law and the rules to be promulgated thereunder may negatively impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective either through limits or requirements imposed on it or upon its counterparties. In particular, new position limits imposed on the Fund or its counterparties may impact the Fund's ability to invest in futures, options and swaps in a manner that efficiently meets its investment objective. New requirements even if not directly applicable to the Fund, including capital requirements, changes to the CFTC speculative position limits regime and mandatory clearing, may increase the cost of a Fund's investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.

<u>Structured Notes</u>. Structured notes are derivative debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities include structured notes as well as securities other than debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities may include a multiplier that multiplies the indexed element by a specified factor and, therefore, the value of such securities may be very volatile. The terms of the structured and indexed securities may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity and therefore, may result in a loss of invested capital. Structured and indexed securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the reference index may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the structured or indexed security at maturity may be calculated as a specified multiple of the change in the value of the reference; therefore, the value of such security may be very volatile. Structured and indexed securities may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the reference. Structured or indexed securities may also be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities. To the extent the Fund invests in these securities, however, the Adviser analyzes these securities in its overall assessment of the effective duration of the Fund's portfolio in an effort to monitor the Fund's interest rate risk.

**DOLLAR ROLLS.** The Fund may enter into dollar roll agreements, which are similar to reverse repurchase agreements. Dollar rolls are transactions in which securities are sold by the Fund for delivery in the current month and the Fund simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. Any difference between the sale price and the purchase price is netted against the interest income foregone on the securities sold to arrive at an implied borrowing rate. Alternatively, the sale and purchase transactions can be executed at the same price, with the Fund being paid a fee as consideration for entering into the commitment to purchase. Dollar rolls may be renewed prior to cash settlement and initially may involve only a firm commitment agreement by the Fund to buy a security. If the broker-dealer to which the Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund's right to repurchase the security may be restricted. At the time the Fund enters into a dollar roll, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained.

**EQUITY-LINKED SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in equity-linked securities. Equity-linked securities are privately issued securities whose investment results are designed to correspond generally to the performance of a specified stock index or "basket" of stocks, or sometimes a single stock. To the extent that the Fund invests in an equity-linked security whose return corresponds to the performance of a foreign securities index or one or more foreign stocks, investing in equity-linked securities will involve risks similar to the risks of investing in foreign equity securities. See "Foreign Securities" below. In addition, the Fund bears the risk that the issuer of an equity-linked security may default on its obligations under the security. Equity-linked securities are often used for many of the same purposes as, and share many of the same risks with, derivative instruments such as index futures on stock indexes, zero-strike options and warrants and swap agreements. See "Derivative Instruments" above. Equity-linked securities may be considered illiquid and thus subject to the Fund's restriction on investments in illiquid securities.

**EVENT-LINKED EXPOSURE.** The Fund may obtain event-linked exposure by investing in "event-linked bonds" or "event-linked swaps," or implement "event-linked strategies." Event-linked exposure results in gains that typically are contingent on the non-occurrence of a specific "trigger" event, such as a hurricane, earthquake or other physical or weather-related phenomena. Some event-linked bonds are commonly referred to as "catastrophe bonds." They may be issued by government agencies, insurance companies, reinsurers, special purpose corporations or other on-shore or off-shore entities (such special purpose entities are created to accomplish a narrow and well-defined objective, such as the issuance of a note in connection with a reinsurance transaction). If a trigger event causes

losses exceeding a specific amount in the geographic region and time period specified in a bond, the Fund, when investing in the bond may lose a portion or all of its principal invested in the bond. If no trigger event occurs, the Fund will recover its principal plus interest. For some event-linked bonds, the trigger event or losses may be based on company-wide losses, index-portfolio losses, industry indices or readings of scientific instruments rather than specified actual losses. Often the event-linked bonds provide for extensions of maturity that are mandatory, or optional at the discretion of the issuer, in order to process and audit loss claims in those cases where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension of maturity may increase volatility. In addition to the specified trigger events, event-linked bonds may also expose the Fund to certain unanticipated risks including but not limited to issuer risk, credit risk, counterparty risk, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations and adverse tax consequences.

Event-linked bonds are a relatively new type of financial instrument. As such, there is no significant trading history of these securities, and there can be no assurance that a liquid market in these instruments will develop. See "Illiquid Securities" below. Lack of a liquid market may impose the risk of higher transaction costs and the possibility that the Fund may be forced to liquidate positions when it would not be advantageous to do so. Event-linked bonds are typically rated, and the Fund will only invest in catastrophe bonds that meet the credit quality requirements for the Fund.

**FIXED INCOME SECURITIES WITH BUY-BACK FEATURES.** Fixed income securities with buy-back features enable the Fund to recover principal upon tendering the securities to the issuer or a third party. Letters of credit issued by domestic or foreign banks often support these buy-back features. In evaluating a foreign bank's credit, the Adviser considers whether adequate public information about the bank is available and whether the bank may be subject to unfavorable political or economic developments, currency controls or other governmental restrictions that could adversely affect the bank's ability to honor its commitment under the letter of credit. Buy-back features include standby commitments, put bonds and demand features.

<u>Standby Commitments</u>. The Fund may acquire standby commitments from broker-dealers, banks or other financial intermediaries to enhance the liquidity of portfolio securities. A standby commitment entitles the Fund to same day settlement at amortized cost plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise. The amount payable by the issuer of the standby commitment during the time that the commitment is exercisable generally approximates the market value of the securities underlying the commitment. Standby commitments are subject to the risk that the issuer of a commitment may not be in a position to pay for the securities at the time that the commitment is exercised.

Ordinarily, the Fund will not transfer a standby commitment to a third party, although the Fund may sell securities subject to a standby commitment at any time. The Fund may purchase standby commitments separate from or in conjunction with the purchase of the securities subject to the commitments. In the latter case, the Fund may pay a higher price for the securities acquired in consideration for the commitment.

In selecting put bonds for the Fund, the Adviser takes into consideration the creditworthiness of the issuers of the underlying bonds and the creditworthiness of the providers of the tender option features. A sponsor may withdraw the tender option feature if the issuer of the underlying bond defaults on interest or principal payments, the bond's rating is downgraded or, in the case of a municipal bond, the bond loses its tax-exempt status.

<u>Demand Features</u>. Many variable rate securities carry demand features that permit the holder to demand repayment of the principal amount of the underlying securities plus accrued interest, if any, upon a specified number of days' notice to the issuer or its agent. A demand feature may be exercisable at any time or at specified intervals. Variable rate securities with demand features are treated as having a maturity equal to the time remaining before the holder can next demand payment of principal. The issuer of a demand feature instrument may have a corresponding right to prepay the outstanding principal of the instrument plus accrued interest, if any, upon notice comparable to that required for the holder to demand payment.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities and may purchase and sell foreign currency options and foreign currency futures contracts and related options (see "Derivative Instruments") and may engage in foreign currency transactions either on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time or through forward currency contracts ("forwards") with terms generally of less than one year. The Fund may engage in these transactions in order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign exchange rates in the purchase and sale of securities. The Fund may also use foreign currency options and foreign currency forward contracts to increase exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another.

A forward involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts may be bought or sold to protect the Fund against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar or to increase exposure to a particular foreign currency. Although forwards are intended to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currencies, at the same time, they tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currencies increase.

Forwards will be used primarily to adjust the foreign exchange exposure of the Fund with a view to protecting the outlook, and the Fund might be expected to enter into such contracts under the following circumstances:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) When the Adviser desires to lock in the U.S. dollar price on the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) If a particular currency is expected to decrease against another currency, the Fund may sell the currency expected to decrease and purchase a currency which is expected to increase against the currency sold in an amount approximately equal to some or all of the Fund's portfolio holdings denominated in the currency sold.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) If the Adviser wants to eliminate substantially all of the risk of owning a particular currency, and/or if the Adviser thinks that the Fund can benefit from price appreciation in a given country's bonds but does not want to hold the currency, it may employ a direct hedge back into the U.S. dollar. In either case, the Fund would enter into a forward contract to sell the currency in which a portfolio security is denominated and purchase U.S. dollars at an exchange rate established at the time it initiated the contract. The cost of the direct hedge transaction may offset most, if not all, of the yield advantage offered by the foreign security, but the Fund would hope to benefit from an increase (if any) in the value of the bond.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) The Adviser might choose to use a proxy hedge, which may be less costly than a direct hedge. In this case, the Fund, having purchased a security, will sell a currency whose value is believed to be closely linked to the currency in which the security is denominated. Interest rates prevailing in the country whose currency was sold would be expected to be closer to those in the U.S. and lower than those of securities denominated in the currency of the original holding. This type of hedging entails greater risk than a direct hedge because it is dependent on a stable relationship between the two currencies paired as proxies and the relationships can be very unstable at times.

<u>Costs of Hedging</u>. When the Fund purchases a foreign bond with a higher interest rate than is available on U.S. bonds of a similar maturity, the additional yield on the foreign bond could be substantially reduced or lost if the Fund were to enter into a direct hedge by selling the foreign currency and purchasing the U.S. dollar. This is what is known as the "cost" of hedging. Proxy hedging attempts to reduce this cost through an indirect hedge back to the U.S. dollar.

It is important to note that hedging costs are treated as capital transactions and are not, therefore, deducted from the Fund's dividend distribution and are not reflected in its yield. Instead such costs will, over time, be reflected in the Fund's NAV per share.

The forecasting of currency market movement is extremely difficult, and whether any hedging strategy will be successful is highly uncertain. Moreover, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of a foreign currency forward contract. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to buy or sell additional currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such transaction) if the Adviser's predictions regarding the movement of foreign currency or securities markets prove inaccurate. In addition, the use of cross-hedging transactions may involve special risks and may leave the Fund in a less advantageous position than if such a hedge had not been established. Because foreign currency forward contracts are privately negotiated transactions, there can be no assurance that the Fund will have flexibility to roll-over a foreign currency forward contract upon its expiration if it desires to do so. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the other party to the contract will perform its services thereunder.

The Fund may hold a portion of its assets in bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies, so as to facilitate investment in foreign securities as well as protect against currency fluctuations and the need to convert such assets into U.S. dollars (thereby also reducing transaction costs). To the extent these monies are converted back into U.S. dollars, the value of the assets so maintained will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations.

<u>Tax Consequences of Hedging</u>. Under applicable tax law, the Fund may be required to limit its gains from hedging in foreign currency forwards, futures and options. The extent to which these limits apply is subject to tax regulations that, to date, have not been issued. Hedging may also result in the application of the mark-to-market and straddle provisions of the IRC. Those provisions could result in

an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund and could affect whether dividends paid by the Fund are classified as capital gains or ordinary income. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these tax issues.

**Foreign Currency Exchange-Related Securities.**

<u>Foreign Currency Warrants</u>. Foreign currency warrants such as Currency Exchange Warrants ("CEWs") are warrants which entitle the holder to receive from their issuer an amount of cash (generally, for warrants issued in the United States, in U.S. dollars) which is calculated pursuant to a predetermined formula and based on the exchange rate between a specified foreign currency and the U.S. dollar as of the exercise date of the warrant. Foreign currency warrants generally are exercisable upon their issuance and expire as of a specified date and time. Foreign currency warrants have been issued in connection with U.S. dollar-denominated debt offerings by major corporate issuers in an attempt to reduce the foreign currency exchange risk which, from the point of view of prospective purchasers of the securities, is inherent in the international fixed-income marketplace. Foreign currency warrants may attempt to reduce the foreign exchange risk assumed by purchasers of a security by, for example, providing for a supplemental payment in the event that the U.S. dollar depreciates against the value of a major foreign currency such as the Japanese yen or the euro. The formula used to determine the amount payable upon exercise of a foreign currency warrant may make the warrant worthless unless the applicable foreign currency exchange rate moves in a particular direction (e.g., unless the U.S. dollar appreciates or depreciates against the particular foreign currency to which the warrant is linked or indexed). Foreign currency warrants are severable from the debt obligations with which they may be offered and may be listed on exchanges. Foreign currency warrants may be exercisable only in certain minimum amounts, and an investor wishing to exercise warrants who possesses less than the minimum number required for exercise may be required either to sell the warrants or to purchase additional warrants, thereby incurring additional transaction costs. In the case of any exercise of warrants, there may be a time delay between the time a holder of warrants gives instructions to exercise and the time the exchange rate relating to exercise is determined, during which time the exchange rate could change significantly, thereby affecting both the market and cash settlement values of the warrants being exercised. The expiration date of the warrants may be accelerated if the warrants should be delisted from an exchange or if their trading should be suspended permanently, which would result in the loss of any remaining "time value" of the warrants (i.e., the difference between the current market value and the exercise value of the warrants), and, in the case the warrants were "out-of-the-money," in a total loss of the purchase price of the warrants. Warrants are generally unsecured obligations of their issuers and are not standardized foreign currency options issued by the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"). Unlike foreign currency options issued by OCC, the terms of foreign exchange warrants generally will not be amended in the event of governmental or regulatory actions affecting exchange rates or in the event of the imposition of other regulatory controls affecting the international currency markets. The initial public offering price of foreign currency warrants is generally considerably in excess of the price that a commercial user of foreign currencies might pay in the interbank market for a comparable option involving significantly larger amounts of foreign currencies. Foreign currency warrants are subject to significant foreign exchange risk, including risks arising from complex political or economic factors.

<u>Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities</u>. Principal exchange rate linked securities ("PERLs") are debt obligations the principal on which is payable at maturity in an amount that may vary based on the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and a particular foreign currency at or about that time. The return on "standard" PERLs is enhanced if the foreign currency to which the security is linked appreciates against the U.S. dollar and is adversely affected by increases in the foreign exchange value of the U.S. dollar; "reverse" PERLs are like the "standard" securities, except that their return is enhanced by increases in the value of the U.S. dollar and adversely impacted by increases in the value of foreign currency. Interest payments on the securities are generally made in U.S. dollars at rates that reflect the degree of foreign currency risk assumed or given up by the purchaser of the notes (i.e., at relatively higher interest rates if the purchaser has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, or relatively lower interest rates if the issuer has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, based on the expectations of the current market). PERLs may in limited cases be subject to acceleration of maturity (generally, not without the consent of the holders of the securities), which may have an adverse impact on the value of the principal payment to be made at maturity.

<u>Performance Indexed Paper</u>. Performance indexed paper ("PIPs") is U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper the yield of which is linked to certain foreign exchange rate movements. The yield to the investor on PIPs is established at maturity as a function of spot exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a designated currency as of or about that time (generally, the index maturity two days prior to maturity). The yield to the investor will be within a range stipulated at the time of purchase of the obligation, generally with a guaranteed minimum rate of return that is below, and a potential maximum rate of return that is above, market yields on U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper, with both the minimum and maximum rates of return on the investment corresponding to the minimum and maximum values of the spot exchange rate two business days prior to maturity.

**FOREIGN SECURITIES AND EMERGING MARKETS.** The Fund may invest in foreign securities, including securities from issuers located in emerging market countries. Investing in foreign securities involves risks not typically associated with investing in securities of companies organized and operated in the United States that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. In addition to equity securities, foreign investments of the Fund may include: (a) debt obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign sovereign governments or their agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, including a foreign state, province or municipality;

(b) debt obligations of supranational organizations; (c) debt obligations of foreign banks and bank holding companies; (d) debt obligations of domestic banks and corporations issued in foreign currencies; (e) debt obligations denominated in the Euro; and (f) foreign corporate debt securities and commercial paper. Such securities may include loan participations and assignments, convertible securities and zero-coupon securities.

<u>Currency Risk and Exchange Risk</u>*.* Because foreign securities generally are denominated and pay dividends or interest in foreign currencies, the value of the Fund (if it invests in foreign securities as measured in U.S. dollars) will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in exchange rates. Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency loses value because the currency is worth fewer U.S. dollars. Conversely, when the U.S. dollar decreases in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency gains value because the currency is worth more U.S. dollars. This risk, generally known as "currency risk," means that a stronger U.S. dollar will reduce returns for U.S. investors while a weak U.S. dollar will increase those returns.

<u>Foreign Market Risk</u>*.* A fund that may invest in foreign securities offers the potential for more diversification than a fund that invests only in the United States because securities traded on foreign markets have often (though not always) performed differently from securities traded in the United States. However, such investments often involve risks not present in U.S. investments that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. In particular, the Fund is subject to the risk that, because there are generally fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of shares traded each day, it may be difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. In addition, prices of foreign securities may fluctuate more than prices of securities traded in the United States. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of punitive taxes. In addition, the governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain industries. Any of these actions could severely affect security prices, impair the Fund's ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer the Fund's assets or income back into the United States or otherwise adversely affect its operations. Other potential foreign market risks include exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on foreign government securities, difficulties in enforcing favorable legal judgments in foreign courts and political and social conditions, such as diplomatic relations, confiscatory taxation, expropriation, limitation on the removal of funds or assets or imposition of (or change in) exchange control regulations. Legal remedies available to investors in certain foreign countries may be less extensive than those available to investors in the United States or other foreign countries. In addition, changes in government administrations or economic or monetary policies in the United States or abroad could result in appreciation or depreciation of portfolio securities and could favorably or adversely affect the Fund's operations.

<u>Public Availability of Information</u>*.* In general, less information is publicly available with respect to foreign issuers than is available with respect to U.S. companies. Most foreign companies are also not subject to the uniform accounting and financial reporting requirements applicable to issuers in the United States. While the volume of transactions effected on foreign stock exchanges has increased in recent years, it remains appreciably below that of the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange"). Accordingly, the Fund's foreign investments may be less liquid and their prices may be more volatile than comparable investments in securities in U.S. companies. In addition, there is generally less government supervision and regulation of securities exchanges, brokers and issuers in foreign countries than in the United States.

<u>Settlement Risk</u>*.* Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the United States. Foreign settlement procedures and trade regulations also may involve certain risks (such as delays in payment for or delivery of securities) not typically generated by the settlement of U.S. investments. Communications between the United States and emerging market countries may be unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates in markets that still rely on physical settlement. Settlements in certain foreign countries at times have not kept pace with the number of securities transactions; these problems may make it difficult for the Fund to carry out transactions. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a purchase of securities, it may miss attractive investment opportunities and certain of its assets may be uninvested with no return earned thereon for some period. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a sale of securities, it may lose money if the value of the security then declines or, if it has contracted to sell the security to another party, the Fund could be liable to that party for any losses incurred. Dividends or interest on, or proceeds from the sale of, foreign securities may be subject to foreign taxes on income from sources in such countries.

<u>Governmental Supervision and Regulation/Accounting Standards</u>. Many foreign governments supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities less than does the United States. Some countries may not have laws to protect investors comparable to the U.S. securities laws. For example, some foreign countries may have no laws or rules against insider trading. Insider trading occurs when a person buys or sells a company's securities based on nonpublic information about that company. In addition, the U.S. Government has from time to time in the past imposed restrictions, through penalties and otherwise, on foreign investments by U.S. investors such as the Fund. Accounting standards in other countries are not necessarily the same as in the United States. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as U.S. accounting standards, it may be harder for Fund management to completely and accurately determine a company's financial condition. Also, brokerage commissions and other costs of buying or selling securities often are higher in foreign countries than they are in the United States. This reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments.

<u>Certain Risks of Holding Fund Assets Outside the United States</u>. The Fund generally holds foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories. Some foreign banks and securities depositories may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In addition, there may be limited or no regulatory oversight over their operations. Also, the laws of certain countries may put limits on the Fund's ability to recover its assets if a foreign bank or depository or issuer of a security or any of their agents goes bankrupt. In addition, it is often more expensive for the Fund to buy, sell and hold securities in certain foreign markets than in the United States. The increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments and typically results in a higher operating expense ratio for the Fund as compared to investment companies that invest only in the United States.

<u>Foreign Economy Risk</u>*.* The economies of certain foreign markets often do not compare favorably with that of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of payments position. Certain such economies may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. U.S. securities and accounting regulatory agencies continue to express concern regarding information access and audit quality regarding issuers in China and other emerging market countries, which could present heightened risks associated with investments in these markets.

<u>Sovereign Debt</u>. The Fund may invest in sovereign debt. Investment in sovereign debt can involve a high degree of risk. The governmental entity that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be able or willing to repay the principal and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such debt. A governmental entity's willingness or ability to repay principal and interest due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the governmental entity's policy towards the International Monetary Fund and the political constraints to which a governmental entity may be subject. Governmental entities may also be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The commitment on the part of these governments, agencies and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on the implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor's obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties' commitments to lend funds to the governmental entity, which may further impair such debtor's ability or willingness to timely service its debts. Consequently, governmental entities may default on their sovereign debt.

Holders of sovereign debt may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such debt and to extend further loans to governmental entities. In the event of a default by a governmental entity, there may be few or no effective legal remedies for collecting on such debt.

<u>Risks of Investing in Asia-Pacific Countries</u>. In addition to the risks of foreign investing and the risks of investing in developing markets, the developing market Asia-Pacific countries in which the Fund may invest are subject to certain additional or specific risks. In many of these markets, there is a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of investors and financial intermediaries. Many of these markets also may be affected by developments with respect to more established markets in the region such as in Japan and Hong Kong. Brokers in developing market Asia-Pacific countries typically are fewer in number and less well capitalized than brokers in the United States. These factors, combined with the U.S. regulatory requirements for open-end investment companies and the restrictions on foreign investment discussed below, result in potentially fewer investment opportunities for the Fund and may have an adverse impact on the investment performance of the Fund.

Many of the developing market Asia-Pacific countries may be subject to a greater degree of economic, political and social instability than is the case in the United States and Western European countries. Such instability may result from, among other things: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision-making, including changes in government through extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; and (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection. In addition, the governments of many of such countries, such as Indonesia, have a substantial role in regulating and supervising the economy. Another risk common to most such countries is that the economy is heavily export oriented and, accordingly, is dependent upon international trade. The existence of overburdened infrastructure and obsolete financial systems also presents risks in certain countries, as do environmental problems. Certain economies also depend to a significant degree upon exports of primary commodities and, therefore, are vulnerable to changes in commodity prices that, in turn, may be affected by a variety of factors.

The legal systems in certain developing market Asia-Pacific countries also may have an adverse impact on the Fund. For example, while the potential liability of a shareholder in a U.S. corporation with respect to acts of the corporation is generally limited to the amount of the shareholder's investment, the notion of limited liability is less clear in certain emerging market Asia-Pacific countries. Similarly, the rights of investors in developing market Asia-Pacific companies may be more limited than those of shareholders of U.S. corporations. It may be difficult or impossible to obtain and/or enforce a judgment in a developing market Asia-Pacific country.

Governments of many developing market Asia-Pacific countries have exercised and continue to exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector. In certain cases, the government owns or controls many companies, including the largest in the country. Accordingly, government actions in the future could have a significant effect on economic conditions in developing market Asia-Pacific countries, which could affect private sector companies and a Fund itself, as well as the value of securities in the Fund's portfolio. In addition, economic statistics of developing market Asia-Pacific countries may be less reliable than economic statistics of more developed nations.

In addition to the relative lack of publicly available information about developing market Asia-Pacific issuers and the possibility that such issuers may not be subject to the same accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards as U.S. companies, inflation accounting rules in some developing market Asia-Pacific countries require companies that keep accounting records in the local currency, for both tax and accounting purposes, to restate certain assets and liabilities on the company's balance sheet in order to express items in terms of currency of constant purchasing power. Inflation accounting may indirectly generate losses or profits for certain developing market Asia-Pacific companies.

Satisfactory custodial services for investment securities may not be available in some developing Asia-Pacific countries, which may result in the Fund incurring additional costs and delays in providing transportation and custody services for such securities outside such countries. Certain developing Asia-Pacific countries, such as the Philippines, India and Turkey, are especially large debtors to commercial banks and foreign governments. The Adviser may determine that, notwithstanding otherwise favorable investment criteria, it may not be practicable or appropriate to invest in a particular developing Asia-Pacific country. The Fund may invest in countries in which foreign investors, including the Adviser, have had no or limited prior experience.

<u>Restrictions on Foreign Investments in Asia-Pacific Countries</u>. Some developing Asia-Pacific countries prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on investments in their capital markets, particularly their equity markets, by foreign entities such as the Fund. As illustrations, certain countries may require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company or limit the investment by foreign persons to only a specific class of securities of a company which may have less advantageous terms (including price and shareholder rights) than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to obtain required governmental approvals in a timely manner. In addition, changes to restrictions on foreign ownership of securities subsequent to the Fund's purchase of such securities may have an adverse effect on the value of such shares. Certain countries may restrict investment opportunities in issuers or industries deemed important to national interests.

The manner in which foreign investors may invest in companies in certain developing Asia-Pacific countries, as well as limitations on such investments, also may have an adverse impact on the operations of the Fund. For example, the Fund may be required in certain of such countries to invest initially through a local broker or other entity and then have the shares purchased re-registered in the name of the Fund. Re-registration may in some instances not be able to occur on a timely basis, resulting in a delay during which the Fund may be denied certain of its rights as an investor, including rights as to dividends or to be made aware of certain corporate actions. There also may be instances where the Fund places a purchase order but is subsequently informed, at the time of re-registration, that the permissible allocation of the investment to foreign investors has been filled, depriving the Fund of the ability to make its desired investment at that time.

Substantial limitations may exist in certain countries with respect to the Fund's ability to repatriate investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors. The Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application to the Fund of any restrictions on investments. It is possible that certain countries may impose currency controls or other restrictions relating to their currencies or to securities of issuers in those countries. To the extent that such restrictions have the effect of making certain investments illiquid, securities may not be available for sale to meet redemptions. Depending on a variety of financial factors, the percentage of the Fund's portfolio subject to currency controls may increase. In the event other countries impose similar controls, the portion of the Fund's assets that may be used to meet redemptions may be further decreased. Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain aspects of the operations of the Fund (for example, if funds may be withdrawn only in certain currencies and/or only at an exchange rate established by the government).

In certain countries, banks or other financial institutions may be among the leading companies or have actively traded securities available for investment. The 1940 Act restricts the Fund's investments in any equity securities of an issuer that, in its most recent fiscal year, derived more than 15% of its revenues from "securities related activities," as defined by the rules thereunder. These provisions may restrict the Fund's investments in certain foreign banks and other financial institutions.

Political and economic structures in emerging market countries may be undergoing significant evolution and rapid development, and these countries may lack the social, political and economic stability characteristic of more developed countries. Some of these countries

may have in the past failed to recognize private property rights and have at times nationalized or expropriated the assets of private companies. As a result the risks described above, including the risks of nationalization or expropriation of assets, may be heightened. In addition, unanticipated political or social developments may affect the value of investments in these countries and the availability to the Fund of additional investments in emerging market countries. The small size and inexperience of the securities markets in certain of these countries and the limited volume of trading in securities in these countries may make investments in the countries illiquid and more volatile than investments in Japan or most Western European countries. There may be little financial or accounting information available with respect to issuers located in certain emerging market countries, and it may be difficult to assess the value or prospects of an investment in such issuers.

The expense ratios of funds investing significantly in foreign securities can be expected to be higher than those of funds investing primarily in domestic securities. The costs attributable to investing abroad are usually higher for several reasons, such as the higher cost of custody of foreign securities, higher commissions paid on comparable transactions on foreign markets and additional costs arising from delays in settlements of transactions involving foreign securities.

<u>Russia Risk</u>. As a result of continued political tensions and armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine commencing in February of 2022, the extent and ultimate result of which are unknown at this time, the United States and the European Union, along with the regulatory bodies of a number of countries, have imposed economic sanctions on certain Russian corporate entities and individuals, and certain sectors of Russia's economy, which may result in, among other things, continued fluctuations in the valuation of Russian currency, a downgrade in the country's credit rating, and/or a decline in the value and liquidity of Russian securities, property or interests. These sanctions could also result in the immediate freeze of Russian securities and/or funds invested in prohibited assets, impairing the ability of the Fund to buy, sell, receive or deliver those securities and/or assets. Economic sanctions and other actions against Russian institutions, companies, and individuals resulting from the ongoing conflict may also have a substantial negative impact on other economies and securities markets both regionally and globally, as well as on companies with operations in the conflict region, the extent to which is unknown at this time.

<u>P-notes</u>. The Fund may invest in participatory notes (commonly known as P-notes), which are offshore derivative instruments issued to foreign institutional investors and their sub-accounts against underlying Indian securities listed on the Indian bourses. These securities are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. Participatory notes are similar to ADRs and the risks of investing in participatory notes are similar to those discussed below with respect to securities of foreign issuers in general.

**GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACTS.** The Fund may invest in guaranteed investment contracts ("GIC"). A GIC is a general obligation of an insurance company. A GIC is generally structured as a deferred annuity under which the purchaser agrees to pay a given amount of money to an insurer (either in a lump sum or in installments) and the insurer promises to pay interest at a guaranteed rate (either fixed or variable) for the life of the contract. Some GICs provide that the insurer may periodically pay discretionary excess interest over and above the guaranteed rate. At the GIC's maturity, the purchaser generally is given the option of receiving payment or an annuity. Certain GICs may have features that permit redemption by the issuer at a discount from par value. Generally, GICs are not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuer. As a result, the acquisition of GICs is subject to the limitations applicable to the Fund's acquisition of illiquid and restricted securities. The holder of a GIC is dependent on the creditworthiness of the issuer as to whether the issuer is able to meet its obligations.

**HYBRID INSTRUMENTS.** A hybrid instrument is a type of potentially high-risk derivative that combines a traditional stock, bond or commodity with an option or forward contract. Generally, the principal amount, amount payable upon maturity or redemption or interest rate of a hybrid is tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency or securities index or another interest rate or some other economic factor (each a "benchmark"). The interest rate or (unlike most fixed income securities) the principal amount payable at maturity of a hybrid security may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark. An example of a hybrid could be a bond issued by an oil company that pays a small base level of interest with additional interest that accrues in correlation to the extent to which oil prices exceed a certain predetermined level. Such a hybrid instrument would be a combination of a bond and a call option on oil.

Hybrids can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging duration management and increased total return. Hybrids may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a hybrid or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could be zero. Thus, an investment in a hybrid may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of hybrids also exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrids. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the NAV of the Fund.

Certain hybrid instruments may provide exposure to the commodities markets. These are derivative securities with one or more commodity-linked components that have payment features similar to commodity futures contracts, commodity options or similar instruments. Commodity-linked hybrid instruments may be either equity or debt securities, leveraged or unleveraged, and are considered hybrid instruments because they have both security and commodity-like characteristics. A portion of the value of these instruments may be derived from the value of a commodity, futures contract, index or other economic variable. The Fund will only invest in commodity-linked hybrid instruments that qualify under applicable rules of the CFTC for an exemption from the provisions of the CEA.

Certain issuers of structured products such as hybrid instruments may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund's investments in these products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.

**ILLIQUID SECURITIES and liquidity risk management pROGRAM.** The Fund may not knowingly invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days at approximately the value at which they are being carried on the Fund's books. The Board of Trustees has the ultimate responsibility for determining whether specific securities are liquid or illiquid. The Board of Trustees has delegated the function of making day to day determinations of liquidity to the Adviser, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of securities held by the Fund and report periodically on such decisions to the Board of Trustees. If the limitations on illiquid securities are exceeded, other than by a change in market values, the condition will be reported by the Fund's Adviser to the Board of Trustees. Illiquid securities would generally include repurchase agreements with notice/termination dates in excess of seven days and certain securities which are subject to trading restrictions because they are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). External market conditions may impact the liquidity of portfolio securities and may cause the Fund to sell or divest certain illiquid securities in order to comply with its limitation on holding illiquid securities, which may result in realized losses to the Fund.

Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires, among other things, that the Fund establish a liquidity risk management program ("LRMP") that is reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 defines "liquidity risk" as the risk that a fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the fund without significant dilution of the remaining investors' interests in the fund. The Fund has implemented a LRMP to meet the relevant requirements. Additionally, the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the designation of a committee of individuals comprised of the Fund's President, Treasurer, and Chief Compliance Officer (the "LRMP Administrator") to administer the LRMP. The Board of Trustees will review no less frequently than annually a written report prepared by the LRMP Administrator that addresses the operation of the LRMP and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation. Among other things, the LRMP provides for the classification of each Fund investment as a "highly liquid investment," "moderately liquid investment," "less liquid investment" or "illiquid investment." The liquidity risk classifications of the Fund's investments are determined after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations. To the extent that a Fund investment is deemed to be an "illiquid investment" or a "less liquid investment," the Fund can expect to be exposed to greater liquidity risk. There is no guarantee the LRMP will be effective in its operations, and complying with Rule 22e-4, including bearing related costs, could impact the Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

**INFLATION-PROTECTED DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in inflation-protected debt securities or inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers utilize a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index ("CPI") accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS") have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if the Fund purchased TIPS with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year's inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. The Fund may also invest in other inflation-related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal amount.

The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.

While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.

Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

**INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies (each, an "Underlying Fund"), including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts ("UITs") and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the "Acquired Fund"), such as the Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the "Acquiring Fund") or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of the Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC no-action relief.

Set forth below is additional information about the manner in which ETFs generally operate and the risks associated with an investment in ETFs which are in addition to the risks associated with registered investment companies generally.

In the event that the Fund purchases shares of ETFs, such purchase is expected to be made through a broker-dealer in a transaction on a securities exchange, and in such a case the Fund will pay customary brokerage commissions for each purchase and sale. Shares of an ETF may also be acquired by depositing a specified portfolio of the ETF's underlying securities, as well as a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit, with the ETF's custodian, in exchange for which the ETF will issue a quantity of new shares sometimes referred to as a "creation unit." Similarly, shares of an ETF purchased on an exchange may be accumulated until they represent a creation unit, and the creation unit may be redeemed in kind for a portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETF's NAV) together with a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. The Fund may redeem creation units for the underlying securities (and any applicable cash), and may assemble a portfolio of the underlying securities (and any required cash) to purchase creation units, if the Adviser believes it is in the Fund's interest to do so. The Fund's ability to redeem creation units may be limited by the 1940 Act, which provides that an ETF will not be obligated to redeem shares held by the Fund in an amount exceeding one percent of such ETF's total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days.

<u>Termination Risk</u>. There is a risk that ETFs in which the Fund invests may terminate due to extraordinary events. For example, any of the service providers to ETFs, such as the trustee or sponsor, may close or otherwise fail to perform their obligations to the ETF, and the ETF may not be able to find a substitute service provider. Also, the ETFs may be dependent upon licenses to use the various indices as a basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade names. If these licenses are terminated, ETFs may also terminate or experience a disruption in its activities. In addition, an ETF may terminate if its net assets fall below a certain amount.

Although the Adviser believes that, in the event of the termination of an ETF, the Fund will be able to invest instead in shares of an alternate ETF tracking the same market index or another index covering the same general market, there can be no assurance that shares of an alternate ETF would be available for investment at that time.

**INVESTMENTS IN COMMODITY/NATURAL RESOURCE-RELATED SECURITIES.** As discussed under "Investment Limitations" below, the Fund does not invest directly in commodities. However, the Fund may from time to time invest in securities of companies whose business is related to commodities and natural resources, or in registered investment companies or other companies that invest directly or indirectly in commodities and natural resources. For example, the Fund may invest in companies whose business is related to mining of precious or other metals (e.g., gold, silver, etc.) or registered investment companies that invest in securities of mining companies and related instruments (including, without limitation, the underlying commodities). Investments in equity securities of companies involved in mining or related precious metals industries, and the value of the investment companies and other companies that invest in precious metals and other commodities are subject to a number of risks. For example, the prices of precious metals or other commodities can move sharply, up or down, in response to cyclical economic conditions, political events or the monetary policies of various countries, any of which may adversely affect the value of companies whose business is related to such commodities, or the value of investment companies and other companies investing in such business or commodities. Furthermore, such companies are subject to risks related to fluctuations of prices and perceptions of value in the commodity markets generally.

**LOAN PARTICIPATIONS.** The Fund may purchase participations in commercial loans. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Loan participations typically represent direct participation in a loan to a corporate borrower and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Fund may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing loan participations, the Fund assumes the credit risk associated with the corporate borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interests in which the Fund intends to invest may not be rated by any nationally recognized statistical ratings organization ("NRSRO").

A loan is often administered by an agent bank acting as agent for all holders. The agent bank administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. In addition, the agent bank is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the corporate borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions which are parties to the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, the Fund has direct recourse against the corporate borrower, the Fund may have to rely on the agent bank or other financial intermediary to apply appropriate credit remedies against a corporate borrower. A financial institution's employment as agent bank might be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement should remain available to holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank's general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. In situations involving other interposed financial institutions (e.g., an insurance company or governmental agency) similar risks may arise.

Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the corporate borrower for payment of principal and interest. If the Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund's share price and yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.

The Fund may invest in loan participations with credit quality comparable to that of the issuers of the Fund's securities investments. Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

The Fund limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in any one issuer or in issuers within the same industry (see "Investment Limitations"). For purposes of these limits, the Fund generally will treat the corporate borrower as the "issuer" of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between the Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as "issuers" for the purpose of determining whether the Fund has invested more than 5% of its assets in a single issuer. Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict the Fund's ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries.

Loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of readily at what the Adviser believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of illiquid indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining the Fund's NAV than if that value were based on available market quotations and could result in significant variations in the Fund's daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are traded among certain financial

institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of these instruments is expected to improve. In addition, the Fund currently intends to treat indebtedness for which there is no readily available market as illiquid for purposes of the Fund's limitation on illiquid investments. Investments in loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of the Trust's investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by the Fund.

Investments in loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution's interests with respect to the loan may involve additional risks to the Fund. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, the Fund could be held liable as co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protections against fraud and misrepresentation. In the absence of definitive regulatory guidance, the Fund relies on the Adviser's research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentation could adversely affect the Fund.

**MONEY MARKET FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in the securities of money market mutual funds. Such investments are subject to limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder and applicable SEC staff interpretations thereof, or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC. (See "Investment Company Securities and Exchange-Traded Funds" above.)

**MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES AND ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES.** Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. See "Mortgage Pass-Through Securities." The Fund may also invest in debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations").

The recent financial downturn—particularly the increase in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgages, falling home prices, and unemployment—has adversely affected the market for mortgage-related securities. In addition, various market and governmental actions may impair the ability to foreclose on or exercise other remedies against underlying mortgage holders, or may reduce the amount received upon foreclosure. These factors have caused certain mortgage-related securities to experience lower valuations and reduced liquidity. There is also no assurance that the U.S. Government will take further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economic downturn continue or the economy experience another downturn. Further, recent legislative action and any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk that the Fund could realize losses on mortgage-related securities.

<u>Mortgage Pass-Through Securities</u>*.* Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA") are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase.

The residential mortgage market in the United States recently has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Fund's mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased recently and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has recently been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

<u>Agency Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA"), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA").

However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Trust's investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet the Trust's quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. The Fund will not purchase mortgage-related securities or any other assets which in the opinion of the Adviser are illiquid if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets will be illiquid.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. The substantial decline in real property values across the U.S. has exacerbated the level of losses that investors in privately issued mortgage-related securities have experienced. It is not certain when these trends may reverse. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in the Fund's portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

The Fund may purchase privately issued mortgage-related securities that are originated, packaged and serviced by third party entities. It is possible these third parties could have interests that are in conflict with the holders of mortgage-related securities, and such holders (such as the Fund) could have rights against the third parties or their affiliates. For example, if a loan originator, servicer or its affiliates engaged in negligence or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties, then a holder of the mortgage-related security could seek recourse against the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable. Also, as a loan originator/servicer, the originator/servicer or its affiliates may make certain representations and warranties regarding the quality of the mortgages and properties underlying a mortgage-related security. If one or more of those representations or warranties is false, then the holders of the mortgage-related securities (such as the Fund) could trigger an obligation of the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable, to repurchase the mortgages from the issuing trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, many of the third parties that are legally bound by trust and other documents have failed to perform their respective duties, as stipulated in such trust and other documents, and investors have had limited success in enforcing terms.

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Fund's industry concentration restrictions, set forth below under "Investment Limitations," by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. Government securities. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities, the Fund takes the position that mortgage-related securities do not represent interests in any particular "industry" or group of industries. Therefore, the Fund may invest more or less than 25% of its total assets in privately issued mortgage-related securities. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

<u>Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs")</u>*.* A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as "tranches," with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as "sequential pay" CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation ("issuer") issues multiple series (*e.g.*, A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds ("Bonds"). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates ("Collateral"). The Collateral is pledged to a third party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common. For example, the Fund may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class ("PAC") CMOs and multi-class pass through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier.

PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches—known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds—which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk.

<u>Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Commercial mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

<u>Other Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals or stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS"). Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

<u>CMO Residuals</u>*.* CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only ("IO") class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. See "Other Mortgage-Related Securities—Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities." In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based.

As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.

CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. Transactions in CMO residuals are generally completed only after careful review of the characteristics of the securities in question. In addition, CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not have been registered under the 1933 Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the 1933 Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed "illiquid" and subject to the Fund's limitations on investment in illiquid securities.

<u>Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities ("ARMBSs") have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBSs permits the Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBSs are based. Such ARMBSs generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed income debt securities of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBSs, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, the Fund, when holding an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (*i.e.*, the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBSs behave more like fixed income securities and less like adjustable rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed income securities. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

<u>Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the "IO" class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or "PO" class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund's yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated pre-payments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

<u>Collateralized Debt Obligations</u>*.* The Fund may invest in collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), which include collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and other similarly structured securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed income securities such as high yield debt, residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, commercial privately issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.

For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the "equity" tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade.

Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class.

The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities, however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Fund's Prospectus (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CDOs carry additional risks including, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the Fund may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

<u>Asset-Backed Securities</u>*.* Asset-backed securities ("ABS") are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. ABS are created from many types of assets, including auto loans, credit card receivables, home equity loans, and student loans. ABS are issued through special purpose vehicles that are bankruptcy remote from the issuer of the collateral. The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement. Some ABS, particularly home equity loan transactions, are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments (after expenses are paid) are used to pay investors as quickly as possible based upon a predetermined priority of payment.

Consistent with its investment objectives and policies, the Fund also may invest in other types of asset-backed securities.

**BELOW-INVESTMENT GRADE SECURITIES.** Subject to the limitations set forth in the Prospectus, the Fund may invest in "below-investment grade" or "high yield" fixed income securities commonly known to investors as "high yield bonds" or "junk bonds." High yield bonds are issued by a company whose credit rating (based on an NRSRO) evaluation of the likelihood of repayment) necessitates offering a higher coupon and yield on its issues when selling them to investors who may otherwise be hesitant in purchasing the debt of such a company. While generally providing greater income and opportunity for gain, below-investment grade debt securities are generally subject to greater risks than fixed income securities which have higher credit ratings, including a higher risk of default, and their yields will fluctuate over time. High yield bonds generally will be in the lower rating categories of NRSROs (rated "Ba" or lower by Moody's or "BB" or lower by S&P and Fitch or will be unrated. The credit rating of a high yield bond does not necessarily address its market value risk, and ratings may from time to time change, positively or negatively, to reflect developments regarding the issuer's financial condition. High yield bonds are considered to be speculative with respect to the capacity of the issuer to timely repay principal and pay interest or dividends in accordance with the terms of the obligation and may have more credit risk than higher rated securities.

While the market values of high yield bonds tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rates than do those of higher rated securities, the values of high yield bonds often reflect individual corporate developments and have a high sensitivity to economic changes to a greater extent than do higher rated securities. Issuers of high yield bonds are often in the growth stage of their development and/or involved in a reorganization or takeover. The companies are often highly leveraged (have a significant amount of debt relative to shareholders' equity) and may not have available to them more traditional financing methods, thereby increasing the risk associated with acquiring these types of securities. In some cases, obligations with respect to high yield bonds are subordinated to the prior repayment of senior indebtedness, which will potentially limit the Fund's ability to fully recover principal or to receive interest payments when senior securities are in default. Thus, investors in high yield bonds have a lower degree of protection with respect to principal and interest payments than do investors in higher rated securities.

During an economic downturn, a substantial period of rising interest rates or a recession, highly leveraged issuers of high yield bonds may experience financial distress possibly resulting in insufficient revenues to meet their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals and to obtain additional financing. An economic downturn could also disrupt the market for lower-rated securities and adversely affect the value of outstanding securities, the Fund's NAV and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest. If the issuer of a security held by the Fund has defaulted, the Fund may not receive full interest and principal payments due to it and could incur additional expenses if it chose to seek recovery of its investment.

The secondary markets for high yield bonds are not as liquid as the secondary markets for higher rated securities. The secondary markets for high yield bonds are concentrated in relatively few market makers and participants in the markets are mostly institutional investors, including insurance companies, banks, other financial institutions and mutual funds. In addition, the trading volume for high yield bonds is generally lower than that for higher rated securities and the secondary markets could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. Under certain economic and/or market conditions, the Fund may have difficulty disposing of certain high yield bonds due to the limited number of investors in that sector of the market. An illiquid secondary market may adversely affect the market price of the high yield security, which may result in increased difficulty selling the particular issue and obtaining accurate market quotations on the issue when valuing the Fund's assets. Market quotations on high yield bonds are available only from a limited number of dealers, and such quotations may not be the actual prices available for a purchase or sale.

The high yield markets may react strongly to adverse news about an issuer or the economy, or to the perception or expectation of adverse news, whether or not it is based on fundamental analysis. Additionally, prices for high yield bonds may be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. These developments could adversely affect the Fund's NAV and investment practices, the secondary market for high yield bonds, the financial condition of issuers of these securities and the value and liquidity of outstanding high yield bonds, especially in a thinly traded market. For example, Federal legislation requiring the divestiture by federally insured savings and loan associations of their investments in high yield bonds and limiting the deductibility of interest by certain corporate issuers of high yield bonds adversely affected the market in the past.

When the secondary market for high yield bonds becomes more illiquid, or in the absence of readily available market quotations for such securities, the relative lack of reliable objective data makes it more difficult to value the Fund's securities and judgment plays a more important role in determining such valuations. Increased illiquidity in the junk bond market, in combination with the relative youth and growth of the market for such securities, also may affect the ability of the Fund to dispose of such securities at a desirable price. Additionally, if the secondary markets for high yield bonds contract due to adverse economic conditions or for other reasons, some of the Fund's liquid securities may become illiquid and the proportion of the Fund's assets invested in illiquid securities may significantly increase.

The rating assigned by a rating agency evaluates the safety of a below-investment grade security's principal and interest payments but does not address market value risk. Because such ratings of NRSROs may not always reflect current conditions and events, in addition

to using NRSROs and other sources, the Adviser performs its own analysis of the issuers whose below-investment grade securities are held by the Fund. Because of this, the Fund's performance may depend more on the Adviser's own credit analysis than in the case of mutual funds investing in higher-rated securities. For a description of these ratings, see "Appendix A - Description of Securities Ratings."

In selecting below-investment grade securities, the Adviser considers factors such as those relating to the creditworthiness of issuers, the ratings and performance of the securities, the protections afforded the securities and the diversity of the Fund. The Adviser continuously monitors the issuers of below-investment grade securities held by the Fund for their ability to make required principal and interest payments, as well as in an effort to control the liquidity of the Fund so that it can meet redemption requests. If a security's rating is reduced below the minimum credit rating that is permitted for the Fund, the Adviser will consider whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.

In the event that the Fund investing in high yield bonds experiences an unexpected level of net redemptions, the Fund could be forced to sell its holdings without regard to the investment merits, thereby decreasing the assets upon which the Fund's rate of return is based.

The costs attributable to investing in the high yield markets are usually higher for several reasons, such as higher investment research costs and higher commission costs.

**PARTICIPATION INTERESTS.** The Fund may invest in participation interests in fixed income securities. A participation interest provides the certificate holder with a specified interest in an issue of fixed income securities.

Some participation interests give the holders differing interests in the underlying securities, depending upon the type or class of certificate purchased. For example, coupon strip certificates give the holder the right to receive a specific portion of interest payments on the underlying securities; principal strip certificates give the holder the right to receive principal payments and the portion of interest not payable to coupon strip certificate holders. Holders of certificates of participation in interest payments may be entitled to receive a fixed rate of interest, a variable rate that is periodically reset to reflect the current market rate or an auction rate that is periodically reset at auction. Asset-backed residuals represent interests in any excess cash flow remaining after required payments of principal and interest have been made.

More complex participation interests involve special risk considerations. Since these instruments have only recently been developed, there can be no assurance that any market will develop or be maintained for the instruments. Generally, the fixed income securities that are deposited in trust for the holders of these interests are the sole source of payments on the interests; holders cannot look to the sponsor or trustee of the trust or to the issuers of the securities held in trust or to any of their affiliates for payment.

Participation interests purchased at a discount may experience price volatility. Certain types of interests are sensitive to fluctuations in market interest rates and to prepayments on the underlying securities. A rapid rate of prepayment can result in the failure to recover the holder's initial investment.

The extent to which the yield to maturity of a participation interest is sensitive to prepayments depends, in part, upon whether the interest was purchased at a discount or premium, and if so, the size of that discount or premium. Generally, if a participation interest is purchased at a premium and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that anticipated at the time of purchase, the holder's actual yield to maturity will be lower than that assumed at the time of purchase. Conversely, if a participation interest is purchased at a discount and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that assumed at the time of purchase, the investor's actual yield to maturity will be higher than that assumed at the time of purchase.

Participation interests in pools of fixed income securities backed by certain types of debt obligations involve special risk considerations. The issuers of securities backed by automobile and truck receivables typically file financing statements evidencing security interests in the receivables, and the servicers of those obligations take and retain custody of the obligations. If the servicers, in contravention of their duty to the holders of the securities backed by the receivables, were to sell the obligations, the third party purchasers could acquire an interest superior to the interest of the security holders. Also, most states require that a security interest in a vehicle must be noted on the certificate of title and the certificate of title may not be amended to reflect the assignment of the lender's security interest. Therefore, the recovery of the collateral in some cases may not be available to support payments on the securities. Securities backed by credit card receivables are generally unsecured, and both Federal and state consumer protection laws may allow set-offs against certain amounts owed.

**PREFERRED STOCK.** The Fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally dividends as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer's board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

**REAL ESTATE SECURITIES AND RELATED DERIVATIVES.** The Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in real estate-linked derivatives, real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Each of these types of investments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value and possible environmental liabilities. The Fund may also invest in rights or warrants to purchase income-producing common and preferred shares of issuers in real estate-related industries. It is anticipated that substantially all of the equity securities of issuers in real estate-related industries in which the Fund intends to invest will be traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market.

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that own, and typically operate, income-producing real estate. If a REIT meets certain requirements, including distributing to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income (other than net capital gains), then it is not taxed on the income distributed to shareholders. REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses, and so the Fund, when investing in REITs, will bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs' operations.

There are three general categories of REITs: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in direct fee ownership or leasehold ownership of real property; they derive most of their income from rents. Mortgage REITs invest mostly in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans, and the main source of their income is mortgage interest payments. Hybrid REITs hold both ownership and mortgage interests in real estate.

Along with the risks common to different types of real estate-related securities, REITs, no matter the type, involve additional risk factors. These include poor performance by the REIT's manager, changes to the tax laws, and failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free distribution of income or exemption under the 1940 Act. Furthermore, REITs are not diversified and are heavily dependent on cash flow. REITs can be listed and traded on national securities exchanges or can be traded privately between individual owners.

**REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commits to resell that security to a bank or dealer at an agreed upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest, unrelated to the coupon rate or the maturity of the purchased security. While it is not possible to eliminate all risks from these transactions (particularly the possibility of a decline in the market value of the underlying securities, as well as delays and costs to the Fund if the other party to the repurchase agreement defaults), it is the policy of the Fund to limit repurchase transactions to primary dealers and banks whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the Adviser. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered illiquid for purposes of the Fund's investment limitations.

**RESTRICTED SECURITIES.** Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption from registration. The Fund is subject to an investment limitation on the purchase of illiquid securities. Restricted securities, including securities eligible for re-sale pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, that are determined to be liquid are not subject to this limitation. This determination is to be made by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees. Under these guidelines, the Adviser will consider the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers in, and potential purchasers for, the securities, dealer undertakings to make a market in the security and the nature of the security and of the marketplace trades. In purchasing such restricted securities, the Adviser intends to purchase securities that are exempt from registration under Rule 144A.

**REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements in accordance with its investment restrictions. Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund would sell portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers, and agree to repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities, generally rated in one of the three highest ratings categories, consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value at least equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price at which it is obligated to repurchase the securities. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings by the Fund under the 1940 Act. The Fund will not engage in reverse repurchase transactions if such transactions, combined with any other borrowings, exceed 33-1/3% of the Fund's assets.

**RIGHTS OFFERINGS AND WARRANTS TO PURCHASE SECURITIES.** The Fund may participate in rights offerings and may purchase warrants, which are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time.

Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the rights' and warrants' expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security's market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. Buying a warrant does not make the Fund a shareholder of the underlying stock and changes in the value of a warrant do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security. The warrant holder has no voting or dividend rights with respect to the underlying stock. A warrant does not carry any right to assets of the issuer, and for this reason investment in warrants may be more speculative than other equity-based investments.

**SECTOR RISK.** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**SECURITIES LENDING.** For the purpose of achieving income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial institutions, provided: (i) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposits, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned; (ii) the Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of the securities loaned; (iii) the Fund will receive any interest or dividends paid on the loaned securities; and (iv) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33-1/3% of the total assets of the Fund. The Fund's performance will continue to reflect the receipt of either interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments, or a fee, if the collateral is U.S. Government securities. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral should the borrower fail to return the securities loaned or become insolvent. The Fund may pay lending fees to the party arranging the loan.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities as part of its overall portfolio management strategy involving the use of derivative instruments, to gain exposure to or adjust exposure to various market sectors, and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities or otherwise take advantage of market conditions. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.

When the Fund makes a short sale, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale as collateral for its obligation to deliver the security upon conclusion of the sale. The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over any accrued interest and dividends on such borrowed securities.

If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time that the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.

The Fund may invest pursuant to a risk arbitrage strategy to take advantage of a perceived relationship between the value of two securities. Frequently, a risk arbitrage strategy involves the short sale of a security.

The Fund may engage in short sales "against the box." A short sale is "against the box" to the extent that the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short. The Fund will engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the federal securities laws and rules and interpretations thereunder. To the extent the Fund engages in short selling in foreign (non-U.S.) jurisdictions, the Fund will do so to the extent permitted by the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction.

The Fund may also engage in so-called "naked" short sales (i.e., short sales that are not "against the box"), in which case the Fund's losses could theoretically be unlimited, in cases where the Fund is unable for whatever reason to close out its short position. The Fund has the flexibility to engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and interpretations thereunder.

**SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in special purpose acquisition companies ("SPACs"). SPACs are collective investment structures that pool funds in order to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less an amount to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities and cash. SPACs and similar entities may be blank check companies with no operating history or ongoing business other than to seek a potential acquisition. Accordingly, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity's management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Certain SPACs may seek acquisitions only in limited industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. Investments in SPACs may be deemed illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on

resale. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective. If a SPAC does not complete an acquisition within a specified period of time after going public, the SPAC is dissolved, at which point the invested funds are returned to the SPAC's shareholders (less certain permitted expenses) and any rights or warrants issued by the SPAC expire worthless.

**U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS.** The Fund may invest in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Although all obligations of such agencies and instrumentalities are not direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Government generally directly or indirectly backs payment of the interest and principal on these obligations. This support can range from securities supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (for example, GNMA securities) to securities that are supported solely or primarily by the creditworthiness of the issuer, such as securities of FNMA, FHLMC, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Federal Farm Credit Banks and Federal Home Loan Banks. In the case of obligations not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Whether backed by full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury or not, U.S. Government obligations are not guaranteed against price movements due to fluctuating interest rates.

**VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES.** Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

The Fund may invest in floating and variable rate debt instruments ("floaters") and engage in credit spread trades. The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as a money-market index or Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, the Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. A credit spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two securities or currencies, where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities or currencies.

The Fund may also invest in inverse floating rate debt instruments ("inverse floaters"). The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floating rate security may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation of similar credit quality. See "Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities" for a discussion of IOs and POs.

**WHEN-ISSUED, DELAYED DELIVERY AND FORWARD COMMITMENT TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Typically, no income accrues on securities the Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made.

When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its NAV. Because the Fund is not required to pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other investments. If the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

When the Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis, the Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or could suffer a loss. The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a transaction after it is entered into and may sell when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment securities before they are delivered, which may result in a capital gain or loss. There is no percentage limitation on the extent to which the Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis.

**ZERO COUPON BONDS.** The Fund may invest in zero coupon bonds of governmental or private issuers that generally pay no interest to their holders prior to maturity. Since zero coupon bonds do not make regular interest payments, they allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments and may involve greater credit risks than bonds paying interest currently. The IRC requires that the Fund accrue income on zero coupon bonds for each taxable year, even though no cash has been paid on the bonds, and generally requires the Fund to distribute such income (net of deductible expenses, if any) to avoid being subject to tax and to continue to maintain its status as a RIC under the IRC. Because no cash is generally received at the time of accrual, the Fund may be required to sell investments (even if such sales are not advantageous) to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy the federal tax distribution requirements applicable to the Fund under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information.

**TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS.** The Fund may, without limit, invest in U.S. Government securities, commercial paper and other money market instruments, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents in response to adverse market conditions, as a temporary defensive position. The result of this action may be that the Fund will be unable to achieve its investment objective.

**PORTFOLIO TURNOVER.** There has not been any significant variation in the Fund's portfolio turnover rates over the two most recently completed fiscal years. The Adviser does not anticipate significant variation in the portfolio turnover rate from that reported in the Fund's Prospectus for the last fiscal year.

**DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS**

As required by the federal or state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Fund discloses portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require. The Fund's complete list of portfolio holdings are available sixty days after each fiscal quarter end in the Fund's Form N-CSR (semiannually), and Form N-PORT (quarterly).

The Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of portfolio securities holdings. The policies and procedures are designed to allow disclosure of the Fund's holdings information where it is deemed appropriate for the Fund's operations or it is determined to be useful to the Fund's shareholders without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. Except when there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure of the Fund's holdings, the Fund will not provide or permit others to provide information about the Fund's holdings on a selective basis. The Board of Trustees provides ongoing oversight of the Trust's policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Trustees receive from the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Trustees receive an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any deviation to this policy as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such deviations must be reported to the Trust's Board of Trustees, at its next quarterly Board meeting or sooner, as determined by the Trust's CCO.

The Fund may, but is not required to, post its schedule of investments on its website at regular intervals or from time to time at the discretion of the Adviser. This information may be as of the most recent practicable date available and need not be subject to a lag period prior to posting on its website. In addition to its schedule of investments, the Fund may post portfolio holdings information and other information on its website including, but not limited to, information about the number of securities the Fund holds, a summary schedule of investments, the Fund's top holdings, and a percentage breakdown of the Fund's investments by geographic region, sector, industry and market capitalization. After any portfolio holdings information becomes publicly available (by posting on its website or otherwise); it may be mailed, e-mailed or otherwise transmitted to any person.

The following disclosures of aggregate, composite or descriptive information about the Fund or its portfolio holdings are not subject to the Trust's policy on selective disclosure of portfolio information: (i) descriptions of allocations among classes, geographic regions, countries, industries or sectors; (ii) aggregated data such as average or median ratios or market capitalization; (iii) performance attribution by class, geographic region, country, industry or sector; (iv) aggregated risk statistics; (v) listing of top holdings without any reference to the amount of the Fund's holdings; and (vi) such other information that, in the opinion of the CCO or designee, does not present material risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading of the Fund. The Fund's portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to financial consultants or other entities that have a legitimate business purpose in receiving such information, including to assist them in determining the suitability of the Fund as an investment for their clients. In each case, such disclosure will be made in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, the Adviser's fiduciary duties to the Fund's shareholders and subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Board of Trustees of the Trust, a committee thereof, or an officer designated by the Board of Trustees, may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Fund may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about its holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's, or its Adviser's, employees and affiliates that provide services to the Fund. The Fund may also distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Fund's holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's service providers who require access to the information (i) in order to fulfill their contractual duties relating to the Fund; (ii) to facilitate the transition of a newly hired investment adviser prior to the commencement of its duties; (iii) to facilitate the review of the Fund by a ranking or ratings agency; (iv) for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition; or (v) for the purpose of effecting in-kind redemption of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of the Fund's assets and minimize impact on remaining shareholders of the Fund.

Each of the following third parties has been approved to receive portfolio holdings information: (i) the Fund's administrator and accounting agent; (ii) the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, for use in providing audit opinions; (iii) financial printers, solely for the purpose of preparing the Fund's reports or regulatory filings; (iv) the Fund's custodian in connection with its custody of the Fund's assets; (v) if applicable, a proxy voting service; or (vi) disclosure to a ranking or rating agency, such as Lipper, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Moody's, S&P and Fitch. Information may be provided to these parties at any time so long as each of these parties is contractually and ethically prohibited from sharing the Fund's portfolio holding information without specific authorization. The Fund's Adviser and service providers have also established procedures to ensure that the Fund's portfolio holdings information is only disclosed in accordance with these policies.

Under no circumstances may the Fund, the Adviser or their affiliates receive any consideration or compensation for disclosing portfolio holdings information.

The Adviser manages other accounts such as separate accounts and other registered or unregistered pooled investment vehicles. These other accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus may have similar portfolio holdings. Such accounts may have disclosures at different times than a Fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed. Additionally, such accounts may have access to their portfolio holdings and may not be subject to the foregoing restrictions.

**INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS**

The Fund has adopted the investment limitations set forth below. Except with respect to the asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowing, if any percentage restriction on investment or utilization of assets is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market values of the Fund or the Fund's assets or redemptions of shares will not be considered a violation of the limitation. The asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowings is an ongoing requirement. The following non-fundamental policies apply to the Fund and the Board of Trustees may change them without shareholder approval unless shareholder approval is required by the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. The Fund will not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Issue senior securities or borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and then not in excess of 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets (including the amount of the senior securities issued but reduced by any liabilities not constituting senior securities) at the time of the issuance or borrowing, except that the Fund may borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets (not including the amount borrowed) for temporary purposes such as clearance of portfolio transactions and share redemptions. For purposes of these restrictions, the purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the purchase and sale of options and futures contracts and collateral arrangements with respect thereto are not deemed to be the issuance of a senior security, a borrowing or a pledge of assets;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets except to secure indebtedness permitted to be incurred by the Fund. (For the purpose of this restriction, the deposit in escrow of securities in connection with the writing of put and call options, collateralized loans of securities by and collateral arrangements with respect to margin for future contracts by the Fund are not deemed to be pledges or hypothecations);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Underwrite any issue of securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered to be acting as underwriter in connection with the disposition of any portfolio security;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Purchase or sell real estate or interests therein, although the Fund may purchase securities of issuers which engage in real estate operations and securities secured by real estate or interests therein, including real estate investment trusts;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Invest 25% or more of the value of the Fund's assets in securities of issuers in any one industry. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or to securities issued by other investment companies. For purposes of this limitation, states, municipalities and their political subdivisions are not considered to be part of any industry;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of owning securities or other instruments, but the Fund may purchase, sell or enter into financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Make loans, except loans of portfolio securities or through repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction, the acquisition of bonds, debentures, other debt securities or instruments, or participations or other interests therein and investments in government obligations, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or similar instruments will not be considered the making of a loan;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. Engage in short sales of securities or maintain a short position, except that the Fund may (a) sell short "against the box" and (b) maintain short positions in connection with its use of financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9. Purchase securities on margin except for the use of short-term credit necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities, provided that the Fund may make initial and variation margin deposits in connection with permitted transactions in options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments.

**TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS**

The following tables present certain information regarding the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust. None of the Trustees are an "interested person" of the Trust, the Adviser, another investment adviser of a series of the Trust, or Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, the principal underwriter of the Trust ("Underwriter"), within the meaning of the 1940 Act and each Trustee is referred to as an "Independent Trustee" and is listed under such heading below. Employees of certain service providers to the Trust serve as officers of the Trust; such persons are not compensated by the Fund. The address of each Trustee and officer as it relates to the Trust's business is 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809.

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| <br> **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex**<br> **Overseen by**<br> **Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** |
| **Robert J. Christian**<br> Date of Birth: 2/49 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. Chairman from 2007 until September 30, 2019. | Retired since February 2006; Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust Company from February 1996 to February 2006; President of Rodney Square Management Corporation ("RSMC") (investment advisory firm) from 1996 to 2005; Vice President of RSMC from 2005 to 2006. | 28 | Optimum Fund Trust (registered investment company with 6 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br> **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex**<br> **Overseen by**<br> **Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **Iqbal Mansur**<br> Date of Birth: 6/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. | Retired since September 2020; Professor of Finance, Widener University from 1998 to August 2020; Member of the Investment Committee of ChristianaCare Health System from January 2022 to present. | 28 | Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr.**<br> Date of Birth: 8/55 | Trustee and Chairman of the Board | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2016. Chairman since October 1, 2019. | Retired since March 2016. President of PNC Bank Delaware from June 2011 to March 2016; Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2011; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from September 1997 to July 2010. | 28 | Brinker Capital Destinations Trust (registered investment company with 10 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Nancy B. Wolcott**<br> Date of Birth: 11/54 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2011. | Retired since May 2014; EVP, Head of GFI Client Service Delivery, BNY Mellon from January 2012 to May 2014; EVP, Head of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2012; President of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2008 to July 2010; Chief Operating Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2007 to 2008; Executive Vice President of PFPC Worldwide Inc. from 2006 to 2007. | 28 | Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (registered investment company with 97 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Stephen M. Wynne**<br> Date of Birth: 1/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2009. | Retired since December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from July 2010 to December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from March 2008 to July 2010; President, PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2003 to 2008. | 28 | Copeland Trust (registered investment company with 2 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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**EXECUTIVE OFFICERS**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **Joel L. Weiss**<br> Date of Birth: 1/63 | President and Chief Executive Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2007. | Senior Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; President of JW Fund Management LLC from June 2016 to July 2025; Vice President and Managing Director of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from 1993 to June 2016. |
| **Christine Catanzaro**<br> Date of Birth: 8/84 | Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; Consultant from October 2020 to July 2025; Senior Manager, Ernst & Young LLP from March 2013 to October 2020. |
| **T. Richard Keyes**<br> Date of Birth: 1/57 | Vice President | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2016. | President of TRK Fund Consulting LLC since July 2016; Head of Tax — U.S. Fund Services of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from February 2006 to July 2016. |
| **Gabriella Mercincavage**<br> Date of Birth: 6/68 | Assistant Treasurer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2019. | Fund Administration Consultant since January 2019; Fund Accounting and Tax Compliance Accountant to financial services companies from November 2003 to July 2018. |
| **Vincenzo A. Scarduzio**<br> Date of Birth: 4/72 | Secretary | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2012. | Director and Senior Vice President Regulatory Administration of The Bank of New York Mellon and predecessor firms since 2001. |
| **John Canning**<br> Date of Birth: 11/70 | Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Director of Chenery Compliance Group, LLC from March 2021 to present; Senior Consultant of Foreside Financial Group from August 2020 to March 2021; Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Operating Officer of Schneider Capital Management LP from May 2019 to July 2020; Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Context Capital Partners, LP from March 2016 to March 2018 and February 2019, respectively. |

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**LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES.** The basic responsibilities of the Trustees are to monitor the Trust and its funds' financial operations and performance, oversee the activities and legal compliance of the Adviser and other major service providers, keep themselves informed, and exercise their business judgment in making decisions important to the Trust's proper functioning based on what the Trustees reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the shareholders. The Board of Trustees is comprised of five individuals, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Board of Trustees meets multiple times during the year (but at least quarterly) to review the investment performance of the funds and other operational matters, including policies and procedures with respect to compliance with regulatory and other requirements.

The Board of Trustees has appointed an Independent Trustee to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman's primary role is to participate in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board of Trustees and the identification of information to be presented to the Board of Trustees with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board of Trustees. The Chairman also presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and acts as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys, and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman may perform such other functions as may be requested by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Except for any duties specified herein or pursuant to the Trust's Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, the designation of Chairman does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liability that is greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Board of Trustees, generally.

Each Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees because of his or her experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills as set forth in the subsection "Trustee Qualifications," below. Based on a review of the Board of Trustees and its function, the Trustees have determined that the leadership structure of the Board of Trustees is appropriate and that the Board of Trustees' role in the risk oversight of the Trust, as discussed below, allows the Board of Trustees to effectively administer its oversight function.

The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. The responsibilities of each committee and its members are described below.

**AUDIT COMMITTEE.** The Audit Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Wynne currently serves as the chairman of the Audit Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter (the "Audit Committee Charter") for the Audit Committee. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee has the responsibility, among others, to (1) select the Trust's independent registered public accountants; (2) review and approve the scope of the independent registered public accountants' audit activity; (3) oversee the audit process of the financial statements which are the subject of the independent registered public accountants' certifications; and (4) review with such independent registered public accountants the adequacy of the Trust's basic accounting system and the effectiveness of the Trust's internal accounting controls. The Audit Committee meets at least two times per year. The Audit Committee met four times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

**NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.** The Nominating and Governance Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott. Mr. Mansur serves as the chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for formulating a statement of corporate governance; assessing the size, structure and composition of the Board of Trustees; determining trustee qualification guidelines as well as compensation, insurance and indemnification of Trustees; identifying Trustee candidates; oversight of Board of Trustees self-evaluations; reviewing certain regulatory and corporate matters of the Trust; and identifying, from time to time, qualified candidates to serve as the CCO for the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee meets at least once a year. The Nominating and Governance Committee met two times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. The Nominating and Governance Committee identifies potential nominees in accordance with its Statement of Policy on Qualifications for Board of Trustees Membership. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominee candidates recommended by shareholders. Shareholders who wish to recommend individuals for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee as nominee candidates may do so by submitting a written recommendation to the Secretary of the Trust at: 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809. Submissions must include sufficient biographical information concerning the recommended individual, including age, at least ten years of employment history with employer names and a description of the employer's business, and a list of board memberships (if any).

The submission must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board of Trustees and to serve if elected. Recommendations must be received in a sufficient time, as determined by the Nominating and Governance Committee in its sole discretion, prior to the date proposed for the consideration of nominee candidates by the Board of Trustees. Upon the written request of shareholders holding at least a 5% interest in the Trust's shares in the aggregate, the Secretary shall present to any special meeting of shareholders such nominees for election as trustees as specified in such written request.

**TRUSTEE QUALIFICATIONS.** The following is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills that led to the Board of Trustees' conclusion that each individual identified below is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

The Board of Trustees believes that the Trustees' ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Adviser, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, support the conclusion that each Trustee is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply as to each Trustee: Mr. Marsini is the former President of PNC Bank Delaware, former Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon, former Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Wynne is the former Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Ms. Wolcott is the former Executive Vice President of US Fund Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former President of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee of other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Christian served as the Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; and Mr. Mansur is a Professor Emeritus at Widener University. He previously served as a Professor of Finance, School of Business Administration, at Widener University and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes.

In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Trustees considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board of Trustees' overall composition so that the Board of Trustees, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Trust and its funds. The summaries set forth above as to the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of the Trustees do not constitute holding out the Board of Trustees or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board of Trustees as a whole than would otherwise be the case.

**RISK OVERSIGHT.** Through its direct oversight role, and indirectly through its Committees, of officers and service providers, the Board of Trustees performs a risk oversight function for the Trust and its funds consisting, among other things, of the following activities: (1) at regular and special Board of Trustees meetings, and on an ad hoc basis as needed, receiving and reviewing reports related to the performance and operations of the Trust and its funds; (2) reviewing and approving, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust; (3) meeting with the portfolio management team to review investment strategies, techniques and the processes used to manage related risks; (4) meeting with representatives of key service providers, including the investment advisers, administrator, the distributor, the transfer agent, the custodian and the independent registered public accounting firms of the funds, to review and discuss the activities of the Trust and its funds and to provide direction with respect thereto; and (5) engaging the services of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust to test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service providers.

**SECURITY AND OTHER INTERESTS.** The following table sets forth the equity securities in the Fund and in all registered investment companies overseen by the Trustees within the Trust Complex that the Trustees beneficially owned as of December 31, 2024.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range of Equity<br> Securities in the Fund** | **Aggregate Dollar Range<br> of Equity Securities in<br> All Registered Investment<br> Companies Overseen by<br> Trustee within the Family of<br> Investment Companies** |
| **Independent Trustees** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Robert J. Christian |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Iqbal Mansur |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nancy B. Wolcott |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stephen M. Wynne |  | $50001 - $100000 |

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As of December 31, 2024, none of the Independent Trustees, or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) served as an officer, director or was an employee of the Trust, the Adviser or the Underwriter, or of any of their respective affiliates. Nor do any of such persons serve as an officer or director or is an employee of any company controlled by or under common control with such entities. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Independent Trustees or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) owned beneficially or of record any interest in the Adviser or the Underwriter, or in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities.

**COMPENSATION.** In addition to the fees below, the Trust reimburses the Trustees for their related business expenses. The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Trustees for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Aggregate<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust** | **Pension or<br> Retirement<br> Benefits Accrued as<br> Part of the Trust's<br> Expenses** | **Estimated<br> Annual<br> Benefits upon<br> Retirement** | **Total<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust<br> Complex** |
| Robert J. Christian | $120639 | $0 | $0 | $120639 |
| Iqbal Mansur | $135586 | $0 | $0 | $135586 |
| Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. | $145492 | $0 | $0 | $145492 |
| Nancy B. Wolcott | $120579 | $0 | $0 | $120579 |
| Stephen M. Wynne | $140509 | $0 | $0 | $140509 |

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**CODE OF ETHICS**

In accordance with Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, each of the Trust and the Adviser have adopted a code of ethics (each, a "Code" and together, the "Codes").

The Codes are intended to prohibit or restrict transactions that may be deemed to create a conflict of interest among the Adviser or the Trust. Each Code identifies the specific employees, officers or other persons who are subject thereto and all are required to abide by the provisions thereunder. Persons covered under the Codes may engage in personal trading for their own accounts, including securities that may also be purchased or held or traded by the Fund under certain circumstances.

Under the Code adopted by the Trust, personal trading is subject to specific restrictions, limitations, guidelines and other conditions. Under the Code adopted by the Adviser, personal trading is subject to pre-clearance and other conditions set forth in its Code.

On an annual basis or whenever deemed necessary, the Board of Trustees reviews reports regarding all of the Codes including information about any material violations of the Codes. The Codes are on public file as exhibits to the Trust's registration statement with the SEC.

**PROXY VOTING**

The Board of Trustees has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting procedures and has delegated the responsibility for exercising the voting rights associated with the securities purchased and/or held by the Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Board of Trustees' continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by general fiduciary principles. It must act prudently, solely in the interest of the Fund, and for the purpose of providing benefits to the Fund. The Adviser will consider the factors that could affect the value of the Fund's investment in its determination on a vote.

The Adviser has identified certain significant contributors to shareholder value with respect to a number of common or routine matters that are often the subject of proxy solicitations for shareholder meetings. The proxy voting procedures address these considerations and establish a framework for consideration of a vote that would be appropriate for the Fund. In particular, the proxy voting procedures outline principles and factors to be considered in the exercise of voting authority for proposals addressing such common or routine matters. In considering voting proxies, including shareholder proposals on environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-related topics, the Adviser votes in a direction it believes supports the company's long-term financial sustainability. For shareholder proposals seeking reports or increased disclosure, the Adviser gauges whether this information would be material to an enhanced understanding of the company's management of risks and opportunity.

The Adviser's proxy voting procedures establish a protocol for voting of proxies in cases in which the Adviser or an affiliated entity has an interest that is reasonably likely to be affected by a proxy to be voted on behalf of the Fund or that could compromise the Adviser's independence of judgment and action in voting the proxy in the best interest of the Fund's shareholders. The Adviser believes that consistently voting in accordance with its stated guidelines will address most conflicts of interest, and to the extent any deviation of such guidelines occurs it will be carefully assessed by a securities review committee to determine if a conflict of interest exists, and if a material conflict of interest exists, the committee will determine an appropriate resolution, which may include consultation with management or Trustees of the Trust, analyses by independent third parties, or other means necessary to ensure and demonstrate the proxy was voted in the best interests of shareholders. The Adviser's proxy voting policies and procedures are attached herewith as Appendix B. The Fund is required to file annually its proxy voting record on Form N-PX with the SEC. Form N-PX is required to be filed by August 31 of each year and when filed will be available by request by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6024 or on the SEC's website at *www.sec.gov*.

**CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES**

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Any person who directly or indirectly owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, may be deemed an "affiliated person" of the Fund, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. As of August 1, 2025, the following persons were the only persons who were record owners (or to the knowledge of the Trust, beneficial owners) of 5% or more of the shares of the Fund. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Trustees or officers of the Trust owned individually and together in excess of 1% of any class of outstanding shares of the Fund.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Institutional Class<br> Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br> of Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br> Institutional Class<br> Shares Owned** |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122 | 2334278.600 | 26.12% |
| JP Morgan Securities LLC<br> Omnibus Account for the Exclusive Benefit of Customer<br> 4 Chase Metrotech Center<br> 3rd Floor, Mutual Fund Department<br> Brooklyn, NY 11245 | 2140322.318 | 23.95% |
| UBS WM USA<br> Special Custody A/C EXL BEN Customers<br> Of UBSFSI<br> 1000 Harbor Blvd.<br> Weehawken, NJ 07086 | 1938203.398 | 21.69% |
| National Financial Services Corp.<br> (FBO) Our Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds Department, 4th Floor<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010 | 739466.989 | 8.27% |
| Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC<br> For The Exclusive Benefit of Its Customers<br> 1 New York Plaza<br> 12th Floor<br> New York, NY 10004-1901 | 683609.984 | 7.65% |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Investor Class<br> Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br> of Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br> Institutional Class<br> Shares Owned** |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122 | 55424.466 | 43.50% |
| National Financial Services Corp.<br> (FBO) Our Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds Department, 4th Floor<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010 | 39337.878 | 30.87% |
| UBS WM USA<br> Special Custody A/C EXL BEN Customers<br> Of UBSFSI<br> 1000 Harbor Boulevard<br> Weehawken, NJ 07086 | 15314.503 | 12.02% |

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**INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES**

Polen Capital Management, LLC is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Polen Capital was founded in 1979 and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Capital had approximately $46.7 billion in assets under management.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser manages the assets of the Fund (the "Investment Advisory Agreement"). The Investment Advisory Agreement has an initial term of two years and continues in effect from year to year thereafter if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees including a majority of the Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the Fund on 60 days' written notice or the Adviser on 90 days' written notice without penalty. The Investment Advisory Agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment as defined in the 1940 Act.

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual investment advisory fee, paid monthly, comprising 0.85% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. Each class of shares of the Fund bears its respective pro-rata portion of the advisory fee payable by the Fund. The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses (excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by the Trust, interest, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.10% (on an annual basis) with respect to the Fund's average daily net assets (the "Expense Limitation"). The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Board of Trustees approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, any fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed for a three year period following the date of such fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of reimbursement. No recoupment will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation.

The following tables set forth the aggregate fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fees<br> Recouped** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $1784516 | $0 | $1784516 |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fees<br> Recouped** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $2016652 | $0 | $2016652 |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived <br> or Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $1985263 | $0 | $1985263 |

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Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser agrees to: (a) direct the investments of the Fund, subject to and in accordance with the Fund's investment objective, policies and limitations set forth in the Prospectus and this SAI; (b) purchase and sell for the Fund, securities and other investments consistent with the Fund's objective and policies; (c) supply office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary for servicing the investments of the Fund; (d) pay the salaries of all personnel of the Adviser performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities on behalf of the Trust; (e) make available and provide such information as the Trust and/or its administrator may reasonably request for use in the preparation of its registration statement, reports and other documents required by any applicable federal, foreign or state statutes or regulations; and (f) make its officers and employees available to the Trustees and officers of the Trust for consultation and discussion regarding the management of the Fund and its investment activities. Additionally, the Adviser agrees to create and maintain all necessary records in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the various functions performed by it and not otherwise created and maintained by another party pursuant to contract with the Fund. The Trust and/or the Adviser may at any time or times, upon approval by the Board of Trustees, enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements with a sub-adviser pursuant to which the Adviser delegates any or all of its duties as listed.

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which the agreement relates, except to the extent of a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its obligations and duties under the agreement.

The salaries of personnel of the Adviser performing services for the Fund relating to research, statistical and investment activities are paid by the Adviser.

Polen Capital Management, LLC is controlled by the Management Committee of the firm. The Management Committee is comprised of Stan C. Moss, CEO, Daniel Davidowitz, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, and Damon Ficklin, Head of Team, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, and the Management Committee is controlled by Messrs. Moss and Davidowitz.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

The management of the Fund is the responsibility of investment professionals employed by the Adviser. The information provided below supplements the information provided in the Prospectus under the heading "Portfolio Managers" with respect to the investment professionals responsible, either individually or jointly, for the day-to-day management of the Fund, including information regarding:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) "Other Accounts Managed." Other accounts managed by Messrs. Morris and Fields, who are the Portfolio Managers and the management team members responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund as of April 30, 2025;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) "Material Conflicts of Interest." Material conflicts of interest identified by the Adviser that may arise in connection with each Portfolio Manager's management of the Fund's investments and investments of other accounts managed. These potential conflicts of interest include material conflicts between the investment strategy of the Fund and the investment

strategy of the other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager and conflicts associated with the allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager. Additional conflicts of interest may potentially exist or arise that are not discussed below;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) "Compensation." A description of the structure of and method used to determine the compensation received by the Fund's Portfolio Managers or management team members from the Fund, the Adviser or any other source with respect to managing the Fund and any other accounts as of April 30, 2025; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) "Ownership of Securities." Information regarding each Portfolio Manager's dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in the Fund as of April 30, 2025.

<u>Other Accounts Managed</u>. The table below includes details regarding the number of other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by Mr. Morris and Mr. Fields, total assets under management for each type of account and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees as of April 30, 2025:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Type of Accounts** | **Total<br> Number of<br> Accounts<br> Managed** | **Total Assets<br> (millions)** | **Number of <br> Accounts <br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance<br> Based<br> Advisory Fee** | **Total Assets <br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance <br> Based<br> Advisory Fee<br> (millions)** |
| **Todd Morris** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 3 | $424.434 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 2 | $21.707 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 123 | $869.494 | 0 | $0 |
| **Daniel Fields** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 3 | $424.434 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 2 | $21.707 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 123 | $869.494 | 0 | $0 |

---

<u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>. Polen Capital provides advisory services to other clients which invest in securities of the same type in which the Fund invests. The Adviser is aware of its obligation to ensure that when orders for the same securities are entered on behalf of the Fund and other accounts, the Fund receives fair and equitable allocation of these orders, particularly where affiliated accounts may participate. The Adviser attempts to mitigate potential conflicts of interest by adopting policies and procedures regarding trade execution, brokerage allocation and order aggregation which provide a methodology for ensuring fair treatment for all clients in situations where orders cannot be completely filled or filled at different prices.

<u>Compensation</u>. The Adviser compensates the Fund's Portfolio Managers for management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager's compensation consists of (i) a base salary, (ii) a year-end bonus and (iii) awards of equity ("Equity Interests") in the Adviser, including direct Equity Interests and/or phantom Equity Interests, entitling each Portfolio Manager to a proportionate year-end distribution of the Adviser's net profits. The Adviser's compensation strategy is to provide reasonable base salaries commensurate with an individual's responsibility and provide performance bonus awards. Total compensation of the Fund's Portfolio Managers is not related to the Fund's performance.

<u>Ownership of Shares of the Fund</u>. As of April 30, 2025, Mr. Morris beneficially owned $100,001-$500,000 of equity securities in the Fund and Mr. Fields did not beneficially own equity securities in the Fund.

**ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES**

Pursuant to an Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated July 19, 2007, The Bank of New York Mellon performs certain administrative services for the Trust including, among other things, assisting in the preparation of the annual post-effective amendments to the Trust's registration statement, assisting in obtaining the fidelity bond and trustees' and officers'/errors and omissions insurance policies, preparing notices, agendas, and resolutions for quarterly Board of Trustees meetings, maintaining the Trust's corporate calendar, maintaining Trust contract files and providing executive and administrative services to support the Independent Trustees. The Bank of New York Mellon also performs certain administrative and accounting services for the Trust such as preparing shareholder reports, providing statistical and research data, assisting the Adviser in compliance monitoring activities, and preparing and filing federal and state tax returns on behalf of the Trust. In addition, The Bank of New York Mellon prepares and files certain reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepares certain materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Trust. The accounting services performed by The Bank of New York Mellon include determining the NAV per share of the Fund and maintaining records relating to the securities transactions of the Fund.

The table below sets forth the administration and accounting service fees paid by the Fund to The Bank of New York Mellon for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Administration and Accounting Fee | $19882 | $29243 | $40242 |

---

**ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS**

**INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.** PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market St #1800, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm to the Fund.

**LEGAL COUNSEL.** Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, 3000 Two Logan Square, 18th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as counsel to the Trust.

**CUSTODIAN.** The Bank of New York Mellon (the "Custodian"), 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286, serves as the Fund's custodian. The Custodian's services include, in addition to the custody of all cash and securities owned by the Trust, the maintenance of custody accounts in the Custodian's trust department, the segregation of all certificated securities owned by the Trust, the appointment of authorized agents as sub-custodians, disbursement of funds from the custody accounts of the Trust, releasing and delivering securities from the custody accounts of the Trust, maintaining records with respect to such custody accounts, delivering to the Trust a daily and monthly statement with respect to such custody accounts and causing proxies to be executed. The Fund has made arrangements with BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company to serve as custodian for Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs").

**TRANSFER AGENT.** BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing"), 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, serves as the Trust's Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent.

**OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.** The Trust has engaged Tidal ETF Services LLC, 234 West Florida Street, Suite 203, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204 to provide persons to serve as Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer and provide various other services for the Trust. The Trust has engaged Chenery Compliance Group, LLC to provide on-going compliance services, including providing an individual to serve as the Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust.

**BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES**

Subject to policies established by the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is primarily responsible for the execution of the Fund's portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage. The Adviser has no obligation to deal with any dealer or group of dealers in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities of the Fund. The Adviser often deals directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved except in those circumstances where better prices and execution are available elsewhere. It is the objective of the Adviser to seek to obtain the best results in conducting portfolio transactions for the Fund, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable dealer-spread or commission), the size, type and difficulty of the transaction involved, the firm's general execution and operations facilities and the firm's risk in positioning the securities involved. The cost of portfolio securities transactions of the Fund primarily consists of dealer or underwriter spreads and brokerage commissions.

While reasonable competitive spreads or commissions are sought, the Fund will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or commission available. Subject to obtaining the best net results, dealers who provide supplemental investment research (such as quantitative and modeling information assessments and statistical data and provide other similar services) to the Adviser may receive orders for transactions by the Fund. Information so received will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Agreement and the expense of the Adviser will not necessarily be reduced as a result of the receipt of such supplemental information. Supplemental investment research obtained from such dealers may be used by the Adviser in servicing all of its accounts and such research may or may not be useful to the Adviser in connection with the Fund. In addition, as permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Adviser may pay a broker-dealer that provides brokerage and research services an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Fund in excess of the commission that another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the amount is believed by the Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the overall quality of the brokerage and research services provided. Other clients of the Adviser may indirectly benefit from the provision of these services to the Adviser, and the Fund may indirectly benefit from services provided to the Adviser as a result of transactions for other clients. In all cases, the Adviser understands its on-going obligation to seek "best execution" of its clients' transactions. The Adviser considers the range of services provided by brokers in selecting those with whom to place trades including, but not limited to, value of research, commission rate, execution capability, responsiveness, and financial responsibility. In general, the Adviser receives a limited amount of research and/ or brokerage services paid for by brokers. The Adviser has a Best Execution Committee consisting of representatives from trading, operations, portfolio management team and investment research and compliance. The Best Execution Committee meets quarterly and is responsible for overseeing the Adviser's trading activities in accordance with the firm's Best Execution and Soft Dollar Policy and Procedures. Annually, the Best Execution Committee evaluates brokerage relationships and allocates commissions. Such evaluation considers many factors in making allocation decisions including research services provided. Such allocations are reviewed and, if necessary, revised quarterly.

The Fund invests in securities traded in the over-the-counter markets, and the Fund often deals directly with dealers who make markets in the securities involved, except in those circumstances where better execution is available elsewhere. Under the 1940 Act, except as permitted by exemptive order or rule, persons affiliated with the Fund are prohibited from dealing with the Fund as principal in the purchase and sale of securities. However, affiliated persons of the Fund may serve as its brokers in certain over-the-counter transactions conducted on an agency basis.

In certain instances, the Adviser, on behalf of its clients (including the Fund), may engage in private securities transactions directly with broker-dealers instead of effecting transactions through established exchanges or markets, and may enter into price improvement rebate arrangements with such broker-dealers, all subject to the general execution principles of the Adviser's Best Execution and Soft Dollar Policy and Procedures.

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the amount of brokerage transactions directed pursuant to the Adviser's internal allocation procedure and the related commissions were as follows:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Broker** | **Amount of<br> Directed Brokerage<br> Transactions** | **Related<br> Commissions** |
| Berenberg | $32979350.98 | $26230.46 |
| Block Cross | $426023.69 | $263.58 |
| BTIG | $10724337.31 | $4528.63 |
| CLSA | $15620703.69 | $8994.86 |
| Exane/BNP | $2022319.46 | $2022.32 |
| Jefferies | $53302010.03 | $19186.97 |
| JPM | $12965803.95 | $4831.11 |
| Liquidnet | $33331875.85 | $12657.85 |
| Luminex | $12022985.18 | $204.46 |
| Morgan Stanley | $10886729.69 | $10886.73 |
| Motilal Oswal | $356048.58 | $534.07 |
| Piper Jaffray | $4795096.30 | $8276.98 |
| RW Baird | $4021600.07 | $1969.22 |
| Sanford Bernstein | $14340603.54 | $1720.90 |
| UBS | $271594.92 | $11.81 |
| Virtu | $5963974.84 | $3004.20 |
| William Blair | $1873706.33 | $304.52 |

---

Securities held by the Fund may also be held by, or be appropriate investments for, other funds or investment advisory clients for which the Adviser or its affiliates act as an adviser. Because of different investment objectives or other factors, a particular security may be bought for an advisory client when other clients are selling the same security. If purchases or sales of securities by the Adviser for the Fund or other funds for which it acts as investment adviser or for other advisory clients arise for consideration at or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as are feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed by the Adviser to be on a fair and equitable basis. Transactions effected by the Adviser (or its affiliates) on behalf of more than one of its clients during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, causing an adverse effect on price.

The table below sets forth the brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Fund | $105613 | $40294 | $84242 |

---

Neither the Fund nor the Adviser has an agreement or understanding with a broker-dealer, or other arrangements to direct the Fund's brokerage transactions to a broker-dealer because of the research services such broker provides to the Fund or the Adviser. While the Adviser does not have arrangements with any broker-dealers to direct such brokerage transactions to them because of research services provided, the Adviser may receive research services from such broker-dealers. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Adviser directed all of its brokerage transactions in the amount of $215,904,764.41 to 17 broker-dealers and paid related commissions of $105,628.67 to such broker-dealers, respectively.

For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025, the Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to the Adviser or to an affiliate of the Fund or the Adviser.

The Fund may at times invest in securities of its regular broker-dealers or a parent of its regular broker-dealers. As of April 30, 2025, the Fund acquired no securities of its regular broker dealers or a parent of its regular broker-dealers.

**ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES**

The additional compensation to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus may be calculated based on factors determined by the Adviser and its affiliates from time to time, including: the value of the Fund's shares sold to, or held by, a financial intermediary's customers; gross sales of the Fund's shares by a financial intermediary; or a negotiated lump sum payment.

In addition to the additional cash payments to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus, subject to applicable FINRA rules and regulations, the Adviser and its affiliates may provide compensation to financial intermediaries that may enable the Adviser and its affiliates to sponsor or participate in educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions involving the sales representatives and other employees of financial intermediaries in order to promote the sale of the Fund's shares. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses, meals, lodging and entertainment of financial intermediaries and their sales representatives and other employees in connection with such educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions. These payments may vary with each such event.

**DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES AND RULE 12B-1 PLAN**

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101, serves as a principal underwriter of the Fund's shares pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement with the Trust. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriter continuously distributes shares of the Fund on a best efforts basis. The Underwriter has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of shares of the Fund. The Underwriter and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Fund.

To the extent that the Underwriter receives fees under the Fund's Plan of Distribution adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "12b-1 Plan"), the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of marketing or sales services with respect to the Investor Class shares as may be required pursuant to such plan.

Moreover, to the extent that the Underwriter receives shareholder service fees under any shareholder services plan adopted by the Fund, the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of personal or account maintenance services with respect to the relevant shareholders of the Fund as may be required pursuant to such plan. The Underwriter receives no underwriting commissions or Rule 12b-1 fees in connection with the sale of the Fund's Institutional Class shares. The Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of Independent Trustees, have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Trust, the Fund and the shareholders of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

The Underwriter will furnish or enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions for distribution of shares of the Fund. With respect to certain financial institutions and related fund "supermarket" platform arrangements, the Fund and/or the Adviser, rather than the Underwriter, typically will furnish or enter into such agreements. These financial institutions may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from the Adviser and/or the Fund. These financial institutions may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Fund.

The Underwriter received the following aggregate commissions on sales of Investor Class shares of the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Investor Class** | $0 | $0 | $0 |

---

The Underwriter received the following concessions on sales of Investor Class shares of the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Investor Class** | $0 | $0 | $0 |

---

The Underwriting Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods provided such continuance is approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Underwriter, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the agreement, will not be liable to the Fund or its shareholders for losses arising in connection with the sale of Fund shares.

The Underwriting Agreement terminates automatically in the event of an assignment. The Underwriting Agreement is also terminable without payment of any penalty with respect to the Fund (i) by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Trust or the Fund and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan of the Fund or any agreements related to the 12b-1 Plan or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on sixty (60) days written notice to the Underwriter; or (ii) by the Underwriter on sixty (60) days written notice to the Fund. The Underwriter will be compensated for distribution services according to the 12b-1 Plan regardless of the Underwriter's expenses. The Underwriter uses the entire 12b-1 for distribution expenses and does not retain any amounts for profit. The Underwriter does not receive compensation from the Fund for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a 12b-1 Plan is effective. The Adviser pays the Underwriter a fee for certain distribution-related services.

The 12b-1 Plan provides that the Underwriter will be paid for distribution activities such as public relations services, telephone services, sales presentations, media charges, preparation, printing and mailing advertising and sales literature, data processing necessary to support a distribution effort and printing and mailing of prospectuses to prospective shareholders. Additionally, the Underwriter may pay certain financial institutions such as banks or broker-dealers who have entered into servicing agreements with the Underwriter and other financial institutions for distribution and shareholder servicing activities.

The 12b-1 Plan further provides that payment shall be made for any month only to the extent that such payment does not exceed 0.25% on an annualized basis of the Fund's Investor Class Shares average net assets, except with respect to limitations set from time to time by the Board of Trustees.

Under the 12b-1 Plan, if any payments made by the Adviser out of its advisory fee, not to exceed the amount of that fee, to any third parties (including banks), including payments for shareholder servicing and transfer agent functions, were deemed to be indirect financing by the Fund of the distribution of its Investor Class shares, such payments are authorized. The Fund may execute portfolio transactions with and purchase securities issued by depository institutions that receive payments under the 12b-1 Plan. No preference for instruments issued by such depository institutions is shown in the selection of investments.

The following table sets forth the distribution fees received by the Underwriter for the Investor Class shares for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Rule 12b-1<br> Distribution Fees** | **Fiscal Year<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Investor Class** | $6762 | $6787 | $7029 |

---

During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Underwriter incurred the following expenses in connection with distribution under the 12b-1 Plan:

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Advertising** | **Printing and<br> Mailing of<br> Prospectuses to<br> other Than<br> Current<br> Shareholders** | **Compensation to<br> Underwriters** | **Compensation<br> to Broker-<br> Dealers** | **Compensation to<br> Sales Personnel** | **Interest,<br> Carrying or<br> other Financing<br> Charges** |
| **Investor Class** | $0 | $0 | $0 | $6429 | $0 | $0 |

---

**CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES**

The Trust issues and offers separate classes of shares of the Fund: Investor Class and Institutional Class shares. The shares of the Fund, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Prospectus, will be fully paid and non-assessable shares, with equal voting rights and no preferences as to conversion, exchange, dividends, redemption or any other feature.

The separate classes of shares of the Fund represent interests in the same portfolio of investments, have the same rights and are identical in all respects, except that Investor Class shares bear Rule 12b-1 distribution expenses and have exclusive voting rights with respect to the 12b-1 Plan pursuant to which the distribution fee may be paid.

The net income attributable to a class of shares and the dividends payable on such shares will be reduced by the amount of any applicable shareholder service or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees. Accordingly, the NAV of the Investor Class shares will be reduced by such amount to the extent the Fund has undistributed net income.

Shares of the Fund entitle holders to one vote per share and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, do not have preemptive or subscription rights and are transferable. Each class takes separate votes on matters affecting only that class.

The Fund does not hold an annual meeting of shareholders. The Trustees are required to call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any Trustee when requested in writing to do so by the shareholders of record owning not less than 10% of the Fund's outstanding shares.

**PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES**

**PURCHASE OF SHARES.** Information regarding the purchase of shares is discussed in the "Purchase of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES.** Information regarding the redemption of shares is discussed in the "Redemption of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**PRICING OF SHARES.** For the Fund, the NAV per share of the Fund is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets by the total number of the Fund's shares outstanding. This determination is made by The Bank of New York Mellon, as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) each day the Fund is open for business. The Fund is open for business on days when the Exchange is open for business.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Certain fixed income securities may be valued based upon appraisals received from a pricing service using a computerized matrix system or based upon appraisals derived from information concerning the security or similar securities received from a recognized dealer or dealers in those securities. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used to value fixed income securities with 60 days or less remaining until maturity, so long as such amortized cost method approximates fair value. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**DIVIDENDS**

The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income, if any. Dividends from the Fund's net investment income are declared and paid annually to the shareholders. Distributions, if any, of net short-term capital gain and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over the short-term capital loss) realized by the Fund, after deducting any available capital loss carryovers are declared and paid to its shareholders annually.

The Fund's dividends and distributions are taxable to shareholders (other than retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors) whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. A dividend or distribution paid by the Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend distribution. A dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares by an investor would, therefore, represent, in substance, a return of capital to the shareholder with respect to such shares even though it would be subject to federal income tax. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

A statement will be sent to you after the end of each year detailing the tax status of your distributions. Please see "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by the Fund.

**CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS** 

The following discussion summarizes certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders. This discussion is for general information only and does not purport to consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that might be relevant to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund. The summary discussion that follows may not be considered to be individual tax advice and may not be relied upon by any shareholder. The summary is based upon provisions of the IRC, applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations (whether temporary, proposed or final) promulgated thereunder (the "Regulations"), and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, as are in effect as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, which change could be retroactive and may affect the conclusions expressed herein. The summary applies only to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund in whose hands such shares are capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the IRC, and may not apply to certain types of beneficial owners of shares of the Fund, including, but not limited to insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, shareholders holding the Fund's shares through tax-advantaged accounts (such as an individual retirement account (an "IRA"), a 401(k) plan account, or other qualified retirement account), financial institutions, pass-through entities, broker-dealers, entities that are not organized under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, persons who are neither a citizen nor resident of the United States, shareholders holding the Fund's shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction and shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax. Persons who may be subject to tax in more than one country should consult the provisions of any applicable tax treaty to determine the potential tax consequences to them.

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the Fund's common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of such partnership. A partner of a partnership holding the Fund's common stock should consult its own tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the partner of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Fund's common stock by the partnership.

The summary assumes that shareholders will hold the Fund's common stock as capital assets, which generally means as property held for investment. This discussion addresses only the U.S. income tax consequences of an investment by U.S. shareholders, and, therefore, does not address U.S. estate and gift tax rules, U.S. state or local taxation, the alternative minimum tax, excise taxes, transfer taxes or foreign taxes.

For purposes of the following discussion, "U.S. shareholder" is a shareholder that is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) created or organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if

(a) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust's administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) it has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. A "Non-U.S. shareholder" is a person that is neither a U.S. shareholder nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") as to the federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. In addition, the following discussion applicable to shareholders of the Fund addresses only some of the federal income tax considerations generally affecting investments in the Fund.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of the ownership, purchase and disposition of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**GENERAL.** The Fund has elected, and intends to continue to qualify each year for, taxation as a RIC under Subchapter M of the IRC. By qualifying as a RIC, the Fund (but not the shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders.

Shareholders should be aware that investments made by the Fund, some of which are described below, may involve complex tax rules some of which may result in income or gain recognition by a shareholder without the concurrent receipt of cash. Although the Fund seeks to avoid significant noncash income, such noncash income could be recognized by the Fund, in which case it may distribute cash derived from other sources in order to meet the minimum distribution requirements described below. Cash to make the required minimum distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by its governing documents and other regulatory restrictions, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed.

**QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY.** Qualification as a RIC under the IRC requires, among other things, that the Fund: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income from certain qualified publicly traded partnerships (together with (i), the "Qualifying Income Requirement"), and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the value of its assets is comprised of cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with those other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers controlled by it and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (together with (i) the "Diversification Requirement").

The Treasury Department is authorized to promulgate regulations under which gains from foreign currencies (and options, futures, and forward contracts on foreign currency) would not constitute qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement only if such gains are not directly related to the principal business of the Fund in investing in stock or securities or options and futures with respect to stock or securities. To date, no such regulations have been issued.

As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders in any taxable year for which it distributes, in compliance with the IRC's timing and other requirements the sum of (i) at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount income, market discount income, income from securities lending, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, certain net realized foreign currency exchange gains, and any other taxable income other than "net capital gain" as defined below and is reduced by deductible expenses all determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid); and (ii) 90% of its tax-exempt interest, if any, net of certain expenses allocable thereto ("net tax-exempt interest"). The Fund may retain for investment all or a portion of its "net capital gain" (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). If the Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who will be (i) required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of tax paid by the Fund against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of the shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder's gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by the Fund on that amount of capital gain.

The qualifying income and asset requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC, as described above, may limit the extent to which it will be able to engage in derivative transactions. Rules governing the federal income tax aspects of derivatives, including swap agreements, are not entirely clear in certain respects, particularly in light of two IRS revenue rulings issued in 2006. Revenue Ruling 2006-1 held that income from a derivative contract with respect to a commodity index is not qualifying income for a RIC. Subsequently, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2006-31 in which it stated that the holding in Revenue Ruling 2006-1 "was not intended to preclude a conclusion that the income from certain instruments (such as certain structured notes) that create a commodity exposure for the holder is qualifying income." In 2016, the IRS issued a notice and stated they would not address what constitutes a "security" for purposes of Qualifying Income. In addition, the IRS requested comments as to whether the 2006 Revenue Rulings should be withdrawn. In 2019, the IRS concluded that it would not withdraw the 2006 revenue rulings at that time. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in commodity related derivative transactions and other derivative transactions may be limited by the Qualifying Income Requirement. The Fund will account for any investments in commodity derivative transactions in a manner it deems to be appropriate; the IRS, however, might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized.

For purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, all of the net income of a RIC derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (generally, defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (i) of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above) will be treated as qualifying income. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the IRC do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. The transferee of a partnership interest generally is required to withhold 10% of the amount realized on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest after December 31, 2017 if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person.

For purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership.

If the Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures to satisfy the Diversification Requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, the Fund will fail to qualify as a RIC and will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation subject to tax on a flat tax rate of 21% and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) to its shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders, and a maximum long-term capital gains rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for a period of greater than two taxable years, the Fund generally would be required to recognize any built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a sale of such assets within ten years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

**EXCISE TAX.** If the Fund fails to distribute by December 31 of each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its taxable ordinary income (excluding capital gains and losses) for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (as adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the twelve month period ending on October 31 of such year), and (3) all taxable ordinary income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for the prior year that were not distributed during such year and on which it did not pay federal income tax, the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax (the "Excise Tax") on the undistributed amounts. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November, or December of that year to shareholders of record on a date in such month and paid by it during January of the following year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders (other than those not subject to federal income tax) in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. The Fund intends to actually distribute or be deemed to have distributed substantially all of its net income and gain, if any, by the end of each calendar year in compliance with these requirements so that it will generally not be required to pay the Excise Tax. The Fund may, in certain circumstances, be required to liquidate its investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid Excise Tax liability at a time when its Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so. Liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Fund to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC.

**CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS.** The Fund is permitted to carry forward a net capital loss from any year to offset its capital gains, if any, realized indefinitely in the year following the year of the loss. The excess of the Fund's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gain is treated as short-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year and the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gain is treated as long-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year. If future capital gains are offset by carried forward capital losses, such future capital gains are not subject to Fund-level federal income taxation, regardless of whether they are distributed to shareholders. Accordingly, the Fund does not expect to distribute any such offsetting capital gains. The Fund cannot carry back or carry forward any net operating losses.

**MLPs.** The Fund may invest in master limited partnerships which may be treated as qualified publicly traded partnerships. Income from qualified publicly traded partnerships is qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement, but the Fund's investment in one or more of such qualified publicly traded partnerships is limited to no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets and must otherwise satisfy the Diversification Requirement. In addition, a 10% withholding tax is imposed on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest for transfers if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person or another exception applies.

**ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT AND MARKET DISCOUNT.** The Fund may acquire debt securities that are treated as having original issue discount ("OID") (generally a debt obligation with a purchase price less than its principal amount, such as a zero coupon bond). Generally, the Fund will be required to include the OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though it will not receive cash payments for such OID until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having OID which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income. Inflation-protected bonds generally can be expected to produce OID income as their principal amounts are adjusted upward for inflation. A portion of the OID includible in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities may be treated as a dividend for federal income tax purposes if the securities are characterized as equity for federal income tax purposes.

A debt security acquired in the secondary market by the Fund may be treated as having market discount if acquired at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Market discount generally is accrued ratably, on a daily basis, over the period from the date of acquisition to the date of maturity even though no cash will be received. Absent an election by the Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on its disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.

The Fund may be required to include in income certain fees that are treated as OID and required to be included in income for financial statement purposes when received (rather than when accrued into income).

In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund receives no interest payments in cash on such securities during the year.

The Fund generally will be required to make distributions to shareholders representing the income accruing on the debt securities described above, that is currently includable in income, even though cash representing such income may not have been received by the Fund. Cash to pay these distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by the Fund's governing documents, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions.

**OPTIONS, FUTURES AND FORWARD CONTRACTS.** The writing (selling) and purchasing of options and futures contracts and entering into forward currency contracts, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes the amount, character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses the Fund realizes in connection with such transactions.

Gains and losses on the sale, lapse, or other termination of options and futures contracts, options thereon and certain forward contracts (except certain foreign currency options, forward contracts and futures contracts) will generally be treated as capital gains and losses. Some regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts, and certain non-equity options (such as certain listed options or options on broad-based securities indexes) held by the Fund ("Section 1256 contracts"), other than contracts on which it has made a "mixed-straddle election," will be required to be "marked-to-market" for federal income tax purposes, that is, treated as having been sold at their market value on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. These provisions may require the Fund to recognize income or gains without a concurrent receipt of cash. Any gain or loss recognized on actual or deemed sales of Section 1256 contracts will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary income or loss as described below. Transactions that qualify as designated hedges are exempt from the mark-to-market rule, but may require the Fund to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and certain options to the extent of any unrecognized gains on related positions held by it.

The tax provisions described above applicable to options, futures and forward contracts may affect the amount, timing, and character of the Fund's distributions to its shareholders. For example, the Section 1256 rules described above may operate to increase the amount the Fund must distribute to satisfy the minimum distribution requirement for the portion treated as short-term capital gain which will be taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income, and to increase the net capital gain it recognizes, without, in either case, increasing the cash available to it. The Fund may elect to exclude certain transactions from the operation of Section 1256, although doing so may have the effect of increasing the relative proportion of net short-term capital gain (taxable as ordinary income) and, thus, increasing the amount of dividends it must distribute. Section 1256 contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of the Excise Tax.

When a covered call or put option written (sold) by the Fund expires the Fund will realize a short-term capital gain equal to the amount of the premium it received for writing the option. When the Fund terminates its obligations under such an option by entering into a closing transaction, it will realize a short-term capital gain (or loss), depending on whether the cost of the closing transaction is less than (or exceeds) the premium received when it wrote the option. When a covered call option written by the Fund is exercised, the Fund will be treated as having sold the underlying security, producing long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon the holding period of the underlying security and whether the sum of the option price received upon the exercise plus the premium received when it wrote the option is more or less than the basis of the underlying security.

**STRADDLES.** Section 1092 deals with the taxation of straddles which also may affect the taxation of options in which the Fund may invest. Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as options, futures and forward currency contracts, may be considered, for federal income tax purposes, to constitute "straddles." Straddles are defined to include offsetting positions in actively traded personal property. In certain circumstances, the rules governing straddles override or modify the provisions of Section 1256, described above. If the Fund is treated as entering into a straddle and at least one (but not all) of its positions in derivative contracts comprising a part of such straddle is governed by Section 1256, then such straddle could be characterized as a "mixed straddle." The Fund may make one or more elections with respect to mixed straddles. Depending on which election is made, if any, the results with respect to the Fund may differ. Generally, to the extent the straddle rules apply to positions established by the Fund, losses realized by it may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in any offsetting positions. Moreover, as a result of the straddle rules, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be characterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be characterized as short-term capital gain. In addition, the existence of a straddle may affect the holding period of the offsetting positions and cause such sales to be subject to the "wash sale" and "short sale" rules. As a result, the straddle rules could cause distributions that would otherwise constitute "qualified dividend income" to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements, described below, and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income. Further, the Fund may be required to capitalize, rather than deduct currently, any interest expense and carrying charges applicable to a position that is part of a straddle. Because the application of the straddle rules may affect the character and timing of gains and losses from affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to the situation where the Fund had not engaged in such transactions.

In circumstances where the Fund has invested in certain pass-through entities, the amount of long-term capital gain that it may recognize from certain derivative transactions with respect to interests in such pass-through entities is limited under the IRC's constructive ownership rules. The amount of long-term capital gain is limited to the amount of such gain the Fund would have had if it directly invested in the pass-through entity during the term of the derivative contract. Any gain in excess of this amount is treated as ordinary income. An interest charge is imposed on the amount of gain that is treated as ordinary income.

**SWAPS AND DERIVATIVES.** As a result of entering into swap or derivative agreements, the Fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The Fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap or derivative is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap, derivative or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap or derivative will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund has been a party to a swap or derivative for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps or derivatives, the Fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or derivatives or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps or derivatives to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss. The Fund's transactions in swaps or other derivatives may be subject to one or more special tax rules (e.g., notional principal contracts, straddles, constructive sales, wash sales and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains or losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and/or character of distributions to shareholders.

Rules governing the tax aspects of swap or derivative agreements are not entirely clear in certain respects, in particular whether income generated is Qualifying Income. Accordingly, while the Fund intends to account for such transactions in a manner it deems appropriate, the IRS might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be adversely affected. The Fund intends to monitor developments in this area. Certain requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC may limit the extent to which the Fund will be able to engage in swap agreements and certain derivatives.

**CONSTRUCTIVE SALES.** Certain rules may affect the timing and character of gain if the Fund engages in transactions that reduce or eliminate its risk of loss with respect to appreciated financial positions. If the Fund enters into certain transactions (including a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract, a futures or forward contract, or other transactions identified in Treasury regulations) in property while holding an appreciated financial position in substantially identical property, it will be treated as if it had sold and immediately repurchased the appreciated financial position and will be taxed on any gain (but not loss) from the constructive sale. The character of gain from a constructive sale will depend upon the Fund's holding period in the appreciated financial position. Loss from a constructive sale would be recognized when the position was subsequently disposed of, and its character would depend on the Fund's holding period and the application of various loss deferral provisions of the IRC.

In addition, if the appreciated financial position is itself a short sale or other such contract, acquisition of the underlying property or substantially identical property by the Fund will be deemed a constructive sale. The foregoing will not apply, however, to the Fund's transaction during any taxable year that otherwise would be treated as a constructive sale if the transaction is closed within 30 days after the end of that year and the Fund holds the appreciated financial position unhedged for 60 days after that closing (i.e., at no time during that 60-day period is the Fund's risk of loss regarding the position reduced by reason of certain specified transactions with respect to substantially identical or related property, such as having an option to sell, being contractually obligated to sell, making a short sale or granting an option to buy substantially identical stock or securities).

**WASH SALES.** The Fund may be impacted in certain circumstances by special rules relating to "wash sales." In general, the wash sale rules prevent the recognition of a loss by the Fund from the disposition of stock or securities at a loss in a case in which identical or substantially identical stock or securities (or an option to acquire such property) is or has been acquired by it within 30 days before or 30 days after the sale.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities. Short sales may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by the Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to its shareholders. Short sales also may be subject to the "Constructive Sales" rules, discussed above.

**PASSIVE FOREIGN INVESTMENT COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in a non-U.S. corporation, which could be treated as a passive foreign investment company (a "PFIC") or become a PFIC under the IRC. A PFIC is generally defined as a foreign corporation that meets either of the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income for its taxable year is income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties, or capital gains); or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, such passive income. If the Fund acquires any equity interest in a PFIC, the Fund could be subject to federal income tax and interest charges on "excess distributions" received with respect to such PFIC stock or on any gain from the sale of such PFIC stock (collectively "PFIC income"), plus interest thereon even if the Fund distributes the PFIC income as a taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in the Fund's investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. The Fund's distributions of PFIC income, if any, will be taxable as ordinary income even though, absent the application of the PFIC rules, some portion of the distributions may have been classified as capital gain.

The Fund will not be permitted to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for taxes and interest charges incurred with respect to a PFIC. Payment of this tax would therefore reduce the Fund's economic return from its investment in PFIC shares. To the extent the Fund invests in a PFIC, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" ("QEF"), then instead of the tax and interest obligation described above on excess distributions, the Fund would be required to include in income each taxable year its pro rata share of the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain. As a result of a QEF election, the Fund would likely have to distribute to its shareholders an amount equal to the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain to satisfy the IRC's minimum distribution requirement described herein and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax even if the QEF did not distribute those earnings and gain to the Fund. In most instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain requirements in making the election.

The Fund may elect to "mark-to-market" its stock in any PFIC. "Marking-to-market," in this context, means including in ordinary income each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock over the Fund's adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, the Fund also may deduct (as an ordinary, not capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in the PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock it included in income for prior taxable years under the election. The Fund's adjusted basis in its PFIC stock subject to the election would be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken thereunder. In either case, the Fund may be required to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS.** Foreign currency gains and losses realized by the Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt instruments, certain options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments relating to foreign currency, foreign currencies, and foreign currency-denominated payables and receivables are subject to Section 988 of the IRC, which causes such gains and losses to be treated as ordinary income or loss and may affect the amount and timing of recognition of the Fund's income. In some cases elections may be available that would alter this treatment, but such elections could be detrimental to the Fund by creating current recognition of income without the concurrent recognition of cash. If a foreign currency loss treated as an ordinary loss under Section 988 were to exceed the Fund's investment company taxable income (computed without regard to such loss) for a taxable year the resulting loss would not be deductible by it or its shareholders in future years. The foreign currency income or loss will also increase or decrease the Fund's investment company income distributable to its shareholders.

**FOREIGN TAXATION.** Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the Fund's total assets at the close of any taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations and it meets the distribution requirements described above, the Fund may file an election (the "pass-through election") with the IRS pursuant to which shareholders of the Fund would be required to (i) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) their pro rata shares of foreign income taxes paid by the Fund even though not actually received by such shareholders; and (ii) treat such respective pro rata portions as foreign income taxes paid by them. The Fund will furnish its shareholders with a written statement providing the amount of foreign taxes paid by the Fund that will "pass-through" for the year, if any.

Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder's U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of the Fund's income will flow through to the Fund's shareholders. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. Shareholders may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Various limitations, including a minimum holding period requirement, apply to limit the credit and deduction for foreign taxes for purposes of regular federal tax and alternative minimum tax. In addition, a shareholder of the Fund may lose the ability to use foreign tax credits passed through by the Fund if the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement.

**REITS.** The Fund may invest in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require the Fund to accrue and distribute taxable income without the concurrent receipt of cash. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. The Fund's investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in its receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

The Fund may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs") or taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs"), or such REITs may themselves constitute TMPs. Under an IRS notice, and Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of the Fund's income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT's residual interest in a REMIC or a TMP (referred to in the IRC as an "excess inclusion") will be subject to federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a RIC, such as the Fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or invested in the TMP directly. As a result, the Fund may not be a suitable investment for certain tax-exempt shareholders, including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan and other tax-exempt entities. See "Tax-Exempt Shareholders."

Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that the Fund properly reports as "section 199A dividends," as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. Non-corporate shareholders are permitted a federal income tax deduction equal to 20% of qualified REIT dividends received by them, subject to certain limitations. Generally, a "section 199A dividend" is any dividend or portion thereof that is attributable to certain dividends received by a RIC from the REITs it holds, to the extent such dividends are properly reported as such by the RIC in a written notice to its shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.

**DISTRIBUTIONS.** Distributions paid out of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined at the end of the year), whether reinvested in additional shares or paid in cash, are generally taxable and must be reported by each shareholder who is required to file a federal income tax return except in the case of certain tax-exempt shareholders. Distributions in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, as computed for federal income tax purposes, will first be treated as a return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares and then as capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her

shares as a capital asset. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder's tax basis in the shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by a shareholder of the Fund's shares. Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or receive them in additional shares.

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment company taxable income are generally taxable as ordinary income, and distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions designated by the Fund as "capital gain dividends" (distributions from the excess of net long-term capital gain over short-term capital losses) will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time they have held their shares of the Fund. Such dividends do not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction described below.

Non-corporate shareholders of the Fund may be eligible for the long-term capital gain tax rate applicable to distributions of "qualified dividend income" received by such non-corporate shareholders. The maximum long-term capital gains tax rate is 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). The Fund's distribution will be treated as qualified dividend income and therefore eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rate to the extent that it receives dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding periods and other requirements are met. A corporate shareholder of the Fund may be eligible for the dividends received deduction with respect to the Fund's distributions attributable to dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations, which, if received directly by the corporate shareholder, would qualify for such a deduction. For eligible corporate shareholders, the dividends received deduction may be subject to certain reductions, and a distribution by the Fund attributable to dividends of a domestic corporation will be eligible for the deduction only if certain holding period and other requirements are met. If the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement, dividends paid while the shares are held by the borrower may not be qualified dividend income and may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax applies to net investment income including interest (excluding, tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.

The Fund will furnish a statement to shareholders providing the federal income tax status of its dividends and distributions including the portion of such dividends, if any, that qualifies as long-term capital gain.

Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement distributions and certain prohibited transactions, is accorded to accounts maintained as qualified retirement plans. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers for more information.**

**PURCHASES OF FUND SHARES.** Prior to purchasing shares in the Fund, the impact of dividends or distributions which are expected to be or have been declared, but not paid, should be carefully considered. Any dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of such shares of the Fund prior to the record date will have the effect of reducing the per share net asset value by the per share amount of the dividend or distribution, and to the extent the distribution consists of the Fund's taxable income, the purchasing shareholder will be taxed on the taxable portion of the dividend or distribution received even though some or all of the amount distributed is effectively a return of capital. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

**SALES, EXCHANGES OR REDEMPTIONS.** Upon the disposition of shares of the Fund (whether by redemption, sale or exchange), a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the shares. The capital gain will be long-term if the shares were held for more than 12 months and short-term if held for 12 months or less. If a shareholder sells or exchanges shares of the Fund within 90 days of having acquired such shares and if, before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the sale or exchange, as a result of having initially acquired those shares, the shareholder subsequently pays a reduced sales charge on a new purchase of shares of the Fund, the sales charge previously incurred in acquiring the Fund's shares generally shall not be taken into account (to the extent the previous sales charges do not exceed the reduction in sales charges on the new purchase) for the purpose of determining the amount of gain or loss on the disposition, but generally will be treated as having been incurred in the new purchase. Any loss realized on a disposition will be disallowed under the "wash sale" rules to the extent that the shares disposed of by the shareholder are replaced by the shareholder within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends received by the shareholder with respect to such shares. Capital losses are generally deductible only against capital gains except that individuals may deduct up to $3,000 of capital losses against ordinary income.

The 3.8% Medicare contribution tax (applied as described above) will apply to gains from the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund.

**BACKUP WITHHOLDING.** The Fund generally is required to withhold, and remit to the U.S. Treasury, subject to certain exemptions, an amount equal to 24% of all distributions and redemption proceeds paid or credited to a shareholder of the Fund if (i) the shareholder fails to furnish the Fund with the correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") certified under penalties of perjury, (ii) the shareholder fails to provide a certified statement that the shareholder is not subject to "backup withholding," or (iii) the IRS or a broker has notified the Fund that the number furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report interest or dividend income. If the backup withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions or proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.

**STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.** State and local laws often differ from federal income tax laws with respect to the treatment of specific items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit. This summary discussion does not address the state and local income taxes applicable to a shareholder.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the state and local tax rules affecting investments in the Fund.**

**NON-U.S. SHAREHOLDERS.** Distributions made to non-U.S. shareholders attributable to net investment income generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding at a 30% rate (or such lower rate provided under an applicable income tax treaty). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution described above is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States), federal income tax withholding and exemptions attributable to foreign persons will not apply. Instead, the distribution will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable U.S. tax rate (currently 37% in the case of individuals and 21% in the case of corporations) and the non-U.S. shareholders will be subject to the federal income tax reporting requirements generally applicable to U.S. persons described above.

Under U.S. federal tax law, a non-U.S. shareholder is not, in general, subject to federal income tax or withholding tax on capital gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of the Fund, or on capital gains dividends, provided that the Fund obtains a properly completed and signed certificate of foreign status, unless (i) such gains or distributions are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States of the non-U.S. shareholder); (ii) in the case of an individual non-U.S. shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the shares of the Fund constitute U.S. real property interests ("USRPIs"), as described below.

Under current law, if the Fund is considered to be a "United States Real Property Holding Corporation" (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), then the distributions attributable to certain underlying REIT investments and redemption proceeds paid to a non-U.S. shareholder that owns at least 5% of the Fund, generally will cause the non-U.S. shareholder to treat such gain or distribution as income effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States, subject such gain or distribution to withholding tax, and cause the non-U.S. shareholder to be required to file a federal income tax return. In addition, in any year where at least 50% of the Fund's assets are USRPIs (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), distributions of the Fund that are attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of shares in USRPIs may be subject to U.S. withholding tax (regardless of such shareholder's percentage interest in the Fund) and may require the non-U.S. shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to receive a refund (if any) of the withheld amount.

Subject to the additional rules described herein, federal income tax withholding will apply to distributions attributable to dividends and other investment income distributed by the Fund. The federal income tax withholding rate may be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. shareholder's country of residence or incorporation. In order to qualify for treaty benefits, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign status (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN). **All non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

Pursuant to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"), a 30% withholding tax generally is imposed on payments of interest and dividends to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless the foreign financial institution or foreign entity provides the withholding agent with documentation sufficient to show that it is compliant with FATCA (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). If the payment is subject to the 30% withholding tax under FATCA, a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to the 30% withholding tax described above on the same income. Under proposed regulations, FATCA withholding on the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gain distributions, scheduled to take effect beginning January 1, 2019, has been eliminated. Such proposed regulations are subject to change.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of this reporting and withholding regime to their own tax situation.**

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**FOREIGN BANK AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS AND FOREIGN FINANCIAL ASSETS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.** A shareholder that owns directly or indirectly more than 50% by vote or value of the Fund, is urged and advised to consult its own tax adviser regarding its filing obligations with respect to IRS Form FinCEN 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

Also, under enacted rules, subject to exceptions, individuals (and, to the extent provided in forthcoming future U.S. Treasury regulations, certain domestic entities) must report annually their interests in "specified foreign financial assets" on their U.S. federal income tax returns. It is currently unclear whether and under what circumstances shareholders would be required to report their indirect interests in the Fund's "specified foreign financial assets" (if any) under these new rules.

Shareholders may be subject to substantial penalties for failure to comply with these reporting requirements. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether these reporting requirements are applicable to them.**

**TAX-EXEMPT SHAREHOLDERS.** A tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") by virtue of its investment in the Fund as a result of the Fund's investments and if shares in the Fund constitute debt financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).

It is possible that a tax-exempt shareholder of the Fund will also recognize UBTI if the Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" (as described above) derived from direct or indirect investments in REMIC residual interests or TMPs. Furthermore, any investment in a residual interest of a CMO that has elected to be treated as a REMIC can create complex tax consequences, especially if the Fund has state or local governments or other tax-exempt organizations as shareholders.

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or in TMPs.

**Tax-exempt shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**TAX SHELTER REPORTING REGULATIONS.** Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper.

Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

**TAX BASIS INFORMATION.** For shares of the Fund that are redeemed, your financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) will report gains and losses realized on redemptions of shares for shareholders who are individuals and S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This information will also be reported to a shareholder on Form 1099-B and the IRS each year. In calculating the gain or loss on redemptions of shares, the average cost method will be used to determine the cost basis of the Fund's shares purchased after January 1, 2012 unless the shareholder instructs the Fund in writing that the shareholder wants to use another available method for cost basis reporting (for example, First In, First Out (FIFO), Last In, First Out (LIFO), Specific Lot Identification (SLID) or High Cost, First Out (HCFO)). If the shareholder designated SLID as the shareholder's tax cost basis method, the shareholder will also need to designate a secondary cost basis method (Secondary Method). If a Secondary Method is not provided, the Fund will designate FIFO as the Secondary Method and will use the Secondary Method with respect to systematic withdrawals that are made.

A shareholder's financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) is also required to report gains and losses to the IRS in connection with redemptions of shares by S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012. If a shareholder is a corporation and has not instructed the Fund that it is a C corporation in its Account Application or by written instruction, the Fund will treat the shareholder as an S corporation and file a Form 1099-B.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**This summary is provided for general information only and should not be considered tax advice or relied on by an investor.**

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Fund's financial statements, included in [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm), for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025 (the "Annual Report") are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The 2025 financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report thereon is also incorporated herein by reference. No other parts of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, are incorporated by reference herein. Copies of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Trust at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 or calling the Trust at (888) 678-6024 or on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/international-growth-fund*.

**APPENDIX A**

**DESCRIPTION OF Securities RATINGS**

**Description of Ratings**

The following descriptions of securities ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P Global Ratings"), and Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"), respectively.

**Description of Moody's Global Ratings**

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned for obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

**Description of Moody's Global Long-Term Ratings**

**Aaa** Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal risk.

**Aa** Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

**A** Obligations rated A are considered upper medium-grade and are subject to low credit risk.

**Baa** Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba** Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

**B** Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

**Caa** Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

**Ca** Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

**C** Obligations rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal and interest.

*Note*: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**Hybrid Indicator (hyb)**

The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

**Description of Moody's Global Short-Term Ratings**

**P-1** Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-2** Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-3** Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

**NP** Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's U.S. Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings**

The Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale is used to rate U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.

Moody's U.S. municipal short-term obligation ratings are as follows:

**MIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

**MIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

**MIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

**Description of Moody's Demand Obligation Ratings**

For variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), Moody's assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer's ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders ("on demand") and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer's long-term rating drops below investment grade. Please see their methodology that discusses obligations with conditional liquidity support.

For VRDOs, they typically assign a VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years, but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned, and it is denoted as "NR".

Moody's demand obligation ratings are as follows:

**VMIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Issue Credit Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings' view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P Global Ratings would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings S&P Global Ratings assigns to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings' analysis of the following considerations:

● The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

● The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P Global Ratings imputes; and

● The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

NR indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings\***

**AAA** An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

**AA** An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

**A** An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

**BBB** An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**BB; B; CCC; CC; and C** Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

**BB** An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CCC** An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CC** An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

**C** An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

\* Ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

**D** An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings**

**A-1** A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.

**A-2** A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

**A-3** A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

**C** A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**D** A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings' opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings' analysis will review the following considerations:

● Amortization schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

● Source of payment—the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P Global Ratings' municipal short-term note ratings are as follows:

**SP-1** Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

**SP-2** Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

**SP-3** Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

**D** 'D' is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

**Description of Fitch's Credit Ratings**

Fitch's credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issue level ratings are assigned and often include an expectation of recovery and may be notched above or below the issuer level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation).

Fitch's credit rating scale for issuers and issues is expressed using the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade) with an additional +/- for AA through CCC levels indicating relative differences of probability of default or recovery for issues. The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. Investment grade categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the speculative categories signal either a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

Fitch may also disclose issues relating to a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated. Such issues are also denoted as 'NR' on its web page.

Fitch's credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. Credit ratings do not deal with the risk of market value loss due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and/or other market considerations. However, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay or refinance a financial commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of payments linked to performance of an equity index).

Note: The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' ratings and ratings below the 'CCC' category. For the short-term rating category of 'F1', a '+' may be appended.

**Description of Fitch's Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Ratings**

**AAA** Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA** Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A** High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB** Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

**BB** Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

**B** Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

**CCC** Substantial credit risk. 'CCC' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present, and default is a real possibility.

**CC** Very high levels of credit risk. 'CC' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk and default of some kind appears probable.

**C** Near Default. 'C' ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk. A default or default-like process has begun, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired.

Ratings in the categories of 'CCC', 'CC' and 'C' can also relate to obligations or issuers that are in default. In this case, the rating does not opine on default risk but reflects the recovery expectation only.

Corporate Finance defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'RD' or 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'CCC' to 'C' rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

**Description of Fitch's Short-Term Ratings**

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Fitch's short-term ratings are as follows:

**F1** Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Under the agency's National Rating scale, this rating is assigned to the lowest default risk relative to others in the same country or monetary union. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a "+" is added to the assigned rating.

**F2** Good short-term credit quality. Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

**F3** Fair short-term credit quality. Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**B** Speculative short-term credit quality. Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**C** High short-term default risk. Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**RD** Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

**D** Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

**APPENDIX B**

**PROXY VOTING POLICY**

**Proxy Voting Disclosure**

Polen Capital Management, LLC and/or Polen Capital UK LLP (collectively, the "Firm" or "Polen Capital") will accept discretionary authority over a client's proxy if the Firm has discretionary authority over the client's advisory account and the advisory contract does not expressly state that the Firm will not be voting proxies or the client does not retain voting authority. The Firm currently has client accounts over which it has proxy voting authority.

The Firm exercises proxy voting to fulfill its fiduciary duty and directly influence corporate policy in a way that the Firm believes will maximize shareholder value. The investment teams are responsible for proxy voting and undertake close review and consideration of all proxy votes for governance matters and shareholder proposal issues.

The Firm utilizes a third party service provider (currently Institutional Shareholder Services or "ISS") for research and recommendations on proxy issues facilitating the processing of the Firm's ultimate selections for each proxy vote. The Firm specifically uses ISS's Sustainability Voting Guidelines currently, which we believe generally supports positive corporate ESG actions that promote practices that present new opportunities or mitigate related financial and reputational risks.

In voting proxies, the Firm currently consults ISS's Sustainability Voting Guidelines but makes an independent decision for each vote. If the Firm disagrees with ISS's recommendation, the reasons are documented internally.

Additional information about ISS and the ISS Sustainability Voting Guidelines is available at http://www.issgovernance.com/policy.

The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital has been delegated the authority for ensuring voting decisions are documented in accordance with these policies and ensuring there are processes in place to facilitate the voting of proxies in a timely manner.

Polen Capital relies on ISS to maintain proxy statements and records of proxy votes cast and can provide a client with an annual proxy voting summary upon request.

The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital maintains a list of those companies which issue publicly traded securities and with which the Firm (or its affiliates) has such a relationship that proxies presented with respect to those companies may be perceived to give rise to a conflict of interest between the Firm and its clients. Examples of such a relationship include:

● Companies affiliated with directors, or immediate family members of directors of the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm;

● Companies affiliated with officers, or immediate family members of officers of the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm; and

● Companies that maintain significant business relationships with the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm, or with which the Firm or an affiliate of the Firm is actively seeking a significant business relationship.

In addition, any proxy vote that would result in increased compensation to the Firm or an affiliate due to increased or additional fees or other charges to be paid by the client, would also be considered a vote where the Firm has a conflict of interest. The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital will determine, based on a review of the issues raised by the conflict of interest, the nature of the potential conflict and, most importantly, given the Firm's commitment to voting proxies in the best interests of client accounts, how the proxy will be handled. The Chief Compliance Officer will perform one of the following duties as a result:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Disclose the conflict to the client(s), providing sufficient information regarding the matter and the nature of the Firm's conflict, and obtaining consent before voting;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Employ ISS to advise in the voting of the proxy;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Employ ISS to vote the proxy on behalf of the Firm and its clients; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Decline to vote the proxy because of the cost of addressing the potential conflict of interest is greater than the benefit to the clients of voting the proxy.

To request a copy of how a proxy was voted please contact compliance@polencapital.com.

![](pro-pbsrx_001.jpg)

**POLEN U.S. SMALL COMPANY GROWTH FUND**

Investor Class Institutional Class Class Y <br> PBSRX PBSIX PBSYX

*a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

**PROSPECTUS**

September 1, 2025

**These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.**

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[Fund Summary](#pro-pbsrx_001)** | **1** |
| **[More Information about the Fund's Investment Objective, Strategies and Risks](#pro-pbsrx_002)** | **7** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Objective](#pro-pbsrx_003) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Information about the Fund's Investment Strategies](#pro-pbsrx_004) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Principal Risks](#pro-pbsrx_005) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Risks](#pro-pbsrx_006) | 9 |
| **[More Information about Management of the Fund](#pro-pbsrx_007)** | **10** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Adviser](#pro-pbsrx_008) | 10 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [Portfolio Manager](#pro-pbsrx_009) | 10 |
| **[Shareholder Information](#pro-pbsrx_010)** | **11** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Pricing of Shares](#pro-pbsrx_011) | 11 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Purchase of Shares](#pro-pbsrx_012) | 12 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Open an Account](#pro-pbsrx_013) | 13 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Add to an Account](#pro-pbsrx_014) | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Redemption of Shares](#pro-pbsrx_015) | 17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Redeem from Your Account](#pro-pbsrx_016) | 18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchanging Into Other Share Classes](#pro-pbsrx_017) | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchanging Into Other Polen Funds](#pro-pbsrx_018) | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Transaction Policies](#pro-pbsrx_019) | 20 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Shareholder Services](#pro-pbsrx_020) | 21 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributions](#pro-pbsrx_021) | 22 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[More Information about Taxes](#pro-pbsrx_022) | 22 |
| **[Financial Highlights](#pro-pbsrx_023)** | **24** |
| **[For More Information](#pro-pbsrx_024)** | **Back Cover** |

---

**FUND SUMMARY**

**POLEN U.S. SMALL COMPANY GROWTH FUND**

**Investment Objective**

Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund (the "Fund") seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital.

**Fees and Expenses**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** |
|  | **Investor <br> Class** | **Institutional <br> Class** | **Class Y** |
| Management Fees | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Fees | 0.25% |  |  |
| Other Expenses | 0.50% | 0.50% | 0.45% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses<sup>1</sup>** | **1.75%** | **1.50%** | **1.45%** |
| Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement<sup>1</sup> | (0.40)% | (0.40)% | (0.45)% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement<sup>1</sup>** | **1.35%** | **1.10%** | **1.00%** |

---

<sup>1</sup> Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses (excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by FundVantage Trust (the "Trust"), interest and other costs of borrowing, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.10% with respect to Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares and 1.00% with respect to Class Y shares (on an annual basis) with respect to the Fund's average daily net assets (the "Expense Limitation"). Prior to May 1, 2021 the Expense Limitation was 1.25% with respect to Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares. The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, such amounts reduced or reimbursed for a period of up to three (3) years from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of the reimbursement. No reimbursement will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation.

**Example**

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares of the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (reflecting any contractual fee waivers). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Investor Class | $137 | $512 | $912 | $2030 |
| Institutional Class | $112 | $435 | $780 | $1756 |
| Class Y | $102 | $414 | $749 | $1696 |

---

**Portfolio Turnover**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. The Adviser may sell its securities, regardless of the length of time that they have been held, and may adjust the size of its positions, if the Adviser determines that it would be in the Fund's best interest to do so. As a result, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate may exceed 100% during a fiscal year. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 54% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Summary of Principal Investment Strategies**

The Fund typically invests in a focused portfolio of common stocks of small companies and, under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in securities of U.S. issuers that are small companies. This 80% policy to invest in small companies may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon 60 days' notice to shareholders. The Adviser considers small companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of purchase, are generally within the range of the market capitalizations of companies in the Russell 2000<sup>®</sup> Index and the S&P SmallCap 600<sup>®</sup> Index. This policy does not require the Fund to sell the security of a small company if such company's market capitalization moves outside the range of the market capitalizations of companies in the Russell 2000<sup>®</sup> Index and the S&P SmallCap 600<sup>®</sup> Index; however, additional purchases of such security will be subject to the 20% limitation for securities outside of the Fund's small company portfolio. As of April 30, 2025, the weighted average market capitalization of the Fund's holdings was approximately $6.63 billion.

The Adviser considers multiple factors to identify opportunities with attractive fundamental, thematic, and/or technical traits. The Adviser believes earnings growth drives long-term stock performance and is influenced by changes in a company's internal or external environment. The Adviser has identified the following key environmental conditions or "primary forces": (i) competitive advantage, (ii) thematic forces, and (iii) cyclical business conditions.

The Adviser believes that changes in earnings power produced by competitive advantage, thematic forces, and cyclical business conditions are often not accurately captured in market prices. Thus, the Adviser believes that compelling investment opportunities are often closely associated with these identified primary forces. The Adviser believes that a portfolio of stocks positioned to benefit from one or more of these primary forces should outperform over time.

The Adviser aims to construct a portfolio of stocks with key competitive advantages and favorable business conditions. Portfolio construction focuses on industry and factor exposures and seeks to optimize the attractiveness of the overall portfolio against the risks involved in sector or factor exposures that are overweighted or underweighted relative to their benchmark. An "Attractiveness Score" reflects the Adviser's evaluation of each investment opportunity across valuation, business model, thematic timeliness, management team, and technical behavior. Thematic timeliness means how relevant a theme is to current market behavior. Technical behavior refers to the price/chart of the stock, it is a factor that evaluates price and helps the Adviser with the timing of its investments. In addition, the Adviser integrates material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into research analysis as part of a comprehensive evaluation of a company.

The Fund is non-diversified, which means that a significant portion of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of a single or small number of companies and/or in a more limited number of sectors than a diversified mutual fund. Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, the Fund may focus its investments from time to time in one or more sectors of the economy or stock market.

The Fund may sell a security if in the Adviser's view (i) a company's financial results fall significantly off its projected growth path, either in terms of product sales or market development, (ii) the company loses a significant competitive advantage, or (iii) the Adviser's assessment of a company's Attractiveness Score changes; positions may be reduced or eliminated entirely. Each investment is purchased with an open-ended time horizon, but is expected to average between one and two years. Actual time horizons range from a few months to more than four years. However, the Adviser may sell its securities, regardless of the length of time that they have been held, and may adjust the size of its positions, if the Adviser determines that it would be in the Fund's best interest to do so.

**Summary of Principal Risks**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor and the relative significance of each risk below may change over time. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value ("NAV"), yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not be a suitable investment for all investors.

**●** **Equity Securities Risk:** Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition, historical and prospective earnings of the company, interest rates, investor perceptions and overall market and economic conditions. The prices of securities change in response to many factors including the value of its assets.

**●** **Growth Style Risk:** Growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are generally more sensitive to investor perceptions and market movements. In addition, growth stocks as a group may be out of favor at times and underperform the overall equity market for long periods while the market concentrates on other types of stocks, such as "value" stocks.

**●** **Management Risk:** The risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by the investment adviser, including but not limited to the Adviser's integration of ESG factors into its research analysis, will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment adviser and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Fund. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Fund will be achieved.

**●** **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

● **Non-Diversification Risk:** Because the Fund is non-diversified and may invest a larger portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified fund, an investment in the Fund could fluctuate in value more than an investment in a diversified fund.

● **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

● **High Portfolio Turnover Risk:** The Fund may sell its securities, regardless of the length of time that they have been held, and may adjust the size of its positions, if the Adviser determines that it would be in the Fund's best interest to do so. Under the current investment strategy, the Adviser may frequently adjusts the size of the Fund's positions. These transactions will increase the Fund's "portfolio turnover" and the Fund may experience a high portfolio turnover rate (over 100%). High turnover rates generally result in higher brokerage costs, may have adverse tax consequences and therefore may reduce the Fund's returns.

● **Small-Cap Risk:** The risk that securities of small-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies. Generally the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. Small-capitalization companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent upon a small or inexperienced management group and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs.

● **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

**Performance Information**

The bar chart and the performance table below provide an indication of the risks and volatility of investing in the Fund by showing: (a) changes in the performance of the Fund's Institutional Class shares from year to year; and (b) how the average annual total return of the Fund's Institutional Class, Investor Class, and Class Y shares compare to those of a regulatorily required broad-based securities market index (Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index) (the "Regulatory Benchmark") and the Russell 2000<sup>®</sup> Growth Index (the "Performance Benchmark"). The Performance Benchmark is generally more representative of the market sectors and/or types of investments in which the Fund invests or to which the Fund has exposure and which the Adviser uses to measure the Fund's performance. The Fund has included in the table below the performance of the Regulatory Benchmark, which represents a broader measure of market performance, to comply with new regulatory requirements. Total returns would have been lower had certain fees and expenses not been waived or reimbursed. Effective June 30, 2025, the Fund's investment strategy and portfolio manager changed. The Fund's returns as reflected in the bar chart and the table are those of the Fund under the previous strategy and portfolio manager. Past performance, both before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/small-company-growth-fund* or by calling the Fund toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

![](pro-pbsrx_002.jpg)

Calendar Year-to-Date Total Return as of June 30, 2025: (4.75)%

During the periods shown in the chart:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best Quarter** | **Worst Quarter** |
| 44.91% | (25.79)% |
| (June 30, 2020) | (June 30, 2022) |

---

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund — Institutional Class Shares <br> Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **Since <br> Inception<br> (November 1, 2017)** |
| Return Before Taxes | 3.75% | 4.74% | 6.38% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 3.75% | 4.54% | 6.21% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares | 2.22% | 3.71% | 5.07% |
| Russell 2000<sup>®</sup> Growth Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1</sup> | 15.15% | 6.86% | 7.43% |
| Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1</sup> | 32.46% | 18.25% | 17.57% |

---

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund — Investor Class Shares <br> Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **Since<br> Inception<br> (February 8, 2019)**  |
| Return Before Taxes | 3.52% | 4.47% | 4.93% |
| Russell 2000<sup>®</sup> Growth Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1</sup> | 15.15% | 6.86% | 8.30% |
| Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1</sup> | 32.46% | 18.25% | 19.54% |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund — Class Y Shares<br> Average Annual Total Returns For the Periods Ended December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **Since<br> Inception<br> (June 1, 2021)** |
| Return Before Taxes | 3.81% | (5.82)% |
| Russell 2000<sup>®</sup> Growth Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1</sup> | 15.15% | (0.17)% |
| Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1</sup> | 32.46% | 13.50% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The Russell 2000<sup>®</sup> Growth Index is an unmanaged index measuring the performance of the small-cap growth segment of the US equity universe. It includes those Russell 2000<sup>®</sup> companies with higher price-to-value ratios and higher forecasted growth values. The Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index measures the performance of the 3,000 largest U.S. companies based on market capitalization, which represents approximately 98% of the investable U.S. equity market.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown and are not relevant if you hold your shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns shown are for Institutional Class shares; after-tax returns for Investor Class shares will vary.

**Management of the Fund**

**Investment Adviser**

Polen Capital Management, LLC serves as the Fund's investment adviser.

**Portfolio Manager**

**Andrew Cupps**, Head of Team, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, has served as portfolio manager for the Fund since June 30, 2025. He has been a member of Polen Capital's Small Company Growth Team since joining the firm in 2025.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** |
| **Account Type** | **Minimum** | **Investor <br> Class** | **Institutional <br> Class** |
| Regular Accounts | Initial Investment | $3000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |
| Individual Retirement Accounts | Initial Investment | $2000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |
| Automatic Investment Plan | Initial Investment | $2000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |

---

The minimum initial investment in Class Y shares is $1,000,000. Class Y shares are available exclusively to institutional investors, including, but not limited to, charitable organizations, governmental institutions, corporations, and trust & private bank platforms. Individual investors cannot invest directly in Class Y shares other than through a trust, private bank platform or other authorized financial intermediary.

You can only purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on days the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open and through the means described below.

**Purchase or Redemption by Mail:**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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**Purchase by Wire:**

Please contact Fund shareholder services ("Shareholder Services") toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for current wire instructions.

**Redemption by Telephone:**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**Tax Information**

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Such distributions are not currently taxable when shares are held through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. However, subsequent withdrawals from any tax-deferred account in which the shares are held may be subject to federal income tax.

**Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and/or for related services to shareholders. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S<br> INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, STRATEGIES AND RISKS**

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE**

The Fund seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital. Although no change is anticipated, the Fund's investment objective may be changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S INVESTMENT STRATEGIES**

The Fund's principal investment strategies are discussed in the "Fund Summary" section. Principal investment strategies are those that the Adviser will use on a day-to-day basis to achieve the Fund's investment objective. This section provides more information about these strategies, as well as information about some additional strategies that the Fund's Adviser uses, or may use, to achieve the Fund's objective. Additional information about these investment strategies and practices and related risks is also provided in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"). The Fund may also use strategies and invest in securities that are not described in this Prospectus, but that are described in the Fund's SAI. The investments and strategies discussed below are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, at the time of initial purchase, in securities of U.S. issuers that are small companies. This policy does not require the Fund to sell the security of a small company if such company's market capitalization moves outside the range of the market capitalizations of companies in the Russell 2000<sup>®</sup> Index and the S&P SmallCap 600<sup>®</sup> Index; however, additional purchases of such security will be subject to the 20% limitation for securities outside of the Fund's small company portfolio. This 80% policy may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon 60 days' notice to shareholders. A U.S. issuer means an issuer that (i) has their principal securities trading market in the United States; or (ii) is organized under the laws of, and has a principal office in, the United States at the time of purchase.

The Adviser integrates material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into research analysis as part of a comprehensive evaluation of a company. In integrating ESG factors into its research analysis, the Adviser assesses ESG factors through key company behaviors and characteristics and seek those which align with and are material to a long-term stakeholder mindset;

for example, the Adviser may seek companies featuring exceptional management teams, a focus on mission and culture, authentic brands, strong consumer connections, responsible environmental stewardship, and sustainable environmental practices.

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"). At times, the Fund may be required to segregate or earmark certain assets determined to be liquid by the investment adviser (generally, short-term investment grade fixed income securities) to cover borrowings.

The investments and strategies discussed above are those that the investment adviser will use under normal market conditions. The Fund also may use other strategies and engage in other investment practices, which are described in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").

In anticipation of or in response to adverse market or other conditions or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, the Fund may temporarily hold all or a portion of its assets in U.S. Government securities, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures. Under such conditions, the Fund may not invest in accordance with its investment objective or principal investment strategy and may not achieve its investment objective.

**PRINCIPAL RISKS**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's NAV, yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.

**●** **Equity Securities Risk:** Common and preferred stocks represent equity ownership in a company. The price of equity securities will fluctuate and can decline and reduce the value of a portfolio investing in equities. The value of equity securities purchased by the Fund could decline if the financial condition of the companies related to a company or industry, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or generally adverse investor sentiment.

**●** **Growth Style Risk:** Growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are generally more sensitive to investor perceptions and market movements. In addition, growth stocks as a group

may be out of favor at times and underperform the overall equity market for long periods while the market concentrates on other types of stocks, such as "value" stocks.

● **Management Risk:** The risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by the investment adviser, including but not limited to the Adviser's integration of ESG factors into its research analysis, will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment adviser and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Fund. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Fund will be achieved.

**●** **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**●** **Non-Diversification Risk:** Because the Fund is non-diversified and may invest a larger portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified fund, an investment in the Fund could fluctuate in value more than an investment in a diversified fund.

● **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a

magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

● **High Portfolio Turnover Risk:** The Fund may sell its securities, regardless of the length of time that they have been held, and may adjust the size of its positions, if the Adviser determines that it would be in the Fund's best interest to do so. Under the current investment strategy, the Adviser may frequently adjusts the size of the Fund's positions. These transactions will increase the Fund's "portfolio turnover" and the Fund may experience a high portfolio turnover rate (over 100%). High turnover rates generally result in higher brokerage costs, may have adverse tax consequences and therefore may reduce the Fund's returns. Frequent purchases and sales of portfolio securities may result in higher Fund expenses and may result in more significant distributions of short-term capital gains to investors, which are taxed as ordinary income.

● **Small-Cap Risk:** The risk that securities of small-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies. Generally the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. Small-capitalization companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent upon a small or inexperienced management group and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs.

● **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical

device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

**OTHER RISKS**

In addition to the principal risks described above, the Fund may also be subject to the following additional risk.

**●** **Cyber Security Risk:** As part of its business, the Adviser processes, stores and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Fund. The Adviser and Fund may be susceptible to operational and information security risk. Cyber security failures or breaches of the Adviser or the Fund's other service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of the Fund's shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties and/or reputational damage. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

**Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings**

A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI, which is available, free of charge, by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 and on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/small-company-growth-fund*. The SAI may also be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") website at *www.sec.gov*.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND**

The Trust's Board of Trustees supervises the management, activities and affairs of the Fund and has approved contracts with various organizations to provide, among other services, the day-to-day management required by the Fund and its shareholders.

**INVESTMENT ADVISER**

Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Polen Capital was founded in 1979 and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Capital had approximately $46.7 billion in assets under management. Polen Capital, subject to the general oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objective, policies and limitations. For its services as Adviser to the Fund, Polen Capital is entitled to receive an investment advisory fee of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, after fee waivers and expense reimbursements, Polen Capital received an aggregate investment advisory fee as a percentage of average net assets of 0.60%.

A discussion of the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment management agreement between Polen Capital and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, is available in the Fund's Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2024.

 **PORTFOLIO MANAGER** 

 **Andrew Cupps,** Head of Team, Portfolio Manager and Analyst. Andrew Cupps serves as the portfolio manager for Polen Capital's U.S. Small Cap Growth, U.S. SMID Cap Growth, and U.S. Micro Cap Growth strategies. He joined Polen Capital in 2025 and leads the day-to-day portfolio management and investment analysis for these strategies. Andrew applies a proprietary investment framework honed over decades of experience to his work at Polen Capital.

Before joining Polen Capital, Mr. Cupps was a Portfolio Manager at Bosun Asset Management, and prior to that, at Advisory Research Investment Management. He also founded and managed Cupps Capital Management and oversaw hedge fund and mutual fund assets at Strong Capital Management. Andrew began his career at Driehaus Capital Management in 1992. He holds an AB in Economics from Harvard University.

The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Manager's compensation, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager and the Portfolio Manager's ownership of Fund shares.

**SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION**

**PRICING OF SHARES**

The price of the Fund's shares is based on its NAV. The Fund values its assets, based on current market values when such values are available. The NAV per share of the Fund is calculated as follows:

Value of Assets Attributable to the Shares <br> NAV = – <u>Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Shares</u> <br> Number of Outstanding Shares

The Fund's NAV per share is calculated once daily as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each business day (i.e., a day that the Exchange is open for business). The Exchange is generally open on Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The price at which a purchase, redemption or exchange is effected is based on the next calculation of NAV after the order is received in good form by an authorized financial institution or the transfer agent, plus any applicable sales charges.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**PURCHASE OF SHARES**

**Share Classes**

The Trust offers Investor Class shares, Institutional Class shares and Class Y shares of the Fund. Each Class of shares has different expenses and distribution arrangements to provide for different investment needs. This allows you to choose the class of shares most suitable for you depending on the amount and expected length of your investment and other relevant factors. Sales personnel may receive different compensation for selling each class of shares. Investor Class shares are for individuals, corporate investors and retirement plans. Institutional Class shares are available to individuals who can meet the required investment minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or broker-dealers purchasing for the accounts of others. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization. Class Y shares are available exclusively to institutional investors, including, but not limited to, charitable organizations, governmental institutions, corporations, and trust & private bank platforms. Individual investors cannot invest directly in Class Y shares other than through a trust, private bank platform or other authorized financial intermediary. If you purchase Class Y shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a transaction-based fee or other fee for the services of such organization.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Investor Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Class Y** |
| No initial sales charge | No initial sales charge | No initial sales charge |
| Higher annual expenses than Institutional Class shares due to distribution fee | Lower annual expenses than Investor Class shares due to no distribution fee | Lower annual expenses than Investor Class shares due to no distribution fee |

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Shares representing interests in the Fund are offered on a continuous basis by the Fund's principal underwriter, Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"). Shares of the Fund do not charge any sales loads or deferred sales loads in connection with the purchase of shares. Shares of the Fund are offered only to residents of states in which the shares are registered or qualified. You can purchase Investor Class and Institutional Class shares of the Fund through certain financial intermediaries, who may charge you a commission, or directly through BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, the Fund's transfer agent, as discussed below. No share certificates are issued in connection with the purchase of Fund shares. The Fund reserves the right to waive the minimum initial investment requirement for any investor.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be redeemed by the Trust unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund's shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." To open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest.

In the event you modify or change your relationship with your financial intermediary through which you invest in the Fund (for instance, from an advisory relationship to a brokerage relationship) you may no longer be eligible to invest in a particular share class and your financial intermediary may exchange your shares for another share class which may be subject to higher expenses and Rule 12b-1 distribution fees.

In addition, the availability of certain classes of shares may be limited to certain intermediary platforms, which means that your eligibility to purchase a specific class of Fund shares may depend on whether your intermediary offers that class.

The Trust is not responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Investor Class Shares**

***Distribution Plan***

The Trust's Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Fund's Investor Class shares, has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to pay distribution and service fees for the sale and distribution of its shares and for services provided to its shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plan for Investor Class shares provides for payments of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

**Institutional Class Shares**

Sales of the Fund's Institutional Class shares are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee. Institutional Class shares are available to individuals who can meet the required investment minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or broker dealer purchasing for the accounts of others. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through an institutional organization, or a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization.

**Class Y Shares**

Sales of the Fund's Class Y shares are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee. Class Y shares are available exclusively to institutional investors, including, but not limited to, charitable organizations, governmental institutions, corporations, and trust & private bank platforms. Individual investors cannot invest directly in Class Y shares other than through a trust, private bank platform or other authorized financial intermediary. If you purchase Class Y shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a transaction-based fee or other fee for the services of such organization.

**TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Complete the application and mail it to BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing") at the address noted below, together with a check payable to the Fund. Please make sure your check is for at least $3,000 with respect to Investor Class shares ($2,000 if investing in an IRA) and at least $100,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares. Individual investors cannot invest directly in Class Y shares other than through a trust, private bank platform or other authorized financial intermediary. Mail the application and your check to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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The Fund will only accept checks drawn on U.S. currency on domestic banks. The Fund will not accept any of the following: cash or cash equivalents, money orders, traveler's checks, cashier's checks, bank checks, official checks and treasurer's checks, payable through checks, third-party checks and third-party transactions.

While the Fund does not generally accept foreign investors, it may in instances where either (i) an intermediary makes shares of the Fund available or (ii) the transfer agent, in the case of a direct to Fund subscription, has satisfied its internal procedures with respect to the establishment of foreign investor accounts. Please contact Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for more information.

The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions, including the Fund, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money-laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts. As requested on the application, you must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address. If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. This information will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, the Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a shareholder's identity. As required by law, the Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

**By Wire**

To make a same-day wire investment, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for current wire instructions. An account number will be assigned to you. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $3,000 with respect to Investor Class shares ($2,000 if investing in an IRA) and at least $100,000 with respect**

**to Institutional Class shares.** Individual investors cannot invest directly in Class Y shares other than through a trust, private bank platform or other authorized financial intermediary. Your wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, to receive that day's price per share. Your bank may charge a wire fee.

**Individual Retirement Account and Education Savings Account Investments**

You may invest in the Fund through the following individual retirement accounts:

● Traditional Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs")

● Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees ("SIMPLE IRAs")

● Spousal IRAs

● Roth Individual Retirement Accounts ("Roth IRAs")

● Simplified Employee Pension Plans ("SEP IRAs")

● Coverdell Education Savings Accounts ("CESAs")

**Additional Information**

If you have questions regarding the purchase of Fund shares, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.

**TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Fill out an investment slip from a previous confirmation and write your account number on your check. **Please make sure that your check is payable to the Fund and that your additional investment is for at least $100 with respect to Investor Class shares.** There is no minimum additional investment with respect to Institutional Class shares. Individual investors cannot invest directly in Class Y shares other than through a trust, private bank platform or other authorized financial intermediary. Mail the slip and your check to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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**By Wire**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for current wire instructions. The wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, for same day processing. Your bank may charge a wire fee. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $100 with respect to Investor Class shares.** There is no minimum additional investment with respect to Institutional Class shares.

**Automatic Investment Plan**

You may open an automatic investment plan account for Investor Class shares with a $2,000 initial purchase and a $100.00 monthly investment and for Institutional Class shares with a $100,000 initial purchase and no minimum monthly investment. If you have an existing account that does not include the automatic investment plan, you can contact the Fund at toll-free (888) 678-6024 to establish an automatic investment plan. The automatic investment plan provides a convenient method to have monies deducted directly from your bank account for investment in the Fund. You may authorize the automatic withdrawal of funds from your bank account for a monthly minimum amount of $100.00. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this plan at any time. To begin participating in this plan, please complete the "Automatic Investment Plan" section found on the application or contact the Fund's transfer agent toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**Automated Clearing House (ACH) Purchase**

Current shareholders may purchase additional shares via Automated Clearing House ("ACH"). To have this option added to your account, please send a letter to the Fund requesting this option and supply a voided check for the bank account. Only bank accounts held at domestic institutions that are ACH members may be used for these transactions.

You may not use ACH transactions for your initial purchase of Fund shares. ACH purchases will be effective at the closing price per share on the same business day for orders placed prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Orders placed thereafter will be effective at the closing price per share on the next business day. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this purchase option at any time.

Shares purchased by ACH will not be available for redemption until the transactions have cleared. Shares purchased via ACH transfer may take up to 15 days to clear.

**Purchase Price**

Purchase orders received in good order by the Fund's transfer agent before the close of regular trading on the Exchange on any business day will be priced at the NAV that is determined as of the close of trading on the Exchange. Purchase orders received in good order after the close of regular trading on the Exchange will be priced as of the close of regular trading on the following business day. "Good Order" means that the purchase request is complete and includes all accurate required information. Purchase requests not in good order may be rejected.

**Financial Intermediaries**

You may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary who may charge you a commission and additional fees on your purchase and may require different minimum investments or impose other limitations on buying and selling shares. "Financial intermediaries" include brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), insurance companies, investment advisers, financial advisers, financial planners, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators, their designated intermediaries and any other firm having a selling, administration or similar agreement. The financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting orders by close of business and may have an earlier cut-off time for purchase and sale requests. Purchase and redemption orders placed through a financial intermediary will be deemed to have been received and accepted by the Fund when the financial intermediary accepts the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. Customer orders are required to be priced at the Fund's NAV next computed after the authorized financial intermediary or its authorized representatives' receipt of the order to buy or sell. Purchase and redemption requests sent to such authorized broker (or its designee) are executed at the NAV next determined after the intermediary receives the request if transmitted to the Fund's transfer agent in accordance with the Fund's procedures and applicable law. Financial intermediaries may also designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Fund's behalf. Consult your investment representative for specific information.

It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary to transmit orders for the purchase of shares by its customers to the transfer agent and to deliver required funds on a timely basis, in accordance with the procedures stated above.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account."

**Networking and Sub-Transfer Agency Fees.** The Fund may also directly enter into agreements with financial intermediaries pursuant to which it will pay the financial intermediary for services such as networking or sub-transfer agency, including the maintenance of "street name" or omnibus accounts and related sub-accounting, record-keeping and administrative services provided to such accounts. Payments made pursuant to such agreements are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of clients serviced by such financial intermediary, or (2) the number of accounts serviced by such financial intermediary. Any payments made pursuant to such agreements are in addition to, rather than in lieu of, Rule 12b-1 distribution or shareholder service fees the financial intermediary may also be receiving. From time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay a portion of the fees for networking or sub-transfer agency at its or their own expense and out of its or their own resources. These payments may be material to financial intermediaries relative to other compensation paid by the Fund and/or the Underwriter, the Adviser and their affiliates. The payments described above may differ and may vary from amounts paid to the Fund's transfer agent for providing similar

services to other accounts. The financial intermediaries are not audited by the Fund, the Adviser or their service providers to determine whether such intermediaries are providing the services for which they are receiving such payments.

**Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries.** The Adviser, and, from time to time, affiliates of the Adviser may also, at their own expense and out of their own resources, provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. These additional cash payments are payments over and above sales commissions or reallowances, distribution fees or servicing fees (including networking, administration and sub-transfer agency fees) payable to a financial intermediary which are disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus. These additional cash payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency, shareholder or administrative services or marketing support. Marketing support may include: (i) access to sales meetings or conferences, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives; (ii) inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs to which financial intermediaries provide more marketing support than to other sales programs on which the Adviser or its affiliates may not need to make additional cash payments to be included; (iii) promotion of the sale of the Fund's shares in communications with a financial intermediaries' customers, sales representatives or management representatives; and/or (iv) other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of the Fund's shares. These additional cash payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to Fund shareholders. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay cash compensation in the form of finders' fees or referral fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of shares sold.

The amount and value of additional cash payments vary for each financial intermediary. The additional cash payment arrangement between a particular financial intermediary and the Adviser or its affiliates may provide for increased rates of compensation as the dollar value of the Fund's shares or particular class of shares sold or invested through such financial intermediary increases. The availability of these additional cash payments, the varying fee structure within a particular additional cash payment arrangement and the basis for and manner in which a financial intermediary compensates its sales representatives may create a financial incentive for a particular financial intermediary and its sales representatives to recommend the Fund's shares over the shares of other mutual funds based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. A financial intermediary and its sales representatives may have similar financial incentives to recommend a particular class of the Fund's shares over other classes of its shares. You should consult with your financial adviser and review carefully any disclosure by the financial firm as to compensation received by your financial adviser.

Although the Fund may use financial firms that sell the Fund's shares to effect portfolio transactions for the Fund, the Fund and the Adviser will not consider the sale of Fund shares as a factor when choosing financial firms to effect those transactions.

For more information about these additional cash payments made to financial intermediaries, please refer to the section entitled "Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries" located in the SAI.

**Rights Reserved by the Fund**

The Fund reserves the right to:

● reject any purchase order;

● suspend the offering of shares;

● vary the initial and subsequent investment minimums;

● waive the minimum investment requirement for any investor;

● redeem accounts with balances below the minimum account size after 30 days' written notice;

● redeem your shares in the event your financial intermediary's relationship with the Trust is modified or terminated;

● subject to applicable law, redeem your shares in other circumstances determined by the Board of Trustees to be in the best interest of the Fund; and

● redeem your shares if you hold your shares through a financial intermediary and you propose to transfer your shares to another financial intermediary that does not have a relationship with the Trust.

The Trust will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy**

The Fund discourages frequent purchases and redemptions, and the Trust's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures consistent with such position. The Fund is not designed to accommodate market timing or short-term trading. Frequent or excessive trades into or out of the Fund in an effort to anticipate changes in market prices of its investment portfolio is generally referred to as "market timing." Market timing can adversely impact the ability of the Adviser to invest assets in an orderly manner, which in turn may adversely impact the expenses and the performance of the Fund. These expenses are borne by all Fund shareholders, including long-term investors who do not generate such costs. Specifically, frequent trading may result in the Fund engaging in activities to a greater extent than it otherwise would, such as maintaining higher cash balances, using a line of credit and trading in portfolio securities, each of which may increase expenses and decrease performance. This occurs when market timers attempt to trade Fund shares when the NAV of the Fund does not reflect the value of the underlying portfolio securities.

To deter market timing and to minimize harm to the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to restrict, reject or cancel, without prior notice, any purchase order by market timers or by those persons the Fund believes are engaging in similar trading activity that, in the judgment of the Fund or the Adviser, may be disruptive to the Fund. The Fund will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. No waivers of the provisions of this policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

The Fund's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") reviews on an as-needed basis, as determined by the CCO in coordination with the Adviser and other service providers, available information related to the trading activity in the Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of market timing or similar trading practices. If, in its judgment, the Fund or the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Fund may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor's account with the Fund. The Fund may modify its procedures from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Fund will apply its procedures in a manner that, in the Fund's judgment, will be uniform.

There is no guarantee that the Fund or its agents will be able to detect frequent trading activity or the shareholders engaged in such activity, or, if it is detected, to prevent its recurrence.

In order for a financial intermediary to purchase shares of the Fund for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person, the Trust will enter into shareholder information agreements with such financial intermediary or its agent. These agreements require each financial intermediary to provide the Fund access, upon request, to information about underlying shareholder transaction activity in these accounts and the shareholder's Taxpayer Identification Number (or International Taxpayer Identification Number or other government issued identifier). If a shareholder information agreement has not been entered into by a financial intermediary, such financial intermediary will be prohibited from purchasing Fund shares for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person. If necessary, the Fund may prohibit additional purchases of Fund shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers' trading activities in the Fund. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Fund. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Fund's excessive trading policies, the Fund may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES**

You may "redeem" or sell your shares on any day the Exchange is open, either directly through the Fund's transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, or through your broker-dealer. The price you receive will be the NAV next calculated after receipt of the request in good order. "Good Order" means that the redemption request is complete and includes all accurate required information including any medallion signature guarantees, if necessary.

**Redemption Policies**

Payment for redemptions of Fund shares is usually made within one business day, but not later than seven calendar days after receipt of your redemption request, unless the check used to purchase the shares has not yet cleared. The

Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment for more than seven days during any period when: (1) trading on the Exchange is restricted or the Exchange is closed for other than customary weekends and holidays, (2) the SEC has by order permitted such suspension for the protection of the Fund's shareholders or (3) an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable. The Fund will automatically redeem shares if a purchase check is returned for insufficient funds and the shareholder's account will be charged for any loss. The Fund reserves the right to reject any third-party check.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally meets redemption requests through its holdings of cash or cash equivalents or by selling a portion of the Fund's holdings consistent with its investment strategy. The Fund generally pays redemptions proceeds in cash; however, the Fund reserves the right to honor certain redemptions "in-kind" with securities, rather than cash. The Fund is more likely to redeem in-kind to meet large redemption requests or during times of market stress.

**TO REDEEM FROM YOUR ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

To redeem your shares by mail:

● Write a letter of instruction that includes: the name of the Fund, your account number, the name(s) in which the account is registered and the dollar value or number of shares you wish to sell.

● Include all signatures and any additional documents that may be required.

● Mail your request to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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● A check will be mailed to the name(s) and address in which the account is registered and may take up to seven days.

● The Fund may require additional documentation or a medallion signature guarantee on any redemption request to help protect against fraud.

● The Fund requires a medallion signature guarantee if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record.

**By Telephone**

To redeem your shares by telephone, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024. The proceeds will be paid to the registered owner: (1) by mail at the address on the account, or (2) by wire to the pre-designated bank account on the fund account. To use the telephone redemption privilege, you must have selected this service on your original account application or submitted a subsequent medallion signature guaranteed request in writing to add this service to your account. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing reserve the right to refuse any telephone transaction when they are unable to confirm to their satisfaction that a caller is the account owner or a person preauthorized by the account owner. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing has established security procedures to prevent unauthorized account access. Neither the Fund nor any of its service contractors will be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The telephone transaction privilege may be suspended, limited, modified or terminated at any time without prior notice by the Fund or BNY Mellon Investment Servicing.

**By Wire**

In the case of redemption proceeds that are wired to a bank, the Fund transmits the payment only on days that commercial banks are open for business and only to the bank and account previously authorized on your application or your medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing will not be responsible for any delays in wired redemption proceeds due to heavy wire traffic over the Federal Reserve System. The Fund reserves the right to refuse a wire redemption if it believes that it is advisable to do so. You may also have your redemption proceeds sent to your bank via ACH. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing does not charge for this service, however, please allow 2 to 3 business days for the transfer of money to reach your banking institution.

**Systematic Withdrawal Plan**

Once you have established an account with $10,000 or more, you may automatically receive funds from your account on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis (minimum withdrawal of $100). Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 to request a form to start the Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

**Selling Recently Purchased Shares**

If you wish to sell shares that were recently purchased by check, the Fund may delay mailing your redemption check for up to 15 business days after your redemption request to allow the purchase check to clear. The Fund reserves the right to reject any redemption request for shares recently purchased by check that has not cleared, and the Fund may require that a subsequent request be submitted.

**Late Trading**

Late trading is the practice of buying or selling Fund shares at the closing price after the Fund's NAV has been set for the day. Federal securities laws governing mutual funds prohibit late trading. The Fund has adopted trading policies designed to comply with requirements of the federal securities laws.

**EXCHANGING INTO OTHER SHARE CLASSES**

You may transfer your shares into another class of shares of this Fund if you meet the eligibility requirements for the class into which you would like to transfer. If you purchased your shares from the Fund directly, call the transfer agent toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for information on exchanging shares into another class of the Fund. If you purchased your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact such financial intermediary for information on exchanging shares into another class of the Fund. Transfers between classes of a single Fund are generally not considered a taxable transaction. This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated upon sixty (60) days' written notice to shareholders.

**EXCHANGING INTO OTHER POLEN FUNDS**

An exchange occurs when you use the proceeds from the redemption of shares of one Polen fund to simultaneously purchase shares of a different Polen fund. You can make exchange requests by telephone or by mail. See "To Redeem from Your Account" for contact information.

If the Exchange is open for regular trading (generally until 4 p.m. Eastern time, on a business day) at the time an exchange request is received in good order, the trade date generally will be the same day. See "Redemption of Shares" for additional information on transaction requests.

The Funds will not accept your request to cancel any exchange request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing an exchange request. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time before attempting to exchange a large dollar amount. By calling us before you attempt to exchange a large dollar amount, you may avoid delayed or rejected transactions.

Please note that the Funds reserve the right, without notice, to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the amount of any exchange, or reject an exchange, at any time, for any reason. See "Market Timing and Frequent-Trading Policy" for additional restrictions on exchanges.

**TRANSACTION POLICIES**

**Timing of Purchase or Sale Requests**

All requests received in Good Order by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing or authorized dealers of Fund shares before the close of regular trading on the Exchange, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, will be executed the same day, at that day's NAV. Such orders received after the close of regular trading of the Exchange will be executed the following day, at that day's NAV. All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Purchase and redemption orders are executed only on days when the Exchange is open for trading. If the Exchange closes early, the deadlines for purchase and redemption orders are accelerated to the earlier closing time.

**New York Stock Exchange Closings**

The Exchange is typically closed for trading on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

**Investments through Financial Intermediaries/Nominees**

If you invest through a financial intermediary or nominee, such as a broker-dealer or financial adviser (rather than directly through the Fund), certain policies and fees regarding your investment in the Fund may be different than those described in this Prospectus. In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." Financial intermediaries and nominees may charge transaction fees, may charge you a commission on your purchase and may set different minimum investments or limitations or procedures on buying or selling shares; however, in the event that your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust and you chose to open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker, or, if applicable, a broker's designee receives the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. You will not be charged any additional fees by the Fund (other than those described in this Prospectus) if you purchase or redeem shares directly through the Fund.

Contact your financial intermediary for specific information regarding the availability and suitability of various account options described throughout this Prospectus. Contact your financial intermediary for specific information with respect to the financial intermediary's policies regarding minimum purchase and minimum balance requirements and involuntary redemption, which may differ from what is described throughout this Prospectus.

**Account Minimum**

You must keep at least $2,000 worth of Investor Class and Institutional Class shares and at least $1,000,000 worth of Class Y shares in your account to keep the account open. If, after giving you 30 days' prior written notice, your account value is still below the applicable minimum due to your redemptions (not including market fluctuations), the Fund may redeem your shares and send you a check for the redemption proceeds.

**Medallion Signature Guarantees**

The Fund may require additional documentation for the redemption of corporate, partnership or fiduciary accounts, or medallion signature guarantees for certain types of transfer requests or account registration changes. A medallion signature guarantee helps protect against fraud. A medallion signature guarantee is required if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days, or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record. When the Fund requires a signature guarantee, a medallion signature must be provided. A medallion signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency, saving association or other financial institution that is participating in a medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The Fund recognizes the following three medallion

programs: (i) Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP), (ii) Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and (iii) New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature guarantees from a financial institution that does not participate in one of these programs will not be accepted. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for further information on obtaining a proper signature guarantee.

**Customer Identification Program**

Federal law requires the Fund to obtain, verify and record identifying information, which includes the name, residential or business street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or taxpayer identification number or other identifying information for each investor who opens or reopens an account with the Fund. Applications without the required information, or without any indication that a social security or taxpayer identification number has been applied for, will not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Fund reserves the right to (i) place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (ii) refuse an investment in the Fund or to involuntarily redeem an investor's shares and close an account in the event that an investor's identity is not verified. The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account resulting from the investor's delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor's shares when an investor's identity cannot be verified.

**Other Documents**

Additional documents may be required for purchases and redemptions when shares are registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, association, agent, fiduciary, trust, estate or other organization. For further information, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**SHAREHOLDER SERVICES**

**Your Account**

If you have questions about your account, including purchases, redemptions and distributions, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time.

**Account Statements**

The Fund currently provides the following account information:

● confirmation statements after transactions (except for certain automatic transactions, such as those related to automatic investment plan purchases or dividend reinvestments);

● account statements reflecting transactions made during the covered period (generally, monthly for Institutional Class shares and Class Y shares, and quarterly or annually for Investor Class shares); and

● tax information, which will be mailed each year by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") deadline, a copy of which will also be filed with the IRS, if necessary.

Financial statements with a summary of portfolio composition and performance will be available at least twice a year.

The Fund routinely provides the above shareholder services, but may charge additional fees for special services such as requests for historical transcripts of accounts.

With the exception of statutorily required items, the Fund may change any of the above practices without notice.

**Delivery of Shareholder Documents**

To reduce expenses, the Fund mails only one copy of its Prospectus and each Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 or, if your shares are held through a financial institution, please contact the financial institution directly. The Fund will begin sending you individual copies within 30 days after receiving your request.

**DISTRIBUTIONS**

Distributions of net investment income and net capital gains, if any, are declared and paid annually to you. The amount of any distribution will vary and there is no guarantee that the Fund will distribute either investment income or capital gains.

Distributions are payable to the shareholders of record at the time the distributions are declared (including holders of shares being redeemed, but excluding holders of shares being purchased). All distributions are reinvested in additional shares, unless you elect to receive the distributions in cash. Shares become entitled to receive distributions on the day after the shares are issued. If you invest in the Fund shortly before the ex-dividend date of a taxable distribution, the distribution will lower the value of the Fund's shares by the amount of the distribution and, in effect, you will receive some of your investment back in the form of a taxable distribution. (see "More Information about Taxes — Distributions").

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TAXES**

Each shareholder and prospective investor's particular tax situation is unique, and, therefore, the tax information in this Prospectus is provided only for general information purposes and only for U.S. taxpayers and should not be considered as tax advice or relied on by a shareholder or prospective investor.

**General.** The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a regulated investment company (a "RIC") under Subchapter M of the Code. As such, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders provided it satisfies certain requirements and restrictions set forth in the Code one of which is to distribute to its shareholders substantially all of its income and gains each year. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC: (1) it will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and will be subject to tax at the corporate tax rates then in effect; and (2) all distributions from its earnings and profits (as determined under federal income tax principles) will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and the non-corporate shareholder long-term capital gain rate for "qualified dividend income" and ordinary rates for all other distributions, except for those treated as a return of capital or substitute dividends with respect to dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund. In addition, dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

**Distributions.** The Fund will make distributions to you that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains (which may be taxed at different rates depending on the length of time the Fund holds its assets). The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions are taxable whether you reinvest such distributions in additional shares of the Fund or choose to receive cash.

Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred retirement account (such as a 401(k) or an IRA), you should consider avoiding a purchase of Fund shares shortly before the Fund makes a distribution, because making such a purchase can increase your taxes and the cost of the shares. This is known as "buying a dividend." For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the Fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you received — even if you reinvest it in more shares and have to pay the tax due on the dividend without receiving any cash to pay the taxes. To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest.

**Ordinary Income.** Net investment income (except for qualified dividends and income designated as tax exempt), distributions of income from securities lending, and short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Certain dividends distributed to non-corporate shareholders and designated by the Fund as "qualified dividend income" are eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rates. Short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. In addition, certain qualified REIT dividends may be eligible for a deduction for non-corporate shareholders.

**Net Capital Gains.** Net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) distributed to you, if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains (based on the Fund's holding period) for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Sale of Shares.** It is a taxable event for you if you sell shares of the Fund. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you sell, you may have a taxable gain or loss on the transaction. Any realized gain will be taxable to you, and, generally, will be capital gain, assuming you held the shares of the Fund as a capital asset. If you exchange shares of the Fund for shares of another fund, the exchange will be treated as a sale of the Fund's shares and any gain

on the transaction may be subject to federal income tax. The capital gain will be long-term or short-term depending on how long you have held your shares in the Fund. Sales of shares of the Fund that you have held for twelve months or less will be a short-term capital gain or loss and if held for more than twelve months will constitute a long-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends, if any, received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.

**Returns of Capital.** If the Fund's distributions exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in the same taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable to the extent of each shareholder's basis in the Fund's shares, but will reduce each shareholder's cost basis in the Fund and result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold. If the return of capital distribution exceeds a shareholder's cost basis, the excess amount will be capital gain, assuming you held your shares as a capital asset, and will be long-term or short-term capital gain depending on how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Medicare Contribution Tax.** U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000, if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately) will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income including interest (excluding tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains. If applicable, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of the individual's (i) net investment income or (ii) the excess of modified adjusted gross income over $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately).

**IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans.** One major exception to these tax principles is that a distribution on or the sale or exchange of shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless the shares were acquired with borrowed funds.

**Backup Withholding.** The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on all taxable distributions and sales payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

**State and Local Income Taxes.** This Prospectus does not discuss the state and local tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. **You are urged and advised to consult your own tax adviser concerning state and local taxes, which may have different consequences from those of the federal income tax laws.**

**Non-U.S. Shareholders.** Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. tax as a result of an investment in the Fund. The Fund is required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments made to foreign entities that do not qualify for reduced withholding rates under a treaty and do not meet specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. This Prospectus does not discuss the U.S. or foreign country tax consequences of an investment by a non-U.S. shareholder in the Fund. **Non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the U.S. and foreign country tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**Basis Reporting and Holding Periods.** A shareholder is responsible for tracking the tax basis and holding periods of the shareholder's shares in the Fund for federal income tax purposes. However, RICs, such as the Fund, must report cost basis information to you and the IRS when a shareholder sells or exchanges shares that are not in a tax deferred retirement account. The Fund will permit shareholders to elect from among several IRS accepted cost basis methods.

**Statements and Notices.** You will receive an annual statement outlining the tax status of your distributions. You may also receive written notices of certain foreign taxes and distributions paid by the Fund during the prior taxable year.

***This section is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations of taxable U.S. shareholders that may affect your investment in the Fund. This summary is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered as tax advice and may not be relied on by a prospective investor. This general summary does not apply to non-U.S. shareholders or tax-exempt shareholders, and does not address state, local or foreign taxes. More information regarding these considerations is included in the Fund's SAI. All prospective investors and shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser regarding the effects of an investment in the Fund on their particular tax situation.***

**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS**

The Financial Highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the periods shown. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total investment return in the table represents the rate at which an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the Fund's Form N-CSR for the period ended April 30, 2025. The 2025 financial statements and Financial Highlights are incorporated by reference into the Fund's SAI and is available upon request by calling toll free at (888) 678-6024, or visiting the website *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/small-company-growth-fund*.

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** |
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended <br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2022** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2021** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $13.34 | $12.81 | $13.49 | $19.69 | $11.17 |
| Net investment loss<sup>1</sup> | (0.09)<sup>2</sup> | (0.11) | (0.11) | (0.16) | (0.18) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | (0.02) | 0.64 | (0.57) | (5.29) | 8.72 |
| Total from investment operations | (0.11) | 0.53 | (0.68) | (5.45) | 8.54 |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net realized capital gains |  |  |  | (0.75) | (0.02) |
| Redemption fees |  |  |  |  | 0.00 <sup>3</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $13.23 | $13.34 | $12.81 | $13.49 | $19.69 |
| Total investment return<sup>4</sup> | (0.82)% | 4.14% | (5.04)% | (29.11)% | 76.49% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year (in 000s) | $29109 | $55154 | $71304 | $122352 | $118390 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 1.10%<sup>5</sup> | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.10% | 1.25% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and expense reimbursements, if any<sup>6</sup> | 1.50 %<sup>5</sup> | 1.33% | 1.40% | 1.26% | 1.34% |
| Ratio of net investment loss to average net assets | (0.63)% | (0.80)% | (0.83)% | (0.81)% | (1.06)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 54% | 37% | 45% | 58% | 40% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

<sup>2</sup> The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period may not correlate with the Statement of Operations for the period due to the timing of sales and redemptions of Fund shares in relation to income earned and/or fluctuating market value of the investments of the Fund.

<sup>3</sup> Amount is less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>4</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not annualized.

<sup>5</sup> Expense ratio includes interest expense. Excluding such interest expense, the ratio of expenses to average net assets including waivers and/or reimbursements for the Fund would be 1.10% for the year ended April 30, 2025.

<sup>6</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** | **Investor Class** |
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended <br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Year Ended <br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2022** | **For the<br> Period Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2021** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year/period | $13.17 | $12.67 | $13.38 | $19.59 | $11.14 |
| Net investment loss<sup>1</sup> | (0.12)<sup>2</sup> | (0.14) | (0.14) | (0.20) | (0.22) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | (0.03) | 0.64 | (0.57) | (5.26) | 8.69 |
| Total from investment operations | (0.15) | 0.50 | (0.71) | (5.46) | 8.47 |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net realized capital gains |  |  |  | (0.75) | (0.02) |
| Redemption fees |  |  |  |  | 0.00 <sup>3</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year/period | $13.02 | $13.17 | $12.67 | $13.38 | $19.59 |
| Total investment return<sup>4</sup> | (1.14)% | 3.95% | (5.31)% | (29.31)% | 76.07% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year/period (in 000s) | $1885 | $4417 | $5389 | $8270 | $11364 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 1.35%<sup>5</sup> | 1.35% | 1.35% | 1.35% | 1.50% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and expense reimbursements, if any<sup>6</sup> | 1.75%<sup>5</sup> | 1.59% | 1.65% | 1.52% | 1.58% |
| Ratio of net investment loss to average net assets | (0.88)% | (1.05)% | (1.08)% | (1.06)% | (1.31)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 54% | 37% | 45% | 58% | 40% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

<sup>2</sup> The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period may not correlate with the Statement of Operations for the period due to the timing of sales and redemptions of Fund shares in relation to income earned and/or fluctuating market value of the investments of the Fund.

<sup>3</sup> Amount less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>4</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

<sup>5</sup> Expense ratio includes interest expense. Excluding such interest expense, the ratio of expenses to average net assets including waivers and/or reimbursements for the Fund would be 1.35% for the year ended April 30, 2025.

<sup>6</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Class Y** | **Class Y** | **Class Y** | **Class Y** |
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Period Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2022\*** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year/period | $13.38 | $12.83 | $13.50 | $19.24 |
| Net investment loss<sup>1</sup> | (0.08) | (0.09) | (0.09) | (0.12) |
| Net realized and unrealized loss on investments | (0.02) | 0.64 | (0.58) | (4.87) |
| Total from investment operations | (0.10) | 0.55 | (0.67) | (4.99) |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |
| Net realized gains |  |  |  | (0.75) |
| Redemption fees |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, end of year/period | $13.28 | $13.38 | $12.83 | $13.50 |
| Total investment return<sup>2</sup> | (0.75)% | 4.29% | (4.96)% | (27.40)% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year/period (in 000s) | $3453 | $4535 | $4612 | $4924 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 1.00%<sup>3</sup> | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00%<sup>4</sup> |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and expense reimbursements, if any<sup>5</sup> | 1.45 %<sup>3</sup> | 1.25% | 1.30% | 1.15%<sup>4</sup> |
| Ratio of net investment loss to average net assets | (0.53)% | (0.70)% | (0.73)% | (0.68)%<sup>4</sup> |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 54% | 37% | 45% | 58%<sup>6</sup> |

---

\* Commencement of operations on June 1, 2021.

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

<sup>2</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not annualized.

<sup>3</sup> Expense ratio includes interest expense. Excluding such interest expense, the ratio of expenses to average net assets including waivers and/or reimbursements for the Fund would be 1.00% for the year ended April 30, 2025.

<sup>4</sup> Annualized.

<sup>5</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

<sup>6</sup> Not annualized.

**POLEN U.S. SMALL COMPANY GROWTH FUND** *a series of* **FundVantage Trust**

(888) 678-6024

**FOR MORE INFORMATION**

**For additional information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:**

 **Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information**

The Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information contain more information about the Fund's investments and performance including information on the Fund's portfolio holdings and operating results for the most recently completed fiscal year or half-year. The Annual Financials and Additional Information include a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year.

**Statement of Additional Information (SAI)**

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Fund and its policies. The information in the SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is part of this Prospectus.

These documents will be available free of charge on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/small-company-growth-fund*. You can also get a free copy of these documents and other information, or ask us any questions, including information on how to purchase or redeem Fund shares, by calling us at (888) 678-6024 or writing to:

Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund FundVantage Trust c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing P.O. Box 534445 Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445

If you buy your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact that financial intermediary directly for this information. You can also find information online at *www.polencapital.com*.

Reports and information about the Fund (including the SAI and Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information) also may be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov.* Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: *publicinfo@sec.gov*.

The investment company registration number is 811-22027

**POLEN U.S. SMALL COMPANY GROWTH FUND**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **INVESTOR CLASS** | **INSTITUTIONAL CLASS** | **Class Y** |
| **PBSRX** | **PBSIX** | **PBSYX** |

---

**A SERIES OF**

**FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**

**September 1, 2025**

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") provides information about the Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund (the "Fund"). The Fund is a series of FundVantage Trust (the "Trust").

This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Fund's current prospectus dated September 1, 2025, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the "Prospectus"). This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. The Fund's audited financial statements and the notes thereto, which are included in the Fund's [Annual Financials and Additional Information](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm) dated April 30, 2025, are incorporated into this SAI by reference. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Financials and Additional Information may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Fund at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6024 or by visiting the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/small-company-growth-fund*.

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **Page** |
| [General Information](#polenussmall_001) | 1 |
| [Investment Policies](#polenussmall_002) | 1 |
| [Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings](#polenussmall_003) | 31 |
| [Investment Limitations](#polenussmall_004) | 32 |
| [Trustees and Officers](#polenussmall_005) | 34 |
| [Code of Ethics](#polenussmall_006) | 39 |
| [Proxy Voting](#polenussmall_007) | 39 |
| [Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities](#polenussmall_008) | 40 |
| [Investment Advisory Services](#polenussmall_009) | 42 |
| [Portfolio Manager](#polenussmall_010) | 43 |
| [Administration and Accounting Services](#polenussmall_011) | 44 |
| [Additional Service Providers](#polenussmall_012) | 45 |
| [Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices](#polenussmall_013) | 45 |
| [Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries](#polenussmall_014) | 47 |
| [Distribution of Shares and Rule 12b-1 Plan](#polenussmall_015) | 47 |
| [Capital Stock and Other Securities](#polenussmall_016) | 48 |
| [Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares](#polenussmall_017) | 49 |
| [Dividends](#polenussmall_018) | 50 |
| [Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations](#polenussmall_019) | 50 |
| [Financial Statements](#polenussmall_020) | 60 |
| [Appendix A — Description of Ratings](#polenussmall_021) | A-1 |
| [Appendix B — Proxy Voting Policies](#polenussmall_022) | B-1 |

---

i

**GENERAL INFORMATION**

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 28, 2006. The Trust is a series trust authorized to issue separate series or classes of shares of beneficial interest. The Trust has established the Fund as a separate series of the Trust. The Fund issues Investor Class, Institutional Class and Class Y shares. Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

The Fund is a non-diversified, open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a non-diversified fund, the Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the portion of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. The Fund, however, intends to maintain the required level of diversification and otherwise conduct its operations so as to qualify as a regulated investment company ("RIC") for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "IRC"), to relieve the Fund of any liability for federal income tax to the extent that its earnings are distributed to shareholders. The IRC test applies at the end of each fiscal quarter and generally requires that at least 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets be represented by the types of assets that satisfy the asset diversification requirement imposed by the 1940 Act. In addition, no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer. Stocks of particular issuers, or issuers in particular industries, may dominate the investment portfolio of the Fund, which may adversely affect the performance of the Fund or subject it to greater price volatility than that experienced by more diversified investment companies.

**INVESTMENT POLICIES**

The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objective and policies of the Fund. The Fund will invest primarily in equity and equity-related securities (such as convertible bonds, convertible preferred stock, warrants and rights). The Fund typically invests in a focused portfolio of common stocks of small companies (as defined in the Prospectus). Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, at the time of initial purchase, in securities of U.S. issuers that are small companies. This policy does not require the Fund to sell the security of a small company if such company's market capitalization moves outside the range of the market capitalizations of companies in the Russell 2000<sup>®</sup> Index and the S&P SmallCap 600<sup>®</sup> Index; however, additional purchases of such security will be subject to the 20% limitation for securities outside of the Fund's small company portfolio. This 80% policy may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon 60 days' notice to shareholders. A U.S. issuer means an issuer that (i) has their principal securities trading market in the United States; or (ii) is organized under the laws of, and has a principal office in, the United States at the time of purchase.

**BANK OBLIGATIONS.** Bank obligations in which the Fund may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits. The Fund will not invest in fixed time deposits which (1) are not subject to prepayment or (2) provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits) if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in such deposits, repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days and other illiquid assets.

Obligations of foreign banks involve somewhat different investment risks than those affecting obligations of United States banks, including the possibilities that their liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments, that their obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of United States banks, that a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations, that foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized, that foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations and that the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to United States banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any U.S. Government agency or instrumentality.

● **BANKERS' ACCEPTANCES.** Bankers' acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft that has been drawn on it by a customer. These instruments reflect the obligation of both the bank and the drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity.

● **CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT.** Certificates of deposit are certificates evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank to repay funds deposited with it for a definite period of time (usually from 14 days to one year) at a stated or variable interest rate. Variable rate certificates of deposit provide that the interest rate will fluctuate on designated dates based on changes in a designated base rate (such as the composite rate for certificates of deposit established by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York).

● **TIME DEPOSITS.** Time deposits are bank deposits for fixed periods of time. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which may vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.

**BORROWING.** The Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. This means that, in general, the Fund may borrow money from banks for any purpose on a secured basis in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may also borrow money for temporary administrative purposes on an unsecured basis in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may choose to borrow in order to meet its redemptions.

Specifically, provisions of the 1940 Act require the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.

As noted below, the Fund also may enter into certain transactions, including reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and sale-buybacks, that can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing or financing transaction by the Fund. The Derivatives Rule (as defined below) regulates a registered investment company's use of derivatives and certain other transactions that creature future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. This new rule became operative in August 2022. The Derivatives Rule prescribes specific "value at risk" or "VaR" (further defined below) leverage limits that apply to the Fund with derivatives and other applicable transactions (although the Fund may qualify for the Limited Derivatives User Exception (as defined below)). VaR is an estimate of potential losses on an instrument or portfolio over a specified time horizon and at a given confidence level. The Fund may apply a relative VaR test or an absolute VaR test (if the Fund's derivative risk manager, if applicable, determines that a designated reference portfolio would not provide an appropriate reference portfolio for purposes of the relative VaR test. The limit under the relative VaR test is 200% of the VaR of a designated reference portfolio, which, very generally, may be a designated unleveraged index or the Fund's securities portfolio excluding derivatives. If applicable, the limit under the absolute VaR test is 20% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Derivatives Rule also requires the Fund, if applicable, to appoint a derivatives risk manager, maintain a derivatives risk management program designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with transactions covered by the rule, and abide by certain Board and other reporting obligations and recordkeeping requirements. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, the Derivatives Rule permits a fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under the Derivatives Rule. The Fund has adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with the Derivatives Rule. Compliance with the Derivatives Rule could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which the Fund may engage in derivative transactions could also limit or prevent the Fund from using certain instruments. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value ("NAV") of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and economically similar transactions. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a portfolio-eligible security by the Fund to another party, coupled with its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund continues to be entitled to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by the Fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by the Fund which it is obligated to repurchase.

A "mortgage dollar roll" is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement in certain respects. In a "dollar roll" transaction, the Fund sells a mortgage-related security, such as a security issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a predetermined price. A dollar roll can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement,

as a collateralized borrowing in which the Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Unlike in the case of reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but only securities which are "substantially identical." To be considered substantially identical, the securities returned to the Fund generally must: (1) be collateralized by the same types of underlying mortgages; (2) be issued by the same agency and be part of the same program; (3) have a similar original stated maturity; (4) have identical net coupon rates; (5) have similar market yields (and therefore price); and (6) satisfy "good delivery" requirements, meaning that the aggregate principal amounts of the securities delivered and received back must be within 0.01% of the initial amount delivered.

The Fund also may effect simultaneous purchase and sale transactions that are known as "sale-buybacks." A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty that purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of the Fund's repurchase of the underlying security. The Fund's obligation under a sale-buyback typically would be offset by liquid assets equal in value to the amount of the Fund's forward commitment to repurchase the subject security.

It is possible that changing government regulation may affect the Fund's use of these strategies. Changes in regulatory requirements concerning margin for certain types of financing transactions, such as repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and borrowing, could impact the Fund's ability to utilize these investment strategies and techniques.

**COMMERCIAL PAPER.** The Fund may invest in commercial paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (up to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities in order to finance their current operations.

**COMMON STOCK.** Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company or other entity. This ownership interest often gives the Fund the right to vote on measures affecting the company's organization and operations. Although common stocks generally have had a history of long-term growth in value, their prices are often volatile in the short-term and can be influenced by both general market risk and specific corporate risks. Accordingly, the Fund can lose money through its stock investments.

**CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in convertible securities, which may offer higher income than the common stocks into which they are convertible. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock, or other security that entitles the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to non-convertible debt or preferred securities, as applicable. Convertible securities are subordinate in rank to any senior debt obligations of the issuer, and, therefore, an issuer's convertible securities entail more risk than its debt obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible debt securities of similar credit quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. In addition, convertible securities are often lower-rated securities. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation's capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation's common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security.

Because of the conversion feature, the price of the convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying asset, and as such it is subject to risks relating to the activities of the issuer and/or general market and economic conditions. The income component of a convertible security may tend to cushion the security against declines in the price of the underlying asset. However, the income component of convertible securities causes fluctuations based upon changes in interest rates and the credit quality of the issuer.

If the convertible security's "conversion value," which is the market value of the underlying common stock that would be obtained upon the conversion of the convertible security, is substantially below the "investment value," which is the value of a convertible security viewed without regard to its conversion feature (i.e., strictly on the basis of its yield), the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. If the conversion value of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the value of the security will be principally influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security will sell at a premium over its conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding an income-producing security.

A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a predetermined price. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund would be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security and convert it to underlying common stock, or would sell the convertible security to a third party, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective. The Fund generally would invest in convertible securities for their favorable price characteristics and total return potential and would normally not exercise an option to convert unless the security is called or conversion is forced.

**CORPORATE DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund's investments in U.S. dollar or foreign currency-denominated corporate debt securities of domestic or foreign issuers are limited to corporate debt securities (corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar corporate debt instruments, including convertible securities) which meet the minimum ratings criteria set forth for the Fund, or, if unrated, are in the Adviser's opinion comparable in quality to corporate debt securities in which the Fund may invest.

Corporate income producing securities may include forms of preferred or preference stock. The rate of interest on a corporate debt security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may vary inversely with respect to a reference rate. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies. Debt securities may be acquired with warrants attached.

Securities rated Baa and BBB are the lowest which are considered "investment grade" obligations. Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") describes securities rated Baa as "subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics." Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P") describes securities rated BBB as "regarded as having adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation." For securities rated BBB, Fitch Ratings Ltd. ("Fitch") states that "…expectations of default risk are currently low…capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity." For a discussion of securities rated below-investment grade, see "Below-Investment Grade Securities" below.

**CYBER SECURITY.** The Fund and its service providers are susceptible to operational and information security risks due to cyber security incidents. In general, cyber security incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber security attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (*e.g*., through "hacking" or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks also may be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (*i.e*., efforts to make services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security incidents affecting the Adviser, Transfer Agent or Custodian or other service providers such as financial intermediaries have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, including by interference with the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading for the Fund's portfolio; the inability of fund shareholders to transact business with the Fund; violations of applicable privacy, data security or other laws; regulatory fines and penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs; legal fees; or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber security incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions and other parties. While information risk management systems and business continuity plans have been developed which are designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there are inherent limitations in any cyber security risk management systems or business continuity plans, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified.

**DEBT SECURITIES.** Debt securities represent money borrowed that obligates the issuer (e.g., a corporation, municipality, government, government agency) to repay the borrowed amount at maturity (when the obligation is due and payable) and usually to pay the holder interest at specific times.

**DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS.** American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") as well as other "hybrid" forms of ADRs, including European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"), are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. These certificates are issued by depository banks and generally trade on an established market in the United States or elsewhere. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends interest and shareholder information regarding corporate actions. ADRs may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and a depositary. An unsponsored facility may be established by a depositary without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities. These risks include foreign exchange risk as well as the political and economic risks of the underlying issuer's country.

**DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS.** In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund may, to the extent permitted by its investment objective and policies, purchase and sell (write) both put options and call options on securities, swap agreements, securities indexes, commodity indexes and foreign currencies, and enter into interest rate, index and commodity futures contracts and purchase and sell options on such futures contracts ("futures options"). The Fund also may purchase and sell foreign currency options for purposes of increasing exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from

one country to another. The Fund may also enter into swap agreements with respect to interest rates, commodities and indexes of securities or commodities. The Fund may invest in structured notes. If other types of financial instruments, including other types of options, futures contracts or futures options are traded in the future, the Fund may also use those instruments, provided that such instruments are consistent with the Fund's investment objective.

The value of some derivative instruments in which the Fund invests may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of the Adviser to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken positions in derivative instruments contrary to prevailing market trends, the Fund could be exposed to the risk of loss.

The Fund might not employ any of the strategies described below, and no assurance can be given that any strategy used will succeed. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts interest rates, market values or other economic factors in using a derivatives strategy for the Fund, the Fund might have been in a better position if it had not entered into the transaction at all. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances. The use of these strategies involves certain special risks, including a possible imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of derivative instruments and price movements of related investments. While some strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in related investments or otherwise, due to the possible inability of the Fund to purchase or sell a portfolio security at a time that otherwise would be favorable, the possible need to sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time because the Fund is required to maintain asset coverage, offsetting positions in connection with transactions in derivative instruments or the possible inability of the Fund to close out or to liquidate its derivatives positions. In addition, the Fund's use of such instruments may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains (generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates) than if it had not used such instruments. If the Fund gains exposure to an asset class using derivative instruments backed by a collateral portfolio of fixed income instruments, changes in the value of the fixed income instruments may result in greater or lesser exposure to that asset class than would have resulted from a direct investment in securities comprising that asset class.

The use of derivative instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), the Commodity Future Trading Commission ("CFTC"), various state regulatory authorities and, with respect to exchange-traded derivatives, the several exchanges upon which they are traded. In particular, under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act, a registered investment company's derivatives exposure, which includes short positions for this purpose, is limited through a value-at-risk test and Rule 18f-4 requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. However, subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4) are not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. Rule 18f-4 could limit the Fund's ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Moreover, there may be asset coverage requirements for certain arrangements. In order to engage in certain transactions in derivatives, the Fund may be required to hold offsetting positions or to hold cash or liquid securities in a segregated account or designated on the Fund's books. Changes in the value of a derivative may also create margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for the Fund. In addition, the Fund's ability to use derivative instruments may be limited by tax considerations.

<u>Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. The Fund may, to the extent specified herein or in the Prospectus, purchase and sell both put and call options on fixed income or other securities or indexes in standardized contracts traded on foreign or domestic securities exchanges, boards of trade, or similar entities, or quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or on an over-the-counter market, and agreements, sometimes called cash puts, which may accompany the purchase of a new issue of bonds from a dealer.

An option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security. Upon exercise, the writer of an option on an index is obligated to pay the difference between the cash value of the index and the exercise price multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. (An index is designed to reflect features of a particular financial or securities market, a specific group of financial instruments or securities or certain economic indicators.)

The Fund will write call options and put options only if they are "covered." In the case of a call option on a security, the option is "covered" if the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by the Fund. For a call option on an index, the option is covered if the Fund maintains with its custodian assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, in an amount equal to the contract value of the index. A call option is also covered if the Fund holds a call on the same security or index as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written. A put option on a security or an index is "covered" if the Fund holds a put on the same security or index as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written.

If an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid. Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange-traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, exchange, underlying security or index, exercise price and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund desires.

The Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option which is sold. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series. The Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security or index in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.

The premium paid for a put or call option purchased by the Fund is an asset of the Fund. The premium received for an option written by the Fund is recorded as a deferred credit. The value of an option purchased or written is marked to market daily and is valued at the closing price on the exchange on which it is traded or, if not traded on an exchange or no closing price is available, at the mean between the last bid and asked prices.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a combination of a call and a put written on the same underlying security. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

<u>Risks Associated with Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and on indexes. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.

The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security at the exercise price. If a put or call option purchased by the Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security remains equal to or greater than the exercise price (in the case of a put), or remains less than or equal to the exercise price (in the case of a call), the Fund will lose its entire investment in the option. Also, where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security, the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out an option position. If the Fund were unable to close out an option that it had purchased on a security, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit or the option may expire worthless.

If trading were suspended in an option purchased by the Fund, the Fund would not be able to close out the option. If restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it has purchased. Except to the extent that a call option on an index written by the Fund is covered by an option on the same index purchased by the Fund, movements in the index may result in a loss to the Fund; however, such losses may be mitigated by changes in the value of the Fund's securities during the period the option was outstanding. If the Fund were unable to close out a covered call option that it had written on a security, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the exercise price of the call.

To the extent that the Fund writes a call option on a security it holds in its portfolio and intends to use such security as the sole means of "covering" its obligation under the call option, the Fund has, in return for the premium on the option, given up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the exercise price during the option period, but, as long as its obligation under such call option continues, has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. If the Fund were unable to close out such a call option, the Fund would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise.

<u>Foreign Currency Options</u>. Funds that invest in foreign currency-denominated securities may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies. The Fund may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies either on exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires.

Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits which may limit the ability of the Fund to reduce foreign currency risk using such options. Over-the-counter options differ from traded options in that over-the-counter options are two-party contracts with price and other terms negotiated between buyer and seller and generally do not have as much market liquidity as exchange traded options.

<u>Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts</u>. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security or commodity for a set price on a future date. These contracts are traded on exchanges, so that, in most cases, either party can close out its position on the exchange for cash, without delivering the security or commodity. An option on a futures contract gives the holder of the option the right to buy or sell a position in a futures contract from or to the writer of the option, at a specified price and on or before a specified expiration date. The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options thereon ("futures options") with respect to, but not limited to, interest rates, commodities and security or commodity indexes. To the extent that the Fund may invest in foreign currency denominated securities, it may also invest in foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon.

An interest rate, commodity, foreign currency or index futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of a financial instrument, foreign currency, commodity or the cash value of an index at a specified price and time. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract was originally written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, no physical delivery of these securities is made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes as well as financial instruments and foreign currencies and it is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future. The Fund may also invest in commodity futures contracts and options thereon. A commodity futures contract is an agreement between two parties, in which one party agrees to buy a commodity, such as an energy, agricultural or metal commodity from the other party at a later date at a price and quantity agreed-upon when the contract is made.

The Fund may purchase and write call and put futures options. Futures options possess many of the same characteristics as options on securities and indexes (discussed above). A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. A call option is "in the money" if the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option exceeds the exercise price. A put option is "in the money" if the exercise price exceeds the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option.

Pursuant to a claim for exclusion from the definition of "commodity pool operator" filed by the Trust with the National Futures Association ("NFA"), the Trust does not fall within the definition of "commodity pool operator" under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended ("CEA"), in respect of the Fund, and thus, is not subject to registration or regulation as such under the CEA in respect of the Fund.

<u>Limitations on Use of Futures and Futures Options</u>. The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and futures options which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity or quoted on an automated quotation system.

Additionally, the Fund will limit its trading in "commodity interests," as that term is defined under applicable CFTC Rules, and which generally includes commodity futures, futures options and swaps, such that, aside from commodity futures, commodity options contracts or swaps that, in each case, are used solely for bona fide hedging purposes within the meaning and intent of applicable CFTC Rules, (i) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish positions in commodity interests will not exceed five percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, or (ii) the aggregate net notional value of commodity interest positions does not exceed 100 percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, in each case, as further described in CFTC Rule 4.5(c)(2).

When a purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by the Fund, the Fund is required to deposit with the custodian (or broker, if legally permitted) a specified amount of assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees ("initial margin"). The margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. Margin requirements on foreign exchanges may be different than U.S. exchanges. The initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the futures contract which is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. The Fund expects to earn interest income on its initial margin deposits. A futures contract held by the Fund is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded. Each day the Fund pays or receives cash, called "variation margin," equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. This process is known as "marking to market." Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract expired. In computing the daily NAV, the Fund will mark to market its open futures positions.

The Fund is also required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option and other futures positions held by the Fund.

Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities or commodities, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (same exchange, underlying security or index and delivery month). Closing out a futures contract sale is effected by purchasing a futures contract for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument or commodity with the same delivery date. If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a call and a put written on the same underlying futures contract. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

When purchasing a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" their position by purchasing a put option on the same futures contract with a strike price as high as or higher than the price of the contract held by the Fund.

When selling a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees that are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" its position by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract (or, in the case of an index futures contract, a portfolio with a volatility substantially similar to that of the index on which the futures contract is based), or by holding a call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price no higher than the price of the contract written by the Fund (or at a higher price if the difference is maintained in liquid assets with the Trust's custodian).

When selling a call option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, equal the total market value of the futures contract underlying the call option. Alternatively, the Fund may cover its position by entering into a long position in the same futures contract at a price no higher than the strike price of the call option, by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract, or by holding a separate call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price not higher than the strike price of the call option sold by the Fund.

When selling a put option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that equal the purchase price of the futures contract, less any margin on deposit. Alternatively, the Fund may cover the position either by entering into a short position in the same futures contract, or by owning a separate put option permitting it to sell the same futures contract so long as the strike price of the purchased put option is the same or higher than the strike price of the put option sold by the Fund.

The requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company ("RIC") provided under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("IRC") also may limit the extent to which the Fund may enter into futures, futures options or forward contracts. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

<u>Risks Associated with Futures and Futures Options</u>. There are several risks associated with the use of futures contracts and futures options. A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the margin deposits relating to the futures contract. There can be no guarantee that there will be a correlation between price movements in the hedging vehicle and in the Fund securities being hedged. In addition, there are significant differences between the securities and futures markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between the markets, causing a given hedge not to achieve its objectives. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends on circumstances such as variations in speculative market demand for futures and futures options on securities, including technical influences in futures trading and futures options, and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard contracts available for trading in such respects as interest rate levels, maturities and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision as to whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected interest rate trends.

Futures contracts on U.S. Government securities historically have reacted to an increase or decrease in interest rates in a manner similar to that in which the underlying U.S. Government securities reacted. To the extent, however, that the Fund enters into such futures contracts, the value of such futures will not vary in direct proportion to the value of the Fund's holdings. Thus, the anticipated spread between the price of the futures contract and the hedged security may be distorted due to differences in the nature of the markets. The spread also may be distorted by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets and the participation of speculators in such markets.

Futures exchanges may limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of the current trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a futures contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may work to prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when the Fund seeks to close out a futures or a futures option position, and that the Fund would remain obligated to meet margin requirements until the position is closed. In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.

<u>Risks Associated with Commodity Futures Contracts</u>. There are several additional risks associated with transactions in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Storage</u>. Unlike the financial futures markets, in the commodity futures markets there are costs of physical storage associated with purchasing the underlying commodity. The price of the commodity futures contract will reflect the storage costs of purchasing the physical commodity, including the time value of money invested in the physical commodity. To the extent that the storage costs for an underlying commodity change while the Fund is invested in futures contracts on that commodity, the value of the futures contract may change proportionately.

<u>Reinvestment</u>. In the commodity futures markets, producers of the underlying commodity may decide to hedge the price risk of selling the commodity by selling futures contracts today to lock in the price of the commodity at delivery tomorrow. In order to induce speculators to purchase the other side of the same futures contract, the commodity producer generally must sell the futures contract at a lower price than the expected future spot price. Conversely, if most hedgers in the futures market are purchasing futures contracts to hedge against a rise in prices, then speculators will only sell the other side of the futures contract at a higher futures price than the expected future spot price of the commodity. The changing nature of the hedgers and speculators in the commodity markets will influence whether futures prices are above or below the expected future spot price, which can have significant implications for the Fund. If the nature of hedgers and speculators in futures markets has shifted when it is time for the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a maturing contract in a new futures contract, the Fund might reinvest at higher or lower futures prices, or choose to pursue other investments.

Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the IRC may limit the Fund's ability to invest in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Tax Risk</u>. The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a RIC under the IRC. To qualify as a RIC under the IRC, the Fund must invest in assets which produce the types of income specified in the IRC and the Treasury Reporting Regulations ("Qualifying Income"). Whether the income from certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities is Qualifying Income must be determined on a case-by-case basis, and the Fund will endeavor to ensure that income that is not Qualifying Income will be limited to 10% or less of the Fund's income. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities may be restricted. Further, if the Fund does invest in these types of securities and the income is determined not to be Qualifying Income, it may cause the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these restrictions.

<u>Other Economic Factors</u>. The commodities which underlie commodity futures contracts may be subject to additional economic and non-economic variables, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments. These factors may have a larger impact on commodity prices and commodity-linked instruments, including futures contracts, than on traditional securities. Certain commodities are also subject to limited pricing flexibility because of supply and demand factors. Others are subject to broad price fluctuations as a result of the volatility of the prices for certain raw materials and the instability of supplies of other materials. These additional variables may create additional investment risks which subject the Fund's investments to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities.

<u>Additional Risks of Options on Securities, Futures Contracts, Options on Futures Contracts and Forward Currency Exchange Contracts and Options Thereon</u>. Options on securities, futures contracts and options on currencies may be traded on foreign exchanges. Such transactions may not be regulated as effectively as similar transactions in the United States may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Trust's ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States and (v) lesser trading volume.

<u>Swap Agreements and Options on Swap Agreements</u>. The Fund may engage in swap transactions, including, but not limited to, swap agreements on interest rates, security or commodity indexes, specific securities and commodities, and credit and event-linked swaps. To the extent the Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities, it also may invest in currency exchange rate swap agreements. The Fund also may enter into options on swap agreements ("swap options").

The Fund may enter into swap transactions for any legal purpose consistent with its investment objectives and policies, such as attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining a return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in other markets, to protect against currency fluctuations, as a duration management technique, to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in a more cost efficient manner.

OTC swap agreements are bilateral contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a "notional amount," i.e., the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a "basket" of securities or commodities representing a particular index. A "quanto" or "differential" swap combines both an interest rate and a currency transaction. Other forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap"; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or "floor"; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. Consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and general investment policies, the Fund may invest in commodity swap agreements. For example, an investment in a commodity swap agreement may involve the exchange of floating-rate interest payments for the total return on a commodity index. In a total return commodity swap, the Fund will receive the price appreciation of a commodity index, a portion of the index, or a single commodity in exchange for paying an agreed-upon fee. If the commodity swap is for one period, the Fund may pay a fixed fee, established at the outset of the swap. However, if the term of the commodity swap is more than one period, with interim swap payments, the Fund may pay an adjustable or floating fee. With a "floating" rate, the fee may be pegged to a base rate and is adjusted each period. Therefore, if interest rates increase over the term of the swap contract, the Fund may be required to pay a higher fee at each swap reset date.

The Fund also may enter into swap options. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. The Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swap options.

Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, the Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swap option than it will incur when it purchases a swap option. When the Fund purchases a swap option, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when the Fund writes a swap option, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

Most types of swap agreements entered into by the Fund will calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a "net basis." Consequently, the Fund's current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the "net amount"). The Fund's current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund).

The Fund also may enter into credit default swap agreements. The credit default swap agreement may reference one or more debt securities or obligations that are not currently held by the Fund. The protection "buyer" in a credit default contract is generally obligated to pay the protection "seller" an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract until a credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the "par value" (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount if the swap is cash settled. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer may receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity whose value may have significantly decreased. As a seller, the Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

The spread of a credit default swap is the annual amount the protection buyer must pay the protection seller over the length of the contract, expressed as a percentage of the notional amount. When spreads rise, market perceived credit risk rises and when spreads fall, market perceived credit risk falls. Wider credit spreads and decreasing market values, when compared to the notional amount of the swap, represent a deterioration of the credit soundness of the issuer of the reference obligation and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. For credit default swap agreements on asset-backed securities and credit indices, the quoted market prices and resulting values, as well as the annual payment rate, serve as an indication of the current status of the payment/performance risk.

Credit default swap agreements sold by the Fund may involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, and with respect to OTC credit default swaps, counterparty risk and credit risk. The Fund will enter into uncleared credit default swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. A buyer generally also will lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. The Fund's obligations under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund).

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") and related regulatory developments require the clearing and exchange-trading of many standardized OTC derivative instruments that the CFTC and SEC have defined as "swaps" including non-deliverable foreign exchange forwards, OTC foreign exchange options and swap options. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing is occurring on a phased-in basis based on type of market participant and CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing. The Adviser will continue to monitor developments in this area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the Fund's ability to enter into swap agreements.

Whether the Fund's use of swap agreements or swap options will be successful in furthering its investment objective will depend on the Adviser's ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. The Fund will enter into OTC swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the Internal Revenue Code may limit the Fund's ability to use swap agreements. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including additional government regulation, could adversely affect the Fund's ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the reference asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. Because OTC swap agreements are two-party contracts that may be subject to contractual restrictions on transferability and termination and because they may have remaining terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid and subject to the Fund's limitation on investments in illiquid securities. However, the Trust has adopted procedures pursuant to which the Adviser may determine swaps to be liquid under certain circumstances. To the extent that a swap is not liquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.

Like most other investments, swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to the Fund's interest. The Fund bears the risk that the Adviser will not accurately forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors in establishing swap positions for the Fund. If the Adviser attempts to use a swap as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the swap will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the Fund. While hedging strategies involving swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other Fund investments. Many swaps are complex and often valued subjectively.

<u>Correlation Risk</u>. In certain cases, the value of derivatives may not correlate perfectly, or at all, with the value of the assets, reference rates or indexes they are designed to closely track. In this regard, certain funds seek to achieve their investment objectives, in part, by investing in derivatives positions that are designed to closely track the performance (or inverse performance) of an index on a daily basis. However, the overall investment strategies of the Fund is not designed or expected to produce returns which replicate the performance (or inverse performance) of the particular index, and the degree of variation could be substantial, particularly over longer periods. There are a number of factors which may prevent a mutual fund, or derivatives or other strategies used by the Fund, from achieving desired correlation (or inverse correlation) with an index. These may include, but are not limited to: (i) the impact of fund fees, expenses and transaction costs, including borrowing and brokerage costs/bid-ask spreads, which are not reflected in index returns; (ii) differences in the timing of daily calculations of the value of an index and the timing of the valuation of derivatives, securities and other assets held by the Fund and the determination of the NAV of fund shares; (iii) disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for derivative instruments or securities in which the Fund invests; (iv) the Fund having exposure to or holding less than all of the securities in the underlying index and/or having exposure to or holding securities not included in the underlying index; (v) large or unexpected movements of assets into and out of the Fund (due to share purchases or redemptions, for example), potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the index; (vi) the impact of accounting standards or changes thereto; (vii) changes to the applicable index that are not disseminated in advance; (viii) a possible need to conform the Fund's portfolio holdings to comply with investment restrictions or policies or regulatory or tax law requirements; and (ix) fluctuations on currency exchange rates.

<u>Risk of Potential Government Regulation of Derivatives</u>. It is possible that additional government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, including futures, options and swap agreements, may limit or prevent the Fund from using such instruments potentially to the detriment of the Fund. It is impossible to fully predict the effects of past, present or future legislation and regulation in this area, but the effects could be substantial and adverse. It is possible that legislative and regulatory activity could limit or restrict the ability of the Fund to use certain instruments as a part of its investment strategy. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

There is a possibility of future regulatory changes altering, perhaps to a material extent, the nature of an investment in the Fund or the ability of the Fund to continue to implement their investment strategies. The futures, options and swaps markets are subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations, and margin requirements. In addition, the SEC, CFTC and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.

In particular, the Dodd-Frank Act sets forth a legislative framework for OTC derivatives, including financial instruments, such as swaps, in which the Fund may invest. Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act makes broad changes to the OTC derivatives market, grants significant new authority to the SEC and the CFTC to regulate OTC derivatives and market participants, and requires clearing and exchange trading of many OTC derivatives transactions.

Provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act include capital and margin requirements and the mandatory use of clearinghouse mechanisms for many OTC derivative transactions. The CFTC, SEC and other federal regulators have been developing the rules and regulations enacting the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. Because there is a prescribed phase-in period during which most of the mandated rulemaking and regulations will be implemented, it is not possible at this time to gauge the exact nature and full scope of the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on the Fund. However, swap dealers, major market participants and swap counterparties are experiencing, and will continue to experience, new and additional regulations, requirements, compliance burdens and associated costs. The new law and the rules to be promulgated thereunder may negatively impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective either through limits or requirements imposed on it or upon its counterparties. In particular, new position limits imposed on the Fund or its counterparties may impact the Fund's ability to invest in futures, options and swaps in a manner that efficiently meets its investment objective. New requirements even if not directly applicable to the Fund, including capital requirements, changes to the CFTC speculative position limits regime and mandatory clearing, may increase the cost of a Fund's investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.

<u>Structured Notes</u>. Structured notes are derivative debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities include structured notes as well as securities other than debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities may include a multiplier that multiplies the indexed element by a specified factor and, therefore, the value of such securities may be very volatile. The terms of the structured and indexed securities may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity and therefore, may result in a loss of invested capital. Structured and indexed securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the reference index may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the structured or indexed security at maturity may be calculated as a specified multiple of the change in the value of the reference; therefore, the value of such security may be very volatile. Structured and indexed securities may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the reference. Structured or indexed securities may also be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities. To the extent the Fund invests in these securities, however, the Adviser analyzes these securities in its overall assessment of the effective duration of the Fund's portfolio in an effort to monitor the Fund's interest rate risk.

**DOLLAR ROLLS.** The Fund may enter into dollar roll agreements, which are similar to reverse repurchase agreements. Dollar rolls are transactions in which securities are sold by the Fund for delivery in the current month and the Fund simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. Any difference between the sale price and the purchase price is netted against the interest income foregone on the securities sold to arrive at an implied borrowing rate. Alternatively, the sale and purchase transactions can be executed at the same price, with the Fund being paid a fee as consideration for entering into the commitment to purchase. Dollar rolls may be renewed prior to cash settlement and initially may involve only a firm commitment agreement by the Fund to buy a security. If the broker-dealer to which the Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund's right to repurchase the security may be restricted. At the time the Fund enters into a dollar roll, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained.

**EQUITY-LINKED SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in equity-linked securities. Equity-linked securities are privately issued securities whose investment results are designed to correspond generally to the performance of a specified stock index or "basket" of stocks, or sometimes a single stock. To the extent that the Fund invests in an equity-linked security whose return corresponds to the performance of a foreign securities index or one or more foreign stocks, investing in equity-linked securities will involve risks similar to the risks of investing in foreign equity securities. See "Foreign Securities" below. In addition, the Fund bears the risk that the issuer of an equity-linked security may default on its obligations under the security. Equity-linked securities are often used for many of the same purposes as, and share many of the same risks with, derivative instruments such as index futures on stock indexes, zero-strike options and warrants and swap agreements. See "Derivative Instruments" above. Equity-linked securities may be considered illiquid and thus subject to the Fund's restriction on investments in illiquid securities.

**EVENT-LINKED EXPOSURE.** The Fund may obtain event-linked exposure by investing in "event-linked bonds" or "event-linked swaps," or implement "event-linked strategies." Event-linked exposure results in gains that typically are contingent on the non-occurrence of a specific "trigger" event, such as a hurricane, earthquake or other physical or weather-related phenomena. Some event-linked bonds are commonly referred to as "catastrophe bonds." They may be issued by government agencies, insurance companies, reinsurers, special purpose corporations or other on-shore or off-shore entities (such special purpose entities are created to accomplish a narrow and well-defined objective, such as the issuance of a note in connection with a reinsurance transaction). If a trigger event causes losses exceeding a specific amount in the geographic region and time period specified in a bond, the Fund, when investing in the bond may lose a portion or all of its principal invested in the bond. If no trigger event occurs, the Fund will recover its principal plus interest. For some event-linked bonds, the trigger event or losses may be based on company-wide losses, index-portfolio losses, industry indices or readings of scientific instruments rather than specified actual losses. Often the event-linked bonds provide for extensions of maturity that are mandatory, or optional at the discretion of the issuer, in order to process and audit loss claims in those cases where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension of maturity may increase volatility. In addition to the specified trigger events, event-linked bonds may also expose the Fund to certain unanticipated risks including but not limited to issuer risk, credit risk, counterparty risk, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations and adverse tax consequences.

Event-linked bonds are a relatively new type of financial instrument. As such, there is no significant trading history of these securities, and there can be no assurance that a liquid market in these instruments will develop. See "Illiquid Securities" below. Lack of a liquid market may impose the risk of higher transaction costs and the possibility that the Fund may be forced to liquidate positions when it would not be advantageous to do so. Event-linked bonds are typically rated, and the Fund will only invest in catastrophe bonds that meet the credit quality requirements for the Fund.

**FIXED INCOME SECURITIES WITH BUY-BACK FEATURES.** Fixed income securities with buy-back features enable the Fund to recover principal upon tendering the securities to the issuer or a third party. Letters of credit issued by domestic or foreign banks often support these buy-back features. In evaluating a foreign bank's credit, the Adviser considers whether adequate public information about the bank is available and whether the bank may be subject to unfavorable political or economic developments, currency controls or other governmental restrictions that could adversely affect the bank's ability to honor its commitment under the letter of credit. Buy-back features include standby commitments, put bonds and demand features.

<u>Standby Commitments</u>. The Fund may acquire standby commitments from broker-dealers, banks or other financial intermediaries to enhance the liquidity of portfolio securities. A standby commitment entitles the Fund to same day settlement at amortized cost plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise. The amount payable by the issuer of the standby commitment during the time that the commitment is exercisable generally approximates the market value of the securities underlying the commitment. Standby commitments are subject to the risk that the issuer of a commitment may not be in a position to pay for the securities at the time that the commitment is exercised.

Ordinarily, the Fund will not transfer a standby commitment to a third party, although the Fund may sell securities subject to a standby commitment at any time. The Fund may purchase standby commitments separate from or in conjunction with the purchase of the securities subject to the commitments. In the latter case, the Fund may pay a higher price for the securities acquired in consideration for the commitment.

In selecting put bonds for the Fund, the Adviser takes into consideration the creditworthiness of the issuers of the underlying bonds and the creditworthiness of the providers of the tender option features. A sponsor may withdraw the tender option feature if the issuer of the underlying bond defaults on interest or principal payments, the bond's rating is downgraded or, in the case of a municipal bond, the bond loses its tax-exempt status.

<u>Demand Features</u>. Many variable rate securities carry demand features that permit the holder to demand repayment of the principal amount of the underlying securities plus accrued interest, if any, upon a specified number of days' notice to the issuer or its agent. A demand feature may be exercisable at any time or at specified intervals. Variable rate securities with demand features are treated as having a maturity equal to the time remaining before the holder can next demand payment of principal. The issuer of a demand feature instrument may have a corresponding right to prepay the outstanding principal of the instrument plus accrued interest, if any, upon notice comparable to that required for the holder to demand payment.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities and may purchase and sell foreign currency options and foreign currency futures contracts and related options (see "Derivative Instruments") and may engage in foreign currency transactions either on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time or through forward currency contracts ("forwards") with terms generally of less than one year. The Fund may engage in these transactions in order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign exchange rates in the purchase and sale of securities. The Fund may also use foreign currency options and foreign currency forward contracts to increase exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another.

A forward involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts may be bought or sold to protect the Fund against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar or to increase exposure to a particular foreign currency. Although forwards are intended to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currencies, at the same time, they tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currencies increase.

Forwards will be used primarily to adjust the foreign exchange exposure of the Fund with a view to protecting the outlook, and the Fund might be expected to enter into such contracts under the following circumstances:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) When the Adviser desires to lock in the U.S. dollar price on the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) If a particular currency is expected to decrease against another currency, the Fund may sell the currency expected to decrease and purchase a currency which is expected to increase against the currency sold in an amount approximately equal to some or all of the Fund's portfolio holdings denominated in the currency sold.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) If the Adviser wants to eliminate substantially all of the risk of owning a particular currency, and/or if the Adviser thinks that the Fund can benefit from price appreciation in a given country's bonds but does not want to hold the currency, it may employ a direct hedge back into the U.S. dollar. In either case, the Fund would enter into a forward contract to sell the currency in which a portfolio security is denominated and purchase U.S. dollars at an exchange rate established at the time it initiated the contract. The cost of the direct hedge transaction may offset most, if not all, of the yield advantage offered by the foreign security, but the Fund would hope to benefit from an increase (if any) in the value of the bond.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) The Adviser might choose to use a proxy hedge, which may be less costly than a direct hedge. In this case, the Fund, having purchased a security, will sell a currency whose value is believed to be closely linked to the currency in which the security is denominated. Interest rates prevailing in the country whose currency was sold would be expected to be closer to those in the U.S. and lower than those of securities denominated in the currency of the original holding. This type of hedging entails greater risk than a direct hedge because it is dependent on a stable relationship between the two currencies paired as proxies and the relationships can be very unstable at times.

<u>Costs of Hedging</u>. When the Fund purchases a foreign bond with a higher interest rate than is available on U.S. bonds of a similar maturity, the additional yield on the foreign bond could be substantially reduced or lost if the Fund were to enter into a direct hedge by selling the foreign currency and purchasing the U.S. dollar. This is what is known as the "cost" of hedging. Proxy hedging attempts to reduce this cost through an indirect hedge back to the U.S. dollar.

It is important to note that hedging costs are treated as capital transactions and are not, therefore, deducted from the Fund's dividend distribution and are not reflected in its yield. Instead such costs will, over time, be reflected in the Fund's NAV per share.

The forecasting of currency market movement is extremely difficult, and whether any hedging strategy will be successful is highly uncertain. Moreover, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of a foreign currency forward contract. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to buy or sell additional currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such transaction) if the Adviser's predictions regarding the movement of foreign currency or securities markets prove inaccurate. In addition, the use of cross-hedging transactions may involve special risks and may leave the Fund in a less advantageous position than if such a hedge had not been established. Because foreign currency forward contracts are privately negotiated transactions, there can be no assurance that the Fund will have flexibility to roll-over a foreign currency forward contract upon its expiration if it desires to do so. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the other party to the contract will perform its services thereunder.

The Fund may hold a portion of its assets in bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies, so as to facilitate investment in foreign securities as well as protect against currency fluctuations and the need to convert such assets into U.S. dollars (thereby also reducing transaction costs). To the extent these monies are converted back into U.S. dollars, the value of the assets so maintained will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations.

<u>Tax Consequences of Hedging</u>. Under applicable tax law, the Fund may be required to limit its gains from hedging in foreign currency forwards, futures and options. The extent to which these limits apply is subject to tax regulations that, to date, have not been issued. Hedging may also result in the application of the mark-to-market and straddle provisions of the IRC. Those provisions could result in an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund and could affect whether dividends paid by the Fund are classified as capital gains or ordinary income. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these tax issues.

**Foreign Currency Exchange-Related Securities.**

<u>Foreign Currency Warrants</u>. Foreign currency warrants such as Currency Exchange Warrants ("CEWs") are warrants which entitle the holder to receive from their issuer an amount of cash (generally, for warrants issued in the United States, in U.S. dollars) which is calculated pursuant to a predetermined formula and based on the exchange rate between a specified foreign currency and the U.S. dollar as of the exercise date of the warrant. Foreign currency warrants generally are exercisable upon their issuance and expire as of a specified date and time. Foreign currency warrants have been issued in connection with U.S. dollar-denominated debt offerings by major corporate issuers in an attempt to reduce the foreign currency exchange risk which, from the point of view of prospective purchasers of the securities, is inherent in the international fixed-income marketplace. Foreign currency warrants may attempt to reduce the foreign exchange risk assumed by purchasers of a security by, for example, providing for a supplemental payment in the event that the U.S. dollar depreciates against the value of a major foreign currency such as the Japanese yen or the euro. The formula used to determine the amount payable upon exercise of a foreign currency warrant may make the warrant worthless unless the applicable foreign currency exchange rate moves in a particular direction (e.g., unless the U.S. dollar appreciates or depreciates against the particular foreign currency to which the warrant is linked or indexed). Foreign currency warrants are severable from the debt obligations with which they may be offered and may be listed on exchanges. Foreign currency warrants may be exercisable only in certain minimum amounts, and an investor wishing to exercise warrants who possesses less than the minimum number required for exercise may be required either to sell the warrants or to purchase additional warrants, thereby incurring additional transaction costs. In the case of any exercise of warrants, there may be a time delay between the time a holder of warrants gives instructions to exercise and the time the exchange rate relating to exercise is determined, during which time the exchange rate could change significantly, thereby affecting both the market and cash settlement values of the warrants being exercised. The expiration date of the warrants may be accelerated if the warrants should be delisted from an exchange or if their trading should be suspended permanently, which would result in the loss of any remaining "time value" of the warrants (i.e., the difference between the current market value and the exercise value of the warrants), and, in the case the warrants were "out-of-the-money," in a total loss of the purchase price of the warrants. Warrants are generally unsecured obligations of their issuers and are not standardized foreign currency options issued by the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"). Unlike foreign currency options issued by OCC, the terms of foreign exchange warrants generally will not be amended in the event of governmental or regulatory actions affecting exchange rates or in the event of the imposition of other regulatory controls affecting the international currency markets. The initial public offering price of foreign currency warrants is generally considerably in excess of the price that a commercial user of foreign currencies might pay in the interbank market for a comparable option involving significantly larger amounts of foreign currencies. Foreign currency warrants are subject to significant foreign exchange risk, including risks arising from complex political or economic factors.

<u>Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities</u>. Principal exchange rate linked securities ("PERLs") are debt obligations the principal on which is payable at maturity in an amount that may vary based on the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and a particular foreign currency at or about that time. The return on "standard" PERLs is enhanced if the foreign currency to which the security is linked appreciates against the U.S. dollar and is adversely affected by increases in the foreign exchange value of the U.S. dollar; "reverse" PERLs are like the "standard" securities, except that their return is enhanced by increases in the value of the U.S. dollar and adversely impacted by increases in the value of foreign currency. Interest payments on the securities are generally made in U.S. dollars at rates that reflect the degree of foreign currency risk assumed or given up by the purchaser of the notes (i.e., at relatively higher interest rates if the purchaser has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, or relatively lower interest rates if the issuer has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, based on the expectations of the current market). PERLs may in limited cases be subject to acceleration of maturity (generally, not without the consent of the holders of the securities), which may have an adverse impact on the value of the principal payment to be made at maturity.

<u>Performance Indexed Paper</u>. Performance indexed paper ("PIPs") is U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper the yield of which is linked to certain foreign exchange rate movements. The yield to the investor on PIPs is established at maturity as a function of spot exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a designated currency as of or about that time (generally, the index maturity two days prior to maturity). The yield to the investor will be within a range stipulated at the time of purchase of the obligation, generally with a guaranteed minimum rate of return that is below, and a potential maximum rate of return that is above, market yields on U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper, with both the minimum and maximum rates of return on the investment corresponding to the minimum and maximum values of the spot exchange rate two business days prior to maturity.

**FOREIGN SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in foreign securities either directly by purchasing foreign securities or indirectly by purchasing depositary receipts or depositary shares of foreign securities. (See "Depositary Receipts" above.) Foreign securities include equity or debt securities issued by issuers outside the United States, and include securities in the form of ADRs and EDRs (see "Depositary Receipts"). Direct investments in foreign securities will be made in U.S. dollar denominated securities traded on U.S. exchanges and over-the-counter-markets.

Foreign investments may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency rates and exchange control regulations. There may be less information available about a foreign company than about a U.S. company, and foreign companies may not be subject to reporting standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. Foreign securities may not be as liquid as U.S. securities. Securities of foreign companies may involve greater market risk than securities of U.S. companies, Investments in foreign securities may also be subject to local economic or political risks, political instability and possible nationalization of issuers.

Investments in securities of foreign issuers may involve risks that are not associated with domestic investments. Foreign issuers may lack uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements, and there is generally less publicly available information about foreign issuers than there is about domestic issuers. Securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and their prices are more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers. Income from foreign securities may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source or other foreign taxes. In some countries, there may also be the possibility of nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation (in which case the Fund could lose its entire investment in a certain market), limitations on the removal of monies or other assets of the Fund, higher rates of inflation, political or social instability or revolution, or diplomatic developments that could affect investments in those countries. In addition, it may be difficult to obtain and enforce a judgment in a court outside the United States.

Some of the risks described in the preceding paragraph may be more severe for investments in emerging or developing countries. By comparison with the United States and other developed countries, emerging or developing countries may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on a less diversified industrial base and securities markets that trade a smaller number of securities. Companies in emerging markets may generally be smaller, less experienced and more recently organized than many domestic companies, and prices of those companies' securities tend to be more volatile.

The economies of individual emerging countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rates of inflation, currency depreciation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment position and may be based on a substantially less diversified industrial base. Further, the economies of developing countries generally are heavily dependent upon international trade and, accordingly, have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. These economies also have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade. U.S. securities and accounting regulatory agencies continue to express concern regarding information access and audit quality regarding issuers in China and other emerging market countries, which could present heightened risks associated with investments in these markets.

**GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACTS.** The Fund may invest in guaranteed investment contracts ("GIC"). A GIC is a general obligation of an insurance company. A GIC is generally structured as a deferred annuity under which the purchaser agrees to pay a given amount of money to an insurer (either in a lump sum or in installments) and the insurer promises to pay interest at a guaranteed rate (either fixed or variable) for the life of the contract. Some GICs provide that the insurer may periodically pay discretionary excess interest over and above the guaranteed rate. At the GIC's maturity, the purchaser generally is given the option of receiving payment or an annuity. Certain GICs may have features that permit redemption by the issuer at a discount from par value. Generally, GICs are not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuer. As a result, the acquisition of GICs is subject to the limitations applicable to the Fund's acquisition of illiquid and restricted securities. The holder of a GIC is dependent on the creditworthiness of the issuer as to whether the issuer is able to meet its obligations.

**HYBRID INSTRUMENTS.** A hybrid instrument is a type of potentially high-risk derivative that combines a traditional stock, bond or commodity with an option or forward contract. Generally, the principal amount, amount payable upon maturity or redemption or interest rate of a hybrid is tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency or securities index or another interest rate or some other economic factor (each a "benchmark"). The interest rate or (unlike most fixed income securities) the principal amount payable at maturity of a hybrid security may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark. An example of a hybrid could be a bond issued by an oil company that pays a small base level of interest with additional interest that accrues in correlation to the extent to which oil prices exceed a certain predetermined level. Such a hybrid instrument would be a combination of a bond and a call option on oil.

Hybrids can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging duration management and increased total return. Hybrids may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a hybrid or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could be zero. Thus, an investment in a hybrid may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of hybrids also exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrids. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the NAV of the Fund.

Certain hybrid instruments may provide exposure to the commodities markets. These are derivative securities with one or more commodity-linked components that have payment features similar to commodity futures contracts, commodity options or similar instruments. Commodity-linked hybrid instruments may be either equity or debt securities, leveraged or unleveraged, and are considered hybrid instruments because they have both security and commodity-like characteristics. A portion of the value of these instruments may be derived from the value of a commodity, futures contract, index or other economic variable. The Fund will only invest in commodity-linked hybrid instruments that qualify under applicable rules of the CFTC for an exemption from the provisions of the CEA.

Certain issuers of structured products such as hybrid instruments may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund's investments in these products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.

**ILLIQUID SECURITIES and liquidity risk management PROGRAM.** The Fund may not knowingly invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days at approximately the value at which they are being carried on the Fund's books. The Board of Trustees has the ultimate responsibility for determining whether specific securities are liquid or illiquid. The Board of Trustees has delegated the function of making day to day determinations of liquidity to the Adviser, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of securities held by the Fund and report periodically on such decisions to the Board of Trustees. If the limitations on illiquid securities are exceeded, other than by a change in market values, the condition will be reported by the Fund's Adviser to the Board of Trustees. Illiquid securities would generally include repurchase agreements with notice/termination dates in excess of seven days and certain securities which are subject to trading restrictions because they are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). External market conditions may impact the liquidity of portfolio securities and may cause the Fund to sell or divest certain illiquid securities in order to comply with its limitation on holding illiquid securities, which may result in realized losses to the Fund.

Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires, among other things, that the Fund establish a liquidity risk management program ("LRMP") that is reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 defines "liquidity risk" as the risk that a fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the fund without significant dilution of the remaining investors' interests in the fund. The Fund has implemented a LRMP to meet the relevant requirements. Additionally, the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the designation of a committee of individuals comprised of the Fund's President, Treasurer, and Chief Compliance Officer (the "LRMP Administrator") to administer the LRMP. The Board of Trustees will review no less frequently than annually a written report prepared by the LRMP Administrator that addresses the operation of the LRMP and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation. Among other things, the LRMP provides for the classification of each Fund investment as a "highly liquid investment," "moderately liquid investment," "less liquid investment" or "illiquid investment." The liquidity risk classifications of the Fund's investments are determined after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations. To the extent that a Fund investment is deemed to be an "illiquid investment" or a "less liquid investment," the Fund can expect to be exposed to greater liquidity risk. There is no guarantee the LRMP will be effective in its operations, and complying with Rule 22e-4, including bearing related costs, could impact the Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

**INFLATION-PROTECTED DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in inflation-protected debt securities or inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers utilize a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index ("CPI") accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS") have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if the Fund purchased TIPS with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year's inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. The Fund may also invest in other inflation-related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal amount.

The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.

While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.

Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

**INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies (each, an "Underlying Fund"), including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts ("UITs") and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the "Acquired Fund"), such as the Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the "Acquiring Fund") or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of the Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC no-action relief.

Set forth below is additional information about the manner in which ETFs generally operate and the risks associated with an investment in ETFs which are in addition to the risks associated with registered investment companies generally.

In the event that the Fund purchases shares of ETFs, such purchase is expected to be made through a broker-dealer in a transaction on a securities exchange, and in such a case the Fund will pay customary brokerage commissions for each purchase and sale. Shares of an ETF may also be acquired by depositing a specified portfolio of the ETF's underlying securities, as well as a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit, with the ETF's custodian, in exchange for which the ETF will issue a quantity of new shares sometimes referred to as a "creation unit." Similarly, shares of an ETF purchased on an exchange may be accumulated until they represent a creation unit, and the creation unit may be redeemed in kind for a portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETF's NAV) together with a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. The Fund may redeem creation units for the underlying securities (and any applicable cash), and may assemble a portfolio of the underlying securities (and any required cash) to purchase creation units, if the Adviser believes it is in the Fund's interest to do so. The Fund's ability to redeem creation units may be limited by the 1940 Act, which provides that an ETF will not be obligated to redeem shares held by the Fund in an amount exceeding one percent of such ETF's total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days.

<u>Termination Risk</u>. There is a risk that ETFs in which the Fund invests may terminate due to extraordinary events. For example, any of the service providers to ETFs, such as the trustee or sponsor, may close or otherwise fail to perform their obligations to the ETF, and the ETF may not be able to find a substitute service provider. Also, the ETFs may be dependent upon licenses to use the various indices as a basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade names. If these licenses are terminated, ETFs may also terminate or experience a disruption in its activities. In addition, an ETF may terminate if its net assets fall below a certain amount.

Although the Adviser believes that, in the event of the termination of an ETF, the Fund will be able to invest instead in shares of an alternate ETF tracking the same market index or another index covering the same general market, there can be no assurance that shares of an alternate ETF would be available for investment at that time.

**INVESTMENTS IN COMMODITY/NATURAL RESOURCE-RELATED SECURITIES.** As discussed under "Investment Limitations" below, the Fund does not invest directly in commodities. However, the Fund may from time to time invest in securities of companies whose business is related to commodities and natural resources, or in registered investment companies or other companies that invest directly or indirectly in commodities and natural resources. For example, the Fund may invest in companies whose business is related to mining of precious or other metals (e.g., gold, silver, etc.) or registered investment companies that invest in securities of mining companies and related instruments (including, without limitation, the underlying commodities). Investments in equity securities of companies involved in mining or related precious metals industries, and the value of the investment companies and other companies that invest in precious metals and other commodities are subject to a number of risks. For example, the prices of precious metals or other commodities can move sharply, up or down, in response to cyclical economic conditions, political events or the monetary policies of various countries, any of which may adversely affect the value of companies whose business is related to such commodities, or the value of investment companies and other companies investing in such business or commodities. Furthermore, such companies are subject to risks related to fluctuations of prices and perceptions of value in the commodity markets generally.

**LOAN PARTICIPATIONS.** The Fund may purchase participations in commercial loans. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Loan participations typically represent direct participation in a loan to a corporate borrower and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Fund may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing loan participations, the Fund assumes the credit risk associated with the corporate borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interests in which the Fund intends to invest may not be rated by any nationally recognized statistical ratings organization ("NRSRO").

A loan is often administered by an agent bank acting as agent for all holders. The agent bank administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. In addition, the agent bank is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the corporate borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions which are parties to the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, the Fund has direct recourse against the corporate borrower, the Fund may have to rely on the agent bank or other financial intermediary to apply appropriate credit remedies against a corporate borrower. A financial institution's employment as agent bank might be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement should remain available to holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank's general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. In situations involving other interposed financial institutions (e.g., an insurance company or governmental agency) similar risks may arise.

Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the corporate borrower for payment of principal and interest. If the Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund's share price and yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.

The Fund may invest in loan participations with credit quality comparable to that of the issuers of the Fund's securities investments. Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

The Fund limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in any one issuer or in issuers within the same industry (see "Investment Limitations"). For purposes of these limits, the Fund generally will treat the corporate borrower as the "issuer" of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between the Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as "issuers" for the purpose of determining whether the Fund has invested more than 5% of its assets in a single issuer. Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict the Fund's ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries.

Loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of readily at what the Adviser believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of illiquid indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining the Fund's NAV than if that value were based on available market quotations and could result in significant variations in the Fund's daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are traded among certain financial institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of these instruments is expected to improve. In addition, the Fund currently intends to treat indebtedness for which there is no readily available market as illiquid for purposes of the Fund's limitation on illiquid investments. Investments in loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of the Trust's investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by the Fund.

Investments in loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution's interests with respect to the loan may involve additional risks to the Fund. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, the Fund could be held liable as co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protections against fraud and misrepresentation. In the absence of definitive regulatory guidance, the Fund relies on the Adviser's research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentation could adversely affect the Fund.

**MONEY MARKET FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in the securities of money market mutual funds. Such investments are subject to limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder and applicable SEC staff interpretations thereof, or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC. (See "Investment Company Securities and Exchange-Traded Funds" above.)

**MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES AND ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES.** Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. See "Mortgage Pass-Through Securities." The Fund may also invest in debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations").

The recent financial downturn—particularly the increase in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgages, falling home prices, and unemployment—has adversely affected the market for mortgage-related securities. In addition, various market and governmental actions may impair the ability to foreclose on or exercise other remedies against underlying mortgage holders, or may reduce the amount received upon foreclosure. These factors have caused certain mortgage-related securities to experience lower valuations and reduced liquidity. There is also no assurance that the U.S. Government will take further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economic downturn continue or the economy experience another downturn. Further, recent legislative action and any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk that the Fund could realize losses on mortgage-related securities.

<u>Mortgage Pass-Through Securities</u>*.* Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA") are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase.

The residential mortgage market in the United States recently has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Fund's mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased recently and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has recently been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

<u>Agency Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA"), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA").

However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Trust's investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet the Trust's quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. The Fund will not purchase mortgage-related securities or any other assets which in the opinion of the Adviser are illiquid if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets will be illiquid.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans,

in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. The substantial decline in real property values across the U.S. has exacerbated the level of losses that investors in privately issued mortgage-related securities have experienced. It is not certain when these trends may reverse. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in the Fund's portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

The Fund may purchase privately issued mortgage-related securities that are originated, packaged and serviced by third party entities. It is possible these third parties could have interests that are in conflict with the holders of mortgage-related securities, and such holders (such as the Fund) could have rights against the third parties or their affiliates. For example, if a loan originator, servicer or its affiliates engaged in negligence or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties, then a holder of the mortgage-related security could seek recourse against the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable. Also, as a loan originator/servicer, the originator/servicer or its affiliates may make certain representations and warranties regarding the quality of the mortgages and properties underlying a mortgage-related security. If one or more of those representations or warranties is false, then the holders of the mortgage-related securities (such as the Fund) could trigger an obligation of the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable, to repurchase the mortgages from the issuing trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, many of the third parties that are legally bound by trust and other documents have failed to perform their respective duties, as stipulated in such trust and other documents, and investors have had limited success in enforcing terms.

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Fund's industry concentration restrictions, set forth below under "Investment Limitations," by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. Government securities. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities, the Fund takes the position that mortgage-related securities do not represent interests in any particular "industry" or group of industries. Therefore, the Fund may invest more or less than 25% of its total assets in privately issued mortgage-related securities. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

<u>Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs")</u>*.* A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as "tranches," with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as "sequential pay" CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation ("issuer") issues multiple series (*e.g.*, A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds ("Bonds"). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates ("Collateral"). The Collateral is pledged to a third party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common. For example, the Fund may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class ("PAC") CMOs and multi-class pass through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches—known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds—which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk.

<u>Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Commercial mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

<u>Other Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals or stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS"). Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

<u>CMO Residuals</u>*.* CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only ("IO") class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. See "Other Mortgage-Related Securities—Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities." In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based.

As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.

CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. Transactions in CMO residuals are generally completed only after careful review of the characteristics of the securities in question. In addition, CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not have been registered under the 1933 Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the 1933 Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed "illiquid" and subject to the Fund's limitations on investment in illiquid securities.

<u>Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities ("ARMBSs") have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBSs permits the Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBSs are based. Such ARMBSs generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed income debt securities of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBSs, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, the Fund, when holding an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (*i.e.*, the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBSs behave more like fixed income securities and less like adjustable rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed income securities. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

<u>Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the "IO" class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or "PO" class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund's yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated pre-payments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

<u>Collateralized Debt Obligations</u>*.* The Fund may invest in collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), which include collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and other similarly structured securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed income securities such as high yield debt, residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, commercial privately issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.

For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the "equity" tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade.

Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class.

The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities, however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Fund's Prospectus (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CDOs carry additional risks including, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the Fund may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

<u>Asset-Backed Securities</u>*.* Asset-backed securities ("ABS") are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. ABS are created from many types of assets, including auto loans, credit card receivables, home equity loans, and student loans. ABS are issued through special purpose vehicles that are bankruptcy remote from the issuer of the collateral. The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement. Some ABS, particularly home equity loan transactions, are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments (after expenses are paid) are used to pay investors as quickly as possible based upon a predetermined priority of payment.

Consistent with its investment objectives and policies, the Fund also may invest in other types of asset-backed securities.

**BELOW-INVESTMENT GRADE SECURITIES.** Subject to the limitations set forth in the Prospectus, the Fund may invest in "below-investment grade" or "high yield" fixed income securities commonly known to investors as "high yield bonds" or "junk bonds." High yield bonds are issued by a company whose credit rating (based on an NRSRO) evaluation of the likelihood of repayment) necessitates offering a higher coupon and yield on its issues when selling them to investors who may otherwise be hesitant in purchasing the debt of such a company. While generally providing greater income and opportunity for gain, below-investment grade debt securities are generally subject to greater risks than fixed income securities which have higher credit ratings, including a higher risk of default, and their yields will fluctuate over time. High yield bonds generally will be in the lower rating categories of NRSROs (rated "Ba" or lower by Moody's or "BB" or lower by S&P and Fitch or will be unrated. The credit rating of a high yield bond does not necessarily address its market value risk, and ratings may from time to time change, positively or negatively, to reflect developments regarding the issuer's financial condition. High yield bonds are considered to be speculative with respect to the capacity of the issuer to timely repay principal and pay interest or dividends in accordance with the terms of the obligation and may have more credit risk than higher rated securities.

While the market values of high yield bonds tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rates than do those of higher rated securities, the values of high yield bonds often reflect individual corporate developments and have a high sensitivity to economic changes to a greater extent than do higher rated securities. Issuers of high yield bonds are often in the growth stage of their development and/or involved in a reorganization or takeover. The companies are often highly leveraged (have a significant amount of debt relative to shareholders' equity) and may not have available to them more traditional financing methods, thereby increasing the risk associated with acquiring these types of securities. In some cases, obligations with respect to high yield bonds are subordinated to the prior repayment of senior indebtedness, which will potentially limit the Fund's ability to fully recover principal or to receive interest payments when senior securities are in default. Thus, investors in high yield bonds have a lower degree of protection with respect to principal and interest payments than do investors in higher rated securities.

During an economic downturn, a substantial period of rising interest rates or a recession, highly leveraged issuers of high yield bonds may experience financial distress possibly resulting in insufficient revenues to meet their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals and to obtain additional financing. An economic downturn could also disrupt the market for lower-rated securities and adversely affect the value of outstanding securities, the Fund's NAV and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest. If the issuer of a security held by the Fund has defaulted, the Fund may not receive full interest and principal payments due to it and could incur additional expenses if it chose to seek recovery of its investment.

The secondary markets for high yield bonds are not as liquid as the secondary markets for higher rated securities. The secondary markets for high yield bonds are concentrated in relatively few market makers and participants in the markets are mostly institutional investors, including insurance companies, banks, other financial institutions and mutual funds. In addition, the trading volume for high yield bonds is generally lower than that for higher rated securities and the secondary markets could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. Under certain economic and/or market conditions, the Fund may have difficulty disposing of certain high yield bonds due to the limited number of investors in that sector of the market. An illiquid secondary market may adversely affect the market price of the high yield security, which may result in increased difficulty selling the particular issue and obtaining accurate market quotations on the issue when valuing the Fund's assets. Market quotations on high yield bonds are available only from a limited number of dealers, and such quotations may not be the actual prices available for a purchase or sale.

The high yield markets may react strongly to adverse news about an issuer or the economy, or to the perception or expectation of adverse news, whether or not it is based on fundamental analysis. Additionally, prices for high yield bonds may be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. These developments could adversely affect the Fund's NAV and investment practices, the secondary market for high yield bonds, the financial condition of issuers of these securities and the value and liquidity of outstanding high yield bonds, especially in a thinly traded market. For example, Federal legislation requiring the divestiture by federally insured savings and loan associations of their investments in high yield bonds and limiting the deductibility of interest by certain corporate issuers of high yield bonds adversely affected the market in the past.

When the secondary market for high yield bonds becomes more illiquid, or in the absence of readily available market quotations for such securities, the relative lack of reliable objective data makes it more difficult to value the Fund's securities and judgment plays a more important role in determining such valuations. Increased illiquidity in the junk bond market, in combination with the relative youth and growth of the market for such securities, also may affect the ability of the Fund to dispose of such securities at a desirable price. Additionally, if the secondary markets for high yield bonds contract due to adverse economic conditions or for other reasons, some of the Fund's liquid securities may become illiquid and the proportion of the Fund's assets invested in illiquid securities may significantly increase.

The rating assigned by a rating agency evaluates the safety of a below-investment grade security's principal and interest payments but does not address market value risk. Because such ratings of NRSROs may not always reflect current conditions and events, in addition to using NRSROs and other sources, the Adviser performs its own analysis of the issuers whose below-investment grade securities are held by the Fund. Because of this, the Fund's performance may depend more on the Adviser's own credit analysis than in the case of mutual funds investing in higher-rated securities. For a description of these ratings, see "Appendix A - Description of Securities Ratings."

In selecting below-investment grade securities, the Adviser considers factors such as those relating to the creditworthiness of issuers, the ratings and performance of the securities, the protections afforded the securities and the diversity of the Fund. The Adviser continuously monitors the issuers of below-investment grade securities held by the Fund for their ability to make required principal and interest payments, as well as in an effort to control the liquidity of the Fund so that it can meet redemption requests. If a security's rating is reduced below the minimum credit rating that is permitted for the Fund, the Adviser will consider whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.

In the event that the Fund investing in high yield bonds experiences an unexpected level of net redemptions, the Fund could be forced to sell its holdings without regard to the investment merits, thereby decreasing the assets upon which the Fund's rate of return is based.

The costs attributable to investing in the high yield markets are usually higher for several reasons, such as higher investment research costs and higher commission costs.

**PARTICIPATION INTERESTS.** The Fund may invest in participation interests in fixed income securities. A participation interest provides the certificate holder with a specified interest in an issue of fixed income securities.

Some participation interests give the holders differing interests in the underlying securities, depending upon the type or class of certificate purchased. For example, coupon strip certificates give the holder the right to receive a specific portion of interest payments on the underlying securities; principal strip certificates give the holder the right to receive principal payments and the portion of interest not payable to coupon strip certificate holders. Holders of certificates of participation in interest payments may be entitled to receive a fixed rate of interest, a variable rate that is periodically reset to reflect the current market rate or an auction rate that is periodically reset at auction. Asset-backed residuals represent interests in any excess cash flow remaining after required payments of principal and interest have been made.

More complex participation interests involve special risk considerations. Since these instruments have only recently been developed, there can be no assurance that any market will develop or be maintained for the instruments. Generally, the fixed income securities that are deposited in trust for the holders of these interests are the sole source of payments on the interests; holders cannot look to the sponsor or trustee of the trust or to the issuers of the securities held in trust or to any of their affiliates for payment.

Participation interests purchased at a discount may experience price volatility. Certain types of interests are sensitive to fluctuations in market interest rates and to prepayments on the underlying securities. A rapid rate of prepayment can result in the failure to recover the holder's initial investment.

The extent to which the yield to maturity of a participation interest is sensitive to prepayments depends, in part, upon whether the interest was purchased at a discount or premium, and if so, the size of that discount or premium. Generally, if a participation interest is purchased at a premium and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that anticipated at the time of purchase, the holder's actual yield to maturity will be lower than that assumed at the time of purchase. Conversely, if a participation interest is purchased at a discount and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that assumed at the time of purchase, the investor's actual yield to maturity will be higher than that assumed at the time of purchase.

Participation interests in pools of fixed income securities backed by certain types of debt obligations involve special risk considerations. The issuers of securities backed by automobile and truck receivables typically file financing statements evidencing security interests in the receivables, and the servicers of those obligations take and retain custody of the obligations. If the servicers, in contravention of their duty to the holders of the securities backed by the receivables, were to sell the obligations, the third party purchasers could acquire an interest superior to the interest of the security holders. Also, most states require that a security interest in a vehicle must be noted on the certificate of title and the certificate of title may not be amended to reflect the assignment of the lender's security interest. Therefore, the recovery of the collateral in some cases may not be available to support payments on the securities. Securities backed by credit card receivables are generally unsecured, and both Federal and state consumer protection laws may allow set-offs against certain amounts owed.

**PREFERRED STOCK.** The Fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally dividends as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer's board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

**REAL ESTATE SECURITIES AND RELATED DERIVATIVES.** The Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in real estate-linked derivatives, real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Each of these types of investments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value and possible environmental liabilities. The Fund may also invest in rights or warrants to purchase income-producing common and preferred shares of issuers in real estate-related industries. It is anticipated that substantially all of the equity securities of issuers in real estate-related industries in which the Fund intends to invest will be traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market.

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that own, and typically operate, income-producing real estate. If a REIT meets certain requirements, including distributing to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income (other than net capital gains), then it is not taxed on the income distributed to shareholders. REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses, and so the Fund, when investing in REITs, will bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs' operations.

There are three general categories of REITs: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in direct fee ownership or leasehold ownership of real property; they derive most of their income from rents. Mortgage REITs invest mostly in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans, and the main source of their income is mortgage interest payments. Hybrid REITs hold both ownership and mortgage interests in real estate.

Along with the risks common to different types of real estate-related securities, REITs, no matter the type, involve additional risk factors. These include poor performance by the REIT's manager, changes to the tax laws, and failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free distribution of income or exemption under the 1940 Act. Furthermore, REITs are not diversified and are heavily dependent on cash flow. REITs can be listed and traded on national securities exchanges or can be traded privately between individual owners.

**REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commits to resell that security to a bank or dealer at an agreed upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest, unrelated to the coupon rate or the maturity of the purchased security. While it is not possible to eliminate all risks from these transactions (particularly the possibility of a decline in the market value of the underlying securities, as well as delays and costs to the Fund if the other party to the repurchase agreement defaults), it is the policy of the Fund to limit repurchase transactions to primary dealers and banks whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the Adviser. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered illiquid for purposes of the Fund's investment limitations.

 **RESTRICTED SECURITIES.** Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption from registration. The Fund is subject to an investment limitation on the purchase of illiquid securities. Restricted securities, including securities eligible for re-sale pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, that are determined to be liquid are not subject to this limitation. This determination is to be made by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees. Under these guidelines, the Adviser will consider the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers in, and potential purchasers for, the securities, dealer undertakings to make a market in the security and the nature of the security and of the marketplace trades. In purchasing such restricted securities, the Adviser intends to purchase securities that are exempt from registration under Rule 144A.

**REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements in accordance with its investment restrictions. Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund would sell portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers, and agree to repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities, generally rated in one of the three highest ratings categories, consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value at least equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price at which it is obligated to repurchase the securities. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings by the Fund under the 1940 Act. The Fund will not engage in reverse repurchase transactions if such transactions, combined with any other borrowings, exceed 33-1/3% of the Fund's assets.

**SECTOR RISK.** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**SECURITIES LENDING.** For the purpose of achieving income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial institutions, provided: (i) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposits, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned; (ii) the Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of the securities loaned; (iii) the Fund will receive any interest or dividends paid on the loaned securities; and (iv) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33-1/3% of the total assets of the Fund. The Fund's performance will continue to reflect the receipt of either interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments, or a fee, if the collateral is U.S. Government securities. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral should the borrower fail to return the securities loaned or become insolvent. The Fund may pay lending fees to the party arranging the loan.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities as part of its overall portfolio management strategy involving the use of derivative instruments, to gain exposure to or adjust exposure to various market sectors, and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities or otherwise take advantage of market conditions. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.

When the Fund makes a short sale, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale as collateral for its obligation to deliver the security upon conclusion of the sale. The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over any accrued interest and dividends on such borrowed securities.

If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time that the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.

The Fund may invest pursuant to a risk arbitrage strategy to take advantage of a perceived relationship between the value of two securities. Frequently, a risk arbitrage strategy involves the short sale of a security.

The Fund may engage in short sales "against the box." A short sale is "against the box" to the extent that the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short. The Fund will engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the federal securities laws and rules and interpretations thereunder. To the extent the Fund engages in short selling in foreign (non-U.S.) jurisdictions, the Fund will do so to the extent permitted by the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction.

The Fund may also engage in so-called "naked" short sales (i.e., short sales that are not "against the box"), in which case the Fund's losses could theoretically be unlimited, in cases where the Fund is unable for whatever reason to close out its short position. The Fund has the flexibility to engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and interpretations thereunder.

**SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in special purpose acquisition companies ("SPACs"). SPACs are collective investment structures that pool funds in order to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less an amount to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities and cash. SPACs and similar entities may be blank check companies with no operating history or ongoing business other than to seek a potential acquisition. Accordingly, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity's management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Certain SPACs may seek acquisitions only in limited industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. Investments in SPACs may be deemed illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective. If a SPAC does not complete an acquisition within a specified period of time after going public, the SPAC is dissolved, at which point the invested funds are returned to the SPAC's shareholders (less certain permitted expenses) and any rights or warrants issued by the SPAC expire worthless.

**SMALL-CAP RISK.** Small-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies. Generally the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. Small-capitalization companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent upon a small or inexperienced management group and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs.

**U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS.** The Fund may invest in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Although all obligations of such agencies and instrumentalities are not direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Government generally directly or indirectly backs payment of the interest and principal on these obligations. This support can range from securities supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (for example, GNMA securities) to securities that are supported solely or primarily by the creditworthiness of the issuer, such as securities of FNMA, FHLMC, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Federal Farm Credit Banks and Federal Home Loan Banks. In the case of obligations not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Whether backed by full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury or not, U.S. Government obligations are not guaranteed against price movements due to fluctuating interest rates.

**VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES.** Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

The Fund may invest in floating and variable rate debt instruments ("floaters") and engage in credit spread trades. The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as a money-market index or Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, the Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. A credit spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two securities or currencies, where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities or currencies.

The Fund may also invest in inverse floating rate debt instruments ("inverse floaters"). The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floating rate security may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation of similar credit quality. See "Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities" for a discussion of IOs and POs.

**WHEN-ISSUED, DELAYED DELIVERY AND FORWARD COMMITMENT TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Typically, no income accrues on securities the Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made.

When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its NAV. Because the Fund is not required to pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other investments. If the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

When the Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis, the Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or could suffer a loss. The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a transaction after it is entered into and may sell when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment securities before they are delivered, which may result in a capital gain or loss. There is no percentage limitation on the extent to which the Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis.

**ZERO COUPON BONDS.** The Fund may invest in zero coupon bonds of governmental or private issuers that generally pay no interest to their holders prior to maturity. Since zero coupon bonds do not make regular interest payments, they allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments and may involve greater credit risks than bonds paying interest currently. The IRC requires that the Fund accrue income on zero coupon bonds for each taxable year, even though no cash has been paid on the bonds, and generally requires the Fund to distribute such income (net of deductible expenses, if any) to avoid being subject to tax and to continue to maintain its status as a RIC under the IRC. Because no cash is generally received at the time of accrual, the Fund may be required to sell investments (even if such sales are not advantageous) to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy the federal tax distribution requirements applicable to the Fund under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information.

**TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS.** The Fund may, without limit, invest in U.S. Government securities, commercial paper and other money market instruments, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents in response to adverse market conditions, as a temporary defensive position. The result of this action may be that the Fund will be unable to achieve its investment objective.

**PORTFOLIO TURNOVER.** There has not been any significant variation in the Fund's portfolio turnover rate over the most recently completed fiscal year. The Adviser does not anticipate significant variation in the portfolio turnover rate from that reported in the Fund's Prospectus for the last fiscal year.

**DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS**

As required by the federal or state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Fund discloses portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require. The Fund's complete list of portfolio holdings are available sixty days after each fiscal quarter end in the Fund's Form N-CSR (semiannually) and Form N-PORT (quarterly).

The Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of portfolio securities holdings. The policies and procedures are designed to allow disclosure of the Fund's holdings information where it is deemed appropriate for the Fund's operations or it is determined to be useful to the Fund's shareholders without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. Except when there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure of the Fund's holdings, the Fund will not provide or permit others to provide information about the Fund's holdings on a selective basis. The Board of Trustees provides ongoing oversight of the Trust's policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Trustees receive from the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Trustees receive an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any deviation to this policy as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such deviations must be reported to the Trust's Board of Trustees, at its next quarterly Board meeting or sooner, as determined by the Trust's CCO.

The Fund may, but is not required to, post its schedule of investments on its website at regular intervals or from time to time at the discretion of the Adviser. This information may be as of the most recent practicable date available and need not be subject to a lag period prior to posting on its website. In addition to its schedule of investments, the Fund may post portfolio holdings information and other information on its website including, but not limited to, information about the number of securities the Fund holds, a summary schedule of investments, the Fund's top holdings, and a percentage breakdown of the Fund's investments by geographic region, sector, industry and market capitalization. After any portfolio holdings information becomes publicly available (by posting on its website or otherwise); it may be mailed, e-mailed or otherwise transmitted to any person.

The following disclosures of aggregate, composite or descriptive information about the Fund or its portfolio holdings are not subject to the Trust's policy on selective disclosure of portfolio information: (i) descriptions of allocations among classes, geographic regions, countries, industries or sectors; (ii) aggregated data such as average or median ratios or market capitalization; (iii) performance attribution by class, geographic region, country, industry or sector; (iv) aggregated risk statistics; (v) listing of top holdings without any reference to the amount of the Fund's holdings; and (vi) such other information that, in the opinion of the CCO or designee, does not present material risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading of the Fund. The Fund's portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to financial consultants or other entities that have a legitimate business purpose in receiving such information, including to assist them in determining the suitability of the Fund as an investment for their clients. In each case, such disclosure will be made in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, the Adviser's fiduciary duties to the Fund's shareholders and subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Board of Trustees of the Trust, a committee thereof, or an officer designated by the Board of Trustees, may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Fund may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about its holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's, or its Adviser's, employees and affiliates that provide services to the Fund. The Fund may also distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Fund's holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's service providers who require access to the information (i) in order to fulfill their contractual duties relating to the Fund; (ii) to facilitate the transition of a newly hired investment adviser prior to the commencement of its duties; (iii) to facilitate the review of the Fund by a ranking or ratings agency; (iv) for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition; or (v) for the purpose of effecting in-kind redemption of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of the Fund's assets and minimize impact on remaining shareholders of the Fund.

Each of the following third parties has been approved to receive portfolio holdings information: (i) the Fund's administrator and accounting agent; (ii) the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, for use in providing audit opinions; (iii) financial printers, solely for the purpose of preparing the Fund's reports or regulatory filings; (iv) the Fund's custodian in connection with its custody of the Fund's assets; (v) if applicable, a proxy voting service; or (vi) disclosure to a ranking or rating agency, such as Lipper, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Moody's, S&P and Fitch. Information may be provided to these parties at any time so long as each of these parties is contractually and ethically prohibited from sharing the Fund's portfolio holding information without specific authorization. The Fund's Adviser and service providers have also established procedures to ensure that the Fund's portfolio holdings information is only disclosed in accordance with these policies.

Under no circumstances may the Fund, the Adviser or their affiliates receive any consideration or compensation for disclosing portfolio holdings information.

The Adviser manages other accounts such as separate accounts and other registered or unregistered pooled investment vehicles. These other accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus may have similar portfolio holdings. Such accounts may have disclosures at different times than a Fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed. Additionally, such accounts may have access to their portfolio holdings and may not be subject to the foregoing restrictions.

**INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS**

The Fund has adopted the investment limitations set forth below. Except with respect to the asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowing, if any percentage restriction on investment or utilization of assets is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market values of the Fund or the Fund's assets or redemptions of shares will not be considered a violation of the limitation. The asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowings is an ongoing requirement.

The following fundamental policies apply to the Fund and the Board of Trustees may not change them without shareholder approval as required by the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. The Fund will not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Issue senior securities or borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and then not in excess of 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets (including the amount of the senior securities issued but reduced by any liabilities not constituting senior securities) at the time of the issuance or borrowing, except that the Fund may borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets (not including the amount borrowed) for temporary purposes such as clearance of portfolio transactions and share redemptions. For purposes of these restrictions, the purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the purchase and sale of options and futures contracts and collateral arrangements with respect thereto are not deemed to be the issuance of a senior security, a borrowing or a pledge of assets;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Underwrite any issue of securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered to be acting as underwriter in connection with the disposition of any portfolio security;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Purchase or sell real estate or interests therein, although the Fund may purchase securities of issuers which engage in real estate operations and securities secured by real estate or interests therein, including real estate investment trusts;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Invest 25% or more of the value of the Fund's assets in securities of issuers in any one industry. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or to securities issued by other investment companies. For purposes of this limitation, states, municipalities and their political subdivisions are not considered to be part of any industry;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of owning securities or other instruments, but the Fund may purchase, sell or enter into financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Make loans, except loans of portfolio securities or through repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction, the acquisition of bonds, debentures, other debt securities or instruments, or participations or other interests therein and investments in government obligations, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or similar instruments will not be considered the making of a loan;

The following non-fundamental policies apply to the Fund and the Board of Trustees may change them without shareholder approval unless shareholder approval is required by the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. The Fund will not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets except to secure indebtedness permitted to be incurred by the Fund. (For the purpose of this restriction, the deposit in escrow of securities in connection with the writing of put and call options, collateralized loans of securities by and collateral arrangements with respect to margin for future contracts by the Fund are not deemed to be pledges or hypothecations);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Engage in short sales of securities or maintain a short position, except that the Fund may (a) sell short "against the box" and (b) maintain short positions in connection with its use of financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Purchase securities on margin except for the use of short-term credit necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities, provided that the Fund may make initial and variation margin deposits in connection with permitted transactions in options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments.

**TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS**

The following tables present certain information regarding the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust. None of the Trustees are an "interested person" of the Trust, the Adviser, another investment adviser of a series of the Trust, or Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, the principal underwriter of the Trust ("Underwriter"), within the meaning of the 1940 Act and each Trustee is referred to as an "Independent Trustee" and is listed under such heading below. Employees of certain service providers to the Trust serve as officers of the Trust; such persons are not compensated by the Fund. The address of each Trustee and officer as it relates to the Trust's business is 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809.

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| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal**<br> **Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past**<br> **Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee** | **Other**<br> **Directorships**<br> **Held by**<br> **Trustee** |
| **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** |
| **Robert J. Christian** <br> Date of Birth: 2/49  | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. Chairman from 2007 until September 30, 2019. | Retired since February 2006; Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust Company from February 1996 to February 2006; President of Rodney Square Management Corporation ("RSMC") (investment advisory firm) from 1996 to 2005; Vice President of RSMC from 2005 to 2006. | 28 | Optimum Fund Trust (registered investment company with 6 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Iqbal Mansur** <br> Date of Birth: 6/55  | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. | Retired since September 2020; Professor of Finance, Widener University from 1998 to August 2020; Member of the Investment Committee of ChristianaCare Health System from January 2022 to present. | 28 | Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal**<br> **Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past**<br> **Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee** | **Other**<br> **Directorships**<br> **Held by**<br> **Trustee** |
| **Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr.**<br> Date of Birth: 8/55 | Trustee and Chairman of the Board | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2016. Chairman since October 1, 2019. | Retired since March 2016. President of PNC Bank Delaware from June 2011 to March 2016; Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2011; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from September 1997 to July 2010. | 28 | Brinker Capital Destinations Trust (registered investment company with 10 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Nancy B. Wolcott** <br> Date of Birth: 11/54  | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2011. | Retired since May 2014; EVP, Head of GFI Client Service Delivery, BNY Mellon from January 2012 to May 2014; EVP, Head of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2012; President of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2008 to July 2010; Chief Operating Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2007 to 2008; Executive Vice President of PFPC Worldwide Inc. from 2006 to 2007. | 28 | Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (registered investment company with 97 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Stephen M. Wynne**<br> Date of Birth: 1/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2009. | Retired since December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from July 2010 to December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from March 2008 to July 2010; President, PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2003 to 2008. | 28 | Copeland Trust (registered investment company with 2 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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**EXECUTIVE OFFICERS**

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **Joel L. Weiss**<br> Date of Birth: 1/63 | President and Chief Executive Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2007. | Senior Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; President of JW Fund Management LLC from June 2016 to July 2025; Vice President and Managing Director of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from 1993 to June 2016. |
| **Christine Catanzaro**<br> Date of Birth: 8/84 | Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; Consultant from October 2020 to July 2025; Senior Manager, Ernst & Young LLP from March 2013 to October 2020. |
| **T. Richard Keyes**<br> Date of Birth: 1/57 | Vice President | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2016. | President of TRK Fund Consulting LLC since July 2016; Head of Tax — U.S. Fund Services of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from February 2006 to July 2016. |
| **Gabriella Mercincavage**<br> Date of Birth: 6/68 | Assistant Treasurer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2019. | Fund Administration Consultant since January 2019; Fund Accounting and Tax Compliance Accountant to financial services companies from November 2003 to July 2018. |
| **Vincenzo A. Scarduzio**<br> Date of Birth: 4/72 | Secretary | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2012. | Director and Senior Vice President Regulatory Administration of The Bank of New York Mellon and predecessor firms since 2001. |
| **John Canning**<br> Date of Birth: 11/70 | Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Director of Chenery Compliance Group, LLC from March 2021 to present; Senior Consultant of Foreside Financial Group from August 2020 to March 2021; Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Operating Officer of Schneider Capital Management LP from May 2019 to July 2020; Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Context Capital Partners, LP from March 2016 to March 2018 and February 2019, respectively. |

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**LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES.** The basic responsibilities of the Trustees are to monitor the Trust and its funds' financial operations and performance, oversee the activities and legal compliance of the Adviser and other major service providers, keep themselves informed, and exercise their business judgment in making decisions important to the Trust's proper functioning based on what the Trustees reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the shareholders. The Board of Trustees is comprised of five individuals, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Board of Trustees meets multiple times during the year (but at least quarterly) to review the investment performance of the funds and other operational matters, including policies and procedures with respect to compliance with regulatory and other requirements.

The Board of Trustees has appointed an Independent Trustee to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman's primary role is to participate in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board of Trustees and the identification of information to be presented to the Board of Trustees with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board of Trustees. The Chairman also presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and acts as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys, and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman may perform such other functions as may be requested by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Except for any duties specified herein or pursuant to the Trust's Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, the designation of Chairman does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liability that is greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Board of Trustees, generally.

Each Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees because of his or her experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills as set forth in the subsection "Trustee Qualifications," below. Based on a review of the Board of Trustees and its function, the Trustees have determined that the leadership structure of the Board of Trustees is appropriate and that the Board of Trustees' role in the risk oversight of the Trust, as discussed below, allows the Board of Trustees to effectively administer its oversight function.

The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. The responsibilities of each committee and its members are described below.

 **AUDIT COMMITTEE.** The Audit Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Wynne currently serves as the chairman of the Audit Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter (the "Audit Committee Charter") for the Audit Committee. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee has the responsibility, among others, to (1) select the Trust's independent registered public accountants; (2) review and approve the scope of the independent registered public accountants' audit activity; (3) oversee the audit process of the financial statements which are the subject of the independent registered public accountants' certifications; and (4) review with such independent registered public accountants the adequacy of the Trust's basic accounting system and the effectiveness of the Trust's internal accounting controls. The Audit Committee meets at least two times per year. The Audit Committee met four times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

 **NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.** The Nominating and Governance Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott. Mr. Mansur serves as the chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for formulating a statement of corporate governance; assessing the size, structure and composition of the Board of Trustees; determining trustee qualification guidelines as well as compensation, insurance and indemnification of Trustees; identifying Trustee candidates; oversight of Board of Trustees self-evaluations; reviewing certain regulatory and corporate matters of the Trust; and identifying, from time to time, qualified candidates to serve as the CCO for the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee meets at least once a year. The Nominating and Governance Committee met two times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. The Nominating and Governance Committee identifies potential nominees in accordance with its Statement of Policy on Qualifications for Board of Trustees Membership. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominee candidates recommended by shareholders. Shareholders who wish to recommend individuals for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee as nominee candidates may do so by submitting a written recommendation to the Secretary of the Trust at: 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809. Submissions must include sufficient biographical information concerning the recommended individual, including age, at least ten years of employment history with employer names and a description of the employer's business, and a list of board memberships (if any).

The submission must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board of Trustees and to serve if elected. Recommendations must be received in a sufficient time, as determined by the Nominating and Governance Committee in its sole discretion, prior to the date proposed for the consideration of nominee candidates by the Board of Trustees. Upon the written request of shareholders holding at least a 5% interest in the Trust's shares in the aggregate, the Secretary shall present to any special meeting of shareholders such nominees for election as trustees as specified in such written request.

**TRUSTEE QUALIFICATIONS.** The following is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills that led to the Board of Trustees' conclusion that each individual identified below is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

The Board of Trustees believes that the Trustees' ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Adviser, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, support the conclusion that each Trustee is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply as to each Trustee: Mr. Marsini is the former President of PNC Bank Delaware, former Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon, former Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Wynne is the former Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Ms. Wolcott is the former Executive Vice President of US Fund Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former President of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee of other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Christian served as the Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; and Mr. Mansur is a Professor Emeritus at Widener University. He previously served as a Professor of Finance, School of Business Administration, at Widener University and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes.

In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Trustees considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board of Trustees' overall composition so that the Board of Trustees, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Trust and its funds. The summaries set forth above as to the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of the Trustees do not constitute holding out the Board of Trustees or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board of Trustees as a whole than would otherwise be the case.

**RISK OVERSIGHT.** Through its direct oversight role, and indirectly through its Committees, of officers and service providers, the Board of Trustees performs a risk oversight function for the Trust and its funds consisting, among other things, of the following activities: (1) at regular and special Board of Trustees meetings, and on an ad hoc basis as needed, receiving and reviewing reports related to the performance and operations of the Trust and its funds; (2) reviewing and approving, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust; (3) meeting with the portfolio management team to review investment strategies, techniques and the processes used to manage related risks; (4) meeting with representatives of key service providers, including the investment advisers, administrator, the distributor, the transfer agent, the custodian and the independent registered public accounting firms of the funds, to review and discuss the activities of the Trust and its funds and to provide direction with respect thereto; and (5) engaging the services of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust to test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service providers.

 **SECURITY AND OTHER INTERESTS.** The following table sets forth the equity securities in the Fund and in all registered investment companies overseen by the Trustees within the Trust Complex that the Trustees beneficially owned as of December 31, 2024.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range of Equity<br> Securities in the Fund** | **Aggregate Dollar Range<br> of Equity Securities in<br> All Registered Investment<br> Companies Overseen by<br> Trustee within the Family of<br> Investment Companies** |
| **Independent Trustees** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Robert J. Christian |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Iqbal Mansur |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nancy B. Wolcott |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stephen M. Wynne |  | $50001 - $100000 |

---

As of December 31, 2024, none of the Independent Trustees, or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) served as an officer, director or was an employee of the Trust, the Adviser or the Underwriter, or of any of their respective affiliates. Nor do any of such persons serve as an officer or director or is an employee of any company controlled by or under common control with such entities. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Independent Trustees or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) owned beneficially or of record any interest in the Adviser or the Underwriter, or in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities.

 **COMPENSATION.** In addition to the fees below, the Trust reimburses the Trustees for their related business expenses. The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Trustees for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Aggregate<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust** | **Pension or<br> Retirement<br> Benefits Accrued as<br> Part of the Trust's<br> Expenses** | **Estimated<br> Annual<br> Benefits upon<br> Retirement** | **Total<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust<br> Complex** |
| Robert J. Christian | $120639 | $0 | $0 | $120639 |
| Iqbal Mansur | $135586 | $0 | $0 | $135586 |
| Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. | $145492 | $0 | $0 | $145492 |
| Nancy B. Wolcott | $120579 | $0 | $0 | $120579 |
| Stephen M. Wynne | $140509 | $0 | $0 | $140509 |

---

**CODE OF ETHICS**

In accordance with Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, each of the Trust and the Adviser have adopted a code of ethics (each, a "Code" and together, the "Codes").

The Codes are intended to prohibit or restrict transactions that may be deemed to create a conflict of interest among the Adviser or the Trust. Each Code identifies the specific employees, officers or other persons who are subject thereto and all are required to abide by the provisions thereunder. Persons covered under the Codes may engage in personal trading for their own accounts, including securities that may also be purchased or held or traded by the Fund under certain circumstances.

Under the Code adopted by the Trust, personal trading is subject to specific restrictions, limitations, guidelines and other conditions. Under the Code adopted by the Adviser, personal trading is subject to pre-clearance and other conditions set forth in its Code.

On an annual basis or whenever deemed necessary, the Board of Trustees reviews reports regarding all of the Codes including information about any material violations of the Codes. The Codes are on public file as exhibits to the Trust's registration statement with the SEC.

**PROXY VOTING**

The Board of Trustees has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting procedures and has delegated the responsibility for exercising the voting rights associated with the securities purchased and/or held by the Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Board of Trustees' continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by general fiduciary principles. It must act prudently, solely in the interest of the Fund, and for the purpose of providing benefits to the Fund. The Adviser will consider the factors that could affect the value of the Fund's investment in its determination on a vote.

The Adviser has identified certain significant contributors to shareholder value with respect to a number of common or routine matters that are often the subject of proxy solicitations for shareholder meetings. The proxy voting procedures address these considerations and establish a framework for consideration of a vote that would be appropriate for the Fund. In particular, the proxy voting procedures outline principles and factors to be considered in the exercise of voting authority for proposals addressing such common or routine matters. In considering voting proxies, including shareholder proposals on environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-related topics, the Adviser votes in a direction it believes supports the company's long-term financial sustainability. For shareholder proposals seeking reports or increased disclosure, the Adviser gauges whether this information would be material to an enhanced understanding of the company's management of risks and opportunity.

The Adviser's proxy voting procedures establish a protocol for voting of proxies in cases in which the Adviser or an affiliated entity has an interest that is reasonably likely to be affected by a proxy to be voted on behalf of the Fund or that could compromise the Adviser's independence of judgment and action in voting the proxy in the best interest of the Fund's shareholders. The Adviser believes that consistently voting in accordance with its stated guidelines will address most conflicts of interest, and to the extent any deviation of such guidelines occurs it will be carefully assessed by a securities review committee to determine if a conflict of interest exists, and if a material conflict of interest exists, the committee will determine an appropriate resolution, which may include consultation with management or Trustees of the Trust, analyses by independent third parties, or other means necessary to ensure and demonstrate the proxy was voted in the best interests of shareholders. The Adviser's proxy voting policies and procedures are attached herewith as Appendix B. The Fund is required to file annually its proxy voting record on Form N-PX with the SEC. Form N-PX is required to be filed by August 31 of each year and when filed will be available by request by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6024 or on the SEC's website at *www.sec.gov*.

**CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES**

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Any person who directly or indirectly owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, may be deemed an "affiliated person" of the Fund, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. As of August 1, 2025, the following persons were the only persons who were record owners (or to the knowledge of the Trust, beneficial owners) of 5% or more of the shares of the Fund. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Trustees or officers of the Trust owned individually and together in excess of 1% of any class of outstanding shares of the Fund.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Institutional Class<br> Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br> of Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br> Institutional Class<br> Shares Owned** |
| Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC<br> For The Exclusive Benefit of Its Customers<br> 1 New York Plaza<br> 12th Floor<br> New York, NY 10004-1901 | 289385.732 | 21.94% |
| National Financial Services Corp.<br> (FBO) Our Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds Department, 4th Floor<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010 | 226682.775 | 17.19% |
| UBS WM USA<br> Special Custody A/C EXL BEN Customers<br> Of UBSFSI<br> 1000 Harbor Boulevard<br> Weehawken, NJ 07086 | 167941.696 | 12.73% |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122 | 130825.707 | 9.92% |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Investor Class<br> Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br> of Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br> Investor Class<br> Shares Owned** |
| Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC<br> For The Exclusive Benefit of Its Customers<br> 1 New York Plaza<br> 12th Floor<br> New York, NY 10004-1901 | 56254.693 | 37.19% |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122 | 51458.393 | 34.02% |
| National Financial Services Corp.<br> (FBO) Our Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds Department, 4th Floor<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010 | 27031.181 | 17.87% |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class Y<br> Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br> of Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br> Class Y<br> Shares Owned** |
| DCGT as TTEE And/Or Cust<br> FBO PLIC Various Retirement Plans<br> Omnibus<br> Attn: NPIO Trade Desk<br> 711 High Street<br> Des Moines, IA 50392 | 297766.479 | 99.98% |

---

**INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES**

Polen Capital Management, LLC is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Polen Capital was founded in 1979 and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Capital had approximately $46.7 billion in assets under management.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser manages the assets of the Fund (the "Investment Advisory Agreement"). The Investment Advisory Agreement has an initial term of two years and continues in effect from year to year thereafter if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees including a majority of the Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the Fund on 60 days' written notice or the Adviser on 90 days' written notice without penalty. The Investment Advisory Agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment as defined in the 1940 Act.

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual investment advisory fee, paid monthly, comprising 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. Each class of shares of the Fund bears its respective pro-rata portion of the advisory fee payable by the Fund. The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses (excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by the Trust, interest, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.10% (on an annual basis) with respect to the Fund's average daily net assets with respect to the Institutional Class shares and Investor Class shares, and 1.00% with respect to the Class Y shares (the "Expense Limitation"). Prior to May 1, 2021 the Expense Limitation was 1.25% with respect to the Institutional Class shares and Investor Class shares. The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Board of Trustees approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, such amounts reduced or reimbursed for a period of up to three (3) years from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of the reimbursement. No reimbursement will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation.

The following table sets forth the aggregate fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers and<br> Expenses Waived or<br> Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $487088 | $(196508) | $290580 |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees**<br> **Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers and**<br> **Expenses Waived or**<br> **Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $754067 | $(174781) | $579286 |
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers and<br> Expenses Waived or<br> Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $996276 | $(297730) | $698546 |

---

Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser agrees to: (a) direct the investments of the Fund, subject to and in accordance with the Fund's investment objective, policies and limitations set forth in the Prospectus and this SAI; (b) purchase and sell for the Fund, securities and other investments consistent with the Fund's objective and policies; (c) supply office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary for servicing the investments of the Fund; (d) pay the salaries of all personnel of the Adviser performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities on behalf of the Trust; (e) make available and provide such information as the Trust and/or its administrator may reasonably request for use in the preparation of its registration statement, reports and other documents required by any applicable federal, foreign or state statutes or regulations; and (f) make its officers and employees available to the Trustees and officers of the Trust for consultation and discussion regarding the management of the Fund and its investment activities. Additionally, the Adviser agrees to create and maintain all necessary records in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the various functions performed by it and not otherwise created and maintained by another party pursuant to contract with the Fund. The Trust and/or the Adviser may at any time or times, upon approval by the Board of Trustees, enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements with a sub-adviser pursuant to which the Adviser delegates any or all of its duties as listed.

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which the agreement relates, except to the extent of a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its obligations and duties under the agreement.

The salaries of personnel of the Adviser performing services for the Fund relating to research, statistical and investment activities are paid by the Adviser.

Polen Capital Management, LLC is controlled by the Management Committee of the firm. The Management Committee is comprised of Stan C. Moss, CEO, Daniel Davidowitz, Portfolio Manager & Analyst, and Damon Ficklin, Head of Team, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, and the Management Committee is controlled by Messrs. Moss and Davidowitz.

 **PORTFOLIO MANAGER** 

The management of the Fund is the responsibility of Andrew Cupps, investment professional employed by the Adviser. The information provided below supplements the information provided in the Prospectus under the heading "Portfolio Manager" with respect to the investment professional responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, including information regarding:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) "Other Accounts Managed." Other accounts managed by Mr. Cupps who is the Portfolio Manager responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund as of June 30, 2025;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) "Material Conflicts of Interest." Material conflicts of interest identified by the Adviser that may arise in connection with the Portfolio Manager's management of the Fund's investments and investments of other accounts managed. These potential conflicts of interest include material conflicts between the investment strategy of the Fund and the investment strategy of the other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager and conflicts associated with the allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager. Additional conflicts of interest may potentially exist or arise that are not discussed below;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) "Compensation." A description of the structure of and method used to determine the compensation received by the Fund's Portfolio Manager or management team members from the Fund, the Adviser or any other source with respect to managing the Fund and any other accounts as of June 30, 2025; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) "Ownership of Securities." Information regarding the Portfolio Manager's dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in the Fund as of June 30, 2025.

<u>Other Accounts Managed</u>. The table below includes details regarding the number of other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by Mr. Cupps, total assets under management for each type of account and total assets in each type of account and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees as of June 30, 2025 with respect to Mr. Cupps:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**Type of Accounts** | **Total<br> Number of<br> Accounts**<br>**Managed** | **Total Assets**<br>**(millions)** | **Number of <br> Accounts <br> Managed <br> subject to a<br> Performance <br> Based**<br>**Advisory Fee** | **Total Assets <br> Managed <br> subject to a <br> Performance <br> Based<br> Advisory Fee**<br>**(millions)** |
| **Andrew Cupps** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 2 | $23.352 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 2 | $11.335 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 49 | $190.380 | 0 | $0 |

---

<u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>. Polen Capital provides advisory services to other clients which invest in securities of the same type in which the Fund invests. The Adviser is aware of its obligation to ensure that when orders for the same securities are entered on behalf of the Fund and other accounts, the Fund receives fair and equitable allocation of these orders, particularly where affiliated accounts may participate. The Adviser attempts to mitigate potential conflicts of interest by adopting policies and procedures regarding trade execution, brokerage allocation and order aggregation which provide a methodology for ensuring fair treatment for all clients in situations where orders cannot be completely filled or filled at different prices.

<u>Compensation</u>. The Adviser compensates the Fund's Portfolio Manager for management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager's compensation consists of (i) a base salary, (ii) a year-end bonus and (iii) awards of equity ("Equity Interests") in the Adviser, including direct Equity Interests and/or phantom Equity Interests, entitling each Portfolio Manager to a proportionate year-end distribution of the Adviser's net profits. The Adviser's compensation strategy is to provide reasonable base salaries commensurate with an individual's responsibility and provide performance bonus awards. Total compensation of the Fund's Portfolio Manager is not related to the Fund's performance.

<u>Ownership of Shares of the Fund</u>. As of June 30, 2025, Mr. Andrew Cupps beneficially owned none of equity securities in the Fund.

**ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES**

Pursuant to an Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated July 19, 2007 The Bank of New York Mellon performs certain administrative services for the Trust including, among other things, assisting in the preparation of the annual post-effective amendments to the Trust's registration statement, assisting in obtaining the fidelity bond and trustees' and officers'/errors and omissions insurance policies, preparing notices, agendas, and resolutions for quarterly Board of Trustees meetings, maintaining the Trust's corporate calendar, maintaining Trust contract files and providing executive and administrative services to support the Independent Trustees. The Bank of New York Mellon also performs certain administrative and accounting services for the Trust such as preparing shareholder reports, providing statistical and research data, assisting the Adviser in compliance monitoring activities, and preparing and filing federal and state tax returns on behalf of the Trust. In addition, The Bank of New York Mellon prepares and files certain reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepares certain materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Trust. The accounting services performed by The Bank of New York Mellon include determining the NAV per share of the Fund and maintaining records relating to the securities transactions of the Fund.

The table below sets forth the administration and accounting service fees paid by the Fund to The Bank of New York Mellon for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Administration and Accounting Fee | $4081 | $11074 | $11364 |

---

**ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS**

**INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.** PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market St #1800, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm to the Fund.

 **LEGAL COUNSEL.** Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, 3000 Two Logan Square, 18th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as counsel to the Trust.

**CUSTODIAN.** The Bank of New York Mellon (the "Custodian"), 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286, serves as the Fund's custodian. The Custodian's services include, in addition to the custody of all cash and securities owned by the Trust, the maintenance of custody accounts in the Custodian's trust department, the segregation of all certificated securities owned by the Trust, the appointment of authorized agents as sub-custodians, disbursement of funds from the custody accounts of the Trust, releasing and delivering securities from the custody accounts of the Trust, maintaining records with respect to such custody accounts, delivering to the Trust a daily and monthly statement with respect to such custody accounts and causing proxies to be executed. The Fund has made arrangements with BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company to serve as custodian for Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs").

**TRANSFER AGENT.** BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing"), 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, serves as the Trust's Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent.

**OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.** The Trust has engaged Tidal ETF Services LLC, 234 West Florida Street, Suite 203, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204 to provide persons to serve as Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer and provide various other services for the Trust. The Trust has engaged Chenery Compliance Group, LLC to provide on-going compliance services, including providing an individual to serve as the Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust.

**BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES**

Subject to policies established by the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is primarily responsible for the execution of the Fund's portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage. The Adviser has no obligation to deal with any dealer or group of dealers in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities of the Fund. The Adviser often deals directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved except in those circumstances where better prices and execution are available elsewhere. It is the objective of the Adviser to seek to obtain the best results in conducting portfolio transactions for the Fund, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable dealer-spread or commission), the size, type and difficulty of the transaction involved, the firm's general execution and operations facilities and the firm's risk in positioning the securities involved. The cost of portfolio securities transactions of the Fund primarily consists of dealer or underwriter spreads and brokerage commissions.

While reasonable competitive spreads or commissions are sought, the Fund will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or commission available. Subject to obtaining the best net results, dealers who provide supplemental investment research (such as quantitative and modeling information assessments and statistical data and provide other similar services) to the Adviser may receive orders for transactions by the Fund. Information so received will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Agreement and the expense of the Adviser will not necessarily be reduced as a result of the receipt of such supplemental information. Supplemental investment research obtained from such dealers may be used by the Adviser in servicing all of its accounts and such research may or may not be useful to the Adviser in connection with the Fund. In addition, as permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Adviser may pay a broker-dealer that provides brokerage and research services an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Fund in excess of the commission that another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the amount is believed by the Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the overall quality of the brokerage and research services provided. Other clients of the Adviser may indirectly benefit from the provision of these services to the Adviser, and the Fund may indirectly benefit from services provided to the Adviser as a result of transactions for other clients. In all cases, the Adviser understands its on-going obligation to seek "best execution" of its clients' transactions. The Adviser considers the range of services provided by brokers in selecting those with whom to place trades including, but not limited to, value of research, commission rate, execution capability, responsiveness, and financial responsibility. In general, the Adviser receives a limited amount of research and/ or brokerage services paid for by brokers. The Adviser has a Best Execution Committee consisting of representatives from trading, operations, portfolio management team and investment research and compliance. The Best Execution Committee meets quarterly and is responsible for overseeing the Adviser's trading activities in accordance with the firm's Best Execution and Soft Dollar Policy and Procedures. Annually, the Best Execution Committee evaluates brokerage relationships and allocates commissions. Such evaluation considers many factors in making allocation decisions including research services provided. Such allocations are reviewed and, if necessary, revised quarterly.

The Fund invests in securities traded in the over-the-counter markets, and the Fund often deals directly with dealers who make markets in the securities involved, except in those circumstances where better execution is available elsewhere. Under the 1940 Act, except as permitted by exemptive order or rule, persons affiliated with the Fund are prohibited from dealing with the Fund as principal in the purchase and sale of securities. However, affiliated persons of the Fund may serve as its brokers in certain over-the-counter transactions conducted on an agency basis.

In certain instances, the Adviser, on behalf of its clients (including the Fund), may engage in private securities transactions directly with broker-dealers instead of effecting transactions through established exchanges or markets, and may enter into price improvement rebate arrangements with such broker-dealers, all subject to the general execution principles of the Adviser's Best Execution and Soft Dollar Policy and Procedures.

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the amount of brokerage transactions directed pursuant to the Adviser's internal allocation procedure and the related commissions were as follows:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Broker** | **Amount of<br> Directed Brokerage<br> Transactions** | **Related<br> Commissions** |
| Bank of America | $21983523.52 | $4725.43 |
| Block Cross | $1880252.80 | $471.49 |
| Exane/BNP | $321153.36 | $276.48 |
| Jefferies | $10644378.66 | $1593.19 |
| JPM | $2402173.29 | $1054.46 |
| Liquidnet | $5072183.06 | $1818.70 |
| Luminex | $351471.91 | $249.61 |
| Needham | $3921400.30 | $2167.80 |
| Piper Jaffray | $2567948.15 | $3535.50 |
| RW Baird | $12536659.01 | $9565.53 |
| Sanford Bernstein | $3094442.84 | $828.27 |
| UBS | $8564915.37 | $1240.86 |
| Virtu | $4179884.25 | $305.18 |
| William Blair | $6068770.52 | $4457.30 |

---

Securities held by the Fund may also be held by, or be appropriate investments for, other funds or investment advisory clients for which the Adviser or its affiliates act as an adviser. Because of different investment objectives or other factors, a particular security may be bought for an advisory client when other clients are selling the same security. If purchases or sales of securities by the Adviser for the Fund or other funds for which it acts as investment adviser or for other advisory clients arise for consideration at or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as are feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed by the Adviser to be on a fair and equitable basis. Transactions effected by the Adviser (or its affiliates) on behalf of more than one of its clients during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, causing an adverse effect on price.

The table below sets forth the brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Fund | $32290 | $44616 | $78317 |

---

Neither the Fund nor the Adviser has an agreement or understanding with a broker-dealer, or other arrangements to direct the Fund's brokerage transactions to a broker-dealer because of the research services such broker provides to the Fund or the Adviser. While the Adviser does not have arrangements with any broker-dealers to direct such brokerage transactions to them because of research services provided, the Adviser may receive research services from such broker-dealers. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Adviser directed all of its brokerage transactions in the amount of $83,589,157.04 to 14 broker-dealers and paid related commissions of $32,289.80 to such broker-dealers, respectively.

For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025, the Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to the Adviser or to an affiliate of the Fund or the Adviser.

The Fund may at times invest in securities of its regular broker-dealers or a parent of its regular broker-dealers. As of April 30, 2025, the Fund did not acquire securities of its regular broker dealers or a parent of its regular broker-dealers.

**ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES**

The additional compensation to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus may be calculated based on factors determined by the Adviser and its affiliates from time to time, including: the value of the Fund's shares sold to, or held by, a financial intermediary's customers; gross sales of the Fund's shares by a financial intermediary; or a negotiated lump sum payment.

In addition to the additional cash payments to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus, subject to applicable FINRA rules and regulations, the Adviser and its affiliates may provide compensation to financial intermediaries that may enable the Adviser and its affiliates to sponsor or participate in educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions involving the sales representatives and other employees of financial intermediaries in order to promote the sale of the Fund's shares. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses, meals, lodging and entertainment of financial intermediaries and their sales representatives and other employees in connection with such educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions. These payments may vary with each such event.

**DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES AND RULE 12B-1 PLAN**

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101, serves as a principal underwriter of the Fund's shares pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement with the Trust. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriter continuously distributes shares of the Fund on a best efforts basis. The Underwriter has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of shares of the Fund. The Underwriter and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Fund.

To the extent that the Underwriter receives fees under the Fund's Plan of Distribution adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "12b-1 Plan"), the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of marketing or sales services with respect to the Investor Class shares as may be required pursuant to such plan.

Moreover, to the extent that the Underwriter receives shareholder service fees under any shareholder services plan adopted by the Fund, the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of personal or account maintenance services with respect to the relevant shareholders of the Fund as may be required pursuant to such plan. The Underwriter receives no underwriting commissions or Rule 12b-1 fees in connection with the sale of the Fund's Institutional Class shares or Class Y shares. The Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of Independent Trustees, have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Trust, the Fund and the shareholders of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

The Underwriter will furnish or enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions for distribution of shares of the Fund. With respect to certain financial institutions and related fund "supermarket" platform arrangements, the Fund and/or the Adviser, rather than the Underwriter, typically will furnish or enter into such agreements. These financial institutions may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from the Adviser and/or the Fund. These financial institutions may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Fund.

The Underwriter received the following aggregate commissions on sales of Investor Class shares of the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Investor Class | $0 | $0 | $0 |

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The Underwriter received the following concessions on sales of Investor Class shares of the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Investor Class | $0 | $0 | $0 |

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The Underwriting Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods provided such continuance is approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Underwriter, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the agreement, will not be liable to the Fund or its shareholders for losses arising in connection with the sale of Fund shares.

The Underwriting Agreement terminates automatically in the event of an assignment. The Underwriting Agreement is also terminable without payment of any penalty with respect to the Fund (i) by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Trust or the Fund and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan of the Fund or any agreements related to the 12b-1 Plan or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on sixty (60) days written notice to the Underwriter; or (ii) by the Underwriter on sixty (60) days written notice to the Fund. The Underwriter will be compensated for distribution services according to the 12b-1 Plan regardless of the Underwriter's expenses. The Underwriter uses the entire 12b-1 for distribution expenses and does not retain any amounts for profit. The Underwriter does not receive compensation from the Fund for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a 12b-1 Plan is effective. The Adviser pays the Underwriter a fee for certain distribution-related services.

The 12b-1 Plan provides that the Underwriter will be paid for distribution activities such as public relations services, telephone services, sales presentations, media charges, preparation, printing and mailing advertising and sales literature, data processing necessary to support a distribution effort and printing and mailing of prospectuses to prospective shareholders. Additionally, the Underwriter may pay certain financial institutions such as banks or broker-dealers who have entered into servicing agreements with the Underwriter and other financial institutions for distribution and shareholder servicing activities.

The 12b-1 Plan further provides that payment shall be made for any month only to the extent that such payment does not exceed 0.25% on an annualized basis of the Fund's Investor Class Shares average net assets, except with respect to limitations set from time to time by the Board of Trustees.

Under the 12b-1 Plan, if any payments made by the Adviser out of its advisory fee, not to exceed the amount of that fee, to any third parties (including banks), including payments for shareholder servicing and transfer agent functions, were deemed to be indirect financing by the Fund of the distribution of its Investor Class shares, such payments are authorized. The Fund may execute portfolio transactions with and purchase securities issued by depository institutions that receive payments under the 12b-1 Plan. No preference for instruments issued by such depository institutions is shown in the selection of investments.

The following table sets forth the distribution fees received by the Underwriter for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Rule 12b-1<br> Distribution Fees** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Investor Class** | $7199 | $12106 | $16464 |

---

During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Underwriter incurred the following expenses in connection with distribution under the 12b-1 Plan:

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  |<br> **Advertising** | **Printing and<br> Mailing of**<br> **Prospectuses**<br> **to other Than<br> Current<br> Shareholders** |<br> **Compensation<br> to<br> Underwriters** |<br> **Compensation<br> to Broker-<br> Dealers** |<br> **Compensation<br> to Sales<br> Personnel** | **Interest,**<br> **Carrying or**<br> **other<br> Financing<br> Charges** |
|  **Investor Class** | $0 | $0 | $0 | $7150 | $0 | $0 |

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**CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES**

The Trust issues and offers separate classes of shares of the Fund: Investor Class, Institutional Class and Class Y shares. The shares of the Fund, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Prospectus, will be fully paid and non-assessable shares, with equal voting rights and no preferences as to conversion, exchange, dividends, redemption or any other feature.

The separate classes of shares of the Fund represent interests in the same portfolio of investments, have the same rights and are identical in all respects, except that Investor Class shares bear Rule 12b-1 distribution expenses and have exclusive voting rights with respect to the 12b-1 Plan pursuant to which the distribution fee may be paid.

The net income attributable to a class of shares and the dividends payable on such shares will be reduced by the amount of any applicable shareholder service or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees. Accordingly, the NAV of the Investor Class shares will be reduced by such amount to the extent the Fund has undistributed net income.

Shares of the Fund entitle holders to one vote per share and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, do not have preemptive or subscription rights and are transferable. Each class takes separate votes on matters affecting only that class.

The Fund does not hold an annual meeting of shareholders. The Trustees are required to call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any Trustee when requested in writing to do so by the shareholders of record owning not less than 10% of the Fund's outstanding shares.

**PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES**

**PURCHASE OF SHARES.** Information regarding the purchase of shares is discussed in the "Purchase of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES.** Information regarding the redemption of shares is discussed in the "Redemption of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**PRICING OF SHARES.** For the Fund, the NAV per share of the Fund is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets by the total number of the Fund's shares outstanding. This determination is made by The Bank of New York Mellon, as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) each day the Fund is open for business. The Fund is open for business on days when the Exchange is open for business.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Certain fixed income securities may be valued based upon appraisals received from a pricing service using a computerized matrix system or based upon appraisals derived from information concerning the security or similar securities received from a recognized dealer or dealers in those securities. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used to value fixed income securities with 60 days or less remaining until maturity, so long as such amortized cost method approximates fair value. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**DIVIDENDS**

The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income, if any. Dividends from the Fund's net investment income are declared and paid annually to the shareholders. Distributions, if any, of net short-term capital gain and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over the short-term capital loss) realized by the Fund, after deducting any available capital loss carryovers are declared and paid to its shareholders annually.

The Fund's dividends and distributions are taxable to shareholders (other than retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors) whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. A dividend or distribution paid by the Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend distribution. A dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares by an investor would, therefore, represent, in substance, a return of capital to the shareholder with respect to such shares even though it would be subject to federal income tax. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

A statement will be sent to you after the end of each year detailing the tax status of your distributions. Please see "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by the Fund.

**Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations**

The following discussion summarizes certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders. This discussion is for general information only and does not purport to consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that might be relevant to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund. The summary discussion that follows may not be considered to be individual tax advice and may not be relied upon by any shareholder. The summary is based upon provisions of the IRC, applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations (whether temporary, proposed or final) promulgated thereunder (the "Regulations"), and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, as are in effect as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, which change could be retroactive and may affect the conclusions expressed herein. The summary applies only to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund in whose hands such shares are capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the IRC, and may not apply to certain types of beneficial owners of shares of the Fund, including, but not limited to insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, shareholders holding the Fund's shares through tax-advantaged accounts (such as an individual retirement account (an "IRA"), a 401(k) plan account, or other qualified retirement account), financial institutions, pass-through entities, broker-dealers, entities that are not organized under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, persons who are neither a citizen nor resident of the United States, shareholders holding the Fund's shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction and shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax. Persons who may be subject to tax in more than one country should consult the provisions of any applicable tax treaty to determine the potential tax consequences to them.

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the Fund's common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of such partnership. A partner of a partnership holding the Fund's common stock should consult its own tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the partner of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Fund's common stock by the partnership.

The summary assumes that shareholders will hold the Fund's common stock as capital assets, which generally means as property held for investment. This discussion addresses only the U.S. income tax consequences of an investment by U.S. shareholders, and, therefore, does not address U.S. estate and gift tax rules, U.S. state or local taxation, the alternative minimum tax, excise taxes, transfer taxes or foreign taxes.

For purposes of the following discussion, "U.S. shareholder" is a shareholder that is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) created or organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if (a) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust's administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) it has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. A "Non-U.S. shareholder" is a person that is neither a U.S. shareholder nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") as to the federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. In addition, the following discussion applicable to shareholders of the Fund addresses only some of the federal income tax considerations generally affecting investments in the Fund.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of the ownership, purchase and disposition of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**GENERAL.** The Fund has elected, and intends to continue to qualify each year for, taxation as a RIC under Subchapter M of the IRC. By qualifying as a RIC, the Fund (but not the shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders.

Shareholders should be aware that investments made by the Fund, some of which are described below, may involve complex tax rules some of which may result in income or gain recognition by a shareholder without the concurrent receipt of cash. Although the Fund seeks to avoid significant noncash income, such noncash income could be recognized by the Fund, in which case it may distribute cash derived from other sources in order to meet the minimum distribution requirements described below. Cash to make the required minimum distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by its governing documents and other regulatory restrictions, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed.

**QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY.** Qualification as a RIC under the IRC requires, among other things, that the Fund: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income from certain qualified publicly traded partnerships (together with (i), the "Qualifying Income Requirement"), and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the value of its assets is comprised of cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with those other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers controlled by it and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (together with (i) the "Diversification Requirement").

The Treasury Department is authorized to promulgate regulations under which gains from foreign currencies (and options, futures, and forward contracts on foreign currency) would not constitute qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement only if such gains are not directly related to the principal business of the Fund in investing in stock or securities or options and futures with respect to stock or securities. To date, no such regulations have been issued.

As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders in any taxable year for which it distributes, in compliance with the IRC's timing and other requirements the sum of (i) at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount income, market discount income, income from securities lending, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, certain net realized foreign currency exchange gains, and any other taxable income other than "net capital gain" as defined below and is reduced by deductible expenses all determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid); and (ii) 90% of its tax-exempt interest, if any, net of certain expenses allocable thereto ("net tax-exempt interest"). The Fund may retain for investment all or a portion of its "net capital gain" (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). If the Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who will be (i) required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of tax paid by the Fund against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of the shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder's gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by the Fund on that amount of capital gain.

The qualifying income and asset requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC, as described above, may limit the extent to which it will be able to engage in derivative transactions. Rules governing the federal income tax aspects of derivatives, including swap agreements, are not entirely clear in certain respects, particularly in light of two IRS revenue rulings issued in 2006. Revenue Ruling 2006-1 held that income from a derivative contract with respect to a commodity index is not qualifying income for a RIC. Subsequently, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2006-31 in which it stated that the holding in Revenue Ruling 2006-1 "was not intended to preclude a conclusion that the income from certain instruments (such as certain structured notes) that create a commodity exposure for the holder is qualifying income." In 2016, the IRS issued a notice and stated they would not address what constitutes a "security" for purposes of Qualifying Income. In addition, the IRS requested comments as to whether the 2006 Revenue Rulings should be withdrawn. In 2019, the IRS concluded that it would not withdraw the 2006 revenue rulings at that time. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in commodity related derivative transactions and other derivative transactions may be limited by the Qualifying Income Requirement. The Fund will account for any investments in commodity derivative transactions in a manner it deems to be appropriate; the IRS, however, might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized.

For purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, all of the net income of a RIC derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (generally, defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (i) of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above) will be treated as qualifying income. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the IRC do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. The transferee of a partnership interest generally is required to withhold 10% of the amount realized on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest after December 31, 2017 if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person.

For purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership.

If the Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures to satisfy the Diversification Requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, the Fund will fail to qualify as a RIC and will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation subject to tax on a flat tax rate of 21% and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) to its shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders, and a maximum long-term capital gains rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for a period of greater than two taxable years, the Fund generally would be required to recognize any built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a sale of such assets within ten years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

**EXCISE TAX.** If the Fund fails to distribute by December 31 of each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its taxable ordinary income (excluding capital gains and losses) for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (as adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the twelve month period ending on October 31 of such year), and (3) all taxable ordinary income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for the prior year that were not distributed during such year and on which it did not pay federal income tax, the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax (the "Excise Tax") on the undistributed amounts. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November, or December of that year to shareholders of record on a date in such month and paid by it during January of the following year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders (other than those not subject to federal income tax) in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. The Fund intends to actually distribute or be deemed to have distributed substantially all of its net income and gain, if any, by the end of each calendar year in compliance with these requirements so that it will generally not be required to pay the Excise Tax. The Fund may, in certain circumstances, be required to liquidate its investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid Excise Tax liability at a time when its Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so. Liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Fund to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC.

**CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS.** The Fund is permitted to carry forward a net capital loss from any year to offset its capital gains, if any, realized indefinitely in the year following the year of the loss. The excess of the Fund's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gain is treated as short-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year and the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gain is treated as long-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year. If future capital gains are offset by carried forward capital losses, such future capital gains are not subject to Fund-level federal income taxation, regardless of whether they are distributed to shareholders. Accordingly, the Fund does not expect to distribute any such offsetting capital gains. The Fund cannot carry back or carry forward any net operating losses.

**MLPs.** The Fund may invest in master limited partnerships which may be treated as qualified publicly traded partnerships. Income from qualified publicly traded partnerships is qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement, but the Fund's investment in one or more of such qualified publicly traded partnerships is limited to no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets and must otherwise satisfy the Diversification Requirement. In addition, a 10% withholding tax is imposed on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest for transfers if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person or another exception applies.

**ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT AND MARKET DISCOUNT.** The Fund may acquire debt securities that are treated as having original issue discount ("OID") (generally a debt obligation with a purchase price less than its principal amount, such as a zero coupon bond). Generally, the Fund will be required to include the OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though it will not receive cash payments for such OID until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having OID which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income. Inflation-protected bonds generally can be expected to produce OID income as their principal amounts are adjusted upward for inflation. A portion of the OID includible in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities may be treated as a dividend for federal income tax purposes if the securities are characterized as equity for federal income tax purposes.

A debt security acquired in the secondary market by the Fund may be treated as having market discount if acquired at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Market discount generally is accrued ratably, on a daily basis, over the period from the date of acquisition to the date of maturity even though no cash will be received. Absent an election by the Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on its disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.

The Fund may be required to include in income certain fees that are treated as OID and required to be included in income for financial statement purposes when received (rather than when accrued into income).

In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund receives no interest payments in cash on such securities during the year.

The Fund generally will be required to make distributions to shareholders representing the income accruing on the debt securities described above, that is currently includable in income, even though cash representing such income may not have been received by the Fund. Cash to pay these distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by the Fund's governing documents, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions.

**OPTIONS, FUTURES AND FORWARD CONTRACTS.** The writing (selling) and purchasing of options and futures contracts and entering into forward currency contracts, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes the amount, character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses the Fund realizes in connection with such transactions.

Gains and losses on the sale, lapse, or other termination of options and futures contracts, options thereon and certain forward contracts (except certain foreign currency options, forward contracts and futures contracts) will generally be treated as capital gains and losses. Some regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts, and certain non-equity options (such as certain listed options or options on broad-based securities indexes) held by the Fund ("Section 1256 contracts"), other than contracts on which it has made a "mixed-straddle election," will be required to be "marked-to-market" for federal income tax purposes, that is, treated as having been sold at their market value on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. These provisions may require the Fund to recognize income or gains without a concurrent receipt of cash. Any gain or loss recognized on actual or deemed sales of Section 1256 contracts will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary income or loss as described below. Transactions that qualify as designated hedges are exempt from the mark-to-market rule, but may require the Fund to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and certain options to the extent of any unrecognized gains on related positions held by it.

The tax provisions described above applicable to options, futures and forward contracts may affect the amount, timing, and character of the Fund's distributions to its shareholders. For example, the Section 1256 rules described above may operate to increase the amount the Fund must distribute to satisfy the minimum distribution requirement for the portion treated as short-term capital gain which will be taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income, and to increase the net capital gain it recognizes, without, in either case, increasing the cash available to it. The Fund may elect to exclude certain transactions from the operation of Section 1256, although doing so may have the effect of increasing the relative proportion of net short-term capital gain (taxable as ordinary income) and, thus, increasing the amount of dividends it must distribute. Section 1256 contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of the Excise Tax.

When a covered call or put option written (sold) by the Fund expires the Fund will realize a short-term capital gain equal to the amount of the premium it received for writing the option. When the Fund terminates its obligations under such an option by entering into a closing transaction, it will realize a short-term capital gain (or loss), depending on whether the cost of the closing transaction is less than (or exceeds) the premium received when it wrote the option. When a covered call option written by the Fund is exercised, the Fund will be treated as having sold the underlying security, producing long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon the holding period of the underlying security and whether the sum of the option price received upon the exercise plus the premium received when it wrote the option is more or less than the basis of the underlying security.

**STRADDLES.** Section 1092 deals with the taxation of straddles which also may affect the taxation of options in which the Fund may invest. Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as options, futures and forward currency contracts, may be considered, for federal income tax purposes, to constitute "straddles." Straddles are defined to include offsetting positions in actively traded personal property. In certain circumstances, the rules governing straddles override or modify the provisions of Section 1256, described above. If the Fund is treated as entering into a straddle and at least one (but not all) of its positions in derivative contracts comprising a part of such straddle is governed by Section 1256, then such straddle could be characterized as a "mixed straddle." The Fund may make one or more elections with respect to mixed straddles. Depending on which election is made, if any, the results with respect to the Fund may differ. Generally, to the extent the straddle rules apply to positions established by the Fund, losses realized by it may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in any offsetting positions. Moreover, as a result of the straddle rules, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be characterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be characterized as short-term capital gain. In addition, the existence of a straddle may affect the holding period of the offsetting positions and cause such sales to be subject to the "wash sale" and "short sale" rules. As a result, the straddle rules could cause distributions that would otherwise constitute "qualified dividend income" to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements, described below, and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income. Further, the Fund may be required to capitalize, rather than deduct currently, any interest expense and carrying charges applicable to a position that is part of a straddle. Because the application of the straddle rules may affect the character and timing of gains and losses from affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to the situation where the Fund had not engaged in such transactions.

In circumstances where the Fund has invested in certain pass-through entities, the amount of long-term capital gain that it may recognize from certain derivative transactions with respect to interests in such pass-through entities is limited under the IRC's constructive ownership rules. The amount of long-term capital gain is limited to the amount of such gain the Fund would have had if it directly invested in the pass-through entity during the term of the derivative contract. Any gain in excess of this amount is treated as ordinary income. An interest charge is imposed on the amount of gain that is treated as ordinary income.

**SWAPS AND DERIVATIVES.** As a result of entering into swap or derivative agreements, the Fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The Fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap or derivative is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap, derivative or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap or derivative will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund has been a party to a swap or derivative for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps or derivatives, the Fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or derivatives or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps or derivatives to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss. The Fund's transactions in swaps or other derivatives may be subject to one or more special tax rules (e.g., notional principal contracts, straddles, constructive sales, wash sales and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains or losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and/or character of distributions to shareholders.

Rules governing the tax aspects of swap or derivative agreements are not entirely clear in certain respects, in particular whether income generated is Qualifying Income. Accordingly, while the Fund intends to account for such transactions in a manner it deems appropriate, the IRS might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be adversely affected. The Fund intends to monitor developments in this area. Certain requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC may limit the extent to which the Fund will be able to engage in swap agreements and certain derivatives.

**CONSTRUCTIVE SALES.** Certain rules may affect the timing and character of gain if the Fund engages in transactions that reduce or eliminate its risk of loss with respect to appreciated financial positions. If the Fund enters into certain transactions (including a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract, a futures or forward contract, or other transactions identified in Treasury regulations) in property while holding an appreciated financial position in substantially identical property, it will be treated as if it had sold and immediately repurchased the appreciated financial position and will be taxed on any gain (but not loss) from the constructive sale. The character of gain from a constructive sale will depend upon the Fund's holding period in the appreciated financial position. Loss from a constructive sale would be recognized when the position was subsequently disposed of, and its character would depend on the Fund's holding period and the application of various loss deferral provisions of the IRC.

In addition, if the appreciated financial position is itself a short sale or other such contract, acquisition of the underlying property or substantially identical property by the Fund will be deemed a constructive sale. The foregoing will not apply, however, to the Fund's transaction during any taxable year that otherwise would be treated as a constructive sale if the transaction is closed within 30 days after the end of that year and the Fund holds the appreciated financial position unhedged for 60 days after that closing (i.e., at no time during that 60-day period is the Fund's risk of loss regarding the position reduced by reason of certain specified transactions with respect to substantially identical or related property, such as having an option to sell, being contractually obligated to sell, making a short sale or granting an option to buy substantially identical stock or securities).

**WASH SALES.** The Fund may be impacted in certain circumstances by special rules relating to "wash sales." In general, the wash sale rules prevent the recognition of a loss by the Fund from the disposition of stock or securities at a loss in a case in which identical or substantially identical stock or securities (or an option to acquire such property) is or has been acquired by it within 30 days before or 30 days after the sale.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities. Short sales may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by the Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to its shareholders. Short sales also may be subject to the "Constructive Sales" rules, discussed above.

**PASSIVE FOREIGN INVESTMENT COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in a non-U.S. corporation, which could be treated as a passive foreign investment company (a "PFIC") or become a PFIC under the IRC. A PFIC is generally defined as a foreign corporation that meets either of the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income for its taxable year is income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties, or capital gains); or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, such passive income. If the Fund acquires any equity interest in a PFIC, the Fund could be subject to federal income tax and interest charges on "excess distributions" received with respect to such PFIC stock or on any gain from the sale of such PFIC stock (collectively "PFIC income"), plus interest thereon even if the Fund distributes the PFIC income as a taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in the Fund's investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. The Fund's distributions of PFIC income, if any, will be taxable as ordinary income even though, absent the application of the PFIC rules, some portion of the distributions may have been classified as capital gain.

The Fund will not be permitted to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for taxes and interest charges incurred with respect to a PFIC. Payment of this tax would therefore reduce the Fund's economic return from its investment in PFIC shares. To the extent the Fund invests in a PFIC, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" ("QEF"), then instead of the tax and interest obligation described above on excess distributions, the Fund would be required to include in income each taxable year its pro rata share of the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain. As a result of a QEF election, the Fund would likely have to distribute to its shareholders an amount equal to the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain to satisfy the IRC's minimum distribution requirement described herein and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax even if the QEF did not distribute those earnings and gain to the Fund. In most instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain requirements in making the election.

The Fund may elect to "mark-to-market" its stock in any PFIC. "Marking-to-market," in this context, means including in ordinary income each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock over the Fund's adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, the Fund also may deduct (as an ordinary, not capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in the PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock it included in income for prior taxable years under the election. The Fund's adjusted basis in its PFIC stock subject to the election would be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken thereunder. In either case, the Fund may be required to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS.** Foreign currency gains and losses realized by the Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt instruments, certain options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments relating to foreign currency, foreign currencies, and foreign currency-denominated payables and receivables are subject to Section 988 of the IRC, which causes such gains and losses to be treated as ordinary income or loss and may affect the amount and timing of recognition of the Fund's income. In some cases elections may be available that would alter this treatment, but such elections could be detrimental to the Fund by creating current recognition of income without the concurrent recognition of cash. If a foreign currency loss treated as an ordinary loss under Section 988 were to exceed the Fund's investment company taxable income (computed without regard to such loss) for a taxable year the resulting loss would not be deductible by it or its shareholders in future years. The foreign currency income or loss will also increase or decrease the Fund's investment company income distributable to its shareholders.

**FOREIGN TAXATION.** Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the Fund's total assets at the close of any taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations and it meets the distribution requirements described above, the Fund may file an election (the "pass-through election") with the IRS pursuant to which shareholders of the Fund would be required to (i) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) their pro rata shares of foreign income taxes paid by the Fund even though not actually received by such shareholders; and (ii) treat such respective pro rata portions as foreign income taxes paid by them. The Fund will furnish its shareholders with a written statement providing the amount of foreign taxes paid by the Fund that will "pass-through" for the year, if any.

Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder's U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of the Fund's income will flow through to the Fund's shareholders. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. Shareholders may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Various limitations, including a minimum holding period requirement, apply to limit the credit and deduction for foreign taxes for purposes of regular federal tax and alternative minimum tax. In addition, a shareholder of the Fund may lose the ability to use foreign tax credits passed through by the Fund if the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement.

**REITS.** The Fund may invest in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require the Fund to accrue and distribute taxable income without the concurrent receipt of cash. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. The Fund's investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in its receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

The Fund may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs") or taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs"), or such REITs may themselves constitute TMPs. Under an IRS notice, and Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of the Fund's income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT's residual interest in a REMIC or a TMP (referred to in the IRC as an "excess inclusion") will be subject to federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a RIC, such as the Fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or invested in the TMP directly. As a result, the Fund may not be a suitable investment for certain tax-exempt shareholders, including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan and other tax-exempt entities. See "Tax-Exempt Shareholders."

Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that the Fund properly reports as "section 199A dividends," as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. Non-corporate shareholders are permitted a federal income tax deduction equal to 20% of qualified REIT dividends received by them, subject to certain limitations. Generally, a "section 199A dividend" is any dividend or portion thereof that is attributable to certain dividends received by a RIC from the REITs it holds, to the extent such dividends are properly reported as such by the RIC in a written notice to its shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.

**DISTRIBUTIONS.** Distributions paid out of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined at the end of the year), whether reinvested in additional shares or paid in cash, are generally taxable and must be reported by each shareholder who is required to file a federal income tax return except in the case of certain tax-exempt shareholders. Distributions in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, as computed for federal income tax purposes, will first be treated as a return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares and then as capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as a capital asset. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder's tax basis in the shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by a shareholder of the Fund's shares. Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or receive them in additional shares.

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment company taxable income are generally taxable as ordinary income, and distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions designated by the Fund as "capital gain dividends" (distributions from the excess of net long-term capital gain over short-term capital losses) will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time they have held their shares of the Fund. Such dividends do not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction described below.

Non-corporate shareholders of the Fund may be eligible for the long-term capital gain tax rate applicable to distributions of "qualified dividend income" received by such non-corporate shareholders. The maximum long-term capital gains tax rate is 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). The Fund's distribution will be treated as qualified dividend income and therefore eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rate to the extent that it receives dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding periods and other requirements are met. A corporate shareholder of the Fund may be eligible for the dividends received deduction with respect to the Fund's distributions attributable to dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations, which, if received directly by the corporate shareholder, would qualify for such a deduction. For eligible corporate shareholders, the dividends received deduction may be subject to certain reductions, and a distribution by the Fund attributable to dividends of a domestic corporation will be eligible for the deduction only if certain holding period and other requirements are met. If the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement, dividends paid while the shares are held by the borrower may not be qualified dividend income and may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax applies to net investment income including interest (excluding, tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.

The Fund will furnish a statement to shareholders providing the federal income tax status of its dividends and distributions including the portion of such dividends, if any, that qualifies as long-term capital gain.

Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement distributions and certain prohibited transactions, is accorded to accounts maintained as qualified retirement plans. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers for more information.**

**PURCHASES OF FUND SHARES.** Prior to purchasing shares in the Fund, the impact of dividends or distributions which are expected to be or have been declared, but not paid, should be carefully considered. Any dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of such shares of the Fund prior to the record date will have the effect of reducing the per share net asset value by the per share amount of the dividend or distribution, and to the extent the distribution consists of the Fund's taxable income, the purchasing shareholder will be taxed on the taxable portion of the dividend or distribution received even though some or all of the amount distributed is effectively a return of capital. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

**SALES, EXCHANGES OR REDEMPTIONS.** Upon the disposition of shares of the Fund (whether by redemption, sale or exchange), a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the shares. The capital gain will be long-term if the shares were held for more than 12 months and short-term if held for 12 months or less. If a shareholder sells or exchanges shares of the Fund within 90 days of having acquired such shares and if, before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the sale or exchange, as a result of having initially acquired those shares, the shareholder subsequently pays a reduced sales charge on a new purchase of shares of the Fund, the sales charge previously incurred in acquiring the Fund's shares generally shall not be taken into account (to the extent the previous sales charges do not exceed the reduction in sales charges on the new purchase) for the purpose of determining the amount of gain or loss on the disposition, but generally will be treated as having been incurred in the new purchase. Any loss realized on a disposition will be disallowed under the "wash sale" rules to the extent that the shares disposed of by the shareholder are replaced by the shareholder within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends received by the shareholder with respect to such shares. Capital losses are generally deductible only against capital gains except that individuals may deduct up to $3,000 of capital losses against ordinary income.

The 3.8% Medicare contribution tax (applied as described above) will apply to gains from the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund.

**BACKUP WITHHOLDING.** The Fund generally is required to withhold, and remit to the U.S. Treasury, subject to certain exemptions, an amount equal to 24% of all distributions and redemption proceeds paid or credited to a shareholder of the Fund if (i) the shareholder fails to furnish the Fund with the correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") certified under penalties of perjury, (ii) the shareholder fails to provide a certified statement that the shareholder is not subject to "backup withholding," or (iii) the IRS or a broker has notified the Fund that the number furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report interest or dividend income. If the backup withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions or proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.

**STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.** State and local laws often differ from federal income tax laws with respect to the treatment of specific items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit. This summary discussion does not address the state and local income taxes applicable to a shareholder.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the state and local tax rules affecting investments in the Fund.**

**NON-U.S. SHAREHOLDERS.** Distributions made to non-U.S. shareholders attributable to net investment income generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding at a 30% rate (or such lower rate provided under an applicable income tax treaty). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution described above is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States), federal income tax withholding and exemptions attributable to foreign persons will not apply. Instead, the distribution will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable U.S. tax rate (currently 37% in the case of individuals and 21% in the case of corporations) and the non-U.S. shareholders will be subject to the federal income tax reporting requirements generally applicable to U.S. persons described above.

Under U.S. federal tax law, a non-U.S. shareholder is not, in general, subject to federal income tax or withholding tax on capital gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of the Fund, or on capital gains dividends, provided that the Fund obtains a properly completed and signed certificate of foreign status, unless (i) such gains or distributions are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States of the non-U.S. shareholder); (ii) in the case of an individual non-U.S. shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the shares of the Fund constitute U.S. real property interests ("USRPIs"), as described below.

Under current law, if the Fund is considered to be a "United States Real Property Holding Corporation" (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), then the distributions attributable to certain underlying REIT investments and redemption proceeds paid to a non-U.S. shareholder that owns at least 5% of the Fund, generally will cause the non-U.S. shareholder to treat such gain or distribution as income effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States, subject such gain or distribution to withholding tax, and cause the non-U.S. shareholder to be required to file a federal income tax return. In addition, in any year where at least 50% of the Fund's assets are USRPIs (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), distributions of the Fund that are attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of shares in USRPIs may be subject to U.S. withholding tax (regardless of such shareholder's percentage interest in the Fund) and may require the non-U.S. shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to receive a refund (if any) of the withheld amount.

Subject to the additional rules described herein, federal income tax withholding will apply to distributions attributable to dividends and other investment income distributed by the Fund. The federal income tax withholding rate may be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. shareholder's country of residence or incorporation. In order to qualify for treaty benefits, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign status (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN). **All non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

Pursuant to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"), a 30% withholding tax generally is imposed on payments of interest and dividends to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless the foreign financial institution or foreign entity provides the withholding agent with documentation sufficient to show that it is compliant with FATCA (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). If the payment is subject to the 30% withholding tax under FATCA, a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to the 30% withholding tax described above on the same income. Under proposed regulations, FATCA withholding on the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gain distributions, scheduled to take effect beginning January 1, 2019, has been eliminated. Such proposed regulations are subject to change.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of this reporting and withholding regime to their own tax situation.**

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**FOREIGN BANK AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS AND FOREIGN FINANCIAL ASSETS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.** A shareholder that owns directly or indirectly more than 50% by vote or value of the Fund, is urged and advised to consult its own tax adviser regarding its filing obligations with respect to IRS Form FinCEN 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

Also, under enacted rules, subject to exceptions, individuals (and, to the extent provided in forthcoming future U.S. Treasury regulations, certain domestic entities) must report annually their interests in "specified foreign financial assets" on their U.S. federal income tax returns. It is currently unclear whether and under what circumstances shareholders would be required to report their indirect interests in the Fund's "specified foreign financial assets" (if any) under these new rules.

Shareholders may be subject to substantial penalties for failure to comply with these reporting requirements. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether these reporting requirements are applicable to them.**

**TAX-EXEMPT SHAREHOLDERS.** A tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") by virtue of its investment in the Fund as a result of the Fund's investments and if shares in the Fund constitute debt financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).

It is possible that a tax-exempt shareholder of the Fund will also recognize UBTI if the Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" (as described above) derived from direct or indirect investments in REMIC residual interests or TMPs. Furthermore, any investment in a residual interest of a CMO that has elected to be treated as a REMIC can create complex tax consequences, especially if the Fund has state or local governments or other tax-exempt organizations as shareholders.

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or in TMPs.

**Tax-exempt shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**TAX SHELTER REPORTING REGULATIONS.** Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

**TAX BASIS INFORMATION.** For shares of the Fund that are redeemed, your financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) will report gains and losses realized on redemptions of shares for shareholders who are individuals and S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This information will also be reported to a shareholder on Form 1099-B and the IRS each year. In calculating the gain or loss on redemptions of shares, the average cost method will be used to determine the cost basis of the Fund's shares purchased after January 1, 2012 unless the shareholder instructs the Fund in writing that the shareholder wants to use another available method for cost basis reporting (for example, First In, First Out (FIFO), Last In, First Out (LIFO), Specific Lot Identification (SLID) or High Cost, First Out (HCFO)). If the shareholder designated SLID as the shareholder's tax cost basis method, the shareholder will also need to designate a secondary cost basis method (Secondary Method). If a Secondary Method is not provided, the Fund will designate FIFO as the Secondary Method and will use the Secondary Method with respect to systematic withdrawals that are made.

A shareholder's financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) is also required to report gains and losses to the IRS in connection with redemptions of shares by S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012. If a shareholder is a corporation and has not instructed the Fund that it is a C corporation in its Account Application or by written instruction, the Fund will treat the shareholder as an S corporation and file a Form 1099-B.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**This summary is provided for general information only and should not be considered tax advice or relied on by an investor.** 

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**

The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Fund's financial statements, included in [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm), for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025 (the "Annual Report") are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The 2025 financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report thereon is also incorporated herein by reference. No other parts of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, are incorporated by reference herein. Copies of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Trust at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 or calling the Trust at (888) 678-6024 or on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/small-company-growth-fund*.

**APPENDIX A**

**DESCRIPTION OF Securities RATINGS**

**Description of Ratings**

The following descriptions of securities ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P Global Ratings"), and Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"), respectively.

**Description of Moody's Global Ratings**

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned for obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

**Description of Moody's Global Long-Term Ratings**

 **Aaa** Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal risk.

**Aa** Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

**A** Obligations rated A are considered upper medium-grade and are subject to low credit risk.

**Baa** Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba** Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

**B** Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

 **Caa** Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

**Ca** Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

**C** Obligations rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal and interest.

*Note*: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**Hybrid Indicator (hyb)**

The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

**Description of Moody's Global Short-Term Ratings**

 **P-1** Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-2** Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

 **P-3** Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

**NP** Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's U.S. Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings**

The Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale is used to rate U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.

Moody's U.S. municipal short-term obligation ratings are as follows:

**MIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

**MIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

**MIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

**Description of Moody's Demand Obligation Ratings**

For variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), Moody's assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer's ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders ("on demand") and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer's long-term rating drops below investment grade. Please see their methodology that discusses obligations with conditional liquidity support.

For VRDOs, they typically assign a VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years, but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned, and it is denoted as "NR".

Moody's demand obligation ratings are as follows:

**VMIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Issue Credit Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings' view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P Global Ratings would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings S&P Global Ratings assigns to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings' analysis of the following considerations:

● The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

● The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P Global Ratings imputes; and

● The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

NR indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings\***

**AAA** An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

**AA** An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

**A** An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

**BBB** An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**BB; B; CCC; CC; and C** Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

**BB** An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CCC** An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

\* Ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

**CC** An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

**C** An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

**D** An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings**

**A-1** A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.

**A-2** A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

**A-3** A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

**C** A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**D** A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings' opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings' analysis will review the following considerations:

● Amortization schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

● Source of payment—the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P Global Ratings' municipal short-term note ratings are as follows:

**SP-1** Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

**SP-2** Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

**SP-3** Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

**D** 'D' is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

**Description of Fitch's Credit Ratings**

Fitch's credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issue level ratings are assigned and often include an expectation of recovery and may be notched above or below the issuer level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation).

Fitch's credit rating scale for issuers and issues is expressed using the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade) with an additional +/- for AA through CCC levels indicating relative differences of probability of default or recovery for issues. The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. Investment grade categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the speculative categories signal either a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

Fitch may also disclose issues relating to a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated. Such issues are also denoted as 'NR' on its web page.

Fitch's credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. Credit ratings do not deal with the risk of market value loss due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and/or other market considerations. However, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay or refinance a financial commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of payments linked to performance of an equity index).

Note: The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' ratings and ratings below the 'CCC' category. For the short-term rating category of 'F1', a '+' may be appended.

 **Description of Fitch's Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Ratings**

**AAA** Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA** Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A** High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB** Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

**BB** Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

**B** Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

 **CCC** Substantial credit risk. 'CCC' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present, and default is a real possibility.

 **CC** Very high levels of credit risk. 'CC' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk and default of some kind appears probable.

**C** Near Default. 'C' ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk. A default or default-like process has begun, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired.

Ratings in the categories of 'CCC', 'CC' and 'C' can also relate to obligations or issuers that are in default. In this case, the rating does not opine on default risk but reflects the recovery expectation only.

Corporate Finance defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'RD' or 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'CCC' to 'C' rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

**Description of Fitch's Short-Term Ratings**

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Fitch's short-term ratings are as follows:

**F1** Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Under the agency's National Rating scale, this rating is assigned to the lowest default risk relative to others in the same country or monetary union. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a "+" is added to the assigned rating.

**F2** Good short-term credit quality. Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

 **F3** Fair short-term credit quality. Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**B** Speculative short-term credit quality. Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

 **C** High short-term default risk. Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

 **RD** Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

**D** Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

**APPENDIX B**

**PROXY VOTING POLICY**

**Proxy Voting Disclosure**

Polen Capital Management, LLC and/or Polen Capital UK LLP (collectively, the "Firm" or "Polen Capital") will accept discretionary authority over a client's proxy if the Firm has discretionary authority over the client's advisory account and the advisory contract does not expressly state that the Firm will not be voting proxies or the client does not retain voting authority. The Firm currently has client accounts over which it has proxy voting authority.

The Firm exercises proxy voting to fulfill its fiduciary duty and directly influence corporate policy in a way that the Firm believes will maximize shareholder value. The investment teams are responsible for proxy voting and undertake close review and consideration of all proxy votes for governance matters and shareholder proposal issues.

The Firm utilizes a third party service provider (currently Institutional Shareholder Services or "ISS") for research and recommendations on proxy issues facilitating the processing of the Firm's ultimate selections for each proxy vote. The Firm specifically uses ISS's Sustainability Voting Guidelines currently, which we believe generally supports positive corporate ESG actions that promote practices that present new opportunities or mitigate related financial and reputational risks.

In voting proxies, the Firm currently consults ISS's Sustainability Voting Guidelines but makes an independent decision for each vote. If the Firm disagrees with ISS's recommendation, the reasons are documented internally.

Additional information about ISS and the ISS Sustainability Voting Guidelines is available at http://www.issgovernance.com/policy.

The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital has been delegated the authority for ensuring voting decisions are documented in accordance with these policies and ensuring there are processes in place to facilitate the voting of proxies in a timely manner.

Polen Capital relies on ISS to maintain proxy statements and records of proxy votes cast and can provide a client with an annual proxy voting summary upon request.

The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital maintains a list of those companies which issue publicly traded securities and with which the Firm (or its affiliates) has such a relationship that proxies presented with respect to those companies may be perceived to give rise to a conflict of interest between the Firm and its clients. Examples of such a relationship include:

● Companies affiliated with directors, or immediate family members of directors of the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm;

● Companies affiliated with officers, or immediate family members of officers of the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm; and

● Companies that maintain significant business relationships with the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm, or with which the Firm or an affiliate of the Firm is actively seeking a significant business relationship.

In addition, any proxy vote that would result in increased compensation to the Firm or an affiliate due to increased or additional fees or other charges to be paid by the client, would also be considered a vote where the Firm has a conflict of interest. The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital will determine, based on a review of the issues raised by the conflict of interest, the nature of the potential conflict and, most importantly, given the Firm's commitment to voting proxies in the best interests of client accounts, how the proxy will be handled. The Chief Compliance Officer will perform one of the following duties as a result:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Disclose the conflict to the client(s), providing sufficient information regarding the matter and the nature of the Firm's conflict, and obtaining consent before voting;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Employ ISS to advise in the voting of the proxy;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Employ ISS to vote the proxy on behalf of the Firm and its clients; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Decline to vote the proxy because of the cost of addressing the potential conflict of interest is greater than the benefit to the clients of voting the proxy.

To request a copy of how a proxy was voted please contact compliance@polencapital.com.

![](pro-pgeix_001.jpg)

**Polen Emerging Markets**

**Growth Fund**

Institutional Class PGEIX Investor Class PGERX

*a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

**PROSPECTUS**

September 1, 2025

**These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.**

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[Fund Summary](#pro-pgeix_001)** | **1** |
| **[More Information about the Fund's Investment Objective, Strategies and Risks](#pro-pgeix_002)** | **8** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Objective](#pro-pgeix_003) | 8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Information about the Fund's Investment Strategies](#pro-pgeix_004) | 8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Principal Risks](#pro-pgeix_005) | 8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Risks](#pro-pgeix_006) | 12 |
| **[More Information about Management of the Fund](#pro-pgeix_007)** | **13** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Adviser](#pro-pgeix_008) | 13 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Portfolio Managers](#pro-pgeix_009) | 13 |
| **[Shareholder Information](#pro-pgeix_010)** | **14** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Pricing of Shares](#pro-pgeix_011) | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Purchase of Shares](#pro-pgeix_012) | 15 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Open an Account](#pro-pgeix_013) | 16 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Add to an Account](#pro-pgeix_014) | 17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Redemption of Shares](#pro-pgeix_015) | 20 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Redeem from Your Account](#pro-pgeix_016) | 21 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Transaction Policies](#pro-pgeix_017) | 22 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchanging Into Other Share Classes](#pro-pgeix_018) | 23 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchanging Into Other Polen Funds](#pro-pgeix_024) | 23 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Shareholder Services](#pro-pgeix_019) | 24 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributions](#pro-pgeix_020) | 24 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[More Information about Taxes](#pro-pgeix_021) | 25 |
| **[Financial Highlights](#pro-pgeix_022)** | **27** |
| **[For More Information](#pro-pgeix_023)** | **Back Cover** |

---

**FUND SUMMARY**

**POLEN EMERGING MARKETS GROWTH FUND**

**Investment Objective**

Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund (the "Fund") seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital.

**Fees and Expenses**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** |
|  | **Investor <br> Class** | **Institutional <br> Class** |
| Management Fees | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Fees | 0.25% |  |
| Other Expenses | 0.94% | 0.94% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses** | **2.19%** | **1.94%** |
| Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.69)% | (0.69)% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement<sup>1</sup>** | **1.50%** | **1.25%** |

---

<sup>1</sup> Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses (excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by FundVantage Trust (the "Trust"), interest and other costs of borrowing, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.25% (on an annual basis) with respect to the Fund's average daily net assets (the "Expense Limitation"). The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, any fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed for a three-year period following the date of such fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of reimbursement. No recoupment will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation amount.

**Example**

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares of the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (reflecting any contractual fee waivers). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Investor Class | $153 | $618 | $1110 | $2467 |
| Institutional Class | $127 | $542 | $982 | $2206 |

---

**Portfolio Turnover**

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 31% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Summary of Principal Investment Strategies**

The Fund typically invests in a portfolio of common stocks of companies in emerging markets that, in the view of the Adviser, have a sustainable competitive advantage. Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings made for investment purposes), at the time of initial purchase, in equity or equity-related securities of issuers that: (i) have their principal securities trading market in an emerging country; (ii) alone or on a consolidated basis derive 50% or more of their annual revenue from goods produced, sales made or services performed in emerging countries; or (iii) are organized under the laws of, and have a principal office in, an emerging country. The Fund may also invest in depositary receipts of issuers described in (i), (ii), and (iii) above, or in exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") that invest in an emerging country or countries. This 80% policy may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.

"Emerging countries" include those countries currently considered to be an emerging or developing country by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, the United Nations, or the countries' authorities, and all countries represented in any widely-recognized index of emerging market securities. Typically, emerging markets are in countries that are in the process of industrialization, with lower gross national products (GNP) than more developed countries.

The Adviser uses intensive fundamental research processes to identify companies that it believes have certain attractive characteristics, which typically reflect an underlying competitive advantage. Those characteristics include: (i) consistent and sustainable high return on capital; (ii) strong earnings growth and free cash flow generation; (iii) strong balance sheets and; (iv) competent and shareholder-oriented management teams. The Fund invests in companies that the Adviser believes have a sustainable competitive advantage within an industry with high barriers to entry.

The Adviser believes that consistent earnings growth is the primary driver of intrinsic value growth and long-term stock price appreciation. Accordingly, the Adviser focuses on identifying and investing in a concentrated portfolio of high-quality growth companies that it believes have a competitive advantage and can deliver sustainable, above-average earnings growth. The Adviser integrates material environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into research analysis as part of a comprehensive evaluation of a company's long-term financial sustainability. The Adviser believes that such companies not only have the potential to contribute greater returns to the Fund, but also may hold less risk of loss of capital.

The Fund is non-diversified, which means that a significant portion of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of a single or small number of companies and/or in a more limited number of sectors than a diversified mutual fund. Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, the Fund may focus its investments from time to time in one or more sectors of the economy or stock market.

The Fund will usually sell a security if, in the view of the Adviser, there is a potential threat to the company's competitive advantage or a degradation in its prospects for strong, long-term earnings growth. The Adviser may also sell a security if it is believed by the Adviser to be overvalued or if a more attractive investment opportunity exists. Although the Adviser may purchase and then sell a security in a shorter period of time, the Adviser typically invests in securities with the expectation of holding those investments on a long term basis.

A portion of the Fund's assets may be held in cash or cash equivalent instruments, including, but not limited to, short term investment funds and/or U.S. Government securities. These cash or cash equivalent holdings may serve as collateral for the positions the Fund takes and also may earn income for the Fund.

**Summary of Principal Risks**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor and the relative significance of each risk below may change over time. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value ("NAV"), yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not be a suitable investment for all investors.

● **Emerging Markets Risk:** Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging securities markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets. U.S. securities and accounting regulatory agencies continue to express concern regarding information access and audit quality regarding issuers in China and other emerging market countries, which could present heightened risks associated with investments in these markets.

● **Currency Risk:** The risk that foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar and affect the Fund's investments in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, or in derivatives that provide exposure to, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies.

● **Equity Securities Risk:** Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition and overall market and economic conditions.

● **Foreign Economy Risk:** The economies of certain foreign markets often do not compare favorably with that of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of payments position. Certain such economies may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures.

● **Governmental Supervision and Regulation/Accounting Standards Risk:** Many foreign governments supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities less than does the United States. Some countries may not have laws to protect investors comparable to the U.S. securities laws. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as U.S. accounting standards, it may be harder for Fund management to completely and accurately determine a company's financial condition.

● **Foreign Securities Risk:** The risk that investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Fund experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to less liquid markets, and adverse economic, political, diplomatic, financial, and regulatory factors. Foreign governments also may impose limits on investment and repatriation and impose taxes. Any of these events could cause the value of the Fund's investments to decline.

● **Geographic Concentration Risk:** From time to time the Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in issuers located in a limited number of countries. If the Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the risk that economic, political and social conditions in those countries will have a significant impact on its investment performance. The Fund's investment performance may also be more volatile if it concentrates its investments in certain countries, especially emerging market countries.

**●** **Growth Style Risk:** Growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are generally more sensitive to investor perceptions and market movements. In addition, growth stocks as a group may be out of favor at times and underperform the overall equity market for long periods while the market concentrates on other types of stocks, such as "value" stocks.

**●** **Management Risk:** The risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by the investment adviser, including but not limited to the Adviser's integration of ESG factors into its research analysis, will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment adviser and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Fund. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Fund will be achieved.

● **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning

such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

● **China Risk:** Investing in Chinese securities is riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Investing in China involves risk of loss due to nationalization, expropriation, and confiscation of assets and property. Losses may also occur due to new or expanded restrictions on foreign investments or repatriation of capital. Participants in the Chinese market are subject to less regulation and oversight than participants in the U.S. market. This may lead to trading volatility, difficulty in the settlement and recording of transactions, and uncertainty in interpreting and applying laws and regulations. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of tariffs or other trade barriers, or a downturn in the economies of any of China's key trading partners may adversely affect the securities of Chinese issuers. Regional conflict could also have an adverse effect on the Chinese economy.

● **Mid-Cap Risk:** Medium-sized companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk.

● **Non-Diversification Risk:** Because the Fund is non-diversified and may invest a larger portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified fund, an investment in the Fund could fluctuate in value more than an investment in a diversified fund.

● **Opportunity Risk:** The risk of missing out on an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in less advantageous investments.

● **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

● **Settlement Risk:** Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the United States. Foreign settlement procedures and trade regulations also may involve certain risks (such as delays in payment for or delivery of securities) not typically generated by the settlement of U.S. investments. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a sale of securities, it may lose money if the value of the security then declines or, if it has contracted to sell the security to another party, the Fund could be liable to that party for any losses incurred. Dividends or interest on, or proceeds from the sale of, foreign securities may be subject to foreign taxes on income from sources in such countries.

● **Small-Cap Risk:** The risk that securities of small-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies. Generally the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. Small-capitalization companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent upon a small or inexperienced management group and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs.

● **Valuation Risk:** The risk that the Fund has valued certain of its securities at a higher price than it can sell them.

● **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such

consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

**Performance Information**

The bar chart and the performance table illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in Institutional Class shares of the Fund for the past four calendar years and show how the Fund's average annual total returns for one year, and since inception, before and after taxes, compare with those of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net Dividend), a broad measure of market performance. Total returns would have been lower had certain fees and expenses not been waived or reimbursed. Past performance, both before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/global-emerging-markets-growth-strategy* or by calling the Fund toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

![](pro-pgeix_002.jpg)

Calendar Year-to-Date Total Return as of June 30, 2025: 14.75%

During the periods shown in the chart:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best Quarter** | **Worst Quarter** |
| 13.06% | (15.47)% |
| (December 31, 2022) | (March 31, 2022) |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund — Institutional Class Shares<br> Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **Since <br> Inception <br> October 16, 2020** |
| Return Before Taxes | 4.45% | (4.15)% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 4.59% | (4.05)% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares<sup>1</sup> | 2.86% | (3.00)%<sup>1</sup> |
| MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net Dividend) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>2</sup> | 13.12% | 3.99% |

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<sup>1</sup> The "Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares" is higher than the "Return Before Taxes" and the "Return After Taxes on Distributions" because of realized losses that would have been sustained upon the sale of Fund shares immediately after the relevant periods.

<sup>2</sup> The MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net Dividend) captures large and mid-cap representation across 24 Emerging Market Countries. With 1,377 constituents, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index (Net Dividend) covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown and are not relevant if you hold your shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns shown are for Institutional Class shares; after-tax returns for Investor Class shares will vary.

**Management of the Fund**

**Investment Adviser**

Polen Capital Management, LLC serves as the Fund's investment adviser.

**Portfolio Managers**

**Damian Bird, CFA,** Head of Team, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception. He has been a member of Polen Capital's Emerging Markets Growth Team since joining Polen Capital's UK-based participating affiliate in 2019.

**Dafydd Lewis, CFA,** Portfolio Manager and Analyst, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since April 2021. He has been a member of Polen Capital's Emerging Markets Growth Team since joining Polen Capital's UK-based participating affiliate in 2021.

**Kumar Pandit, CFA,** Portfolio Manager and Analyst, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since December 2024. He has been a member of Polen Capital's Emerging Markets Growth Team since joining Polen Capital's UK-based participating affiliate in 2024.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** |
| **Account Type** | **Minimum** | **Institutional <br> Class** | **Investor <br> Class** |
| Regular Accounts | Initial Investment | $100000 | $3000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $0 | $100 |
| Individual Retirement Accounts | Initial Investment | $100000 | $2000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $0 | $100 |
| Automatic Investment Plan | Initial Investment | $100000 | $2000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $0 | $100 |

---

You can only purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on days the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open and through the means described below.

**Purchase or Redemption by Mail:**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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**Purchase by Wire:**

Please contact Fund shareholder services ("Shareholder Services") toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for current wire instructions.

**Redemption by Telephone:**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**Tax Information**

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Such distributions are not currently taxable when shares are held through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. However, subsequent withdrawals from any tax-deferred account in which the shares are held may be subject to federal income tax.

**Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and/or for related services to shareholders. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S<br> INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, STRATEGIES AND RISKS**

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE**

The Fund seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital. Although no change is anticipated, the Fund's investment objective may be changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S INVESTMENT STRATEGIES**

The Fund's principal investment strategies are discussed in the "Fund Summary" section. Principal investment strategies are those that the Adviser will use on a day-to-day basis to achieve the Fund's investment objective. This section provides more information about these strategies, as well as information about some additional strategies that the Fund's Adviser uses, or may use, to achieve the Fund's objective. Additional information about these investment strategies and practices and related risks is also provided in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"). The Fund may also use strategies and invest in securities that are not described in this Prospectus, but that are described in the Fund's SAI. The investments and strategies discussed below are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions.

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"). At times, the Fund may be required to segregate or earmark certain assets determined to be liquid by the investment adviser (generally, short-term investment grade fixed income securities) to cover borrowings.

The investments and strategies discussed above are those that the investment adviser will use under normal market conditions. The Fund also may use other strategies and engage in other investment practices, which are described in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").

In anticipation of or in response to adverse market or other conditions or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, the Fund may temporarily hold all or a portion of its assets in U.S. Government securities, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents. The investment adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures. Under such conditions, the Fund may not invest in accordance with its investment objective or principal investment strategy and may not achieve its investment objective.

**PRINCIPAL RISKS**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value, yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.

● **Emerging Markets Risk:** The risks of foreign investments are usually much greater for emerging markets. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Emerging markets include those in countries defined as emerging or developing by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation or the United Nations. Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. They are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets. Since these markets are often small, they may be more likely to suffer sharp and frequent price changes or long-term price depression because of adverse publicity, investor perceptions or the actions of a few large investors. In addition, traditional measures of investment value used in the United States, such as price to earnings ratios, may not apply to certain small markets. Also, there may be less publicly available information about issuers in emerging markets than would be available about issuers in more developed capital markets, and such issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those to which U.S. companies are subject.

Many emerging markets have histories of political instability and abrupt changes in policies. As a result, their governments are more likely to take actions that are hostile or detrimental to private enterprise or foreign investment than those of more developed countries, including expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, high rates of inflation or unfavorable diplomatic developments. In the past, governments of such nations have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and most claims of the property owners have never been fully settled. There is no assurance that such expropriations will not reoccur. In such an event, it is possible that a Fund could lose the entire value of its investments in the affected market. Some countries

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| |
|:---|
| have pervasiveness of corruption and crime that may hinder investments. Certain emerging markets may also face other significant internal or external risks, including the risk of war, and ethnic, religious and racial conflicts. In addition, governments in many emerging market countries participate to a significant degree in their economies and securities markets, which may impair investment and economic growth. National policies that may limit a Fund's investment opportunities include restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests. |
| Emerging markets may also have differing legal systems and the existence or possible imposition of exchange controls, custodial restrictions or other foreign or U.S. governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such investments. Sometimes, they may lack or be in the relatively early development of legal structures governing private and foreign investments and private property. In addition to withholding taxes on investment income, some countries with emerging markets may impose differential capital gains taxes on foreign investors. |

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Practices in relation to settlement of securities transactions in emerging markets involve higher risks than those in developed markets, in part because the Funds will need to use brokers and counterparties that are less well capitalized, and custody and registration of assets in some countries may be unreliable. The possibility of fraud, negligence, undue influence being exerted by the issuer or refusal to recognize ownership exists in some emerging markets, and, along with other factors, could result in ownership registration being completely lost. A Fund would absorb any loss resulting from such registration problems and may have no successful claim for compensation. In addition, communications between the United States and emerging market countries may be unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates.

**●** **Equity Securities Risk:** Common and preferred stocks represent equity ownership in a company. Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities will fluctuate and can decline and reduce the value of a portfolio investing in equities. The value of equity securities purchased by the Fund could decline if the financial condition of the companies the Fund invests in decline or if overall market and economic conditions deteriorate. They may also decline due to factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or an increase in production costs and competitive

conditions within an industry. In addition, they may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a company or industry, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or generally adverse investor sentiment.

**●** **Foreign Economy Risk:** The economies of certain foreign markets may not compare favorably with the economy of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of payments position. Certain foreign economies may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets or the imposition of punitive taxes. In addition, the governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investments in their capital markets or in certain industries. Any of these actions could severely affect securities prices or impair the Fund's ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer the Fund's assets or income back into the United States, or otherwise adversely affect the Fund's operations.

● **Foreign Securities Risk:** Securities traded in foreign markets have often (though not always) performed differently from securities traded in the United States. However, such investments often involve special risks not present in U.S. investments that can increase the chances that a Fund will lose money. In particular, a Fund is subject to the risk that because there may be fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of securities traded each day, it may be more difficult for a Fund to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. In addition, prices of foreign securities may go up and down more than prices of securities traded in the United States.

● **Geographic Concentration Risk:** From time to time, the Fund may invest a substantial amount of its assets in issuers located in a limited number of countries. If the Fund concentrates its investments in this manner, it assumes the risk that economic, political and social conditions in those countries will have a significant impact on its investment

performance. The Fund's investment performance may also be more volatile if it concentrates its investments in certain countries, especially emerging market countries.

**●** **Governmental Supervision and Regulation/ Accounting Standards:** Many foreign governments do not supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities to the same extent as such regulations exist in the United States. They also may not have laws to protect investors that are comparable to U.S. securities laws. For example, some foreign countries may have no laws or rules against insider trading. Insider trading occurs when a person buys or sells a company's securities based on material non-public information about that company. In addition, some countries may have legal systems that may make it difficult for the Fund to vote proxies, exercise shareholder rights, and pursue legal remedies with respect to their foreign investments. Accounting standards in other countries are not necessarily the same as in the United States. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as U.S. accounting standards, it may be harder for Fund management to completely and accurately determine a company's financial condition.

**●** **Growth Style Risk:** Growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are generally more sensitive to investor perceptions and market movements. In addition, growth stocks as a group may be out of favor at times and underperform the overall equity market for long periods while the market concentrates on other types of stocks, such as "value" stocks.

● **Currency Risk:** Securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests may be denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. For this reason, changes in foreign currency exchange rates can affect the value of the Fund's portfolio.

Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency loses value because the currency is worth fewer U.S. dollars. Conversely, when the U.S. dollar decreases in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency gains value because the currency is worth more U.S. dollars. This risk, generally known as "currency risk," means that a strong U.S. dollar will reduce returns for U.S. investors while a weak U.S. dollar will increase those returns.

Other potential foreign market risks include foreign exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on foreign government securities, difficulties in enforcing legal judgments in foreign courts and political and social instability. Diplomatic and political developments, including rapid and adverse political changes, social instability, regional conflicts, terrorism and war, could affect the economies, industries and securities and currency markets, and the value of a Fund's investments, in non-U.S. countries. These factors are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to predict and take into account with respect to a Fund's investments.

● **Management Risk:** The risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by the investment adviser, including but not limited to the Adviser's integration of ESG factors into its research analysis, will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment adviser and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Fund. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Fund will be achieved.

● **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

● **China Risk:** Investing in Chinese securities is riskier than investing in U.S. securities. Investing in China involves risk of loss due to nationalization, expropriation, and confiscation of assets and

property. Losses may also occur due to new or expanded restrictions on foreign investments or repatriation of capital. Participants in the Chinese market are subject to less regulation and oversight than participants in the U.S. market. This may lead to trading volatility, difficulty in the settlement and recording of transactions, and uncertainty in interpreting and applying laws and regulations. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, institution of tariffs or other trade barriers, or a downturn in the economies of any of China's key trading partners may adversely affect the securities of Chinese issuers. Regional conflict could also have an adverse effect on the Chinese economy.

The U.S. government may occasionally place restrictions on investments in Chinese companies. For example, in November 2020, an Executive Order was issued that prohibits U.S. persons from purchasing or investing in certain publicly-traded securities of companies identified as "Communist Chinese military companies" or in instruments that are designed to provide investment exposure to those companies. The companies identified may change from time to time. A fund may incur losses if more investors attempt to sell such securities or if the fund is unable to participate in an otherwise attractive investment. Securities that are or become prohibited may become less liquid and their market prices may decline. In addition, the market for securities of other Chinese-based issuers may also be negatively impacted, resulting in reduced liquidity and price declines.

● **Non-Diversification Risk:** Because the Fund is non-diversified and may invest a larger portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified fund, an investment in the Fund could fluctuate in value more than an investment in a diversified fund.

● **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

● **Settlement Risk:** Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the United States. Foreign settlement and clearance procedures and trade

regulations also may involve certain risks (such as delays in payment for or delivery of securities) not typically associated with the settlement of U.S. investments.

 At times, settlements in certain foreign countries have not kept pace with the number of securities transactions. These problems may make it difficult for the Funds to carry out transactions. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a purchase of securities, they may miss attractive investment opportunities and certain of their assets may be uninvested with no return earned thereon for some period. If the Fund cannot settle or are delayed in settling a sale of securities, they may lose money if the value of the security then declines or, if it has contracted to sell the security to another party, the Fund could be liable for any losses incurred.

● **Small-Cap Risk:** The risk that securities of small-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies. Generally the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. Small-capitalization companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent upon a small or inexperienced management group and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs.

● **Opportunity Risk:** Opportunity risk is the risk of missing out on an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in less advantageous investments.

● **Valuation Risk:** Valuation risk is the risk that a Fund has valued certain of its securities at a higher price than it can sell them.

● **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions.

Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

**OTHER RISKS**

In addition to the principal risks described above, the Fund may also be subject to the following additional risks.

**●** **Certain Risks of Holding Fund Assets Outside the United States:** The Fund generally holds foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories. Some foreign banks and securities depositories may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In addition, there may be limited or no regulatory oversight of their operations. Also, the laws of certain countries limit the Fund's ability to recover its assets if a foreign bank, depository or issuer of a security, or any of their agents, goes bankrupt. In addition, it is often more expensive for the Fund to buy, sell and hold securities in certain foreign markets than in the

United States. The increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments and typically results in a higher operating expense ratio for the Fund than for investment companies invested only in the United States.

● **Cyber Security Risk:** As part of its business, the Adviser processes, stores and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Fund. The Adviser and the Fund may be susceptible to operational and information security risk. Cyber security failures or breaches of the Adviser or the Fund's other service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of the Fund's shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties and/or reputational damage. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

**Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings**

A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI, which is available, free of charge, by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 and on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/global-emerging-markets-growth-strategy*. The SAI may also be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") website at *www.sec.gov*.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND**

The Trust's Board of Trustees supervises the management, activities and affairs of the Fund and has approved contracts with various organizations to provide, among other services, the day-to-day management required by the Fund and its shareholders.

**INVESTMENT ADVISERS**

Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Polen Capital was founded in 1979 and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Capital had approximately $46.7 billion in assets under management. Polen Capital, subject to the general oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objective, policies and limitations. For its services as Adviser to the Fund, Polen Capital is entitled to receive an investment advisory fee of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, after fee waivers and expense reimbursements, Polen Capital received an aggregate investment advisory fee as a percentage of net assets of 0.31%.

In rendering investment advisory services to the Fund, the Adviser may use the portfolio management, research and other resources of a foreign (non-U.S.) affiliate of Polen Capital, Polen Capital UK LLP ("Polen Capital UK"), which may provide services to the Fund through a "*participating affiliate*" arrangement, as that term is used in relief granted by the staff of the SEC. Under this relief, U.S. registered investment advisers are allowed to use portfolio management or research resources of advisory affiliates subject to the regulatory supervision of the U.S. registered investment adviser.

A discussion of the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment management agreement between Polen Capital and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, is available in the Fund's Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2024.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

**Damian Bird, CFA**, Head of Team, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, is a portfolio manager for the Emerging Markets Growth, and Emerging Markets ex China Growth strategies and a member of the investment team at Polen Capital UK. Mr. Bird joined Polen Capital UK in 2019 after serving as an Emerging Market Portfolio Manager at LGM Investments. He began his career at Arisaig Partners as an Investment Analyst, primarily focusing on consumer companies in the developing world. Mr. Bird received his B.A. in History & Economics from the University of Oxford. Mr. Bird is a CFA<sup>®</sup> charterholder. During his career, Mr. Bird has lived and worked in Singapore, Dubai, and South Africa.

**Dafydd Lewis, CFA,** Portfolio Manager and Analyst, is a portfolio manager for the Emerging Markets Growth and Emerging Markets ex China Growth strategies and a member of the investment team at Polen Capital UK. Mr. Lewis joined Polen Capital UK in 2021. Prior to joining Polen Capital UK, Mr. Lewis was an Emerging Market Portfolio Manager at LGM Investments, overseeing the firm's Frontier Markets strategy and being a member of the Investment Leadership team. Mr. Lewis began his career at HSBC in 2003 and has been involved in Emerging Markets investing since 2005. He earned his B.S. in Economics from the University of Bath, where he graduated with honors. Mr. Lewis is a CFA<sup>®</sup> charterholder.

**Kumar Pandit, CFA,** Portfolio Manager and Analyst, is a portfolio manager on Polen Capital's Emerging Markets Growth Team. Kumar originally joined Somerset Capital in 2011, which subsequently completed a transaction with Polen Capital in 2024 that appointed Polen as the investment manager of four strategies from Somerset. Kumar held various roles at Somerset including Portfolio Manager, Head of Research, and a member of the partnership management Executive Committee. Kumar received a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Business Studies from Kingston University. Mr. Pandit is a CFA<sup>®</sup> charterholder.

The Fund's SAI provides additional information about each Portfolio Manager's compensation, other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager and each Portfolio Manager's ownership of Fund shares.

**SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION**

**PRICING OF SHARES**

The price of the Fund's shares is based on its NAV. The Fund values its assets, based on current market values when such values are available. The NAV per share of the Fund is calculated as follows:

Value of Assets Attributable to the Shares <br> NAV = – <u>Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Shares</u> <br> Number of Outstanding Shares

The Fund's NAV per share is calculated once daily as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each business day (i.e., a day that the Exchange is open for business). The Exchange is generally open on Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The price at which a purchase, redemption or exchange is effected is based on the next calculation of NAV after the order is received in good form by an authorized financial institution or the transfer agent, plus any applicable sales charges.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**PURCHASE OF SHARES**

**Share Classes**

The Trust offers Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares of the Fund. Each Class of shares has different expenses and distribution arrangements to provide for different investment needs. This allows you to choose the class of shares most suitable for you depending on the amount and expected length of your investment and other relevant factors. Sales personnel may receive different compensation for selling each class of shares. Investor Class shares are for individuals, corporate investors and retirement plans. Institutional Class shares are available to individuals who can meet the required investment minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or broker-dealers purchasing for the accounts of others. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Investor Class** | **Institutional Class** |
| No initial sales charge | No initial sales charge |
| Higher annual expenses than Institutional Class shares due to distribution fee | Lower annual expenses than Investor Class shares due to no distribution fee |

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Shares representing interests in the Fund are offered on a continuous basis by the Fund's principal underwriter, Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"). Shares of the Fund do not charge any sales loads or deferred sales loads in connection with the purchase of shares. Shares of the Fund are offered only to residents of states in which the shares are registered or qualified. You can purchase Investor Class and Institutional Class shares of the Fund through certain financial intermediaries or directly through BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, the Fund's transfer agent, as discussed below. No share certificates are issued in connection with the purchase of Fund shares. The Fund reserves the right to waive the minimum initial investment requirement for any investor.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be redeemed by the Trust unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund's shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." To open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest.

In the event you modify or change your relationship with your financial intermediary through which you invest in the Fund (for instance, from an advisory relationship to a brokerage relationship) you may no longer be eligible to invest in a particular share class and your financial intermediary may exchange your shares for another share class which may be subject to higher expenses and Rule 12b-1 distribution fees.

In addition, the availability of certain classes of shares may be limited to certain intermediary platforms, which means that your eligibility to purchase a specific class of Fund shares may depend on whether your intermediary offers that class.

The Trust is not responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Investor Class Shares**

***Distribution Plan***

The Trust's Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Fund's Investor Class shares, has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to pay distribution and service fees for the sale and distribution of its shares and for services provided to its shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plan for Investor Class shares provides for payments of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

**Institutional Class Shares**

Sales of each Fund's Institutional Class shares are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee. Institutional Class shares are available to individuals who can meet the required investment minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or broker dealers purchasing for the accounts of others. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through an institutional organization, or a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization.

**TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Complete the application and mail it to BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing") at the address noted below, together with a check payable to the Fund. Please make sure your check is for at least $3,000 with respect to Investor Class shares ($2,000 if investing in an IRA) and at least $100,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares. Mail the application and your check to:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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The Fund will only accept checks drawn on U.S. currency on domestic banks. The Fund will not accept any of the following: cash or cash equivalents, money orders, traveler's checks, cashier's checks, bank checks, official checks and treasurer's checks, payable through checks, third-party checks and third-party transactions.

While the Fund does not generally accept foreign investors, it may in instances where either (i) an intermediary makes shares of the Fund available or (ii) the transfer agent, in the case of a direct to Fund subscription, has satisfied its internal procedures with respect to the establishment of foreign investor accounts. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for more information.

The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions, including the Fund, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money-laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts. As requested on the application, you must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address. If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. This information will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, the Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a shareholder's identity. As required by law, the Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

**By Wire**

To make a same-day wire investment, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for current wire instructions. An account number will be assigned to you. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $3,000 with respect to Investor Class shares ($2,000 if investing in an IRA) and at least $100,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares.** Your wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, to receive that day's price per share. Your bank may charge a wire fee.

**Individual Retirement Account and Education Savings Account Investments**

You may invest in the Fund through the following individual retirement accounts:

● Traditional Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs")

● Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees ("SIMPLE IRAs")

● Spousal IRAs

● Roth Individual Retirement Accounts ("Roth IRAs")

● Simplified Employee Pension Plans ("SEP IRAs")

● Coverdell Education Savings Accounts ("CESAs")

**Additional Information**

If you have questions regarding the purchase of Fund shares, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.

**TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Fill out an investment slip from a previous confirmation and write your account number on your check. **Please make sure that your check is payable to the Fund and that your additional investment is for at least $100 with respect to Investor Class shares.** There is no minimum additional investment with respect to Institutional Class shares. Mail the slip and your check to:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

---

**By Wire**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for current wire instructions. The wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, for same day processing. Your bank may charge a wire fee. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $100 with respect to Investor Class shares.** There is no minimum additional investment with respect to Institutional Class shares.

**Automatic Investment Plan**

You may open an automatic investment plan account for Investor Class shares with a $2,000 initial purchase and a $100.00 monthly investment and for Institutional Class shares with a $100,000 initial purchase and no minimum monthly investment. If you have an existing account that does not include the automatic investment plan, you can contact the Fund toll-free at (888) 678-6024 to establish an automatic investment plan. The automatic investment plan provides a convenient method to have monies deducted directly from your bank account for investment in the Fund. You may authorize the automatic withdrawal of funds from your bank account for a monthly minimum amount of $100.00. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this plan at any time. To begin participating in this plan, please complete the "Automatic Investment Plan" section found on the application or contact the Fund's transfer agent toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**Automated Clearing House (ACH) Purchase**

Current shareholders may purchase additional shares via Automated Clearing House ("ACH"). To have this option added to your account, please send a letter to the Fund requesting this option and supply a voided check for the bank account. Only bank accounts held at domestic institutions that are ACH members may be used for these transactions.

You may not use ACH transactions for your initial purchase of Fund shares. ACH purchases will be effective at the closing price per share on the same business day for orders placed prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Orders placed thereafter will be effective at the closing price per share on the next business day. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this purchase option at any time.

Shares purchased by ACH will not be available for redemption until the transactions have cleared. Shares purchased via ACH transfer may take up to 15 days to clear.

**Purchase Price**

Purchase orders received in good order by the Fund's transfer agent before the close of regular trading on the Exchange on any business day will be priced at the NAV that is determined as of the close of trading on the Exchange. Purchase orders received in good order after the close of regular trading on the Exchange will be priced as of the close of regular trading on the following business day. "Good Order" means that the purchase request is complete and includes all accurate required information. Purchase requests not in good order may be rejected.

**Financial Intermediaries**

You may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary who may charge you a commission on your purchase, may charge additional fees, and may require different minimum investments or impose other limitations on buying and selling shares. "Financial intermediaries" include brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), insurance companies, investment advisers, financial advisers, financial planners, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators, their designated intermediaries and any other firm having a selling, administration or similar agreement. The financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting orders by close of business and may have an earlier cut-off time for purchase and sale requests. Purchase and redemption orders placed through a financial intermediary will be deemed to have been received and accepted by the Fund when the financial intermediary accepts the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. Customer orders are required to be priced at the Fund's NAV next computed after the authorized financial intermediary or its authorized representatives' receipt of the order to buy or sell. Purchase and redemption requests sent to such authorized broker (or its designee) are executed at the NAV next determined after the intermediary receives the request if transmitted to the Fund's transfer agent in accordance with the Fund's procedures and applicable law. Financial intermediaries may also designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Fund's behalf. Consult your investment representative for specific information.

It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary to transmit orders for the purchase of shares by its customers to the Fund's transfer agent and to deliver required funds on a timely basis, in accordance with the procedures stated above.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account."

**Networking and Sub-Transfer Agency Fees.** The Fund may also directly enter into agreements with financial intermediaries pursuant to which it will pay the financial intermediary for services such as networking or sub-transfer agency, including the maintenance of "street name" or omnibus accounts and related sub-accounting, record-keeping and administrative services provided to such accounts. Payments made pursuant to such agreements are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of clients serviced by such financial intermediary, or (2) the number of accounts serviced by such financial intermediary. Any payments made pursuant to such agreements are in addition to, rather than in lieu of, Rule 12b-1 distribution or shareholder service fees the financial intermediary may also be receiving. From time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay a portion of the fees for networking or sub-transfer agency at its or their own expense and out of its or their own resources. These payments may be material to financial intermediaries relative to other compensation paid by the Fund and/or the Underwriter, the Adviser and their affiliates. The payments described above may differ and may vary from amounts paid to the Fund's transfer agent for providing similar services to other accounts. The financial intermediaries are not audited by the Fund, the Adviser or their service providers to determine whether such intermediaries are providing the services for which they are receiving such payments.

**Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries.** The Adviser, and, from time to time, affiliates of the Adviser may also, at their own expense and out of their own resources, provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. These additional cash payments are payments over and above sales commissions or reallowances, distribution fees or servicing fees (including networking, administration and sub-transfer agency fees) payable to a financial intermediary which are disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus. These additional cash payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency,

shareholder or administrative services or marketing support. Marketing support may include: (i) access to sales meetings or conferences, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives; (ii) inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs to which financial intermediaries provide more marketing support than to other sales programs on which the Adviser or its affiliates may not need to make additional cash payments to be included; (iii) promotion of the sale of the Fund's shares in communications with a financial intermediaries' customers, sales representatives or management representatives; and/or (iv) other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of the Fund's shares. These additional cash payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to Fund shareholders. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay cash compensation in the form of finders' fees or referral fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of shares sold.

The amount and value of additional cash payments vary for each financial intermediary. The additional cash payment arrangement between a particular financial intermediary and the Adviser or its affiliates may provide for increased rates of compensation as the dollar value of the Fund's shares or particular class of shares sold or invested through such financial intermediary increases. The availability of these additional cash payments, the varying fee structure within a particular additional cash payment arrangement and the basis for and manner in which a financial intermediary compensates its sales representatives may create a financial incentive for a particular financial intermediary and its sales representatives to recommend the Fund's shares over the shares of other mutual funds based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. A financial intermediary and its sales representatives may have similar financial incentives to recommend a particular class of the Fund's shares over other classes of its shares. You should consult with your financial adviser and review carefully any disclosure by the financial firm as to compensation received by your financial adviser.

Although the Fund may use financial firms that sell the Fund's shares to effect portfolio transactions for the Fund, the Fund and the Adviser will not consider the sale of Fund shares as a factor when choosing financial firms to effect those transactions.

For more information about these additional cash payments made to financial intermediaries, please refer to the section entitled "Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries" located in the SAI.

**Rights Reserved by the Fund**

The Fund reserves the right to:

● reject any purchase order;

● suspend the offering of shares;

● vary the initial and subsequent investment minimums;

● waive the minimum investment requirement for any investor;

● redeem accounts with balances below the minimum account size after 30 days' written notice;

● redeem your shares in the event your financial intermediary's relationship with the Trust is modified or terminated;

● subject to applicable law, redeem your shares in other circumstances determined by the Board of Trustees to be in the best interest of the Fund; and

● redeem your shares if you hold your shares through a financial intermediary and you propose to transfer your shares to another financial intermediary that does not have a relationship with the Trust.

The Trust will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy**

The Fund discourages frequent purchases and redemptions, and the Trust's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures consistent with such position. The Fund is not designed to accommodate market timing or short-term trading. Frequent or excessive trades into or out of the Fund in an effort to anticipate changes in market prices of its investment portfolio is generally referred to as "market timing." Market timing can adversely impact the ability of the Adviser to invest assets in an orderly manner, which in turn may adversely impact the expenses and the performance of

the Fund. These expenses are borne by all Fund shareholders, including long-term investors who do not generate such costs. Specifically, frequent trading may result in the Fund engaging in activities to a greater extent than it otherwise would, such as maintaining higher cash balances, using a line of credit and trading in portfolio securities, each of which may increase expenses and decrease performance. This occurs when market timers attempt to trade Fund shares when the NAV of the Fund does not reflect the value of the underlying portfolio securities.

To deter market timing and to minimize harm to the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to restrict, reject or cancel, without prior notice, any purchase order by market timers or by those persons the Fund believes are engaging in similar trading activity that, in the judgment of the Fund or the Adviser, may be disruptive to the Fund. The Fund will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. No waivers of the provisions of this policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

The Fund's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") reviews on an as-needed basis, as determined by the CCO in coordination with the Adviser and other service providers, available information related to the trading activity in the Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of market timing or similar trading practices. If, in its judgment, the Fund or the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Fund may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor's account with the Fund. The Fund may modify its procedures from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Fund will apply its procedures in a manner that, in the Fund's judgment, will be uniform.

There is no guarantee that the Fund or its agents will be able to detect frequent trading activity or the shareholders engaged in such activity, or, if it is detected, to prevent its recurrence.

In order for a financial intermediary to purchase shares of the Fund for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person, the Trust will enter into shareholder information agreements with such financial intermediary or its agent. These agreements require each financial intermediary to provide the Fund access, upon request, to information about underlying shareholder transaction activity in these accounts and the Shareholder's Taxpayer Identification Number (or International Taxpayer Identification Number or other government issued identifier). If a shareholder information agreement has not been entered into by a financial intermediary, such financial intermediary will be prohibited from purchasing Fund shares for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person. If necessary, the Fund may prohibit additional purchases of Fund shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers' trading activities in the Fund. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Fund. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Fund's excessive trading policies, the Fund may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES**

You may "redeem" or sell your shares on any day the Exchange is open, either directly through the Fund's transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, or through your broker-dealer. The price you receive will be the NAV next calculated after receipt of the request in good order. "Good Order" means that the redemption request is complete and includes all accurate required information including any medallion signature guarantees, if necessary.

**Redemption Policies**

Payment for redemptions of Fund shares is usually made within one business day, but not later than seven calendar days after receipt of your redemption request, unless the check used to purchase the shares has not yet cleared. The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment for more than seven days during any period when: (1) trading on the Exchange is restricted or the Exchange is closed for other than customary weekends and holidays, (2) the SEC has by order permitted such suspension for the protection of the Fund's shareholders or (3) an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable. The Fund will automatically redeem shares if a purchase check is returned for insufficient funds and the shareholder's account will be charged for any loss. The Fund reserves the right to reject any third-party check.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally meets redemption requests through its holdings of cash or cash equivalents or by selling a portion of the Fund's holdings consistent with its investment strategy. The Fund generally pays redemptions proceeds in cash; however, the Fund reserves the right to honor certain redemptions "in-kind" with securities, rather than cash. The Fund is more likely to redeem in-kind to meet large redemption requests or during times of market stress.

**TO REDEEM FROM YOUR ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

To redeem your shares by mail:

● Write a letter of instruction that includes: the name of the Fund, your account number, the name(s) in which the account is registered and the dollar value or number of shares you wish to sell.

● Include all signatures and any additional documents that may be required.

● Mail your request to:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

---

● A check will be mailed to the name(s) and address in which the account is registered and may take up to seven days.

● The Fund may require additional documentation or a medallion signature guarantee on any redemption request to help protect against fraud.

● The Fund requires a medallion signature guarantee if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record.

**By Telephone**

To redeem your shares by telephone, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024. The proceeds will be paid to the registered owner: (1) by mail at the address on the account, or (2) by wire to the pre-designated bank account on the fund account. To use the telephone redemption privilege, you must have selected this service on your original account application or submitted a subsequent medallion signature guarantee request in writing to add this service to your account. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, the Fund's transfer agent, reserve the right to refuse any telephone transaction if they are unable to confirm to their satisfaction that a caller is the account owner or a person preauthorized by the account owner. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing has established security procedures to prevent unauthorized account access. Neither the Fund nor any of its service contractors will be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The telephone transaction privilege may be suspended, limited, modified or terminated at any time without prior notice by the Fund or BNY Mellon Investment Servicing.

**By Wire**

In the case of redemption proceeds that are wired to a bank, the Fund transmits the payment only on days that commercial banks are open for business and only to the bank and account previously authorized on your application or your medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing will not be responsible for any delays in wired redemption proceeds due to heavy wire traffic over the Federal Reserve System. The Fund reserves the right to refuse a wire redemption if it believes that it is advisable to do so. You may also have your redemption proceeds sent to your bank via ACH. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing does not charge for this service; however, please allow 2 to 3 business days for the transfer of money to reach your banking institution.

**Systematic Withdrawal Plan**

Once you have established an account with $10,000 or more, you may automatically receive funds from your account on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis (minimum withdrawal of $100). Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 to request a form to start the Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

**Selling Recently Purchased Shares**

If you wish to sell shares that were recently purchased by check, the Fund may delay mailing your redemption check for up to 15 business days after your redemption request to allow the purchase check to clear. The Fund reserves the right to reject any redemption request for shares recently purchased by check that has not cleared, and the Fund may require that a subsequent request be submitted.

**Late Trading**

Late trading is the practice of buying or selling Fund shares at the closing price after the Fund's NAV has been set for the day. Federal securities laws governing mutual funds prohibit late trading. The Fund has adopted trading policies designed to comply with requirements of the federal securities laws.

**TRANSACTION POLICIES**

**Timing of Purchase or Sale Requests**

All requests received in Good Order by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing or authorized dealers of Fund shares before the close of regular trading on the Exchange, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, will be executed the same day, at that day's NAV. Such orders received after the close of regular trading of the Exchange will be executed the following day, at that day's NAV. All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Purchase and redemption orders are executed only on days when the Exchange is open for trading. If the Exchange closes early, the deadlines for purchase and redemption orders are accelerated to the earlier closing time.

**New York Stock Exchange Closings**

The Exchange is typically closed for trading on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

**Investments through Financial Intermediaries/Nominees**

If you invest through a financial intermediary or nominee, such as a broker-dealer or financial adviser (rather than directly through the Fund), certain policies and fees regarding your investment in the Fund may be different than those described in this Prospectus. In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." Financial intermediaries and nominees may charge transaction fees, may charge you a commission on your purchase, and may set different minimum investments or limitations or procedures on buying or selling shares; however, in the event that your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust and you chose to open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker, or, if applicable, a broker's designee receives the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. You will not be charged any additional fees by the Fund (other than those described in this Prospectus) if you purchase or redeem shares directly through the Fund.

Contact your financial intermediary for specific information regarding the availability and suitability of various account options described throughout this Prospectus. Contact your financial intermediary for specific information with respect to the financial intermediary's policies regarding minimum purchase and minimum balance requirements and involuntary redemption, which may differ from what is described throughout this Prospectus.

**Account Minimum**

You must keep at least $2,000 worth of Investor Class and Institutional Class shares in your account to keep the account open. If, after giving you 30 days' prior written notice, your account value is still below $2,000 due to your redemptions (not including market fluctuations), the Fund may redeem your shares and send you a check for the redemption proceeds.

**Medallion Signature Guarantees**

The Fund may require additional documentation for the redemption of corporate, partnership or fiduciary accounts, or medallion signature guarantees for certain types of transfer requests or account registration changes. A medallion signature guarantee helps protect against fraud. A medallion signature guarantee is required if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days, or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record. When the Fund requires a signature guarantee, a medallion signature must be provided. A medallion signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency, saving association or other financial institution that is participating in a medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The Fund recognizes the following three medallion programs: (i) Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP), (ii) Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and (iii) New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature guarantees from a financial institution that does not participate in one of these programs will not be accepted. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for further information on obtaining a proper signature guarantee.

**Customer Identification Program**

Federal law requires the Fund to obtain, verify and record identifying information, which includes the name, residential or business street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or taxpayer identification number or other identifying information for each investor who opens or reopens an account with the Fund. Applications without the required information, or without any indication that a social security or taxpayer identification number has been applied for, will not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Fund reserves the right to (i) place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (ii) refuse an investment in the Fund or to involuntarily redeem an investor's shares and close an account in the event that an investor's identity is not verified. The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account resulting from the investor's delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor's shares when an investor's identity cannot be verified.

**Other Documents**

Additional documents may be required for purchases and redemptions when shares are registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, association, agent, fiduciary, trust, estate or other organization. For further information, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**EXCHANGING INTO OTHER SHARE CLASSES**

You may transfer your shares into another class of shares of this Fund if you meet the eligibility requirements for the class into which you would like to transfer. If you purchased your shares from the Fund directly, call the Fund's transfer agent toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for information on exchanging shares into another class of the Fund. If you purchased your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact such financial intermediary for information on exchanging shares into another class of the Fund. Transfers between classes of a single Fund are generally not considered a taxable transaction. This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated upon sixty (60) days' written notice to shareholders.

**EXCHANGING INTO OTHER POLEN FUNDS**

An exchange occurs when you use the proceeds from the redemption of shares of one Polen fund to simultaneously purchase shares of a different Polen fund. You can make exchange requests by telephone or by mail. See "To Redeem from Your Account" for contact information.

If the Exchange is open for regular trading (generally until 4 p.m. Eastern time, on a business day) at the time an exchange request is received in good order, the trade date generally will be the same day. See "Redemption of Shares" for additional information on transaction requests.

The Funds will not accept your request to cancel any exchange request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing an exchange request. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time before attempting to exchange a large dollar amount. By calling us before you attempt to exchange a large dollar amount, you may avoid delayed or rejected transactions.

Please note that the Funds reserve the right, without notice, to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the amount of any exchange, or reject an exchange, at any time, for any reason. See "Market Timing and Frequent-Trading Policy" for additional restrictions on exchanges.

**SHAREHOLDER SERVICES**

**Your Account**

If you have questions about your account, including purchases, redemptions and distributions, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time.

**Account Statements**

The Fund currently provides the following account information:

● confirmation statements after transactions (except for certain automatic transactions, such as those related to automatic investment plan purchases or dividend reinvestments);

● account statements reflecting transactions made during the covered period (generally, monthly for Institutional Class shares, and quarterly or annually for Investor Class shares); and

● tax information, which will be mailed each year by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") deadline, a copy of which will also be filed with the IRS, if necessary.

Financial statements with a summary of portfolio composition and performance will be available at least twice a year.

The Fund routinely provides the above shareholder services, but may charge additional fees for special services such as requests for historical transcripts of accounts.

With the exception of statutorily required items, the Fund may change any of the above practices without notice.

**Delivery of Shareholder Documents**

To reduce expenses, the Fund mails only one copy of its Prospectus and each Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 or, if your shares are held through a financial institution, please contact the financial institution directly. The Fund will begin sending you individual copies within 30 days after receiving your request.

**DISTRIBUTIONS**

Distributions of net investment income and net capital gains, if any, are declared and paid annually to you. The amount of any distribution will vary and there is no guarantee that the Fund will distribute either investment income or capital gains.

Distributions are payable to the shareholders of record at the time the distributions are declared (including holders of shares being redeemed, but excluding holders of shares being purchased). All distributions are reinvested in additional shares, unless you elect to receive the distributions in cash. Shares become entitled to receive distributions on the day after the shares are issued. If you invest in the Fund shortly before the ex-dividend date of a taxable distribution, the distribution will lower the value of the Fund's shares by the amount of the distribution and, in effect, you will receive some of your investment back in the form of a taxable distribution (see "More Information about Taxes — Distributions").

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TAXES**

Each shareholder and prospective investor's particular tax situation is unique, and, therefore, the tax information in this Prospectus is provided only for general information purposes and only for U.S. taxpayers and should not be considered as tax advice or relied on by a shareholder or prospective investor.

**General.** The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a regulated investment company (a "RIC") under Subchapter M of the Code. As such, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders provided it satisfies certain requirements and restrictions set forth in the Code one of which is to distribute to its shareholders substantially all of its income and gains each year. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC: (1) it will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and will be subject to tax at the corporate tax rates then in effect; and (2) all distributions from its earnings and profits (as determined under federal income tax principles) will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and the non-corporate shareholder long-term capital gain rate for "qualified dividend income" and ordinary rates for all other distributions, except for those treated as a return of capital or substitute dividends with respect to dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund. In addition, dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

**Distributions.** The Fund will make distributions to you that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains (which may be taxed at different rates depending on the length of time the Fund holds its assets). The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions are taxable whether you reinvest such distributions in additional shares of the Fund or choose to receive cash.

Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred retirement account (such as a 401(k) or an IRA), you should consider avoiding a purchase of Fund shares shortly before the Fund makes a distribution, because making such a purchase can increase your taxes and the cost of the shares. This is known as "buying a dividend." For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the Fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you received — even if you reinvest it in more shares and have to pay the tax due on the dividend without receiving any cash to pay the taxes. To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest.

**Ordinary Income.** Net investment income (except for qualified dividends and income designated as tax-exempt), distributions of income from securities lending, and short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Certain dividends distributed to non-corporate shareholders and designated by the Fund as "qualified dividend income" are eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rates. Short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. In addition, certain qualified REIT dividends may be eligible for a deduction for non-corporate shareholders.

**Net Capital Gains.** Net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) distributed to you, if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains (based on the Fund's holding period) for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Sale of Shares.** It is a taxable event for you if you sell shares of the Fund. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you sell, you may have a taxable gain or loss on the transaction. Any realized gain will be taxable to you, and, generally, will be capital gain, assuming you held the shares of the Fund as a capital asset. If you exchange shares of the Fund for shares of another fund, the exchange will be treated as a sale of the Fund's shares and any gain on the transaction may be subject to federal income tax. The capital gain will be long-term or short-term depending on how long you have held your shares in the Fund. Sales of shares of the Fund that you have held for twelve months or less will be a short-term capital gain or loss and if held for more than twelve months will constitute a long-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends, if any, received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.

**Returns of Capital.** If the Fund's distributions exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in the same taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable to the extent of each shareholder's basis

in the Fund's shares, but will reduce each shareholder's cost basis in the Fund and result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold. If the return of capital distribution exceeds a shareholder's cost basis, the excess amount will be capital gain, assuming you held your shares as a capital asset, and will be long-term or short-term capital gain depending on how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Medicare Contribution Tax.** U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000, if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately) will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income including interest (excluding tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains. If applicable, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of the individual's (i) net investment income or (ii) the excess of modified adjusted gross income over $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately).

**IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans.** One major exception to these tax principles is that a distribution on or the sale or exchange of shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless the shares were acquired with borrowed funds.

**Backup Withholding.** The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on all taxable distributions and sales payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

**State and Local Income Taxes.** This Prospectus does not discuss the state and local tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. **You are urged and advised to consult your own tax adviser concerning state and local taxes, which may have different consequences from those of the federal income tax laws.**

**Non-U.S. Shareholders.** Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. tax as a result of an investment in the Fund. The Fund is required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments made to foreign entities that do not qualify for reduced withholding rates under a treaty and do not meet specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. This Prospectus does not discuss the U.S. or foreign country tax consequences of an investment by a non-U.S. shareholder in the Fund. **Non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the U.S. and foreign country tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**Basis Reporting and Holding Periods.** A shareholder is responsible for tracking the tax basis and holding periods of the shareholder's shares in the Fund for federal income tax purposes. However, RICs, such as the Fund, must report cost basis information to you and the IRS when a shareholder sells or exchanges shares that are not in a tax deferred retirement account. The Fund will permit shareholders to elect from among several IRS accepted cost basis methods.

**Statements and Notices.** You will receive an annual statement outlining the tax status of your distributions. You may also receive written notices of certain foreign taxes and distributions paid by the Fund during the prior taxable year.

***This section is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations of taxable U.S. shareholders that may affect your investment in the Fund. This summary is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered as tax advice and may not be relied on by a prospective investor. This general summary does not apply to non-U.S. shareholders or tax-exempt shareholders, and does not address state, local or foreign taxes. More information regarding these considerations is included in the Fund's SAI. All prospective investors and shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser regarding the effects of an investment in the Fund on their particular tax situation.***

**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS**

The Financial Highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the periods shown. Investor Class shares have not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total investment return in the table represents the rate at which an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in Form N-CSR for the period ended April 30, 2025. The 2025 financial statements and Financial Highlights are incorporated by reference into the Fund's SAI and is available upon request by calling toll free at (888) 678-6024, or visiting the website *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/global-emerging-markets-growth-strategy.*

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** |
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Year Ended**<br> **April 30,<br> 2024** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2022** | **For the**<br> **Period Ended**<br> **April 30,<br> 2021\*** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year/period | $7.98 | $7.86 | $7.67 | $10.78 | $10.00 |
| Net investment income/(loss)<sup>1</sup> | 0.03 | 0.05 | 0.02 | (0.00)<sup>2</sup> | (0.04) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 0.68 | 0.07 | 0.18 | (3.11) | 0.82 |
| Total from investment operations | 0.71 | 0.12 | 0.20 | (3.11) | 0.78 |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net investment income | (0.02) | (0.00)<sup>2</sup> | (0.01) |  |  |
| Net asset value, end of year/period | $8.67 | $7.98 | $7.86 | $7.67 | $10.78 |
| Total investment return<sup>3</sup> | 8.85% | 1.56% | 2.57% | (28.85)% | 7.80% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year/period (in 000s) | $14576 | $19578 | $19303 | $18666 | $25981 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 1.25%<sup>4</sup> | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25% | 1.25%<sup>5</sup> |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements, if any<sup>6</sup> | 1.94%<sup>4</sup> | 1.78% | 1.96% | 1.74% | 2.51%<sup>5</sup> |
| Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets | 0.31% | 0.64% | 0.28% | (0.02)% | (0.65)%<sup>5</sup> |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 31% | 23% | 49% | 28% | 16%<sup>7</sup> |

---

\* Commencement of operations on October 16, 2020.

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

<sup>2</sup> Amount is less than $(0.005) per share.

<sup>3</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not annualized.

<sup>4</sup> Expense ratio includes interest expense. Excluding such interest expense, the ratio of expenses to average net assets including waivers and/or reimbursements for the Fund would be 1.25% for the year ended April 30, 2025.

<sup>5</sup> Annualized.

<sup>6</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated. <br> <sup>7</sup> Not Annualized.

**POLEN EMERGING MARKETS GROWTH FUND**

*a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

(888) 678-6024

**FOR MORE INFORMATION**

**For additional information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:**

**Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information**

The Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information contain more information about the Fund's investments and performance including information on the Fund's portfolio holdings and operating results for the most recently completed fiscal year or half-year. The Annual Financials and Additional Information include a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year.

**Statement of Additional Information (SAI)**

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Fund and its policies. The information in the SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is part of this Prospectus. These documents will be available free of charge on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/global-emerging-markets-growth-strategy.* You can also get a free copy of these documents and other information, or ask us any questions, including information on how to purchase or redeem Fund shares, by calling us at (888) 678-6024 or writing to:

Polen Emerging Markets Fund FundVantage Trust c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing P.O. Box 534445 Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445

If you buy your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact that financial intermediary directly for this information. You can also find information online at *www.polencapital.com*.

Reports and information about the Fund (including the SAI and Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information) also may be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov*. Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: *publicinfo@sec.gov*.

The investment company registration number is 811-22027.

**POLEN EMERGING MARKETS GROWTH FUND**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Institutional Class** | **Investor Class** |
| **PGEIX** | **PGERX** |

---

**A SERIES OF**

**FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**

**September 1, 2025**

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") provides information about the Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund (the "Fund"). The Fund is a series of FundVantage Trust (the "Trust").

This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Fund's current prospectus dated September 1, 2025, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the "Prospectus"). This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. The Fund's audited financial statements and the notes thereto, which are included in the Fund's [Annual Financials and Additional Information](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm) dated April 30, 2025, are incorporated into this SAI by reference. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Financials and Additional Information may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Fund at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6024 or by visiting the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/global-emerging-markets-growth-strategy.*

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **Page** |
| [General Information](#sai-pgeix_001) | 1 |
| [Investment Policies](#sai-pgeix_002) | 1 |
| [Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings](#sai-pgeix_003) | 34 |
| [Investment Limitations](#sai-pgeix_004) | 35 |
| [Trustees and Officers](#sai-pgeix_005) | 36 |
| [Code of Ethics](#sai-pgeix_006) | 41 |
| [Proxy Voting](#sai-pgeix_007) | 41 |
| [Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities](#sai-pgeix_008) | 42 |
| [Investment Advisory Services](#sai-pgeix_009) | 42 |
| [Portfolio Managers](#sai-pgeix_010) | 44 |
| [Administration and Accounting Services](#sai-pgeix_011) | 45 |
| [Additional Service Providers](#sai-pgeix_012) | 45 |
| [Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices](#sai-pgeix_013) | 45 |
| [Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries](#sai-pgeix_014) | 47 |
| [Distribution of Shares and Rule 12b-1 Plan](#sai-pgeix_015) | 47 |
| [Capital Stock and Other Securities](#sai-pgeix_016) | 48 |
| [Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares](#sai-pgeix_017) | 49 |
| [Dividends](#sai-pgeix_018) | 49 |
| [Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations](#sai-pgeix_019) | 50 |
| [Financial Statements](#sai-pgeix_020) | 60 |
| [Appendix A — Description of Ratings](#sai-pgeix_021) | A-1 |
| [Appendix B — Proxy Voting Policies](#sai-pgeix_022) | B-1 |

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i

**GENERAL INFORMATION**

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 28, 2006. The Trust is a series trust authorized to issue separate series or classes of shares of beneficial interest. The Trust has established the Fund as a separate series of the Trust. The Fund issues Investor Class and Institutional Class shares. Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. Effective March 13, 2023, the Fund's name was changed from Polen Global Emerging Markets Growth Fund to Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund.

The Fund is a non-diversified, open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a non-diversified fund, the Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the portion of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. The Fund, however, intends to maintain the required level of diversification and otherwise conduct its operations so as to qualify as a regulated investment company ("RIC") for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "IRC"), to relieve the Fund of any liability for federal income tax to the extent that its earnings are distributed to shareholders. The IRC test applies at the end of each fiscal quarter and generally requires that at least 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets be represented by the types of assets that satisfy the asset diversification requirement imposed by the 1940 Act. In addition, no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer. Stocks of particular issuers, or issuers in particular industries, may dominate the investment portfolio of the Fund, which may adversely affect the performance of the Fund or subject it to greater price volatility than that experienced by more diversified investment companies.

**INVESTMENT POLICIES**

The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objective and policies of the Fund. The information below does not describe every type of investment, technique or risk to which the Fund may be exposed. Much of the information contained in this SAI expands on subjects discussed in the Fund's prospectus. No investment in the shares of the Fund should be made before reading the Prospectus.

**BANK OBLIGATIONS.** Bank obligations in which the Fund may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits. The Fund will not invest in fixed time deposits which (1) are not subject to prepayment or (2) provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits) if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in such deposits, repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days and other illiquid assets.

Obligations of foreign banks involve somewhat different investment risks than those affecting obligations of United States banks, including the possibilities that their liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments, that their obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of United States banks, that a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations, that foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized, that foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations and that the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to United States banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any U.S. Government agency or instrumentality.

● **BANKERS' ACCEPTANCES.** Bankers' acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft that has been drawn on it by a customer. These instruments reflect the obligation of both the bank and the drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity.

● **CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT.** Certificates of deposit are certificates evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank to repay funds deposited with it for a definite period of time (usually from 14 days to one year) at a stated or variable interest rate. Variable rate certificates of deposit provide that the interest rate will fluctuate on designated dates based on changes in a designated base rate (such as the composite rate for certificates of deposit established by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York).

● **TIME DEPOSITS.** Time deposits are bank deposits for fixed periods of time. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which may vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.

**BORROWING.** The Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. This means that, in general, the Fund may borrow money from banks for any purpose on a secured basis in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may also borrow money for temporary administrative purposes on an unsecured basis in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may choose to borrow in order to meet its redemptions.

Specifically, provisions of the 1940 Act require the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.

As noted below, the Fund also may enter into certain transactions, including reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and sale-buybacks, that can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing or financing transaction by the Fund. The Derivatives Rule (as defined below) regulates a registered investment company's use of derivatives and certain other transactions that creature future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. This new rule became operative in August 2022. The Derivatives Rule prescribes specific "value at risk" or "VaR" (further defined below) leverage limits that apply to the Fund with derivatives and other applicable transactions (although the Fund may qualify for the Limited Derivatives User Exception (as defined below)). VaR is an estimate of potential losses on an instrument or portfolio over a specified time horizon and at a given confidence level. The Fund may apply a relative VaR test or an absolute VaR test (if the Fund's derivative risk manager, if applicable, determines that a designated reference portfolio would not provide an appropriate reference portfolio for purposes of the relative VaR test. The limit under the relative VaR test is 200% of the VaR of a designated reference portfolio, which, very generally, may be a designated unleveraged index or the Fund's securities portfolio excluding derivatives. If applicable, the limit under the absolute VaR test is 20% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Derivatives Rule also requires the Fund, if applicable, to appoint a derivatives risk manager, maintain a derivatives risk management program designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with transactions covered by the rule, and abide by certain Board and other reporting obligations and recordkeeping requirements. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, the Derivatives Rule permits a fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under the Derivatives Rule. The Fund has adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with the Derivatives Rule. Compliance with the Derivatives Rule could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which the Fund may engage in derivative transactions could also limit or prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value ("NAV") of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and economically similar transactions. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a portfolio-eligible security by the Fund to another party coupled with its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund continues to be entitled to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by the Fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by the Fund which it is obligated to repurchase.

A "mortgage dollar roll" is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement in certain respects. In a "dollar roll" transaction, the Fund sells a mortgage-related security, such as a security issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a predetermined price. A dollar roll can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which the Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Unlike in the case of reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but only securities which are "substantially identical." To be considered substantially identical, the securities returned to the Fund generally must: (1) be collateralized by the same types of underlying mortgages; (2) be issued by the same agency and be part of the same program; (3) have a similar original stated maturity; (4) have identical net coupon rates; (5) have similar market yields (and therefore price); and (6) satisfy "good delivery" requirements, meaning that the aggregate principal amounts of the securities delivered and received back must be within 0.01% of the initial amount delivered.

The Fund also may effect simultaneous purchase and sale transactions that are known as "sale-buybacks." A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty that purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of the Fund's repurchase of the underlying security. The Fund's obligation under a sale-buyback typically would be offset by liquid assets equal in value to the amount of the Fund's forward commitment to repurchase the subject security.

It is possible that changing government regulation may affect the Fund's use of these strategies. Changes in regulatory requirements concerning margin for certain types of financing transactions, such as repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and borrowing, could impact the Fund's ability to utilize these investment strategies and techniques.

**COMMERCIAL PAPER.** The Fund may invest in commercial paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (up to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities in order to finance their current operations.

**COMMON STOCK.** Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company or other entity. This ownership interest often gives the Fund the right to vote on measures affecting the company's organization and operations. Although common stocks generally have had a history of long-term growth in value, their prices are often volatile in the short-term and can be influenced by both general market risk and specific corporate risks. Accordingly, the Fund can lose money through its stock investments.

**CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in convertible securities, which may offer higher income than the common stocks into which they are convertible. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock, or other security that entitles the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to non-convertible debt or preferred securities, as applicable. Convertible securities are subordinate in rank to any senior debt obligations of the issuer, and, therefore, an issuer's convertible securities entail more risk than its debt obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible debt securities of similar credit quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. In addition, convertible securities are often lower-rated securities. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation's capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation's common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security.

Because of the conversion feature, the price of the convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying asset, and as such it is subject to risks relating to the activities of the issuer and/or general market and economic conditions. The income component of a convertible security may tend to cushion the security against declines in the price of the underlying asset. However, the income component of convertible securities causes fluctuations based upon changes in interest rates and the credit quality of the issuer.

If the convertible security's "conversion value," which is the market value of the underlying common stock that would be obtained upon the conversion of the convertible security, is substantially below the "investment value," which is the value of a convertible security viewed without regard to its conversion feature (i.e., strictly on the basis of its yield), the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. If the conversion value of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the value of the security will be principally influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security will sell at a premium over its conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding an income-producing security.

A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a predetermined price. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund would be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security and convert it to underlying common stock, or would sell the convertible security to a third party, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective. The Fund generally would invest in convertible securities for their favorable price characteristics and total return potential and would normally not exercise an option to convert unless the security is called or conversion is forced.

**CORPORATE DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund's investments in U.S. dollar or foreign currency-denominated corporate debt securities of domestic or foreign issuers are limited to corporate debt securities (corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar corporate debt instruments, including convertible securities) which meet the minimum ratings criteria set forth for the Fund, or, if unrated, are in the Adviser's opinion comparable in quality to corporate debt securities in which the Fund may invest.

Corporate income producing securities may include forms of preferred or preference stock. The rate of interest on a corporate debt security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may vary inversely with respect to a reference rate. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies. Debt securities may be acquired with warrants attached.

Securities rated Baa and BBB are the lowest which are considered "investment grade" obligations. Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") describes securities rated Baa as "subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics." Standard & Poor's<sup>®</sup> Financial Services LLC ("S&P") describes securities rated BBB as "regarded as having adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation." For securities rated BBB, Fitch Ratings Ltd. ("Fitch") states that "…expectations of default risk are currently low…capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity." For a discussion of securities rated below-investment grade, see "Below-Investment Grade Securities" below.

**CYBER SECURITY.** The Fund and its service providers are susceptible to operational and information security risks due to cyber security incidents. In general, cyber security incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber security attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (*e.g*., through "hacking" or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks also may be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (*i.e*., efforts to make services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security incidents affecting the Adviser, Transfer Agent or Custodian or other service providers such as financial intermediaries have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, including by interference with the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading for the Fund's portfolio; the inability of fund shareholders to transact business with the Fund; violations of applicable privacy, data security or other laws; regulatory fines and penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs; legal fees; or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber security incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions and other parties. While information risk management systems and business continuity plans have been developed which are designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there are inherent limitations in any cyber security risk management systems or business continuity plans, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified.

**DEBT SECURITIES.** Debt securities represent money borrowed that obligates the issuer (e.g., a corporation, municipality, government, government agency) to repay the borrowed amount at maturity (when the obligation is due and payable) and usually to pay the holder interest at specific times.

**DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS.** American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") as well as other "hybrid" forms of ADRs, including European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"), are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. These certificates are issued by depository banks and generally trade on an established market in the United States or elsewhere. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends interest and shareholder information regarding corporate actions. ADRs may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and a depositary. An unsponsored facility may be established by a depositary without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities. These risks include foreign exchange risk as well as the political and economic risks of the underlying issuer's country.

**DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS.** In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund may, to the extent permitted by its investment objective and policies, purchase and sell (write) both put options and call options on securities, swap agreements, securities indexes, commodity indexes and foreign currencies, and enter into interest rate, index and commodity futures contracts and purchase and sell options on such futures contracts ("futures options"). The Fund also may purchase and sell foreign currency options for purposes of increasing exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another. The Fund may also enter into swap agreements with respect to interest rates, commodities and indexes of securities or commodities. The Fund may invest in structured notes. If other types of financial instruments, including other types of options, futures contracts or futures options are traded in the future, the Fund may also use those instruments, provided that such instruments are consistent with the Fund's investment objective.

The value of some derivative instruments in which the Fund invests may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of the Adviser to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken positions in derivative instruments contrary to prevailing market trends, the Fund could be exposed to the risk of loss.

The Fund might not employ any of the strategies described below, and no assurance can be given that any strategy used will succeed. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts interest rates, market values or other economic factors in using a derivatives strategy for the Fund, the Fund might have been in a better position if it had not entered into the transaction at all. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances. The use of these strategies involves certain special risks, including a possible imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of derivative instruments and price movements of related investments. While some strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in related investments or otherwise, due to the possible inability of the Fund to purchase or sell a portfolio security at a time that otherwise would be favorable, the possible need to sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time because the Fund is required to maintain asset coverage, offsetting positions in connection with transactions in derivative instruments or the possible inability of the Fund to close out or to liquidate its derivatives positions. In addition, the Fund's use of such instruments may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains (generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates) than if it had not used such instruments. If the Fund gains exposure to an asset class using derivative instruments backed by a collateral portfolio of fixed income instruments, changes in the value of the fixed income instruments may result in greater or lesser exposure to that asset class than would have resulted from a direct investment in securities comprising that asset class.

The use of derivative instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), the Commodity Future Trading Commission ("CFTC"), various state regulatory authorities and, with respect to exchange-traded derivatives, the several exchanges upon which they are traded. In particular, under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act, a registered investment company's derivatives exposure, which includes short positions for this purpose, is limited through a value-at-risk test and Rule 18f-4 requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. However, subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4) are not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. Rule 18f-4 could limit the Fund's ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Moreover, there may be asset coverage requirements for certain arrangements. In order to engage in certain transactions in derivatives, the Fund may be required to hold offsetting positions or to hold cash or liquid securities in a segregated account or designated on the Fund's books. Changes in the value of a derivative may also create margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for the Fund. In addition, the Fund's ability to use derivative instruments may be limited by tax considerations.

<u>Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. The Fund may, to the extent specified herein or in the Prospectus, purchase and sell both put and call options on fixed income or other securities or indexes in standardized contracts traded on foreign or domestic securities exchanges, boards of trade, or similar entities, or quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or on an over-the-counter market, and agreements, sometimes called cash puts, which may accompany the purchase of a new issue of bonds from a dealer.

An option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security. Upon exercise, the writer of an option on an index is obligated to pay the difference between the cash value of the index and the exercise price multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. (An index is designed to reflect features of a particular financial or securities market, a specific group of financial instruments or securities or certain economic indicators.)

The Fund will write call options and put options only if they are "covered." In the case of a call option on a security, the option is "covered" if the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by the Fund. For a call option on an index, the option is covered if the Fund maintains with its custodian assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, in an amount equal to the contract value of the index. A call option is also covered if the Fund holds a call on the same security or index as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written. A put option on a security or an index is "covered" if the Fund holds a put on the same security or index as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written.

If an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid. Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange-traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, exchange, underlying security or index, exercise price and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund desires.

The Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option which is sold. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series. The Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security or index in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.

The premium paid for a put or call option purchased by the Fund is an asset of the Fund. The premium received for an option written by the Fund is recorded as a deferred credit. The value of an option purchased or written is marked to market daily and is valued at the closing price on the exchange on which it is traded or, if not traded on an exchange or no closing price is available, at the mean between the last bid and asked prices.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a combination of a call and a put written on the same underlying security. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

<u>Risks Associated with Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and on indexes. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.

The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security at the exercise price. If a put or call option purchased by the Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security remains equal to or greater than the exercise price (in the case of a put), or remains less than or equal to the exercise price (in the case of a call), the Fund will lose its entire investment in the option. Also, where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security, the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out an option position. If the Fund were unable to close out an option that it had purchased on a security, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit or the option may expire worthless. If trading were suspended in an option purchased by the Fund, the Fund would not be able to close out the option. If restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it has purchased. Except to the extent that a call option on an index written by the Fund is covered by an option on the same index purchased by the Fund, movements in the index may result in a loss to the Fund; however, such losses may be mitigated by changes in the value of the Fund's securities during the period the option was outstanding. If the Fund were unable to close out a covered call option that it had written on a security, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the exercise price of the call.

To the extent that the Fund writes a call option on a security it holds in its portfolio and intends to use such security as the sole means of "covering" its obligation under the call option, the Fund has, in return for the premium on the option, given up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the exercise price during the option period, but, as long as its obligation under such call option continues, has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. If the Fund were unable to close out such a call option, the Fund would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise.

<u>Foreign Currency Options</u>. Funds that invest in foreign currency-denominated securities may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies. The Fund may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies either on exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires. Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits which may limit the ability of the Fund to reduce foreign currency risk using such options. Over-the-counter options differ from traded options in that over-the-counter options are two-party contracts with price and other terms negotiated between buyer and seller and generally do not have as much market liquidity as exchange traded options.

<u>Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts</u>. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security or commodity for a set price on a future date. These contracts are traded on exchanges, so that, in most cases, either party can close out its position on the exchange for cash, without delivering the security or commodity. An option on a futures contract gives the holder of the option the right to buy or sell a position in a futures contract from or to the writer of the option, at a specified price and on or before a specified expiration date. The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options thereon ("futures options") with respect to, but not limited to, interest rates, commodities and security or commodity indexes. To the extent that the Fund may invest in foreign currency denominated securities, it may also invest in foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon.

An interest rate, commodity, foreign currency or index futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of a financial instrument, foreign currency, commodity or the cash value of an index at a specified price and time. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract was originally written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, no physical delivery of these securities is made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes as well as financial instruments and foreign currencies and it is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future. The Fund may also invest in commodity futures contracts and options thereon. A commodity futures contract is an agreement between two parties, in which one party agrees to buy a commodity, such as an energy, agricultural or metal commodity from the other party at a later date at a price and quantity agreed-upon when the contract is made.

The Fund may purchase and write call and put futures options. Futures options possess many of the same characteristics as options on securities and indexes (discussed above). A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. A call option is "in the money" if the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option exceeds the exercise price. A put option is "in the money" if the exercise price exceeds the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option.

Pursuant to a claim for exclusion from the definition of "commodity pool operator" filed by the Trust with the National Futures Association ("NFA"), the Trust does not fall within the definition of "commodity pool operator" under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended ("CEA"), in respect of the Fund, and thus, is not subject to registration or regulation as such under the CEA in respect of the Fund.

<u>Limitations on Use of Futures and Futures Options</u>. The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and futures options which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity or quoted on an automated quotation system.

Additionally, the Fund will limit its trading in "commodity interests," as that term is defined under applicable CFTC Rules, and which generally includes commodity futures, futures options and swaps, such that, aside from commodity futures, commodity options contracts or swaps that, in each case, are used solely for bona fide hedging purposes within the meaning and intent of applicable CFTC Rules, (i) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish positions in commodity interests will not exceed five percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, or (ii) the aggregate net notional value of commodity interest positions does not exceed 100 percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, in each case, as further described in CFTC Rule 4.5(c)(2).

When a purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by the Fund, the Fund is required to deposit with the custodian (or broker, if legally permitted) a specified amount of assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees ("initial margin"). The margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. Margin requirements on foreign exchanges may be different than U.S. exchanges. The initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the futures contract which is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. The Fund expects to earn interest income on its initial margin deposits. A futures contract held by the Fund is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded. Each day the Fund pays or receives cash, called "variation margin," equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. This process is known as "marking to market." Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract expired. In computing the daily NAV, the Fund will mark to market its open futures positions.

The Fund is also required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option and other futures positions held by the Fund.

Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities or commodities, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (same exchange, underlying security or index and delivery month). Closing out a futures contract sale is effected by purchasing a futures contract for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument or commodity with the same delivery date. If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a call and a put written on the same underlying futures contract. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

When purchasing a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" their position by purchasing a put option on the same futures contract with a strike price as high as or higher than the price of the contract held by the Fund.

When selling a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees that are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" its position by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract (or, in the case of an index futures contract, a portfolio with a volatility substantially similar to that of the index on which the futures contract is based), or by holding a call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price no higher than the price of the contract written by the Fund (or at a higher price if the difference is maintained in liquid assets with the Trust's custodian).

When selling a call option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, equal the total market value of the futures contract underlying the call option. Alternatively, the Fund may cover its position by entering into a long position in the same futures contract at a price no higher than the strike price of the call option, by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract, or by holding a separate call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price not higher than the strike price of the call option sold by the Fund.

When selling a put option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that equal the purchase price of the futures contract, less any margin on deposit. Alternatively, the Fund may cover the position either by entering into a short position in the same futures contract, or by owning a separate put option permitting it to sell the same futures contract so long as the strike price of the purchased put option is the same or higher than the strike price of the put option sold by the Fund.

The requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company ("RIC") provided under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("IRC") also may limit the extent to which the Fund may enter into futures, futures options or forward contracts. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

<u>Risks Associated with Futures and Futures Options</u>. There are several risks associated with the use of futures contracts and futures options. A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the margin deposits relating to the futures contract. There can be no guarantee that there will be a correlation between price movements in the hedging vehicle and in the Fund securities being hedged. In addition, there are significant differences between the securities and futures markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between the markets, causing a given hedge not to achieve its objectives. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends on circumstances such as variations in speculative market demand for futures and futures options on securities, including technical influences in futures trading and futures options, and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard contracts available for trading in such respects as interest rate levels, maturities and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision as to whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected interest rate trends.

Futures contracts on U.S. Government securities historically have reacted to an increase or decrease in interest rates in a manner similar to that in which the underlying U.S. Government securities reacted. To the extent, however, that the Fund enters into such futures contracts, the value of such futures will not vary in direct proportion to the value of the Fund's holdings. Thus, the anticipated spread between the price of the futures contract and the hedged security may be distorted due to differences in the nature of the markets. The spread also may be distorted by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets and the participation of speculators in such markets.

Futures exchanges may limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of the current trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a futures contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may work to prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when the Fund seeks to close out a futures or a futures option position, and that the Fund would remain obligated to meet margin requirements until the position is closed. In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.

<u>Risks Associated with Commodity Futures Contracts</u>. There are several additional risks associated with transactions in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Storage</u>. Unlike the financial futures markets, in the commodity futures markets there are costs of physical storage associated with purchasing the underlying commodity. The price of the commodity futures contract will reflect the storage costs of purchasing the physical commodity, including the time value of money invested in the physical commodity. To the extent that the storage costs for an underlying commodity change while the Fund is invested in futures contracts on that commodity, the value of the futures contract may change proportionately.

<u>Reinvestment</u>. In the commodity futures markets, producers of the underlying commodity may decide to hedge the price risk of selling the commodity by selling futures contracts today to lock in the price of the commodity at delivery tomorrow. In order to induce speculators to purchase the other side of the same futures contract, the commodity producer generally must sell the futures contract at a lower price than the expected future spot price. Conversely, if most hedgers in the futures market are purchasing futures contracts to hedge against a rise in prices, then speculators will only sell the other side of the futures contract at a higher futures price than the expected future spot price of the commodity. The changing nature of the hedgers and speculators in the commodity markets will influence whether futures prices are above or below the expected future spot price, which can have significant implications for the Fund. If the nature of hedgers and speculators in futures markets has shifted when it is time for the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a maturing contract in a new futures contract, the Fund might reinvest at higher or lower futures prices, or choose to pursue other investments.

Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the IRC may limit the Fund's ability to invest in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Tax Risk</u>. The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a RIC under the IRC. To qualify as a RIC under the IRC, the Fund must invest in assets which produce the types of income specified in the IRC and the Treasury Regulations ("Qualifying Income"). Whether the income from certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities is Qualifying Income must be determined on a case-by-case basis, and the Fund will endeavor to ensure that income that is not Qualifying Income will be limited to 10% or less of the Fund's income. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities may be restricted. Further, if the Fund does invest in these types of securities and the income is determined not to be Qualifying Income, it may cause the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these restrictions.

<u>Other Economic Factors</u>. The commodities which underlie commodity futures contracts may be subject to additional economic and non-economic variables, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments. These factors may have a larger impact on commodity prices and commodity-linked instruments, including futures contracts, than on traditional securities. Certain commodities are also subject to limited pricing flexibility because of supply and demand factors. Others are subject to broad price fluctuations as a result of the volatility of the prices for certain raw materials and the instability of supplies of other materials. These additional variables may create additional investment risks which subject the Fund's investments to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities.

<u>Additional Risks of Options on Securities, Futures Contracts, Options on Futures Contracts and Forward Currency Exchange Contracts and Options Thereon</u>. Options on securities, futures contracts and options on currencies may be traded on foreign exchanges. Such transactions may not be regulated as effectively as similar transactions in the United States may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Trust's ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States and (v) lesser trading volume.

<u>Swap Agreements and Options on Swap Agreements</u>*.*** The Fund may engage in swap transactions, including, but not limited to, swap agreements on interest rates, security or commodity indexes, specific securities and commodities, and credit and event-linked swaps. To the extent the Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities, it also may invest in currency exchange rate swap agreements. The Fund also may enter into options on swap agreements ("swap options").

The Fund may enter into swap transactions for any legal purpose consistent with its investment objectives and policies, such as attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining a return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in other markets, to protect against currency fluctuations, as a duration management technique, to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in a more cost efficient manner.

OTC swap agreements are bilateral contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a "notional amount," i.e., the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a "basket" of securities or commodities representing a particular index. A "quanto" or "differential" swap combines both an interest rate and a currency transaction. Other forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap"; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or "floor"; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. Consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and general investment policies, the Fund may invest in commodity swap agreements. For example, an investment in a commodity swap agreement may involve the exchange of floating-rate interest payments for the total return on a commodity index. In a total return commodity swap, the Fund will receive the price appreciation of a commodity index, a portion of the index, or a single commodity in exchange for paying an agreed-upon fee. If the commodity swap is for one period, the Fund may pay a fixed fee, established at the outset of the swap. However, if the term of the commodity swap is more than one period, with interim swap payments, the Fund may pay an adjustable or floating fee. With a "floating" rate, the fee may be pegged to a base rate and is adjusted each period. Therefore, if interest rates increase over the term of the swap contract, the Fund may be required to pay a higher fee at each swap reset date.

The Fund also may enter into swap options. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. The Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swap options.

Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, the Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swap option than it will incur when it purchases a swap option. When the Fund purchases a swap option, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when the Fund writes a swap option, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

Most types of swap agreements entered into by the Fund will calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a "net basis." Consequently, the Fund's current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the "net amount"). The Fund's current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund).

The Fund also may enter into credit default swap agreements. The credit default swap agreement may reference one or more debt securities or obligations that are not currently held by the Fund. The protection "buyer" in a credit default contract is generally obligated to pay the protection "seller" an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract until a credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the "par value" (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount if the swap is cash settled. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer may receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity whose value may have significantly decreased. As a seller, the Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

The spread of a credit default swap is the annual amount the protection buyer must pay the protection seller over the length of the contract, expressed as a percentage of the notional amount. When spreads rise, market perceived credit risk rises and when spreads fall, market perceived credit risk falls. Wider credit spreads and decreasing market values, when compared to the notional amount of the swap, represent a deterioration of the credit soundness of the issuer of the reference obligation and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. For credit default swap agreements on asset-backed securities and credit indices, the quoted market prices and resulting values, as well as the annual payment rate, serve as an indication of the current status of the payment/performance risk.

Credit default swap agreements sold by the Fund may involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, and with respect to OTC credit default swaps, counterparty risk and credit risk. The Fund will enter into uncleared credit default swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. A buyer generally also will lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. The Fund's obligations under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund).

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") and related regulatory developments require the clearing and exchange-trading of many standardized OTC derivative instruments that the CFTC and SEC have defined as "swaps" including non-deliverable foreign exchange forwards, OTC foreign exchange options and swap options. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing is occurring on a phased-in basis based on type of market participant and CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing. The Adviser will continue to monitor developments in this area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the Fund's ability to enter into swap agreements.

Whether the Fund's use of swap agreements or swap options will be successful in furthering its investment objective will depend on the Adviser's ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. The Fund will enter into OTC swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the Internal Revenue Code may limit the Fund's ability to use swap agreements. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including additional government regulation, could adversely affect the Fund's ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the reference asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. Because OTC swap agreements are two-party contracts that may be subject to contractual restrictions on transferability and termination and because they may have remaining terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid and subject to the Fund's limitation on investments in illiquid securities. However, the Trust has adopted procedures pursuant to which the Adviser may determine swaps to be liquid under certain circumstances. To the extent that a swap is not liquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.

Like most other investments, swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to the Fund's interest. The Fund bears the risk that the Adviser will not accurately forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors in establishing swap positions for the Fund. If the Adviser attempts to use a swap as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the swap will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the Fund. While hedging strategies involving swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other Fund investments. Many swaps are complex and often valued subjectively.

<u>Correlation Risk</u>. In certain cases, the value of derivatives may not correlate perfectly, or at all, with the value of the assets, reference rates or indexes they are designed to closely track. In this regard, certain funds seek to achieve their investment objectives, in part, by investing in derivatives positions that are designed to closely track the performance (or inverse performance) of an index on a daily basis. However, the overall investment strategies of the Fund are not designed or expected to produce returns which replicate the performance (or inverse performance) of the particular index, and the degree of variation could be substantial, particularly over longer periods. There are a number of factors which may prevent a mutual fund, or derivatives or other strategies used by the Fund, from achieving desired correlation (or inverse correlation) with an index. These may include, but are not limited to: (i) the impact of fund fees, expenses and transaction costs, including borrowing and brokerage costs/bid-ask spreads, which are not reflected in index returns; (ii) differences in the timing of daily calculations of the value of an index and the timing of the valuation of derivatives, securities and other assets held by the Fund and the determination of the NAV of fund shares; (iii) disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for derivative instruments or securities in which the Fund invests; (iv) the Fund having exposure to or holding less than all of the securities in the underlying index and/or having exposure to or holding securities not included in the underlying index; (v) large or unexpected movements of assets into and out of the Fund (due to share purchases or redemptions, for example), potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the index; (vi) the impact of accounting standards or changes thereto; (vii) changes to the applicable index that are not disseminated in advance; (viii) a possible need to conform the Fund's portfolio holdings to comply with investment restrictions or policies or regulatory or tax law requirements; and (ix) fluctuations in currency exchange rates.

<u>Risk of Potential Government Regulation of Derivatives</u>*.*** It is possible that additional government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, including futures, options and swap agreements, may limit or prevent the Fund from using such instruments potentially to the detriment of the Fund. It is impossible to fully predict the effects of past, present or future legislation and regulation in this area, but the effects could be substantial and adverse. It is possible that legislative and regulatory activity could limit or restrict the ability of the Fund to use certain instruments as a part of its investment strategy. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

There is a possibility of future regulatory changes altering, perhaps to a material extent, the nature of an investment in the Fund or the ability of the Fund to continue to implement their investment strategies. The futures, options and swaps markets are subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations, and margin requirements. In addition, the SEC, CFTC and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.

In particular, the Dodd-Frank Act sets forth a legislative framework for OTC derivatives, including financial instruments, such as swaps, in which the Fund may invest. Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act makes broad changes to the OTC derivatives market, grants significant new authority to the SEC and the CFTC to regulate OTC derivatives and market participants, and requires clearing and exchange trading of many OTC derivatives transactions.

Provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act include capital and margin requirements and the mandatory use of clearinghouse mechanisms for many OTC derivative transactions. The CFTC, SEC and other federal regulators have been developing the rules and regulations enacting the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. Because there is a prescribed phase-in period during which most of the mandated rulemaking and regulations will be implemented, it is not possible at this time to gauge the exact nature and full scope of the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on the Fund. However, swap dealers, major market participants and swap counterparties are experiencing, and will continue to experience, new and additional regulations, requirements, compliance burdens and associated costs. The new law and the rules to be promulgated thereunder may negatively impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective either through limits or requirements imposed on it or upon its counterparties. In particular, new position limits imposed on the Fund or its counterparties may impact the Fund's ability to invest in futures, options and swaps in a manner that efficiently meets its investment objective. New requirements even if not directly applicable to the Fund, including capital requirements, changes to the CFTC speculative position limits regime and mandatory clearing, may increase the cost of a Fund's investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.

<u>Structured Notes</u>. Structured notes are derivative debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities include structured notes as well as securities other than debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities may include a multiplier that multiplies the indexed element by a specified factor and, therefore, the value of such securities may be very volatile. The terms of the structured and indexed securities may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity and therefore, may result in a loss of invested capital. Structured and indexed securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the reference index may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the structured or indexed security at maturity may be calculated as a specified multiple of the change in the value of the reference; therefore, the value of such security may be very volatile. Structured and indexed securities may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the reference. Structured or indexed securities may also be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities. To the extent the Fund invests in these securities, however, the Adviser analyzes these securities in its overall assessment of the effective duration of the Fund's portfolio in an effort to monitor the Fund's interest rate risk.

**DOLLAR ROLLS.** The Fund may enter into dollar roll agreements, which are similar to reverse repurchase agreements. Dollar rolls are transactions in which securities are sold by the Fund for delivery in the current month and the Fund simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. Any difference between the sale price and the purchase price is netted against the interest income foregone on the securities sold to arrive at an implied borrowing rate. Alternatively, the sale and purchase transactions can be executed at the same price, with the Fund being paid a fee as consideration for entering into the commitment to purchase. Dollar rolls may be renewed prior to cash settlement and initially may involve only a firm commitment agreement by the Fund to buy a security. If the broker-dealer to which the Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund's right to repurchase the security may be restricted. At the time the Fund enters into a dollar roll, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained.

**EQUITY-LINKED SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in equity-linked securities. Equity-linked securities are privately issued securities whose investment results are designed to correspond generally to the performance of a specified stock index or "basket" of stocks, or sometimes a single stock. To the extent that the Fund invests in an equity-linked security whose return corresponds to the performance of a foreign securities index or one or more foreign stocks, investing in equity-linked securities will involve risks similar to the risks of investing in foreign equity securities. See "Foreign Securities" below. In addition, the Fund bears the risk that the issuer of an equity-linked security may default on its obligations under the security. Equity-linked securities are often used for many of the same purposes as, and share many of the same risks with, derivative instruments such as index futures on stock indexes, zero-strike options and warrants and swap agreements. See "Derivative Instruments" above. Equity-linked securities may be considered illiquid and thus subject to the Fund's restriction on investments in illiquid securities.

**EVENT-LINKED EXPOSURE.** The Fund may obtain event-linked exposure by investing in "event-linked bonds" or "event-linked swaps," or implement "event-linked strategies." Event-linked exposure results in gains that typically are contingent on the non-occurrence of a specific "trigger" event, such as a hurricane, earthquake or other physical or weather-related phenomena. Some event-linked bonds are commonly referred to as "catastrophe bonds." They may be issued by government agencies, insurance companies, reinsurers, special purpose corporations or other on-shore or off-shore entities (such special purpose entities are created to accomplish a narrow and well-defined objective, such as the issuance of a note in connection with a reinsurance transaction). If a trigger event causes losses exceeding a specific amount in the geographic region and time period specified in a bond, the Fund, when investing in the bond

may lose a portion or all of its principal invested in the bond. If no trigger event occurs, the Fund will recover its principal plus interest. For some event-linked bonds, the trigger event or losses may be based on company-wide losses, index-portfolio losses, industry indices or readings of scientific instruments rather than specified actual losses. Often the event-linked bonds provide for extensions of maturity that are mandatory, or optional at the discretion of the issuer, in order to process and audit loss claims in those cases where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension of maturity may increase volatility. In addition to the specified trigger events, event-linked bonds may also expose the Fund to certain unanticipated risks including but not limited to issuer risk, credit risk, counterparty risk, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations and adverse tax consequences.

Event-linked bonds are a relatively new type of financial instrument. As such, there is no significant trading history of these securities, and there can be no assurance that a liquid market in these instruments will develop. See "Illiquid Securities" below. Lack of a liquid market may impose the risk of higher transaction costs and the possibility that the Fund may be forced to liquidate positions when it would not be advantageous to do so. Event-linked bonds are typically rated, and the Fund will only invest in catastrophe bonds that meet the credit quality requirements for the Fund.

**FIXED INCOME SECURITIES WITH BUY-BACK FEATURES.** Fixed income securities with buy-back features enable the Fund to recover principal upon tendering the securities to the issuer or a third party. Letters of credit issued by domestic or foreign banks often support these buy-back features. In evaluating a foreign bank's credit, the Adviser considers whether adequate public information about the bank is available and whether the bank may be subject to unfavorable political or economic developments, currency controls or other governmental restrictions that could adversely affect the bank's ability to honor its commitment under the letter of credit. Buy-back features include standby commitments, put bonds and demand features.

<u>Standby Commitments</u>. The Fund may acquire standby commitments from broker-dealers, banks or other financial intermediaries to enhance the liquidity of portfolio securities. A standby commitment entitles the Fund to same day settlement at amortized cost plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise. The amount payable by the issuer of the standby commitment during the time that the commitment is exercisable generally approximates the market value of the securities underlying the commitment. Standby commitments are subject to the risk that the issuer of a commitment may not be in a position to pay for the securities at the time that the commitment is exercised.

Ordinarily, the Fund will not transfer a standby commitment to a third party, although the Fund may sell securities subject to a standby commitment at any time. The Fund may purchase standby commitments separate from or in conjunction with the purchase of the securities subject to the commitments. In the latter case, the Fund may pay a higher price for the securities acquired in consideration for the commitment.

In selecting put bonds for the Fund, the Adviser takes into consideration the creditworthiness of the issuers of the underlying bonds and the creditworthiness of the providers of the tender option features. A sponsor may withdraw the tender option feature if the issuer of the underlying bond defaults on interest or principal payments, the bond's rating is downgraded or, in the case of a municipal bond, the bond loses its tax-exempt status.

<u>Demand Features</u>. Many variable rate securities carry demand features that permit the holder to demand repayment of the principal amount of the underlying securities plus accrued interest, if any, upon a specified number of days' notice to the issuer or its agent. A demand feature may be exercisable at any time or at specified intervals. Variable rate securities with demand features are treated as having a maturity equal to the time remaining before the holder can next demand payment of principal. The issuer of a demand feature instrument may have a corresponding right to prepay the outstanding principal of the instrument plus accrued interest, if any, upon notice comparable to that required for the holder to demand payment.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities and may purchase and sell foreign currency options and foreign currency futures contracts and related options (see "Derivative Instruments") and may engage in foreign currency transactions either on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time or through forward currency contracts ("forwards") with terms generally of less than one year. The Fund may engage in these transactions in order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign exchange rates in the purchase and sale of securities. The Fund may also use foreign currency options and foreign currency forward contracts to increase exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another.

A forward involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts may be bought or sold to protect the Fund against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar or to increase exposure to a particular foreign currency. Although forwards are intended to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currencies, at the same time, they tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currencies increase.

Forwards will be used primarily to adjust the foreign exchange exposure of the Fund with a view to protecting the outlook, and the Fund might be expected to enter into such contracts under the following circumstances:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) When the Adviser desires to lock in the U.S. dollar price on the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) If a particular currency is expected to decrease against another currency, the Fund may sell the currency expected to decrease and purchase a currency which is expected to increase against the currency sold in an amount approximately equal to some or all of the Fund's portfolio holdings denominated in the currency sold.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) If the Adviser wants to eliminate substantially all of the risk of owning a particular currency, and/or if the Adviser thinks that the Fund can benefit from price appreciation in a given country's bonds but does not want to hold the currency, it may employ a direct hedge back into the U.S. dollar. In either case, the Fund would enter into a forward contract to sell the currency in which a portfolio security is denominated and purchase U.S. dollars at an exchange rate established at the time it initiated the contract. The cost of the direct hedge transaction may offset most, if not all, of the yield advantage offered by the foreign security, but the Fund would hope to benefit from an increase (if any) in the value of the bond.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) The Adviser might choose to use a proxy hedge, which may be less costly than a direct hedge. In this case, the Fund, having purchased a security, will sell a currency whose value is believed to be closely linked to the currency in which the security is denominated. Interest rates prevailing in the country whose currency was sold would be expected to be closer to those in the U.S. and lower than those of securities denominated in the currency of the original holding. This type of hedging entails greater risk than a direct hedge because it is dependent on a stable relationship between the two currencies paired as proxies and the relationships can be very unstable at times.

<u>Costs of Hedging</u>. When the Fund purchases a foreign bond with a higher interest rate than is available on U.S. bonds of a similar maturity, the additional yield on the foreign bond could be substantially reduced or lost if the Fund were to enter into a direct hedge by selling the foreign currency and purchasing the U.S. dollar. This is what is known as the "cost" of hedging. Proxy hedging attempts to reduce this cost through an indirect hedge back to the U.S. dollar.

It is important to note that hedging costs are treated as capital transactions and are not, therefore, deducted from the Fund's dividend distribution and are not reflected in its yield. Instead such costs will, over time, be reflected in the Fund's NAV per share.

The forecasting of currency market movement is extremely difficult, and whether any hedging strategy will be successful is highly uncertain. Moreover, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of a foreign currency forward contract. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to buy or sell additional currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such transaction) if the Adviser's predictions regarding the movement of foreign currency or securities markets prove inaccurate. In addition, the use of cross-hedging transactions may involve special risks and may leave the Fund in a less advantageous position than if such a hedge had not been established. Because foreign currency forward contracts are privately negotiated transactions, there can be no assurance that the Fund will have flexibility to roll-over a foreign currency forward contract upon its expiration if it desires to do so. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the other party to the contract will perform its services thereunder.

The Fund may hold a portion of its assets in bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies, so as to facilitate investment in foreign securities as well as protect against currency fluctuations and the need to convert such assets into U.S. dollars (thereby also reducing transaction costs). To the extent these monies are converted back into U.S. dollars, the value of the assets so maintained will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations.

<u>Tax Consequences of Hedging</u>. Under applicable tax law, the Fund may be required to limit its gains from hedging in foreign currency forwards, futures and options. The extent to which these limits apply is subject to tax regulations that, to date, have not been issued. Hedging may also result in the application of the mark-to-market and straddle provisions of the IRC. Those provisions could result in

an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund and could affect whether dividends paid by the Fund are classified as capital gains or ordinary income. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these tax issues.

**Foreign Currency Exchange-Related Securities.**

<u>Foreign Currency Warrants</u>. Foreign currency warrants such as Currency Exchange Warrants ("CEWs") are warrants which entitle the holder to receive from their issuer an amount of cash (generally, for warrants issued in the United States, in U.S. dollars) which is calculated pursuant to a predetermined formula and based on the exchange rate between a specified foreign currency and the U.S. dollar as of the exercise date of the warrant. Foreign currency warrants generally are exercisable upon their issuance and expire as of a specified date and time. Foreign currency warrants have been issued in connection with U.S. dollar-denominated debt offerings by major corporate issuers in an attempt to reduce the foreign currency exchange risk which, from the point of view of prospective purchasers of the securities, is inherent in the international fixed-income marketplace. Foreign currency warrants may attempt to reduce the foreign exchange risk assumed by purchasers of a security by, for example, providing for a supplemental payment in the event that the U.S. dollar depreciates against the value of a major foreign currency such as the Japanese yen or the euro. The formula used to determine the amount payable upon exercise of a foreign currency warrant may make the warrant worthless unless the applicable foreign currency exchange rate moves in a particular direction (e.g., unless the U.S. dollar appreciates or depreciates against the particular foreign currency to which the warrant is linked or indexed). Foreign currency warrants are severable from the debt obligations with which they may be offered and may be listed on exchanges. Foreign currency warrants may be exercisable only in certain minimum amounts, and an investor wishing to exercise warrants who possesses less than the minimum number required for exercise may be required either to sell the warrants or to purchase additional warrants, thereby incurring additional transaction costs. In the case of any exercise of warrants, there may be a time delay between the time a holder of warrants gives instructions to exercise and the time the exchange rate relating to exercise is determined, during which time the exchange rate could change significantly, thereby affecting both the market and cash settlement values of the warrants being exercised. The expiration date of the warrants may be accelerated if the warrants should be delisted from an exchange or if their trading should be suspended permanently, which would result in the loss of any remaining "time value" of the warrants (i.e., the difference between the current market value and the exercise value of the warrants), and, in the case the warrants were "out-of-the-money," in a total loss of the purchase price of the warrants. Warrants are generally unsecured obligations of their issuers and are not standardized foreign currency options issued by the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"). Unlike foreign currency options issued by OCC, the terms of foreign exchange warrants generally will not be amended in the event of governmental or regulatory actions affecting exchange rates or in the event of the imposition of other regulatory controls affecting the international currency markets. The initial public offering price of foreign currency warrants is generally considerably in excess of the price that a commercial user of foreign currencies might pay in the interbank market for a comparable option involving significantly larger amounts of foreign currencies. Foreign currency warrants are subject to significant foreign exchange risk, including risks arising from complex political or economic factors.

<u>Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities</u>. Principal exchange rate linked securities ("PERLs") are debt obligations the principal on which is payable at maturity in an amount that may vary based on the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and a particular foreign currency at or about that time. The return on "standard" PERLs is enhanced if the foreign currency to which the security is linked appreciates against the U.S. dollar and is adversely affected by increases in the foreign exchange value of the U.S. dollar; "reverse" PERLs are like the "standard" securities, except that their return is enhanced by increases in the value of the U.S. dollar and adversely impacted by increases in the value of foreign currency. Interest payments on the securities are generally made in U.S. dollars at rates that reflect the degree of foreign currency risk assumed or given up by the purchaser of the notes (i.e., at relatively higher interest rates if the purchaser has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, or relatively lower interest rates if the issuer has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, based on the expectations of the current market). PERLs may in limited cases be subject to acceleration of maturity (generally, not without the consent of the holders of the securities), which may have an adverse impact on the value of the principal payment to be made at maturity.

<u>Performance Indexed Paper</u>. Performance indexed paper ("PIPs") is U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper the yield of which is linked to certain foreign exchange rate movements. The yield to the investor on PIPs is established at maturity as a function of spot exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a designated currency as of or about that time (generally, the index maturity two days prior to maturity). The yield to the investor will be within a range stipulated at the time of purchase of the obligation, generally with a guaranteed minimum rate of return that is below, and a potential maximum rate of return that is above, market yields on U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper, with both the minimum and maximum rates of return on the investment corresponding to the minimum and maximum values of the spot exchange rate two business days prior to maturity.

**FOREIGN SECURITIES AND EMERGING MARKETS.** The Fund may invest in foreign securities, including securities from issuers located in emerging market countries. Investing in foreign securities involves risks not typically associated with investing in securities of companies organized and operated in the United States that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. In addition to equity

securities, foreign investments of the Fund may include: (a) debt obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign sovereign governments or their agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, including a foreign state, province or municipality; (b) debt obligations of supranational organizations; (c) debt obligations of foreign banks and bank holding companies; (d) debt obligations of domestic banks and corporations issued in foreign currencies; (e) debt obligations denominated in the Euro; and (f) foreign corporate debt securities and commercial paper. Such securities may include loan participations and assignments, convertible securities and zero-coupon securities.

<u>Currency Risk and Exchange Risk</u>*.* Because foreign securities generally are denominated and pay dividends or interest in foreign currencies, the value of the Fund (if it invests in foreign securities as measured in U.S. dollars) will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in exchange rates. Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency loses value because the currency is worth fewer U.S. dollars. Conversely, when the U.S. dollar decreases in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency gains value because the currency is worth more U.S. dollars. This risk, generally known as "currency risk," means that a stronger U.S. dollar will reduce returns for U.S. investors while a weak U.S. dollar will increase those returns.

<u>Foreign Market Risk</u>*.* A fund that may invest in foreign securities offers the potential for more diversification than a fund that invests only in the United States because securities traded on foreign markets have often (though not always) performed differently from securities traded in the United States. However, such investments often involve risks not present in U.S. investments that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. In particular, the Fund is subject to the risk that, because there are generally fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of shares traded each day, it may be difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. In addition, prices of foreign securities may fluctuate more than prices of securities traded in the United States. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of punitive taxes. In addition, the governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain industries. Any of these actions could severely affect security prices, impair the Fund's ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer the Fund's assets or income back into the United States or otherwise adversely affect its operations. Other potential foreign market risks include exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on foreign government securities, difficulties in enforcing favorable legal judgments in foreign courts and political and social conditions, such as diplomatic relations, confiscatory taxation, expropriation, limitation on the removal of funds or assets or imposition of (or change in) exchange control regulations. Legal remedies available to investors in certain foreign countries may be less extensive than those available to investors in the United States or other foreign countries. In addition, changes in government administrations or economic or monetary policies in the United States or abroad could result in appreciation or depreciation of portfolio securities and could favorably or adversely affect the Fund's operations.

<u>Public Availability of Information</u>*.* In general, less information is publicly available with respect to foreign issuers than is available with respect to U.S. companies. Most foreign companies are also not subject to the uniform accounting and financial reporting requirements applicable to issuers in the United States. While the volume of transactions effected on foreign stock exchanges has increased in recent years, it remains appreciably below that of the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange"). Accordingly, the Fund's foreign investments may be less liquid and their prices may be more volatile than comparable investments in securities in U.S. companies. In addition, there is generally less government supervision and regulation of securities exchanges, brokers and issuers in foreign countries than in the United States.

<u>Settlement Risk</u>*.* Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the United States. Foreign settlement procedures and trade regulations also may involve certain risks (such as delays in payment for or delivery of securities) not typically generated by the settlement of U.S. investments. Communications between the United States and emerging market countries may be unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates in markets that still rely on physical settlement. Settlements in certain foreign countries at times have not kept pace with the number of securities transactions; these problems may make it difficult for the Fund to carry out transactions. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a purchase of securities, it may miss attractive investment opportunities and certain of its assets may be uninvested with no return earned thereon for some period. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a sale of securities, it may lose money if the value of the security then declines or, if it has contracted to sell the security to another party, the Fund could be liable to that party for any losses incurred. Dividends or interest on, or proceeds from the sale of, foreign securities may be subject to foreign taxes on income from sources in such countries.

<u>Governmental Supervision and Regulation/Accounting Standards</u>. Many foreign governments supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities less than does the United States. Some countries may not have laws to protect investors comparable to the U.S. securities laws. For example, some foreign countries may have no laws or rules against insider trading. Insider trading occurs when a person buys or sells a company's securities based on nonpublic information about that company. In addition, the U.S. Government has from time to time in the past imposed restrictions, through penalties and otherwise, on foreign investments by U.S. investors such as the Fund. Accounting standards in other countries are not necessarily the same as in the United States. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as U.S. accounting standards, it may be harder for Fund management to completely and accurately determine a company's financial condition. Also, brokerage commissions and other costs of buying or selling securities often are higher in foreign countries than they are in the United States. This reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments.

<u>Certain Risks of Holding Fund Assets Outside the United States</u>. The Fund generally holds foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories. Some foreign banks and securities depositories may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In addition, there may be limited or no regulatory oversight over their operations. Also, the laws of certain countries may put limits on the Fund's ability to recover its assets if a foreign bank or depository or issuer of a security or any of their agents goes bankrupt. In addition, it is often more expensive for the Fund to buy, sell and hold securities in certain foreign markets than in the United States. The increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments and typically results in a higher operating expense ratio for the Fund as compared to investment companies that invest only in the United States.

<u>Foreign Economy Risk</u>*.* The economies of certain foreign markets often do not compare favorably with that of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of payments position. Certain such economies may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures.

<u>Sovereign Debt</u>. The Fund may invest in sovereign debt. Investment in sovereign debt can involve a high degree of risk. The governmental entity that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be able or willing to repay the principal and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such debt. A governmental entity's willingness or ability to repay principal and interest due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the governmental entity's policy towards the International Monetary Fund and the political constraints to which a governmental entity may be subject. Governmental entities may also be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The commitment on the part of these governments, agencies and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on the implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor's obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties' commitments to lend funds to the governmental entity, which may further impair such debtor's ability or willingness to timely service its debts. Consequently, governmental entities may default on their sovereign debt.

Holders of sovereign debt may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such debt and to extend further loans to governmental entities. In the event of a default by a governmental entity, there may be few or no effective legal remedies for collecting on such debt.

<u>Risks of Investing in Asia-Pacific Countries</u>. In addition to the risks of foreign investing and the risks of investing in developing markets, the developing market Asia-Pacific countries in which the Fund may invest are subject to certain additional or specific risks. In many of these markets, there is a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of investors and financial intermediaries. Many of these markets also may be affected by developments with respect to more established markets in the region such as in Japan and Hong Kong. Brokers in developing market Asia-Pacific countries typically are fewer in number and less well capitalized than brokers in the United States. These factors, combined with the U.S. regulatory requirements for open-end investment companies and the restrictions on foreign investment discussed below, result in potentially fewer investment opportunities for the Fund and may have an adverse impact on the investment performance of the Fund.

Many of the developing market Asia-Pacific countries may be subject to a greater degree of economic, political and social instability than is the case in the United States and Western European countries. Such instability may result from, among other things: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision-making, including changes in government through extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; and (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection. In addition, the governments of many of such countries, such as Indonesia, have a substantial role in regulating and supervising the economy. Another risk common to most such countries is that the economy is heavily export oriented and, accordingly, is dependent upon international trade. The existence of overburdened infrastructure and obsolete financial systems also presents risks in certain countries, as do environmental problems. Certain economies also depend to a significant degree upon exports of primary commodities and, therefore, are vulnerable to changes in commodity prices that, in turn, may be affected by a variety of factors.

The legal systems in certain developing market Asia-Pacific countries also may have an adverse impact on the Fund. For example, while the potential liability of a shareholder in a U.S. corporation with respect to acts of the corporation is generally limited to the amount of the shareholder's investment, the notion of limited liability is less clear in certain emerging market Asia-Pacific countries. Similarly, the rights of investors in developing market Asia-Pacific companies may be more limited than those of shareholders of U.S. corporations. It may be difficult or impossible to obtain and/or enforce a judgment in a developing market Asia-Pacific country.

Governments of many developing market Asia-Pacific countries have exercised and continue to exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector. In certain cases, the government owns or controls many companies, including the largest in the country. Accordingly, government actions in the future could have a significant effect on economic conditions in developing market Asia-Pacific countries, which could affect private sector companies and a Fund itself, as well as the value of securities in the Fund's portfolio. In addition, economic statistics of developing market Asia-Pacific countries may be less reliable than economic statistics of more developed nations.

In addition to the relative lack of publicly available information about developing market Asia-Pacific issuers and the possibility that such issuers may not be subject to the same accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards as U.S. companies, inflation accounting rules in some developing market Asia-Pacific countries require companies that keep accounting records in the local currency, for both tax and accounting purposes, to restate certain assets and liabilities on the company's balance sheet in order to express items in terms of currency of constant purchasing power. Inflation accounting may indirectly generate losses or profits for certain developing market Asia-Pacific companies.

Satisfactory custodial services for investment securities may not be available in some developing Asia-Pacific countries, which may result in the Fund incurring additional costs and delays in providing transportation and custody services for such securities outside such countries. Certain developing Asia-Pacific countries, such as the Philippines, India and Turkey, are especially large debtors to commercial banks and foreign governments. The Adviser may determine that, notwithstanding otherwise favorable investment criteria, it may not be practicable or appropriate to invest in a particular developing Asia-Pacific country. The Fund may invest in countries in which foreign investors, including the Adviser, have had no or limited prior experience.

<u>Restrictions on Foreign Investments in Asia-Pacific Countries</u>. Some developing Asia-Pacific countries prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on investments in their capital markets, particularly their equity markets, by foreign entities such as the Fund. As illustrations, certain countries may require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company or limit the investment by foreign persons to only a specific class of securities of a company which may have less advantageous terms (including price and shareholder rights) than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to obtain required governmental approvals in a timely manner. In addition, changes to restrictions on foreign ownership of securities subsequent to the Fund's purchase of such securities may have an adverse effect on the value of such shares. Certain countries may restrict investment opportunities in issuers or industries deemed important to national interests.

The manner in which foreign investors may invest in companies in certain developing Asia-Pacific countries, as well as limitations on such investments, also may have an adverse impact on the operations of the Fund. For example, the Fund may be required in certain of such countries to invest initially through a local broker or other entity and then have the shares purchased re-registered in the name of the Fund. Re-registration may in some instances not be able to occur on a timely basis, resulting in a delay during which the Fund may be denied certain of its rights as an investor, including rights as to dividends or to be made aware of certain corporate actions. There also may be instances where the Fund places a purchase order but is subsequently informed, at the time of re-registration, that the permissible allocation of the investment to foreign investors has been filled, depriving the Fund of the ability to make its desired investment at that time.

Substantial limitations may exist in certain countries with respect to the Fund's ability to repatriate investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors. The Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application to the Fund of any restrictions on investments. It is possible that certain countries may impose currency controls or other restrictions relating to their currencies or to securities of issuers in those countries. To the extent that such restrictions have the effect of making certain investments illiquid, securities may not be available for sale to meet redemptions. Depending on a variety of financial factors, the percentage of the Fund's portfolio subject to currency controls may increase. In the event other countries impose similar controls, the portion of the Fund's assets that may be used to meet redemptions may be further decreased. Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain aspects of the operations of the Fund (for example, if funds may be withdrawn only in certain currencies and/or only at an exchange rate established by the government).

In certain countries, banks or other financial institutions may be among the leading companies or have actively traded securities available for investment. The 1940 Act restricts the Fund's investments in any equity securities of an issuer that, in its most recent fiscal year, derived more than 15% of its revenues from "securities related activities," as defined by the rules thereunder. These provisions may restrict the Fund's investments in certain foreign banks and other financial institutions.

Political and economic structures in emerging market countries may be undergoing significant evolution and rapid development, and these countries may lack the social, political and economic stability characteristic of more developed countries. Some of these countries may have in the past failed to recognize private property rights and have at times nationalized or expropriated the assets of private

companies. As a result the risks described above, including the risks of nationalization or expropriation of assets, may be heightened. In addition, unanticipated political or social developments may affect the value of investments in these countries and the availability to the Fund of additional investments in emerging market countries. The small size and inexperience of the securities markets in certain of these countries and the limited volume of trading in securities in these countries may make investments in the countries illiquid and more volatile than investments in Japan or most Western European countries. There may be little financial or accounting information available with respect to issuers located in certain emerging market countries, and it may be difficult to assess the value or prospects of an investment in such issuers.

The expense ratios of funds investing significantly in foreign securities can be expected to be higher than those of funds investing primarily in domestic securities. The costs attributable to investing abroad are usually higher for several reasons, such as the higher cost of custody of foreign securities, higher commissions paid on comparable transactions on foreign markets and additional costs arising from delays in settlements of transactions involving foreign securities.

<u>Russia Risk</u>. As a result of continued political tensions and armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine commencing in February of 2022, the extent and ultimate result of which are unknown at this time, the United States and the European Union, along with the regulatory bodies of a number of countries, have imposed economic sanctions on certain Russian corporate entities and individuals, and certain sectors of Russia's economy, which may result in, among other things, continued fluctuations in the valuation of Russian currency, a downgrade in the country's credit rating, and/or a decline in the value and liquidity of Russian securities, property or interests. These sanctions could also result in the immediate freeze of Russian securities and/or funds invested in prohibited assets, impairing the ability of the Fund to buy, sell, receive or deliver those securities and/or assets. Economic sanctions and other actions against Russian institutions, companies, and individuals resulting from the ongoing conflict may also have a substantial negative impact on other economies and securities markets both regionally and globally, as well as on companies with operations in the conflict region, the extent to which is unknown at this time.

<u>P-notes</u>. The Fund may invest in participatory notes (commonly known as P-notes), which are offshore derivative instruments issued to foreign institutional investors and their sub-accounts against underlying Indian securities listed on the Indian bourses. These securities are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. Participatory notes are similar to ADRs and the risks of investing in participatory notes are similar to those discussed below with respect to securities of foreign issuers in general.

**GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACTS.** The Fund may invest in guaranteed investment contracts ("GIC"). A GIC is a general obligation of an insurance company. A GIC is generally structured as a deferred annuity under which the purchaser agrees to pay a given amount of money to an insurer (either in a lump sum or in installments) and the insurer promises to pay interest at a guaranteed rate (either fixed or variable) for the life of the contract. Some GICs provide that the insurer may periodically pay discretionary excess interest over and above the guaranteed rate. At the GIC's maturity, the purchaser generally is given the option of receiving payment or an annuity. Certain GICs may have features that permit redemption by the issuer at a discount from par value. Generally, GICs are not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuer. As a result, the acquisition of GICs is subject to the limitations applicable to the Fund's acquisition of illiquid and restricted securities. The holder of a GIC is dependent on the creditworthiness of the issuer as to whether the issuer is able to meet its obligations.

**HYBRID INSTRUMENTS.** A hybrid instrument is a type of potentially high-risk derivative that combines a traditional stock, bond or commodity with an option or forward contract. Generally, the principal amount, amount payable upon maturity or redemption or interest rate of a hybrid is tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency or securities index or another interest rate or some other economic factor (each a "benchmark"). The interest rate or (unlike most fixed income securities) the principal amount payable at maturity of a hybrid security may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark. An example of a hybrid could be a bond issued by an oil company that pays a small base level of interest with additional interest that accrues in correlation to the extent to which oil prices exceed a certain predetermined level. Such a hybrid instrument would be a combination of a bond and a call option on oil.

Hybrids can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging duration management and increased total return. Hybrids may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a hybrid or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could be zero. Thus, an investment in a hybrid may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of hybrids also exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrids. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the NAV of the Fund.

Certain hybrid instruments may provide exposure to the commodities markets. These are derivative securities with one or more commodity-linked components that have payment features similar to commodity futures contracts, commodity options or similar instruments. Commodity-linked hybrid instruments may be either equity or debt securities, leveraged or unleveraged, and are considered hybrid instruments because they have both security and commodity-like characteristics. A portion of the value of these instruments may be derived from the value of a commodity, futures contract, index or other economic variable. The Fund will only invest in commodity-linked hybrid instruments that qualify under applicable rules of the CFTC for an exemption from the provisions of the CEA.

Certain issuers of structured products such as hybrid instruments may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund's investments in these products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.

**ILLIQUID SECURITIES and liquidity risk management PROGRAM.** The Fund may not knowingly invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days at approximately the value at which they are being carried on the Fund's books. The Board of Trustees has the ultimate responsibility for determining whether specific securities are liquid or illiquid. The Board of Trustees has delegated the function of making day to day determinations of liquidity to the Adviser, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of securities held by the Fund and report periodically on such decisions to the Board of Trustees. If the limitations on illiquid securities are exceeded, other than by a change in market values, the condition will be reported by the Fund's Adviser to the Board of Trustees. Illiquid securities would generally include repurchase agreements with notice/termination dates in excess of seven days and certain securities which are subject to trading restrictions because they are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). External market conditions may impact the liquidity of portfolio securities and may cause the Fund to sell or divest certain illiquid securities in order to comply with its limitation on holding illiquid securities, which may result in realized losses to the Fund.

Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires, among other things, that the Fund establish a liquidity risk management program ("LRMP") that is reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 defines "liquidity risk" as the risk that a fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the fund without significant dilution of the remaining investors' interests in the fund. The Fund has implemented a LRMP to meet the relevant requirements. Additionally, the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the designation of a committee of individuals comprised of the Fund's President, Treasurer, and Chief Compliance Officer (the "LRMP Administrator") to administer the LRMP. The Board of Trustees will review no less frequently than annually a written report prepared by the LRMP Administrator that addresses the operation of the LRMP and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation. Among other things, the LRMP provides for the classification of each Fund investment as a "highly liquid investment," "moderately liquid investment," "less liquid investment" or "illiquid investment." The liquidity risk classifications of the Fund's investments are determined after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations. To the extent that a Fund investment is deemed to be an "illiquid investment" or a "less liquid investment," the Fund can expect to be exposed to greater liquidity risk. There is no guarantee the LRMP will be effective in its operations, and complying with Rule 22e-4, including bearing related costs, could impact the Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

**INFLATION-PROTECTED DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in inflation-protected debt securities or inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers utilize a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index ("CPI") accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS") have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if the Fund purchased TIPS with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year's inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. The Fund may also invest in other inflation-related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal amount.

The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.

While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.

Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

**INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies (each, an "Underlying Fund"), including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts ("UITs") and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the "Acquired Fund"), such as the Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the "Acquiring Fund") or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of the Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC no-action relief.

Set forth below is additional information about the manner in which ETFs generally operate and the risks associated with an investment in ETFs which are in addition to the risks associated with registered investment companies generally.

In the event that the Fund purchases shares of ETFs, such purchase is expected to be made through a broker-dealer in a transaction on a securities exchange, and in such a case the Fund will pay customary brokerage commissions for each purchase and sale. Shares of an ETF may also be acquired by depositing a specified portfolio of the ETF's underlying securities, as well as a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit, with the ETF's custodian, in exchange for which the ETF will issue a quantity of new shares sometimes referred to as a "creation unit." Similarly, shares of an ETF purchased on an exchange may be accumulated until they represent a creation unit, and the creation unit may be redeemed in kind for a portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETF's NAV) together with a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. The Fund may redeem creation units for the underlying securities (and any applicable cash) and may assemble a portfolio of the underlying securities (and any required cash) to purchase creation units, if the Adviser believes it is in the Fund's interest to do so. The Fund's ability to redeem creation units may be limited by the 1940 Act, which provides that an ETF will not be obligated to redeem shares held by the Fund in an amount exceeding one percent of such ETF's total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days.

<u>Termination Risk</u>. There is a risk that ETFs in which the Fund invests may terminate due to extraordinary events. For example, any of the service providers to ETFs, such as the trustee or sponsor, may close or otherwise fail to perform their obligations to the ETF, and the ETF may not be able to find a substitute service provider. Also, the ETFs may be dependent upon licenses to use the various indices as a basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade names. If these licenses are terminated, ETFs may also terminate or experience a disruption in its activities. In addition, an ETF may terminate if its net assets fall below a certain amount.

Although the Adviser believes that, in the event of the termination of an ETF, the Fund will be able to invest instead in shares of an alternate ETF tracking the same market index or another index covering the same general market, there can be no assurance that shares of an alternate ETF would be available for investment at that time.

**INVESTMENTS IN COMMODITY/NATURAL RESOURCE-RELATED SECURITIES.** As discussed under "Investment Limitations" below, the Fund does not invest directly in commodities. However, the Fund may from time to time invest in securities of companies whose business is related to commodities and natural resources, or in registered investment companies or other companies that invest directly or indirectly in commodities and natural resources. For example, the Fund may invest in companies whose business is related to mining of precious or other metals (e.g., gold, silver, etc.) or registered investment companies that invest in securities of mining companies and related instruments (including, without limitation, the underlying commodities). Investments in equity securities of companies involved in mining or related precious metals industries, and the value of the investment companies and other companies that invest in precious metals and other commodities are subject to a number of risks. For example, the prices of precious metals or other commodities can move sharply, up or down, in response to cyclical economic conditions, political events or the monetary policies of various countries, any of which may adversely affect the value of companies whose business is related to such commodities, or the value of investment companies and other companies investing in such business or commodities. Furthermore, such companies are subject to risks related to fluctuations of prices and perceptions of value in the commodity markets generally.

**LOAN PARTICIPATIONS.** The Fund may purchase participations in commercial loans. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Loan participations typically represent direct participation in a loan to a corporate borrower and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Fund may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing loan participations, the Fund assumes the credit risk associated with the corporate borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interests in which the Fund intends to invest may not be rated by any nationally recognized statistical ratings organization ("NRSRO").

A loan is often administered by an agent bank acting as agent for all holders. The agent bank administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. In addition, the agent bank is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the corporate borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions which are parties to the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, the Fund has direct recourse against the corporate borrower, the Fund may have to rely on the agent bank or other financial intermediary to apply appropriate credit remedies against a corporate borrower. A financial institution's employment as agent bank might be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement should remain available to holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank's general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. In situations involving other interposed financial institutions (e.g., an insurance company or governmental agency) similar risks may arise.

Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the corporate borrower for payment of principal and interest. If the Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund's share price and yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.

The Fund may invest in loan participations with credit quality comparable to that of the issuers of the Fund's securities investments. Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

The Fund limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in any one issuer or in issuers within the same industry (see "Investment Limitations"). For purposes of these limits, the Fund generally will treat the corporate borrower as the "issuer" of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between the Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as "issuers" for the purpose of determining whether the Fund has invested more than 5% of its assets in a single issuer. Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict the Fund's ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries.

Loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of readily at what the Adviser believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of illiquid indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining the Fund's NAV than if that value were based on available market quotations and could result in significant variations in the Fund's daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are traded among certain financial

institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of these instruments is expected to improve. In addition, the Fund currently intends to treat indebtedness for which there is no readily available market as illiquid for purposes of the Fund's limitation on illiquid investments. Investments in loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of the Trust's investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by the Fund.

Investments in loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution's interests with respect to the loan may involve additional risks to the Fund. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, the Fund could be held liable as co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protections against fraud and misrepresentation. In the absence of definitive regulatory guidance, the Fund relies on the Adviser's research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentation could adversely affect the Fund.

**MONEY MARKET FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in the securities of money market mutual funds. Such investments are subject to limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder and applicable SEC staff interpretations thereof, or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC. (See "Investment Company Securities and Exchange-Traded Funds" above.)

**MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES AND ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES.** Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. See "Mortgage Pass-Through Securities." The Fund may also invest in debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations").

The recent financial downturn—particularly the increase in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgages, falling home prices, and unemployment—has adversely affected the market for mortgage-related securities. In addition, various market and governmental actions may impair the ability to foreclose on or exercise other remedies against underlying mortgage holders, or may reduce the amount received upon foreclosure. These factors have caused certain mortgage-related securities to experience lower valuations and reduced liquidity. There is also no assurance that the U.S. Government will take further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economic downturn continue or the economy experience another downturn. Further, recent legislative action and any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk that the Fund could realize losses on mortgage-related securities.

<u>Mortgage Pass-Through Securities</u>*.* Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA")) are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase.

The residential mortgage market in the United States recently has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Fund's mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased recently and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has recently been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

<u>Agency Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA"), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA").

However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Trust's investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet the Trust's quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. The Fund will not purchase mortgage-related securities or any other assets which in the opinion of the Adviser are illiquid if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets will be illiquid.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. The substantial decline in real property values across the U.S. has exacerbated the level of losses that investors in privately issued mortgage-related securities have experienced. It is not certain when these trends may reverse. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in the Fund's portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

The Fund may purchase privately issued mortgage-related securities that are originated, packaged and serviced by third party entities. It is possible these third parties could have interests that are in conflict with the holders of mortgage-related securities, and such holders (such as the Fund) could have rights against the third parties or their affiliates. For example, if a loan originator, servicer or its affiliates engaged in negligence or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties, then a holder of the mortgage-related security could seek recourse against the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable. Also, as a loan originator/servicer, the originator/servicer or its affiliates may make certain representations and warranties regarding the quality of the mortgages and properties underlying a mortgage-related security. If one or more of those representations or warranties is false, then the holders of the mortgage-related securities (such as the Fund) could trigger an obligation of the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable, to repurchase the mortgages from the issuing trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, many of the third parties that are legally bound by trust and other documents have failed to perform their respective duties, as stipulated in such trust and other documents, and investors have had limited success in enforcing terms.

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Fund's industry concentration restrictions, set forth below under "Investment Limitations," by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. Government securities. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities, the Fund takes the position that mortgage-related securities do not represent interests in any particular "industry" or group of industries. Therefore, the Fund may invest more or less than 25% of its total assets in privately issued mortgage-related securities. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

<u>Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs")</u>*.* A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as "tranches," with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as "sequential pay" CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation ("issuer") issues multiple series (*e.g.*, A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds ("Bonds"). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates ("Collateral"). The Collateral is pledged to a third party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common. For example, the Fund may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class ("PAC") CMOs and multi-class pass through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches—known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds—which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final

distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk.

<u>Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Commercial mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

<u>Other Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals or stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS"). Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

<u>CMO Residuals</u>*.* CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only ("IO") class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. See "Other Mortgage-Related Securities—Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities." In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based.

As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.

CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. Transactions in CMO residuals are generally completed only after careful review of the characteristics of the securities in question. In addition, CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not have been registered under the 1933 Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the 1933 Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed "illiquid" and subject to the Fund's limitations on investment in illiquid securities.

<u>Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities ("ARMBSs") have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBSs permits the Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBSs are based. Such ARMBSs generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed income debt securities of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBSs, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, the Fund, when holding an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (*i.e.*, the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBSs behave more like fixed income securities and less like adjustable rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed income securities. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

<u>Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the "IO" class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or "PO" class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund's yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated pre-payments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

<u>Collateralized Debt Obligations</u>*.* The Fund may invest in collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), which include collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and other similarly structured securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed income securities such as high yield debt, residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, commercial privately issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.

For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the "equity" tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade.

Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class.

The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities, however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Fund's Prospectus (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CDOs carry additional risks including, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the Fund may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

<u>Asset-Backed Securities</u>*.* Asset-backed securities ("ABS") are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. ABS are created from many types of assets, including auto loans, credit card receivables, home equity loans, and student loans. ABS are issued through special purpose vehicles that are bankruptcy remote from the issuer of the collateral. The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement. Some ABS, particularly home equity loan transactions, are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments (after expenses are paid) are used to pay investors as quickly as possible based upon a predetermined priority of payment.

Consistent with its investment objectives and policies, the Fund also may invest in other types of asset-backed securities.

**BELOW-INVESTMENT GRADE SECURITIES.** Subject to the limitations set forth in the Prospectus, the Fund may invest in "below-investment grade" or "high yield" fixed income securities commonly known to investors as "high yield bonds" or "junk bonds." High yield bonds are issued by a company whose credit rating (based on an NRSRO) evaluation of the likelihood of repayment) necessitates offering a higher coupon and yield on its issues when selling them to investors who may otherwise be hesitant in purchasing the debt of such a company. While generally providing greater income and opportunity for gain, below-investment grade debt securities are generally subject to greater risks than fixed income securities which have higher credit ratings, including a higher risk of default, and their yields will fluctuate over time. High yield bonds generally will be in the lower rating categories of NRSROs (rated "Ba" or lower by Moody's or "BB" or lower by S&P and Fitch or will be unrated. The credit rating of a high yield bond does not necessarily address its market value risk, and ratings may from time to time change, positively or negatively, to reflect developments regarding the issuer's financial condition. High yield bonds are considered to be speculative with respect to the capacity of the issuer to timely repay principal and pay interest or dividends in accordance with the terms of the obligation and may have more credit risk than higher rated securities.

While the market values of high yield bonds tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rates than do those of higher rated securities, the values of high yield bonds often reflect individual corporate developments and have a high sensitivity to economic changes to a greater extent than do higher rated securities. Issuers of high yield bonds are often in the growth stage of their development and/or involved in a reorganization or takeover. The companies are often highly leveraged (have a significant amount of debt relative to shareholders' equity) and may not have available to them more traditional financing methods, thereby increasing the risk associated with acquiring these types of securities. In some cases, obligations with respect to high yield bonds are subordinated to the prior repayment of senior indebtedness, which will potentially limit the Fund's ability to fully recover principal or to receive interest payments when senior securities are in default. Thus, investors in high yield bonds have a lower degree of protection with respect to principal and interest payments than do investors in higher rated securities.

During an economic downturn, a substantial period of rising interest rates or a recession, highly leveraged issuers of high yield bonds may experience financial distress possibly resulting in insufficient revenues to meet their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals and to obtain additional financing. An economic downturn could also disrupt the market for lower-rated securities and adversely affect the value of outstanding securities, the Fund's NAV and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest. If the issuer of a security held by the Fund has defaulted, the Fund may not receive full interest and principal payments due to it and could incur additional expenses if it chose to seek recovery of its investment.

The secondary markets for high yield bonds are not as liquid as the secondary markets for higher rated securities. The secondary markets for high yield bonds are concentrated in relatively few market makers and participants in the markets are mostly institutional investors, including insurance companies, banks, other financial institutions and mutual funds. In addition, the trading volume for high yield bonds is generally lower than that for higher rated securities and the secondary markets could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. Under certain economic and/or market conditions, the Fund may have difficulty disposing of certain high yield bonds due to the limited number of investors in that sector of the market. An illiquid secondary market may adversely affect the market price of the high yield security, which may result in increased difficulty selling the particular issue and obtaining accurate market quotations on the issue when valuing the Fund's assets. Market quotations on high yield bonds are available only from a limited number of dealers, and such quotations may not be the actual prices available for a purchase or sale.

The high yield markets may react strongly to adverse news about an issuer or the economy, or to the perception or expectation of adverse news, whether or not it is based on fundamental analysis. Additionally, prices for high yield bonds may be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. These developments could adversely affect the Fund's NAV and investment practices, the secondary market for high yield bonds, the financial condition of issuers of these securities and the value and liquidity of outstanding high yield bonds, especially in a thinly traded market. For example, Federal legislation requiring the divestiture by federally insured savings and loan associations of their investments in high yield bonds and limiting the deductibility of interest by certain corporate issuers of high yield bonds adversely affected the market in the past.

When the secondary market for high yield bonds becomes more illiquid, or in the absence of readily available market quotations for such securities, the relative lack of reliable objective data makes it more difficult to value the Fund's securities and judgment plays a more important role in determining such valuations. Increased illiquidity in the junk bond market, in combination with the relative youth and growth of the market for such securities, also may affect the ability of the Fund to dispose of such securities at a desirable price. Additionally, if the secondary markets for high yield bonds contract due to adverse economic conditions or for other reasons, some of the Fund's liquid securities may become illiquid and the proportion of the Fund's assets invested in illiquid securities may significantly increase.

The rating assigned by a rating agency evaluates the safety of a below-investment grade security's principal and interest payments but does not address market value risk. Because such ratings of NRSROs may not always reflect current conditions and events, in addition to using NRSROs and other sources, the Adviser performs its own analysis of the issuers whose below-investment grade securities are held by the Fund. Because of this, the Fund's performance may depend more on the Adviser's own credit analysis than in the case of mutual funds investing in higher-rated securities. For a description of these ratings, see "Appendix A - Description of Securities Ratings."

In selecting below-investment grade securities, the Adviser considers factors such as those relating to the creditworthiness of issuers, the ratings and performance of the securities, the protections afforded the securities and the diversity of the Fund. The Adviser continuously monitors the issuers of below-investment grade securities held by the Fund for their ability to make required principal and interest payments, as well as in an effort to control the liquidity of the Fund so that it can meet redemption requests. If a security's rating is reduced below the minimum credit rating that is permitted for the Fund, the Adviser will consider whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.

In the event that the Fund investing in high yield bonds experiences an unexpected level of net redemptions, the Fund could be forced to sell its holdings without regard to the investment merits, thereby decreasing the assets upon which the Fund's rate of return is based.

The costs attributable to investing in the high yield markets are usually higher for several reasons, such as higher investment research costs and higher commission costs.

**PARTICIPATION INTERESTS.** The Fund may invest in participation interests in fixed income securities. A participation interest provides the certificate holder with a specified interest in an issue of fixed income securities.

Some participation interests give the holders differing interests in the underlying securities, depending upon the type or class of certificate purchased. For example, coupon strip certificates give the holder the right to receive a specific portion of interest payments on the underlying securities; principal strip certificates give the holder the right to receive principal payments and the portion of interest not payable to coupon strip certificate holders. Holders of certificates of participation in interest payments may be entitled to receive a fixed rate of interest, a variable rate that is periodically reset to reflect the current market rate or an auction rate that is periodically reset at auction. Asset-backed residuals represent interests in any excess cash flow remaining after required payments of principal and interest have been made.

More complex participation interests involve special risk considerations. Since these instruments have only recently been developed, there can be no assurance that any market will develop or be maintained for the instruments. Generally, the fixed income securities that are deposited in trust for the holders of these interests are the sole source of payments on the interests; holders cannot look to the sponsor or trustee of the trust or to the issuers of the securities held in trust or to any of their affiliates for payment.

Participation interests purchased at a discount may experience price volatility. Certain types of interests are sensitive to fluctuations in market interest rates and to prepayments on the underlying securities. A rapid rate of prepayment can result in the failure to recover the holder's initial investment.

The extent to which the yield to maturity of a participation interest is sensitive to prepayments depends, in part, upon whether the interest was purchased at a discount or premium, and if so, the size of that discount or premium. Generally, if a participation interest is purchased at a premium and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that anticipated at the time of purchase, the holder's actual yield to maturity will be lower than that assumed at the time of purchase. Conversely, if a participation interest is purchased at a discount and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that assumed at the time of purchase, the investor's actual yield to maturity will be higher than that assumed at the time of purchase.

Participation interests in pools of fixed income securities backed by certain types of debt obligations involve special risk considerations. The issuers of securities backed by automobile and truck receivables typically file financing statements evidencing security interests in the receivables, and the servicers of those obligations take and retain custody of the obligations. If the servicers, in contravention of their duty to the holders of the securities backed by the receivables, were to sell the obligations, the third party purchasers could acquire an interest superior to the interest of the security holders. Also, most states require that a security interest in a vehicle must be noted on the certificate of title and the certificate of title may not be amended to reflect the assignment of the lender's security interest. Therefore, the recovery of the collateral in some cases may not be available to support payments on the securities. Securities backed by credit card receivables are generally unsecured, and both Federal and state consumer protection laws may allow set-offs against certain amounts owed.

**PREFERRED STOCK.** The Fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally dividends as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer's board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

**REAL ESTATE SECURITIES AND RELATED DERIVATIVES.** The Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in real estate-linked derivatives, real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Each of these types of investments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value and possible environmental liabilities. The Fund may also invest in rights or warrants to purchase income-producing common and preferred shares of issuers in real estate-related industries. It is anticipated that substantially all of the equity securities of issuers in real estate-related industries in which the Fund intends to invest will be traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market.

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that own, and typically operate, income-producing real estate. If a REIT meets certain requirements, including distributing to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income (other than net capital gains), then it is not taxed on the income distributed to shareholders. REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses, and so the Fund, when investing in REITs, will bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs' operations.

There are three general categories of REITs: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in direct fee ownership or leasehold ownership of real property; they derive most of their income from rents. Mortgage REITs invest mostly in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans, and the main source of their income is mortgage interest payments. Hybrid REITs hold both ownership and mortgage interests in real estate.

Along with the risks common to different types of real estate-related securities, REITs, no matter the type, involve additional risk factors. These include poor performance by the REIT's manager, changes to the tax laws, and failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free distribution of income or exemption under the 1940 Act. Furthermore, REITs are not diversified and are heavily dependent on cash flow. REITs can be listed and traded on national securities exchanges or can be traded privately between individual owners.

**REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commits to resell that security to a bank or dealer at an agreed upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest, unrelated to the coupon rate or the maturity of the purchased security. While it is not possible to eliminate all risks from these transactions (particularly the possibility of a decline in the market value of the underlying securities, as well as delays and costs to the Fund if the other party to the repurchase agreement defaults), it is the policy of the Fund to limit repurchase transactions to primary dealers and banks whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the Adviser. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered illiquid for purposes of the Fund's investment limitations.

**RESTRICTED SECURITIES.** Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption from registration. The Fund is subject to an investment limitation on the purchase of illiquid securities. Restricted securities, including securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, that are determined to be liquid are not subject to this limitation. This determination is to be made by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees. Under these guidelines, the Adviser will consider the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers in, and potential purchasers for, the securities, dealer undertakings to make a market in the security and the nature of the security and of the marketplace trades. In purchasing such restricted securities, the Adviser intends to purchase securities that are exempt from registration under Rule 144A.

**REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements in accordance with its investment restrictions. Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund would sell portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers, and agree to repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities, generally rated in one of the three highest ratings categories, consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value at least equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price at which it is obligated to repurchase the securities. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings by the Fund under the 1940 Act. The Fund will not engage in reverse repurchase transactions if such transactions, combined with any other borrowings, exceed 33-1/3% of the Fund's assets.

**RIGHTS OFFERINGS AND WARRANTS TO PURCHASE SECURITIES.** The Fund may participate in rights offerings and may purchase warrants, which are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time.

Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the rights' and warrants' expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security's market price such as when there is no

movement in the level of the underlying security. Buying a warrant does not make the Fund a shareholder of the underlying stock and changes in the value of a warrant do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security. The warrant holder has no voting or dividend rights with respect to the underlying stock. A warrant does not carry any right to assets of the issuer, and for this reason investment in warrants may be more speculative than other equity-based investments.

**SECURITIES LENDING.** For the purpose of achieving income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial institutions, provided: (i) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposits, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned; (ii) the Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of the securities loaned; (iii) the Fund will receive any interest or dividends paid on the loaned securities; and (iv) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33-1/3% of the total assets of the Fund. The Fund's performance will continue to reflect the receipt of either interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments, or a fee, if the collateral is U.S. Government securities. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral should the borrower fail to return the securities loaned or become insolvent. The Fund may pay lending fees to the party arranging the loan.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities as part of its overall portfolio management strategy involving the use of derivative instruments, to gain exposure to or adjust exposure to various market sectors, and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities or otherwise take advantage of market conditions. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.

When the Fund makes a short sale, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale as collateral for its obligation to deliver the security upon conclusion of the sale. The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over any accrued interest and dividends on such borrowed securities.

If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time that the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.

The Fund may invest pursuant to a risk arbitrage strategy to take advantage of a perceived relationship between the value of two securities. Frequently, a risk arbitrage strategy involves the short sale of a security.

The Fund may engage in short sales "against the box." A short sale is "against the box" to the extent that the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short. The Fund will engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the federal securities laws and rules and interpretations thereunder. To the extent the Fund engages in short selling in foreign (non-U.S.) jurisdictions, the Fund will do so to the extent permitted by the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction.

The Fund may also engage in so-called "naked" short sales (i.e., short sales that are not "against the box"), in which case the Fund's losses could theoretically be unlimited, in cases where the Fund is unable for whatever reason to close out its short position. The Fund has the flexibility to engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and interpretations thereunder.

**SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in special purpose acquisition companies ("SPACs"). SPACs are collective investment structures that pool funds in order to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less an amount to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities and cash. SPACs and similar entities may be blank check companies with no operating history or ongoing business other than to seek a potential acquisition. Accordingly, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity's management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Certain SPACs may seek acquisitions only in limited industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. Investments in SPACs may be deemed illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective. If a SPAC does not complete an acquisition within a specified period of time after going public, the SPAC is dissolved, at which point the invested funds are returned to the SPAC's shareholders (less certain permitted expenses) and any rights or warrants issued by the SPAC expire worthless.

**U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS**. The Fund may invest in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Although all obligations of such agencies and instrumentalities are not direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Government generally directly or indirectly backs payment of the interest and principal on these obligations. This support can range from securities supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (for example, GNMA securities) to securities

that are supported solely or primarily by the creditworthiness of the issuer, such as securities of FNMA, FHLMC, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Federal Farm Credit Banks and Federal Home Loan Banks. In the case of obligations not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Whether backed by full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury or not, U.S. Government obligations are not guaranteed against price movements due to fluctuating interest rates.

**VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES.** Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

The Fund may invest in floating and variable rate debt instruments ("floaters") and engage in credit spread trades. The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as a money-market index or Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, the Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. A credit spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two securities or currencies, where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities or currencies.

The Fund may also invest in inverse floating rate debt instruments ("inverse floaters"). The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floating rate security may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation of similar credit quality. See "Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities" for a discussion of IOs and POs.

**WHEN-ISSUED, DELAYED DELIVERY AND FORWARD COMMITMENT TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Typically, no income accrues on securities the Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made.

When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its NAV. Because the Fund is not required to pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other investments. If the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

When the Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis, the Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or could suffer a loss. The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a transaction after it is entered into and may sell when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment securities before they are delivered, which may result in a capital gain or loss. There is no percentage limitation on the extent to which the Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis.

**ZERO COUPON BONDS.** The Fund may invest in zero coupon bonds of governmental or private issuers that generally pay no interest to their holders prior to maturity. Since zero coupon bonds do not make regular interest payments, they allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments and may involve greater credit risks than bonds paying interest currently. The IRC requires that the Fund accrue income on zero coupon bonds for each taxable year, even though no cash has been paid on the bonds, and generally requires the Fund to distribute such income (net of deductible expenses, if any) to avoid being subject to tax and to continue to maintain its status as a RIC under the IRC. Because no cash is generally received at the time of accrual, the Fund may be required to sell investments (even if such sales are not advantageous) to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy the federal tax distribution requirements applicable to the Fund under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information.

**TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS.** The Fund may, without limit, invest in U.S. Government securities, commercial paper and other money market instruments, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents in response to adverse market conditions, as a temporary defensive position. The result of this action may be that the Fund will be unable to achieve its investment objective.

**PORTFOLIO TURNOVER.** There has not been any significant variation in the Fund's portfolio turnover rates over the two most recently completed fiscal years. The Adviser does not anticipate significant variation in the portfolio turnover rate from that reported in the Fund's Prospectus for the last fiscal year.

**DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS**

As required by the federal or state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Fund discloses portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require. The Fund's complete list of portfolio holdings are available sixty days after each fiscal quarter end in the Fund's Form N-CSR (semiannually) and Form N-PORT (quarterly).

The Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of portfolio securities holdings. The policies and procedures are designed to allow disclosure of the Fund's holdings information where it is deemed appropriate for the Fund's operations or it is determined to be useful to the Fund's shareholders without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. Except when there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure of the Fund's holdings, the Fund will not provide or permit others to provide information about the Fund's holdings on a selective basis. The Board of Trustees provides ongoing oversight of the Trust's policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Trustees receive from the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Trustees receive an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any deviation to this policy as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such deviations must be reported to the Trust's Board of Trustees, at its next quarterly Board meeting or sooner, as determined by the Trust's CCO.

The Fund may, but is not required to, post its schedule of investments on its website at regular intervals or from time to time at the discretion of the Adviser. This information may be as of the most recent practicable date available and need not be subject to a lag period prior to posting on its website. In addition to its schedule of investments, the Fund may post portfolio holdings information and other information on its website including, but not limited to, information about the number of securities the Fund holds, a summary schedule of investments, the Fund's top holdings, and a percentage breakdown of the Fund's investments by geographic region, sector, industry and market capitalization. After any portfolio holdings information becomes publicly available (by posting on its website or otherwise); it may be mailed, e-mailed or otherwise transmitted to any person.

The following disclosures of aggregate, composite or descriptive information about the Fund or its portfolio holdings are not subject to the Trust's policy on selective disclosure of portfolio information: (i) descriptions of allocations among classes, geographic regions, countries, industries or sectors; (ii) aggregated data such as average or median ratios or market capitalization; (iii) performance attribution by class, geographic region, country, industry or sector; (iv) aggregated risk statistics; (v) listing of top holdings without any reference to the amount of the Fund's holdings; and (vi) such other information that, in the opinion of the CCO or designee, does not present material risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading of the Fund. The Fund's portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to financial consultants or other entities that have a legitimate business purpose in receiving such information, including to assist them in determining the suitability of the Fund as an investment for their clients. In each case, such disclosure will be made in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, the Adviser's fiduciary duties to the Fund's shareholders and subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Board of Trustees of the Trust, a committee thereof, or an officer designated by the Board of Trustees, may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Fund may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about its holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's, or its Adviser's, employees and affiliates that provide services to the Fund. The Fund may also distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Fund's holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's service providers who require access to the information (i) in order to fulfill their contractual duties relating to the Fund; (ii) to facilitate the transition of a newly hired investment adviser prior to the commencement of its duties; (iii) to facilitate the review of the Fund by a ranking or ratings agency; (iv) for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition; or (v) for the purpose of effecting in-kind redemption of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of the Fund's assets and minimize impact on remaining shareholders of the Fund.

Each of the following third parties has been approved to receive portfolio holdings information: (i) the Fund's administrator and accounting agent; (ii) the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, for use in providing audit opinions; (iii) financial printers, solely for the purpose of preparing the Fund's reports or regulatory filings; (iv) the Fund's custodian in connection with its custody of the Fund's assets; (v) if applicable, a proxy voting service; or (vi) disclosure to a ranking or rating agency, such as Lipper, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Moody's, S&P and Fitch. Information may be provided to these parties at any time so long as each of these parties is contractually and ethically prohibited from sharing the Fund's portfolio holding information without specific authorization. The Fund's Adviser and service providers have also established procedures to ensure that the Fund's portfolio holdings information is only disclosed in accordance with these policies.

Under no circumstances may the Fund, the Adviser or their affiliates receive any consideration or compensation for disclosing portfolio holdings information.

The Adviser manages other accounts such as separate accounts and other registered or unregistered pooled investment vehicles. These other accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus may have similar portfolio holdings. Such accounts may have disclosures at different times than a Fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed. Additionally, such accounts may have access to their portfolio holdings and may not be subject to the foregoing restrictions.

**INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS**

The Fund has adopted the investment limitations set forth below. Except with respect to the asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowing, if any percentage restriction on investment or utilization of assets is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market values of the Fund or the Fund's assets or redemptions of shares will not be considered a violation of the limitation. The asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowings is an ongoing requirement. The following non-fundamental policies apply to the Fund and the Board of Trustees may change them without shareholder approval unless shareholder approval is required by the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. The Fund will not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Issue senior securities or borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and then not in excess of 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets (including the amount of the senior securities issued but reduced by any liabilities not constituting senior securities) at the time of the issuance or borrowing, except that the Fund may borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets (not including the amount borrowed) for temporary purposes such as clearance of portfolio transactions and share redemptions. For purposes of these restrictions, the purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the purchase and sale of options and futures contracts and collateral arrangements with respect thereto are not deemed to be the issuance of a senior security, a borrowing or a pledge of assets;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets except to secure indebtedness permitted to be incurred by the Fund. (For the purpose of this restriction, the deposit in escrow of securities in connection with the writing of put and call options, collateralized loans of securities by and collateral arrangements with respect to margin for future contracts by the Fund are not deemed to be pledges or hypothecations);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Underwrite any issue of securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered to be acting as underwriter in connection with the disposition of any portfolio security;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Purchase or sell real estate or interests therein, although the Fund may purchase securities of issuers which engage in real estate operations and securities secured by real estate or interests therein, including real estate investment trusts;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Invest 25% or more of the value of the Fund's assets in securities of issuers in any one industry. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or to securities issued by other investment companies. For purposes of this limitation, states, municipalities and their political subdivisions are not considered to be part of any industry;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of owning securities or other instruments, but the Fund may purchase, sell or enter into financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Make loans, except loans of portfolio securities or through repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction, the acquisition of bonds, debentures, other debt securities or instruments, or participations or other interests therein and investments in government obligations, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or similar instruments will not be considered the making of a loan;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. Engage in short sales of securities or maintain a short position, except that the Fund may (a) sell short "against the box" and (b) maintain short positions in connection with its use of financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9. Purchase securities on margin except for the use of short-term credit necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities, provided that the Fund may make initial and variation margin deposits in connection with permitted transactions in options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments.

**TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS**

The following tables present certain information regarding the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust. None of the Trustees are an "interested person" of the Trust, the Adviser, another investment adviser of a series of the Trust, or Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, the principal underwriter of the Trust ("Underwriter"), within the meaning of the 1940 Act and each Trustee is referred to as an "Independent Trustee" and is listed under such heading below. Employees of certain service providers to the Trust serve as officers of the Trust; such persons are not compensated by the Fund. The address of each Trustee and officer as it relates to the Trust's business is 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809.

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of <br> Office and <br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of**<br> **Funds in**<br> **Trust Complex**<br> **Overseen by**<br> **Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** |
| **Robert J. Christian**<br> Date of Birth: 2/49 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. Chairman from 2007 until September 30, 2019 | Retired since February 2006; Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust Company from February 1996 to February 2006; President of Rodney Square Management Corporation ("RSMC") (investment advisory firm) from 1996 to 2005; Vice President of RSMC from 2005 to 2006. | 28 | Optimum Fund Trust (registered investment company with 6 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Iqbal Mansur**<br> Date of Birth: 6/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. | Retired since September 2020; Professor of Finance, Widener University from 1998 to August 2020; Member of the Investment Committee of ChristianaCare Health System from January 2022 to present. | 28 | Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr.**<br> Date of Birth: 8/55 | Trustee and Chairman of the Board | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2016; Chairman since October 1, 2019 | Retired since March 2016. President of PNC Bank Delaware from June 2011 to March 2016; Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2011; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from September 1997 to July 2010. | 28 | Brinker Capital Destinations Trust (registered investment company with 10 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of <br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of**<br> **Funds in**<br> **Trust Complex**<br> **Overseen by**<br> **Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **Nancy B. Wolcott**<br> Date of Birth: 11/54<br>| Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2011. | Retired since May 2014; EVP, Head of GFI Client Service Delivery, BNY Mellon from January 2012 to May 2014; EVP, Head of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2012; President of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2008 to July 2010; Chief Operating Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2007 to 2008; Executive Vice President of PFPC Worldwide Inc. from 2006 to 2007. | 28 | Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (registered investment company with 97 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Stephen M. Wynne**<br> Date of Birth: 1/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2009. | Retired since December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from July 2010 to December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from March 2008 to July 2010; President, PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2003 to 2008. | 28 | Copeland Trust (registered investment company with 2 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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**EXECUTIVE OFFICERS**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **Joel L. Weiss**<br> Date of Birth: 1/63 | President and Chief Executive Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2007. | Senior Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; President of JW Fund Management LLC from June 2016 to July 2025; Vice President and Managing Director of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from 1993 to June 2016. |
| **Christine S. Catanzaro**<br> Date of Birth: 8/84 | Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation, or removal. Officer since 2022. | Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; Consultant from October 2020 to July 2025; Senior Manager, Ernst & Young LLP from March 2013 to October 2020. |
| **T. Richard Keyes**<br> Date of Birth: 1/57 | Vice President | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2016. | President of TRK Fund Consulting LLC since July 2016; Head of Tax — U.S. Fund Services of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from February 2006 to July 2016. |
| **Gabriella Mercincavage**<br> Date of Birth: 6/68 | Assistant Treasurer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2019. | Fund Administration Consultant since January 2019; Fund Accounting and Tax Compliance Accountant to financial services companies from November 2003 to July 2018. |
| **Vincenzo A. Scarduzio**<br> Date of Birth: 4/72 | Secretary | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2012. | Director and Senior Vice President Regulatory Administration of The Bank of New York Mellon and predecessor firms since 2001. |
| **John Canning**<br> Date of Birth: 11/70 | Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Director of Chenery Compliance Group, LLC from March 2021 to present; Senior Consultant of Foreside Financial Group from August 2020 to March 2021; Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Operating Officer of Schneider Capital Management LP from May 2019 to July 2020; Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Context Capital Partners, LP from March 2016 to March 2018 and February 2019, respectively. |

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**LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES.** The basic responsibilities of the Trustees are to monitor the Trust and its funds' financial operations and performance, oversee the activities and legal compliance of the Adviser and other major service providers, keep themselves informed, and exercise their business judgment in making decisions important to the Trust's proper functioning based on what the Trustees reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the shareholders. The Board of Trustees is comprised of five individuals, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Board of Trustees meets multiple times during the year (but at least quarterly) to review the investment performance of the funds and other operational matters, including policies and procedures with respect to compliance with regulatory and other requirements.

The Board of Trustees has appointed an Independent Trustee to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman's primary role is to participate in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board of Trustees and the identification of information to be presented to the Board of Trustees with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board of Trustees. The Chairman also presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and acts as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman may perform such other functions as may be requested by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Except for any duties specified herein or pursuant to the Trust's Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, the designation of Chairman does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liability that is greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Board of Trustees, generally.

Each Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees because of his or her experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills as set forth in the subsection "Trustee Qualifications," below. Based on a review of the Board of Trustees and its function, the Trustees have determined that the leadership structure of the Board of Trustees is appropriate and that the Board of Trustees' role in the risk oversight of the Trust, as discussed below, allows the Board of Trustees to effectively administer its oversight function.

The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. The responsibilities of each committee and its members are described below.

**AUDIT COMMITTEE.** The Audit Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Wynne currently serves as the chairman of the Audit Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter (the "Audit Committee Charter") for the Audit Committee. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee has the responsibility, among others, to (1) select the Trust's independent registered public accountants; (2) review and approve the scope of the independent registered public accountants' audit activity; (3) oversee the audit process of the financial statements which are the subject of the independent registered public accountants' certifications; and (4) review with such independent registered public accountants the adequacy of the Trust's basic accounting system and the effectiveness of the Trust's internal accounting controls. The Audit Committee meets at least two times per year. The Audit Committee met four times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

**NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.** The Nominating and Governance Committee is comprised of Messrs., Christian, Mansur, Marsini, Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott. Mr. Mansur serves as the chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for formulating a statement of corporate governance; assessing the size, structure and composition of the Board of Trustees; determining trustee qualification guidelines as well as compensation, insurance and indemnification of Trustees; identifying Trustee candidates; oversight of Board of Trustees self-evaluations; reviewing certain regulatory and corporate matters of the Trust; and identifying, from time to time, qualified candidates to serve as the CCO for the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee meets at least once a year. The Nominating and Governance Committee met two times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. The Nominating and Governance Committee identifies potential nominees in accordance with its Statement of Policy on Qualifications for Board of Trustees Membership. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominee candidates recommended by shareholders. Shareholders who wish to recommend individuals for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee as nominee candidates may do so by submitting a written recommendation to the Secretary of the Trust at: 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809. Submissions must include sufficient biographical information concerning the recommended individual, including age, at least ten years of employment history with employer names and a description of the employer's business, and a list of board memberships (if any). The submission must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board of Trustees and to serve if elected. Recommendations must be received in a sufficient time, as determined by the Nominating and Governance Committee in its sole discretion, prior to the date proposed for the consideration of nominee candidates by the Board of Trustees. Upon the written request of shareholders holding at least a 5% interest in the Trust's shares in the aggregate, the Secretary shall present to any special meeting of shareholders such nominees for election as trustees as specified in such written request.

**TRUSTEE QUALIFICATIONS.** The following is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills that led to the Board of Trustees' conclusion that each individual identified below is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

The Board of Trustees believes that the Trustees' ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Adviser, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, support the conclusion that each Trustee is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply as to each Trustee: Mr. Marsini is the former President of PNC Bank Delaware, former Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon, former Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes. Mr. Wynne is the former Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes. Ms. Wolcott is the former Executive Vice President of US Fund Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former President of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes. Mr. Christian served as the Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; and Mr. Mansur is a Professor Emeritus at Widener University. He previously served as a Professor of Finance, School of Business Administration, at Widener University and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes.

In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Trustees considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board of Trustees' overall composition so that the Board of Trustees, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Trust and its funds. The summaries set forth above as to the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of the Trustees do not constitute holding out the Board of Trustees or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board of Trustees as a whole than would otherwise be the case.

**RISK OVERSIGHT.** Through its direct oversight role, and indirectly through its Committees, of officers and service providers, the Board of Trustees performs a risk oversight function for the Trust and its funds consisting, among other things, of the following activities: (1) at regular and special Board of Trustees meetings, and on an ad hoc basis as needed, receiving and reviewing reports related to the performance and operations of the Trust and its funds; (2) reviewing and approving, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust; (3) meeting with the portfolio management team to review investment strategies, techniques and the processes used to manage related risks; (4) meeting with representatives of key service providers, including the investment advisers, administrator, the distributor, the transfer agent, the custodian and the independent registered public accounting firms of the funds, to review and discuss the activities of the Trust and its funds and to provide direction with respect thereto; and (5) engaging the services of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust to test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service providers.

**SECURITY AND OTHER INTERESTS.** The following table sets forth the equity securities in the Fund and in all registered investment companies overseen by the Trustees within the Trust Complex that the Trustees beneficially owned as of December 31, 2024.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range of Equity<br> Securities in the Fund** | **Aggregate Dollar Range<br> of Equity Securities in<br> All Registered Investment<br> Companies Overseen by<br> Trustee within the Family of<br> Investment Companies** |
| **Independent Trustees** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Robert J. Christian |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Iqbal Mansur |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nancy B. Wolcott |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stephen M. Wynne |  | $50001 - $100000 |

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As of December 31, 2024, none of the Independent Trustees, or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) served as an officer, director or was an employee of the Trust, the Adviser or the Underwriter, or of any of their respective affiliates. Nor do any of such persons serve as an officer or director or is an employee of any company controlled by or under common control with such entities. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Independent Trustees or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) owned beneficially or of record any interest in the Adviser or the Underwriter, or in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities.

**COMPENSATION.** In addition to the fees below, the Trust reimburses the Trustees for their related business expenses. The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Trustees for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Aggregate<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust** | **Pension or<br> Retirement<br> Benefits Accrued as<br> Part of the Trust's<br> Expenses** | **Estimated<br> Annual<br> Benefits upon<br> Retirement** | **Total<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust<br> Complex** |
| Robert J. Christian | $120639 | $0 | $0 | $120639 |
| Iqbal Mansur | $135586 | $0 | $0 | $135586 |
| Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. | $145492 | $0 | $0 | $145492 |
| Nancy B. Wolcott | $120579 | $0 | $0 | $120579 |
| Stephen M. Wynne | $140509 | $0 | $0 | $140509 |

---

**CODE OF ETHICS**

In accordance with Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, each of the Trust and the Adviser have adopted a code of ethics (each, a "Code" and together, the "Codes").

The Codes are intended to prohibit or restrict transactions that may be deemed to create a conflict of interest among the Adviser or the Trust. Each Code identifies the specific employees, officers or other persons who are subject thereto and all are required to abide by the provisions thereunder. Persons covered under the Codes may engage in personal trading for their own accounts, including securities that may also be purchased or held or traded by the Fund under certain circumstances.

Under the Code adopted by the Trust, personal trading is subject to specific restrictions, limitations, guidelines and other conditions. Under the Code adopted by the Adviser, personal trading is subject to pre-clearance and other conditions set forth in its Code.

On an annual basis or whenever deemed necessary, the Board of Trustees reviews reports regarding all of the Codes including information about any material violations of the Codes. The Codes are on public file as exhibits to the Trust's registration statement with the SEC.

**PROXY VOTING**

The Board of Trustees has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting procedures and has delegated the responsibility for exercising the voting rights associated with the securities purchased and/or held by the Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Board of Trustees' continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by general fiduciary principles. It must act prudently, solely in the interest of the Fund, and for the purpose of providing benefits to the Fund. The Adviser will consider the factors that could affect the value of the Fund's investment in its determination on a vote.

The Adviser has identified certain significant contributors to shareholder value with respect to a number of common or routine matters that are often the subject of proxy solicitations for shareholder meetings. The proxy voting procedures address these considerations and establish a framework for consideration of a vote that would be appropriate for the Fund. In particular, the proxy voting procedures outline principles and factors to be considered in the exercise of voting authority for proposals addressing such common or routine matters. In considering voting proxies, including shareholder proposals on environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-related topics, the Adviser votes in a direction it believes supports the company's long-term financial sustainability. For shareholder proposals seeking reports or increased disclosure, the Adviser gauges whether this information would be material to an enhanced understanding of the company's management of risks and opportunity.

The Adviser's proxy voting procedures establish a protocol for voting of proxies in cases in which the Adviser or an affiliated entity has an interest that is reasonably likely to be affected by a proxy to be voted on behalf of the Fund or that could compromise the Adviser's independence of judgment and action in voting the proxy in the best interest of the Fund's shareholders. The Adviser believes that consistently voting in accordance with its stated guidelines will address most conflicts of interest, and to the extent any deviation of such guidelines occurs it will be carefully assessed by a securities review committee to determine if a conflict of interest exists, and if a material conflict of interest exists, the committee will determine an appropriate resolution, which may include consultation with management or Trustees of the Trust, analyses by independent third parties, or other means necessary to ensure and demonstrate the proxy was voted in the best interests of shareholders. The Adviser's proxy voting policies are attached herewith as Appendix B. The Fund is required to file annually its proxy voting record on Form N-PX with the SEC. Form N-PX is required to be filed by August 31 of each year and when filed will be available without charge by request by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6024 or on the SEC's website at *www.sec.gov*.

**CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES**

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Any person who directly or indirectly owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, may be deemed an "affiliated person" of the Fund, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. As of August 1, 2025, the following persons were the only persons who were record owners (or to the knowledge of the Trust, beneficial owners) of 5% or more of the shares of the Fund. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Trustees or officers of the Trust owned individually and together in excess of 1% of any class of outstanding shares of the Fund.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Institutional Class<br> Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br> of Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br> Institutional Class<br> Shares Owned** |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122 | 1605129.736 | 96.09% |

---

**INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES**

Polen Capital Management, LLC is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Polen Capital was founded in 1979 and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Capital had approximately $46.7 billion in assets under management.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser manages the assets of the Fund (the "Investment Advisory Agreement"). The Investment Advisory Agreement has an initial term of two years and continues in effect from year to year thereafter if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees including a majority of the Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the Fund on 60 days' written notice or the Adviser on 90 days' written notice without penalty. The Investment Advisory Agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment as defined in the 1940 Act.

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual investment advisory fee, paid monthly, comprising 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. Each class of shares of the Fund bears its respective pro-rata portion of the advisory fee payable by the Fund. The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses (excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by FundVantage Trust (the "Trust"), interest, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.25% (on an annual basis) with respect to the Fund's average daily net assets (the "Expense Limitation"). The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, any fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed for a three year period following the date of such fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of reimbursement. No recoupment will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation.

The following table sets forth the aggregate fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived <br> or Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $189011 | $(129961) | $59050 |

---

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers <br> and Expenses Waived <br> or Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $191542 | $(101892) | $89650 |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived <br> or Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $178068 | $(125725) | $52343 |

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In rendering investment advisory services, the Adviser may use the portfolio management, research and other resources of Polen Capital UK LLP, an affiliate of the Adviser. Polen Capital UK LLP is not registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. Polen Capital UK LLP is considered a "*participating affiliate*" of the Adviser as that term is used in relief granted by the staff of the SEC allowing U.S. registered investment advisers to use portfolio management or research resources of advisory affiliates subject to the supervision of a registered adviser. Investment professionals from Polen Capital UK LLP may render portfolio management, research and other services to the Fund.

Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser agrees to: (a) direct the investments of the Fund, subject to and in accordance with the Fund's investment objective, policies and limitations set forth in the Prospectus and this SAI; (b) purchase and sell for the Fund, securities and other investments consistent with the Fund's objective and policies; (c) supply office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary for servicing the investments of the Fund; (d) pay the salaries of all personnel of the Adviser performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities on behalf of the Trust; (e) make available and provide such information as the Trust and/or its administrator may reasonably request for use in the preparation of its registration statement, reports and other documents required by any applicable federal, foreign or state statutes or regulations; and (f) make its officers and employees available to the Trustees and officers of the Trust for consultation and discussion regarding the management of the Fund and its investment activities. Additionally, the Adviser agrees to create and maintain all necessary records in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the various functions performed by it and not otherwise created and maintained by another party pursuant to contract with the Fund. The Trust and/or the Adviser may at any time or times, upon approval by the Board of Trustees, enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements with a sub-adviser pursuant to which the Adviser delegates any or all of its duties as listed.

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which the agreement relates, except to the extent of a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its obligations and duties under the agreement.

The salaries of personnel of the Adviser performing services for the Fund relating to research, statistical and investment activities are paid by the Adviser.

Polen Capital Management, LLC is controlled by the Management Committee of the firm. The Management Committee is comprised of Stan C. Moss, CEO, Daniel Davidowitz, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, and Damon Ficklin, Head of Team, Portfolio Manager, and Analyst, and the Management Committee is controlled by Messrs. Moss and Davidowitz.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

The management of the Fund is the responsibility of investment professionals employed by the Adviser. The information provided below supplements the information provided in the Prospectus under the heading "Portfolio Managers" with respect to the investment professionals responsible, either individually or jointly, for the day-to-day management of the Fund, including information regarding:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) "Other Accounts Managed." Other accounts managed by Messrs. Bird, Lewis and Pandit, who collectively are the Portfolio Managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fundas of April 30, 2025;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) "Material Conflicts of Interest." Material conflicts of interest that may arise in connection with the Portfolio Managers' management of the Fund's investments and investments of other accounts managed. These potential conflicts of interest include material conflicts between the investment strategy of the Fund and the investment strategy of the other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers and conflicts associated with the allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers. Additional conflicts of interest may potentially exist or arise that are not discussed below;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) "Compensation." A description of the structure of and method used to determine the compensation received by the Fund's Portfolio Managers from the Fund, the Adviser or any other source with respect to managing the Fund and any other accounts as of April 30, 2025; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) "Ownership of Securities." Information regarding the Portfolio Managers' dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in the Fund as of April 30, 2025.

<u>Other Accounts Managed</u>. The table below includes details regarding the number of other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by Messrs. Bird, Lewis and Pandit total assets under management for each type of account and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees as of April 30, 2025:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**Type of Accounts** | **Total<br> Number of<br> Accounts**<br>**Managed** | **Total Assets**<br>**(millions)** | **Number of <br> Accounts <br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance<br> Based**<br>**Advisory Fee** | **Total Assets <br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance <br> Based<br> Advisory Fee**<br>**(millions)** |
| **Damian Bird** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 1 | $2.490 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 8 | $245.364 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| **Dafydd Lewis** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 1 | $2.490 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 6 | $222.899 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| **Kumar Pandit** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: | 1 | $2.490 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 8 | $245.364 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |

---

<u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>. Polen Capital provides advisory services to other clients which invest in securities of the same type in which the Fund invests. The Adviser is aware of its obligation to ensure that when orders for the same securities are entered on behalf of the Fund and other accounts, the Fund receives fair and equitable allocation of these orders, particularly where affiliated accounts may participate. The Adviser attempts to mitigate potential conflicts of interest by adopting policies and procedures regarding trade execution, brokerage allocation and order aggregation which provide a methodology for ensuring fair treatment for all clients in situations where orders cannot be completely filled or filled at different prices.

<u>Compensation</u>. The Adviser compensates the Fund's Portfolio Managers for management of the Fund. Each Portfolio Manager's compensation consists of fixed and variable components taking into account individual performance as well as the performance of the Adviser. Each Portfolio Manger's salary is not directly dependent on the performance of the Fund or the level of assets in the Fund.

<u>Ownership of Shares of the Fund</u>. As of April 30, 2025, the Portfolio Managers did not beneficially own equity securities in the Funds.

**ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES**

Pursuant to an Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated July 19, 2007, The Bank of New York Mellon performs certain administrative services for the Trust including, among other things, assisting in the preparation of the annual post-effective amendments to the Trust's registration statement, assisting in obtaining the fidelity bond and trustees' and officers'/errors and omissions insurance policies, preparing notices, agendas, and resolutions for quarterly Board of Trustees meetings, maintaining the Trust's corporate calendar, maintaining Trust contract files and providing executive and administrative services to support the Independent Trustees. The Bank of New York Mellon also performs certain administrative and accounting services for the Trust such as preparing shareholder reports, providing statistical and research data, assisting the Adviser in compliance monitoring activities, and preparing and filing federal and state tax returns on behalf of the Trust. In addition, The Bank of New York Mellon prepares and files certain reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepares certain materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Trust. The accounting services performed by The Bank of New York Mellon include determining the NAV per share of the Fund and maintaining records relating to the securities transactions of the Fund.

The table below sets forth the administration and accounting service fees paid by the Fund to The Bank of New York Mellon for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Administration and Accounting Fee | $9301 | $7683 | $15199 |

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**ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS**

**INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.** PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market St #1800, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm to the Fund.

**LEGAL COUNSEL.** Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, 3000 Two Logan Square, 18th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as counsel to the Trust.

**CUSTODIAN.** The Bank of New York Mellon (the "Custodian"), 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286, serves as the Fund's custodian. The Custodian's services include, in addition to the custody of all cash and securities owned by the Trust, the maintenance of custody accounts in the Custodian's trust department, the segregation of all certificated securities owned by the Trust, the appointment of authorized agents as sub-custodians, disbursement of funds from the custody accounts of the Trust, releasing and delivering securities from the custody accounts of the Trust, maintaining records with respect to such custody accounts, delivering to the Trust a daily and monthly statement with respect to such custody accounts and causing proxies to be executed. The Fund has made arrangements with BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company to serve as custodian for Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs").

**TRANSFER AGENT.** BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing"), 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, serves as the Trust's Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent.

**OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.** The Trust has engaged Tidal ETF Services LLC, 234 West Florida Street, Suite 203, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204 to provide persons to serve as Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer and provide various other services for the Trust. The Trust has engaged Chenery Compliance Group, LLC to provide on-going compliance services, including providing an individual to serve as the Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust.

**BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES**

Subject to policies established by the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is primarily responsible for the execution of the Fund's portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage. The Adviser has no obligation to deal with any dealer or group of dealers in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities of the Fund. The Adviser often deals directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved except in those circumstances where better prices and execution are available elsewhere. It is the objective of the Adviser to seek to obtain the best results in conducting portfolio transactions for the Fund, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable dealer-spread or commission), the size, type and difficulty of the transaction involved, the firm's general execution and operations facilities and the firm's risk in positioning the securities involved. The cost of portfolio securities transactions of the Fund primarily consists of dealer or underwriter spreads and brokerage commissions.

While reasonable competitive spreads or commissions are sought, the Fund will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or commission available. Subject to obtaining the best net results, dealers who provide supplemental investment research (such as quantitative and modeling information assessments and statistical data and provide other similar services) to the Adviser may receive orders for transactions by the Fund. Information so received will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Agreement and the expense of the Adviser will not necessarily be reduced as a result of the receipt of such supplemental information. Supplemental investment research obtained from such dealers may be used by the Adviser in servicing all of its accounts and such research may or may not be useful to the Adviser in connection with the Fund. In addition, as permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Adviser may pay a broker-dealer that provides brokerage and research services an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Fund in excess of the commission that another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the amount is believed by the Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the overall quality of the brokerage and research services provided. Other clients of the Adviser may indirectly benefit from the provision of these services to the Adviser, and the Fund may indirectly benefit from services provided to the Adviser as a result of transactions for other clients. In all cases, the Adviser understands its on-going obligation to seek "best execution" of its clients' transactions. The Adviser considers the range of services provided by brokers in selecting those with whom to place trades including, but not limited to, value of research, commission rate, execution capability, responsiveness, and financial responsibility. In general, the Adviser receives a limited amount of research and/or brokerage services paid for by brokers. The Adviser has a Best Execution Committee consisting of representatives from trading, operations, portfolio management team and investment research and compliance. The Best Execution Committee meets quarterly and is responsible for overseeing the Adviser's trading activities in accordance with the firm's Best Execution and Soft Dollar Policy and Procedures. Annually, the Best Execution Committee evaluates brokerage relationships and allocates commissions. Such evaluation considers many factors in making allocation decisions including research services provided. Such allocations are reviewed and, if necessary, revised quarterly.

The Fund invests in securities traded in the over-the-counter markets, and the Fund often deals directly with dealers who make markets in the securities involved, except in those circumstances where better execution is available elsewhere. Under the 1940 Act, except as permitted by exemptive order or rule, persons affiliated with the Fund are prohibited from dealing with the Fund as principal in the purchase and sale of securities. However, affiliated persons of the Fund may serve as its brokers in certain over-the-counter transactions conducted on an agency basis.

In certain instances, the Adviser, on behalf of its clients (including the Fund), may engage in private securities transactions directly with broker-dealers instead of effecting transactions through established exchanges or markets, and may enter into price improvement rebate arrangements with such broker-dealers, all subject to the general execution principles of the Adviser's Best Execution and Soft Dollar Policy and Procedures.

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the amount of brokerage transactions directed pursuant to the Adviser's internal allocation procedure and the related commissions were as follows:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Broker** | **Amount of <br> Directed Brokerage<br> Transactions** | **Related<br> Commissions** |
| Avior | $100831.00 | $1008.31 |
| Block Cross | $295945.41 | $208.44 |
| CLSA | $2399269.83 | $2801.58 |
| EFG Hermes | $519038.87 | $1297.60 |
| Jefferies | $9550267.97 | $6786.30 |
| JP Morgan | $1451329.27 | $308.77 |
| Liquidnet | $1488785.55 | $944.10 |
| Morgan Stanley | $1084497.59 | $1600.76 |
| Motilal Oswal | $115444.93 | $173.17 |
| Virtu | $546642.59 | $153.36 |
| William Blair | $321317.92 | $281.54 |

---

Securities held by the Fund may also be held by, or be appropriate investments for, other funds or investment advisory clients for which the Adviser or its affiliates act as an adviser. Because of different investment objectives or other factors, a particular security may be bought for an advisory client when other clients are selling the same security. If purchases or sales of securities by the Adviser for the Fund or other funds for which it acts as investment adviser or for other advisory clients arise for consideration at or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed by the Adviser to be on a fair and equitable basis. Transactions effected by the Adviser (or its affiliates) on behalf of more than one of its clients during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, causing an adverse effect on price.

The table below sets forth the brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Fund | $15414 | $9127 | $22411 |

---

Neither the Fund nor the Adviser has an agreement or understanding with a broker-dealer, or other arrangements to direct the Fund's brokerage transactions to a broker-dealer because of the research services such broker provides to the Fund or the Adviser. While the Adviser does not have arrangements with any broker-dealers to direct such brokerage transactions to them because of research services provided, the Adviser may receive research services from such broker-dealers. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Adviser directed all of its brokerage transactions in the amount of $17,873,370.93 to 11 broker-dealers and paid related commissions of $15,563.93 such broker-dealers, respectively.

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to the Adviser or to an affiliate of the Fund or the Adviser.

The Fund may at times invest in securities of its regular broker-dealers or a parent of its regular broker-dealers. As of April 30, 2025, the Fund did not acquire securities of its regular broker dealers or a parent of its regular broker-dealers.

**ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES**

The additional compensation to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus may be calculated based on factors determined by the Adviser and its affiliates from time to time, including: the value of the Fund's shares sold to, or held by, a financial intermediary's customers; gross sales of the Fund's shares by a financial intermediary; or a negotiated lump sum payment.

In addition to the additional cash payments to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus, subject to applicable FINRA rules and regulations, the Adviser and its affiliates may provide compensation to financial intermediaries that may enable the Adviser and its affiliates to sponsor or participate in educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions involving the sales representatives and other employees of financial intermediaries in order to promote the sale of the Fund's shares. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses, meals, lodging and entertainment of financial intermediaries and their sales representatives and other employees in connection with such educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions. These payments may vary with each such event.

**DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES AND RULE 12B-1 PLAN**

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101, serves as a principal underwriter of the Fund's shares pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement with the Trust. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriter continuously distributes shares of the Fund on a best efforts basis. The Underwriter has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of shares of the Fund. The Underwriter and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Fund.

To the extent that the Underwriter receives fees under the Fund's Plan of Distribution adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "12b-1 Plan"), the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of marketing or sales services with respect to the Investor Class shares as may be required pursuant to such plan.

Moreover, to the extent that the Underwriter receives shareholder service fees under any shareholder services plan adopted by the Fund, the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of personal or account maintenance services with respect to the relevant shareholders of the Fund as may be required pursuant to such plan. The Underwriter receives no underwriting commissions or Rule 12b-1 fees in connection with the sale of the Fund's Institutional Class shares. The Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of Independent Trustees, have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Trust, the Fund and the shareholders of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

The Underwriter will furnish or enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions for distribution of shares of the Fund. With respect to certain financial institutions and related fund "supermarket" platform arrangements, the Fund and/or the Adviser, rather than the Underwriter, typically will furnish or enter into such agreements. These financial institutions may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from the Adviser and/or the Fund. These financial institutions may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Fund.

The Underwriting Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods provided such continuance is approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Underwriter, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the agreement, will not be liable to the Fund or its shareholders for losses arising in connection with the sale of Fund shares.

The Underwriting Agreement terminates automatically in the event of an assignment. The Underwriting Agreement is also terminable without payment of any penalty with respect to the Fund (i) by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust or the Fund and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan of the Fund or any agreements related to the 12b-1 Plan or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on sixty (60) days written notice to the Underwriter; or (ii) by the Underwriter on sixty (60) days written notice to the Fund. The Underwriter will be compensated for distribution services according to the 12b-1 Plan regardless of the Underwriter's expenses. The Underwriter uses the entire 12b-1 for distribution expenses and does not retain any amounts for profit. The Underwriter does not receive compensation from the Fund for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a 12b-1 Plan is effective. The Adviser pays the Underwriter a fee for certain distribution-related services.

The 12b-1 Plan provides that the Underwriter will be paid for distribution activities such as public relations services, telephone services, sales presentations, media charges, preparation, printing and mailing advertising and sales literature, data processing necessary to support a distribution effort and printing and mailing of prospectuses to prospective shareholders. Additionally, the Underwriter may pay certain financial institutions such as banks or broker-dealers who have entered into servicing agreements with the Underwriter and other financial institutions for distribution and shareholder servicing activities.

The 12b-1 Plan further provides that payment shall be made for any month only to the extent that such payment does not exceed 0.25% on an annualized basis of the Fund's Investor Class Shares average net assets, except with respect to limitations set from time to time by the Board of Trustees.

Under the 12b-1 Plan, if any payments made by the Adviser out of its advisory fee, not to exceed the amount of that fee, to any third parties (including banks), including payments for shareholder servicing and transfer agent functions, were deemed to be indirect financing by a Fund of the distribution of its Investor Class shares, such payments are authorized. The Fund may execute portfolio transactions with and purchase securities issued by depository institutions that receive payments under the 12b-1 Plan. No preference for instruments issued by such depository institutions is shown in the selection of investments.

**CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES**

The Trust issues and offers separate classes of shares of the Fund: Investor Class and Institutional Class shares. The shares of the Fund, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Prospectus, will be fully paid and non-assessable shares, with equal voting rights and no preferences as to conversion, exchange, dividends, redemption or any other feature.

The separate classes of shares of the Fund represent interests in the same portfolio of investments, have the same rights and are identical in all respects, except that Investor Class shares bear Rule 12b-1 distribution expenses and have exclusive voting rights with respect to the 12b-1 Plan pursuant to which the distribution fee may be paid.

The net income attributable to a class of shares and the dividends payable on such shares will be reduced by the amount of any applicable shareholder service or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees. Accordingly, the NAV of the Investor Class shares will be reduced by such amount to the extent the Fund has undistributed net income.

Shares of the Fund entitle holders to one vote per share and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, do not have preemptive or subscription rights and are transferable. Each class takes separate votes on matters affecting only that class.

The Fund does not hold an annual meeting of shareholders. The Trustees are required to call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any Trustee when requested in writing to do so by the shareholders of record owning not less than 10% of the Fund's outstanding shares.

**PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES**

**PURCHASE OF SHARES.** Information regarding the purchase of shares is discussed in the "Purchase of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES.** Information regarding the redemption of shares is discussed in the "Redemption of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**PRICING OF SHARES.** For the Fund, the NAV per share of the Fund is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets by the total number of the Fund's shares outstanding. This determination is made by The Bank of New York Mellon, as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) each day the Fund is open for business. The Fund is open for business on days when the Exchange is open for business.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Certain fixed income securities may be valued based upon appraisals received from a pricing service using a computerized matrix system or based upon appraisals derived from information concerning the security or similar securities received from a recognized dealer or dealers in those securities. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used to value fixed income securities with 60 days or less remaining until maturity, so long as such amortized cost method approximates fair value. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**DIVIDENDS**

The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income, if any. Dividends from the Fund's net investment income are declared and paid annually to the shareholders. Distributions, if any, of net short-term capital gain and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over the short-term capital loss) realized by the Fund, after deducting any available capital loss carryovers are declared and paid to its shareholders annually.

The Fund's dividends and distributions are taxable to shareholders (other than retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors) whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. A dividend or distribution paid by the Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend distribution. A dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares by an investor would, therefore, represent, in substance, a return of capital to the shareholder with respect to such shares even though it would be subject to federal income tax. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

A statement will be sent to you after the end of each year detailing the tax status of your distributions. Please see "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by the Fund.

**CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS** 

The following discussion summarizes certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders. This discussion is for general information only and does not purport to consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that might be relevant to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund. The summary discussion that follows may not be considered to be individual tax advice and may not be relied upon by any shareholder. The summary is based upon provisions of the IRC, applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations (whether temporary, proposed or final) promulgated thereunder (the "Regulations"), and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, as are in effect as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, which change could be retroactive and may affect the conclusions expressed herein. The summary applies only to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund in whose hands such shares are capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the IRC, and may not apply to certain types of beneficial owners of shares of the Fund, including, but not limited to insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, shareholders holding the Fund's shares through tax-advantaged accounts (such as an individual retirement account (an "IRA"), a 401(k) plan account, or other qualified retirement account), financial institutions, pass-through entities, broker-dealers, entities that are not organized under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, persons who are neither a citizen nor resident of the United States, shareholders holding the Fund's shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction and shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax. Persons who may be subject to tax in more than one country should consult the provisions of any applicable tax treaty to determine the potential tax consequences to them.

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the Fund's common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of such partnership. A partner of a partnership holding the Fund's common stock should consult its own tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the partner of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Fund's common stock by the partnership.

The summary assumes that shareholders will hold the Fund's common stock as capital assets, which generally means as property held for investment. This discussion addresses only the U.S. income tax consequences of an investment by U.S. shareholders, and, therefore, does not address U.S. estate and gift tax rules, U.S. state or local taxation, the alternative minimum tax, excise taxes, transfer taxes or foreign taxes.

For purposes of the following discussion, "U.S. shareholder" is a shareholder that is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) created or organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if (a) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust's administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) it has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. A "Non-U.S. shareholder" is a person that is neither a U.S. shareholder nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") as to the federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. In addition, the following discussion applicable to shareholders of the Fund addresses only some of the federal income tax considerations generally affecting investments in the Fund.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of the ownership, purchase and disposition of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**GENERAL.** The Fund has elected, and intends to continue to qualify each year for, taxation as a RIC under Subchapter M of the IRC. By qualifying as a RIC, the Fund (but not the shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders.

Shareholders should be aware that investments made by the Fund, some of which are described below, may involve complex tax rules some of which may result in income or gain recognition by a shareholder without the concurrent receipt of cash. Although the Fund seeks to avoid significant noncash income, such noncash income could be recognized by the Fund, in which case it may distribute cash derived from other sources in order to meet the minimum distribution requirements described below. Cash to make the required minimum distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by its governing documents and other regulatory restrictions, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed.

**QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY.** Qualification as a RIC under the IRC requires, among other things, that the Fund: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income from certain qualified publicly traded partnerships (together with (i), the "Qualifying Income Requirement"); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the value of its assets is comprised of cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with those other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers controlled by it and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (together with (i) the "Diversification Requirement").

The Treasury Department is authorized to promulgate regulations under which gains from foreign currencies (and options, futures, and forward contracts on foreign currency) would not constitute qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement only if such gains are not directly related to the principal business of the Fund in investing in stock or securities or options and futures with respect to stock or securities. To date, no such regulations have been issued.

As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders in any taxable year for which it distributes, in compliance with the IRC's timing and other requirements the sum of (i) at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount income, market discount income, income from securities lending, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, certain net realized foreign currency exchange gains, and any other taxable income other than "net capital gain" as defined below and is reduced by deductible expenses all determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid); and (ii) 90% of its tax-exempt interest, if any, net of certain expenses allocable thereto ("net tax-exempt interest"). The Fund may retain for investment all or a portion of its "net capital gain" (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). If the Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who will be (i) required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of tax paid by the Fund against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of the shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder's gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by the Fund on that amount of capital gain.

The qualifying income and asset requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC, as described above, may limit the extent to which it will be able to engage in derivative transactions. Rules governing the federal income tax aspects of derivatives, including swap agreements, are not entirely clear in certain respects, particularly in light of two IRS revenue rulings issued in 2006. Revenue Ruling 2006-1 held that income from a derivative contract with respect to a commodity index is not qualifying income for a RIC. Subsequently, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2006-31 in which it stated that the holding in Revenue Ruling 2006-1 "was not intended to preclude a conclusion that the income from certain instruments (such as certain structured notes) that create a commodity exposure for the holder is qualifying income." In 2016, the IRS issued a notice and stated they would not address what constitutes a "security" for purposes of Qualifying Income. In addition, the IRS requested comments as to whether the 2006 Revenue Rulings should be withdrawn. In 2019, the IRS concluded that it would not withdraw the 2006 Revenue Rulings at that time. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in commodity related derivative transactions and other derivative transactions may be limited by the Qualifying Income Requirement. The Fund will account for any investments in commodity derivative transactions in a manner it deems to be appropriate; the IRS, however, might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized.

For purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, all of the net income of a RIC derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (generally, defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (i) of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above) will be treated as qualifying income. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the IRC do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. The transferee of a partnership interest generally is required to withhold 10% of the amount realized on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest after December 31, 2017 if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person.

For purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership.

If the Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures to satisfy the Diversification Requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, the Fund will fail to qualify as a RIC and will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation subject to tax on a flat tax rate of 21% and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) to its shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders, and a maximum long-term capital gains rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for a period of greater than two taxable years, the Fund generally would be required to recognize any built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a sale of such assets within ten years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

**EXCISE TAX.** If the Fund fails to distribute by December 31 of each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its taxable ordinary income (excluding capital gains and losses) for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (as adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the twelve month period ending on October 31 of such year), and (3) all taxable ordinary income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for the prior year that were not distributed during such year and on which it did not pay federal income tax, the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax (the "Excise Tax") on the undistributed amounts. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November, or December of that year to shareholders of record on a date in such month and paid by it during January of the following year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders (other than those not subject to federal income tax) in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. The Fund intends to actually distribute or be deemed to have distributed substantially all of its net income and gain, if any, by the end of each calendar year in compliance with these requirements so that it will generally not be required to pay the Excise Tax. The Fund may, in certain circumstances, be required to liquidate its investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid Excise Tax liability at a time when its Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so. Liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Fund to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC.

**CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS.** The Fund is permitted to carry forward a net capital loss from any year to offset its capital gains, if any, realized indefinitely in the year following the year of the loss. The excess of the Fund's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gain is treated as short-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year and the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gain is treated as long-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year. If future capital gains are offset by carried forward capital losses, such future capital gains are not subject to Fund-level federal income taxation, regardless of whether they are distributed to shareholders. Accordingly, the Fund does not expect to distribute any such offsetting capital gains. The Fund cannot carry back or carry forward any net operating losses.

**MLPs.** The Fund may invest in master limited partnerships which may be treated as qualified publicly traded partnerships. Income from qualified publicly traded partnerships is qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement, but the Fund's investment in one or more of such qualified publicly traded partnerships is limited to no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets and must otherwise satisfy the Diversification Requirement. In addition, a 10% withholding tax is imposed on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest for transfers if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person or another exception applies.

**ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT AND MARKET DISCOUNT.** The Fund may acquire debt securities that are treated as having original issue discount ("OID") (generally a debt obligation with a purchase price less than its principal amount, such as a zero coupon bond). Generally, the Fund will be required to include the OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though it will not receive cash payments for such OID until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having OID which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income. Inflation-protected bonds generally can be expected to produce OID income as their principal amounts are adjusted upward for inflation. A portion of the OID includible in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities may be treated as a dividend for federal income tax purposes if the securities are characterized as equity for federal income tax purposes.

A debt security acquired in the secondary market by the Fund may be treated as having market discount if acquired at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Market discount generally is accrued ratably, on a daily basis, over the period from the date of acquisition to the date of maturity even though no cash will be received. Absent an election by the Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on its disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.

The Fund may be required to include in income certain fees that are treated as OID and required to be included in income for financial statement purposes when received (rather than when accrued into income).

In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund receives no interest payments in cash on such securities during the year.

The Fund generally will be required to make distributions to shareholders representing the income accruing on the debt securities, described above, that is currently includable in income, even though cash representing such income may not have been received by the Fund. Cash to pay these distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by the Fund's governing documents, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions.

**OPTIONS, FUTURES AND FORWARD CONTRACTS.** The writing (selling) and purchasing of options and futures contracts and entering into forward currency contracts, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes the amount, character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses the Fund realizes in connection with such transactions.

Gains and losses on the sale, lapse, or other termination of options and futures contracts, options thereon and certain forward contracts (except certain foreign currency options, forward contracts and futures contracts) will generally be treated as capital gains and losses. Some regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts, and certain non-equity options (such as certain listed options or options on broad-based securities indexes) held by the Fund ("Section 1256 contracts"), other than contracts on which it has made a "mixed-straddle election," will be required to be "marked-to-market" for federal income tax purposes, that is, treated as having been sold at their market value on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. These provisions may require the Fund to recognize income or gains without a concurrent receipt of cash. Any gain or loss recognized on actual or deemed sales of Section 1256 contracts will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary income or loss as described below. Transactions that qualify as designated hedges are exempt from the mark-to-market rule, but may require the Fund to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and certain options to the extent of any unrecognized gains on related positions held by it.

The tax provisions described above applicable to options, futures and forward contracts may affect the amount, timing, and character of the Fund's distributions to its shareholders. For example, the Section 1256 rules described above may operate to increase the amount the Fund must distribute to satisfy the minimum distribution requirement for the portion treated as short-term capital gain which will be taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income, and to increase the net capital gain it recognizes, without, in either case, increasing the cash available to it. The Fund may elect to exclude certain transactions from the operation of Section 1256, although doing so may have the effect of increasing the relative proportion of net short-term capital gain (taxable as ordinary income) and, thus, increasing the amount of dividends it must distribute. Section 1256 contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of the Excise Tax.

When a covered call or put option written (sold) by the Fund expires the Fund will realize a short-term capital gain equal to the amount of the premium it received for writing the option. When the Fund terminates its obligations under such an option by entering into a closing transaction, it will realize a short-term capital gain (or loss), depending on whether the cost of the closing transaction is less than (or exceeds) the premium received when it wrote the option. When a covered call option written by the Fund is exercised, the Fund will be treated as having sold the underlying security, producing long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon the holding period of the underlying security and whether the sum of the option price received upon the exercise plus the premium received when it wrote the option is more or less than the basis of the underlying security.

**STRADDLES.** Section 1092 deals with the taxation of straddles which also may affect the taxation of options in which the Fund may invest. Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as options, futures and forward currency contracts, may be considered, for federal income tax purposes, to constitute "straddles." Straddles are defined to include offsetting positions in actively traded personal property. In certain circumstances, the rules governing straddles override or modify the provisions of Section 1256, described above. If the Fund is treated as entering into a straddle and at least one (but not all) of its positions in derivative contracts comprising a part of such straddle is governed by Section 1256, then such straddle could be characterized as a "mixed straddle." The Fund may make one or more elections with respect to mixed straddles. Depending on which election is made, if any, the results with respect to the Fund may differ. Generally, to the extent the straddle rules apply to positions established by the Fund, losses realized by it may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in any offsetting positions. Moreover, as a result of the straddle rules, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be characterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be characterized as short-term capital gain. In addition, the existence of a straddle may affect the holding period of the offsetting positions and cause such sales to be subject to the "wash sale" and "short sale" rules. As a result, the straddle rules could cause distributions that would otherwise constitute "qualified dividend income" to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements, described below, and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income. Further, the Fund may be required to capitalize, rather than deduct currently, any interest expense and carrying charges applicable to a position that is part of a straddle. Because the application of the straddle rules may affect the character and timing of gains and losses from affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to the situation where the Fund had not engaged in such transactions.

In circumstances where the Fund has invested in certain pass-through entities, the amount of long-term capital gain that it may recognize from certain derivative transactions with respect to interests in such pass-through entities is limited under the IRC's constructive ownership rules. The amount of long-term capital gain is limited to the amount of such gain the Fund would have had if it directly invested in the pass-through entity during the term of the derivative contract. Any gain in excess of this amount is treated as ordinary income. An interest charge is imposed on the amount of gain that is treated as ordinary income.

**SWAPS AND DERIVATIVES.** As a result of entering into swap or derivative agreements, the Fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The Fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap or derivative is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap, derivative or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap or derivative will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund has been a party to a swap or derivative for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps or derivatives, the Fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or derivatives or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps or derivatives to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss. The Fund's transactions in swaps or other derivatives may be subject to one or more special tax rules (e.g., notional principal contracts, straddles, constructive sales, wash sales and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains or losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and/or character of distributions to shareholders.

Rules governing the tax aspects of swap or derivative agreements are not entirely clear in certain respects, in particular whether income generated is Qualifying Income. Accordingly, while the Fund intends to account for such transactions in a manner it deems appropriate, the IRS might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be adversely affected. The Fund intends to monitor developments in this area. Certain requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC may limit the extent to which the Fund will be able to engage in swap agreements and certain derivatives.

**CONSTRUCTIVE SALES.** Certain rules may affect the timing and character of gain if the Fund engages in transactions that reduce or eliminate its risk of loss with respect to appreciated financial positions. If the Fund enters into certain transactions (including a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract, a futures or forward contract, or other transactions identified in Treasury regulations) in property while holding an appreciated financial position in substantially identical property, it will be treated as if it had sold and immediately repurchased the appreciated financial position and will be taxed on any gain (but not loss) from the constructive sale. The character of gain from a constructive sale will depend upon the Fund's holding period in the appreciated financial position. Loss from a constructive sale would be recognized when the position was subsequently disposed of, and its character would depend on the Fund's holding period and the application of various loss deferral provisions of the IRC.

In addition, if the appreciated financial position is itself a short sale or other such contract, acquisition of the underlying property or substantially identical property by the Fund will be deemed a constructive sale. The foregoing will not apply, however, to the Fund's transaction during any taxable year that otherwise would be treated as a constructive sale if the transaction is closed within 30 days after

the end of that year and the Fund holds the appreciated financial position unhedged for 60 days after that closing (i.e., at no time during that 60-day period is the Fund's risk of loss regarding the position reduced by reason of certain specified transactions with respect to substantially identical or related property, such as having an option to sell, being contractually obligated to sell, making a short sale or granting an option to buy substantially identical stock or securities).

**WASH SALES.** The Fund may be impacted in certain circumstances by special rules relating to "wash sales." In general, the wash sale rules prevent the recognition of a loss by the Fund from the disposition of stock or securities at a loss in a case in which identical or substantially identical stock or securities (or an option to acquire such property) is or has been acquired by it within 30 days before or 30 days after the sale.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities. Short sales may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by the Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to its shareholders. Short sales also may be subject to the "Constructive Sales" rules, discussed above.

**PASSIVE FOREIGN INVESTMENT COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in a non-U.S. corporation, which could be treated as a passive foreign investment company (a "PFIC") or become a PFIC under the IRC. A PFIC is generally defined as a foreign corporation that meets either of the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income for its taxable year is income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties, or capital gains); or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, such passive income. If the Fund acquires any equity interest in a PFIC, the Fund could be subject to federal income tax and interest charges on "excess distributions" received with respect to such PFIC stock or on any gain from the sale of such PFIC stock (collectively "PFIC income"), plus interest thereon even if the Fund distributes the PFIC income as a taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in the Fund's investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. The Fund's distributions of PFIC income, if any, will be taxable as ordinary income even though, absent the application of the PFIC rules, some portion of the distributions may have been classified as capital gain.

The Fund will not be permitted to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for taxes and interest charges incurred with respect to a PFIC. Payment of this tax would therefore reduce the Fund's economic return from its investment in PFIC shares. To the extent the Fund invests in a PFIC, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" ("QEF"), then instead of the tax and interest obligation described above on excess distributions, the Fund would be required to include in income each taxable year its pro rata share of the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain. As a result of a QEF election, the Fund would likely have to distribute to its shareholders an amount equal to the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain to satisfy the IRC's minimum distribution requirement described herein and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax even if the QEF did not distribute those earnings and gain to the Fund. In most instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain requirements in making the election.

The Fund may elect to "mark-to-market" its stock in any PFIC. "Marking-to-market," in this context, means including in ordinary income each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock over the Fund's adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, the Fund also may deduct (as an ordinary, not capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in the PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock it included in income for prior taxable years under the election. The Fund's adjusted basis in its PFIC stock subject to the election would be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken thereunder. In either case, the Fund may be required to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS.** Foreign currency gains and losses realized by the Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt instruments, certain options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments relating to foreign currency, foreign currencies, and foreign currency-denominated payables and receivables are subject to Section 988 of the IRC, which causes such gains and losses to be treated as ordinary income or loss and may affect the amount and timing of recognition of the Fund's income. In some cases elections may be available that would alter this treatment, but such elections could be detrimental to the Fund by creating current recognition of income without the concurrent recognition of cash. If a foreign currency loss treated as an ordinary loss under Section 988 were to exceed the Fund's investment company taxable income (computed without regard to such loss) for a taxable year the resulting loss would not be deductible by it or its shareholders in future years. The foreign currency income or loss will also increase or decrease the Fund's investment company income distributable to its shareholders.

**FOREIGN TAXATION.** Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the Fund's total assets at the close of any taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations and it meets the distribution requirements described above, the Fund may file an election (the "pass-through election") with the IRS pursuant to which shareholders of the Fund would be required to (i) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) their pro rata shares of

foreign income taxes paid by the Fund even though not actually received by such shareholders; and (ii) treat such respective pro rata portions as foreign income taxes paid by them. The Fund will furnish its shareholders with a written statement providing the amount of foreign taxes paid by the Fund that will "pass-through" for the year, if any.

Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder's U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of the Fund's income will flow through to the Fund's shareholders. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. Shareholders may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Various limitations, including a minimum holding period requirement, apply to limit the credit and deduction for foreign taxes for purposes of regular federal tax and alternative minimum tax. In addition, a shareholder of the Fund may lose the ability to use foreign tax credits passed through by the Fund if the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement.

**REITs.** The Fund may invest in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require the Fund to accrue and distribute taxable income without the concurrent receipt of cash. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. The Fund's investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in its receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

The Fund may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs") or taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs"), or such REITs may themselves constitute TMPs. Under an IRS notice, and Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of the Fund's income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT's residual interest in a REMIC or a TMP (referred to in the IRC as an "excess inclusion") will be subject to federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a RIC, such as the Fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or invested in the TMP directly. As a result, the Fund may not be a suitable investment for certain tax-exempt shareholders, including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan and other tax-exempt entities. See "Tax-Exempt Shareholders."

Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that the Fund properly reports as "section 199A dividends," as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. Non-corporate shareholders are permitted a federal income tax deduction equal to 20% of qualified REIT dividends received by them, subject to certain limitations. Generally, a "section 199A dividend" is any dividend or portion thereof that is attributable to certain dividends received by a RIC from the REITs it holds, to the extent such dividends are properly reported as such by the RIC in a written notice to its shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.

**DISTRIBUTIONS.** Distributions paid out of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined at the end of the year), whether reinvested in additional shares or paid in cash, are generally taxable and must be reported by each shareholder who is required to file a federal income tax return except in the case of certain tax-exempt shareholders. Distributions in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, as computed for federal income tax purposes, will first be treated as a return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares and then as capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as a capital asset. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder's tax basis in the shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by a shareholder of the Fund's shares. Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or receive them in additional shares.

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment company taxable income are generally taxable as ordinary income, and distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions designated by the Fund as "capital gain dividends" (distributions from the excess of net long-term capital gain over short-term capital losses) will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time they have held their shares of the Fund. Such dividends do not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction described below.

Non-corporate shareholders of the Fund may be eligible for the long-term capital gain tax rate applicable to distributions of "qualified dividend income" received by such non-corporate shareholders. The maximum long-term capital gains tax rate is 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). The Fund's distribution will be treated as qualified dividend income and therefore eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rate to the extent that it receives dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding periods and other

requirements are met. A corporate shareholder of the Fund may be eligible for the dividends received deduction with respect to the Fund's distributions attributable to dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations, which, if received directly by the corporate shareholder, would qualify for such a deduction. For eligible corporate shareholders, the dividends received deduction may be subject to certain reductions, and a distribution by the Fund attributable to dividends of a domestic corporation will be eligible for the deduction only if certain holding period and other requirements are met. If the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement, dividends paid while the shares are held by the borrower may not be qualified dividend income and may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax applies to net investment income including interest (excluding, tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.

The Fund will furnish a statement to shareholders providing the federal income tax status of its dividends and distributions including the portion of such dividends, if any, that qualifies as long-term capital gain.

Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement distributions and certain prohibited transactions, is accorded to accounts maintained as qualified retirement plans. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers for more information.**

**PURCHASES OF FUND SHARES.** Prior to purchasing shares in the Fund, the impact of dividends or distributions which are expected to be or have been declared, but not paid, should be carefully considered. Any dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of such shares of the Fund prior to the record date will have the effect of reducing the per share net asset value by the per share amount of the dividend or distribution, and to the extent the distribution consists of the Fund's taxable income, the purchasing shareholder will be taxed on the taxable portion of the dividend or distribution received even though some or all of the amount distributed is effectively a return of capital. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

**SALES, EXCHANGES OR REDEMPTIONS.** Upon the disposition of shares of the Fund (whether by redemption, sale or exchange), a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the shares. The capital gain will be long-term if the shares were held for more than 12 months and short-term if held for 12 months or less. If a shareholder sells or exchanges shares of the Fund within 90 days of having acquired such shares and if, before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the sale or exchange, as a result of having initially acquired those shares, the shareholder subsequently pays a reduced sales charge on a new purchase of shares of the Fund, the sales charge previously incurred in acquiring the Fund's shares generally shall not be taken into account (to the extent the previous sales charges do not exceed the reduction in sales charges on the new purchase) for the purpose of determining the amount of gain or loss on the disposition, but generally will be treated as having been incurred in the new purchase. Any loss realized on a disposition will be disallowed under the "wash sale" rules to the extent that the shares disposed of by the shareholder are replaced by the shareholder within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends received by the shareholder with respect to such shares. Capital losses are generally deductible only against capital gains except that individuals may deduct up to $3,000 of capital losses against ordinary income.

The 3.8% Medicare contribution tax (applied as described above) will apply to gains from the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund.

**BACKUP WITHHOLDING.** The Fund generally is required to withhold, and remit to the U.S. Treasury, subject to certain exemptions, an amount equal to 24% of all distributions and redemption proceeds paid or credited to a shareholder of the Fund if (i) the shareholder fails to furnish the Fund with the correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") certified under penalties of perjury, (ii) the shareholder fails to provide a certified statement that the shareholder is not subject to "backup withholding," or (iii) the IRS or a broker has notified the Fund that the number furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report interest or dividend income. If the backup withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions or proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.

**STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.** State and local laws often differ from federal income tax laws with respect to the treatment of specific items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit. This summary discussion does not address the state and local income taxes applicable to a shareholder.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the state and local tax rules affecting investments in the Fund.**

**NON-U.S. SHAREHOLDERS.** Distributions made to non-U.S. shareholders attributable to net investment income generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding at a 30% rate (or such lower rate provided under an applicable income tax treaty). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution described above is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States), federal income tax withholding and exemptions attributable to foreign persons will not apply. Instead, the distribution will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable U.S. tax rate (currently 37% in the case of individuals and 21% in the case of corporations) and the non-U.S. shareholders will be subject to the federal income tax reporting requirements generally applicable to U.S. persons described above.

Under U.S. federal tax law, a non-U.S. shareholder is not, in general, subject to federal income tax or withholding tax on capital gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of the Fund, or on capital gains dividends, provided that the Fund obtains a properly completed and signed certificate of foreign status, unless (i) such gains or distributions are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States of the non-U.S. shareholder); (ii) in the case of an individual non-U.S. shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the shares of the Fund constitute U.S. real property interests ("USRPIs"), as described below.

Under current law, if the Fund is considered to be a "United States Real Property Holding Corporation" (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), then the distributions attributable to certain underlying REIT investments and redemption proceeds paid to a non-U.S. shareholder that owns at least 5% of the Fund, generally will cause the non-U.S. shareholder to treat such gain or distribution as income effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States, subject such gain or distribution to withholding tax, and cause the non-U.S. shareholder to be required to file a federal income tax return. In addition, in any year where at least 50% of the Fund's assets are USRPIs (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), distributions of the Fund that are attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of shares in USRPIs may be subject to U.S. withholding tax (regardless of such shareholder's percentage interest in the Fund) and may require the non-U.S. shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to receive a refund (if any) of the withheld amount.

Subject to the additional rules described herein, federal income tax withholding will apply to distributions attributable to dividends and other investment income distributed by the Fund. The federal income tax withholding rate may be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. shareholder's country of residence or incorporation. In order to qualify for treaty benefits, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign status (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN). **All non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

Pursuant to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"), a 30% withholding tax generally is imposed on payments of interest and dividends to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless the foreign financial institution or foreign entity provides the withholding agent with documentation sufficient to show that it is compliant with FATCA (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). If the payment is subject to the 30% withholding tax under FATCA, a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to the 30% withholding tax described above on the same income. Under proposed regulations, FATCA withholding on the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gain distributions, scheduled to take effect beginning January 1, 2019, has been eliminated. Such proposed regulations are subject to change.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of this reporting and withholding regime to their own tax situation.**

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**FOREIGN BANK AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS AND FOREIGN FINANCIAL ASSETS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.** A shareholder that owns directly or indirectly more than 50% by vote or value of the Fund, is urged and advised to consult its own tax adviser regarding its filing obligations with respect to IRS Form FinCEN 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

Also, under enacted rules, subject to exceptions, individuals (and, to the extent provided in forthcoming future U.S. Treasury regulations, certain domestic entities) must report annually their interests in "specified foreign financial assets" on their U.S. federal income tax returns. It is currently unclear whether and under what circumstances shareholders would be required to report their indirect interests in the Fund's "specified foreign financial assets" (if any) under these new rules.

Shareholders may be subject to substantial penalties for failure to comply with these reporting requirements. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether these reporting requirements are applicable to them.**

**TAX-EXEMPT SHAREHOLDERS.** A tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") by virtue of its investment in the Fund as a result of the Fund's investments and if shares in the Fund constitute debt financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).

It is possible that a tax-exempt shareholder of the Fund will also recognize UBTI if the Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" (as described above) derived from direct or indirect investments in REMIC residual interests or TMPs. Furthermore, any investment in a residual interest of a CMO that has elected to be treated as a REMIC can create complex tax consequences, especially if the Fund has state or local governments or other tax-exempt organizations as shareholders.

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or in TMPs.

**Tax-exempt shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**TAX SHELTER REPORTING REGULATIONS.** Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper.

Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

**TAX BASIS INFORMATION.** For shares of the Fund that are redeemed, your financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) will report gains and losses realized on redemptions of shares for shareholders who are individuals and S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This information will also be reported to a shareholder on Form 1099-B and the IRS each year. In calculating the gain or loss on redemptions of shares, the average cost method will be used to determine the cost basis of the Fund's shares purchased after January 1, 2012 unless the shareholder instructs the Fund in writing that the shareholder wants to use another available method for cost basis reporting (for example, First In, First Out (FIFO), Last In, First Out (LIFO), Specific Lot Identification (SLID) or High Cost, First Out (HCFO)). If the shareholder designated SLID as the shareholder's tax cost basis method, the shareholder will also need to designate a secondary cost basis method (Secondary Method). If a Secondary Method is not provided, the Fund will designate FIFO as the Secondary Method and will use the Secondary Method with respect to systematic withdrawals that are made.

A shareholder's financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) is also required to report gains and losses to the IRS in connection with redemptions of shares by S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012. If a shareholder is a corporation and has not instructed the Fund that it is a C corporation in its Account Application or by written instruction, the Fund will treat the shareholder as an S corporation and file a Form 1099-B.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**This summary is provided for general information only and should not be considered tax advice or relied on by an investor.**

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**

The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Fund's financial statements, included in [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm), for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025(the "Annual Report") are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The 2025 financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report thereon is also incorporated herein by reference. No other parts of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, are incorporated by reference herein. Copies of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Trust at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 or calling the Trust at (888) 678-6024 or on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/global-emerging-markets-growth-strategy.*

**APPENDIX A**

**DESCRIPTION OF Securities RATINGS**

**Description of Ratings**

The following descriptions of securities ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P Global Ratings"), and Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"), respectively.

**Description of Moody's Global Ratings**

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned for obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

**Description of Moody's Global Long-Term Ratings**

**Aaa** Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal risk.

**Aa** Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

**A** Obligations rated A are considered upper medium-grade and are subject to low credit risk.

**Baa** Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba** Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

**B** Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

**Caa** Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

**Ca** Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

**C** Obligations rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal and interest.

*Note*: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**Hybrid Indicator (hyb)**

The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

**Description of Moody's Global Short-Term Ratings**

**P-1** Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-2** Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-3** Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

**NP** Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's U.S. Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings**

The Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale is used to rate U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.

Moody's U.S. municipal short-term obligation ratings are as follows:

**MIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

**MIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

**MIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

**Description of Moody's Demand Obligation Ratings**

For variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), Moody's assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer's ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders ("on demand") and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer's long-term rating drops below investment grade. Please see their methodology that discusses obligations with conditional liquidity support.

For VRDOs, they typically assign a VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years, but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned, and it is denoted as "NR".

Moody's demand obligation ratings are as follows:

**VMIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Issue Credit Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings' view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P Global Ratings would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings S&P Global Ratings assigns to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings' analysis of the following considerations:

● The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

● The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P Global Ratings imputes; and

● The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

NR indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings\***

**AAA** An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

**AA** An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

**A** An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

**BBB** An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**BB; B; CCC; CC; and C** Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

**BB** An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CCC** An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CC** An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

**C** An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

\* Ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

**D** An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings**

**A-1** A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.

**A-2** A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

**A-3** A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

**C** A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**D** A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings' opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings' analysis will review the following considerations:

● Amortization schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

● Source of payment—the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P Global Ratings' municipal short-term note ratings are as follows:

**SP-1** Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

**SP-2** Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

**SP-3** Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

**D** 'D' is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

**Description of Fitch's Credit Ratings**

Fitch's credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issue level ratings are assigned and often include an expectation of recovery and may be notched above or below the issuer level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation).

Fitch's credit rating scale for issuers and issues is expressed using the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade) with an additional +/- for AA through CCC levels indicating relative differences of probability of default or recovery for issues. The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. Investment grade categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the speculative categories signal either a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

Fitch may also disclose issues relating to a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated. Such issues are also denoted as 'NR' on its web page.

Fitch's credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. Credit ratings do not deal with the risk of market value loss due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and/or other market considerations. However, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay or refinance a financial commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of payments linked to performance of an equity index).

Note: The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' ratings and ratings below the 'CCC' category. For the short-term rating category of 'F1', a '+' may be appended.

**Description of Fitch's Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Ratings**

**AAA** Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA** Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A** High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB** Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

**BB** Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

**B** Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

**CCC** Substantial credit risk. 'CCC' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present, and default is a real possibility.

**CC** Very high levels of credit risk. 'CC' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk and default of some kind appears probable.

**C** Near Default. 'C' ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk. A default or default-like process has begun, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired.

Ratings in the categories of 'CCC', 'CC' and 'C' can also relate to obligations or issuers that are in default. In this case, the rating does not opine on default risk but reflects the recovery expectation only.

Corporate Finance defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'RD' or 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'CCC' to 'C' rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

**Description of Fitch's Short-Term Ratings**

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Fitch's short-term ratings are as follows:

**F1** Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Under the agency's National Rating scale, this rating is assigned to the lowest default risk relative to others in the same country or monetary union. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a "+" is added to the assigned rating.

**F2** Good short-term credit quality. Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

**F3** Fair short-term credit quality. Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**B** Speculative short-term credit quality. Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**C** High short-term default risk. Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**RD** Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

**D** Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

**APPENDIX B**

**PROXY VOTING POLICY**

**Proxy Voting Disclosure**

Polen Capital Management, LLC and/or Polen Capital UK LLP (collectively, the "Firm" or "Polen Capital") will accept discretionary authority over a client's proxy if the Firm has discretionary authority over the client's advisory account and the advisory contract does not expressly state that the Firm will not be voting proxies or the client does not retain voting authority. The Firm currently has client accounts over which it has proxy voting authority.

The Firm exercises proxy voting to fulfill its fiduciary duty and directly influence corporate policy in a way that the Firm believes will maximize shareholder value. The investment teams are responsible for proxy voting and undertake close review and consideration of all proxy votes for governance matters and shareholder proposal issues.

The Firm utilizes a third party service provider (currently Institutional Shareholder Services or "ISS") for research and recommendations on proxy issues facilitating the processing of the Firm's ultimate selections for each proxy vote. The Firm specifically uses ISS's Sustainability Voting Guidelines currently, which we believe generally supports positive corporate ESG actions that promote practices that present new opportunities or mitigate related financial and reputational risks.

In voting proxies, the Firm currently consults ISS's Sustainability Voting Guidelines but makes an independent decision for each vote. If the Firm disagrees with ISS's recommendation, the reasons are documented internally.

Additional information about ISS and the ISS Sustainability Voting Guidelines is available at http://www.issgovernance.com/policy.

The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital has been delegated the authority for ensuring voting decisions are documented in accordance with these policies and ensuring there are processes in place to facilitate the voting of proxies in a timely manner.

Polen Capital relies on ISS to maintain proxy statements and records of proxy votes cast and can provide a client with an annual proxy voting summary upon request.

The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital maintains a list of those companies which issue publicly traded securities and with which the Firm (or its affiliates) has such a relationship that proxies presented with respect to those companies may be perceived to give rise to a conflict of interest between the Firm and its clients. Examples of such a relationship include:

● Companies affiliated with directors, or immediate family members of directors of the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm;

● Companies affiliated with officers, or immediate family members of officers of the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm; and

● Companies that maintain significant business relationships with the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm, or with which the Firm or an affiliate of the Firm is actively seeking a significant business relationship.

In addition, any proxy vote that would result in increased compensation to the Firm or an affiliate due to increased or additional fees or other charges to be paid by the client, would also be considered a vote where the Firm has a conflict of interest. The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital will determine, based on a review of the issues raised by the conflict of interest, the nature of the potential conflict and, most importantly, given the Firm's commitment to voting proxies in the best interests of client accounts, how the proxy will be handled. The Chief Compliance Officer will perform one of the following duties as a result:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Disclose the conflict to the client(s), providing sufficient information regarding the matter and the nature of the Firm's conflict, and obtaining consent before voting;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Employ ISS to advise in the voting of the proxy;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Employ ISS to vote the proxy on behalf of the Firm and its clients; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Decline to vote the proxy because of the cost of addressing the potential conflict of interest is greater than the benefit to the clients of voting the proxy.

To request a copy of how a proxy was voted please contact compliance@polencapital.com.

**FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**

**(THE "TRUST")**

**polen u.s. smid company growth FUND**

**(THE "FUND")**

**Supplement dated September 1, 2025 to the Fund's Prospectus, Summary Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") dated September 1, 2025**

The Board of Trustees of the Trust has approved a plan to liquidate and terminate the Fund. The plan of liquidation provides that the Fund will cease its business, liquidate its assets and distribute its liquidation proceeds to all of the Fund's shareholders of record. Final liquidation of the Fund will occur on or about October 30, 2025.

The Fund ceased accepting purchase orders and closed to all new and existing investors on August 29, 2025.

Shareholders of the Fund may redeem their shares at any time prior to the liquidation date. If a shareholder has not redeemed his or her shares by the liquidation date, the shareholder's shares automatically will be redeemed and proceeds will be sent to the shareholder of record. All applicable redemption fees will be waived for redemptions of Fund shares that occur after the date of this supplement. Liquidation proceeds will be paid in cash at the Fund's applicable net asset value per share.

As the liquidation of the Fund approaches, the Fund's investment adviser is expected to increase the portion of the Fund's assets held in cash and similar investments in order to prepare for orderly liquidation and to meet anticipated redemption requests. This may adversely affect the Fund's performance. The impending liquidation of the Fund may result in large redemptions, which could adversely affect the Fund's expense ratio, although existing contractual fee waivers will be maintained. Also, as the Fund's liquidation approaches, the Fund will cease to pursue its investment objective.

The redemption of shares held by a shareholder as part of the liquidation generally will be considered a taxable event. Prior to final liquidation, the Fund may make distributions of income and capital gains. These distributions will have the tax and other consequences described in the Fund's prospectus and statement of additional information. A shareholder should consult with the shareholder's tax advisor to discuss the Fund's liquidation and the tax consequences to the shareholder.

INVESTORS SHOULD RETAIN THIS SUPPLEMENT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

![](pro-pbmrx_001.jpg)

**POLEN U.S. SMID COMPANY GROWTH FUND**

Investor Class Institutional Class <br> PBMRX PBMIX

*a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

**PROSPECTUS**

September 1, 2025

**These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.**

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[Fund Summary](#pro-pbmrx_001)** | **1** |
| **[More Information about the Fund's Investment Objective, Strategies and Risks](#pro-pbmrx_002)** | **7** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Objective](#pro-pbmrx_003) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Information about the Fund's Investment Strategies](#pro-pbmrx_004) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Principal Risks](#pro-pbmrx_005) | 7 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Risks](#pro-pbmrx_006) | 8 |
| **[More Information about Management of the Fund](#pro-pbmrx_007)** | **10** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Adviser](#pro-pbmrx_008) | 10 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [Portfolio Manager](#pro-pbmrx_009) | 10 |
| **[Shareholder Information](#pro-pbmrx_010)** | **11** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Pricing of Shares](#pro-pbmrx_011) | 11 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Purchase of Shares](#pro-pbmrx_012) | 12 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Open an Account](#pro-pbmrx_013) | 13 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Add to an Account](#pro-pbmrx_014) | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Redemption of Shares](#pro-pbmrx_015) | 17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Redeem from Your Account](#pro-pbmrx_016) | 18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchanging Into Other Share Classes](#pro-pbmrx_017) | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchanging Into Other Polen Funds](#pro-pbmrx_024) | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Transaction Policies](#pro-pbmrx_018) | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Shareholder Services](#pro-pbmrx_019) | 21 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributions](#pro-pbmrx_020) | 21 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[More Information about Taxes](#pro-pbmrx_021) | 22 |
| **[Financial Highlights](#pro-pbmrx_022)** | **24** |
| **[For More Information](#pro-pbmrx_023)** | **Back Cover** |

---

**FUND SUMMARY**

**POLEN U.S. SMID COMPANY GROWTH FUND**

**Investment Objective**

Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund (the "Fund") seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital.

**Fees and Expenses**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** |
|  | **Investor <br> Class** | **Institutional <br> Class** |
| Management Fees | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Fees | 0.25% |  |
| Other Expenses | 1.09% | 1.09% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses** | **2.34%** | **2.09%** |
| Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (1.04)% | (1.04)% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement<sup>1</sup>** | **1.30%** | **1.05%** |

---

<sup>1</sup> Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses (excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by FundVantage Trust (the "Trust"), interest and other costs of borrowing, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.05% (on an annual basis) of the Fund's average daily net assets with respect to the Investor Class and Institutional Class shares of the Fund (the "Expense Limitation"). The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, such amounts reduced or reimbursed for a period of up to three (3) years from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of the reimbursement. No reimbursement will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation.

**Example**

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares of the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (reflecting any contractual fee waivers). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Investor Class | $132 | $632 | $1158 | $2601 |
| Institutional Class | $107 | $555 | $1030 | $2343 |

---

**Portfolio Turnover**

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 58% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Summary of Principal Investment Strategies**

The Fund typically invests in a portfolio of common stocks of small and mid-cap companies and, under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in securities of U.S. issuers that are small or mid-cap companies. This 80% policy to invest in small and mid-cap companies may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon 60 days' notice to shareholders. The Adviser considers small and mid-cap companies for this purpose to be those companies that, at the time of purchase, are within the range of the market capitalizations of companies in the Russell 2500<sup>®</sup> Growth Index. This policy does not require the Fund to sell the security of a small or mid-cap company if such company's market capitalization moves outside the range of the market capitalizations of companies in the Russell 2500<sup>®</sup> Growth Index; however, additional purchases of such security will be subject to the 20% limitation for securities outside of the Fund's small and mid-cap company portfolio. As of April 30, 2025, the average weighted market capitalization of the issuers in the Russell 2500<sup>®</sup> Growth Index was $7.12 billion.

The Adviser employs a multi-discipline approach to identify opportunities with attractive fundamental, thematic and/or technical traits. The Adviser believes earnings growth drives long-term stock performance and is influenced by changes in a company's internal or external environment. The team refers to the key environmental conditions as "primary forces" and the change elements as "dynamics." Research activities focus on recognizing and understanding four dynamic primary forces that influence a company's earnings power and the valuation associated with that earnings power: (i) competitive advantages, (ii) corporate strategy shifts, (iii) secular themes, and (iv) cyclical business conditions.

The Adviser believes that changes in earnings power produced by primary forces are often not accurately captured in market prices. Thus, compelling investment opportunities are often closely affiliated with primary forces. The team believes that a portfolio of stocks positioned to benefit from one or more of these primary forces should outperform over time.

The Adviser aims to construct a portfolio of stocks with key competitive advantages and favorable business conditions. Portfolio construction focuses on industry and factor exposures and seeks to optimize the attractiveness of the overall portfolio against the risks involved in overweight or underweight exposures. An "Attractiveness Score" reflects the team's evaluation of each investment opportunity across valuation, business model, thematic timeliness, management team, and technical behavior. The team developed a "Balance Mechanism" to manage risk by shaping the portfolio profile via a series of constraints on economic sector exposure and factor exposure. Factor constraints are defined by portfolio exposure to a given factor relative to the benchmark exposure deviation.

The Fund is non-diversified, which means that a significant portion of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of a single or small number of companies and/or in a more limited number of sectors than a diversified mutual fund. Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, the Fund may focus its investments from time to time in one or more sectors of the economy or stock market.

The Fund may sell a security if a company's financial results fall significantly off its projected growth path, either in terms of product sales or market development, or if the company loses a significant advantage; positions may be reduced or eliminated entirely. The Adviser may also reduce or sell a position if the stock violates clear technical levels. Sells are primarily driven by the Attractiveness scores, which are evaluated by the team on an ongoing basis. Each investment is purchased with an open-ended time horizon but is expected to average between one and two years. Actual time horizons range from a few months to more than four years.

**Summary of Principal Risks**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor and the relative significance of each risk below may change over time. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value ("NAV"), yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not be a suitable investment for all investors.

● **Equity Securities Risk:** Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition, historical and prospective earnings of the company, interest rates, investor perceptions and overall market and economic conditions. The prices of securities change in response to many factors including the value of its assets.

● **Growth Style Risk:** Growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are generally more sensitive to investor perceptions and market movements. In addition, growth stocks as a group may be out of favor at times and underperform the overall equity market for long periods while the market concentrates on other types of stocks, such as "value" stocks.

● **Information Technology Sector Risk:** At certain points, the Fund has focused its investments in the information technology sector. Information technology companies face competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. They are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by the loss or impairment of those rights. Companies in the information technology sector are facing increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action. Companies in the software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services and actual or perceived vulnerabilities in their products or services.

● **Management Risk:** The risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by the investment adviser, including but not limited to the Adviser's integration of ESG factors into its research analysis, will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment adviser and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Fund. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Fund will be achieved.

● **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**●** **Mid-Cap Risk:** Mid-cap companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than larger, more established companies. Therefore, they generally involve greater risk.

● **Non-Diversification Risk:** Because the Fund is non-diversified and may invest a larger portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified fund, an investment in the Fund could fluctuate in value more than an investment in a diversified fund.

● **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**●** **Small-Cap Risk:** The risk that securities of small-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies. Generally the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. Small-capitalization companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent upon a small or inexperienced management group and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs.

**●** **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

**Performance Information**

The bar chart and the performance table below provide an indication of the risks and volatility of investing in the Fund by showing: (a) changes in the performance of the Fund's Institutional Class shares from year to year; and (b) how the average annual total return of the Fund's Institutional Class shares compare to those of a regulatorily required broad-based securities market index (Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index) (the "Regulatory Benchmark") and the Russell 2500<sup>®</sup> Growth Index (the "Performance Benchmark"). The Performance Benchmark is generally more representative of the market sectors and/or types of investments in which the Fund invests or to which the Fund has exposure and which the Adviser uses to measure the Fund's performance. The Fund has included in the table below the performance of the Regulatory Benchmark, which represents a broader measure of market performance, to comply with new regulatory requirements. Total returns would have been lower had certain fees and expenses not been waived or reimbursed. Past performance, both before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/us-smid-company-growth-strategy* or by calling the Fund toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

![](pro-pbmrx_002.jpg)

Calendar Year-to-Date Total Return as of June 30, 2025: (6.63)%

During the periods shown in the chart:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best Quarter** | **Worst Quarter** |
| 14.74% | (29.55)% |
| (December 31, 2023) | (June 30, 2022) |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund — Institutional Class Shares** <br> **Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2024**  | **1 Year** | **Since <br> Inception <br> (April 1, 2021)** |
| Return Before Taxes | 1.50% | (5.11)% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 1.50% | (5.19)% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares | 0.89% | (3.84)%<sup>1</sup> |
| Russell 2500<sup>®</sup> Growth Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>2</sup> | 13.90% | 0.65% |
| Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>2</sup> | 32.46% | 14.32% |

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<sup>1</sup> The "Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares" is higher than the "Return Before Taxes" and the "Return After Taxes on Distributions" because of realized losses that would have been sustained upon the sale of Fund shares immediately after the relevant period.

<sup>2</sup> The Russell 2500<sup>®</sup> Growth Index is an unmanaged index measuring the performance of the 2,500 smallest companies in the Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index, which is made up of 3,000 of the biggest U.S. stocks. The Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index measures the performance of the 3,000 largest U.S. companies based on market capitalization, which represents approximately 98% of the investable U.S. equity market.

**Management of the Fund**

**Investment Adviser**

Polen Capital Management, LLC serves as the Fund's investment adviser.

 **Portfolio Manager**

 **Andrew Cupps,** Head of Team, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, has served as portfolio manager for the Fund since June 30, 2025. He has been a member of Polen Capital's Small Company Growth Team since joining the firm in 2025.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** |
| **Account Type** | **Minimum** | **Investor <br> Class** | **Institutional <br> Class** |
| Regular Accounts | Initial Investment | $3000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |
| Individual Retirement Accounts | Initial Investment | $2000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |
| Automatic Investment Plan | Initial Investment | $2000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |

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You can only purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on days the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open and through the means described below.

**Purchase or Redemption by Mail:**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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**Purchase by Wire:**

Please contact Fund shareholder services ("Shareholder Services") toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for current wire instructions.

**Redemption by Telephone:**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**Tax Information**

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Such distributions are not currently taxable when shares are held through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. However, subsequent withdrawals from any tax-deferred account in which the shares are held may be subject to federal income tax.

**Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and/or for related services to shareholders. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S<br> INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, STRATEGIES AND RISKS**

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE**

The Fund seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital. Although no change is anticipated, the Fund's investment objective may be changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S INVESTMENT STRATEGIES**

The Fund's principal investment strategies are discussed in the "Fund Summary" section. Principal investment strategies are those that the Adviser will use on a day-to-day basis to achieve the Fund's investment objective. This section provides more information about these strategies, as well as information about some additional strategies that the Fund's Adviser uses, or may use, to achieve the Fund's objective. Additional information about these investment strategies and practices and related risks is also provided in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"). The Fund may also use strategies and invest in securities that are not described in this Prospectus, but that are described in the Fund's SAI. The investments and strategies discussed below are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, at the time of initial purchase, in securities of U.S. issuers that are small and mid-cap companies. This policy does not require the Fund to sell the security of a small or mid-cap company if such company's market capitalization moves outside the range of the market capitalizations of companies in the Russell 2500<sup>®</sup> Growth Index on a trailing three-year basis; however, additional purchases of such security will be subject to the 20% limitation for securities outside of the Fund's small and mid-cap company portfolio. This 80% policy may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon 60 days' notice to shareholders. A U.S. issuer means an issuer that (i) has their principal securities trading market in the United States; or (ii) is organized under the laws of, and has a principal office in, the United States at the time of purchase.

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"). At times, the Fund may be required to segregate or earmark certain assets determined to be liquid by the investment adviser (generally, short-term investment grade fixed income securities) to cover borrowings.

The investments and strategies discussed above are those that the investment adviser will use under normal

market conditions. The Fund also may use other strategies and engage in other investment practices, which are described in the Fund's SAI.

In anticipation of or in response to adverse market or other conditions or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, the Fund may temporarily hold all or a portion of its assets in U.S. Government securities, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents. The investment adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures. Under such conditions, the Fund may not invest in accordance with its investment objective or principal investment strategy and may not achieve its investment objective.

**PRINCIPAL RISKS**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's NAV, yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.

● **Small-Cap Risk:** The risk that securities of small-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies. Generally the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. Small-capitalization companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent upon a small or inexperienced management group and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs.

**●** **Mid-Cap Risk:** In addition to small-cap securities, the Fund may also invest in the securities of mid-cap companies. Investment in mid-cap companies may be riskier than investments in larger, more established companies. The securities of mid-cap companies may trade less frequently and in smaller volumes, and as a result, may be less liquid than securities of larger companies. In addition, mid-cap companies may be more vulnerable to economic, market and industry changes than larger companies. As a result, share price changes may be sudden or erratic than the prices of other equity securities, especially over the short-term. Because mid-cap companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources or may depend on a few key employees, they may be more susceptible to particular economic events or competitive factors than large capitalization companies.

**●** **Equity Securities Risk:** Common and preferred stocks represent equity ownership in a company. The price of equity securities will fluctuate and can decline and reduce the value of a portfolio investing in equities. The value of equity securities purchased by the Fund could decline if the financial condition of the companies related to a company or industry, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or generally adverse investor sentiment.

● **Growth Style Risk:** Growth stocks may be more volatile than other stocks because they are generally more sensitive to investor perceptions and market movements. In addition, growth stocks as a group may be out of favor at times and underperform the overall equity market for long periods while the market concentrates on other types of stocks, such as "value" stocks.

● **Management Risk:** The risk that the investment techniques and risk analyses applied by the investment adviser, including but not limited to the Adviser's integration of ESG factors into its research analysis, will not produce the desired results and that legislative, regulatory, or tax developments may affect the investment techniques available to the investment adviser and the individual portfolio manager in connection with managing the Fund. There is no guarantee that the investment objective of the Fund will be achieved.

● **Non-Diversification Risk:** Because the Fund is non-diversified and may invest a larger portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified fund, an investment in the Fund could fluctuate in value more than an investment in a diversified fund.

**●** **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and

markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

● **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

● **Information Technology Sector Risk:** At certain points, the Fund has focused its investments in the information technology sector. Information technology companies face competition and potentially rapid product obsolescence. They are also heavily dependent on intellectual property rights and may be adversely affected by the loss or impairment of those rights. Companies in the information technology sector are facing increased government and regulatory scrutiny and may be subject to adverse government or regulatory action. Companies in the software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services and actual or perceived vulnerabilities in their products or services.

**OTHER RISKS**

**●** **Cyber Security Risk:** As part of its business, the Adviser processes, stores and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Funds. The Adviser and the Fund may be susceptible to operational and information security risk. Cyber security failures or breaches of the Adviser or the Fund's other service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of the Fund's shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties and/or reputational damage. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

**●** **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

**Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings**

A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI, which is available, free of charge, by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 and on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/us-smid-company-growth-strategy.* The SAI may also be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") website at *www.sec.gov*.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND**

The Trust's Board of Trustees supervises the management, activities and affairs of the Fund and has approved contracts with various organizations to provide, among other services, the day-to-day management required by the Fund and its shareholders.

**INVESTMENT ADVISER**

Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Polen Capital was founded in 1979 and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Capital had approximately $46.7 billion in assets under management. Polen Capital, subject to the general oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objective, policies and limitations. For its services as Adviser to the Fund, Polen Capital is entitled to receive an investment advisory fee of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, after fee waivers and expense reimbursements, Polen Capital did not receive an investment advisory with respect to the Fund.

A discussion of the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment management agreement between Polen Capital and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, is available in the Fund's Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2024.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGER**

 **Andrew Cupps, Head of Team,** Portfolio Manager and Analyst. Andrew Cupps serves as the portfolio manager for Polen Capital's U.S. Small Cap Growth, U.S. SMID Cap Growth, and U.S. Micro Cap Growth strategies. He joined Polen Capital in 2025 and leads the day-to-day portfolio management and investment analysis for these strategies. Andrew applies a proprietary investment framework honed over decades of experience to his work at Polen Capital.

Before joining Polen Capital, Mr. Cupps was a Portfolio Manager at Bosun Asset Management, and prior to that, at Advisory Research Investment Management. He also founded and managed Cupps Capital Management and oversaw hedge fund and mutual fund assets at Strong Capital Management. Andrew began his career at Driehaus Capital Management in 1992. He holds an AB in Economics from Harvard University. The Fund's

SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Manager's compensation, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager and the Portfolio Manager's ownership of Fund shares.

**SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION**

**PRICING OF SHARES**

The price of the Fund's shares is based on its NAV. The Fund values its assets, based on current market values when such values are available. The NAV per share of the Fund is calculated as follows:

Value of Assets Attributable to the Shares <br> NAV = – <u>Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Shares</u> <br> Number of Outstanding Shares

The Fund's NAV per share is calculated once daily as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each business day (i.e., a day that the Exchange is open for business). The Exchange is generally open on Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The price at which a purchase, redemption or exchange is effected is based on the next calculation of NAV after the order is received in good form by an authorized financial institution or the transfer agent, plus any applicable sales charges.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**PURCHASE OF SHARES**

**Share Classes**

The Trust offers Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares of the Fund. Each Class of shares has different expenses and distribution arrangements to provide for different investment needs. This allows you to choose the class of shares most suitable for you depending on the amount and expected length of your investment and other relevant factors. Sales personnel may receive different compensation for selling each class of shares. Investor Class shares are for individuals, corporate investors and retirement plans. Institutional Class shares are available to individuals who can meet the required investment minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or broker-dealers purchasing for the accounts of others. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Investor Class** | **Institutional Class** |
| No initial sales charge | No initial sales charge |
| Higher annual expenses than Institutional Class shares due to distribution fee | Lower annual expenses than Investor Class shares due to no distribution fee |

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Shares representing interests in the Fund are offered on a continuous basis by the Fund's principal underwriter, Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"). Shares of the Fund do not charge any sales loads or deferred sales loads in connection with the purchase of shares. Shares of the Fund are offered only to residents of states in which the shares are registered or qualified. You can purchase Investor Class and Institutional Class shares of the Fund through certain financial intermediaries who may charge you a commission, or directly through BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, the Fund's transfer agent, as discussed below. No share certificates are issued in connection with the purchase of Fund shares. The Fund reserves the right to waive the minimum initial investment requirement for any investor.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be redeemed by the Trust unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund's shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." To open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest.

In the event you modify or change your relationship with your financial intermediary through which you invest in the Fund (for instance, from an advisory relationship to a brokerage relationship) you may no longer be eligible to invest in a particular share class and your financial intermediary may exchange your shares for another share class which may be subject to higher expenses and Rule 12b-1 distribution fees.

In addition, the availability of certain classes of shares may be limited to certain intermediary platforms, which means that your eligibility to purchase a specific class of Fund shares may depend on whether your intermediary offers that class.

The Trust is not responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Investor Class Shares**

***Distribution Plan***

The Trust's Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Fund's Investor Class shares, has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to pay distribution and service fees for the sale and distribution of its shares and for services provided to its shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plan for Investor Class shares provides for payments of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

**Institutional Class Shares**

Sales of each Fund's Institutional Class shares are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee. Institutional Class shares are available to individuals who can meet the required investment minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or broker dealers purchasing for the accounts of others. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through an institutional organization, or a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization.

**TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Complete the application and mail it to BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing") at the address noted below, together with a check payable to the Fund. Please make sure your check is for at least $3,000 with respect to Investor Class shares ($2,000 if investing in an IRA) and at least $100,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares. Mail the application and your check to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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The Fund will only accept checks drawn on U.S. currency on domestic banks. The Fund will not accept any of the following: cash or cash equivalents, money orders, traveler's checks, cashier's checks, bank checks, official checks and treasurer's checks, payable through checks, third-party checks and third-party transactions.

While the Fund does not generally accept foreign investors, it may in instances where either (i) an intermediary makes shares of the Fund available or (ii) the transfer agent, in the case of a direct to Fund subscription, has satisfied its internal procedures with respect to the establishment of foreign investor accounts. Please contact Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for more information.

The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions, including the Fund, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money-laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts. As requested on the application, you must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address. If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. This information will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, the Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a shareholder's identity. As required by law, the Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

**By Wire**

To make a same-day wire investment, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for current wire instructions. An account number will be assigned to you. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $3,000 with respect to Investor Class shares ($2,000 if investing in an IRA) and at least $100,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares.** Your wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, to receive that day's price per share. Your bank may charge a wire fee.

**Individual Retirement Account and Education Savings Account Investments**

You may invest in the Fund through the following individual retirement accounts:

● Traditional Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs")

● Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees ("SIMPLE IRAs")

● Spousal IRAs

● Roth Individual Retirement Accounts ("Roth IRAs")

● Simplified Employee Pension Plans ("SEP IRAs")

● Coverdell Education Savings Accounts ("CESAs")

**Additional Information**

If you have questions regarding the purchase of Fund shares, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.

**TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Fill out an investment slip from a previous confirmation and write your account number on your check. **Please make sure that your check is payable to the Fund and that your additional investment is for at least $100 with respect to Investor Class shares.** There is no minimum additional investment with respect to Institutional Class shares. Mail the slip and your check to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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**By Wire**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for current wire instructions. The wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, for same day processing. Your bank may charge a wire fee. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $100 with respect to Investor Class shares.** There is no minimum additional investment with respect to Institutional Class shares.

**Automatic Investment Plan**

You may open an automatic investment plan account for Investor Class shares with a $2,000 initial purchase and a $100.00 monthly investment and for Institutional Class shares with a $100,000 initial purchase and no minimum monthly investment. If you have an existing account that does not include the automatic investment plan, you can contact the Fund toll-free at (888) 678-6024 to establish an automatic investment plan. The automatic investment plan provides a convenient method to have monies deducted directly from your bank account for investment in the Fund. You may authorize the automatic withdrawal of funds from your bank account for a monthly minimum amount of $100.00. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this plan at any time. To begin participating in this plan, please complete the "Automatic Investment Plan" section found on the application or contact the Fund's transfer agent toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**Automated Clearing House (ACH) Purchase**

Current shareholders may purchase additional shares via Automated Clearing House ("ACH"). To have this option added to your account, please send a letter to the Fund requesting this option and supply a voided check for the bank account. Only bank accounts held at domestic institutions that are ACH members may be used for these transactions.

You may not use ACH transactions for your initial purchase of Fund shares. ACH purchases will be effective at the closing price per share on the same business day for orders placed prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Orders placed thereafter will be effective at the closing price per share on the next business day. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this purchase option at any time.

Shares purchased by ACH will not be available for redemption until the transactions have cleared. Shares purchased via ACH transfer may take up to 15 days to clear.

**Purchase Price**

Purchase orders received in good order by the Fund's transfer agent before the close of regular trading on the Exchange on any business day will be priced at the NAV that is determined as of the close of trading on the Exchange. Purchase orders received in good order after the close of regular trading on the Exchange will be priced as of the close of regular trading on the following business day. "Good Order" means that the purchase request is complete and includes all accurate required information. Purchase requests not in good order may be rejected.

**Financial Intermediaries**

You may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary who may charge you a commission and additional fees on your purchase and may require different minimum investments or impose other limitations on buying and selling shares. "Financial intermediaries" include brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), insurance companies, investment advisers, financial advisers, financial planners, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators, their designated intermediaries and any other firm having a selling, administration or similar agreement. The financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting orders by close of business and may have an earlier cut-off time for purchase and sale requests. Purchase and redemption orders placed through a financial intermediary will be deemed to have been received and accepted by the Fund when the financial intermediary accepts the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. Customer orders are required to be priced at the Fund's NAV next computed after the authorized financial intermediary or its authorized representatives' receipt of the order to buy or sell. Purchase and redemption requests sent to such authorized broker (or its designee) are executed at the NAV next determined after the intermediary receives the request if transmitted to the Fund's transfer agent in accordance with the Fund's procedures and applicable law. Financial intermediaries may also designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Fund's behalf. Consult your investment representative for specific information.

It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary to transmit orders for the purchase of shares by its customers to the transfer agent and to deliver required funds on a timely basis, in accordance with the procedures stated above.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account."

**Networking and Sub-Transfer Agency Fees.** The Fund may also directly enter into agreements with financial intermediaries pursuant to which it will pay the financial intermediary for services such as networking or sub-transfer agency, including the maintenance of "street name" or omnibus accounts and related sub-accounting, record-keeping and administrative services provided to such accounts. Payments made pursuant to such agreements are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of clients serviced by such financial intermediary, or (2) the number of accounts serviced by such financial intermediary. Any payments made pursuant to such agreements are in addition to, rather than in lieu of, Rule 12b-1 distribution or shareholder service fees the financial intermediary may also be receiving. From time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay a portion of the fees for networking or sub-transfer agency at its or their own expense and out of its or their own resources. These payments may be material to financial intermediaries relative to other compensation paid by the Fund and/or the Underwriter, the Adviser and their affiliates. The payments described above may differ and may vary from amounts paid to the Fund's transfer agent for providing similar services to other accounts. The financial intermediaries are not audited by the Fund, the Adviser or their service providers to determine whether such intermediaries are providing the services for which they are receiving such payments.

**Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries.** The Adviser, and, from time to time, affiliates of the Adviser may also, at their own expense and out of their own resources, provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. These additional cash payments are payments over and above sales commissions or reallowances, distribution fees or servicing fees (including networking, administration and sub-transfer agency fees) payable to a financial intermediary which are disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus. These additional cash payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency, shareholder

or administrative services or marketing support. Marketing support may include: (i) access to sales meetings or conferences, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives; (ii) inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs to which financial intermediaries provide more marketing support than to other sales programs on which the Adviser or its affiliates may not need to make additional cash payments to be included; (iii) promotion of the sale of the Fund's shares in communications with a financial intermediaries' customers, sales representatives or management representatives; and/or (iv) other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of the Fund's shares. These additional cash payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to Fund shareholders. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay cash compensation in the form of finders' fees or referral fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of shares sold.

The amount and value of additional cash payments vary for each financial intermediary. The additional cash payment arrangement between a particular financial intermediary and the Adviser or its affiliates may provide for increased rates of compensation as the dollar value of the Fund's shares or particular class of shares sold or invested through such financial intermediary increases. The availability of these additional cash payments, the varying fee structure within a particular additional cash payment arrangement and the basis for and manner in which a financial intermediary compensates its sales representatives may create a financial incentive for a particular financial intermediary and its sales representatives to recommend the Fund's shares over the shares of other mutual funds based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. A financial intermediary and its sales representatives may have similar financial incentives to recommend a particular class of the Fund's shares over other classes of its shares. You should consult with your financial adviser and review carefully any disclosure by the financial firm as to compensation received by your financial adviser.

Although the Fund may use financial firms that sell the Fund's shares to effect portfolio transactions for the Fund, the Fund and the Adviser will not consider the sale of Fund shares as a factor when choosing financial firms to effect those transactions.

For more information about these additional cash payments made to financial intermediaries, please refer to the section entitled "Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries" located in the SAI.

**Rights Reserved by the Fund**

The Fund reserves the right to:

● reject any purchase order;

● suspend the offering of shares;

● vary the initial and subsequent investment minimums;

● waive the minimum investment requirement for any investor;

● redeem accounts with balances below the minimum account size after 30 days' written notice;

● redeem your shares in the event your financial intermediary's relationship with the Trust is modified or terminated;

● subject to applicable law, redeem your shares in other circumstances determined by the Board of Trustees to be in the best interest of the Fund; and

● redeem your shares if you hold your shares through a financial intermediary and you propose to transfer your shares to another financial intermediary that does not have a relationship with the Trust.

The Trust will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy**

The Fund discourages frequent purchases and redemptions, and the Trust's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures consistent with such position. The Fund is not designed to accommodate market timing or short-term trading. Frequent or excessive trades into or out of the Fund in an effort to anticipate changes in market prices of its investment portfolio is generally referred to as "market timing." Market timing can adversely impact the ability of the Adviser to invest assets in an orderly manner, which in turn may adversely impact the expenses and the performance of

the Fund. These expenses are borne by all Fund shareholders, including long-term investors who do not generate such costs. Specifically, frequent trading may result in the Fund engaging in activities to a greater extent than it otherwise would, such as maintaining higher cash balances, using a line of credit and trading in portfolio securities, each of which may increase expenses and decrease performance. This occurs when market timers attempt to trade Fund shares when the NAV of the Fund does not reflect the value of the underlying portfolio securities.

To deter market timing and to minimize harm to the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund reserves the right to restrict, reject or cancel, without prior notice, any purchase order by market timers or by those persons the Fund believes are engaging in similar trading activity that, in the judgment of the Fund or the Adviser, may be disruptive to the Fund. The Fund will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. No waivers of the provisions of this policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

The Fund's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") reviews on an as-needed basis, as determined by the CCO in coordination with the Adviser and other service providers, available information related to the trading activity in the Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of market timing or similar trading practices. If, in its judgment, the Fund or the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Fund may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor's account with the Fund. The Fund may modify its procedures from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Fund will apply its procedures in a manner that, in the Fund's judgment, will be uniform.

There is no guarantee that the Fund or its agents will be able to detect frequent trading activity or the shareholders engaged in such activity, or, if it is detected, to prevent its recurrence.

In order for a financial intermediary to purchase shares of the Fund for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person, the Trust will enter into shareholder information agreements with such financial intermediary or its agent. These agreements require each financial intermediary to provide the Fund access, upon request, to information about underlying shareholder transaction activity in these accounts and the Shareholder's Taxpayer Identification Number (or International Taxpayer Identification Number or other government issued identifier). If a shareholder information agreement has not been entered into by a financial intermediary, such financial intermediary will be prohibited from purchasing Fund shares for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person. If necessary, the Fund may prohibit additional purchases of Fund shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers' trading activities in the Fund. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Fund. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Fund's excessive trading policies, the Fund may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES**

You may "redeem" or sell your shares on any day the Exchange is open, either directly through the Fund's transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, or through your broker-dealer. The price you receive will be the NAV next calculated after receipt of the request in good order. "Good Order" means that the redemption request is complete and includes all accurate required information including any medallion signature guarantees, if necessary.

**Redemption Policies**

Payment for redemptions of Fund shares is usually made within one business day, but not later than seven calendar days after receipt of your redemption request, unless the check used to purchase the shares has not yet cleared. The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment for more than seven days during any period when: (1) trading on the Exchange is restricted or the Exchange is closed for other than customary weekends and holidays, (2) the SEC has by order permitted such suspension for the protection of the Fund's shareholders or (3) an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable. The Fund will automatically redeem shares if a purchase check is returned for insufficient funds and the shareholder's account will be charged for any loss. The Fund reserves the right to reject any third-party check.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally meets redemption requests through its holdings of cash or cash equivalents or by selling a portion of the Fund's holdings consistent with its investment strategy. The Fund generally pays redemptions proceeds in cash; however, the Fund reserves the right to honor certain redemptions "in-kind" with securities, rather than cash. The Fund is more likely to redeem in-kind to meet large redemption requests or during times of market stress.

**TO REDEEM FROM YOUR ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

To redeem your shares by mail:

● Write a letter of instruction that includes: the name of the Fund, your account number, the name(s) in which the account is registered and the dollar value or number of shares you wish to sell.

● Include all signatures and any additional documents that may be required.

● Mail your request to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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● A check will be mailed to the name(s) and address in which the account is registered and may take up to seven days.

● The Fund may require additional documentation or a medallion signature guarantee on any redemption request to help protect against fraud.

● The Fund requires a medallion signature guarantee if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record.

**By Telephone**

To redeem your shares by telephone, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024. The proceeds will be paid to the registered owner: (1) by mail at the address on the account, or (2) by wire to the pre-designated bank account on the fund account. To use the telephone redemption privilege, you must have selected this service on your original account application or submitted a subsequent medallion signature guaranteed request in writing to add this service to your account. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing reserve the right to refuse any telephone transaction when they are unable to confirm to their satisfaction that a caller is the account owner or a person preauthorized by the account owner. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing has established security procedures to prevent unauthorized account access. Neither the Fund nor any of its service contractors will be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The telephone transaction privilege may be suspended, limited, modified or terminated at any time without prior notice by the Fund or BNY Mellon Investment Servicing.

**By Wire**

In the case of redemption proceeds that are wired to a bank, the Fund transmits the payment only on days that commercial banks are open for business and only to the bank and account previously authorized on your application or your medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing will not be responsible for any delays in wired redemption proceeds due to heavy wire traffic over the Federal Reserve System. The Fund reserves the right to refuse a wire redemption if it believes that it is advisable to do so. You may also have your redemption proceeds sent to your bank via ACH. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing does not charge for this service; however, please allow 2 to 3 business days for the transfer of money to reach your banking institution.

**Systematic Withdrawal Plan**

Once you have established an account with $10,000 or more, you may automatically receive funds from your account on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis (minimum withdrawal of $100). Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 to request a form to start the Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

**Selling Recently Purchased Shares**

If you wish to sell shares that were recently purchased by check, the Fund may delay mailing your redemption check for up to 15 business days after your redemption request to allow the purchase check to clear. The Fund reserves the right to reject any redemption request for shares recently purchased by check that has not cleared, and the Fund may require that a subsequent request be submitted.

**Late Trading**

Late trading is the practice of buying or selling Fund shares at the closing price after the Fund's NAV has been set for the day. Federal securities laws governing mutual funds prohibit late trading. The Fund has adopted trading policies designed to comply with requirements of the federal securities laws.

**EXCHANGING INTO OTHER SHARE CLASSES**

You may transfer your shares into another class of shares of this Fund if you meet the eligibility requirements for the class into which you would like to transfer. If you purchased your shares from the Fund directly, call the transfer agent toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for information on exchanging shares into another class of the Fund. If you purchased your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact such financial intermediary for information on exchanging shares into another class of the Fund. Transfers between classes of a single Fund are generally not considered a taxable transaction. This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated upon sixty (60) days' written notice to shareholders.

**EXCHANGING INTO OTHER POLEN FUNDS**

An exchange occurs when you use the proceeds from the redemption of shares of one Polen fund to simultaneously purchase shares of a different Polen fund. You can make exchange requests by telephone or by mail. See "To Redeem from Your Account" for contact information.

If the Exchange is open for regular trading (generally until 4 p.m. Eastern time, on a business day) at the time an exchange request is received in good order, the trade date generally will be the same day. See "Redemption of Shares" for additional information on transaction requests.

The Funds will not accept your request to cancel any exchange request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing an exchange request. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time before attempting to exchange a large dollar amount. By calling us before you attempt to exchange a large dollar amount, you may avoid delayed or rejected transactions.

Please note that the Funds reserve the right, without notice, to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the amount of any exchange, or reject an exchange, at any time, for any reason. See "Market Timing and Frequent-Trading Policy" for additional restrictions on exchanges.

**TRANSACTION POLICIES**

**Timing of Purchase or Sale Requests**

All requests received in Good Order by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing or authorized dealers of Fund shares before the close of regular trading on the Exchange, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, will be executed the same day, at that day's NAV. Such orders received after the close of regular trading of the Exchange will be executed the following day, at that day's NAV. All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Purchase and redemption orders are executed only on days when the Exchange is open for trading. If the Exchange closes early, the deadlines for purchase and redemption orders are accelerated to the earlier closing time.

**New York Stock Exchange Closings**

The Exchange is typically closed for trading on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

**Investments through Financial Intermediaries/Nominees**

If you invest through a financial intermediary or nominee, such as a broker-dealer or financial adviser (rather than directly through the Fund), certain policies and fees regarding your investment in the Fund may be different than those described in this Prospectus. In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." Financial intermediaries and nominees may charge transaction fees, may charge you a commission on your purchase, and may set different minimum investments or limitations or procedures on buying or selling shares; however, in the event that your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust and you chose to open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker, or, if applicable, a broker's designee receives the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. You will not be charged any additional fees by the Fund (other than those described in this Prospectus) if you purchase or redeem shares directly through the Fund.

Contact your financial intermediary for specific information regarding the availability and suitability of various account options described throughout this Prospectus. Contact your financial intermediary for specific information with respect to the financial intermediary's policies regarding minimum purchase and minimum balance requirements and involuntary redemption, which may differ from what is described throughout this Prospectus.

**Account Minimum**

You must keep at least $2,000 worth of Investor Class and Institutional Class shares in your account to keep the account open. If, after giving you 30 days' prior written notice, your account value is still below $2,000 due to your redemptions (not including market fluctuations), the Fund may redeem your shares and send you a check for the redemption proceeds.

**Medallion Signature Guarantees**

The Fund may require additional documentation for the redemption of corporate, partnership or fiduciary accounts, or medallion signature guarantees for certain types of transfer requests or account registration changes. A medallion signature guarantee helps protect against fraud. A medallion signature guarantee is required if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days, or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record. When the Fund requires a signature guarantee, a medallion signature must be provided. A medallion signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency, saving association or other financial institution that is participating in a medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The Fund recognizes the following three medallion programs: (i) Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP), (ii) Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and (iii) New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature guarantees from a financial institution that does not participate in one of these programs will not be accepted. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for further information on obtaining a proper signature guarantee.

**Customer Identification Program**

Federal law requires the Fund to obtain, verify and record identifying information, which includes the name, residential or business street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or taxpayer identification number or other identifying information for each investor who opens or reopens an account with the Fund. Applications without the required information, or without any indication that a social security or taxpayer identification number has been applied

for, will not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Fund reserves the right to (i) place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (ii) refuse an investment in the Fund or to involuntarily redeem an investor's shares and close an account in the event that an investor's identity is not verified. The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account resulting from the investor's delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor's shares when an investor's identity cannot be verified.

**Other Documents**

Additional documents may be required for purchases and redemptions when shares are registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, association, agent, fiduciary, trust, estate or other organization. For further information, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**SHAREHOLDER SERVICES**

**Your Account**

If you have questions about your account, including purchases, redemptions and distributions, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time.

**Account Statements**

The Fund currently provides the following account information:

● confirmation statements after transactions (except for certain automatic transactions, such as those related to automatic investment plan purchases or dividend reinvestments);

● account statements reflecting transactions made during the covered period (generally, monthly for Institutional Class shares, and quarterly or annually for Investor Class shares); and

● tax information, which will be mailed each year by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") deadline, a copy of which will also be filed with the IRS, if necessary.

Financial statements with a summary of portfolio composition and performance will be available at least twice a year.

The Fund routinely provides the above shareholder services, but may charge additional fees for special services such as requests for historical transcripts of accounts.

With the exception of statutorily required items, the Fund may change any of the above practices without notice.

**Delivery of Shareholder Documents**

To reduce expenses, the Fund mails only one copy of its Prospectus and each Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 or, if your shares are held through a financial institution, please contact the financial institution directly. The Fund will begin sending you individual copies within 30 days after receiving your request.

**DISTRIBUTIONS**

Distributions of net investment income and net capital gains, if any, are declared and paid annually to you. The amount of any distribution will vary and there is no guarantee that the Fund will distribute either investment income or capital gains.

Distributions are payable to the shareholders of record at the time the distributions are declared (including holders of shares being redeemed but excluding holders of shares being purchased). All distributions are reinvested in additional shares, unless you elect to receive the distributions in cash. Shares become entitled to receive distributions on the day after the shares are issued. If you invest in the Fund shortly before the ex-dividend date of a taxable distribution, the distribution will lower the value of the Fund's shares by the amount of the distribution and, in effect, you will receive some of your investment back in the form of a taxable distribution (see "More Information about Taxes — Distributions").

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TAXES**

Each shareholder and prospective investor's particular tax situation is unique, and, therefore, the tax information in this Prospectus is provided only for general information purposes and only for U.S. taxpayers and should not be considered as tax advice or relied on by a shareholder or prospective investor.

**General.** The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a regulated investment company (a "RIC") under Subchapter M of the Code. As such, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders provided it satisfies certain requirements and restrictions set forth in the Code one of which is to distribute to its shareholders substantially all of its income and gains each year. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC: (1) it will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and will be subject to tax at the corporate tax rates then in effect; and (2) all distributions from its earnings and profits (as determined under federal income tax principles) will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and the non-corporate shareholder long-term capital gain rate for "qualified dividend income" and ordinary rates for all other distributions, except for those treated as a return of capital or substitute dividends with respect to dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund. In addition, dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

**Distributions.** The Fund will make distributions to you that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains (which may be taxed at different rates depending on the length of time the Fund holds its assets). The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions are taxable whether you reinvest such distributions in additional shares of the Fund or choose to receive cash.

Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred retirement account (such as a 401(k) or an IRA), you should consider avoiding a purchase of Fund shares shortly before the Fund makes a distribution, because making such a purchase can increase your taxes and the cost of the shares. This is known as "buying a dividend." For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the Fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you received — even if you reinvest it in more shares and have to pay the tax due on the dividend without receiving any cash to pay the taxes. To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest.

**Ordinary Income.** Net investment income (except for qualified dividends and income designated as tax-exempt), distributions of income from securities lending, and short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Certain dividends distributed to non-corporate shareholders and designated by the Fund as "qualified dividend income" are eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rates. Short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. In addition, certain qualified REIT dividends may be eligible for a deduction for non-corporate shareholders.

**Net Capital Gains.** Net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) distributed to you, if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains (based on the Fund's holding period) for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Sale of Shares.** It is a taxable event for you if you sell shares of the Fund. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you sell, you may have a taxable gain or loss on the transaction. Any realized gain will be taxable to you, and, generally, will be capital gain, assuming you held the shares of the Fund as a capital asset. If you exchange shares of the Fund for shares of another fund, the exchange will be treated as a sale of the Fund's shares and any gain on the transactions may be subject to federal income tax. The capital gain will be long-term or short-term depending on how long you have held your shares in the Fund. Sales of shares of the Fund that you have held for twelve months or less will be a short-term capital gain or loss and if held for more than twelve months will constitute a long-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends, if any, received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.

**Returns of Capital.** If the Fund's distributions exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in the same taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable to the extent of each shareholder's basis in the Fund's shares, but will reduce each shareholder's cost basis in the Fund and result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold. If the return of capital distribution exceeds a shareholder's cost basis, the excess amount will be capital gain, assuming you held your shares as a capital asset, and will be long-term or short-term capital gain depending on how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Medicare Contribution Tax.** U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000, if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately) will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income including interest (excluding tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains. If applicable, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of the individual's (i) net investment income or (ii) the excess of modified adjusted gross income over $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately).

**IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans.** One major exception to these tax principles is that a distribution on or the sale or exchange of shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless the shares were acquired with borrowed funds.

**Backup Withholding.** The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on all taxable distributions and sales payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

**State and Local Income Taxes.** This Prospectus does not discuss the state and local tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. **You are urged and advised to consult your own tax adviser concerning state and local taxes, which may have different consequences from those of the federal income tax laws.**

**Non-U.S. Shareholders.** Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. tax as a result of an investment in the Fund. The Fund is required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments made to foreign entities that do not qualify for reduced withholding rates under a treaty and do not meet specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. This Prospectus does not discuss the U.S. or foreign country tax consequences of an investment by a non-U.S. shareholder in the Fund. **Non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the U.S. and foreign country tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**Basis Reporting and Holding Periods.** A shareholder is responsible for tracking the tax basis and holding periods of the shareholder's shares in the Fund for federal income tax purposes. However, RICs, such as the Fund, must report cost basis information to you and the IRS when a shareholder sells or exchanges shares that are not in a tax deferred retirement account. The Fund will permit shareholders to elect from among several IRS accepted cost basis methods.

**Statements and Notices.** You will receive an annual statement outlining the tax status of your distributions. You may also receive written notices of certain foreign taxes and distributions paid by the Fund during the prior taxable year.

***This section is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations of taxable U.S. shareholders that may affect your investment in the Fund. This summary is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered as tax advice and may not be relied on by a prospective investor. This general summary does not apply to non-U.S. shareholders or tax-exempt shareholders, and does not address state, local or foreign taxes. More information regarding these considerations is included in the Fund's SAI. All prospective investors and shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser regarding the effects of an investment in the Fund on their particular tax situation.***

**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS**

The Financial Highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the periods shown. Investor Class shares have not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total investment return in the table represents the rate at which an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the Form N-CSR for the period ended April 30, 2025. The 2025 financial statements and Financial Highlights are incorporated by reference into the Fund's SAI and is available upon request by calling toll free at (888) 678-6024, or visiting the website *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/us-smid-company-growth-strategy.*

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Institutional Class** |
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024**  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2022** | **For the<br> Period Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2021\*** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year/period | $7.29 | $6.90 | $7.36 | $10.61 | $10.00 |
| Net investment loss<sup>1</sup> | (0.05) | (0.06) | (0.06) | (0.09) | (0.01) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | (0.25) | 0.45 | (0.40) | (3.05) | 0.62 |
| Total from investment operations | (0.30) | 0.39 | (0.46) | (3.14) | 0.61 |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net realized capital gains |  |  |  | (0.11) |  |
| Net asset value, end of year/period | $6.99 | $7.29 | $6.90 | $7.36 | $10.61 |
| Total investment return<sup>2</sup> | (4.12)% | 5.65% | (6.25)% | (30.00)% | 6.10% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year/period (in 000s) | $3545 | $17494 | $20023 | $20290 | $11583 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 1.05%<sup>3</sup> | 1.05% | 1.05% | 1.05% | 1.05%<sup>4</sup> |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements, if any<sup>5</sup> | 2.09%<sup>3</sup> | 1.70% | 1.71% | 1.71% | 4.58%<sup>4</sup> |
| Ratio of net investment loss to average net assets | (0.58)% | (0.76)% | (0.86)% | (0.82)% | (1.05)%<sup>4</sup> |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 58% | 61% | 61% | 43% | 0% |

---

\* Commencement of operations on April 1, 2021.

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

<sup>2</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not annualized.

<sup>3</sup> Expense ratio includes interest expense. Excluding such interest expense, the ratio of expenses to average net assets including waivers and/or reimbursements for the Fund would be 1.05% for the year ended April 30, 2025

<sup>4</sup> Annualized. <br> <sup>5</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

**POLEN U.S. SMID COMPANY GROWTH FUND** *a series of* **FundVantage Trust**

(888) 678-6024

**FOR MORE INFORMATION**

**For additional information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:**

 **Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information**

The Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information contain more information about the Fund's investments and performance including information on the Fund's portfolio holdings and operating results for the most recently completed fiscal year or half-year. The Annual Financials and Additional Information include a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year.

**Statement of Additional Information (SAI)**

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Fund and its policies. The information in the SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is part of this Prospectus.

These documents will be available free of charge on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/us-smid-company-growth-strategy*. You can also get a free copy of these documents and other information, or ask us any questions, including information on how to purchase or redeem Fund shares, by calling us at (888) 678-6024 or writing to:

Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund FundVantage Trust c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing P.O. Box 534445 Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445

If you buy your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact that financial intermediary directly for this information. You can also find information online at *https://www.polencapital.com.*

Reports and information about the Fund (including the SAI and Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information) also may be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov*. Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: *publicinfo@sec.gov*.

The investment company registration number is 811-22027.

**POLEN U.S. SMID COMPANY GROWTH FUND**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Investor Class** | **Institutional Class** |
| **PBMRX** | **PBMIX** |

---

**A SERIES OF**

**FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**

 **September 1, 2025**

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") provides information about the Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund (the "Fund"). The Fund is a series of FundVantage Trust (the "Trust").

This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Fund's current prospectus dated September 1, 2025, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the "Prospectus"). This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. The Fund's audited financial statements and the notes thereto, which are included in the Fund's [Annual Financials and Additional Information](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm) dated April 30, 2025, are incorporated into this SAI by reference. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Financials and Additional Information may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Fund at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6024 or by visiting the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/us-smid-company-growth-strategy.*

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **Page** |
| [General Information](#saipussmid_001) | 1 |
| [Investment Policies](#saipussmid_002) | 1 |
| [Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings](#saipussmid_003) | 32 |
| [Investment Limitations](#saipussmid_004) | 33 |
| [Trustees and Officers](#saipussmid_005) | 34 |
| [Code of Ethics](#saipussmid_006) | 39 |
| [Proxy Voting](#saipussmid_007) | 40 |
| [Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities](#saipussmid_008) | 40 |
| [Investment Advisory Services](#saipussmid_009) | 41 |
|  [Portfolio Manager](#saipussmid_010) | 42 |
| [Administration and Accounting Services](#saipussmid_011) | 43 |
| [Additional Service Providers](#saipussmid_012) | 44 |
| [Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices](#saipussmid_013) | 44 |
| [Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries](#saipussmid_014) | 46 |
| [Distribution of Shares and Rule 12b-1 Plan](#saipussmid_015) | 46 |
| [Capital Stock and Other Securities](#saipussmid_016) | 47 |
| [Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares](#saipussmid_017) | 47 |
| [Dividends](#saipussmid_018) | 48 |
| [Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations](#saipussmid_019) | 49 |
| [Financial Statements](#saipussmid_020) | 59 |
| [Appendix A — Description of Ratings](#saipussmid_021) | A-1 |
| [Appendix B — Proxy Voting Policies](#saipussmid_022) | B-1 |

---

i

**GENERAL INFORMATION**

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 28, 2006. The Trust is a series trust authorized to issue separate series or classes of shares of beneficial interest. The Trust has established the Fund as a separate series of the Trust. The Fund issues Investor Class and Institutional Class shares. Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital" or the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

The Fund is a non-diversified, open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). As a non-diversified fund, the Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the portion of its assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. The Fund, however, intends to maintain the required level of diversification and otherwise conduct its operations so as to qualify as a regulated investment company ("RIC") for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "IRC"), to relieve the Fund of any liability for federal income tax to the extent that its earnings are distributed to shareholders. The IRC test applies at the end of each fiscal quarter and generally requires that at least 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets be represented by the types of assets that satisfy the asset diversification requirement imposed by the 1940 Act. In addition, no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer. Stocks of particular issuers, or issuers in particular industries, may dominate the investment portfolio of the Fund, which may adversely affect the performance of the Fund or subject it to greater price volatility than that experienced by more diversified investment companies.

**INVESTMENT POLICIES**

The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objective and policies of the Fund. The Fund will invest primarily in equity and equity-related securities (such as convertible bonds, convertible preferred stock, warrants and rights). The Fund typically invests in a focused portfolio of common stocks of small and mid-cap companies (as defined in the Prospectus). Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, at the time of initial purchase, in securities of U.S. issuers that are small and mid-sized companies. This policy does not require the Fund to sell the security of a small or mid-cap company if such company's market capitalization moves outside the range of the market capitalizations of companies in the Russell 2500<sup>®</sup> Index on a trailing three-year basis; however, additional purchases of such security will be subject to the 20% limitation for securities outside of the Fund's small and mid-cap company portfolio. This 80% policy may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon 60 days' notice to shareholders. A U.S. issuer means an issuer that (i) has their principal securities trading market in the United States; or (ii) is organized under the laws of, and has a principal office in, the United States at the time of purchase.

The information below does not describe every type of investment, technique or risk to which the Fund may be exposed. Much of the information contained in this SAI expands on subjects discussed in the Fund's prospectus. No investment in the shares of the Fund should be made before reading the Prospectus.

**BANK OBLIGATIONS.** Bank obligations in which the Fund may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits. The Fund will not invest in fixed time deposits which (1) are not subject to prepayment or (2) provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits) if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in such deposits, repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days and other illiquid assets.

Obligations of foreign banks involve somewhat different investment risks than those affecting obligations of United States banks, including the possibilities that their liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments, that their obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of United States banks, that a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations, that foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized, that foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations and that the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to United States banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any U.S. Government agency or instrumentality.

● **BANKERS' ACCEPTANCES.** Bankers' acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft that has been drawn on it by a customer. These instruments reflect the obligation of both the bank and the drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity.

● **CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT.** Certificates of deposit are certificates evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank to repay funds deposited with it for a definite period of time (usually from 14 days to one year) at a stated or variable interest rate. Variable rate certificates of deposit provide that the interest rate will fluctuate on designated dates based on changes in a designated base rate (such as the composite rate for certificates of deposit established by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York).

● **TIME DEPOSITS.** Time deposits are bank deposits for fixed periods of time. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which may vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.

**BORROWING.** The Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. This means that, in general, the Fund may borrow money from banks for any purpose on a secured basis in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may also borrow money for temporary administrative purposes on an unsecured basis in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may choose to borrow in order to meet its redemptions.

Specifically, provisions of the 1940 Act require the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.

As noted below, the Fund also may enter into certain transactions, including reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and sale-buybacks, that can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing or financing transaction by the Fund. The Derivatives Rule (as defined below) regulates a registered investment company's use of derivatives and certain other transactions that creature future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. This new rule became operative in August 2022. The Derivatives Rule prescribes specific "value at risk" or "VaR" (further defined below) leverage limits that apply to the Fund with derivatives and other applicable transactions (although the Fund may qualify for the Limited Derivatives User Exception (as defined below)). VaR is an estimate of potential losses on an instrument or portfolio over a specified time horizon and at a given confidence level. The Fund may apply a relative VaR test or an absolute VaR test (if the Fund's derivative risk manager, if applicable, determines that a designated reference portfolio would not provide an appropriate reference portfolio for purposes of the relative VaR test. The limit under the relative VaR test is 200% of the VaR of a designated reference portfolio, which, very generally, may be a designated unleveraged index or the Fund's securities portfolio excluding derivatives. If applicable, the limit under the absolute VaR test is 20% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Derivatives Rule also requires the Fund, if applicable, to appoint a derivatives risk manager, maintain a derivatives risk management program designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with transactions covered by the rule, and abide by certain Board and other reporting obligations and recordkeeping requirements. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, the Derivatives Rule permits a fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under the Derivatives Rule. The Fund has adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with the Derivatives Rule. Compliance with the Derivatives Rule could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which the Fund may engage in derivative transactions could also limit or prevent the Fund from using certain instruments. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value ("NAV") of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and economically similar transactions. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a portfolio-eligible security by the Fund to another party coupled with its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund continues to be entitled to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by the Fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by the Fund which it is obligated to repurchase.

A "mortgage dollar roll" is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement in certain respects. In a "dollar roll" transaction, the Fund sells a mortgage-related security, such as a security issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a predetermined price. A dollar roll can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which the Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Unlike in the case of reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but only securities which are "substantially identical." To be considered substantially identical, the securities returned to the Fund generally must: (1) be collateralized by the same types of underlying mortgages; (2) be issued by the same agency and be part of the same program; (3) have a similar original stated maturity; (4) have identical net coupon rates; (5) have similar market yields (and therefore price); and (6) satisfy "good delivery" requirements, meaning that the aggregate principal amounts of the securities delivered and received back must be within 0.01% of the initial amount delivered.

The Fund also may effect simultaneous purchase and sale transactions that are known as "sale-buybacks." A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty that purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of the Fund's repurchase of the underlying security. The Fund's obligation under a sale-buyback typically would be offset by liquid assets equal in value to the amount of the Fund's forward commitment to repurchase the subject security.

It is possible that changing government regulation may affect the Fund's use of these strategies. Changes in regulatory requirements concerning margin for certain types of financing transactions, such as repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and borrowing, could impact the Fund's ability to utilize these investment strategies and techniques.

**COMMERCIAL PAPER.** The Fund may invest in commercial paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (up to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities in order to finance their current operations.

**COMMON STOCK.** Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company or other entity. This ownership interest often gives the Fund the right to vote on measures affecting the company's organization and operations. Although common stocks generally have had a history of long-term growth in value, their prices are often volatile in the short-term and can be influenced by both general market risk and specific corporate risks. Accordingly, the Fund can lose money through its stock investments.

**CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in convertible securities, which may offer higher income than the common stocks into which they are convertible. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock, or other security that entitles the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to non-convertible debt or preferred securities, as applicable. Convertible securities are subordinate in rank to any senior debt obligations of the issuer, and, therefore, an issuer's convertible securities entail more risk than its debt obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible debt securities of similar credit quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. In addition, convertible securities are often lower-rated securities. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation's capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation's common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security.

Because of the conversion feature, the price of the convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying asset, and as such it is subject to risks relating to the activities of the issuer and/or general market and economic conditions. The income component of a convertible security may tend to cushion the security against declines in the price of the underlying asset. However, the income component of convertible securities causes fluctuations based upon changes in interest rates and the credit quality of the issuer.

If the convertible security's "conversion value," which is the market value of the underlying common stock that would be obtained upon the conversion of the convertible security, is substantially below the "investment value," which is the value of a convertible security viewed without regard to its conversion feature (i.e., strictly on the basis of its yield), the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. If the conversion value of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the value of the security will be principally influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security will sell at a premium over its conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding an income-producing security.

A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a predetermined price. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund would be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security and convert it to underlying common stock, or would sell the convertible security to a third party, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective. The Fund generally would invest in convertible securities for their favorable price characteristics and total return potential and would normally not exercise an option to convert unless the security is called or conversion is forced.

**CORPORATE DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund's investments in U.S. dollar or foreign currency-denominated corporate debt securities of domestic or foreign issuers are limited to corporate debt securities (corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar corporate debt instruments, including convertible securities) which meet the minimum ratings criteria set forth for the Fund, or, if unrated, are in the Adviser's opinion comparable in quality to corporate debt securities in which the Fund may invest.

Corporate income producing securities may include forms of preferred or preference stock. The rate of interest on a corporate debt security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may vary inversely with respect to a reference rate. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies. Debt securities may be acquired with warrants attached.

Securities rated Baa and BBB are the lowest which are considered "investment grade" obligations. Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") describes securities rated Baa as "subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics." Standard & Poor's<sup>®</sup> Financial Services LLC ("S&P") describes securities rated BBB as "regarded as having adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation." For securities rated BBB, Fitch Ratings Ltd. ("Fitch") states that "…expectations of default risk are currently low…capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity." For a discussion of securities rated below-investment grade, see "Below-Investment Grade Securities" below.

**CYBER SECURITY.** The Fund and its service providers are susceptible to operational and information security risks due to cyber security incidents. In general, cyber security incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber security attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (*e.g*., through "hacking" or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks also may be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (*i.e*., efforts to make services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security incidents affecting the Adviser, Transfer Agent or Custodian or other service providers such as financial intermediaries have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, including by interference with the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading for the Fund's portfolio; the inability of fund shareholders to transact business with the Fund; violations of applicable privacy, data security or other laws; regulatory fines and penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs; legal fees; or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber security incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions and other parties. While information risk management systems and business continuity plans have been developed which are designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there are inherent limitations in any cyber security risk management systems or business continuity plans, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified.

**DEBT SECURITIES.** Debt securities represent money borrowed that obligates the issuer (e.g., a corporation, municipality, government, government agency) to repay the borrowed amount at maturity (when the obligation is due and payable) and usually to pay the holder interest at specific times.

**DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS.** American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") as well as other "hybrid" forms of ADRs, including European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"), are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. These certificates are issued by depository banks and generally trade on an established market in the United States or elsewhere. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends interest and shareholder information regarding corporate actions. ADRs may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and a depositary. An unsponsored facility may be established by a depositary without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities. These risks include foreign exchange risk as well as the political and economic risks of the underlying issuer's country.

**DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS.** In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund may, to the extent permitted by its investment objective and policies, purchase and sell (write) both put options and call options on securities, swap agreements, securities indexes, commodity indexes and foreign currencies, and enter into interest rate, index and commodity futures contracts and purchase and sell options on such futures contracts ("futures options"). The Fund also may purchase and sell foreign currency options for purposes of increasing exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from

one country to another. The Fund may also enter into swap agreements with respect to interest rates, commodities and indexes of securities or commodities. The Fund may invest in structured notes. If other types of financial instruments, including other types of options, futures contracts or futures options are traded in the future, the Fund may also use those instruments, provided that such instruments are consistent with the Fund's investment objective.

The value of some derivative instruments in which the Fund invests may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of the Adviser to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken positions in derivative instruments contrary to prevailing market trends, the Fund could be exposed to the risk of loss.

The Fund might not employ any of the strategies described below, and no assurance can be given that any strategy used will succeed. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts interest rates, market values or other economic factors in using a derivatives strategy for the Fund, the Fund might have been in a better position if it had not entered into the transaction at all. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances. The use of these strategies involves certain special risks, including a possible imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of derivative instruments and price movements of related investments. While some strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in related investments or otherwise, due to the possible inability of the Fund to purchase or sell a portfolio security at a time that otherwise would be favorable, the possible need to sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time because the Fund is required to maintain asset coverage, offsetting positions in connection with transactions in derivative instruments or the possible inability of the Fund to close out or to liquidate its derivatives positions. In addition, the Fund's use of such instruments may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains (generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates) than if it had not used such instruments. If the Fund gains exposure to an asset class using derivative instruments backed by a collateral portfolio of fixed income instruments, changes in the value of the fixed income instruments may result in greater or lesser exposure to that asset class than would have resulted from a direct investment in securities comprising that asset class.

The use of derivative instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), the Commodity Future Trading Commission ("CFTC"), various state regulatory authorities and, with respect to exchange-traded derivatives, the several exchanges upon which they are traded. In particular, under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act, a registered investment company's derivatives exposure, which includes short positions for this purpose, is limited through a value-at-risk test and Rule 18f-4 requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. However, subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4) are not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. Rule 18f-4 could limit the Fund's ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Moreover, there may be asset coverage requirements for certain arrangements. In order to engage in certain transactions in derivatives, the Fund may be required to hold offsetting positions or to hold cash or liquid securities in a segregated account or designated on the Fund's books. Changes in the value of a derivative may also create margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for the Fund. In addition, the Fund's ability to use derivative instruments may be limited by tax considerations.

<u>Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. The Fund may, to the extent specified herein or in the Prospectus, purchase and sell both put and call options on fixed income or other securities or indexes in standardized contracts traded on foreign or domestic securities exchanges, boards of trade, or similar entities, or quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or on an over-the-counter market, and agreements, sometimes called cash puts, which may accompany the purchase of a new issue of bonds from a dealer.

An option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security. Upon exercise, the writer of an option on an index is obligated to pay the difference between the cash value of the index and the exercise price multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. (An index is designed to reflect features of a particular financial or securities market, a specific group of financial instruments or securities or certain economic indicators.)

The Fund will write call options and put options only if they are "covered." In the case of a call option on a security, the option is "covered" if the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by the Fund. For a call option on an index, the option is covered if the Fund maintains with its custodian assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, in an amount equal to the contract value of the index. A call option is also covered if the Fund holds a call on the same security or index as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written. A put option on a security or an index is "covered" if the Fund holds a put on the same security or index as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written.

If an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid. Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange-traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, exchange, underlying security or index, exercise price and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund desires.

The Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option which is sold. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series. The Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security or index in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.

The premium paid for a put or call option purchased by the Fund is an asset of the Fund. The premium received for an option written by the Fund is recorded as a deferred credit. The value of an option purchased or written is marked to market daily and is valued at the closing price on the exchange on which it is traded or, if not traded on an exchange or no closing price is available, at the mean between the last bid and asked prices.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a combination of a call and a put written on the same underlying security. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

<u>Risks Associated with Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and on indexes. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.

The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security at the exercise price. If a put or call option purchased by the Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security remains equal to or greater than the exercise price (in the case of a put), or remains less than or equal to the exercise price (in the case of a call), the Fund will lose its entire investment in the option. Also, where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security, the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out an option position. If the Fund were unable to close out an option that it had purchased on a security, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit or the option may expire worthless. If trading were suspended in an option purchased by the Fund, the Fund would not be able to close out the option. If restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it has purchased. Except to the extent that a call option on an index written by the Fund is covered by an option on the same index purchased by the Fund, movements in the index may result in a loss to the Fund; however, such losses may be mitigated by changes in the value of the Fund's securities during the period the option was outstanding. If the Fund were unable to close out a covered call option that it had written on a security, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the exercise price of the call.

To the extent that the Fund writes a call option on a security it holds in its portfolio and intends to use such security as the sole means of "covering" its obligation under the call option, the Fund has, in return for the premium on the option, given up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the exercise price during the option period, but, as long as its obligation under such call option continues, has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. If the Fund were unable to close out such a call option, the Fund would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise.

<u>Foreign Currency Options</u>. Funds that invest in foreign currency-denominated securities may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies. The Fund may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies either on exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires. Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits which may limit the ability of the Fund to reduce foreign currency risk using such options. Over-the-counter options differ from traded options in that over-the-counter options are two-party contracts with price and other terms negotiated between buyer and seller and generally do not have as much market liquidity as exchange traded options.

<u>Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts</u>. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security or commodity for a set price on a future date. These contracts are traded on exchanges, so that, in most cases, either party can close out its position on the exchange for cash, without delivering the security or commodity. An option on a futures contract gives the holder of the option the right to buy or sell a position in a futures contract from or to the writer of the option, at a specified price and on or before a specified expiration date. The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options thereon ("futures options") with respect to, but not limited to, interest rates, commodities and security or commodity indexes. To the extent that the Fund may invest in foreign currency denominated securities, it may also invest in foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon.

An interest rate, commodity, foreign currency or index futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of a financial instrument, foreign currency, commodity or the cash value of an index at a specified price and time. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract was originally written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, no physical delivery of these securities is made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes as well as financial instruments and foreign currencies and it is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future. The Fund may also invest in commodity futures contracts and options thereon. A commodity futures contract is an agreement between two parties, in which one party agrees to buy a commodity, such as an energy, agricultural or metal commodity from the other party at a later date at a price and quantity agreed-upon when the contract is made.

The Fund may purchase and write call and put futures options. Futures options possess many of the same characteristics as options on securities and indexes (discussed above). A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. A call option is "in the money" if the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option exceeds the exercise price. A put option is "in the money" if the exercise price exceeds the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option.

Pursuant to a claim for exclusion from the definition of "commodity pool operator" filed by the Trust with the National Futures Association ("NFA"), the Trust does not fall within the definition of "commodity pool operator" under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended ("CEA"), in respect of the Fund, and thus, is not subject to registration or regulation as such under the CEA in respect of the Fund.

<u>Limitations on Use of Futures and Futures Options</u>. The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and futures options which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity or quoted on an automated quotation system.

Additionally, the Fund will limit its trading in "commodity interests," as that term is defined under applicable CFTC Rules, and which generally includes commodity futures, futures options and swaps, such that, aside from commodity futures, commodity options contracts or swaps that, in each case, are used solely for bona fide hedging purposes within the meaning and intent of applicable CFTC Rules, (i) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish positions in commodity interests will not exceed five percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, or (ii) the aggregate net notional value of commodity interest positions does not exceed 100 percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, in each case, as further described in CFTC Rule 4.5(c)(2).

When a purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by the Fund, the Fund is required to deposit with the custodian (or broker, if legally permitted) a specified amount of assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees ("initial margin"). The margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. Margin requirements on foreign exchanges may be different than U.S. exchanges. The initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the futures contract which is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. The Fund expects to earn interest income on its initial margin deposits. A futures contract held by the Fund is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded. Each day the Fund pays or receives cash, called "variation margin," equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. This process is known as "marking to market." Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract expired. In computing the daily NAV, the Fund will mark to market its open futures positions.

The Fund is also required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option and other futures positions held by the Fund.

Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities or commodities, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (same exchange, underlying security or index and delivery month). Closing out a futures contract sale is effected by purchasing a futures contract for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument or commodity with the same delivery date. If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a call and a put written on the same underlying futures contract. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

When purchasing a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" their position by purchasing a put option on the same futures contract with a strike price as high as or higher than the price of the contract held by the Fund.

When selling a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees that are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" its position by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract (or, in the case of an index futures contract, a portfolio with a volatility substantially similar to that of the index on which the futures contract is based), or by holding a call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price no higher than the price of the contract written by the Fund (or at a higher price if the difference is maintained in liquid assets with the Trust's custodian).

When selling a call option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, equal the total market value of the futures contract underlying the call option. Alternatively, the Fund may cover its position by entering into a long position in the same futures contract at a price no higher than the strike price of the call option, by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract, or by holding a separate call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price not higher than the strike price of the call option sold by the Fund.

When selling a put option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that equal the purchase price of the futures contract, less any margin on deposit. Alternatively, the Fund may cover the position either by entering into a short position in the same futures contract, or by owning a separate put option permitting it to sell the same futures contract so long as the strike price of the purchased put option is the same or higher than the strike price of the put option sold by the Fund.

The requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company ("RIC") provided under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("IRC") also may limit the extent to which the Fund may enter into futures, futures options or forward contracts. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

<u>Risks Associated with Futures and Futures Options</u>. There are several risks associated with the use of futures contracts and futures options. A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the margin deposits relating to the futures contract. There can be no guarantee that there will be a correlation between price movements in the hedging vehicle and in the Fund securities being hedged. In addition, there are significant differences between the securities and futures markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between the markets, causing a given hedge not to achieve its objectives. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends on circumstances such as variations in speculative market demand for futures and futures options on securities, including technical influences in futures trading and futures options, and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard contracts available for trading in such respects as interest rate levels, maturities and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision as to whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected interest rate trends.

Futures contracts on U.S. Government securities historically have reacted to an increase or decrease in interest rates in a manner similar to that in which the underlying U.S. Government securities reacted. To the extent, however, that the Fund enters into such futures contracts, the value of such futures will not vary in direct proportion to the value of the Fund's holdings. Thus, the anticipated spread between the price of the futures contract and the hedged security may be distorted due to differences in the nature of the markets. The spread also may be distorted by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets and the participation of speculators in such markets.

Futures exchanges may limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of the current trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a futures contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may work to prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when the Fund seeks to close out a futures or a futures option position, and that the Fund would remain obligated to meet margin requirements until the position is closed. In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.

<u>Risks Associated with Commodity Futures Contracts</u>. There are several additional risks associated with transactions in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Storage</u>. Unlike the financial futures markets, in the commodity futures markets there are costs of physical storage associated with purchasing the underlying commodity. The price of the commodity futures contract will reflect the storage costs of purchasing the physical commodity, including the time value of money invested in the physical commodity. To the extent that the storage costs for an underlying commodity change while the Fund is invested in futures contracts on that commodity, the value of the futures contract may change proportionately.

<u>Reinvestment</u>. In the commodity futures markets, producers of the underlying commodity may decide to hedge the price risk of selling the commodity by selling futures contracts today to lock in the price of the commodity at delivery tomorrow. In order to induce speculators to purchase the other side of the same futures contract, the commodity producer generally must sell the futures contract at a lower price than the expected future spot price. Conversely, if most hedgers in the futures market are purchasing futures contracts to hedge against a rise in prices, then speculators will only sell the other side of the futures contract at a higher futures price than the expected future spot price of the commodity. The changing nature of the hedgers and speculators in the commodity markets will influence whether futures prices are above or below the expected future spot price, which can have significant implications for the Fund. If the nature of hedgers and speculators in futures markets has shifted when it is time for the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a maturing contract in a new futures contract, the Fund might reinvest at higher or lower futures prices, or choose to pursue other investments.

Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the IRC may limit the Fund's ability to invest in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Tax Risk</u>. The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a RIC under the IRC. To qualify as a RIC under the IRC, the Fund must invest in assets which produce the types of income specified in the IRC and the Treasury Regulations ("Qualifying Income"). Whether the income from certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities is Qualifying Income must be determined on a case-by-case basis, and the Fund will endeavor to ensure that income that is not Qualifying Income will be limited to 10% or less of the Fund's income. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities may be restricted. Further, if the Fund does invest in these types of securities and the income is determined not to be Qualifying Income, it may cause the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these restrictions.

<u>Other Economic Factors</u>. The commodities which underlie commodity futures contracts may be subject to additional economic and non-economic variables, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments. These factors may have a larger impact on commodity prices and commodity-linked instruments, including futures contracts, than on traditional securities. Certain commodities are also subject to limited pricing flexibility because of supply and demand factors. Others are subject to broad price fluctuations as a result of the volatility of the prices for certain raw materials and the instability of supplies of other materials. These additional variables may create additional investment risks which subject the Fund's investments to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities.

<u>Additional Risks of Options on Securities, Futures Contracts, Options on Futures Contracts and Forward Currency Exchange Contracts and Options Thereon</u>. Options on securities, futures contracts and options on currencies may be traded on foreign exchanges. Such transactions may not be regulated as effectively as similar transactions in the United States may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Trust's ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States and (v) lesser trading volume.

<u>Swap Agreements and Options on Swap Agreements</u>*.* The Fund may engage in swap transactions, including, but not limited to, swap agreements on interest rates, security or commodity indexes, specific securities and commodities, and credit and event-linked swaps. To the extent the Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities, it also may invest in currency exchange rate swap agreements. The Fund also may enter into options on swap agreements ("swap options").

The Fund may enter into swap transactions for any legal purpose consistent with its investment objectives and policies, such as attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining a return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in other markets, to protect against currency fluctuations, as a duration management technique, to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in a more cost efficient manner.

OTC swap agreements are bilateral contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a "notional amount," i.e., the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a "basket" of securities or commodities representing a particular index. A "quanto" or "differential" swap combines both an interest rate and a currency transaction. Other forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap"; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or "floor"; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. Consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and general investment policies, the Fund may invest in commodity swap agreements. For example, an investment in a commodity swap agreement may involve the exchange of floating-rate interest payments for the total return on a commodity index. In a total return commodity swap, the Fund will receive the price appreciation of a commodity index, a portion of the index, or a single commodity in exchange for paying an agreed-upon fee. If the commodity swap is for one period, the Fund may pay a fixed fee, established at the outset of the swap. However, if the term of the commodity swap is more than one period, with interim swap payments, the Fund may pay an adjustable or floating fee. With a "floating" rate, the fee may be pegged to a base rate and is adjusted each period. Therefore, if interest rates increase over the term of the swap contract, the Fund may be required to pay a higher fee at each swap reset date.

The Fund also may enter into swap options. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. The Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swap options.

Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, the Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swap option than it will incur when it purchases a swap option. When the Fund purchases a swap option, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when the Fund writes a swap option, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

Most types of swap agreements entered into by the Fund will calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a "net basis." Consequently, the Fund's current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the "net amount"). The Fund's current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund).

The Fund also may enter into credit default swap agreements. The credit default swap agreement may reference one or more debt securities or obligations that are not currently held by the Fund. The protection "buyer" in a credit default contract is generally obligated to pay the protection "seller" an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract until a credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the "par value" (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount if the swap is cash settled. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer may receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity whose value may have significantly decreased. As a seller, the Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

The spread of a credit default swap is the annual amount the protection buyer must pay the protection seller over the length of the contract, expressed as a percentage of the notional amount. When spreads rise, market perceived credit risk rises and when spreads fall, market perceived credit risk falls. Wider credit spreads and decreasing market values, when compared to the notional amount of the swap, represent a deterioration of the credit soundness of the issuer of the reference obligation and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. For credit default swap agreements on asset-backed securities and credit indices, the quoted market prices and resulting values, as well as the annual payment rate, serve as an indication of the current status of the payment/performance risk.

Credit default swap agreements sold by the Fund may involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, and with respect to OTC credit default swaps, counterparty risk and credit risk. The Fund will enter into uncleared credit default swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. A buyer generally also will lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. The Fund's obligations under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund).

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") and related regulatory developments require the clearing and exchange-trading of many standardized OTC derivative instruments that the CFTC and SEC recently defined as "swaps" including non-deliverable foreign exchange forwards, OTC foreign exchange options and swap options. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing is occurring on a phased-in basis based on type of market participant and CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing. The Adviser will continue to monitor developments in this area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the Fund's ability to enter into swap agreements.

Whether the Fund's use of swap agreements or swap options will be successful in furthering its investment objective will depend on the Adviser's ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. The Fund will enter into OTC swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the Internal Revenue Code may limit the Fund's ability to use swap agreements. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including additional government regulation, could adversely affect the Fund's ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the reference asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. Because OTC swap agreements are two-party contracts that may be subject to contractual restrictions on transferability and termination and because they may have remaining terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid and subject to the Fund's limitation on investments in illiquid securities. However, the Trust has adopted procedures pursuant to which the Adviser may determine swaps to be liquid under certain circumstances. To the extent that a swap is not liquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.

Like most other investments, swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to the Fund's interest. The Fund bears the risk that the Adviser will not accurately forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors in establishing swap positions for the Fund. If the Adviser attempts to use a swap as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the swap will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the Fund. While hedging strategies involving swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other Fund investments. Many swaps are complex and often valued subjectively.

<u>Correlation Risk</u>. In certain cases, the value of derivatives may not correlate perfectly, or at all, with the value of the assets, reference rates or indexes they are designed to closely track. In this regard, certain funds seek to achieve their investment objectives, in part, by investing in derivatives positions that are designed to closely track the performance (or inverse performance) of an index on a daily basis. However, the overall investment strategies of the Fund are not designed or expected to produce returns which replicate the performance (or inverse performance) of the particular index, and the degree of variation could be substantial, particularly over longer periods. There are a number of factors which may prevent a mutual fund, or derivatives or other strategies used by the Fund, from achieving desired correlation (or inverse correlation) with an index. These may include, but are not limited to: (i) the impact of fund fees, expenses and transaction costs, including borrowing and brokerage costs/bid-ask spreads, which are not reflected in index returns; (ii) differences in the timing of daily calculations of the value of an index and the timing of the valuation of derivatives, securities and other assets held by the Fund and the determination of the NAV of fund shares; (iii) disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for derivative instruments or securities in which the Fund invests; (iv) the Fund having exposure to or holding less than all of the securities in the underlying index and/or having exposure to or holding securities not included in the underlying index; (v) large or unexpected movements of assets into and out of the Fund (due to share purchases or redemptions, for example), potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the index; (vi) the impact of accounting standards or changes thereto; (vii) changes to the applicable index that are not disseminated in advance; (viii) a possible need to conform the Fund's portfolio holdings to comply with investment restrictions or policies or regulatory or tax law requirements; and (ix) fluctuations in currency exchange rates.

<u>Risk of Potential Government Regulation of Derivatives</u>*.* It is possible that additional government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, including futures, options and swap agreements, may limit or prevent the Fund from using such instruments potentially to the detriment of the Fund. It is impossible to fully predict the effects of past, present or future legislation and regulation in this area, but the effects could be substantial and adverse. It is possible that legislative and regulatory activity could limit or restrict the ability of the Fund to use certain instruments as a part of its investment strategy. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

There is a possibility of future regulatory changes altering, perhaps to a material extent, the nature of an investment in the Fund or the ability of the Fund to continue to implement their investment strategies. The futures, options and swaps markets are subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations, and margin requirements. In addition, the SEC, CFTC and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.

In particular, the Dodd-Frank Act sets forth a legislative framework for OTC derivatives, including financial instruments, such as swaps, in which the Fund may invest. Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act makes broad changes to the OTC derivatives market, grants significant new authority to the SEC and the CFTC to regulate OTC derivatives and market participants, and requires clearing and exchange trading of many OTC derivatives transactions.

Provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act include capital and margin requirements and the mandatory use of clearinghouse mechanisms for many OTC derivative transactions. The CFTC, SEC and other federal regulators have been developing the rules and regulations enacting the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. Because there is a prescribed phase-in period during which most of the mandated rulemaking and regulations will be implemented, it is not possible at this time to gauge the exact nature and full scope of the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on the Fund. However, swap dealers, major market participants and swap counterparties are experiencing, and will continue to experience, new and additional regulations, requirements, compliance burdens and associated costs. The new law and the rules to be promulgated thereunder may negatively impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective either through limits or requirements imposed on it or upon its counterparties. In particular, new position limits imposed on the Fund or its counterparties may impact the Fund's ability to invest in futures, options and swaps in a manner that efficiently meets its investment objective. New requirements even if not directly applicable to the Fund, including capital requirements, changes to the CFTC speculative position limits regime and mandatory clearing, may increase the cost of the Fund's investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.

<u>Structured Notes</u>. Structured notes are derivative debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities include structured notes as well as securities other than debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities may include a multiplier that multiplies the indexed element by a specified factor and, therefore, the value of such securities may be very volatile. The terms of the structured and indexed securities may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity and therefore, may result in a loss of invested capital. Structured and indexed securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the reference index may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the structured or indexed security at maturity may be calculated as a specified multiple of the change in the value of the reference; therefore, the value of such security may be very volatile. Structured and indexed securities may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the reference. Structured or indexed securities may also be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities. To the extent the Fund invests in these securities, however, the Adviser analyzes these securities in its overall assessment of the effective duration of a Fund's portfolio in an effort to monitor the Fund's interest rate risk.

**DOLLAR ROLLS.** The Fund may enter into dollar roll agreements, which are similar to reverse repurchase agreements. Dollar rolls are transactions in which securities are sold by the Fund for delivery in the current month and the Fund simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. Any difference between the sale price and the purchase price is netted against the interest income foregone on the securities sold to arrive at an implied borrowing rate. Alternatively, the sale and purchase transactions can be executed at the same price, with the Fund being paid a fee as consideration for entering into the commitment to purchase. Dollar rolls may be renewed prior to cash settlement and initially may involve only a firm commitment agreement by the Fund to buy a security. If the broker-dealer to which the Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund's right to repurchase the security may be restricted. At the time the Fund enters into a dollar roll, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained.

**EQUITY-LINKED SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in equity-linked securities. Equity-linked securities are privately issued securities whose investment results are designed to correspond generally to the performance of a specified stock index or "basket" of stocks, or sometimes a single stock. To the extent that the Fund invests in an equity-linked security whose return corresponds to the performance of a foreign securities index or one or more foreign stocks, investing in equity-linked securities will involve risks similar to the risks of investing in foreign equity securities. See "Foreign Securities" below. In addition, the Fund bears the risk that the issuer of an equity-linked security may default on its obligations under the security. Equity-linked securities are often used for many of the same purposes as, and share many of the same risks with, derivative instruments such as index futures on stock indexes, zero-strike options and warrants and swap agreements. See "Derivative Instruments" above. Equity-linked securities may be considered illiquid and thus subject to the Fund's restriction on investments in illiquid securities.

**EVENT-LINKED EXPOSURE.** The Fund may obtain event-linked exposure by investing in "event-linked bonds" or "event-linked swaps," or implement "event-linked strategies." Event-linked exposure results in gains that typically are contingent on the non-occurrence of a specific "trigger" event, such as a hurricane, earthquake or other physical or weather-related phenomena. Some event-linked bonds are commonly referred to as "catastrophe bonds." They may be issued by government agencies, insurance companies, reinsurers, special purpose corporations or other on-shore or off-shore entities (such special purpose entities are created to accomplish a narrow and well-defined objective, such as the issuance of a note in connection with a reinsurance transaction). If a trigger event causes losses exceeding a specific amount in the geographic region and time period specified in a bond, the Fund, when investing in the bond may lose a portion or all of its principal invested in the bond. If no trigger event occurs, the Fund will recover its principal plus interest. For some event-linked bonds, the trigger event or losses may be based on company-wide losses, index-portfolio losses, industry indices or readings of scientific instruments rather than specified actual losses. Often the event-linked bonds provide for extensions of maturity that are mandatory, or optional at the discretion of the issuer, in order to process and audit loss claims in those cases where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension of maturity may increase volatility. In addition to the specified trigger events, event-linked bonds may also expose the Fund to certain unanticipated risks including but not limited to issuer risk, credit risk, counterparty risk, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations and adverse tax consequences.

Event-linked bonds are a relatively new type of financial instrument. As such, there is no significant trading history of these securities, and there can be no assurance that a liquid market in these instruments will develop. See "Illiquid Securities" below. Lack of a liquid market may impose the risk of higher transaction costs and the possibility that the Fund may be forced to liquidate positions when it would not be advantageous to do so. Event-linked bonds are typically rated, and the Fund will only invest in catastrophe bonds that meet the credit quality requirements for the Fund.

**FIXED INCOME SECURITIES WITH BUY-BACK FEATURES.** Fixed income securities with buy-back features enable the Fund to recover principal upon tendering the securities to the issuer or a third party. Letters of credit issued by domestic or foreign banks often support these buy-back features. In evaluating a foreign bank's credit, the Adviser considers whether adequate public information about the bank is available and whether the bank may be subject to unfavorable political or economic developments, currency controls or other governmental restrictions that could adversely affect the bank's ability to honor its commitment under the letter of credit. Buy-back features include standby commitments, put bonds and demand features.

<u>Standby Commitments</u>. The Fund may acquire standby commitments from broker-dealers, banks or other financial intermediaries to enhance the liquidity of portfolio securities. A standby commitment entitles the Fund to same day settlement at amortized cost plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise. The amount payable by the issuer of the standby commitment during the time that the commitment is exercisable generally approximates the market value of the securities underlying the commitment. Standby commitments are subject to the risk that the issuer of a commitment may not be in a position to pay for the securities at the time that the commitment is exercised.

Ordinarily, the Fund will not transfer a standby commitment to a third party, although the Fund may sell securities subject to a standby commitment at any time. The Fund may purchase standby commitments separate from or in conjunction with the purchase of the securities subject to the commitments. In the latter case, the Fund may pay a higher price for the securities acquired in consideration for the commitment.

In selecting put bonds for the Fund, the Adviser takes into consideration the creditworthiness of the issuers of the underlying bonds and the creditworthiness of the providers of the tender option features. A sponsor may withdraw the tender option feature if the issuer of the underlying bond defaults on interest or principal payments, the bond's rating is downgraded or, in the case of a municipal bond, the bond loses its tax-exempt status.

<u>Demand Features</u>. Many variable rate securities carry demand features that permit the holder to demand repayment of the principal amount of the underlying securities plus accrued interest, if any, upon a specified number of days' notice to the issuer or its agent. A demand feature may be exercisable at any time or at specified intervals. Variable rate securities with demand features are treated as having a maturity equal to the time remaining before the holder can next demand payment of principal. The issuer of a demand feature instrument may have a corresponding right to prepay the outstanding principal of the instrument plus accrued interest, if any, upon notice comparable to that required for the holder to demand payment.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities and may purchase and sell foreign currency options and foreign currency futures contracts and related options (see "Derivative Instruments") and may engage in foreign currency transactions either on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time or through forward currency contracts ("forwards") with terms generally of less than one year. The Fund may engage in these transactions in order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign exchange rates in the purchase and sale of securities. The Fund may also use foreign currency options and foreign currency forward contracts to increase exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another.

A forward involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts may be bought or sold to protect the Fund against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar or to increase exposure to a particular foreign currency. Although forwards are intended to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currencies, at the same time, they tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currencies increase.

Forwards will be used primarily to adjust the foreign exchange exposure of the Fund with a view to protecting the outlook, and the Fund might be expected to enter into such contracts under the following circumstances:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) When the Adviser desires to lock in the U.S. dollar price on the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) If a particular currency is expected to decrease against another currency, the Fund may sell the currency expected to decrease and purchase a currency which is expected to increase against the currency sold in an amount approximately equal to some or all of the Fund's portfolio holdings denominated in the currency sold.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) If the Adviser wants to eliminate substantially all of the risk of owning a particular currency, and/or if the Adviser thinks that the Fund can benefit from price appreciation in a given country's bonds but does not want to hold the currency, it may employ a direct hedge back into the U.S. dollar. In either case, the Fund would enter into a forward contract to sell the currency in which a portfolio security is denominated and purchase U.S. dollars at an exchange rate established at the time it initiated the contract. The cost of the direct hedge transaction may offset most, if not all, of the yield advantage offered by the foreign security, but the Fund would hope to benefit from an increase (if any) in the value of the bond.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) The Adviser might choose to use a proxy hedge, which may be less costly than a direct hedge. In this case, the Fund, having purchased a security, will sell a currency whose value is believed to be closely linked to the currency in which the security is denominated. Interest rates prevailing in the country whose currency was sold would be expected to be closer to those in the U.S. and lower than those of securities denominated in the currency of the original holding. This type of hedging entails greater risk than a direct hedge because it is dependent on a stable relationship between the two currencies paired as proxies and the relationships can be very unstable at times.

<u>Costs of Hedging</u>. When the Fund purchases a foreign bond with a higher interest rate than is available on U.S. bonds of a similar maturity, the additional yield on the foreign bond could be substantially reduced or lost if the Fund were to enter into a direct hedge by selling the foreign currency and purchasing the U.S. dollar. This is what is known as the "cost" of hedging. Proxy hedging attempts to reduce this cost through an indirect hedge back to the U.S. dollar.

It is important to note that hedging costs are treated as capital transactions and are not, therefore, deducted from the Fund's dividend distribution and are not reflected in its yield. Instead such costs will, over time, be reflected in the Fund's NAV per share.

The forecasting of currency market movement is extremely difficult, and whether any hedging strategy will be successful is highly uncertain. Moreover, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of a foreign currency forward contract. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to buy or sell additional currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such transaction) if the Adviser's predictions regarding the movement of foreign currency or securities markets prove inaccurate. In addition, the use of cross-hedging transactions may involve special risks and may leave the Fund in a less advantageous position than if such a hedge had not been established. Because foreign currency forward contracts are privately negotiated transactions, there can be no assurance that the Fund will have flexibility to roll-over a foreign currency forward contract upon its expiration if it desires to do so. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the other party to the contract will perform its services thereunder.

The Fund may hold a portion of its assets in bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies, so as to facilitate investment in foreign securities as well as protect against currency fluctuations and the need to convert such assets into U.S. dollars (thereby also reducing transaction costs). To the extent these monies are converted back into U.S. dollars, the value of the assets so maintained will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations.

<u>Tax Consequences of Hedging</u>. Under applicable tax law, the Fund may be required to limit its gains from hedging in foreign currency forwards, futures and options. The extent to which these limits apply is subject to tax regulations that, to date, have not been issued. Hedging may also result in the application of the mark-to-market and straddle provisions of the IRC. Those provisions could result in an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund and could affect whether dividends paid by the Fund are classified as capital gains or ordinary income. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these tax issues.

**Foreign Currency Exchange-Related Securities.**

<u>Foreign Currency Warrants</u>. Foreign currency warrants such as Currency Exchange Warrants ("CEWs") are warrants which entitle the holder to receive from their issuer an amount of cash (generally, for warrants issued in the United States, in U.S. dollars) which is calculated pursuant to a predetermined formula and based on the exchange rate between a specified foreign currency and the U.S. dollar as of the exercise date of the warrant. Foreign currency warrants generally are exercisable upon their issuance and expire as of a specified date and time. Foreign currency warrants have been issued in connection with U.S. dollar-denominated debt offerings by major corporate issuers in an attempt to reduce the foreign currency exchange risk which, from the point of view of prospective purchasers of the securities, is inherent in the international fixed-income marketplace. Foreign currency warrants may attempt to reduce the foreign exchange risk assumed by purchasers of a security by, for example, providing for a supplemental payment in the event that the U.S. dollar depreciates against the value of a major foreign currency such as the Japanese yen or the euro. The formula used to determine the amount payable upon exercise of a foreign currency warrant may make the warrant worthless unless the applicable foreign currency exchange rate moves in a particular direction (e.g., unless the U.S. dollar appreciates or depreciates against the particular foreign currency to which the warrant is linked or indexed). Foreign currency warrants are severable from the debt obligations with which they may be offered and may be listed on exchanges. Foreign currency warrants may be exercisable only in certain minimum amounts, and an investor wishing to exercise warrants who possesses less than the minimum number required for exercise may be required either to sell the warrants or to purchase additional warrants, thereby incurring additional transaction costs. In the case of any exercise of warrants, there may be a time delay between the time a holder of warrants gives instructions to exercise and the time the exchange rate relating to exercise is determined, during which time the exchange rate could change significantly, thereby affecting both the market and cash settlement values of the warrants being exercised. The expiration date of the warrants may be accelerated if the warrants should be delisted from an exchange or if their trading should be suspended permanently, which would result in the loss of any remaining "time value" of the warrants (i.e., the difference between the current market value and the exercise value of the warrants), and, in the case the warrants were "out-of-the-money," in a total loss of the purchase price of the warrants. Warrants are generally unsecured obligations of their issuers and are not standardized foreign currency options issued by the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"). Unlike foreign currency options issued by OCC, the terms of foreign exchange warrants generally will not be amended in the event of governmental or regulatory actions affecting exchange rates or in the event of the imposition of other regulatory controls affecting the international currency markets. The initial public offering price of foreign currency warrants is generally considerably in excess of the price that a commercial user of foreign currencies might pay in the interbank market for a comparable option involving significantly larger amounts of foreign currencies. Foreign currency warrants are subject to significant foreign exchange risk, including risks arising from complex political or economic factors.

<u>Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities</u>. Principal exchange rate linked securities ("PERLs") are debt obligations the principal on which is payable at maturity in an amount that may vary based on the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and a particular foreign currency at or about that time. The return on "standard" PERLs is enhanced if the foreign currency to which the security is linked appreciates against the U.S. dollar and is adversely affected by increases in the foreign exchange value of the U.S. dollar; "reverse" PERLs are like the "standard" securities, except that their return is enhanced by increases in the value of the U.S. dollar and adversely impacted by increases in the value of foreign currency. Interest payments on the securities are generally made in U.S. dollars at rates that reflect the degree of foreign currency risk assumed or given up by the purchaser of the notes (i.e., at relatively higher interest rates if the purchaser has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, or relatively lower interest rates if the issuer has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, based on the expectations of the current market). PERLs may in limited cases be subject to acceleration of maturity (generally, not without the consent of the holders of the securities), which may have an adverse impact on the value of the principal payment to be made at maturity.

<u>Performance Indexed Paper</u>. Performance indexed paper ("PIPs") is U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper the yield of which is linked to certain foreign exchange rate movements. The yield to the investor on PIPs is established at maturity as a function of spot exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a designated currency as of or about that time (generally, the index maturity two days prior to maturity). The yield to the investor will be within a range stipulated at the time of purchase of the obligation, generally with a guaranteed minimum rate of return that is below,

and a potential maximum rate of return that is above, market yields on U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper, with both the minimum and maximum rates of return on the investment corresponding to the minimum and maximum values of the spot exchange rate two business days prior to maturity.

**FOREIGN SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in foreign securities either directly by purchasing foreign securities or indirectly by purchasing depositary receipts or depositary shares of foreign securities. (See "Depositary Receipts" above.) Foreign securities include equity or debt securities issued by issuers outside the United States, and include securities in the form of ADRs and EDRs (see "Depositary Receipts"). Direct investments in foreign securities will be made in U.S. dollar denominated securities traded on U.S. exchanges and over-the-counter-markets. Foreign investments may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency rates and exchange control regulations. There may be less information available about a foreign company than about a U.S. company, and foreign companies may not be subject to reporting standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. Foreign securities may not be as liquid as U.S. securities. Securities of foreign companies may involve greater market risk than securities of U.S. companies, Investments in foreign securities may also be subject to local economic or political risks, political instability and possible nationalization of issuers.

Investments in securities of foreign issuers may involve risks that are not associated with domestic investments. Foreign issuers may lack uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements, and there is generally less publicly available information about foreign issuers than there is about domestic issuers. Securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and their prices are more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers. Income from foreign securities may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source or other foreign taxes. In some countries, there may also be the possibility of nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation (in which case the Fund could lose its entire investment in a certain market), limitations on the removal of monies or other assets of the Fund, higher rates of inflation, political or social instability or revolution, or diplomatic developments that could affect investments in those countries. In addition, it may be difficult to obtain and enforce a judgment in a court outside the United States.

Some of the risks described in the preceding paragraph may be more severe for investments in emerging or developing countries. By comparison with the United States and other developed countries, emerging or developing countries may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on a less diversified industrial base and securities markets that trade a smaller number of securities. Companies in emerging markets may generally be smaller, less experienced and more recently organized than many domestic companies, and prices of those companies' securities tend to be more volatile.

The economies of individual emerging countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rates of inflation, currency depreciation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment position and may be based on a substantially less diversified industrial base. Further, the economies of developing countries generally are heavily dependent upon international trade and, accordingly, have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. These economies also have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade. U.S. securities and accounting regulatory agencies continue to express concern regarding information access and audit quality regarding issuers in China and other emerging market countries, which could present heightened risks associated with investments in these markets.

**GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACTS.** The Fund may invest in guaranteed investment contracts ("GIC"). A GIC is a general obligation of an insurance company. A GIC is generally structured as a deferred annuity under which the purchaser agrees to pay a given amount of money to an insurer (either in a lump sum or in installments) and the insurer promises to pay interest at a guaranteed rate (either fixed or variable) for the life of the contract. Some GICs provide that the insurer may periodically pay discretionary excess interest over and above the guaranteed rate. At the GIC's maturity, the purchaser generally is given the option of receiving payment or an annuity. Certain GICs may have features that permit redemption by the issuer at a discount from par value. Generally, GICs are not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuer. As a result, the acquisition of GICs is subject to the limitations applicable to the Fund's acquisition of illiquid and restricted securities. The holder of a GIC is dependent on the creditworthiness of the issuer as to whether the issuer is able to meet its obligations.

**HYBRID INSTRUMENTS.** A hybrid instrument is a type of potentially high-risk derivative that combines a traditional stock, bond or commodity with an option or forward contract. Generally, the principal amount, amount payable upon maturity or redemption or interest rate of a hybrid is tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency or securities index or another interest rate or some other economic factor (each a "benchmark"). The interest rate or (unlike most fixed income securities) the principal amount payable at maturity of a hybrid security may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark. An example of a hybrid could be a bond issued by an oil company that pays a small base level of interest with additional interest that accrues in correlation to the extent to which oil prices exceed a certain predetermined level. Such a hybrid instrument would be a combination of a bond and a call option on oil.

Hybrids can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging duration management and increased total return. Hybrids may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a hybrid or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could be zero. Thus, an investment in a hybrid may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of hybrids also exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrids. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the NAV of the Fund.

Certain hybrid instruments may provide exposure to the commodities markets. These are derivative securities with one or more commodity-linked components that have payment features similar to commodity futures contracts, commodity options or similar instruments. Commodity-linked hybrid instruments may be either equity or debt securities, leveraged or unleveraged, and are considered hybrid instruments because they have both security and commodity-like characteristics. A portion of the value of these instruments may be derived from the value of a commodity, futures contract, index or other economic variable. The Fund will only invest in commodity-linked hybrid instruments that qualify under applicable rules of the CFTC for an exemption from the provisions of the CEA.

Certain issuers of structured products such as hybrid instruments may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund's investments in these products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.

**ILLIQUID SECURITIES and liquidity risk management PROGRAM.** The Fund may not knowingly invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days at approximately the value at which they are being carried on the Fund's books. The Board of Trustees has the ultimate responsibility for determining whether specific securities are liquid or illiquid. The Board of Trustees has delegated the function of making day to day determinations of liquidity to the Adviser, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of securities held by the Fund and report periodically on such decisions to the Board of Trustees. If the limitations on illiquid securities are exceeded, other than by a change in market values, the condition will be reported by the Fund's Adviser to the Board of Trustees. Illiquid securities would generally include repurchase agreements with notice/termination dates in excess of seven days and certain securities which are subject to trading restrictions because they are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). External market conditions may impact the liquidity of portfolio securities and may cause the Fund to sell or divest certain illiquid securities in order to comply with its limitation on holding illiquid securities, which may result in realized losses to the Fund.

Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires, among other things, that the Fund establish a liquidity risk management program ("LRMP") that is reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 defines "liquidity risk" as the risk that a fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the fund without significant dilution of the remaining investors' interests in the fund. The Fund has implemented a LRMP to meet the relevant requirements. Additionally, the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the designation of a committee of individuals comprised of the Fund's President, Treasurer, and Chief Compliance Officer (the "LRMP Administrator") to administer the LRMP. The Board of Trustees will review no less frequently than annually a written report prepared by the LRMP Administrator that addresses the operation of the LRMP and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation. Among other things, the LRMP provides for the classification of each Fund investment as a "highly liquid investment," "moderately liquid investment," "less liquid investment" or "illiquid investment." The liquidity risk classifications of the Fund's investments are determined after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations. To the extent that a Fund investment is deemed to be an "illiquid investment" or a "less liquid investment," the Fund can expect to be exposed to greater liquidity risk. There is no guarantee the LRMP will be effective in its operations, and complying with Rule 22e-4, including bearing related costs, could impact the Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

**INFLATION-PROTECTED DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in inflation-protected debt securities or inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers utilize a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index ("CPI") accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS") have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if the Fund purchased TIPS with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year's inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. The Fund may also invest in other inflation-related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal amount.

The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.

While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.

Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

**INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies (each, an "Underlying Fund"), including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts ("UITs") and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the "Acquired Fund"), such as the Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the "Acquiring Fund") or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of the Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC no-action relief.

Set forth below is additional information about the manner in which ETFs generally operate and the risks associated with an investment in ETFs which are in addition to the risks associated with registered investment companies generally.

In the event that the Fund purchases shares of ETFs, such purchase is expected to be made through a broker-dealer in a transaction on a securities exchange, and in such a case the Fund will pay customary brokerage commissions for each purchase and sale. Shares of an ETF may also be acquired by depositing a specified portfolio of the ETF's underlying securities, as well as a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit, with the ETF's custodian, in exchange for which the ETF will issue a quantity of new shares sometimes referred to as a "creation unit." Similarly, shares of an ETF purchased on an exchange may be accumulated until they represent a creation unit, and the creation unit may be redeemed in kind for a portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETF's NAV) together with a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. The Fund may redeem creation units for the underlying securities (and any applicable cash), and may assemble a portfolio of the underlying securities (and any required cash) to purchase creation units, if the Adviser believes it is in the Fund's interest to do so. The Fund's ability to redeem creation units may be limited by the 1940 Act, which provides that an ETF will not be obligated to redeem shares held by the Fund in an amount exceeding one percent of such ETF's total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days.

<u>Termination Risk</u>. There is a risk that ETFs in which the Fund invests may terminate due to extraordinary events. For example, any of the service providers to ETFs, such as the trustee or sponsor, may close or otherwise fail to perform their obligations to the ETF, and the ETF may not be able to find a substitute service provider. Also, the ETFs may be dependent upon licenses to use the various indices as a basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade names. If these licenses are terminated, ETFs may also terminate or experience a disruption in its activities. In addition, an ETF may terminate if its net assets fall below a certain amount.

Although the Adviser believes that, in the event of the termination of an ETF, the Fund will be able to invest instead in shares of an alternate ETF tracking the same market index or another index covering the same general market, there can be no assurance that shares of an alternate ETF would be available for investment at that time.

**INVESTMENTS IN COMMODITY/NATURAL RESOURCE-RELATED SECURITIES.** As discussed under "Investment Limitations" below, the Fund does not invest directly in commodities. However, the Fund may from time to time invest in securities of companies whose business is related to commodities and natural resources, or in registered investment companies or other companies that invest directly or indirectly in commodities and natural resources. For example, the Fund may invest in companies whose business is related to mining of precious or other metals (e.g., gold, silver, etc.) or registered investment companies that invest in securities of mining companies and related instruments (including, without limitation, the underlying commodities). Investments in equity securities of companies involved in mining or related precious metals industries, and the value of the investment companies and other companies that invest in precious metals and other commodities are subject to a number of risks. For example, the prices of precious metals or other commodities can move sharply, up or down, in response to cyclical economic conditions, political events or the monetary policies of various countries, any of which may adversely affect the value of companies whose business is related to such commodities, or the value of investment companies and other companies investing in such business or commodities. Furthermore, such companies are subject to risks related to fluctuations of prices and perceptions of value in the commodity markets generally.

**LOAN PARTICIPATIONS.** The Fund may purchase participations in commercial loans. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Loan participations typically represent direct participation in a loan to a corporate borrower and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Fund may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing loan participations, the Fund assumes the credit risk associated with the corporate borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interests in which the Fund intends to invest may not be rated by any nationally recognized statistical ratings organization ("NRSRO").

A loan is often administered by an agent bank acting as agent for all holders. The agent bank administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. In addition, the agent bank is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the corporate borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions which are parties to the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, the Fund has direct recourse against the corporate borrower, the Fund may have to rely on the agent bank or other financial intermediary to apply appropriate credit remedies against a corporate borrower. A financial institution's employment as agent bank might be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement should remain available to holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank's general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. In situations involving other interposed financial institutions (e.g., an insurance company or governmental agency) similar risks may arise.

Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the corporate borrower for payment of principal and interest. If the Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund's share price and yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.

The Fund may invest in loan participations with credit quality comparable to that of the issuers of the Fund's securities investments. Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

The Fund limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in any one issuer or in issuers within the same industry (see "Investment Limitations"). For purposes of these limits, the Fund generally will treat the corporate borrower as the "issuer" of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between the Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as "issuers" for the purpose of determining whether the Fund has invested more than 5% of its assets in a single issuer. Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict the Fund's ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries.

Loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of readily at what the Adviser believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of illiquid indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining the Fund's NAV than if that value were based on available market quotations and could result in significant variations in the Fund's daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are traded among certain financial institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of these instruments is expected to improve. In addition, the Fund currently intends to treat indebtedness for which there is no readily available market as illiquid for purposes of the Fund's limitation on illiquid investments. Investments in loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of the Trust's investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by the Fund.

Investments in loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution's interests with respect to the loan may involve additional risks to the Fund. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, the Fund could be held liable as co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protections against fraud and misrepresentation. In the absence of definitive regulatory guidance, the Fund relies on the Adviser's research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentation could adversely affect the Fund.

**MID-CAP RISK.** The Fund's performance may be more volatile because it invests in mid-cap stocks. Mid-cap companies may have limited product lines, markets and financial resources. Securities of mid cap companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Additionally, mid-cap stocks may fall out of favor relative to large capitalization stocks, which may cause the Fund to underperform other equity funds that focus on large-cap stocks.

**MONEY MARKET FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in the securities of money market mutual funds. Such investments are subject to limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder and applicable SEC staff interpretations thereof, or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC. (See "Investment Company Securities and Exchange-Traded Funds" above.)

**MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES AND ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES.** Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. See "Mortgage Pass-Through Securities." The Fund may also invest in debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations").

The recent financial downturn—particularly the increase in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgages, falling home prices, and unemployment—has adversely affected the market for mortgage-related securities. In addition, various market and governmental actions may impair the ability to foreclose on or exercise other remedies against underlying mortgage holders, or may reduce the amount received upon foreclosure. These factors have caused certain mortgage-related securities to experience lower valuations and reduced liquidity. There is also no assurance that the U.S. Government will take further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economic downturn continue or the economy experience another downturn. Further, recent legislative action and any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk that the Fund could realize losses on mortgage-related securities.

<u>Mortgage Pass-Through Securities</u>*.* Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA")) are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase.

The residential mortgage market in the United States recently has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Fund's mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased recently and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has recently been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

<u>Agency Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA"), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA").

However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Trust's investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet the Trust's quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. The Fund will not purchase mortgage-related securities or any other assets which in the opinion of the Adviser are illiquid if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets will be illiquid.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans,

in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. The substantial decline in real property values across the U.S. has exacerbated the level of losses that investors in privately issued mortgage-related securities have experienced. It is not certain when these trends may reverse. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in the Fund's portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

The Fund may purchase privately issued mortgage-related securities that are originated, packaged and serviced by third party entities. It is possible these third parties could have interests that are in conflict with the holders of mortgage-related securities, and such holders (such as the Fund) could have rights against the third parties or their affiliates. For example, if a loan originator, servicer or its affiliates engaged in negligence or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties, then a holder of the mortgage-related security could seek recourse against the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable. Also, as a loan originator/servicer, the originator/servicer or its affiliates may make certain representations and warranties regarding the quality of the mortgages and properties underlying a mortgage-related security. If one or more of those representations or warranties is false, then the holders of the mortgage-related securities (such as the Fund) could trigger an obligation of the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable, to repurchase the mortgages from the issuing trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, many of the third parties that are legally bound by trust and other documents have failed to perform their respective duties, as stipulated in such trust and other documents, and investors have had limited success in enforcing terms.

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Fund's industry concentration restrictions, set forth below under "Investment Limitations," by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. Government securities. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities, the Fund takes the position that mortgage-related securities do not represent interests in any particular "industry" or group of industries. Therefore, the Fund may invest more or less than 25% of its total assets in privately issued mortgage-related securities. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

<u>Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs")</u>*.* A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as "tranches," with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as "sequential pay" CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation ("issuer") issues multiple series (*e.g.*, A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds ("Bonds"). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates ("Collateral"). The Collateral is pledged to a third party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common. For example, the Fund may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class ("PAC") CMOs and multi-class pass through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches—known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds—which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk.

<u>Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Commercial mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

<u>Other Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals or stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS"). Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

<u>CMO Residuals</u>*.* CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only ("IO") class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. See "Other Mortgage-Related Securities—Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities." In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based.

As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.

CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. Transactions in CMO residuals are generally completed only after careful review of the characteristics of the securities in question. In addition, CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not have been registered under the 1933 Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the 1933 Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed "illiquid" and subject to the Fund's limitations on investment in illiquid securities.

<u>Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities ("ARMBSs") have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBSs permits the Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBSs are based. Such ARMBSs generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed income debt securities of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBSs, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, the Fund, when holding an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (*i.e.*, the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBSs behave more like fixed income securities and less like adjustable rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed income securities. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

<u>Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the "IO" class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or "PO" class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund's yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated pre-payments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

<u>Collateralized Debt Obligations</u>*.* The Fund may invest in collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), which include collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and other similarly structured securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed income securities such as high yield debt, residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, commercial privately issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.

For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the "equity" tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade.

Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class.

The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities, however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Fund's Prospectus (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CDOs carry additional risks including, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the Fund may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

<u>Asset-Backed Securities</u>*.* Asset-backed securities ("ABS") are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. ABS are created from many types of assets, including auto loans, credit card receivables, home equity loans, and student loans. ABS are issued through special purpose vehicles that are bankruptcy remote from the issuer of the collateral. The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement. Some ABS, particularly home equity loan transactions, are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments (after expenses are paid) are used to pay investors as quickly as possible based upon a predetermined priority of payment.

Consistent with its investment objectives and policies, the Fund also may invest in other types of asset-backed securities.

**BELOW-INVESTMENT GRADE SECURITIES.** Subject to the limitations set forth in the Prospectus, the Fund may invest in "below-investment grade" or "high yield" fixed income securities commonly known to investors as "high yield bonds" or "junk bonds." High yield bonds are issued by a company whose credit rating (based on an NRSRO) evaluation of the likelihood of repayment) necessitates offering a higher coupon and yield on its issues when selling them to investors who may otherwise be hesitant in purchasing the debt of such a company. While generally providing greater income and opportunity for gain, below-investment grade debt securities are generally subject to greater risks than fixed income securities which have higher credit ratings, including a higher risk of default, and their yields will fluctuate over time. High yield bonds generally will be in the lower rating categories of NRSROs (rated "Ba" or lower by Moody's or "BB" or lower by S&P and Fitch or will be unrated. The credit rating of a high yield bond does not necessarily address its market value risk, and ratings may from time to time change, positively or negatively, to reflect developments regarding the issuer's financial condition. High yield bonds are considered to be speculative with respect to the capacity of the issuer to timely repay principal and pay interest or dividends in accordance with the terms of the obligation and may have more credit risk than higher rated securities.

While the market values of high yield bonds tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rates than do those of higher rated securities, the values of high yield bonds often reflect individual corporate developments and have a high sensitivity to economic changes to a greater extent than do higher rated securities. Issuers of high yield bonds are often in the growth stage of their development and/or involved in a reorganization or takeover. The companies are often highly leveraged (have a significant amount of debt relative to shareholders' equity) and may not have available to them more traditional financing methods, thereby increasing the risk associated with acquiring these types of securities. In some cases, obligations with respect to high yield bonds are subordinated to the prior repayment of senior indebtedness, which will potentially limit the Fund's ability to fully recover principal or to receive interest payments when senior securities are in default. Thus, investors in high yield bonds have a lower degree of protection with respect to principal and interest payments than do investors in higher rated securities.

During an economic downturn, a substantial period of rising interest rates or a recession, highly leveraged issuers of high yield bonds may experience financial distress possibly resulting in insufficient revenues to meet their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals and to obtain additional financing. An economic downturn could also disrupt the market for lower-rated securities and adversely affect the value of outstanding securities, the Fund's NAV and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest. If the issuer of a security held by the Fund has defaulted, the Fund may not receive full interest and principal payments due to it and could incur additional expenses if it chose to seek recovery of its investment.

The secondary markets for high yield bonds are not as liquid as the secondary markets for higher rated securities. The secondary markets for high yield bonds are concentrated in relatively few market makers and participants in the markets are mostly institutional investors, including insurance companies, banks, other financial institutions and mutual funds. In addition, the trading volume for high yield bonds is generally lower than that for higher rated securities and the secondary markets could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. Under certain economic and/or market conditions, the Fund may have difficulty disposing of certain high yield bonds due to the limited number of investors in that sector of the market. An illiquid secondary market may adversely affect the market price of the high yield security, which may result in increased difficulty selling the particular issue and obtaining accurate market quotations on the issue when valuing the Fund's assets. Market quotations on high yield bonds are available only from a limited number of dealers, and such quotations may not be the actual prices available for a purchase or sale.

The high yield markets may react strongly to adverse news about an issuer or the economy, or to the perception or expectation of adverse news, whether or not it is based on fundamental analysis. Additionally, prices for high yield bonds may be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. These developments could adversely affect the Fund's NAV and investment practices, the secondary market for high yield bonds, the financial condition of issuers of these securities and the value and liquidity of outstanding high yield bonds, especially in a thinly traded market. For example, Federal legislation requiring the divestiture by federally insured savings and loan associations of their investments in high yield bonds and limiting the deductibility of interest by certain corporate issuers of high yield bonds adversely affected the market in the past.

When the secondary market for high yield bonds becomes more illiquid, or in the absence of readily available market quotations for such securities, the relative lack of reliable objective data makes it more difficult to value the Fund's securities and judgment plays a more important role in determining such valuations. Increased illiquidity in the junk bond market, in combination with the relative youth and growth of the market for such securities, also may affect the ability of the Fund to dispose of such securities at a desirable price. Additionally, if the secondary markets for high yield bonds contract due to adverse economic conditions or for other reasons, some of the Fund's liquid securities may become illiquid and the proportion of the Fund's assets invested in illiquid securities may significantly increase.

The rating assigned by a rating agency evaluates the safety of a below-investment grade security's principal and interest payments but does not address market value risk. Because such ratings of NRSROs may not always reflect current conditions and events, in addition to using NRSROs and other sources, the Adviser performs its own analysis of the issuers whose below-investment grade securities are held by the Fund. Because of this, the Fund's performance may depend more on the Adviser's own credit analysis than in the case of mutual funds investing in higher-rated securities. For a description of these ratings, see "Appendix A - Description of Securities Ratings."

In selecting below-investment grade securities, the Adviser considers factors such as those relating to the creditworthiness of issuers, the ratings and performance of the securities, the protections afforded the securities and the diversity of the Fund. The Adviser continuously monitors the issuers of below-investment grade securities held by the Fund for their ability to make required principal and interest payments, as well as in an effort to control the liquidity of the Fund so that it can meet redemption requests. If a security's rating is reduced below the minimum credit rating that is permitted for the Fund, the Adviser will consider whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.

In the event that the Fund investing in high yield bonds experiences an unexpected level of net redemptions, the Fund could be forced to sell its holdings without regard to the investment merits, thereby decreasing the assets upon which the Fund's rate of return is based.

The costs attributable to investing in the high yield markets are usually higher for several reasons, such as higher investment research costs and higher commission costs.

**PARTICIPATION INTERESTS.** The Fund may invest in participation interests in fixed income securities. A participation interest provides the certificate holder with a specified interest in an issue of fixed income securities.

Some participation interests give the holders differing interests in the underlying securities, depending upon the type or class of certificate purchased. For example, coupon strip certificates give the holder the right to receive a specific portion of interest payments on the underlying securities; principal strip certificates give the holder the right to receive principal payments and the portion of interest not payable to coupon strip certificate holders. Holders of certificates of participation in interest payments may be entitled to receive a fixed rate of interest, a variable rate that is periodically reset to reflect the current market rate or an auction rate that is periodically reset at auction. Asset-backed residuals represent interests in any excess cash flow remaining after required payments of principal and interest have been made.

More complex participation interests involve special risk considerations. Since these instruments have only recently been developed, there can be no assurance that any market will develop or be maintained for the instruments. Generally, the fixed income securities that are deposited in trust for the holders of these interests are the sole source of payments on the interests; holders cannot look to the sponsor or trustee of the trust or to the issuers of the securities held in trust or to any of their affiliates for payment.

Participation interests purchased at a discount may experience price volatility. Certain types of interests are sensitive to fluctuations in market interest rates and to prepayments on the underlying securities. A rapid rate of prepayment can result in the failure to recover the holder's initial investment.

The extent to which the yield to maturity of a participation interest is sensitive to prepayments depends, in part, upon whether the interest was purchased at a discount or premium, and if so, the size of that discount or premium. Generally, if a participation interest is purchased at a premium and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that anticipated at the time of purchase, the holder's actual yield to maturity will be lower than that assumed at the time of purchase. Conversely, if a participation interest is purchased at a discount and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that assumed at the time of purchase, the investor's actual yield to maturity will be higher than that assumed at the time of purchase.

Participation interests in pools of fixed income securities backed by certain types of debt obligations involve special risk considerations. The issuers of securities backed by automobile and truck receivables typically file financing statements evidencing security interests in the receivables, and the servicers of those obligations take and retain custody of the obligations. If the servicers, in contravention of their duty to the holders of the securities backed by the receivables, were to sell the obligations, the third party purchasers could acquire an interest superior to the interest of the security holders. Also, most states require that a security interest in a vehicle must be noted on the certificate of title and the certificate of title may not be amended to reflect the assignment of the lender's security interest. Therefore, the recovery of the collateral in some cases may not be available to support payments on the securities. Securities backed by credit card receivables are generally unsecured, and both Federal and state consumer protection laws may allow set-offs against certain amounts owed.

**PREFERRED STOCK.** The Fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally dividends as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer's board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

**REAL ESTATE SECURITIES AND RELATED DERIVATIVES.** The Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in real estate-linked derivatives, real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Each of these types of investments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value and possible environmental liabilities. The Fund may also invest in rights or warrants to purchase income-producing common and preferred shares of issuers in real estate-related industries. It is anticipated that substantially all of the equity securities of issuers in real estate-related industries in which the Fund intends to invest will be traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market.

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that own, and typically operate, income-producing real estate. If a REIT meets certain requirements, including distributing to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income (other than net capital gains), then it is not taxed on the income distributed to shareholders. REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses, and so the Fund, when investing in REITs, will bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs' operations.

There are three general categories of REITs: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in direct fee ownership or leasehold ownership of real property; they derive most of their income from rents. Mortgage REITs invest mostly in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans, and the main source of their income is mortgage interest payments. Hybrid REITs hold both ownership and mortgage interests in real estate.

Along with the risks common to different types of real estate-related securities, REITs, no matter the type, involve additional risk factors. These include poor performance by the REIT's manager, changes to the tax laws, and failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free distribution of income or exemption under the 1940 Act. Furthermore, REITs are not diversified and are heavily dependent on cash flow. REITs can be listed and traded on national securities exchanges or can be traded privately between individual owners.

**REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commits to resell that security to a bank or dealer at an agreed upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest, unrelated to the coupon rate or the maturity of the purchased security. While it is not possible to eliminate all risks from these transactions (particularly the possibility of a decline in the market value of the underlying securities, as well as delays and costs to the Fund if the other party to the repurchase agreement defaults), it is the policy of the Fund to limit repurchase transactions to primary dealers and banks whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the Adviser. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered illiquid for purposes of the Fund's investment limitations.

**RESTRICTED SECURITIES.** Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption from registration. The Fund is subject to an investment limitation on the purchase of illiquid securities. Restricted securities, including securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, that are determined to be liquid are not subject to this limitation. This determination is to be made by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees. Under these guidelines, the Adviser will consider the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers in, and potential purchasers for, the securities, dealer undertakings to make a market in the security and the nature of the security and of the marketplace trades. In purchasing such restricted securities, the Adviser intends to purchase securities that are exempt from registration under Rule 144A.

**REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements in accordance with its investment restrictions. Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund would sell portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers, and agree to repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities, generally rated in one of the three highest ratings categories, consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value at least equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price at which it is obligated to repurchase the securities. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings by the Fund under the 1940 Act. The Fund will not engage in reverse repurchase transactions if such transactions, combined with any other borrowings, exceed 33-1/3% of the Fund's assets.

**RIGHTS OFFERINGS AND WARRANTS TO PURCHASE SECURITIES.** The Fund may participate in rights offerings and may purchase warrants, which are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time.

Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the rights' and warrants' expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security's market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. Buying a warrant does not make the Fund a shareholder of the underlying stock and changes in the value of a warrant do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security. The warrant holder has no voting or dividend rights with respect to the underlying stock. A warrant does not carry any right to assets of the issuer, and for this reason investment in warrants may be more speculative than other equity-based investments.

**SECTOR RISK.** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**SECURITIES LENDING.** For the purpose of achieving income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial institutions, provided: (i) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposits, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned; (ii) the Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of the securities loaned; (iii) the Fund will receive any interest or dividends paid on the loaned securities; and (iv) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33-1/3% of the total assets of the Fund. The Fund's performance will continue to reflect the receipt of either interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments, or a fee, if the collateral is U.S. Government securities. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral should the borrower fail to return the securities loaned or become insolvent. The Fund may pay lending fees to the party arranging the loan.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities as part of its overall portfolio management strategy involving the use of derivative instruments, to gain exposure to or adjust exposure to various market sectors, and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities or otherwise take advantage of market conditions. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.

When the Fund makes a short sale, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale as collateral for its obligation to deliver the security upon conclusion of the sale. The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over any accrued interest and dividends on such borrowed securities.

If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time that the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.

The Fund may invest pursuant to a risk arbitrage strategy to take advantage of a perceived relationship between the value of two securities. Frequently, a risk arbitrage strategy involves the short sale of a security.

The Fund may engage in short sales "against the box." A short sale is "against the box" to the extent that the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short. The Fund will engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the federal securities laws and rules and interpretations thereunder. To the extent the Fund engages in short selling in foreign (non-U.S.) jurisdictions, the Fund will do so to the extent permitted by the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction.

The Fund may also engage in so-called "naked" short sales (i.e., short sales that are not "against the box"), in which case the Fund's losses could theoretically be unlimited, in cases where the Fund is unable for whatever reason to close out its short position. The Fund has the flexibility to engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and interpretations thereunder.

**SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in special purpose acquisition companies ("SPACs"). SPACs are collective investment structures that pool funds in order to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less an amount to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities and cash. SPACs and similar entities may be blank check companies with no operating history or ongoing business other than to seek a potential acquisition. Accordingly, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity's management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Certain SPACs may seek acquisitions only in limited industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. Investments in SPACs may be deemed illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective. If a SPAC does not complete an acquisition within a specified period of time after going public, the SPAC is dissolved, at which point the invested funds are returned to the SPAC's shareholders (less certain permitted expenses) and any rights or warrants issued by the SPAC expire worthless.

**SMALL-CAP RISK.** Small-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies. Generally the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. Small-capitalization companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent upon a small or inexperienced management group and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs.

**U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS.** The Fund may invest in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Although all obligations of such agencies and instrumentalities are not direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Government generally directly or indirectly backs payment of the interest and principal on these obligations. This support can range from securities supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (for example, GNMA securities) to securities that are supported solely or primarily by the creditworthiness of the issuer, such as securities of FNMA, FHLMC, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Federal Farm Credit Banks and Federal Home Loan Banks. In the case of obligations not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Whether backed by full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury or not, U.S. Government obligations are not guaranteed against price movements due to fluctuating interest rates.

**VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES.** Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

The Fund may invest in floating and variable rate debt instruments ("floaters") and engage in credit spread trades. The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as a money-market index or Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, the Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. A credit spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two securities or currencies, where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities or currencies.

The Fund may also invest in inverse floating rate debt instruments ("inverse floaters"). The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floating rate security may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation of similar credit quality. See "Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities" for a discussion of IOs and POs.

**WHEN-ISSUED, DELAYED DELIVERY AND FORWARD COMMITMENT TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Typically, no income accrues on securities the Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made.

When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its NAV. Because the Fund is not required to pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other investments. If the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

When the Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis, the Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or could suffer a loss. The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a transaction after it is entered into and may sell when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment securities before they are delivered, which may result in a capital gain or loss. There is no percentage limitation on the extent to which the Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis.

**ZERO COUPON BONDS.** The Fund may invest in zero coupon bonds of governmental or private issuers that generally pay no interest to their holders prior to maturity. Since zero coupon bonds do not make regular interest payments, they allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments and may involve greater credit risks than bonds paying interest currently. The IRC requires that the Fund accrue income on zero coupon bonds for each taxable year, even though no cash has been paid on the bonds, and generally requires the Fund to distribute such income (net of deductible expenses, if any) to avoid being subject to tax and to continue to maintain its status as a RIC under the IRC. Because no cash is generally received at the time of accrual, the Fund may be required to sell investments (even if such sales are not advantageous) to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy the federal tax distribution requirements applicable to the Fund under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information.

**TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS.** The Fund may, without limit, invest in U.S. Government securities, commercial paper and other money market instruments, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents in response to adverse market conditions, as a temporary defensive position. The result of this action may be that the Fund will be unable to achieve its investment objective.

**PORTFOLIO TURNOVER.** There has not been any significant variation in the Fund's portfolio turnover rates over the two most recently completed fiscal years. The Adviser anticipates significant variation in the portfolio turnover rate from that reported in the Fund's Prospectus for the last fiscal year as result of a recent change in investment strategy and Portfolio Manager.

**DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS**

As required by the federal or state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Fund discloses portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require. The Fund's complete list of portfolio holdings are available sixty days after each fiscal quarter end in the Fund's Form N-CSR (semiannually) and Form N-PORT (quarterly).

The Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of portfolio securities holdings. The policies and procedures are designed to allow disclosure of the Fund's holdings information where it is deemed appropriate for the Fund's operations or it is determined to be useful to the Fund's shareholders without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. Except when there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure of the Fund's holdings, the Fund will not provide or permit others to provide information about the Fund's holdings on a selective basis. The Board of Trustees provides ongoing oversight of the Trust's policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Trustees receive from the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Trustees receive an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any deviation to this policy as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such deviations must be reported to the Trust's Board of Trustees, at its next quarterly Board meeting or sooner, as determined by the Trust's CCO.

The Fund may, but is not required to, post its schedule of investments on its website at regular intervals or from time to time at the discretion of the Adviser. This information may be as of the most recent practicable date available and need not be subject to a lag period prior to posting on its website. In addition to its schedule of investments, the Fund may post portfolio holdings information and other information on its website including, but not limited to, information about the number of securities the Fund holds, a summary schedule of investments, the Fund's top holdings, and a percentage breakdown of the Fund's investments by geographic region, sector, industry and market capitalization. After any portfolio holdings information becomes publicly available (by posting on its website or otherwise); it may be mailed, e-mailed or otherwise transmitted to any person.

The following disclosures of aggregate, composite or descriptive information about the Fund or its portfolio holdings are not subject to the Trust's policy on selective disclosure of portfolio information: (i) descriptions of allocations among classes, geographic regions, countries, industries or sectors; (ii) aggregated data such as average or median ratios or market capitalization; (iii) performance attribution by class, geographic region, country, industry or sector; (iv) aggregated risk statistics; (v) listing of top holdings without any reference to the amount of the Fund's holdings; and (vi) such other information that, in the opinion of the CCO or designee, does not present material risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading of the Fund. The Fund's portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to financial consultants or other entities that have a legitimate business purpose in receiving such information, including to assist them in determining the suitability of the Fund as an investment for their clients. In each case, such disclosure will be made in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, the Adviser's fiduciary duties to the Fund's shareholders and subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Board of Trustees of the Trust, a committee thereof, or an officer designated by the Board of Trustees, may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Fund may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about its holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's, or its Adviser's, employees and affiliates that provide services to the Fund. The Fund may also distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Fund's holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's service providers who require access to the information (i) in order to fulfill their contractual duties relating to the Fund; (ii) to facilitate the transition of a newly hired investment adviser prior to the commencement of its duties; (iii) to facilitate the review of the Fund by a ranking or ratings agency; (iv) for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition; or (v) for the purpose of effecting in-kind redemption of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of the Fund's assets and minimize impact on remaining shareholders of the Fund.

Each of the following third parties has been approved to receive portfolio holdings information: (i) the Fund's administrator and accounting agent; (ii) the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, for use in providing audit opinions; (iii) financial printers, solely for the purpose of preparing the Fund's reports or regulatory filings; (iv) the Fund's custodian in connection with its custody of the Fund's assets; (v) if applicable, a proxy voting service; or (vi) disclosure to a ranking or rating agency, such as Lipper, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Moody's, S&P and Fitch. Information may be provided to these parties at any time so long as each of these parties is contractually and ethically prohibited from sharing the Fund's portfolio holding information without specific authorization. The Adviser and service providers have also established procedures to ensure that the Fund's portfolio holdings information is only disclosed in accordance with these policies.

Under no circumstances may the Fund, the Adviser or their affiliates receive any consideration or compensation for disclosing portfolio holdings information.

The Adviser manages other accounts such as separate accounts and other registered or unregistered pooled investment vehicles. These other accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus may have similar portfolio holdings. Such accounts may have disclosures at different times than the Fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed. Additionally, such accounts may have access to their portfolio holdings and may not be subject to the foregoing restrictions.

**INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS**

The Fund has adopted the investment limitations set forth below. Except with respect to the asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowing, if any percentage restriction on investment or utilization of assets is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market values of the Fund or the Fund's assets or redemptions of shares will not be considered a violation of the limitation. The asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowings is an ongoing requirement. The following fundamental policies apply to the Fund and the Board of Trustees may not change them without shareholder approval as required by the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. The Fund will not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Issue senior securities or borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and then not in excess of 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets (including the amount of the senior securities issued but reduced by any liabilities not constituting senior securities) at the time of the issuance or borrowing, except that the Fund may borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets (not including the amount borrowed) for temporary purposes such as clearance of portfolio transactions and share redemptions. For purposes of these restrictions, the purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the purchase and sale of options and futures contracts and collateral arrangements with respect thereto are not deemed to be the issuance of a senior security, a borrowing or a pledge of assets;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Underwrite any issue of securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered to be acting as underwriter in connection with the disposition of any portfolio security;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Purchase or sell real estate or interests therein, although the Fund may purchase securities of issuers which engage in real estate operations and securities secured by real estate or interests therein, including real estate investment trusts;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of owning securities or other instruments, but the Fund may purchase, sell or enter into financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Make loans, except loans of portfolio securities or through repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction, the acquisition of bonds, debentures, other debt securities or instruments, or participations or other interests therein and investments in government obligations, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or similar instruments will not be considered the making of a loan; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Invest 25% or more of the value of the Fund's assets in securities of issuers in any one industry. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or to securities issued by other investment companies. For purposes of this limitation, states, municipalities and their political subdivisions are not considered to be part of any industry;

The following non-fundamental policies apply to the Fund and the Board of Trustees may change it without shareholder approval unless shareholder approval is required by the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. The Fund will not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets except to secure indebtedness permitted to be incurred by the Fund. (For the purpose of this restriction, the deposit in escrow of securities in connection with the writing of put and call options, collateralized loans of securities by and collateral arrangements with respect to margin for future contracts by the Fund are not deemed to be pledges or hypothecations);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Engage in short sales of securities or maintain a short position, except that the Fund may (a) sell short "against the box" and (b) maintain short positions in connection with its use of financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Purchase securities on margin except for the use of short-term credit necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities, provided that the Fund may make initial and variation margin deposits in connection with permitted transactions in options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments.

**TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS**

The following tables present certain information regarding the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust. None of the Trustees are an "interested person" of the Trust, the Adviser, another investment adviser of a series of the Trust, or Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, the principal underwriter of the Trust ("Underwriter"), within the meaning of the 1940 Act and each Trustee is referred to as an "Independent Trustee" and is listed under such heading below. Employees of certain service providers to the Trust serve as officers of the Trust; such persons are not compensated by the Fund. The address of each Trustee and officer as it relates to the Trust's business is 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809.

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal**<br> **Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past**<br> **Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee** | **Other**<br> **Directorships**<br> **Held by**<br> **Trustee** |
| **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** |
| **Robert J. Christian**<br> Date of Birth: 2/49 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. Chairman from 2007 until September 30, 2019. | Retired since February 2006; Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust Company from February 1996 to February 2006; President of Rodney Square Management Corporation ("RSMC") (investment advisory firm) from 1996 to 2005; Vice President of RSMC from 2005 to 2006. | 28 | Optimum Fund Trust (registered investment company with 6 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Iqbal Mansur**<br> Date of Birth: 6/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. | Retired since September 2020; Professor of Finance, Widener University from 1998 to August 2020; Member of the Investment Committee of ChristianaCare Health System from January 2022 to present. | 28 | Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal**<br> **Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past**<br> **Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee** | **Other**<br> **Directorships**<br> **Held by**<br> **Trustee** |
| **Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr.**<br> Date of Birth: 8/55 | Trustee and Chairman of the Board | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2016; Chairman since October 1, 2019. | Retired since March 2016. President of PNC Bank Delaware from June 2011 to March 2016; Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2011; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from September 1997 to July 2010. | 28 | Brinker Capital Destinations Trust (registered investment company with 10 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Nancy B. Wolcott**<br> Date of Birth: 11/54 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2011. | Retired since May 2014; EVP, Head of GFI Client Service Delivery, BNY Mellon from January 2012 to May 2014; EVP, Head of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2012; President of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2008 to July 2010; Chief Operating Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2007 to 2008; Executive Vice President of PFPC Worldwide Inc. from 2006 to 2007. | 28 | Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (registered investment company with 97 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Stephen M. Wynne**<br> Date of Birth: 1/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2009. | Retired since December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from July 2010 to December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from March 2008 to July 2010; President, PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2003 to 2008. | 28 | Copeland Trust (registered investment company with 2 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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**EXECUTIVE OFFICERS**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **Joel L. Weiss**<br> Date of Birth: 1/63 | President and Chief Executive Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2007. | President of JW Fund Management LLC since June 2016; Vice President and Managing Director of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from 1993 to June 2016. |
| **Christine S. Catanzaro**<br> Date of Birth: 8/84 | Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation, or removal. Officer since 2022. | Financial Reporting Consultant from October 2020 to September 2022; Senior Manager, Ernst & Young LLP from March 2013 to October 2020. |
| **T. Richard Keyes**<br> Date of Birth: 1/57 | Vice President | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2016. | President of TRK Fund Consulting LLC since July 2016; Head of Tax — U.S. Fund Services of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from February 2006 to July 2016. |
| **Gabriella Mercincavage**<br> Date of Birth: 6/68 | Assistant Treasurer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2019. | Fund Administration Consultant since January 2019; Fund Accounting and Tax Compliance Accountant to financial services companies from November 2003 to July 2018. |
| **Vincenzo A. Scarduzio**<br> Date of Birth: 4/72 | Secretary | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2012. | Director and Senior Vice President Regulatory Administration of The Bank of New York Mellon and predecessor firms since 2001. |
| **John Canning**<br> Date of Birth: 11/70 | Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Director of Chenery Compliance Group, LLC from March 2021 to present; Senior Consultant of Foreside Financial Group from August 2020 to March 2021; Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Operating Officer of Schneider Capital Management LP from May 2019 to July 2020; Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Context Capital Partners, LP from March 2016 to March 2018 and February 2019, respectively. |

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**LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES.** The basic responsibilities of the Trustees are to monitor the Trust and its funds' financial operations and performance, oversee the activities and legal compliance of the Adviser and other major service providers, keep themselves informed, and exercise their business judgment in making decisions important to the Trust's proper functioning based on what the Trustees reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the shareholders. The Board of Trustees is comprised of five individuals, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Board of Trustees meets multiple times during the year (but at least quarterly) to review the investment performance of the funds and other operational matters, including policies and procedures with respect to compliance with regulatory and other requirements.

The Board of Trustees has appointed an Independent Trustee to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman's primary role is to participate in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board of Trustees and the identification of information to be presented to the Board of Trustees with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board of Trustees. The Chairman also presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and acts as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman may perform such other functions as may be requested by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Except for any duties specified herein or pursuant to the Trust's Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, the designation of Chairman does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liability that is greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Board of Trustees, generally.

Each Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees because of his or her experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills as set forth in the subsection "Trustee Qualifications," below. Based on a review of the Board of Trustees and its function, the Trustees have determined that the leadership structure of the Board of Trustees is appropriate and that the Board of Trustees' role in the risk oversight of the Trust, as discussed below, allows the Board of Trustees to effectively administer its oversight function.

The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. The responsibilities of each committee and its members are described below.

 **AUDIT COMMITTEE.** The Audit Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott each of whom is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Wynne currently serves as the chairman of the Audit Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter (the "Audit Committee Charter") for the Audit Committee. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee has the responsibility, among others, to (1) select the Trust's independent registered public accountants; (2) review and approve the scope of the independent registered public accountants' audit activity; (3) oversee the audit process of the financial statements which are the subject of the independent registered public accountants' certifications; and (4) review with such independent registered public accountants the adequacy of the Trust's basic accounting system and the effectiveness of the Trust's internal accounting controls. The Audit Committee meets at least two times per year. The Audit Committee met four times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

 **NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.** The Nominating and Governance Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott. Mr. Mansur serves as the chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for formulating a statement of corporate governance; assessing the size, structure and composition of the Board of Trustees; determining trustee qualification guidelines as well as compensation, insurance and indemnification of Trustees; identifying Trustee candidates; oversight of Board of Trustees self-evaluations; reviewing certain regulatory and corporate matters of the Trust; and identifying, from time to time, qualified candidates to serve as the CCO for the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee meets at least once a year. The Nominating and Governance Committee met two times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. The Nominating and Governance Committee identifies potential nominees in accordance with its Statement of Policy on Qualifications for Board of Trustees Membership. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominee candidates recommended by shareholders. Shareholders who wish to recommend individuals for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee as nominee candidates may do so by submitting a written recommendation to the Secretary of the Trust at: 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809. Submissions must include sufficient biographical information concerning the recommended individual, including age, at least ten years of employment history with employer names and a description of the employer's business, and a list of board memberships (if any). The submission must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board of Trustees and to serve if elected. Recommendations must be received in a sufficient time, as determined by the Nominating and Governance Committee in its sole discretion, prior to the date proposed for the consideration of nominee candidates by the Board of Trustees. Upon the written request of shareholders holding at least a 5% interest in the Trust's shares in the aggregate, the Secretary shall present to any special meeting of shareholders such nominees for election as trustees as specified in such written request.

**TRUSTEE QUALIFICATIONS.** The following is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills that led to the Board of Trustees' conclusion that each individual identified below is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

The Board of Trustees believes that the Trustees' ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Adviser, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, support the conclusion that each Trustee is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply as to each Trustee: Mr. Marsini is the former President of PNC Bank Delaware, former Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon, former Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes. Mr. Wynne is the former Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes. Ms. Wolcott is the former Executive Vice President of US Fund Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former President of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes. Mr. Christian served as the Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; and Mr. Mansur is a Professor Emeritus at Widener University. He previously served as a Professor of Finance, School of Business Administration, at Widener University and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes.

In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Trustees considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board of Trustees' overall composition so that the Board of Trustees, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Trust and its funds. The summaries set forth above as to the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of the Trustees do not constitute holding out the Board of Trustees or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board of Trustees as a whole than would otherwise be the case.

**RISK OVERSIGHT.** Through its direct oversight role, and indirectly through its Committees, of officers and service providers, the Board of Trustees performs a risk oversight function for the Trust and its funds consisting, among other things, of the following activities: (1) at regular and special Board of Trustees meetings, and on an ad hoc basis as needed, receiving and reviewing reports related to the performance and operations of the Trust and its funds; (2) reviewing and approving, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust; (3) meeting with the portfolio management team to review investment strategies, techniques and the processes used to manage related risks; (4) meeting with representatives of key service providers, including the investment advisers, administrator, the distributor, the transfer agent, the custodian and the independent registered public accounting firms of the funds, to review and discuss the activities of the Trust and its funds and to provide direction with respect thereto; and (5) engaging the services of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust to test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service providers.

 **SECURITY AND OTHER INTERESTS.** The following table sets forth the equity securities in the Fund and in all registered investment companies overseen by the Trustees within the Trust Complex that the Trustees beneficially owned as of December 31, 2024.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range of Equity<br> Securities in the Fund** | **Aggregate Dollar Range<br> of Equity Securities in<br> All Registered Investment<br> Companies Overseen by<br> Trustee within the Family of<br> Investment Companies** |
| **Independent Trustees** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Robert J. Christian |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Iqbal Mansur |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nancy B. Wolcott |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stephen M. Wynne |  | $50001 - $100000 |

---

As of December 31, 2024, none of the Independent Trustees, or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) served as an officer, director or was an employee of the Trust, the Adviser or the Underwriter, or of any of their respective affiliates. Nor do any of such persons serve as an officer or director or is an employee of any company controlled by or under common control with such entities. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Independent Trustees or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) owned beneficially or of record any interest in the Adviser or the Underwriter, or in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities.

 **COMPENSATION.** In addition to the fees below, the Trust reimburses the Trustees for their related business expenses. The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Trustees for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Aggregate<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust** | **Pension or<br> Retirement<br> Benefits Accrued as<br> Part of the Trust's<br> Expenses** | **Estimated<br> Annual<br> Benefits upon<br> Retirement** | **Total<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust<br> Complex** |
| Robert J. Christian | $120639 | $0 | $0 | $120639 |
| Iqbal Mansur | $135586 | $0 | $0 | $135586 |
| Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. | $145492 | $0 | $0 | $145492 |
| Nancy B. Wolcott | $120579 | $0 | $0 | $120579 |
| Stephen M. Wynne | $140509 | $0 | $0 | $140509 |

---

**CODE OF ETHICS**

In accordance with Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, each of the Trust and the Adviser have adopted a code of ethics (each, a "Code" and together, the "Codes").

The Codes are intended to prohibit or restrict transactions that may be deemed to create a conflict of interest among the Adviser or the Trust. Each Code identifies the specific employees, officers or other persons who are subject thereto and all are required to abide by the provisions thereunder. Persons covered under the Codes may engage in personal trading for their own accounts, including securities that may also be purchased or held or traded by the Fund under certain circumstances.

Under the Code adopted by the Trust, personal trading is subject to specific restrictions, limitations, guidelines and other conditions. Under the Code adopted by the Adviser, personal trading is subject to pre-clearance and other conditions set forth in its Code.

On an annual basis or whenever deemed necessary, the Board of Trustees reviews reports regarding all of the Codes including information about any material violations of the Codes. The Codes are on public file as exhibits to the Trust's registration statement with the SEC.

**PROXY VOTING**

The Board of Trustees has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting procedures and has delegated the responsibility for exercising the voting rights associated with the securities purchased and/or held by the Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Board of Trustees' continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by general fiduciary principles. It must act prudently, solely in the interest of the Fund, and for the purpose of providing benefits to the Fund. The Adviser will consider the factors that could affect the value of the Fund's investment in its determination on a vote.

The Adviser has identified certain significant contributors to shareholder value with respect to a number of common or routine matters that are often the subject of proxy solicitations for shareholder meetings. The proxy voting procedures address these considerations and establish a framework for consideration of a vote that would be appropriate for the Fund. In particular, the proxy voting procedures outline principles and factors to be considered in the exercise of voting authority for proposals addressing such common or routine matters. In considering voting proxies, including shareholder proposals on environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-related topics, the Adviser votes in a direction it believes supports the company's long-term financial sustainability. For shareholder proposals seeking reports or increased disclosure, the Adviser gauges whether this information would be material to an enhanced understanding of the company's management of risks and opportunity.

The Adviser's proxy voting procedures establish a protocol for voting of proxies in cases in which the Adviser or an affiliated entity has an interest that is reasonably likely to be affected by a proxy to be voted on behalf of the Fund or that could compromise the Adviser's independence of judgment and action in voting the proxy in the best interest of the Fund's shareholders. The Adviser believes that consistently voting in accordance with its stated guidelines will address most conflicts of interest, and to the extent any deviation of such guidelines occurs it will be carefully assessed by a securities review committee to determine if a conflict of interest exists, and if a material conflict of interest exists, the committee will determine an appropriate resolution, which may include consultation with management or Trustees of the Trust, analyses by independent third parties, or other means necessary to ensure and demonstrate the proxy was voted in the best interests of shareholders. The Adviser's proxy voting policies are attached herewith as Appendix B. The Fund is required to file annually its proxy voting record on Form N-PX with the SEC. Form N-PX is required to be filed by August 31 of each year and when filed will be available by request by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6024 or on the SEC's website at *www.sec.gov.*

**CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES**

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Any person who directly or indirectly owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, may be deemed an "affiliated person" of the Fund, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. As of August 1, 2025, the following persons were the only persons who were record owners (or to the knowledge of the Trust, beneficial owners) of 5% or more of the shares of the Fund. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Trustees or officers of the Trust owned individually and together in excess of 1% of any class of outstanding shares of the Fund.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Institutional Class<br>Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br>of Record or<br>Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br>Institutional Class<br>Shares Owned** |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> ATTN Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery St.<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122 | 358056.61 | 85.83% |
| DCGT as TTEE And/Or Cust<br> FBO PLIC Various Retirement Plans<br> Omnibus<br> Attn: NPIO Trade Desk<br> 711 High Street<br> Des Moines, IA 50392 | 57484.409 | 13.78% |

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**INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES**

Polen Capital Management, LLC is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431. Polen Capital was founded in 1979 and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Capital had approximately $46.7 billion in assets under management.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser manages the assets of the Fund (the "Investment Advisory Agreement"). The Investment Advisory Agreement has an initial term of two years and continues in effect from year to year thereafter if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees including a majority of the Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the Fund on 60 days' written notice or the Adviser on 90 days' written notice without penalty. The Investment Advisory Agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment as defined in the 1940 Act.

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual investment advisory fee, paid monthly, comprising 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. Each class of shares of the Fund bears its respective pro-rata portion of the advisory fee payable by the Fund. The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses (excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by FundVantage Trust (the "Trust"), interest, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 1.05% (on an annual basis) of the Fund's average daily net assets with respect to the Investor Class and Institutional Class shares of the Fund (the "Expense Limitation"). The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, such amounts reduced or reimbursed for a period of up to three (3) years from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of the reimbursement. No reimbursement will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation. The following table sets forth the aggregate fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Period Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Period Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Period Ended April 30, 2025** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers and<br> Expenses Waived or<br> Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $122280 | $(127758) | $(5478) |

---

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Period Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Period Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Period Ended April 30, 2024** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers and<br> Expenses Waived or<br> Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $173750 | $(113466) | $60284 |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** |
| **Gross Advisory Fees<br> Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers and<br> Expenses Waived or<br> Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $197431 | $(130457) | $66974 |

---

Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser agrees to: (a) direct the investments of the Fund, subject to and in accordance with the Fund's investment objective, policies and limitations set forth in the Prospectus and this SAI; (b) purchase and sell for the Fund, securities and other investments consistent with the Fund's objective and policies; (c) supply office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary for servicing the investments of the Fund; (d) pay the salaries of all personnel of the Adviser performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities on behalf of the Trust; (e) make available and provide such information as the Trust and/or its administrator may reasonably request for use in the preparation of its registration statement, reports and other documents required by any applicable federal, foreign or state statutes or regulations; and (f) make its officers and employees available to the Trustees and officers of the Trust for consultation and discussion regarding the management of the Fund and its investment activities. Additionally, the Adviser agrees to create and maintain all necessary records in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the various functions performed by it and not otherwise created and maintained by another party pursuant to contract with the Fund. The Trust and/or the Adviser may at any time or times, upon approval by the Board of Trustees, enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements with a sub-adviser pursuant to which the Adviser delegates any or all of its duties as listed.

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which the agreement relates, except to the extent of a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its obligations and duties under the agreement.

The salaries of personnel of the Adviser performing services for the Fund relating to research, statistical and investment activities are paid by the Adviser.

Polen Capital Management, LLC is controlled by the Management Committee of the firm. The Management Committee is comprised of Stan C. Moss, CEO, Daniel Davidowitz, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, and Damon Ficklin, Head of Team, Portfolio Manager, and Analyst, and the Management Committee is controlled by Messrs. Moss and Davidowitz.

 **PORTFOLIO MANAGER**

The management of the Fund is the responsibility of investment professionals employed by the Adviser. The information provided below supplements the information provided in the Prospectus under the heading "Portfolio Manager" with respect to the investment professionals responsible, either individually or jointly, for the day-to-day management of the Fund, including information regarding:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) "Other Accounts Managed." Other accounts managed by Mr. Andrew Cupps who is the Portfolio Manager responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund as of June 30, 2025.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) "Material Conflicts of Interest." Material conflicts of interest identified by the Adviser that may arise in connection with the Portfolio Manager's management of the Fund's investments and investments of other accounts managed. These potential conflicts of interest include material conflicts between the investment strategy of the Fund and the investment strategy of the other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager and conflicts associated with the allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager. Additional conflicts of interest may potentially exist or arise that are not discussed below;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) "Compensation." A description of the structure of and method used to determine the compensation received by the Fund's Portfolio Manager or management team members from the Fund, the Adviser or any other source with respect to managing the Fund and any other accounts as of June 30, 2025; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) "Ownership of Securities." Information regarding the Portfolio Manager's dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in the Fund as of June 30, 2025.

<u>Other Accounts Managed</u>. The table below includes details regarding the number of other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by Andrew Cupps, total assets under management for each type of account and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees as of June 30, 2025:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Total<br> Number of<br> Accounts** | **Total Assets** | **Number of<br> Accounts <br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance<br> Based** | **Total Assets<br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance<br> Based<br> Advisory Fee** |
| **Type of Accounts** | **Managed** | **(millions)** | **Advisory Fee** | **(millions)** |
| **Andrew Cupps** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies: |  | $- |  | $- |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 1 | $10.16 |  | $- |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 8 | $111.46 |  | $- |

---

<u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>. Polen Capital provides advisory services to other clients which invest in securities of the same type in which the Fund invests. The Adviser is aware of its obligation to ensure that when orders for the same securities are entered on behalf of the Fund and other accounts, the Fund receives fair and equitable allocation of these orders, particularly where affiliated accounts may participate. The Adviser attempts to mitigate potential conflicts of interest by adopting policies and procedures regarding trade execution, brokerage allocation and order aggregation which provide a methodology for ensuring fair treatment for all clients in situations where orders cannot be completely filled or filled at different prices.

<u>Compensation</u>. The Adviser compensates the Fund's Portfolio Manager for management of the Fund. A Portfolio Manager's compensation consists of (i) a base salary, (ii) a year-end bonus and (iii) awards of equity ("Equity Interests") in the Adviser, including direct Equity Interests and/or phantom Equity Interests, entitling a Portfolio Manager to a proportionate year-end distribution of the Adviser's net profits. The Adviser's compensation strategy is to provide reasonable base salaries commensurate with an individual's responsibility and provide performance bonus awards. Total compensation of the Fund's Portfolio Manager is not related to the Fund's performance.

<u>Ownership of Shares of the Fund</u>. As of June 30, 2025, Mr. Cupps did not beneficially own equity securities in the Fund.

**ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES**

Pursuant to an Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated July 19, 2007, The Bank of New York Mellon performs certain administrative services for the Trust including, among other things, assisting in the preparation of the annual post-effective amendments to the Trust's registration statement, assisting in obtaining the fidelity bond and trustees' and officers'/errors and omissions insurance policies, preparing notices, agendas, and resolutions for quarterly Board of Trustees meetings, maintaining the Trust's corporate calendar, maintaining Trust contract files and providing executive and administrative services to support the Independent Trustees. The Bank of New York Mellon also performs certain administrative and accounting services for the Trust such as preparing shareholder reports, providing statistical and research data, assisting the Adviser in compliance monitoring activities, and preparing and filing federal and state tax returns on behalf of the Trust. In addition, The Bank of New York Mellon prepares and files certain reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepares certain materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Trust. The accounting services performed by The Bank of New York Mellon include determining the NAV per share of the Fund and maintaining records relating to the securities transactions of the Fund.

The table below sets forth the administration and accounting service fees paid by the Fund to The Bank of New York Mellon for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Administration and Accounting Fee | $1023 | $4481 | $3682 |

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**ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS**

**INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.** PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market St #1800, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm to the Fund.

 **LEGAL COUNSEL.** Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, 3000 Two Logan Square, 18th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as counsel to the Trust.

**CUSTODIAN.** The Bank of New York Mellon (the "Custodian"), 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286, serves as the Fund's custodian. The Custodian's services include, in addition to the custody of all cash and securities owned by the Trust, the maintenance of custody accounts in the Custodian's trust department, the segregation of all certificated securities owned by the Trust, the appointment of authorized agents as sub-custodians, disbursement of funds from the custody accounts of the Trust, releasing and delivering securities from the custody accounts of the Trust, maintaining records with respect to such custody accounts, delivering to the Trust a daily and monthly statement with respect to such custody accounts and causing proxies to be executed. The Fund has made arrangements with BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company to serve as custodian for Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs").

**TRANSFER AGENT.** BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing"), 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, serves as the Trust's Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent.

**OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.** The Trust has engaged JW Fund Management, LLC, 1636 N Cedar Crest Blvd. Suite #161, Allentown, PA 18104 to provide persons to serve as Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer and provide various other services for the Trust. The Trust has engaged Chenery Compliance Group, LLC to provide on-going compliance services, including providing an individual to serve as the Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust.

**BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES**

Subject to policies established by the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is primarily responsible for the execution of the Fund's portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage. The Adviser has no obligation to deal with any dealer or group of dealers in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities of the Fund. The Adviser often deals directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved except in those circumstances where better prices and execution are available elsewhere. It is the objective of the Adviser to seek to obtain the best results in conducting portfolio transactions for the Fund, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable dealer-spread or commission), the size, type and difficulty of the transaction involved, the firm's general execution and operations facilities and the firm's risk in positioning the securities involved. The cost of portfolio securities transactions of the Fund primarily consists of dealer or underwriter spreads and brokerage commissions.

While reasonable competitive spreads or commissions are sought, the Fund will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or commission available. Subject to obtaining the best net results, dealers who provide supplemental investment research (such as quantitative and modeling information assessments and statistical data and provide other similar services) to the Adviser may receive orders for transactions by the Fund. Information so received will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Agreement and the expense of the Adviser will not necessarily be reduced as a result of the receipt of such supplemental information. Supplemental investment research obtained from such dealers may be used by the Adviser in servicing all of its accounts and such research may or may not be useful to the Adviser in connection with the Fund. In addition, as permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Adviser may pay a broker-dealer that provides brokerage and research services an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Fund in excess of the commission that another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the amount is believed by the Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the overall quality of the brokerage and research services provided. Other clients of the Adviser may indirectly benefit from the provision of these services to the Adviser, and the Fund may indirectly benefit from services provided to the Adviser as a result of transactions for other clients. In all cases, the Adviser understands its on-going obligation to seek "best execution" of its clients' transactions. The Adviser considers the range of services provided by brokers in selecting those with whom to place trades including, but not limited to, value of research, commission rate, execution capability, responsiveness, and financial responsibility. In general, the Adviser receives a limited amount of research and/ or brokerage services paid for by brokers. The Adviser has a Best Execution Committee consisting of representatives from trading, operations, portfolio management team and investment research and compliance. The Best Execution Committee meets quarterly and is responsible for overseeing the Adviser's trading activities in accordance with the firm's Best Execution and Soft Dollar Policy and Procedures. Annually, the Best Execution Committee evaluates brokerage relationships and allocates commissions. Such evaluation considers many factors in making allocation decisions including research services provided. Such allocations are reviewed and, if necessary, revised quarterly.

The Fund invests in securities traded in the over-the-counter markets, and the Fund often deals directly with dealers who make markets in the securities involved, except in those circumstances where better execution is available elsewhere. Under the 1940 Act, except as permitted by exemptive order or rule, persons affiliated with the Fund are prohibited from dealing with the Fund as principal in the purchase and sale of securities. However, affiliated persons of the Fund may serve as its brokers in certain over-the-counter transactions conducted on an agency basis.

In certain instances, the Adviser, on behalf of its clients (including the Fund), may engage in private securities transactions directly with broker-dealers instead of effecting transactions through established exchanges or markets, and may enter into price improvement rebate arrangements with such broker-dealers, all subject to the general execution principles of the Adviser's Best Execution and Soft Dollar Policy and Procedures.

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the amount of brokerage transactions directed pursuant to the Adviser's internal allocation procedure and the related commissions were as follows:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Broker** | **Amount of<br> Directed Brokerage<br> Transactions** | **Related<br> Commissions** |
| Bank of America | $6550459.47 | $883.04 |
| Block Cross | $185899.07 | $167.35 |
| Exane/BNP | $141999.00 | $124.13 |
| Jefferies | $2027002.32 | $194.20 |
| JPM | $2237358.82 | $455.27 |
| Liquidnet | $741149.80 | $170.38 |
| Luminex | $28852.21 | $21.18 |
| Needham | $3682778.13 | $954.03 |
| Piper Jaffray | $274170.47 | $421.05 |
| RW Baird | $2890606.20 | $2197.00 |
| Sanford Bernstein | $2102074.12 | $206.32 |
| UBS | $437281.93 | $58.73 |
| Virtu | $1199266.96 | $302.87 |
| William Blair | $5615708.14 | $2731.24 |

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Securities held by the Fund may also be held by, or be appropriate investments for, other funds or investment advisory clients for which the Adviser or its affiliates act as an adviser. Because of different investment objectives or other factors, a particular security may be bought for an advisory client when other clients are selling the same security. If purchases or sales of securities by the Adviser for the Fund or other funds for which it acts as investment adviser or for other advisory clients arise for consideration at or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as are feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed by the Adviser to be on a fair and equitable basis. Transactions effected by the Adviser (or its affiliates) on behalf of more than one of its clients during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, causing an adverse effect on price.

The table below sets forth the brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Fund | $8886.79 | $8477 | $9146 |

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Neither the Fund nor the Adviser has an agreement or understanding with a broker-dealer, or other arrangements to direct the Fund's brokerage transactions to a broker-dealer because of the research services such broker provides to the Fund or the Adviser. While the Adviser does not have arrangements with any broker-dealers to direct such brokerage transactions to them because of research services provided, the Adviser may receive research services from such broker-dealers. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Adviser directed all of its brokerage transactions in the amount of $28,114,606.64 to 14 broker-dealers and paid related commissions of $8,886.79 such broker-dealers, respectively.

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to the Adviser or to an affiliate of the Fund or the Adviser.

The Fund may at times invest in securities of its regular broker-dealers or a parent of its regular broker-dealers. As of April 30, 2025, the Fund did not acquire securities of its regular broker dealers or a parent of its regular broker-dealers.

**ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES**

The additional compensation to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus may be calculated based on factors determined by the Adviser and its affiliates from time to time, including: the value of the Fund's shares sold to, or held by, a financial intermediary's customers; gross sales of the Fund's shares by a financial intermediary; or a negotiated lump sum payment.

In addition to the additional cash payments to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus, subject to applicable FINRA rules and regulations, the Adviser and its affiliates may provide compensation to financial intermediaries that may enable the Adviser and its affiliates to sponsor or participate in educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions involving the sales representatives and other employees of financial intermediaries in order to promote the sale of the Fund's shares. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses, meals, lodging and entertainment of financial intermediaries and their sales representatives and other employees in connection with such educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions. These payments may vary with each such event.

**DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES AND RULE 12B-1 PLAN**

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101, serves as a principal underwriter of the Fund's shares pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement with the Trust. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriter continuously distributes shares of the Fund on a best efforts basis. The Underwriter has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of shares of the Fund. The Underwriter and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Fund.

To the extent that the Underwriter receives fees under the Fund's Plan of Distribution adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "12b-1 Plan"), the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of marketing or sales services with respect to the Investor Class shares as may be required pursuant to such plan.

Moreover, to the extent that the Underwriter receives shareholder service fees under any shareholder services plan adopted by the Fund, the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of personal or account maintenance services with respect to the relevant shareholders of the Fund as may be required pursuant to such plan. The Underwriter receives no underwriting commissions or Rule 12b-1 fees in connection with the sale of the Fund's Institutional Class shares. The Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of Independent Trustees, have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Trust, the Fund and the shareholders of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

The Underwriter will furnish or enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions for distribution of shares of the Fund. With respect to certain financial institutions and related fund "supermarket" platform arrangements, the Fund and/or the Adviser, rather than the Underwriter, typically will furnish or enter into such agreements. These financial institutions may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from the Adviser and/or the Fund. These financial institutions may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Fund.

The Underwriting Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods provided such continuance is approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Underwriter, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the agreement, will not be liable to the Fund or its shareholders for losses arising in connection with the sale of Fund shares.

The Underwriting Agreement terminates automatically in the event of an assignment. The Underwriting Agreement is also terminable without payment of any penalty with respect to the Fund (i) by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust or the Fund and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan of the Fund or any agreements related to the 12b-1 Plan or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on sixty (60) days written notice to the Underwriter; or (ii) by the Underwriter on sixty (60) days written notice to the Fund. The Underwriter will be compensated for distribution services according to the 12b-1 Plan regardless of the Underwriter's expenses. The Underwriter uses the entire 12b-1 for distribution expenses and does not retain any amounts for profit. The Underwriter does not receive compensation from the Fund for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a 12b-1 Plan is effective. The Adviser pays the Underwriter a fee for certain distribution-related services.

The 12b-1 Plan provides that the Underwriter will be paid for distribution activities such as public relations services, telephone services, sales presentations, media charges, preparation, printing and mailing advertising and sales literature, data processing necessary to support a distribution effort and printing and mailing of prospectuses to prospective shareholders. Additionally, the Underwriter may pay certain financial institutions such as banks or broker-dealers who have entered into servicing agreements with the Underwriter and other financial institutions for distribution and shareholder servicing activities.

The 12b-1 Plan further provides that payment shall be made for any month only to the extent that such payment does not exceed 0.25% on an annualized basis of the Fund's Investor Class Shares average net assets, except with respect to limitations set from time to time by the Board of Trustees.

Under the 12b-1 Plan, if any payments made by the Adviser out of its advisory fee, not to exceed the amount of that fee, to any third parties (including banks), including payments for shareholder servicing and transfer agent functions, were deemed to be indirect financing by a Fund of the distribution of its Investor Class shares, such payments are authorized. The Fund may execute portfolio transactions with and purchase securities issued by depository institutions that receive payments under the 12b-1 Plan. No preference for instruments issued by such depository institutions is shown in the selection of investments.

**CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES**

The Trust issues and offers separate classes of shares of the Fund: Investor Class and Institutional Class shares. The shares of the Fund, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Prospectus, will be fully paid and non-assessable shares, with equal voting rights and no preferences as to conversion, exchange, dividends, redemption or any other feature.

The separate classes of shares of the Fund represent interests in the same portfolio of investments, have the same rights and are identical in all respects, except that Investor Class shares bear Rule 12b-1 distribution expenses and have exclusive voting rights with respect to the 12b-1 Plan pursuant to which the distribution fee may be paid.

The net income attributable to a class of shares and the dividends payable on such shares will be reduced by the amount of any applicable shareholder service or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees. Accordingly, the NAV of the Investor Class shares will be reduced by such amount to the extent the Fund has undistributed net income.

Shares of the Fund entitle holders to one vote per share and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, do not have preemptive or subscription rights and are transferable. Each class takes separate votes on matters affecting only that class.

The Fund does not hold an annual meeting of shareholders. The Trustees are required to call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any Trustee when requested in writing to do so by the shareholders of record owning not less than 10% of the Fund's outstanding shares.

**PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES**

**PURCHASE OF SHARES.** Information regarding the purchase of shares is discussed in the "Purchase of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES.** Information regarding the redemption of shares is discussed in the "Redemption of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**PRICING OF SHARES.** For the Fund, the NAV per share of the Fund is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets by the total number of the Fund's shares outstanding. This determination is made by The Bank of New York Mellon, as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) each day the Fund is open for business. The Fund is open for business on days when the Exchange is open for business.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations,

which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Certain fixed income securities may be valued based upon appraisals received from a pricing service using a computerized matrix system or based upon appraisals derived from information concerning the security or similar securities received from a recognized dealer or dealers in those securities. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used to value fixed income securities with 60 days or less remaining until maturity, so long as such amortized cost method approximates fair value. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**DIVIDENDS**

The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income, if any. Dividends from the Fund's net investment income are declared and paid annually to the shareholders. Distributions, if any, of net short-term capital gain and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over the short-term capital loss) realized by the Fund, after deducting any available capital loss carryovers are declared and paid to its shareholders annually.

The Fund's dividends and distributions are taxable to shareholders (other than retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors) whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. A dividend or distribution paid by the Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend distribution. A dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares by an investor would, therefore, represent, in substance, a return of capital to the shareholder with respect to such shares even though it would be subject to federal income tax. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

A statement will be sent to you after the end of each year detailing the tax status of your distributions. Please see "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by the Fund.

**CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS** 

The following discussion summarizes certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders. This discussion is for general information only and does not purport to consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that might be relevant to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund. The summary discussion that follows may not be considered to be individual tax advice and may not be relied upon by any shareholder. The summary is based upon provisions of the IRC, applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations (whether temporary, proposed or final) promulgated thereunder (the "Regulations"), and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, as are in effect as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, which change could be retroactive and may affect the conclusions expressed herein. The summary applies only to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund in whose hands such shares are capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the IRC, and may not apply to certain types of beneficial owners of shares of the Fund, including, but not limited to insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, shareholders holding the Fund's shares through tax-advantaged accounts (such as an individual retirement account (an "IRA"), a 401(k) plan account, or other qualified retirement account), financial institutions, pass-through entities, broker-dealers, entities that are not organized under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, persons who are neither a citizen nor resident of the United States, shareholders holding the Fund's shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction and shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax. Persons who may be subject to tax in more than one country should consult the provisions of any applicable tax treaty to determine the potential tax consequences to them.

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the Fund's common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of such partnership. A partner of a partnership holding the Fund's common stock should consult its own tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the partner of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Fund's common stock by the partnership.

The summary assumes that shareholders will hold the Fund's common stock as capital assets, which generally means as property held for investment. This discussion addresses only the U.S. income tax consequences of an investment by U.S. shareholders, and, therefore, does not address U.S. estate and gift tax rules, U.S. state or local taxation, the alternative minimum tax, excise taxes, transfer taxes or foreign taxes.

For purposes of the following discussion, "U.S. shareholder" is a shareholder that is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) created or organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if (a) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust's administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) it has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. A "Non-U.S. shareholder" is a person that is neither a U.S. shareholder nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") as to the federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. In addition, the following discussion applicable to shareholders of the Fund addresses only some of the federal income tax considerations generally affecting investments in the Fund.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of the ownership, purchase and disposition of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**GENERAL.** The Fund has elected, and intends to continue to qualify each year for, taxation as a RIC under Subchapter M of the IRC. By qualifying as a RIC, the Fund (but not the shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders.

Shareholders should be aware that investments made by the Fund, some of which are described below, may involve complex tax rules some of which may result in income or gain recognition by a shareholder without the concurrent receipt of cash. Although the Fund seeks to avoid significant noncash income, such noncash income could be recognized by the Fund, in which case it may distribute cash derived from other sources in order to meet the minimum distribution requirements described below. Cash to make the required minimum distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by its governing documents and other regulatory restrictions, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed.

**QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY.** Qualification as a RIC under the IRC requires, among other things, that the Fund: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income from certain qualified publicly traded partnerships (together with (i), the "Qualifying Income Requirement"); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the value of its assets is comprised of cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with those other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers controlled by it and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (together with (i) the "Diversification Requirement").

The Treasury Department is authorized to promulgate regulations under which gains from foreign currencies (and options, futures, and forward contracts on foreign currency) would not constitute qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement only if such gains are not directly related to the principal business of the Fund in investing in stock or securities or options and futures with respect to stock or securities. To date, no such regulations have been issued.

As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders in any taxable year for which it distributes, in compliance with the IRC's timing and other requirements the sum of (i) at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount income, market discount income, income from securities lending, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, certain net realized foreign currency exchange gains, and any other taxable income other than "net capital gain" as defined below and is reduced by deductible expenses all determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid); and (ii) 90% of its tax-exempt interest, if any, net of certain expenses allocable thereto ("net tax-exempt interest"). The Fund may retain for investment all or a portion of its "net capital gain" (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). If the Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who will be (i) required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of tax paid by the Fund against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of the shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder's gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by the Fund on that amount of capital gain.

The qualifying income and asset requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC, as described above, may limit the extent to which it will be able to engage in derivative transactions. Rules governing the federal income tax aspects of derivatives, including swap agreements, are not entirely clear in certain respects, particularly in light of two IRS revenue rulings issued in 2006. Revenue Ruling 2006-1 held that income from a derivative contract with respect to a commodity index is not qualifying income for a RIC. Subsequently, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2006-31 in which it stated that the holding in Revenue Ruling 2006-1 "was not intended to preclude a conclusion that the income from certain instruments (such as certain structured notes) that create a commodity exposure for the holder is qualifying income." In 2016, the IRS issued a notice and stated they would not address what constitutes a "security" for purposes of Qualifying Income. In addition, the IRS requested comments as to whether the 2006 Revenue Rulings should be withdrawn. In 2019, the IRS concluded that it would not withdraw the 2006 Revenue Rulings at that time. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in commodity related derivative transactions and other derivative transactions may be limited by the Qualifying Income Requirement. The Fund will account for any investments in commodity derivative transactions in a manner it deems to be appropriate; the IRS, however, might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized.

For purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, all of the net income of a RIC derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (generally, defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (i) of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above) will be treated as qualifying income. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the IRC do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. The transferee of a partnership interest generally is required to withhold 10% of the amount realized on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest after December 31, 2017 if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person.

For purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership.

If the Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures to satisfy the Diversification Requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, the Fund will fail to qualify as a RIC and will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation subject to tax on a flat tax rate of 21% and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) to its shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders, and a maximum long-term capital gains rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for a period of greater than two taxable years, the Fund generally would be required to recognize any built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a sale of such assets within ten years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

**EXCISE TAX.** If the Fund fails to distribute by December 31 of each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its taxable ordinary income (excluding capital gains and losses) for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (as adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the twelve month period ending on October 31 of such year), and (3) all taxable ordinary income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for the prior year that were not distributed during such year and on which it did not pay federal income tax, the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax (the "Excise Tax") on the undistributed amounts. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November, or December of that year to shareholders of record on a date in such month and paid by it during January of the following year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders (other than those not subject to federal income tax) in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. The Fund intends to actually distribute or be deemed to have distributed substantially all of its net income and gain, if any, by the end of each calendar year in compliance with these requirements so that it will generally not be required to pay the Excise Tax. The Fund may, in certain circumstances, be required to liquidate its investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid Excise Tax liability at a time when its Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so. Liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Fund to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC.

**CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS.** The Fund is permitted to carry forward a net capital loss from any year to offset its capital gains, if any, realized indefinitely in years following the year of the loss. The excess of the Fund's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gain is treated as short-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year and the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gain is treated as long-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year. If future capital gains are offset by carried forward capital losses, such future capital gains are not subject to Fund-level federal income taxation, regardless of whether they are distributed to shareholders. Accordingly, the Fund does not expect to distribute any such offsetting capital gains. The Fund cannot carry back or carry forward any net operating losses.

**MLPs.** The Fund may invest in master limited partnerships which may be treated as qualified publicly traded partnerships. Income from qualified publicly traded partnerships is qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement, but the Fund's investment in one or more of such qualified publicly traded partnerships is limited to no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets and must otherwise satisfy the Diversification Requirement. In addition, a 10% withholding is imposed tax on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest for transfers if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person or another exception applies.

**ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT AND MARKET DISCOUNT.** The Fund may acquire debt securities that are treated as having original issue discount ("OID") (generally a debt obligation with a purchase price less than its principal amount, such as a zero coupon bond). Generally, the Fund will be required to include the OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though it will not receive cash payments for such OID until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having OID which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income. Inflation-protected bonds generally can be expected to produce OID income as their principal amounts are adjusted upward for inflation. A portion of the OID includible in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities may be treated as a dividend for federal income tax purposes if the securities are characterized as equity for federal income tax purposes.

A debt security acquired in the secondary market by the Fund may be treated as having market discount if acquired at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Market discount generally is accrued ratably, on a daily basis, over the period from the date of acquisition to the date of maturity even though no cash will be received. Absent an election by the Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on its disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.

The Fund may be required to include in income certain fees that are treated as OID and required to be included in income for financial statement purposes when received (rather than when accrued into income).

In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund receives no interest payments in cash on such securities during the year.

The Fund generally will be required to make distributions to shareholders representing the income accruing on the debt securities, described above, that is currently includable in income, even though cash representing such income may not have been received by the Fund. Cash to pay these distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by the Fund's governing documents, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions.

**OPTIONS, FUTURES AND FORWARD CONTRACTS.** The writing (selling) and purchasing of options and futures contracts and entering into forward currency contracts, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes the amount, character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses the Fund realizes in connection with such transactions.

Gains and losses on the sale, lapse, or other termination of options and futures contracts, options thereon and certain forward contracts (except certain foreign currency options, forward contracts and futures contracts) will generally be treated as capital gains and losses. Some regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts, and certain non-equity options (such as certain listed options or options on broad-based securities indexes) held by the Fund ("Section 1256 contracts"), other than contracts on which it has made a "mixed-straddle election," will be required to be "marked-to-market" for federal income tax purposes, that is, treated as having been sold at their market value on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. These provisions may require the Fund to recognize income or gains without a concurrent receipt of cash. Any gain or loss recognized on actual or deemed sales of Section 1256 contracts will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary income or loss as described below. Transactions that qualify as designated hedges are exempt from the mark-to-market rule, but may require the Fund to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and certain options to the extent of any unrecognized gains on related positions held by it.

The tax provisions described above applicable to options, futures and forward contracts may affect the amount, timing, and character of the Fund's distributions to its shareholders. For example, the Section 1256 rules described above may operate to increase the amount the Fund must distribute to satisfy the minimum distribution requirement for the portion treated as short-term capital gain which will be taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income, and to increase the net capital gain it recognizes, without, in either case, increasing the cash available to it. The Fund may elect to exclude certain transactions from the operation of Section 1256, although doing so may have the effect of increasing the relative proportion of net short-term capital gain (taxable as ordinary income) and, thus, increasing the amount of dividends it must distribute. Section 1256 contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of the Excise Tax.

When a covered call or put option written (sold) by the Fund expires the Fund will realize a short-term capital gain equal to the amount of the premium it received for writing the option. When the Fund terminates its obligations under such an option by entering into a closing transaction, it will realize a short-term capital gain (or loss), depending on whether the cost of the closing transaction is less than (or exceeds) the premium received when it wrote the option. When a covered call option written by the Fund is exercised, the Fund will be treated as having sold the underlying security, producing long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon the holding period of the underlying security and whether the sum of the option price received upon the exercise plus the premium received when it wrote the option is more or less than the basis of the underlying security.

**STRADDLES.** Section 1092 deals with the taxation of straddles which also may affect the taxation of options in which the Fund may invest. Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as options, futures and forward currency contracts, may be considered, for federal income tax purposes, to constitute "straddles." Straddles are defined to include offsetting positions in actively traded personal property. In certain circumstances, the rules governing straddles override or modify the provisions of Section 1256, described above. If the Fund is treated as entering into a straddle and at least one (but not all) of its positions in derivative contracts comprising a part of such straddle is governed by Section 1256, then such straddle could be characterized as a "mixed straddle." The Fund may make one or more elections with respect to mixed straddles. Depending on which election is made, if any, the results with respect to the Fund may differ. Generally, to the extent the straddle rules apply to positions established by the Fund, losses realized by it may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in any offsetting positions. Moreover, as a result of the straddle rules, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be characterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be characterized as short-term capital gain. In addition, the existence of a straddle may affect the holding period of the offsetting positions and cause such sales to be subject to the "wash sale" and "short sale" rules. As a result, the straddle rules could cause distributions that would otherwise constitute "qualified dividend income" to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements, described below, and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income. Further, the Fund may be required to capitalize, rather than deduct currently, any interest expense and carrying charges applicable to a position that is part of a straddle. Because the application of the straddle rules may affect the character and timing of gains and losses from affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to the situation where the Fund had not engaged in such transactions.

In circumstances where the Fund has invested in certain pass-through entities, the amount of long-term capital gain that it may recognize from certain derivative transactions with respect to interests in such pass-through entities is limited under the IRC's constructive ownership rules. The amount of long-term capital gain is limited to the amount of such gain the Fund would have had if it directly invested in the pass-through entity during the term of the derivative contract. Any gain in excess of this amount is treated as ordinary income. An interest charge is imposed on the amount of gain that is treated as ordinary income.

**SWAPS AND DERIVATIVES.** As a result of entering into swap or derivative agreements, the Fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The Fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap or derivative is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap, derivative or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap or derivative will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund has been a party to a swap or derivative for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps or derivatives, the Fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or derivatives or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps or derivatives to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss. The Fund's transactions in swaps or other derivatives may be subject to one or more special tax rules (e.g., notional principal contracts, straddles, constructive sales, wash sales and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains or losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and/or character of distributions to shareholders.

Rules governing the tax aspects of swap or derivative agreements are not entirely clear in certain respects, in particular whether income generated is Qualifying Income. Accordingly, while the Fund intends to account for such transactions in a manner it deems appropriate, the IRS might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be adversely affected. The Fund intends to monitor developments in this area. Certain requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC may limit the extent to which the Fund will be able to engage in swap agreements and certain derivatives.

**CONSTRUCTIVE SALES.** Certain rules may affect the timing and character of gain if the Fund engages in transactions that reduce or eliminate its risk of loss with respect to appreciated financial positions. If the Fund enters into certain transactions (including a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract, a futures or forward contract, or other transactions identified in Treasury regulations) in property while holding an appreciated financial position in substantially identical property, it will be treated as if it had sold and immediately repurchased the appreciated financial position and will be taxed on any gain (but not loss) from the constructive sale. The character of gain from a constructive sale will depend upon the Fund's holding period in the appreciated financial position. Loss from a constructive sale would be recognized when the position was subsequently disposed of, and its character would depend on the Fund's holding period and the application of various loss deferral provisions of the IRC.

In addition, if the appreciated financial position is itself a short sale or other such contract, acquisition of the underlying property or substantially identical property by the Fund will be deemed a constructive sale. The foregoing will not apply, however, to the Fund's transaction during any taxable year that otherwise would be treated as a constructive sale if the transaction is closed within 30 days after the end of that year and the Fund holds the appreciated financial position unhedged for 60 days after that closing (i.e., at no time during that 60-day period is the Fund's risk of loss regarding the position reduced by reason of certain specified transactions with respect to substantially identical or related property, such as having an option to sell, being contractually obligated to sell, making a short sale or granting an option to buy substantially identical stock or securities).

**WASH SALES.** The Fund may be impacted in certain circumstances by special rules relating to "wash sales." In general, the wash sale rules prevent the recognition of a loss by the Fund from the disposition of stock or securities at a loss in a case in which identical or substantially identical stock or securities (or an option to acquire such property) is or has been acquired by it within 30 days before or 30 days after the sale.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities. Short sales may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by the Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to its shareholders. Short sales also may be subject to the "Constructive Sales" rules, discussed above.

**PASSIVE FOREIGN INVESTMENT COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in a non-U.S. corporation, which could be treated as a passive foreign investment company (a "PFIC") or become a PFIC under the IRC. A PFIC is generally defined as a foreign corporation that meets either of the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income for its taxable year is income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties, or capital gains); or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, such passive income. If the Fund acquires any equity interest in a PFIC, the Fund could be subject to federal income tax and interest charges on "excess distributions" received with respect to such PFIC stock or on any gain from the sale of such PFIC stock (collectively "PFIC income"), plus interest thereon even if the Fund distributes the PFIC income as a taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in the Fund's investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. The Fund's distributions of PFIC income, if any, will be taxable as ordinary income even though, absent the application of the PFIC rules, some portion of the distributions may have been classified as capital gain.

The Fund will not be permitted to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for taxes and interest charges incurred with respect to a PFIC. Payment of this tax would therefore reduce the Fund's economic return from its investment in PFIC shares. To the extent the Fund invests in a PFIC, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" ("QEF"), then instead of the tax and interest obligation described above on excess distributions, the Fund would be required to include in income each taxable year its pro rata share of the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain. As a result of a QEF election, the Fund would likely have to distribute to its shareholders an amount equal to the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain to satisfy the IRC's minimum distribution requirement described herein and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax even if the QEF did not distribute those earnings and gain to the Fund. In most instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain requirements in making the election.

The Fund may elect to "mark-to-market" its stock in any PFIC. "Marking-to-market," in this context, means including in ordinary income each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock over the Fund's adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, the Fund also may deduct (as an ordinary, not capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in the PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock it included in income for prior taxable years under the election. The Fund's adjusted basis in its PFIC stock subject to the election would be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken thereunder. In either case, the Fund may be required to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS.** Foreign currency gains and losses realized by the Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt instruments, certain options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments relating to foreign currency, foreign currencies, and foreign currency-denominated payables and receivables are subject to Section 988 of the IRC, which causes such gains and losses to be treated as ordinary income or loss and may affect the amount and timing of recognition of the Fund's income. In some cases elections may be available that would alter this treatment, but such elections could be detrimental to the Fund by creating current recognition of income without the concurrent recognition of cash. If a foreign currency loss treated as an ordinary loss under Section 988 were to exceed the Fund's investment company taxable income (computed without regard to such loss) for a taxable year the resulting loss would not be deductible by it or its shareholders in future years. The foreign currency income or loss will also increase or decrease the Fund's investment company income distributable to its shareholders.

**FOREIGN TAXATION.** Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the Fund's total assets at the close of any taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations and it meets the distribution requirements described above, the Fund may file an election (the "pass-through election") with the IRS pursuant to which shareholders of the Fund would be required to (i) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) their pro rata shares of foreign income taxes paid by the Fund even though not actually received by such shareholders; and (ii) treat such respective pro rata portions as foreign income taxes paid by them. The Fund will furnish its shareholders with a written statement providing the amount of foreign taxes paid by the Fund that will "pass-through" for the year, if any.

Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder's U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of the Fund's income will flow through to the Fund's shareholders. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. Shareholders may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Various limitations, including a minimum holding period requirement, apply to limit the credit and deduction for foreign taxes for purposes of regular federal tax and alternative minimum tax. In addition, a shareholder of the Fund may lose the ability to use foreign tax credits passed through by the Fund if the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement.

**REITs.** The Fund may invest in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require the Fund to accrue and distribute taxable income without the concurrent receipt of cash. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. The Fund's investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in its receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

The Fund may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs") or taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs"), or such REITs may themselves constitute TMPs. Under an IRS notice, and Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of the Fund's income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT's residual interest in a REMIC or a TMP (referred to in the IRC as an "excess inclusion") will be subject to federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a RIC, such as the Fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or invested in the TMP directly. As a result, the Fund may not be a suitable investment for certain tax-exempt shareholders, including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan and other tax-exempt entities. See "Tax-Exempt Shareholders."

Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that the Fund properly reports as "section 199A dividends," as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. Non-corporate shareholders are permitted a federal income tax deduction equal to 20% of qualified REIT dividends received by them, subject to certain limitations. Generally, a "section 199A dividend" is any dividend or portion thereof that is attributable to certain dividends received by a RIC from the REITs it holds, to the extent such dividends are properly reported as such by the RIC in a written notice to its shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.

**DISTRIBUTIONS.** Distributions paid out of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined at the end of the year), whether reinvested in additional shares or paid in cash, are generally taxable and must be reported by each shareholder who is required to file a federal income tax return except in the case of certain tax-exempt shareholders. Distributions in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, as computed for federal income tax purposes, will first be treated as a return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares and then as capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as a capital asset. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder's tax basis in the shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by a shareholder of the Fund's shares. Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or receive them in additional shares.

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment company taxable income are generally taxable as ordinary income, and distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions designated by the Fund as "capital gain dividends" (distributions from the excess of net long-term capital gain over short-term capital losses) will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time they have held their shares of the Fund. Such dividends do not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction described below.

Non-corporate shareholders of the Fund may be eligible for the long-term capital gain tax rate applicable to distributions of "qualified dividend income" received by such non-corporate shareholders. The maximum long-term capital gains tax rate is 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). The Fund's distribution will be treated as qualified dividend income and therefore eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rate to the extent that it receives dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding periods and other requirements are met. A corporate shareholder of the Fund may be eligible for the dividends received deduction with respect to the Fund's distributions attributable to dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations, which, if received directly by the corporate shareholder, would qualify for such a deduction. For eligible corporate shareholders, the dividends received deduction may be subject to certain reductions, and a distribution by the Fund attributable to dividends of a domestic corporation will be eligible for the deduction only if certain holding period and other requirements are met. If the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement, dividends paid while the shares are held by the borrower may not be qualified dividend income and may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax applies to net investment income including interest (excluding, tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.

The Fund will furnish a statement to shareholders providing the federal income tax status of its dividends and distributions including the portion of such dividends, if any, that qualifies as long-term capital gain.

Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement distributions and certain prohibited transactions, is accorded to accounts maintained as qualified retirement plans. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers for more information.**

**PURCHASES OF FUND SHARES.** Prior to purchasing shares in the Fund, the impact of dividends or distributions which are expected to be or have been declared, but not paid, should be carefully considered. Any dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of such shares of the Fund prior to the record date will have the effect of reducing the per share net asset value by the per share amount of the dividend or distribution, and to the extent the distribution consists of the Fund's taxable income, the purchasing shareholder will be taxed on the taxable portion of the dividend or distribution received even though some or all of the amount distributed is effectively a return of capital. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

**SALES, EXCHANGES OR REDEMPTIONS.** Upon the disposition of shares of the Fund (whether by redemption, sale or exchange), a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the shares. The capital gain will be long-term if the shares were held for more than 12 months and short-term if held for 12 months or less. If a shareholder sells or exchanges shares of the Fund within 90 days of having acquired such shares and if, before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the sale or exchange, as a result of having initially acquired those shares, the shareholder subsequently pays a reduced sales charge on a new purchase of shares of the Fund, the sales charge previously incurred in acquiring the Fund's shares generally shall not be taken into account (to the extent the previous sales charges do not exceed the reduction in sales charges on the new purchase) for the purpose of determining the amount of gain or loss on the disposition, but generally will be treated as having been incurred in the new purchase. Any loss realized on a disposition will be disallowed under the "wash sale" rules to the extent that the shares disposed of by the shareholder are replaced by the shareholder within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends received by the shareholder with respect to such shares. Capital losses are generally deductible only against capital gains except that individuals may deduct up to $3,000 of capital losses against ordinary income.

The 3.8% Medicare contribution tax (applied as described above) will apply to gains from the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund.

**BACKUP WITHHOLDING.** The Fund generally is required to withhold, and remit to the U.S. Treasury, subject to certain exemptions, an amount equal to 24% of all distributions and redemption proceeds paid or credited to a shareholder of the Fund if (i) the shareholder fails to furnish the Fund with the correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") certified under penalties of perjury, (ii) the shareholder fails to provide a certified statement that the shareholder is not subject to "backup withholding," or (iii) the IRS or a broker has notified the Fund that the number furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report interest or dividend income. If the backup withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions or proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.

**STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.** State and local laws often differ from federal income tax laws with respect to the treatment of specific items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit. This summary discussion does not address the state and local income taxes applicable to a shareholder.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the state and local tax rules affecting investments in the Fund.**

**NON-U.S. SHAREHOLDERS.** Distributions made to non-U.S. shareholders attributable to net investment income generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding at a 30% rate (or such lower rate provided under an applicable income tax treaty). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution described above is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States), federal income tax withholding and exemptions attributable to foreign persons will not apply. Instead, the distribution will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable U.S. tax rate (currently 37% in the case of individuals and 21% in the case of corporations) and the non-U.S. shareholders will be subject to the federal income tax reporting requirements generally applicable to U.S. persons described above.

Under U.S. federal tax law, a non-U.S. shareholder is not, in general, subject to federal income tax or withholding tax on capital gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of the Fund, or on capital gains dividends, provided that the Fund obtains a properly completed and signed certificate of foreign status, unless (i) such gains or distributions are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States of the non-U.S. shareholder); (ii) in the case of an individual non-U.S. shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the shares of the Fund constitute U.S. real property interests ("USRPIs"), as described below.

Under current law, if the Fund is considered to be a "United States Real Property Holding Corporation" (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), then the distributions attributable to certain underlying REIT investments and redemption proceeds paid to a non-U.S. shareholder that owns at least 5% of the Fund, generally will cause the non-U.S. shareholder to treat such gain or distribution as income effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States, subject such gain or distribution to withholding tax, and cause the non-U.S. shareholder to be required to file a federal income tax return. In addition, in any year where at least 50% of the Fund's assets are USRPIs (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), distributions of the Fund that are attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of shares in USRPIs may be subject to U.S. withholding tax (regardless of such shareholder's percentage interest in the Fund) and may require the non-U.S. shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to receive a refund (if any) of the withheld amount.

Subject to the additional rules described herein, federal income tax withholding will apply to distributions attributable to dividends and other investment income distributed by the Fund. The federal income tax withholding rate may be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. shareholder's country of residence or incorporation. In order to qualify for treaty benefits, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign status (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN). **All non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

Pursuant to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"), a 30% withholding tax generally is imposed on payments of interest and dividends to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless the foreign financial institution or foreign entity provides the withholding agent with documentation sufficient to show that it is compliant with FATCA (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). If the payment is subject to the 30% withholding tax under FATCA, a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to the 30% withholding tax described above on the same income. Under proposed regulations, FATCA withholding on the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gain distributions, scheduled to take effect beginning January 1, 2019, has been eliminated. Such proposed regulations are subject to change.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of this reporting and withholding regime to their own tax situation.**

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**FOREIGN BANK AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS AND FOREIGN FINANCIAL ASSETS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.** A shareholder that owns directly or indirectly more than 50% by vote or value of the Fund, is urged and advised to consult its own tax adviser regarding its filing obligations with respect to IRS Form FinCEN 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

Also, under enacted rules, subject to exceptions, individuals (and, to the extent provided in forthcoming future U.S. Treasury regulations, certain domestic entities) must report annually their interests in "specified foreign financial assets" on their U.S. federal income tax returns. It is currently unclear whether and under what circumstances shareholders would be required to report their indirect interests in the Fund's "specified foreign financial assets" (if any) under these new rules.

Shareholders may be subject to substantial penalties for failure to comply with these reporting requirements. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether these reporting requirements are applicable to them.**

**TAX-EXEMPT SHAREHOLDERS.** A tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") by virtue of its investment in the Fund as a result of the Fund's investments and if shares in the Fund constitute debt financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).

It is possible that a tax-exempt shareholder of the Fund will also recognize UBTI if the Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" (as described above) derived from direct or indirect investments in REMIC residual interests or TMPs. Furthermore, any investment in a residual interest of a CMO that has elected to be treated as a REMIC can create complex tax consequences, especially if the Fund has state or local governments or other tax-exempt organizations as shareholders.

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or in TMPs.

**Tax-exempt shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**TAX SHELTER REPORTING REGULATIONS.** Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper.

Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

**TAX BASIS INFORMATION.** For shares of the Fund that are redeemed, your financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) will report gains and losses realized on redemptions of shares for shareholders who are individuals and S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This information will also be reported to a shareholder on Form 1099-B and the IRS each year. In calculating the gain or loss on redemptions of shares, the average cost method will be used to determine the cost basis of the Fund's shares purchased after January 1, 2012 unless the shareholder instructs the Fund in writing that the shareholder wants to use another available method for cost basis reporting (for example, First In, First Out (FIFO), Last In, First Out (LIFO), Specific Lot Identification (SLID) or High Cost, First Out (HCFO)). If the shareholder designated SLID as the shareholder's tax cost basis method, the shareholder will also need to designate a secondary cost basis method (Secondary Method). If a Secondary Method is not provided, the Fund will designate FIFO as the Secondary Method and will use the Secondary Method with respect to systematic withdrawals that are made.

A shareholder's financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) is also required to report gains and losses to the IRS in connection with redemptions of shares by S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012. If a shareholder is a corporation and has not instructed the Fund that it is a C corporation in its Account Application or by written instruction, the Fund will treat the shareholder as an S corporation and file a Form 1099-B.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**This summary is provided for general information only and should not be considered tax advice or relied on by an investor.**

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Fund's financial statements, included in [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm), for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025 (the "Annual Report") are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The 2025 financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report thereon is also incorporated herein by reference. No other parts of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, are incorporated by reference herein. Copies of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Trust at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 or calling the Trust at (888) 678-6024 or on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/us-smid-company-growth-strategy.*

**APPENDIX A**

**DESCRIPTION OF Securities RATINGS**

**Description of Ratings**

The following descriptions of securities ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P Global Ratings"), and Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"), respectively.

**Description of Moody's Global Ratings**

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned for obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

**Description of Moody's Global Long-Term Ratings**

 **Aaa** Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal risk.

**Aa** Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

**A** Obligations rated A are considered upper medium-grade and are subject to low credit risk.

**Baa** Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba** Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

**B** Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

 **Caa** Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

**Ca** Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

**C** Obligations rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal and interest.

*Note*: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**Hybrid Indicator (hyb)**

The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

**Description of Moody's Global Short-Term Ratings**

 **P-1** Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

 **P-2** Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

 **P-3** Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

**NP** Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's U.S. Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings**

The Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale is used to rate U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.

Moody's U.S. municipal short-term obligation ratings are as follows:

**MIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

**MIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

**MIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

**Description of Moody's Demand Obligation Ratings**

For variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), Moody's assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer's ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders ("on demand") and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer's long-term rating drops below investment grade. Please see their methodology that discusses obligations with conditional liquidity support.

For VRDOs, they typically assign a VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years, but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned, and it is denoted as "NR".

Moody's demand obligation ratings are as follows:

 **VMIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

 **VMIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

 **VMIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

 **SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Issue Credit Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings' view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P Global Ratings would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings S&P Global Ratings assigns to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings' analysis of the following considerations:

● The likelihood of payment — the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

● The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P Global Ratings imputes; and

● The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

NR indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings\***

**AAA** An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

**AA** An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

**A** An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

**BBB** An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**BB; B; CCC; CC; and C** Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

**BB** An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CCC** An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

\* Ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

**CC** An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

**C** An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

**D** An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings**

**A-1** A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.

**A-2** A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

**A-3** A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

**C** A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**D** A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings' opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings' analysis will review the following considerations:

● Amortization schedule — the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

● Source of payment — the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P Global Ratings' municipal short-term note ratings are as follows:

**SP-1** Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

**SP-2** Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

**SP-3** Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

**D** 'D' is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

**Description of Fitch's Credit Ratings**

Fitch's credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issue level ratings are assigned and often include an expectation of recovery and may be notched above or below the issuer level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation).

Fitch's credit rating scale for issuers and issues is expressed using the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade) with an additional +/- for AA through CCC levels indicating relative differences of probability of default or recovery for issues. The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. Investment grade categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the speculative categories signal either a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

Fitch may also disclose issues relating to a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated. Such issues are also denoted as 'NR' on its web page.

Fitch's credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. Credit ratings do not deal with the risk of market value loss due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and/or other market considerations. However, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay or refinance a financial commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of payments linked to performance of an equity index).

Note: The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' ratings and ratings below the 'CCC' category. For the short-term rating category of 'F1', a '+' may be appended.

**Description of Fitch's Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Ratings**

**AAA** Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA** Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A** High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB** Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

 **BB** Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

 **B** Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

 **CCC** Substantial credit risk. 'CCC' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present, and default is a real possibility.

 **CC** Very high levels of credit risk. 'CC' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk and default of some kind appears probable.

**C** Near Default. 'C' ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk. A default or default-like process has begun, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired.

Ratings in the categories of 'CCC', 'CC' and 'C' can also relate to obligations or issuers that are in default. In this case, the rating does not opine on default risk but reflects the recovery expectation only.

Corporate Finance defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'RD' or 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'CCC' to 'C' rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

**Description of Fitch's Short-Term Ratings**

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Fitch's short-term ratings are as follows:

**F1** Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Under the agency's National Rating scale, this rating is assigned to the lowest default risk relative to others in the same country or monetary union. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a "+" is added to the assigned rating.

**F2** Good short-term credit quality. Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

 **F3** Fair short-term credit quality. Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**B** Speculative short-term credit quality. Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

 **C** High short-term default risk. Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

 **RD** Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

**D** Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

**Date: January 21, 2025**

**APPENDIX B**

**PROXY VOTING POLICY**

**Proxy Voting Disclosure**

Polen Capital Management, LLC and/or Polen Capital UK LLP (collectively, the "Firm" or "Polen Capital") will accept discretionary authority over a client's proxy if the Firm has discretionary authority over the client's advisory account and the advisory contract does not expressly state that the Firm will not be voting proxies or the client does not retain voting authority. The Firm currently has client accounts over which it has proxy voting authority.

The Firm exercises proxy voting to fulfill its fiduciary duty and directly influence corporate policy in a way that the Firm believes will maximize shareholder value. The investment teams are responsible for proxy voting and undertake close review and consideration of all proxy votes for governance matters and shareholder proposal issues.

The Firm utilizes a third party service provider (currently Institutional Shareholder Services or "ISS") for research and recommendations on proxy issues facilitating the processing of the Firm's ultimate selections for each proxy vote. The Firm specifically uses ISS's Sustainability Voting Guidelines currently, which we believe generally supports positive corporate ESG actions that promote practices that present new opportunities or mitigate related financial and reputational risks.

In voting proxies, the Firm currently consults ISS's Sustainability Voting Guidelines but makes an independent decision for each vote. If the Firm disagrees with ISS's recommendation, the reasons are documented internally.

Additional information about ISS and the ISS Sustainability Voting Guidelines is available at http://www.issgovernance.com/policy.

The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital has been delegated the authority for ensuring voting decisions are documented in accordance with these policies and ensuring there are processes in place to facilitate the voting of proxies in a timely manner.

Polen Capital relies on ISS to maintain proxy statements and records of proxy votes cast and can provide a client with an annual proxy voting summary upon request.

The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital maintains a list of those companies which issue publicly traded securities and with which the Firm (or its affiliates) has such a relationship that proxies presented with respect to those companies may be perceived to give rise to a conflict of interest between the Firm and its clients. Examples of such a relationship include:

● Companies affiliated with directors, or immediate family members of directors of the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm;

● Companies affiliated with officers, or immediate family members of officers of the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm; and

● Companies that maintain significant business relationships with the Firm or of affiliates of the Firm, or with which the Firm or an affiliate of the Firm is actively seeking a significant business relationship.

In addition, any proxy vote that would result in increased compensation to the Firm or an affiliate due to increased or additional fees or other charges to be paid by the client, would also be considered a vote where the Firm has a conflict of interest. The Chief Compliance Officer of Polen Capital will determine, based on a review of the issues raised by the conflict of interest, the nature of the potential conflict and, most importantly, given the Firm's commitment to voting proxies in the best interests of client accounts, how the proxy will be handled. The Chief Compliance Officer will perform one of the following duties as a result:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Disclose the conflict to the client(s), providing sufficient information regarding the matter and the nature of the Firm's conflict, and obtaining consent before voting;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Employ ISS to advise in the voting of the proxy;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Employ ISS to vote the proxy on behalf of the Firm and its clients; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Decline to vote the proxy because of the cost of addressing the potential conflict of interest is greater than the benefit to the clients of voting the proxy.

To request a copy of how a proxy was voted please contact compliance@polencapital.com.

![](pro-ddjrx_001.jpg)

**Polen opportunistic high yield Fund**

Investor Class DDJRX Institutional Class DDJCX Class Y DDJIX

*a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

**PROSPECTUS**

September 1, 2025

**These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.**

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[Fund Summary](#ddjrx_001)** | **1** |
| [**More Information about the Fund's Investment Objective, Strategies and Risks**](#ddjrx_002) | **9** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Objective](#ddjrx_003) | 9 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Information about the Fund's Investment Strategies](#ddjrx_004) | 9 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Principal Risks](#ddjrx_005) | 10 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Risks](#ddjrx_006) | 13 |
| [**More Information about Management of the Fund**](#ddjrx_007) | **15** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Adviser](#ddjrx_008) | 15 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Portfolio Managers](#ddjrx_009) | 15 |
| [**Shareholder Information**](#ddjrx_010) | **16** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Pricing of Shares](#ddjrx_011) | 16 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Purchase of Shares](#ddjrx_012) | 17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Open an Account](#ddjrx_013) | 18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Add to an Account](#ddjrx_014) | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Redemption of Shares](#ddjrx_015) | 23 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Redeem from Your Account](#ddjrx_016) | 24 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Transaction Policies](#ddjrx_017) | 25 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchanging Into Other Share Classes](#ddjrx_018) | 26 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Exchanging Into Other Polen Funds](#ddjrx_018a) | 26 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Shareholder Services](#ddjrx_019) | 27 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributions](#ddjrx_020) | 27 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[More Information about Taxes](#ddjrx_021) | 28 |
| **[Financial Highlights](#ddjrx_022)** | **30** |
| **[For More Information](#ddjrx_023)** | **Back Cover** |

---

**FUND SUMMARY**

**POLEN OPPORTUNISTIC HIGH YIELD FUND**

**Investment Objective**

Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund (the "Fund") seeks to achieve overall total return consisting of a high level of current income together with long-term capital appreciation.

**Fees and Expenses**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.**

**Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment):**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Investor<br> Class** | **Institutional<br> Class** | **Class Y** |
| Redemption Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed within 60 days of purchase) | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% |

---

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** |
| Management Fees | 0.70% | 0.70% | 0.70% |
| Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Fees | 0.25% |  |  |
| Other Expenses | 0.23% | 0.19% | 0.12% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses** | **1.18%** | **0.89%** | **0.82%** |
| Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement<sup>1</sup> | (0.04)% | 0.00% | (0.03)% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement<sup>1</sup>** | **1.14%** | **0.89%** | **0.79%** |

---

<sup>1</sup> Polen Capital Credit, LLC ("Polen Credit" or the "Adviser") has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses (excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by FundVantage Trust (the "Trust"), interest and other costs of borrowing, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.89% with respect to Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares and 0.79% with respect to Class Y shares (on an annual basis) with respect to the Fund's average daily net assets (the "Expense Limitation"). The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, such amounts reduced or reimbursed for a period of up to three (3) years from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of the reimbursement. No reimbursement will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation.

**Example**

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in Investor Class shares, Institutional Class shares and Class Y shares of the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (reflecting any contractual fee waivers). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 years** |
| Investor Class | $116 | $370 | $645 | $1427 |
| Institutional Class | $91 | $283 | $492 | $1093 |
| Class Y | $81 | $258 | $451 | $1009 |

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**Portfolio Turnover**

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 59% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Principal Investment Strategy** 

The Fund pursues its investment objective by seeking to outperform, after taking into account fees and expenses, the broader high yield market over a complete credit cycle. The "credit cycle" is a cyclical event that generally occurs over a several year timeframe as access to credit increases or decreases for borrowers.

The Fund seeks to achieve its objective mainly by investing in fixed- and floating-rate high yield fixed income securities with a focus on "middle market" issuers in the United States and, to a much lesser extent, Canada. The Adviser considers middle market companies to be those with normalized earnings before interest, tax and depreciation ("EBITDA")in the range of $75-250 million. The Adviser believes that the flexibility to invest, sell, and reinvest throughout the capital structure of an issuer (and in particular, in both more senior bank loans and more junior high yield bonds) enables the Adviser to tailor its investment approach to the specific credit-related circumstances of that issuer as they may change from time to time and thereby select the most attractive opportunities for the Fund.

The Adviser invests assets of the Fund primarily in credit instruments that are rated below investment grade by some or all relevant independent rating agencies, including Moody's Investors Service, Standard and Poor's Rating Services and Fitch Ratings (including a significant portion of such assets in credit instruments in the lower tier of the high yield market that are rated B and below). Additionally, certain other high yield securities may be unrated by rating agencies but determined by the Adviser to be of similar quality as other below investment grade bonds and credit instruments and accordingly purchased for investment by the Fund. The Fund does not have a percentage limitation on investing in securities that are rated below investment grade.

High yield fixed income securities include high yield corporate bonds (commonly known as "junk bonds"), senior loans, convertible bonds, preferred stock, and other types of debt instruments (including, without limitation, unregistered (Rule 144A) securities, floating and variable rate securities and other restricted fixed income securities to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act")). In addition, the Fund may also purchase equity securities or otherwise hold positions in equity or other assets that the Fund receives as part of a reorganization process of a high yield issuer, and the Fund may hold those assets until such time as the Adviser believes that a disposition is most advantageous. From time to time, the Fund may make investments in distressed or defaulted securities or in issuers that are in bankruptcy. Although the Fund does not have any maturity or duration requirements, the Fund typically holds securities that, on average, have a shorter maturity and duration than the maturity and duration of broad-based high yield market indices.

In making these investments, the Adviser seeks to purchase instruments that the Adviser believes are undervalued and offer a compelling risk/reward ratio. Specifically, the Adviser's investment process attempts to exploit inefficiencies in the high yield credit markets by adhering to a disciplined, bottom-up, fundamentally-oriented investment process with an emphasis

on downside protection. The Adviser believes that its portfolios can appropriately balance these risks with the potential reward by purchasing securities of companies at deep discounts to intrinsic enterprise value, thereby providing significant cushion from a loan-to-value perspective; by properly understanding, as part of the Adviser's due diligence process, the relevant legal aspects of a bond indenture or loan document with a focus on downside or bankruptcy scenarios; and by managing liquidity in the portfolio by limiting the number and size of positions considered by the Adviser to be less liquid in nature. This process applies value investing principles through rigorous research coupled with financial, structural and legal analysis, including a review of bankruptcy law considerations where applicable. The foundation of this investment process is to derive an accurate, real-time valuation of a target company and to only invest in securities of that company's capital structure that offer a significant margin of safety coupled with strong total return potential. "Significant margin of safety" means that the Fund endeavors to identify securities with a low loan-to-value ratio where there is accordingly low risk that the subject security will default and experience principal losses as a result. By utilizing such a fundamental, bottom-up approach to investing, the Adviser seeks to add value first and foremost through security selection.

The Adviser manages a relatively concentrated portfolio typically comprising between 50-90 issuers and 60-120 issues. The Fund has adopted an investment policy providing that under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of the value of its assets (net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in high yield fixed income securities. This 80% policy may be changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders.

**Summary of Principal Risks**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor and the relative significance of each risk below may change over time. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value ("NAV"), yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not be a suitable investment for all investors.

● **High Yield Securities Risk:** High yield securities (also known as junk bonds) are generally considered riskier than investment grade, fixed income securities. The total return and yield of high yield securities can be expected to fluctuate more than the total return and yield of higher quality securities. High yield securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. Successful investment in high yield securities involves greater investment risk and is highly dependent on the Adviser's credit analysis and market analysis.

● **Credit Risk:** The risk that the issuer of a security, or the counterparty to a contract, will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation (such as the payment of interest or principal on a debt security).

● **Debt Securities Risk:** Debt securities in which the Fund invests are subject to several types of investment risk, including market or interest rate risk (i.e., the risk that their value will be inversely affected by fluctuations in the prevailing interest rates), credit risk (i.e., the risk that the issuer may be unable to make timely interest payments and repay the principal upon maturity), call or income risk (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities with high interest rates will be prepaid or "called" by the issuer before they mature), and event risk (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities may suffer a substantial decline in credit quality and market value if the issuer restructures). Fixed income markets have recently experienced a period of relatively high volatility. If the Federal Reserve continues to increase interest rates, fixed income markets (and the high yield market in particular) could experience continuing high volatility, which could negatively impact the Fund's performance. A projection of an economic downturn or of a period rising interest rates, for example, could cause a decline in high yield bond prices because the advent of a recession could lessen the ability of a highly leveraged company to make principal and interest payment on its debt securities.

● **Bank Loan Risk:** The Fund's investment in secured and unsecured assignments of (or participations in) bank loans may create substantial risk. In making investments in bank loans, which are made by banks or other financial intermediaries to borrowers, the Fund will depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and interest. In addition, the settlement of bank loans occurs on an extended (multi-week) basis, which may prevent the Fund from obtaining liquidity of certain assets within a desired timeframe. In addition, there is the potential that bank loans and other similar instruments may not be considered "securities" and, as a result, the Fund may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections under the federal securities laws and instead may have to resort to state law and direct claims.

● **Bankruptcy and Restructuring Risk:** The Fund may target securities and other obligations of issuers that are in financial difficulty and/or may be in, entering, or emerging from bankruptcy proceedings. Bankruptcy or other insolvency proceedings are highly complex and may result in unpredictable outcomes. In any investment opportunity involving work-outs, liquidations, spin-offs, reorganizations, bankruptcies and similar transactions, there exists the risk that the contemplated transaction may be unsuccessful. Similarly, if an anticipated transaction does not in fact occur, the Fund may be required to sell the investment at a loss. The level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties is unusually high. Because there is a substantial uncertainty concerning the outcome of transactions involving financially troubled companies in which the Fund may invest, there is a potential risk of loss of the entire investment in such companies, as well as the risk that the Fund may be required to accept cash or new securities with a value less than the Fund's original investment and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. Under such circumstances, the returns generated from the Fund's investments may not compensate it adequately for the risks assumed.

● **Canadian Securities Risk:** The Fund may invest in, and/or have exposure to, Canadian securities. The Canadian economy may be significantly affected by the U.S. economy because the U.S. is Canada's largest trading partner and foreign investor. Canada's largest exports are its natural resources, so the Canadian economy is dependent on the demand for, and supply and price of, natural resources, and any market developments that reduce the price of such goods could disproportionately affect the Canadian economy.

● **Cash Positions:** The Fund may not always stay fully invested. For example, when the Adviser believes that market conditions are unfavorable for profitable investing or when it is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund's cash or similar investments may increase. In other words, cash or similar investments generally are a residual – they represent the assets that remain after the Fund has committed available assets to desirable investment opportunities. When the Fund's investments in cash or similar investments increase, it may not participate in market advances to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested, and the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be affected.

● **Convertible Bond Risk:** Convertible bonds are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both bonds and common stocks and are therefore subject to both debt securities risk and equity securities risk. Convertible bonds are subject to equity securities risk especially when their conversion value is greater than the interest and principal value of the bond. The prices of equity securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes and may decline over short or extended periods of time.

● **Equity Securities Risk:** Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition, historical and prospective earnings of the company, interest rates, investor perceptions and overall market and economic conditions. The prices of securities change in response to many factors including the value of its assets.

● **Foreign Securities Risk:** The risk that investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Fund experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to less liquid markets, and adverse economic, political, diplomatic, financial, and regulatory factors. Foreign governments also may impose limits on investment and repatriation and impose taxes. Any of these events could cause the value of the Fund's investments to decline.

● **Interest Rate Risk:** The risk of market losses attributable to changes in interest rates. With fixed rate securities, a rise in interest rates typically causes a fall in values. The yield earned by the Fund will vary with changes in interest rates. The longer the average maturity of the Fund's investment portfolio, the greater the fluctuation in value.

**●** **Liquidity Risk:** The risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the seller would like.

**●** **Management Risk:** As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best performing securities or investment techniques, and the Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds. The Adviser may also miss an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in less advantageous investments.

● **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

● **Preferred Stock Risk:** Preferred stock is a class of a capital stock that typically pays dividends at a specified rate. Preferred stock is generally senior to common stock, but subordinate to debt securities, with respect to the payment of dividends and on liquidation of the issuer. The market value of preferred stock generally decreases when interest rates rise and is also affected by the issuer's ability to make payments on the preferred stock.

● **Prepayment Risk:** The risk that a debt security may be paid off and proceeds invested earlier than anticipated. Depending on market conditions, the new investments may or may not carry the same interest rate.

● **Private Placement Risk:** Private placements involve securities not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). In addition to the general risks associated with fixed income securities, such securities (including "144A" securities) may be subject to restrictions on resale, transaction costs for such securities may be higher than comparable securities, and there may be no liquid secondary market for such securities.

● **Rule 144A Securities Risk:** The market for certain Rule 144A securities can be less active than the market for publicly-traded securities. Certain Rule 144A securities carry a heightened risk that the liquidity of these securities may become impaired, making it more difficult for the Fund to sell these bonds at reasonable prices.

● **Small- and Mid-Cap Risk:** The Fund's investment approach is focused on identifying attractive securities issued by "middle market" companies. However, the securities of smaller and mid-size companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies. This can adversely affect the prices at which the Fund can purchase and sell these securities, and thus the value of the Fund's shares.

● **Valuation Risk:** Unlike publicly-traded common stock, which trades on national exchanges, there is no central exchange for fixed-income securities, including bank loans, to trade. Such fixed-income securities generally trade on an "over-the-counter" market, where the buyer and seller can settle on a price. Due to the lack of centralized information and trading, the valuation of fixed-income securities may carry more risk than that of publicly-traded common stocks. Uncertainties in the conditions of the financial market, unreliable reference data, lack of transparency and inconsistency of valuation models and processes may lead to inaccurate asset pricing by third-party pricing vendors. Moreover, to the extent that prices or quotations are not available from such third-party pricing vendors, or when the Adviser believes that they are unreliable, securities may be priced by the Fund using fair value procedures approved by the Trust's Board of Trustees. In addition, other market participants may value securities differently than the Fund. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the risk that when a fixed-income security is sold in the market, the amount received by the Fund is less than the value of such fixed-income security carried on the Fund's books.

● **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory

backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

**Performance Information**

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks and volatility of investing in the Fund by showing: (a) changes in the performance of the Fund's Class Y shares from year to year; and (b) how the average annual total return of the Fund's Class Y shares compare to those of a regulatorily required broad-based securities market index (Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index) (the "Regulatory Benchmark") and the ICE BofA U.S. High Yield Index (the "Performance Benchmark"). The Adviser believes that the Performance Benchmark is generally more representative of the market sectors and/or types of investments in which the Fund invests or to which the Fund has exposure and which the Adviser uses to measure the Fund's performance. The Fund has included in the table below the performance of the Regulatory Benchmark, which represents a broader measure of market performance, to comply with regulatory requirements. The Fund is the successor to the Polen DDJ Opportunistic High Yield Fund, a series of ALPS Series Trust (the "Predecessor Fund"), a mutual fund with substantially similar investment objectives, strategies, policies, and restrictions, as a result of the reorganization of the Predecessor Fund into the Fund on July 24, 2023 (the "Reorganization Date"). The performance in the bar chart and table prior to the Reorganization Date is that of the Predecessor Fund. The Fund's performance information reflects applicable fee waivers/expense limitations, if any, during the period shown and absent such fee waivers/expense limitations performance would have been lower. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/us-opportunistic-high-yield-fund* or by calling the Fund toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

![](pro-ddjrx_002.jpg)

Calendar Year-to-Date Total Return as of June 30, 2025: 2.95%

During the periods shown in the chart:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best Quarter** | **Worst Quarter** |
| 9.83% | (15.97)% |
| (June 30, 2020) | (March 31, 2020) |

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2024<sup>1</sup>** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **Since<br> Inception<br> (July 16, 2015)** |
| Class Y Shares Return Before Taxes | 8.89% | 3.57% | 4.62% |
| Class Y Shares Return After Taxes on Distributions | 5.42% | 0.51% | 1.25% |
| Class Y Shares Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 5.19% | 1.36%<sup>2</sup> | 2.00%<sup>2</sup> |
| Institutional Class Return Before Taxes | 8.87% | 3.56% | 4.62% |
| Investor Class Shares Return Before Taxes | 8.51% | 3.21% | 4.27% |
| ICE BofA U.S. High Yield Index\* (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>3</sup> | 8.22% | 4.04% | 5.08% |
| Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index\*\* (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>3</sup> | 2.04% | 0.06% | 1.79% |

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*\** *Source: ICE Data Indices, LLC ("ICE DATA"), is used with permission. ICE DATA, its affiliates and their respective third-party suppliers disclaim any and all warranties and representations, express and/or implied, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use, including the index, index data and any data included in, related to, or derived therefrom. Neither ICE DATA, its affiliates or their respective third-party providers shall not be subject to any damages or liability with respect to the adequacy, accuracy, timeliness or completeness of the index or the index data or any component thereof, and the index and index data and all components thereof are provided on an "as is" basis and your use is at your own risk. ICE DATA, its affiliates and their respective third-party suppliers do not sponsor, endorse, or recommend the Adviser, the Fund, or any of the Adviser's products or services.*

*\*\** *Source: Bloomberg Index Services Limited. BLOOMBERG<sup>®</sup> and the Bloomberg indices referenced herein (for purposes of this paragraph, the "Indices", and each such index, an "Index") are service marks of Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates (collectively "Bloomberg") and/or one or more third-party providers (each such provider, a "Third-Party Provider,") and have been licensed for use for certain purposes to Polen Capital Credit, LLC (the "Licensee"). To the extent a Third-Party Provider contributes intellectual property in connection with the Index, such third-party products, company names and logos are trademarks or service marks, and remain the property, of such Third-Party Provider. Bloomberg or Bloomberg's licensors own all proprietary rights in the Bloomberg Indices. Neither Bloomberg nor Bloomberg's licensors, including a Third-Party Provider, approves or endorses this material, or guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information herein, or makes any warranty, express or implied, as to the results to be obtained therefrom and, to the maximum extent allowed by law, neither Bloomberg nor Bloomberg's licensors, including a Third-Party Provider, shall have any liability or responsibility for injury or damages arising in connection therewith.*

<sup>1</sup> The performance information reflects the performance of the Predecessor Fund from its inception on July 16, 2015 through the Reorganization Date.

<sup>2</sup> The "Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares" is higher than the "Return After Taxes on Distributions" because of realized losses that would have been sustained upon sale of Fund shares immediately after the relevant periods.

<sup>3</sup> The ICE BofA U.S. High Yield Index, which is maintained by ICE Data Indices, LLC, is market capitalization weighted and comprises U.S. dollar denominated below investment grade corporate debt publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market. The Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index covers U.S.-dollar denominated, taxable bonds that are rated either investment grade or high-yield.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown and are not relevant if you hold your shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns shown are for Class Y shares; after-tax returns for Institutional Class shares and Investor Class shares will vary.

**Management of the Fund**

**Investment Adviser**

Polen Capital Credit, LLC serves as the Fund's investment adviser.

**Portfolio Managers**

**Benjamin J. Santonelli**, Portfolio Manager, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023. He served as co-portfolio manager of the Predecessor Fund since 2018, and assistant portfolio manager since 2016.

**John W. Sherman**, Portfolio Manager, has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in 2023. He served as co-portfolio manager of the Predecessor Fund since 2018, and assistant portfolio manager since 2016.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

**Minimum Investment Requirements**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Account Type** | **Minimum** | **Investor<br> Class** | **Institutional<br> Class** |
| Regular Accounts | Initial Investment | $3000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |
| Individual Retirement Accounts | Initial Investment | $2000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |
| Automatic Investment Plan | Initial Investment | $2000 | $100000 |
|  | Additional Investments | $100 | $0 |

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The minimum initial investment in Class Y shares is $1,000,000. Class Y shares are available exclusively to institutional investors, including, but not limited to, charitable organizations, governmental institutions, corporations, and trust & private bank platforms. Individual investors cannot invest directly in Class Y shares other than through a trust, private bank platform or other authorized financial intermediary.

You can only purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on days the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open and through the means described below.

**Purchase or Redemption by Mail:**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262 |

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**Purchase by Wire:**

Please contact Fund shareholder services ("Shareholder Services") toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for current wire instructions.

**Redemption by Telephone:**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**Tax Information**

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Such distributions are not currently taxable when shares are held through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. However, subsequent withdrawals from any tax-deferred account in which the shares are held may be subject to federal income tax.

**Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and/or for related services to shareholders. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S<br> INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, STRATEGIES AND RISKS**

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE**

The Fund seeks to achieve overall total return consisting of a high level of current income together with long-term capital appreciation. Although no change is anticipated, the Fund's investment objective may be changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S INVESTMENT STRATEGIES**

The Fund's principal investment strategies are discussed in the "Fund Summary" section. Principal investment strategies are those that the Adviser uses on a day-to-day basis to achieve the Fund's investment objective. This section provides more information about these strategies, as well as information about some additional strategies that the Fund's Adviser uses, or may use, to achieve the Fund's objective. Additional information about these investment strategies and practices and related risks is also provided in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"). The Fund may also use strategies and invest in securities that are not described in this Prospectus, but that are described in the Fund's SAI. The investments and strategies discussed below are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions.

**What is the Adviser's Investment Philosophy?**

The Adviser's opportunistic high yield investment philosophy is based upon its belief that the lower-rated segments of the high yield market (rated B and below) are the most inefficient areas of the market and provide ample investment opportunities.

The Adviser believes that inefficiencies arise in this market segment (and in particular with respect to issuers within the middle market) for several reasons, including:

● Many traditional managers of large-cap high yield portfolios do not have an in-depth understanding of this market and/or do not participate in it. These traditional high yield managers oftentimes manage outsized, inflexible funds with large minimum investment size criteria. Therefore, they may not find it cost-effective to dedicate resources to the middle market segment, which the Adviser believes to be less frequently traded and offers smaller investment sizes. This segment accordingly is not as widely covered by high yield research analysts, and fewer brokers make a market trading in its securities. Because of the more limited following

in the middle market, investment managers, such as the Adviser, that dedicate the resources and perform a heightened level of due diligence, are able to identify attractive investment opportunities.

● Traditional high yield managers generally may operate under more rigid investment guidelines than the Fund, which give rise to market inefficiencies. For example, certain mutual funds and structured products (e.g., CLOs) that invest in the leveraged credit market may have restrictions on the amount of CCC-rated investments that can be held in their portfolios. In addition, other institutional portfolios also have similar restrictions on the amount of CCC-rated investments that may be held. Consequently, managers of such portfolios may be encouraged, if not required to divest debt securities that are downgraded below a single-B rating, potentially at a depressed trading price, without regard to the merits of the investment or whether the manager agrees with the rating agency's new characterization of risk.

The Adviser seeks to identify and exploit inefficiencies such as these by adhering to a disciplined, fundamental-oriented investment process based upon company-specific research and applying value investing principles to the credit markets through financial and legal analysis. The Adviser's investment process generally involves observing a company as a whole and deriving a total enterprise value, and then generally only targeting those investments in that company's capital structure that the Adviser believes offer a significant margin of safety coupled with strong return potential.

As part of its due diligence process, the Adviser attempts to create a comprehensive analytical overview of a target company focused on its current and future business prospects. In addition, the Adviser may evaluate the company's senior management, industry fundamentals, market share, pricing power, operating characteristics and historical and projected financial performance to identify the risk and rewards of an investment.

In particular, the Adviser's fundamental analysis of each investment opportunity typically focuses on the following three components:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. *Cash Flow* – An evaluation of a company's ability to both (a) service its fixed obligations, including interest, capital expenditures, and working capital needs, and (b) generate free cash flow that will enable it to repay its debt or reinvest capital. Polen Credit believes that

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| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | understanding an issuer's discretionary free cash flow is important in assessing downside risk in the context of an adverse credit event that causes liquidity or cash flow to deteriorate. |
| 2. | *Enterprise Value Coverage* – An analysis of a company's overall enterprise value relative to its liabilities and equity value (a "loan-to-value" analysis), including a determination of a company's value to prospective acquirer(s) of such business in whole or in pieces under a variety of economic assumptions. |

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. *Legal Protections and Contractual Remedies* – An assessment of the contractual rights and remedies set forth in relevant legal documents governing a particular investment, such as a loan agreement, bond indenture, and/or intercreditor agreement.

Once a potential investment opportunity is identified, a research analyst will generally prepare a "first pass" analysis outlining the company's business model and financial condition, together with a proposed investment thesis. If a portfolio manager agrees with the analyst's recommendation, the analyst will undertake a more in-depth "second pass" analysis to create an overall financial assessment of the investment opportunity and verify the investment thesis. This second pass, or "deep dive," includes more extensive due diligence on the business and the securities that are being considered for investment. During this stage, Polen Credit's analysts may meet or conduct teleconferences with target company management, as well as with competitors, customers, suppliers and other third parties that are familiar with the company or industry, in order to acquire a more thorough understanding of the relevant aspects of the underlying business and corresponding investment opportunity. At this time, the research analyst is tasked with identifying all material risks related to the investment opportunity (including, without limitation, risks related to sustainability factors) in an effort to evaluate the overall risk-reward profile of the proposed investment.

Maintaining adequate downside protection is a key principle to the Adviser's risk management philosophy. In order to assess downside protection, the Adviser endeavors to undertake a careful evaluation of credit risk, legal risk and liquidity risk, as understanding these risks in particular is a crucial element of the Adviser's due diligence with respect to each investment opportunity. The Adviser believes that its portfolios can appropriately balance these risks with the potential reward by purchasing securities of companies at deep discounts to intrinsic enterprise value, thereby providing significant cushion from a loan-to-value perspective; by properly understanding, as part of the Adviser's due diligence process, the relevant legal

aspects of a bond indenture or loan document with a focus on downside or bankruptcy scenarios and by managing liquidity in the portfolio by limiting the number and size of positions considered by the Adviser to be less liquid in nature.

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"). At times, the Fund may be required to segregate or earmark certain assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser (generally, short-term investment grade fixed income securities) to cover borrowings.

The investments and strategies discussed above are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions. The Fund also may use other strategies and engage in other investment practices, which are described in the Fund's SAI.

In anticipation of or in response to adverse market or other conditions or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, the Fund may temporarily hold all or a portion of its assets in U.S. government securities, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures. Under such conditions, the Fund may not invest in accordance with its investment objective or principal investment strategy and may not achieve its investment objective.

**PRINCIPAL RISKS**

There are inherent risks associated with the Fund's principal investment strategies. The factors that are most likely to have a material effect on the Fund's investment portfolio as a whole are called "principal risks." The principal risks of the Fund are summarized in the Fund's "Summary Section" above and further described below. The Fund may be subject to additional risks other than those described because, among other reasons, the types of investments made by the Fund may change over time. For additional information regarding risks of investing in the Fund, please see the SAI. It is important to read all the disclosure information provided and to understand that you may lose money by investing in the Fund.

**High Yield Securities Risk:** High yield securities (also known as junk bonds) are generally considered riskier than investment grade, fixed income securities. The total return and yield of high yield securities can be expected to fluctuate more than the total return and yield of higher quality securities. High yield securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. Successful investment in high yield securities involves greater investment risk and is highly dependent on the Adviser's credit analysis and market analysis.

**Credit Risk:** The risk that the issuer of a security, or the counterparty to a contract, will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation (such as the payment of interest or principal on a debt security). Certain U.S. government agency securities are backed by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, while others, such as securities issued by the Federal Farm Credit Bank, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal National Mortgage Association and Federal Home Loan Bank, are supported only by the issuer's right to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the issuer's obligations, or by the issuer's own credit. However, the Fund will invest in the securities of such issuers only when the Adviser believes that the credit risk is minimal.

**Debt Securities Risk:** Debt securities in which the Fund invests are subject to several types of investment risk, including market or interest rate risk (i.e., the risk that their value will be inversely affected by fluctuations in the prevailing interest rates), credit risk (i.e., the risk that the issuer may be unable to make timely interest payments and repay the principal upon maturity), call or income risk, (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities with high interest rates will be prepaid or "called" by the issuer before they mature), and event risk (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities may suffer a substantial decline in credit quality and market value if the issuer restructures). Fixed income markets have recently experienced a period of relatively high volatility. If the Federal Reserve continues to increase interest rates, fixed income markets (and the high yield market in particular) could experience continuing high volatility, which could negatively impact the Fund's performance. A projection of an economic downturn or of a period rising interest rates, for example, could cause a decline in high yield bond prices because the advent of a recession could lessen the ability of a highly leveraged company to make principal and interest payment on its debt securities.

**Bank Loan Risk:** The Fund's investment in secured and unsecured assignments of (or participations in) bank loans may create substantial risk. In making investments in bank loans, which are made by banks or other financial intermediaries to borrowers, the Fund will depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and interest. In addition, the settlement of bank loans occurs on an extended (multi-week) basis, which may prevent the Fund from obtaining liquidity of certain assets within a desired timeframe. In addition, there is the potential that bank loans and other similar instruments may not be considered "securities" and, as a result, the Fund may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections under the federal securities laws and instead may have to resort to state law and direct claims.

**Bankruptcy and Restructuring Risk:** The Fund may target securities and other obligations of issuers that are in financial difficulty and/or may be in, entering, or emerging from bankruptcy proceedings. Bankruptcy or other insolvency proceedings are highly complex and may result in unpredictable outcomes. In any investment opportunity involving work-outs, liquidations, spin-offs, reorganizations, bankruptcies and similar transactions, there exists the risk that the contemplated transaction may be unsuccessful. Similarly, if an anticipated transaction does not in fact occur, the Fund may be required to sell the investment at a loss. The level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties is unusually high. Because there is a substantial uncertainty concerning the outcome of transactions involving financially troubled companies in which the Fund may invest, there is a potential risk of loss of the entire investment in such companies, as well as the risk that the Fund may be required to accept cash or new securities with a value less than the Fund's original investment and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. Under such circumstances, the returns generated from the Fund's investments may not compensate it adequately for the risks assumed.

**Canadian Securities Risk:** The Fund may invest in, and/or have exposure to, Canadian securities. The Canadian economy may be significantly affected by the U.S. economy because the U.S. is Canada's largest trading partner and foreign investor. Canada's largest exports are its natural resources, so the Canadian economy is dependent on the demand for, and supply and price of, natural resources, and any market developments that reduce the price of such goods could disproportionately affect the Canadian economy.

**Cash Positions:** The Fund may not always stay fully invested. For example, when the Adviser believes that market conditions are unfavorable for profitable investing or when it is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund's cash or similar investments may increase. In other words, cash or similar investments generally are a residual – they represent the assets that remain after the Fund has committed available assets to desirable investment opportunities. When the Fund's investments in cash or similar investments increase, it may not participate in market advances to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested, and the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be affected.

**Convertible Bond Risk:** Convertible bonds are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both bonds and common stocks and are therefore subject to both debt securities risk and equity securities risk. Convertible bonds are subject to equity securities risk especially when their

conversion value is greater than the interest and principal value of the bond. The prices of equity securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes and may decline over short or extended periods of time.

**Equity Securities Risk:** Markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition, historical and prospective earnings of the company, interest rates, investor perceptions and overall market and economic conditions. Market performance and economic factors may adversely affect securities markets generally, which could in turn adversely affect the value of the Fund's investments, regardless of the performance or expected performance of companies in which the Fund invests. Holders of common stock generally are subject to more risks than holders of preferred stock or debt securities because the right to repayment of common stockholders' claims is subordinated to that of preferred stock and debt securities upon the bankruptcy of the issuer.

**Interest Rate Risk:** The risk of market losses attributable to changes in interest rates. With fixed rate securities, a rise in interest rates typically causes a fall in values. The yield earned by the Fund will vary with changes in interest rates. The longer the average maturity of the Fund's investment portfolio, the greater the fluctuation in value. Duration is a measure of the expected life of a debt security that is used to determine the sensitivity of the security's price to changes in interest rates. Generally, the longer the Fund's duration, the more sensitive the Fund will be to changes in interest rates. For example, the price of a fixed income fund with a duration of five years would be expected to fall approximately 5% if interest rates rose by 1%.

**Foreign Securities Risk:** Foreign (non-U.S.) securities may experience more rapid and extreme changes in value than investments in securities of U.S. companies, due to less liquid securities and markets, and adverse economic, political, diplomatic, financial, and regulatory factors. In addition, there may be fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of securities traded each day, making it more difficult for an account to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. Foreign governments also may impose limits on investment and repatriation and impose taxes. Income from foreign issuers may be subject to non-U.S. withholding taxes. In some countries, investor accounts also may be subject to taxes on trading profits and, on certain securities transactions, transfer or stamp duties tax. Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the U.S. and may involve certain risks (such as delays on payment for or delivery of securities) not typically associated with the settlement of U.S. investments. Foreign companies generally are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards or to other regulatory

requirements that apply to U.S. companies. As a result, less information may be available concerning non-U.S. issuers. Accounting and financial reporting standards in emerging markets may be especially lacking. Further, it is often more expensive to trade securities in foreign markets as commissions are generally higher than in the U.S., and foreign exchanges and investment professionals are subject to less governmental regulation than in the U.S. Any of these events could cause the value of the foreign securities in which the Fund invests in to decline. Governmental economic policies, whether in the form of tariffs or the imposition or threat of other measures, that would have a restrictive effect on global trade could negatively impact foreign companies. The impact of such policies could be more significant for smaller foreign companies operating in emerging economies that may be more susceptible to adverse economic conditions, which in turn could have a commensurately negative impact on the Fund. The Fund's investment in foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes, and to the extent that is the case, the Fund's return on such investments will be decreased.

**Liquidity Risk:** The risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the seller would like. The seller may have to lower the price, sell other securities instead or forego an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund management or performance.

**Management Risk:** As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best performing securities or investment techniques, and the Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds. The Adviser may also miss an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in less advantageous investments.

**Market Risk:** The market values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and

natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**Preferred Stock Risk:** Preferred stock is a class of a capital stock that typically pays dividends at a specified rate. Preferred stock is generally senior to common stock, but subordinate to debt securities, with respect to the payment of dividends and on liquidation of the issuer. The market value of preferred stock generally decreases when interest rates rise and is also affected by the issuer's ability to make payments on the preferred stock.

**Prepayment Risk:** The risk that a debt security may be paid off and proceeds invested earlier than anticipated. Depending on market conditions, the new investments may or may not carry the same interest rate.

**Private Placement Risk:** Private placements involve securities not registered under the 1933 Act. In addition to the general risks associated with fixed income securities, such securities (including "144A" securities) may be subject to restrictions on resale, transaction costs for such securities may be higher than comparable securities, and there may be no liquid secondary market for such securities.

**Rule 144A Securities Risk:** The market for certain Rule 144A securities can be less active than the market for publicly-traded securities. Certain Rule 144A securities carry a heightened risk that the liquidity of these securities may become impaired, making it more difficult for the Fund to sell these bonds at reasonable prices.

**Small- and Mid-Cap Risk:** The Fund's investment approach is focused on identifying attractive securities issued by "middle market" companies. However, the securities of smaller and mid-size companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies. This can adversely affect the prices at which the Fund can purchase and sell these securities, and thus the value of the Fund's shares.

**Valuation Risk:** Unlike publicly-traded common stock, which trades on national exchanges, there is no central exchange for fixed-income securities, including bank loans, to trade. Such fixed-income securities generally trade on an "over-the-counter" market, where the buyer and seller can settle on a price. Due to the lack of centralized information and trading, the valuation of fixed-income securities, particularly in the lower tier of the high yield market where there are fewer market makers, may carry more risk than that of publicly-traded common stocks. Uncertainties in the conditions of the financial market, unreliable reference data, lack of transparency

and inconsistency of valuation models and processes may lead to inaccurate asset pricing by third-party pricing vendors. Moreover, to the extent that prices or quotations are not available from such third-party pricing vendors, or when the Adviser believes that they are unreliable, securities may be priced by the Fund using fair value procedures approved by the Trust's Board of Trustees. In addition, other market participants may value securities differently than the Fund. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the risk that when a fixed-income security is sold in the market, the amount received by the Fund is less than the value of such fixed-income security carried on the Fund's books.

**Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

**OTHER RISKS**

In addition to the principal risks described above, the Fund may also be subject to the following additional risks.

**Cyber Security Risk:** As part of its business, the Adviser processes, stores and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Fund. The Adviser and the Fund may be susceptible to operational and information security risk. Cyber security failures or breaches of the Adviser or the Fund's other service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of the Fund's shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable

privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties and/or reputational damage. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

**Other Investment Company Risk:** The Fund may invest in investment companies that are corporations, trusts, or partnerships that invest pooled shareholder dollars in securities appropriate to the organization's objective. Mutual funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts and ETFs are examples of investment companies. By investing in another investment company, the Fund will indirectly bear any asset-based fees and expenses charged by the underlying investment company in which the Fund invests. Investments in securities of other investment companies are subject to statutory limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act. Absent an available exemption, the Fund may not: (i) acquire more than 3% of the voting securities of any other investment company; (ii) invest more than 5% of its total assets in securities of any one investment company; or (iii) invest more than 10% of its total assets in securities of all investment companies.

**Leverage Risk:** The use of leverage by the Fund, such as borrowing money to purchase securities or the use of options, will cause the Fund to incur additional expenses and magnify the Fund's gains or losses. The Fund intends to generally use leverage, if any, to meet Fund redemptions.

**Portfolio Turnover Risk:** The Fund may engage in short-term trading to try and achieve its investment objective and accordingly may have portfolio turnover rates in excess of 100%. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to a fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once during the course of a year. How long the Fund holds a security in its portfolio is generally not a factor in making buy and sell decisions. Increased portfolio turnover may cause the Fund to incur higher brokerage costs, which may adversely affect the Fund's performance and may produce increased taxable distributions. In the fixed income market, brokerage commissions are built directly into the applicable bid-ask spread. Distributions resulting from short-term trading may be taxed to shareholders at ordinary income rates.

**Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings**

A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI, which is available, free of charge, by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 and on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/us-opportunistic-high-yield-fund*. The SAI may also be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") website at *www.sec.gov*.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND**

The Trust's Board of Trustees supervises the management, activities and affairs of the Fund and has approved contracts with various organizations to provide, among other services, the day-to-day management required by the Fund and its shareholders.

**INVESTMENT ADVISER**

Polen Capital Credit, LLC ("Polen Credit" or the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1075 Main Street, Suite 320, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451. Polen Credit was founded in 1996 as DDJ Capital Management, LLC and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Credit had approximately $6.6 billion in assets under management. On January 31, 2022, Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital"), an investment adviser registered with the SEC, acquired 100% of the outstanding equity units of Polen Credit. Accordingly, as of such date, Polen Credit became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polen Capital.

Polen Credit, subject to the general oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objectives, policies and limitations. For its services as Adviser to the Fund, Polen Credit is entitled to receive an investment advisory fee of 0.70% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, after fee waiver and expense reimbursements, the Adviser received an aggregate investment advisory fee of 0.67% of the Fund's average net assets.

A discussion of the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment management agreement between Polen Credit and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund is available in the Fund's Annual Financials and Additional Information for the fiscal period ended April 30, 2025.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

**Benjamin J. Santonelli,** Portfolio Manager, joined Polen Credit (formerly DDJ Capital Management, LLC) in 2004 and has more than 21 years of experience in sourcing, analyzing, and managing investments across a variety of industries. Mr. Santonelli serves as lead portfolio manager of Polen Credit's Credit Opportunities strategy and co-portfolio manager of Polen Credit's U.S. Opportunistic High Yield and Bank Loan strategies. He is also a member of Polen Credit's Investment Review Committee.

Mr. Santonelli serves as a member of the board of directors of a portfolio company held by certain funds and accounts managed by Polen Credit. Mr. Santonelli received his B.A. from Amherst College.

**John W. Sherman,** Portfolio Manager, joined Polen Credit (formerly DDJ Capital Management, LLC) in 2007 and has more than 21 years of corporate finance and investment experience. Mr. Sherman serves as lead portfolio manager of Polen Credit's Bank Loan strategy and co-portfolio manager of Polen Credit's U.S. Opportunistic High Yield and Credit Opportunities strategies. He is also a member of Polen Credit's Investment Review Committee. Prior to joining Polen Credit, Mr. Sherman was an associate in the Healthcare Group at Thoma Cressey Equity Partners, focusing on private equity investments in middle-market companies. Prior to joining Thoma Cressey Equity Partners, Mr. Sherman was in the Investment Banking Division of Citigroup where he was an analyst in the Global Healthcare Group. Mr. Sherman graduated *magna cum laude* with a B.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.

The Fund's SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager, including compensation, other accounts managed and ownership of Fund shares.

**SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION**

**PRICING OF SHARES**

The price of the Fund's shares is based on its NAV. The Fund values its assets, based on current market values when such values are available. The NAV per share of the Fund is calculated as follows:

Value of Assets Attributable to the Shares <br> NAV = – <u>Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Shares</u> <br> Number of Outstanding Shares

The Fund's NAV per share is calculated once daily as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each business day (i.e., a day that the Exchange is open for business). The Exchange is generally open on Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The price at which a purchase, redemption or exchange is effected is based on the next calculation of NAV after the order is received in good form by an authorized financial institution or the transfer agent, plus any applicable sales charges.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated.

The Fund's fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Certain fixed income securities may be valued based upon appraisals received from a pricing service using a computerized matrix system or based upon appraisals derived from information concerning the security or similar securities received from a recognized dealer or dealers in those securities. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used to value fixed income securities with 60 days or less remaining until maturity, so long as such amortized cost method approximates fair value. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**PURCHASE OF SHARES**

**Share Classes**

The Trust offers Investor Class shares, Institutional Class shares and Class Y shares of the Fund. Each Class of shares has different expenses and distribution arrangements to provide for different investment needs. This allows you to choose the class of shares most suitable for you depending on the amount and expected length of your investment and other relevant factors. Sales personnel may receive different compensation for selling each class of shares. Investor Class shares are for individuals, corporate investors and retirement plans. Institutional Class shares are available to individuals who can meet the required investment minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or broker-dealers purchasing for the accounts of others. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization. Class Y shares are available exclusively to institutional investors, including, but not limited to, charitable organizations, governmental institutions, corporations, and trust & private bank platforms. Individual investors cannot invest directly in Class Y shares other than through a trust, private bank platform or other authorized financial intermediary. If you purchase Class Y shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a transaction-based fee or other fee for the services of such organization.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Investor Class** | **Institutional Class** | **Class Y** |
| No initial sales charge | No initial sales charge | No initial sales charge |
| Higher annual expenses than Institutional Class shares due to distribution fee | Lower annual expenses than Investor Class shares due to no distribution fee | Lower annual expenses than Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares due to no distribution fees and other expenses |

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Shares representing interests in the Fund are offered on a continuous basis by the Fund's principal underwriter, Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"). Shares of the Fund do not charge any sales loads or deferred sales loads in connection with the purchase of shares. Shares of the Fund are offered only to residents of states in which the shares are registered or qualified. You can purchase Investor Class and Institutional Class shares of the Fund through certain financial intermediaries who may charge you a commission, or directly through BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, the Fund's transfer agent, as discussed below. No share certificates are issued in connection with the purchase of Fund shares. The Fund reserves the right to waive the minimum initial investment requirement for any investor.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be redeemed by the Trust unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund's shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." To open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest.

In the event you modify or change your relationship with your financial intermediary through which you invest in the Fund (for instance, from an advisory relationship to a brokerage relationship) you may no longer be eligible to invest in a particular share class and your financial intermediary may exchange your shares for another share class which may be subject to higher expenses and Rule 12b-1 distribution fees.

In addition, the availability of certain classes of shares may be limited to certain intermediary platforms, which means that your eligibility to purchase a specific class of Fund shares may depend on whether your intermediary offers that class.

The Trust is not responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Investor Class Shares**

***Distribution Plan***

The Trust's Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Fund's Investor Class shares, has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to pay distribution and service fees for the sale and distribution of its shares and for services provided to its shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plan for Investor Class shares provides for payments of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

**Institutional Class Shares**

Sales of the Fund's Institutional Class shares are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee. Institutional Class shares are available to individuals who can meet the required investment minimum and corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or broker dealers purchasing for the accounts of others. If you purchase Institutional Class shares through an institutional organization, or a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization.

**Class Y Shares**

Sales of the Fund's Class Y shares are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee. Class Y shares are available exclusively to institutional investors, including, but not limited to, charitable organizations, governmental institutions, corporations, and trust & private bank platforms. Individual investors cannot invest directly in Class Y shares other than through a trust, private bank platform or other authorized financial intermediary. If you purchase Class Y shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a transaction-based fee or other fee for the services of such organization.

**TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Complete the application and mail it to BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing") at the address noted below, together with a check payable to the Fund. **Please make sure your check is for at least $3,000 with respect to Investor Class shares ($2,000 if investing in an IRA) and at least $100,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares.** Individual investors cannot invest directly in Class Y shares other than through a trust, private bank platform or authorized financial intermediary. Mail the application and your check to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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The Fund will only accept checks drawn on U.S. currency on domestic banks. The Fund will not accept any of the following: cash or cash equivalents, money orders, traveler's checks, cashier's checks, bank checks, official checks and treasurer's checks, payable through checks, third-party checks and third-party transactions.

While the Fund does not generally accept foreign investors, it may in instances where either (i) an intermediary makes shares of the Fund available or (ii) the transfer agent, in the case of a direct to Fund subscription, has satisfied its internal procedures with respect to the establishment of foreign investor accounts. Please contact Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for more information.

The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions, including the Fund, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money-laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts. As requested on the application, you must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address. If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. This information will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, the Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a shareholder's identity. As required by law, the Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

**By Wire**

To make a same-day wire investment, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time for current wire instructions. An account number will be assigned to you. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $3,000 with respect to Investor Class shares ($2,000 if investing in an IRA) and at least $100,000 with respect to Institutional Class shares.** Individual investors cannot invest directly in Class Y shares other than through a trust, private bank platform or other authorized financial intermediary. Your wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, to receive that day's price per share. Your bank may charge a wire fee.

**Individual Retirement Account and Education Savings Account Investments**

You may invest in the Fund through the following individual retirement accounts:

● Traditional Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs")

● Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees ("SIMPLE IRAs")

● Spousal IRAs

● Roth Individual Retirement Accounts ("Roth IRAs")

● Simplified Employee Pension Plans ("SEP IRAs")

● Coverdell Education Savings Accounts ("CESAs")

**Additional Information**

If you have questions regarding the purchase of Fund shares, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 before 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.

**TO ADD TO AN ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

Fill out an investment slip from a previous confirmation and write your account number on your check. **Please make sure that your check is payable to the Fund and that your additional investment is for at least $100 with respect to Investor Class shares.** There is no minimum additional investment with respect to Institutional Class shares. Individual investors cannot invest directly in Class Y shares other than through a trust, private bank platform or other authorized financial intermediary. Mail the slip and your check to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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**By Wire**

Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for current wire instructions. The wire must be received by the stock market close, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, for same day processing. Your bank may charge a wire fee. **Please make sure your wire is for at least $100 with respect to Investor Class shares.** There is no minimum additional investment with respect to Institutional Class shares. Individual investors cannot invest directly in Class Y shares other than through a trust, private bank platform or other authorized financial intermediary.

**Automatic Investment Plan**

You may open an automatic investment plan account for Investor Class shares with a $2,000 initial purchase and a $100.00 monthly investment and for Institutional Class shares with a $100,000 initial purchase and no minimum monthly investment. If you have an existing account that does not include the automatic investment plan, you can contact the Fund toll-free at (888) 678-6024 to establish an automatic investment plan. The automatic investment plan provides

a convenient method to have monies deducted directly from your bank account for investment in the Fund. You may authorize the automatic withdrawal of funds from your bank account for a monthly minimum amount of $100.00. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this plan at any time. To begin participating in this plan, please complete the "Automatic Investment Plan" section found on the application or contact the Fund's transfer agent toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**Automated Clearing House (ACH) Purchase**

Current shareholders may purchase additional shares via Automated Clearing House ("ACH"). To have this option added to your account, please send a letter to the Fund requesting this option and supply a voided check for the bank account. Only bank accounts held at domestic institutions that are ACH members may be used for these transactions.

You may not use ACH transactions for your initial purchase of Fund shares. ACH purchases will be effective at the closing price per share on the same business day for orders placed prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. Orders placed thereafter will be effective at the closing price per share on the next business day. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this purchase option at any time.

Shares purchased by ACH will not be available for redemption until the transactions have cleared. Shares purchased via ACH transfer may take up to 15 days to clear.

**Purchase Price**

Purchase orders received in good order by the Fund's transfer agent before the close of regular trading on the Exchange on any business day will be priced at the NAV that is determined as of the close of trading on the Exchange. Purchase orders received in good order after the close of regular trading on the Exchange will be priced as of the close of regular trading on the following business day. "Good Order" means that the purchase request is complete and includes all accurate required information. Purchase requests not in good order may be rejected.

**Financial Intermediaries**

You may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary who may charge you a commission on your purchase, may charge additional fees, and may require different minimum investments or impose other limitations on buying and selling shares. "Financial intermediaries" include brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), insurance companies, investment advisers, financial advisers, financial planners, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators, their designated intermediaries and any other firm having a selling, administration or similar agreement. The financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting orders by close of business and may have an earlier cut-off time for purchase and sale requests. Purchase and redemption orders placed through a financial intermediary will be deemed to have been received and accepted by the Fund when the financial intermediary accepts the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. Customer orders are required to be priced at the Fund's NAV next computed after the authorized financial intermediary or its authorized representatives' receipt of the order to buy or sell. Purchase and redemption requests sent to such authorized broker (or its designee) are executed at the NAV next determined after the intermediary receives the request if transmitted to the Fund's transfer agent in accordance with the Fund's procedures and applicable law. Financial intermediaries may also designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Fund's behalf. Consult your investment representative for specific information.

It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary to transmit orders for the purchase of shares by its customers to the transfer agent and to deliver required funds on a timely basis, in accordance with the procedures stated above.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account."

**Networking and Sub-Transfer Agency Fees.** The Fund may also directly enter into agreements with financial intermediaries pursuant to which it will pay the financial intermediary for services such as networking or sub-transfer agency, including the maintenance of "street name" or omnibus accounts and related sub-accounting, record-keeping and administrative services provided to such accounts. Payments made pursuant to such agreements are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of clients serviced by such financial intermediary or (2) the number of accounts serviced by such financial intermediary. Any payments made pursuant to such agreements

are in addition to, rather than in lieu of, Rule 12b-1 distribution or shareholder service fees the financial intermediary may also be receiving. From time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay a portion of the fees for networking or sub-transfer agency at its or their own expense and out of its or their own resources. These payments may be material to financial intermediaries relative to other compensation paid by the Fund and/or the Underwriter, the Adviser and their affiliates. The payments described above may differ and may vary from amounts paid to the Fund's transfer agent for providing similar services to other accounts. The financial intermediaries are not audited by the Fund, the Adviser or their service providers to determine whether such intermediaries are providing the services for which they are receiving such payments.

**Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries.** The Adviser, and, from time to time, affiliates of the Adviser may also, at their own expense and out of their own resources, provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. These additional cash payments are payments over and above sales commissions or reallowances, distribution fees or servicing fees (including networking, administration and sub-transfer agency fees) payable to a financial intermediary which are disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus. These additional cash payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency, shareholder or administrative services or marketing support. Marketing support may include: (i) access to sales meetings or conferences, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives; (ii) inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs to which financial intermediaries provide more marketing support than to other sales programs on which the Adviser or its affiliates may not need to make additional cash payments to be included; (iii) promotion of the sale of the Fund's shares in communications with a financial intermediaries' customers, sales representatives or management representatives; and/or (iv) other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of the Fund's shares. These additional cash payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to Fund shareholders. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay cash compensation in the form of finders' fees or referral fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of shares sold.

The amount and value of additional cash payments vary for each financial intermediary. The additional cash payment arrangement between a particular financial intermediary and the Adviser or its affiliates may provide for increased rates of compensation as the dollar value of the Fund's shares or particular class of shares sold or invested through such financial intermediary increases. The availability of these additional cash payments, the varying fee structure within a particular additional cash payment arrangement and the basis for and manner in which a financial intermediary compensates its sales representatives may create a financial incentive for a particular financial intermediary and its sales representatives to recommend the Fund's shares over the shares of other mutual funds based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. A financial intermediary and its sales representatives may have similar financial incentives to recommend a particular class of the Fund's shares over other classes of its shares. You should consult with your financial adviser and review carefully any disclosure by the financial firm as to compensation received by your financial adviser.

Although the Fund may use financial firms that sell the Fund's shares to effect portfolio transactions for the Fund, the Fund and the Adviser will not consider the sale of Fund shares as a factor when choosing financial firms to effect those transactions.

For more information about these additional cash payments made to financial intermediaries, please refer to the section entitled "Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries" located in the SAI.

**Rights Reserved by the Fund**

The Fund reserves the right to:

● reject any purchase order;

● suspend the offering of shares;

● vary the initial and subsequent investment minimums;

● waive the minimum investment requirement for any investor;

● redeem accounts with balances below the minimum account size after 30 days' written notice;

● redeem your shares in the event your financial intermediary's relationship with the Trust is modified or terminated;

● subject to applicable law, redeem your shares in other circumstances determined by the Board of Trustees to be in the best interest of the Fund; and

● redeem your shares if you hold your shares through a financial intermediary and you propose to transfer your shares to another financial intermediary that does not have a relationship with the Trust.

The Trust will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy**

The Fund discourages frequent purchases and redemptions, and the Trust's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures consistent with such position. The Fund is not designed to accommodate market timing or short-term trading. Frequent or excessive trades into or out of the Fund in an effort to anticipate changes in market prices of its investment portfolio is generally referred to as "market timing." Market timing can adversely impact the ability of the Adviser to invest assets in an orderly manner, which in turn may adversely impact the expenses and the performance of the Fund. These expenses are borne by all Fund shareholders, including long-term investors who do not generate such costs. Specifically, frequent trading may result in the Fund engaging in activities to a greater extent than it otherwise would, such as maintaining higher cash balances, using a line of credit and trading in portfolio securities, each of which may increase expenses and decrease performance. This occurs when market timers attempt to trade Fund shares when the NAV of the Fund does not reflect the value of the underlying portfolio securities.

To deter market timing and to minimize harm to the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund (i) charges a redemption fee of 1.00% on shares redeemed within sixty (60) days of purchase and (ii) reserves the right to restrict, reject or cancel, without prior notice, any purchase order by market timers or by those persons the Fund believes are engaging in similar trading activity that, in the judgment of the Fund or the Adviser, may be disruptive to the Fund. The Fund will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. No waivers of the provisions of this policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

The Fund's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") reviews on an as-needed basis, as determined by the CCO in coordination with the Adviser and other service providers, available information related to the trading activity in the Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of market timing or similar trading practices. If, in its judgment, the Fund or the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Fund may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor's account with the Fund. The Fund may modify its procedures from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Fund will apply its procedures in a manner that, in the Fund's judgment, will be uniform.

There is no guarantee that the Fund or its agents will be able to detect frequent trading activity or the shareholders engaged in such activity, or, if it is detected, to prevent its recurrence.

In order for a financial intermediary to purchase shares of the Fund for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person, the Trust will enter into shareholder information agreements with such financial intermediary or its agent. These agreements require each financial intermediary to provide the Fund access, upon request, to information about underlying shareholder transaction activity in these accounts and the Shareholder's Taxpayer Identification Number (or International Taxpayer Identification Number or other government issued identifier). If a shareholder information agreement has not been entered into by a financial intermediary, such financial intermediary will be prohibited from purchasing Fund shares for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person. If necessary, the Fund may prohibit additional purchases of Fund shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers' trading activities in the Fund. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Fund. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Fund's excessive trading policies, the Fund may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES**

You may "redeem" or sell your shares on any day the Exchange is open, either directly through the Fund's transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, or through your broker-dealer. The price you receive will be the NAV next calculated after receipt of the request in good order. "Good Order" means that the redemption request is complete and includes all accurate required information including any medallion signature guarantees, if necessary. The Fund charges a redemption fee of 1.00% on proceeds of shares redeemed within 60 days following their acquisition (see "Redemption Fee").

**Redemption Fee**

The Fund charges a redemption fee of 1.00% on proceeds of shares redeemed within 60 days following their acquisition. The redemption fee will be calculated as a percentage of the NAV of total redemption proceeds. Those shares held the longest will be treated as being redeemed first and the shares held shortest as being redeemed last. The fee will be paid directly to the Fund and is intended to offset the trading costs, market impact and other costs associated with short-term money movements in and out of the Fund. This redemption fee is not intended to accommodate short-term trading, and the Fund will monitor the assessment of redemption fees against your account. The redemption fee may be waived either entirely or in part at the Adviser's discretion. Please see "Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy" above.

The 1.00% redemption fee will not be charged on the following transactions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Redemptions on shares held through retirement plans (including, without limitation, those maintained pursuant to Sections 401, 403, 408, 408A and 457 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and nonqualified plans), unless the plan has the systematic capability of assessing the redemption fee at the participant or individual account level;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Redemptions requested following (a) the death of a shareholder or (b) the post-purchase "disability" or "hardship" (as such terms are defined by the Code or the rules and regulations thereunder) of the shareholder or as required by law (i.e., a divorce settlement) provided that such death, disability, hardship or other event (i.e., a divorce settlement) occurs after the shareholder's account was established with the Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Redemptions initiated by the Fund (e.g., for failure to meet account minimums, to pay account fees funded by share redemptions, in the event of the liquidation of the Fund, if your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Fund);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Shares acquired through the reinvestment of distributions (dividends and capital gains);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Redemptions in omnibus accounts where redemptions cannot be tracked to the individual shareholder;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Redemptions in connection with periodic or automatic portfolio rebalancing arrangements of certain wrap accounts or funds of funds; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Exchange requests submitted by written request to the Fund.

**Redemption Policies**

Payment for redemptions of Fund shares is usually made within one business day, but not later than seven calendar days after receipt of your redemption request, unless the check used to purchase the shares has not yet cleared. The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment for more than seven days during any period when: (1) trading on the Exchange is restricted or the Exchange is closed for other than customary weekends and holidays, (2) the SEC has by order permitted such suspension for the protection of the Fund's shareholders or (3) an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable. The Fund will automatically redeem shares if a purchase check is returned for insufficient funds and the shareholder's account will be charged for any loss. The Fund reserves the right to reject any third-party check.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally meets redemption requests through its holdings of cash or cash equivalents or by selling a portion of the Fund's holdings consistent with its investment strategy. The Fund generally pays redemptions proceeds in cash; however, the Fund reserves the right to honor certain redemptions "in-kind" with securities, rather than cash. The Fund is more likely to redeem in-kind to meet large redemption requests or during times of market stress.

**TO REDEEM FROM YOUR ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

To redeem your shares by mail:

● Write a letter of instruction that includes: the name of the Fund, your account number, the name(s) in which the account is registered and the dollar value or number of shares you wish to sell.

● Include all signatures and any additional documents that may be required.

● Mail your request to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 678-6024 |

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● A check will be mailed to the name(s) and address in which the account is registered and may take up to seven days.

● The Fund may require additional documentation or a medallion signature guarantee on any redemption request to help protect against fraud.

● The Fund requires a medallion signature guarantee if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days, or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record.

**By Telephone**

To redeem your shares by telephone, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024. The proceeds will be paid to the registered owner: (1) by mail at the address on the account or (2) by wire to the pre-designated bank account on the fund account. To use the telephone redemption privilege, you must have selected this service on your original account application or submitted a subsequent medallion signature guaranteed request in writing to add this service to your account. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing reserve the right to refuse any telephone transaction when they are unable to confirm to their satisfaction that a caller is the account owner, or a person preauthorized by the account owner. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing has established security procedures to prevent unauthorized account access. Neither the Fund nor any of its service contractors will be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The telephone transaction privilege may be suspended, limited, modified or terminated at any time without prior notice by the Fund or BNY Mellon Investment Servicing.

**By Wire**

In the case of redemption proceeds that are wired to a bank, the Fund transmits the payment only on days that commercial banks are open for business and only to the bank and account previously authorized on your application or your medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing will not be responsible for any delays in wired redemption proceeds due to heavy wire traffic over the Federal Reserve System. The Fund reserves the right to refuse a wire redemption if it believes that it is advisable to do so. You may also have your redemption proceeds sent to your bank via ACH. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing does not charge for this service; however, please allow 2 to 3 business days for the transfer of money to reach your banking institution.

**Systematic Withdrawal Plan**

Once you have established an account with $10,000 or more, you may automatically receive funds from your account on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis (minimum withdrawal of $100). Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 to request a form to start the Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

**Selling Recently Purchased Shares**

If you wish to sell shares that were recently purchased by check, the Fund may delay mailing your redemption check for up to 15 business days after your redemption request to allow the purchase check to clear. The Fund reserves the right to reject any redemption request for shares recently purchased by check that has not cleared, and the Fund may require that a subsequent request be submitted. The Fund charges a redemption fee of 1.00% on proceeds redeemed within 60 days following their acquisition (see "Redemption of Shares — Redemption Fee").

**Late Trading**

Late trading is the practice of buying or selling Fund shares at the closing price after the Fund's NAV has been set for the day. Federal securities laws governing mutual funds prohibit late trading. The Fund has adopted trading policies designed to comply with requirements of the federal securities laws.

**TRANSACTION POLICIES**

**Timing of Purchase or Sale Requests**

All requests received in Good Order by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing or authorized dealers of Fund shares before the close of regular trading on the Exchange, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, will be executed the same day, at that day's NAV. Such orders received after the close of regular trading of the Exchange will be executed the following day, at that day's NAV. All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Purchase and redemption orders are executed only on days when the Exchange is open for trading. If the Exchange closes early, the deadlines for purchase and redemption orders are accelerated to the earlier closing time.

**New York Stock Exchange Closings**

The Exchange is typically closed for trading on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

**Investments through Financial Intermediaries/Nominees**

If you invest through a financial intermediary or nominee, such as a broker-dealer or financial adviser (rather than directly through the Fund), certain policies and fees regarding your investment in the Fund may be different than those described in this Prospectus.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." Financial intermediaries and nominees may charge transaction fees, may charge you a commission on your purchase, and may set different minimum investments or limitations or procedures on buying or selling shares; however, in the event that your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust and you chose to open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker, or, if applicable, a broker's designee receives the order.

It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. You will not be charged any additional fees by the Fund (other than those described in this Prospectus) if you purchase or redeem shares directly through the Fund.

Contact your financial intermediary for specific information regarding the availability and suitability of various account options described throughout this Prospectus. Contact your financial intermediary for specific information with respect to the financial intermediary's policies regarding minimum purchase and minimum balance requirements and involuntary redemption, which may differ from what is described throughout this Prospectus.

**Account Minimum**

You must keep at least $2,000 worth of Investor Class and Institutional Class shares and at least $1,000,000 worth of Class Y shares in your account to keep the account open. If, after giving you 30 days' prior written notice, your account value is still below $2,000 due to your redemptions (not including market fluctuations), the Fund may redeem your shares and send you a check for the redemption proceeds.

**Medallion Signature Guarantees**

The Fund may require additional documentation for the redemption of corporate, partnership or fiduciary accounts, or medallion signature guarantees for certain types of transfer requests or account registration changes. A medallion signature guarantee helps protect against fraud. A medallion signature guarantee is required if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days, or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record. When the Fund requires a signature guarantee, a medallion signature must be provided. A medallion signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency, saving association or other financial institution that is participating in a medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The Fund recognizes the following three medallion programs: (i) Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP), (ii) Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and (iii) New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature guarantees from a financial institution that does not participate in one of these programs will not be accepted. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for further information on obtaining a proper signature guarantee.

**Customer Identification Program**

Federal law requires the Fund to obtain, verify and record identifying information, which includes the name, residential or business street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or taxpayer identification number or other identifying information for each investor who opens or reopens an account with the Fund. Applications without the required information, or without any indication that a social security or taxpayer identification number has been applied for, will not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Fund reserves the right to: (i) place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified or (ii) refuse an investment in the Fund or to involuntarily redeem an investor's shares and close an account in the event that an investor's identity is not verified. The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account resulting from the investor's delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor's shares when an investor's identity cannot be verified.

**Other Documents**

Additional documents may be required for purchases and redemptions when shares are registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, association, agent, fiduciary, trust, estate or other organization. For further information, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024.

**EXCHANGING INTO OTHER SHARE CLASSES**

You may transfer your shares into another class of shares of this Fund if you meet the eligibility requirements for the class into which you would like to transfer. If you purchased your shares from the Fund directly, call the transfer agent toll-free at (888) 678-6024 for information on exchanging shares into another class of the Fund. If you purchased your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact such financial intermediary for information on exchanging shares into another class of the Fund. Transfers between classes of a single Fund are generally not considered a taxable transaction. This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated upon sixty (60) days' written notice to shareholders.

**EXCHANGING INTO OTHER POLEN FUNDS**

An exchange occurs when you use the proceeds from the redemption of shares of one Polen fund to simultaneously purchase shares of a different Polen fund. You can make exchange requests by telephone or by mail. *See "To Redeem from Your Account"* for contact information*.*

If the Exchange is open for regular trading (generally until 4 p.m. Eastern time, on a business day) at the time an exchange request is received in good order, the trade date generally will be the same day. *See "Redemption of Shares"* for additional information on transaction requests.

The Fund will not accept your request to cancel any exchange request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing an exchange request. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time before attempting to exchange a large dollar amount. By calling us *before* you attempt to exchange a large dollar amount, you may avoid delayed or rejected transactions.

Please note that the Fund reserves the right, without notice, to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the amount of any exchange, or reject an exchange, at any time, for any reason. *See "Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy"* for additional restrictions on exchanges.

**SHAREHOLDER SERVICES**

**Your Account**

If you have questions about your account, including purchases, redemptions and distributions, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time.

**Account Statements**

The Fund currently provides the following account information:

● confirmation statements after transactions (except for certain automatic transactions, such as those related to automatic investment plan purchases or dividend reinvestments);

● account statements reflecting transactions made during the covered period (generally, monthly for Institutional Class shares and Class Y shares and quarterly or annually for Investor Class shares); and

● tax information, which will be mailed each year by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") deadline, a copy of which will also be filed with the IRS, if necessary.

Financial statements with a summary of portfolio composition and performance will be available at least twice a year.

The Fund routinely provides the above shareholder services but may charge additional fees for special services such as requests for historical transcripts of accounts.

With the exception of statutorily required items, the Fund may change any of the above practices without notice.

**Delivery of Shareholder Documents**

To reduce expenses, the Fund mails only one copy of its Prospectus and each Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 or, if your shares are held through a financial institution, please contact the financial institution directly. The Fund will begin sending you individual copies within 30 days after receiving your request.

**DISTRIBUTIONS**

Distributions of net investment income, if any, are declared and paid monthly to you. Distributions of net capital gains, if any, are declared and paid annually to you. The amount of any distribution will vary and there is no guarantee that the Fund will distribute either investment income or capital gains.

Distributions are payable to the shareholders of record at the time the distributions are declared (including holders of shares being redeemed but excluding holders of shares being purchased). All distributions are reinvested in additional shares unless you elect to receive the distributions in cash. Shares become entitled to receive distributions on the day after the shares are issued. If you invest in the Fund shortly before the ex-dividend date of a taxable distribution, the distribution will lower the value of the Fund's shares by the amount of the distribution and, in effect, you will receive some of your investment back in the form of a taxable distribution. (see "More Information about Taxes — Distributions").

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TAXES**

Each shareholder and prospective investor's particular tax situation is unique, and, therefore, the tax information in this Prospectus is provided only for general information purposes and only for U.S. taxpayers and should not be considered as tax advice or relied on by a shareholder or prospective investor.

**General.** The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a regulated investment company (a "RIC") under Subchapter M of the Code. As such, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders provided it satisfies certain requirements and restrictions set forth in the Code one of which is to distribute to its shareholders substantially all of its income and gains each year. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC: (1) it will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and will be subject to tax at the corporate tax rates then in effect; and (2) all distributions from its earnings and profits (as determined under federal income tax principles) will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and the non-corporate shareholder long-term capital gain rate for "qualified dividend income" and ordinary rates for all other distributions, except for those treated as a return of capital or substitute dividends with respect to dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund. In addition, dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

**Distributions.** The Fund will make distributions to you that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains (which may be taxed at different rates depending on the length of time the Fund holds its assets). The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions are taxable whether you reinvest such distributions in additional shares of the Fund or choose to receive cash.

Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred retirement account (such as a 401(k) or an IRA), you should consider avoiding a purchase of Fund shares shortly before the Fund makes a distribution, because making such a purchase can increase your taxes and the cost of the shares. This is known as "buying a dividend." For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the Fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you received — even if you reinvest it in more shares and have to pay the tax due on the dividend without receiving any cash to pay the taxes. To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest.

**Ordinary Income.** Net investment income (except for qualified dividends and income designated as tax-exempt), distributions of income from securities lending, and short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Certain dividends distributed to non-corporate shareholders and designated by the Fund as "qualified dividend income" are eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rates. Short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. In addition, certain qualified REIT dividends may be eligible for a deduction for non-corporate shareholders.

**Net Capital Gains.** Net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) distributed to you, if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains (based on the Fund's holding period) for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Sale of Shares.** It is a taxable event for you if you sell shares of the Fund. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you sell, you may have a taxable gain or loss on the transaction. Any realized gain will be taxable to you, and, generally, will be capital gain, assuming you held the shares of the Fund as a capital asset. The capital gain will be long-term or short-term depending on how long you have held your shares in the Fund. Sales of shares of the Fund that you have held for twelve months or less will be a short-term capital gain or loss and if held for more than twelve months will constitute a long-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends, if any, received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.

**Returns of Capital.** If the Fund's distributions exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in the same taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable to the extent of each shareholder's basis in the Fund's shares but will reduce each shareholder's cost basis in the Fund and result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold. If the return of capital

distribution exceeds a shareholder's cost basis, the excess amount will be capital gain, assuming you held your shares as a capital asset, and will be long-term or short-term capital gain depending on how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Medicare Contribution Tax.** U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000, if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately) will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income including interest (excluding tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains. If applicable, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of the individual's (i) net investment income or (ii) the excess of modified adjusted gross income over $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately).

**IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans.** One major exception to these tax principles is that a distribution on or the sale or exchange of shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless the shares were acquired with borrowed funds.

**Backup Withholding.** The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on all taxable distributions and sales payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

**State and Local Income Taxes.** This Prospectus does not discuss the state and local tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. **You are urged and advised to consult your own tax adviser concerning state and local taxes, which may have different consequences from those of the federal income tax laws.**

**Non-U.S. Shareholders.** Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. tax as a result of an investment in the Fund. The Fund is required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments made to foreign entities that do not qualify for reduced withholding rates under a treaty and do not meet specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. This Prospectus does not discuss the U.S. or foreign country tax consequences of an investment by a non-U.S. shareholder in the Fund. **Non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the U.S. and foreign country tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**Basis Reporting and Holding Periods.** A shareholder is responsible for tracking the tax basis and holding periods of the shareholder's shares in the Fund for federal income tax purposes. However, RICs, such as the Fund, must report cost basis information to you and the IRS when a shareholder sells or exchanges shares that are not in a tax deferred retirement account. The Fund will permit shareholders to elect from among several IRS accepted cost basis methods.

**Statements and Notices.** You will receive an annual statement outlining the tax status of your distributions. You may also receive written notices of certain foreign taxes and distributions paid by the Fund during the prior taxable year.

***This section is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations of taxable U.S. shareholders that may affect your investment in the Fund. This summary is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered as tax advice and may not be relied on by a prospective investor. This general summary does not apply to non-U.S. shareholders or tax-exempt shareholders, and does not address state, local or foreign taxes. More information regarding these considerations is included in the Fund's SAI. All prospective investors and shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser regarding the effects of an investment in the Fund on their particular tax situation.***

**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS**

The Financial Highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the periods shown. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share of the Fund. The total investment returns in the table represent the rate at which an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). The information provided for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025 has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the form N-CSR for the period ended April 30, 2025. The 2025 financial statements and Financial Highlights are incorporated by reference to the Fund's SAI and is available upon request without charge by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 678-6024 or visiting the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/us-opportunistic-high-yield-fund*. Beginning with the fiscal year ended in 2024, the Fund's fiscal year was changed from September 30, 2024 to April 30, 2024. Information for the fiscal years from September 30, 2022 and prior was audited by the former independent registered public accounting firm of the Predecessor Fund.

**CLASS Y**

*For a Share Outstanding Through the Periods Presented*

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Period Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024\*** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> September 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> September 30,<br> 2022** | **For the <br> Year Ended<br> September 30,<br> 2021** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> September 30,<br> 2020** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year/period | $7.20 | $7.11 | $7.07 | $8.59 | $8.10 | $8.72 |
| Net investment income<sup>(1)</sup> | 0.57 | 0.33 | 0.63 | 0.49 | 0.52 | 0.60<sup>(2)</sup> |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | (0.14) | 0.10 | 0.04 | (1.50) | 0.48 | (0.63) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.43 | 0.43 | 0.67 | (1.01) | 1.00 | (0.03) |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net investment income | (0.57) | (0.34) | (0.63) | (0.51) | (0.51) | (0.59) |
| Net realized capital gains |  |  |  | (0.00)<sup>(3)</sup> |  |  |
| Total dividends and distributions to shareholders | (0.57) | (0.34) | (0.63) | (0.51) | (0.51) | (0.59) |
| Redemption fees | 0.00<sup>(3)</sup> | (0.00)<sup>(3)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(3)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(3)</sup> |  |  |
| Net asset value, end of year/period | $7.06 | $7.20 | $7.11 | $7.07 | $8.59 | $8.10 |
| Total investment return<sup>(4)</sup> | 6.14% | 6.12% | 9.90% | (12.23)% | 12.61% | (0.03)% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data:** |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year/period (in 000s) | $290856 | $307546 | $287492 | $257043 | $243732 | $135801 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 0.79% | 0.79%<sup>(5)</sup> | 0.79% | 0.79% | 0.79% | 0.79% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements, if any<sup>(6)</sup> | 0.82% | 0.83%<sup>(5)</sup> | 0.91% | 0.89% | 0.99% | 1.24% |
| Ratio of net investment income to average net assets | 7.85% | 8.00%<sup>(5)</sup> | 8.82% | 6.12% | 6.07% | 7.36% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 59% | 44%<sup>(7)</sup> | 43% | 36% | 74% | 66% |

---

\* The Fund changed its fiscal year end from September 30 to April 30.

<sup>(1)</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

<sup>(2)</sup> The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period may not correlate with the Statement of Operations for the period due to the timing of sales and redemptions of Fund shares in relation to income earned and/or fluctuating market value of the investments of the Fund.

<sup>(3)</sup> Amount is less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>(4)</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not annualized.

<sup>(5)</sup> Annualized.

<sup>(6)</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

<sup>(7)</sup> Not annualized.

**INSTITUTIONAL CLASS** 

*For a Share Outstanding Through the Periods Presented*

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Period Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024\*** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> September 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> September 30,<br> 2022** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> September 30,<br> 2021** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> September 30,<br> 2020** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year/period | $7.24 | $7.16 | $7.11 | $8.58 | $8.09 | $8.72 |
| Net investment income<sup>(1)</sup> | 0.56 | 0.33 | 0.63 | 0.43 | 0.52 | 0.61<sup>(2)</sup> |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | (0.14) | 0.09 | 0.05 | (1.45) | 0.48 | (0.64) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.42 | 0.42 | 0.68 | (1.02) | 1.00 | (0.03) |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net investment income | (0.57) | (0.34) | (0.63) | (0.45) | (0.51) | (0.60) |
| Net realized capital gains |  |  |  | (0.00)<sup>(3)</sup> |  |  |
| Total dividends and distributions to shareholders | (0.57) | (0.34) | (0.63) | (0.45) | (0.51) | (0.60) |
| Redemption fees | 0.00<sup>(3)</sup> |  | (0.00)<sup>(3)</sup> |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, end of year/period | $7.09 | $7.24 | $7.16 | $7.11 | $8.58 | $8.09 |
| Total investment return<sup>(4)</sup> | 5.93% | 6.02% | 9.97% | (12.25)% | 12.63% | (0.11)% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data:** |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year/period (in 000s) | $5600 | $3609 | $554 | $12 | $708 | $668 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 0.89% | 0.89%<sup>(5)</sup> | 0.89% | 0.79%<sup>(6)</sup> | 0.79%<sup>(6)</sup> | 0.79%<sup>(6)</sup> |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements, if any<sup>(7)</sup> | 0.89% | 1.08%<sup>(5)</sup> | 0.92% | 0.90% | 0.98% | 1.32% |
| Ratio of net investment income to average net assets | 7.75% | 7.90%<sup>(5)</sup> | 8.96% | 5.14% | 6.11% | 7.44% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 59% | 44%<sup>(8)</sup> | 43% | 36% | 74% | 66% |

---

\* The Fund changed its fiscal year end from September 30 to April 30.

<sup>(1)</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

<sup>(2)</sup> The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period may not correlate with the Statement of Operations for the period due to the timing of sales and redemptions of Fund shares in relation to income earned and/or fluctuating market value of the investments of the Fund.

<sup>(3)</sup> Amount is less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>(4)</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not annualized.

<sup>(5)</sup> Annualized.

<sup>(6)</sup> According to the Polen DDJ Opportunistic High Yield Fund's shareholder services plan with respect to the Fund's Institutional Class shares, any amount of such payment not paid during the Fund's fiscal year for such services activities shall be reimbursed to the Fund as soon as practical after the end of the fiscal year. For the years ended September 30, 2022, September 30, 2021 and September 30, 2020, no fees were accrued and thus no fees were reimbursed.

<sup>(7)</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

<sup>(8)</sup> Not annualized.

**INVESTOR CLASS**

*For a Share Outstanding Through the Periods Presented*

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Period Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024\*** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> September 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> September 30,<br> 2022** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> September 30,<br> 2021** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> September 30,<br> 2020** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year/period | $7.21 | $7.13 | $7.09 | $8.61 | $8.12 | $8.75 |
| Net investment income<sup>(1)</sup> | 0.54 | 0.32 | 0.61 | 0.45 | 0.49 | 0.59<sup>(2)</sup> |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | (0.13) | 0.09 | 0.04 | (1.49) | 0.48 | (0.65) |
| Total from investment operations | 0.41 | 0.41 | 0.65 | (1.04) | 0.97 | (0.06) |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net investment income | (0.56) | (0.33) | (0.61) | (0.48) | (0.48) | (0.57) |
| Net realized capital gains |  |  |  | (0.00)<sup>(3)</sup> |  |  |
| Total dividends and distributions to shareholders | (0.56) | (0.33) | (0.61) | (0.48) | (0.48) | (0.57) |
| Redemption fees | 0.00<sup>(3)</sup> |  | 0.00<sup>(3)</sup> |  | 0.00<sup>(3)</sup> | 0.00<sup>(3)</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year/period | $7.06 | $7.21 | $7.13 | $7.09 | $8.61 | $8.12 |
| Total investment return<sup>(4)</sup> | 5.72% | 5.92% | 9.47% | (12.51)% | 12.20% | (0.46)% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data:** |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year/period (in 000s) | $1152 | $1725 | $1413 | $1384 | $2480 | $2579 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 1.14% | 1.14%<sup>(5)</sup> | 1.14% | 1.14% | 1.14% | 1.14% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements, if any<sup>(6)</sup> | 1.18% | 1.38%<sup>(5)</sup> | 1.26% | 1.24% | 1.33% | 1.71% |
| Ratio of net investment income to average net assets | 7.50% | 7.65%<sup>(5)</sup> | 8.47% | 5.63% | 5.75% | 6.98% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 59% | 44%<sup>(7)</sup> | 43% | 36% | 74% | 66% |

---

\* The Fund changed its fiscal year end from September 30 to April 30.

<sup>(1)</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

<sup>(2)</sup> The amount shown for a share outstanding throughout the period may not correlate with the Statement of Operations for the period due to the timing of sales and redemptions of Fund shares in relation to income earned and/or fluctuating market value of the investments of the Fund.

<sup>(3)</sup> Amount is less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>(4)</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not annualized.

<sup>(5)</sup> Annualized.

<sup>(6)</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

<sup>(7)</sup> Not annualized.

**POLEN OPPORTUNISTIC HIGH YIELD FUND**

*a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

(888) 678-6024

**FOR MORE INFORMATION**

**For additional information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:**

**Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information**

The Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information contain more information about the Fund's investments and performance including information on the Fund's portfolio holdings and operating results for the most recently completed fiscal year or half-year. The Annual Financials and Additional Information include a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year.

**Statement of Additional Information (SAI)**

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Fund and its policies. The information in the SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is part of this Prospectus.

These documents are available free of charge on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/us-opportunistic-high-yield-fund*. You can also get a free copy of these documents and other information, or ask us any questions, including information on how to purchase or redeem Fund shares, by calling us at (888) 678-6024 or writing to:

Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund FundVantage Trust c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing P.O. Box 534445 Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445

If you buy your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact that financial intermediary directly for this information. You can also find information online at *https://www.polencapital.com.*

Reports and information about the Fund (including the SAI and Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information) also may be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov*. Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: *publicinfo@sec.gov*.

The investment company registration number is 811-22027.

**POLEN OPPORTUNISTIC HIGH YIELD FUND**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **INVESTOR CLASS** | **INSTITUTIONAL CLASS** | **CLASS Y** |
| **DDJRX** | **DDJCX** | **DDJIX** |

---

**A SERIES OF**

**FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**

**September 1, 2025**

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") provides information about the Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund (the "Fund"). The Fund is a series of FundVantage Trust (the "Trust").

This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Fund's current prospectus dated September 1, 2025, as restated, amended or supplemented from time to time (the "Prospectus"). This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. The Fund's audited financial statements and the notes thereto, which are included in the [Fund's Annual Financials and Additional Information](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm) dated April 30, 2025, are incorporated into this SAI by reference. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Financials and Additional Information may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Fund at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6024, or by visiting the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/us-opportunistic-high-yield-fund*.

<u>**TABLE OF CONTENTS**</u>

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **Page(s)** |
| [GENERAL INFORMATION](#sai-ddjrx_001) | 1 |
| [INVESTMENT POLICIES](#sai-ddjrx_002) | 1 |
| [DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS](#sai-ddjrx_003) | 36 |
| [INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS](#sai-ddjrx_004) | 37 |
| [TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS](#sai-ddjrx_005) | 38 |
| [CODE OF ETHICS](#sai-ddjrx_006) | 43 |
| [PROXY VOTING](#sai-ddjrx_007) | 43 |
| [CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES](#sai-ddjrx_008) | 44 |
| [INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES](#sai-ddjrx_009) | 45 |
| [PORTFOLIO MANAGERS](#sai-ddjrx_010) | 46 |
| [ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES](#sai-ddjrx_011) | 48 |
| [ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS](#sai-ddjrx_012) | 48 |
| [BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES](#sai-ddjrx_013) | 49 |
| [ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES](#sai-ddjrx_014) | 50 |
| [DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES AND RULE 12B-1 PLAN](#sai-ddjrx_015) | 50 |
| [CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES](#sai-ddjrx_016) | 52 |
| [PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES](#sai-ddjrx_017) | 53 |
| [DIVIDENDS](#sai-ddjrx_018) | 53 |
| [CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS](#sai-ddjrx_019) | 54 |
| [FINANCIAL STATEMENTS](#sai-ddjrx_020) | 64 |
| [APPENDIX A DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS](#sai-ddjrx_021) | A-1 |
| [APPENDIX B PROXY VOTING POLICY](#sai-ddjrx_022) | B-1 |

---

i

**GENERAL INFORMATION**

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 28, 2006. The Trust is a series trust authorized to issue separate series or classes of shares of beneficial interest. The Trust has established the Fund as a separate series of the Trust. The Fund may offer Investor Class shares, Institutional Class shares and Class Y shares. The Fund is a diversified, open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). Polen Capital Credit, LLC ("Polen Credit" or the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

The Fund acquired all of the assets and liabilities of Polen DDJ Opportunistic High Yield Fund, a series of ALPS Series Trust (the "Predecessor Fund"), in a tax-free reorganization on July 24, 2023 (the "Reorganization"). The Predecessor Fund had the same material investment objectives, strategies and policies as the Fund at the time of the Reorganization. The Adviser was also the investment adviser to the Predecessor Fund.

**INVESTMENT POLICIES**

The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objective and policies of the Fund. The information below does not describe every type of investment, technique or risk to which the Fund may be exposed. Much of the information contained in this SAI expands on subjects discussed in the Fund's Prospectus. No investment in the shares of the Fund should be made before reading the Prospectus.

**BANK LOANS.** The Fund may (and typically does) invest a significant amount of its net asset value in bank loans. Such loans may not be rated by a national ratings agency at the time of investment, will not be registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and typically will not be listed on a securities exchange. In addition, the amount of public information available with respect to loans generally will be less extensive than that available for more widely traded, registered and exchange-listed securities. Because the interest rates of loans reset frequently, if market interest rates fall, the loans' interest rates may be reset to lower levels, potentially reducing the Fund's income.

The size of the trading market for loans is generally smaller than that for registered equities and investment grade rated bond securities; as such, loans may be relatively illiquid compared to those types of securities. Liquidity relates to the ability of a portfolio to sell an investment in a timely manner at a price approximately equal to its value on the portfolio's books. The Fund's ability to realize the full value of its assets may be impaired in the event of a voluntary or involuntary liquidation of any illiquid assets. Furthermore, in the event of an economic downturn, a substantial increase or decrease in interest rates, or other type of market dislocation, the market for loans may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods. In those instances, loans may be difficult to value, and prices provided by external pricing services may not reflect the true fair value of the assets.

Borrowers may default on their obligations to pay principal or interest owed under loans when due. This non-payment would result in a reduction of income to the Fund and a reduction in the value of a loan experiencing non-payment. Although some loans in which the Fund will invest will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower's obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the event of bankruptcy of a borrower, the Fund could experience delays or limitations in its ability to realize the benefits of any collateral securing a loan.

The Fund may purchase a participation interest in a loan and by doing so acquire some or all of the interest of the bank or other lending institution making the loan to a corporate borrower. A participation interest typically results in the Fund having a contractual relationship with the lender and not the borrower. In such circumstances, the Fund will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the bank or other lending institution selling the participation and only upon receipt by the bank or other lending institution of the payments from the borrower. Since the Fund has only acquired a participation in the loan made by a third party (i.e., the banker or other lending institution), the Fund may not be able to control the exercise of any remedies that such third party would have under the loan. Although the participation interest is in a loan, there can be no assurance that the principal and interest owed on the loan to the Fund will be repaid in full.

The Fund may experience delays in the settlement of certain loan transactions, which are more complicated, are paperwork intensive, and require greater internal resources to settle compared with bonds or exchange-traded equity securities, particularly in the case of loans that are or become distressed. Unlike the securities markets, there is no central clearinghouse for loan trades, and the loan market has not established enforceable settlement standards or remedies for failure to settle. Such delays may prevent the Fund from obtaining liquidity of certain assets within a desired timeframe. Furthermore, pursuant to certain insolvency laws, a counterparty may have the ability to reject or terminate an unsettled loan transaction. If a counterparty rejects an unsettled transaction, the Fund might lose any increase in value with respect to such loan that accrued while the transaction remained unsettled. In addition, bank loans and other similar instruments may not be considered "securities" and, as a result, the Fund may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections under the federal securities laws and instead may have to resort to state law and direct claims.

**BANK OBLIGATIONS.** Bank obligations in which the Fund may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits. The Fund will not invest in fixed time deposits which (1) are not subject to prepayment or (2) provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits) if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in such deposits, repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days and other illiquid assets.

Obligations of foreign banks involve somewhat different investment risks than those affecting obligations of United States banks, including the possibilities that their liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments, that their obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of United States banks, that a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations, that foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized, that foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations and that the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to United States banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any U.S. Government agency or instrumentality.

● **BANKERS' ACCEPTANCES.** Bankers' acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft that has been drawn on it by a customer. These instruments reflect the obligation of both the bank and the drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity.

● **CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT.** Certificates of deposit are certificates evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank to repay funds deposited with it for a definite period of time (usually from 14 days to one year) at a stated or variable interest rate. Variable rate certificates of deposit provide that the interest rate will fluctuate on designated dates based on changes in a designated base rate (such as the composite rate for certificates of deposit established by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York).

● **TIME DEPOSITS.** Time deposits are bank deposits for fixed periods of time. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which may vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.

**BANKRUPTCY AND RESTRUCTURING RISK.** The Fund may target securities and other obligations of issuers that are in financial difficulty, and/or may be in, entering, or emerging from, bankruptcy proceedings. Bankruptcy or other insolvency proceedings are highly complex and may result in unpredictable outcomes. In any investment opportunity involving work-outs, liquidations, spin-offs, reorganizations, bankruptcies and similar transactions, there exists the risk that the contemplated transaction may be unsuccessful. Similarly, if an anticipated transaction does not in fact occur, the Fund may be required to sell the investment at a loss. The level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties is unusually high. Because there is a substantial uncertainty concerning the outcome of transactions involving financially troubled companies in which the Fund may invest, there is a potential risk of loss of the entire investment in such companies, as well as the risk that the Fund may be required to accept cash or new securities with a value less than the Fund's original investment and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. Under such circumstances, the returns generated from the Fund's investments may not compensate it adequately for the risks assumed.

**BORROWING.** The Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. This means that, in general, the Fund may borrow money from banks for any purpose on a secured basis in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may also borrow money for temporary administrative purposes on an unsecured basis in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may choose to borrow in order to meet its redemptions.

Specifically, provisions of the 1940 Act require the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.

As noted below, the Fund also may enter into certain transactions, including reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and sale-buybacks, that can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing or financing transaction by the Fund. The Derivatives Rule (as defined below) regulates a registered investment company's use of derivatives and certain other transactions that creature future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. This rule became operative in August 2022. The Derivatives Rule prescribes specific "value at risk" or "VaR" (further defined below) leverage limits that apply to the Fund with derivatives and other applicable transactions (although the Fund may qualify for the Limited Derivatives User Exception (as defined below)). VaR is an estimate of potential losses on an instrument or portfolio over a specified time horizon and at a given confidence level. The Fund may apply a relative VaR test or an absolute VaR test (if the Fund's derivative risk manager, if applicable, determines that a designated reference portfolio would not provide an appropriate reference portfolio for purposes of the relative VaR test. The limit under the relative VaR test is 200% of the VaR of a designated reference portfolio, which, very generally, may be a designated unleveraged index or the Fund's securities portfolio excluding derivatives. If applicable, the limit under the absolute VaR test is 20% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Derivatives Rule also requires the Fund, if applicable, to appoint a derivatives risk manager, maintain a derivatives risk management program designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with transactions covered by the rule, and abide by certain Board and other reporting obligations and recordkeeping requirements. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, the Derivatives Rule permits a fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under the Derivatives Rule. The Fund has adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with the Derivatives Rule. Compliance with the Derivatives Rule could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which the Fund may engage in derivative transactions could also limit or prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value ("NAV") of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and economically similar transactions. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a portfolio-eligible security by the Fund to another party, coupled with its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund continues to be entitled to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by the Fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by the Fund which it is obligated to repurchase.

A "mortgage dollar roll" is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement in certain respects. In a "dollar roll" transaction, the Fund sells a mortgage-related security, such as a security issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a predetermined price. A dollar roll can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which the Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Unlike in the case of reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but only securities which are "substantially identical." To be considered substantially identical, the securities returned to the Fund generally must: (1) be collateralized by the same types of underlying mortgages; (2) be issued by the same agency and be part of the same program; (3) have a similar original stated maturity; (4) have identical net coupon rates; (5) have similar market yields (and therefore price); and (6) satisfy "good delivery" requirements, meaning that the aggregate principal amounts of the securities delivered and received back must be within 0.01% of the initial amount delivered.

The Fund also may effect simultaneous purchase and sale transactions that are known as "sale-buybacks." A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty that purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of the Fund's repurchase of the underlying security. The Fund's obligation under a sale-buyback typically would be offset by liquid assets equal in value to the amount of the Fund's forward commitment to repurchase the subject security.

It is possible that changing government regulation may affect the Fund's use of these strategies. Changes in regulatory requirements concerning margin for certain types of financing transactions, such as repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and borrowing, could impact the Fund's ability to utilize these investment strategies and techniques.

**CASH POSITIONS.** The Fund may not always be fully invested. For example, when the Adviser believes that market conditions are unfavorable for profitable investing, or when it is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities in the high yield market, the Fund's cash or similar investments may increase. In other words, cash or similar investments generally are a residual – they represent the assets that remain after the Fund has committed available assets to desirable investment opportunities. When the Fund's investments in cash or similar investments increase, they may not participate in market advances to the same extent that they would if the Fund remained more fully invested, and the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be affected.

**COMMERCIAL PAPER.** The Fund may invest in commercial paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (up to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities in order to finance their current operations.

**COMMON STOCK.** Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company or other entity. This ownership interest often gives the Fund the right to vote on measures affecting the company's organization and operations. Although common stocks generally have had a history of long-term growth in value, their prices are often volatile in the short-term and can be influenced by both general market risk and specific corporate risks. Accordingly, the Fund can lose money through its stock investments.

**CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in convertible securities, which may offer higher income than the common stocks into which they are convertible. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock, or other security that entitles the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to non-convertible debt or preferred securities, as applicable. Convertible securities are subordinate in rank to any senior debt obligations of the issuer, and, therefore, an issuer's convertible securities entail more risk than its debt obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible debt securities of similar credit quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. In addition, convertible securities are often lower-rated securities. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation's capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation's common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security.

Because of the conversion feature, the price of the convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying asset, and as such it is subject to risks relating to the activities of the issuer and/or general market and economic conditions. The income component of a convertible security may tend to cushion the security against declines in the price of the underlying asset. However, the income component of convertible securities causes fluctuations based upon changes in interest rates and the credit quality of the issuer.

If the convertible security's "conversion value," which is the market value of the underlying common stock that would be obtained upon the conversion of the convertible security, is substantially below the "investment value," which is the value of a convertible security viewed without regard to its conversion feature (i.e., strictly on the basis of its yield), the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. If the conversion value of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the value of the security will be principally influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security will sell at a premium over its conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding an income-producing security.

A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a predetermined price. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund would be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security and convert it to underlying common stock, or would sell the convertible security to a third party, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective. The Fund generally would invest in convertible securities for their favorable price characteristics and total return potential and would normally not exercise an option to convert unless the security is called or conversion is forced.

**CORPORATE DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund's investments in U.S. dollar or foreign currency-denominated corporate debt securities of domestic or foreign issuers are limited to corporate debt securities (corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar corporate debt instruments, including convertible securities) which meet the minimum ratings criteria set forth for the Fund, or, if unrated, are in the Adviser's opinion comparable in quality to corporate debt securities in which the Fund may invest.

Corporate income-producing securities may include forms of preferred or preference stock. The rate of interest on a corporate debt security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may vary inversely with respect to a reference rate. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies. Debt securities may be acquired with warrants attached.

Securities rated Baa and BBB are the lowest which are considered "investment grade" obligations. Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") describes securities rated Baa as "subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics." Standard & Poor's<sup>®</sup> Financial Services LLC ("S&P") describes securities rated BBB as "regarded as having adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation." For securities rated BBB, Fitch Ratings Ltd. ("Fitch") states that "…expectations of default risk are currently low…capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity." For a discussion of securities rated below-investment grade, see "Below-Investment Grade Securities" below.

**CYBER SECURITY.** The Fund and its service providers are susceptible to operational and information security risks due to cyber security incidents. In general, cyber security incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber security attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (*e.g*., through "hacking" or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks also may be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (*i.e*., efforts to make services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security incidents affecting the Adviser, Transfer Agent or Custodian or other service providers such as financial intermediaries have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, including by interference with the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading for the Fund's portfolio; the inability of fund shareholders to transact business with the Fund; violations of applicable privacy, data security or other laws; regulatory fines and penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs; legal fees; or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber security incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions and other parties. While information risk management systems and business continuity plans have been developed which are designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there are inherent limitations in any cyber security risk management systems or business continuity plans, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified.

**DEBT SECURITIES.** Debt securities represent money borrowed that obligates the issuer (e.g., a corporation, municipality, government, government agency) to repay the borrowed amount at maturity (when the obligation is due and payable) and usually to pay the holder interest at specific times. Debt securities in which the Fund may (and typically does) invest are subject to several types of investment risk, including market or interest rate risk (i.e., the risk that their value will be inversely affected by fluctuations in the prevailing interest rates), credit risk (i.e., the risk that the issuer may be unable to make timely interest payments and repay the principal upon maturity), call or prepayment risk, (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities with high interest rates will be prepaid or "called" by the issuer before they mature), and event risk (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities may suffer a substantial decline in credit quality and market value if the issuer restructures).

**DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS.** American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") as well as other "hybrid" forms of ADRs, including European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"), are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. These certificates are issued by depository banks and generally trade on an established market in the United States or elsewhere. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends interest and shareholder information regarding corporate actions. ADRs may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and a depositary. An unsponsored facility may be established by a depositary without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities. These risks include foreign exchange risk as well as the political and economic risks of the underlying issuer's country.

**DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS.** In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund may, to the extent permitted by its investment objective and policies, purchase and sell (write) both put options and call options on securities, swap agreements, securities indexes, commodity indexes and foreign currencies, and enter into interest rate, index and commodity futures contracts and purchase and sell options on such futures contracts ("futures options"). The Fund also may purchase and sell foreign currency options for purposes of increasing exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another. The Fund may also enter into swap agreements with respect to interest rates, commodities and indexes of securities or commodities. The Fund may invest in structured notes. If other types of financial instruments, including other types of options, futures contracts or futures options are traded in the future, the Fund may also use those instruments, provided that such instruments are consistent with the Fund's investment objective.

The value of some derivative instruments in which the Fund invests may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of the Adviser to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken positions in derivative instruments contrary to prevailing market trends, the Fund could be exposed to the risk of loss.

The Fund might not employ any of the strategies described below, and no assurance can be given that any strategy used will succeed. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts interest rates, market values or other economic factors in using a derivatives strategy for the Fund, the Fund might have been in a better position if it had not entered into the transaction at all. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances. The use of these strategies involves certain special risks, including a possible imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of derivative instruments and price movements of related investments. While some strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in related investments or otherwise, due to the possible inability of the Fund to purchase or sell a portfolio security at a time that otherwise would be favorable, the possible need to sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time because the Fund is required to maintain asset coverage, offsetting positions in connection with transactions in derivative instruments or the possible inability of the Fund to close out or to liquidate its derivatives positions. In addition, the Fund's use of such instruments may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains (generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates) than if it had not used such instruments. If the Fund gains exposure to an asset class using derivative instruments backed by a collateral portfolio of fixed income instruments, changes in the value of the fixed income instruments may result in greater or lesser exposure to that asset class than would have resulted from a direct investment in securities comprising that asset class.

The use of derivative instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the SEC, the Commodity Future Trading Commission ("CFTC"), various state regulatory authorities and, with respect to exchange-traded derivatives, the several exchanges upon which they are traded. In particular, under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act, a registered investment company's derivatives exposure, which includes short positions for this purpose, is limited through a value-at-risk test and Rule 18f-4 requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. However, subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4) are not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. Rule 18f-4 could limit the Fund's ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Moreover, there may be asset coverage requirements for certain arrangements. In order to engage in certain transactions in derivatives, the Fund may be required to hold offsetting positions or to hold cash or liquid securities in a segregated account or designated on the Fund's books. Changes in the value of a derivative may also create margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for the Fund. In addition, the Fund's ability to use derivative instruments may be limited by tax considerations.

<u>Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. The Fund may, to the extent specified herein or in the Prospectus, purchase and sell both put and call options on fixed income or other securities or indexes in standardized contracts traded on foreign or domestic securities exchanges, boards of trade, or similar entities, or quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or on an over-the-counter market, and agreements, sometimes called cash puts, which may accompany the purchase of a new issue of bonds from a dealer.

An option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security. Upon exercise, the writer of an option on an index is obligated to pay the difference between the cash value of the index and the exercise price multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. (An index is designed to reflect features of a particular financial or securities market, a specific group of financial instruments or securities or certain economic indicators.)

The Fund will write call options and put options only if they are "covered." In the case of a call option on a security, the option is "covered" if the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by the Fund. For a call option on an index, the option is covered if the Fund maintains with its custodian assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, in an amount equal to the contract value of the index. A call option is also covered if the Fund holds a call on the same security or index as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written. A put option on a security or an index is "covered" if the Fund holds a put on the same security or index as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written.

If an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid. Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, exchange, underlying security or index, exercise price and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund desires.

The Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option which is sold. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series. The Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security or index in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.

The premium paid for a put or call option purchased by the Fund is an asset of the Fund. The premium received for an option written by the Fund is recorded as a deferred credit. The value of an option purchased or written is marked to market daily and is valued at the closing price on the exchange on which it is traded or, if not traded on an exchange or no closing price is available, at the mean between the last bid and asked prices.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a combination of a call and a put written on the same underlying security. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

<u>Risks Associated with Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and on indexes. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.

The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security at the exercise price. If a put or call option purchased by the Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security remains equal to or greater than the exercise price (in the case of a put), or remains less than or equal to the exercise price (in the case of a call), the Fund will lose its entire investment in the option. Also, where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security, the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out an option position. If the Fund were unable to close out an option that it had purchased on a security, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit or the option may expire worthless. If trading were suspended in an option purchased by the Fund, the Fund would not be able to close out the option. If restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it has purchased. Except to the extent that a call option on an index written by the Fund is covered by an option on the same index purchased by the Fund, movements in the index may result in a loss to the Fund; however, such losses may be mitigated by changes in the value of the Fund's securities during the period the option was outstanding. If the Fund were unable to close out a covered call option that it had written on a security, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the exercise price of the call.

To the extent that the Fund writes a call option on a security it holds in its portfolio and intends to use such security as the sole means of "covering" its obligation under the call option, the Fund has, in return for the premium on the option, given up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the exercise price during the option period, but, as long as its obligation under such call option continues, has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. If the Fund were unable to close out such a call option, the Fund would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise.

<u>Foreign Currency Options</u>. Funds that invest in foreign currency-denominated securities may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies. These Funds may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies either on exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires. Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits which may limit the ability of the Fund to reduce foreign currency risk using such options. Over-the-counter options differ from traded options in that over-the-counter options are two-party contracts with price and other terms negotiated between buyer and seller and generally do not have as much market liquidity as exchange traded options.

<u>Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts</u>. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security or commodity for a set price on a future date. These contracts are traded on exchanges, so that, in most cases, either party can close out its position on the exchange for cash, without delivering the security or commodity. An option on a futures contract gives the holder of the option the right to buy or sell a position in a futures contract from or to the writer of the option, at a specified price and on or before a specified expiration date. The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options thereon ("futures options") with respect to, but not limited to, interest rates, commodities and security or commodity indexes. To the extent that the Fund may invest in foreign currency denominated securities, it may also invest in foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon.

An interest rate, commodity, foreign currency or index futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of a financial instrument, foreign currency, commodity or the cash value of an index at a specified price and time. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract was originally written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, no physical delivery of these securities is made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes as well as financial instruments and foreign currencies and it is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future. The Fund may also invest in commodity futures contracts and options thereon. A commodity futures contract is an agreement between two parties, in which one party agrees to buy a commodity, such as an energy, agricultural or metal commodity from the other party at a later date at a price and quantity agreed-upon when the contract is made.

The Fund may purchase and write call and put futures options. Futures options possess many of the same characteristics as options on securities and indexes (discussed above). A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. A call option is "in the money" if the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option exceeds the exercise price. A put option is "in the money" if the exercise price exceeds the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option.

Pursuant to a claim for exclusion from the definition of "commodity pool operator" filed by the Trust with the National Futures Association ("NFA"), the Trust does not fall within the definition of "commodity pool operator" under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended ("CEA"), in respect of the Fund, and thus, is not subject to registration or regulation as such under the CEA in respect of the Fund.

<u>Limitations on Use of Futures and Futures Options</u>. The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and futures options which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity or quoted on an automated quotation system.

Additionally, the Fund will limit its trading in "commodity interests," as that term is defined under applicable CFTC Rules, and which generally includes commodity futures, futures options and swaps, such that, aside from commodity futures, commodity options contracts or swaps that, in each case, are used solely for bona fide hedging purposes within the meaning and intent of applicable CFTC Rules, (i) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish positions in commodity interests will not exceed five percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, or (ii) the aggregate net notional value of commodity interest positions does not exceed 100 percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, in each case, as further described in CFTC Rule 4.5(c)(2).

When a purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by the Fund, the Fund is required to deposit with the custodian (or broker, if legally permitted) a specified amount of assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees ("initial margin"). The margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. Margin requirements on foreign exchanges may be different than U.S. exchanges. The initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the futures contract which is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. The Fund expects to earn interest income on its initial margin deposits. A futures contract held by the Fund is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded. Each day the Fund pays or receives cash, called "variation margin," equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. This process is known as "marking to market." Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract expired. In computing the daily NAV, the Fund will mark to market its open futures positions.

The Fund is also required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option and other futures positions held by the Fund.

Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities or commodities, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (same exchange, underlying security or index and delivery month). Closing out a futures contract sale is effected by purchasing a futures contract for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument or commodity with the same delivery date. If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a call and a put written on the same underlying futures contract. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

When purchasing a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" their position by purchasing a put option on the same futures contract with a strike price as high as or higher than the price of the contract held by the Fund.

When selling a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees that are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" its position by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract (or, in the case of an index futures contract, a portfolio with volatility substantially similar to that of the index on which the futures contract is based), or by holding a call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price no higher than the price of the contract written by the Fund (or at a higher price if the difference is maintained in liquid assets with the Trust's custodian).

When selling a call option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, equal the total market value of the futures contract underlying the call option. Alternatively, the Fund may cover its position by entering into a long position in the same futures contract at a price no higher than the strike price of the call option, by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract, or by holding a separate call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price not higher than the strike price of the call option sold by the Fund.

When selling a put option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that equal the purchase price of the futures contract, less any margin on deposit. Alternatively, the Fund may cover the position either by entering into a short position in the same futures contract, or by owning a separate put option permitting it to sell the same futures contract so long as the strike price of the purchased put option is the same or higher than the strike price of the put option sold by the Fund.

The requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company ("RIC") provided under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("IRC") also may limit the extent to which the Fund may enter into futures, futures options or forward contracts. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

<u>Risks Associated with Futures and Futures Options</u>. There are several risks associated with the use of futures contracts and futures options. A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the margin deposits relating to the futures contract. There can be no guarantee that there will be a correlation between price movements in the hedging vehicle and in the Fund securities being hedged. In addition, there are significant differences between the securities and futures markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between the markets, causing a given hedge not to achieve its objectives. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends on circumstances such as variations in speculative market demand for futures and futures options on securities, including technical influences in futures trading and futures options, and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard contracts available for trading in such respects as interest rate levels, maturities and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision as to whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected interest rate trends.

Futures contracts on U.S. Government securities historically have reacted to an increase or decrease in interest rates in a manner similar to that in which the underlying U.S. Government securities reacted. To the extent, however, that the Fund enters into such futures contracts, the value of such futures will not vary in direct proportion to the value of the Fund's holdings. Thus, the anticipated spread between the price of the futures contract and the hedged security may be distorted due to differences in the nature of the markets. The spread also may be distorted by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets and the participation of speculators in such markets.

Futures exchanges may limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of the current trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a futures contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may work to prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when the Fund seeks to close out a futures or a futures option position, and that the Fund would remain obligated to meet margin requirements until the position is closed. In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.

<u>Risks Associated with Commodity Futures Contracts</u>. There are several additional risks associated with transactions in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Storage</u>. Unlike the financial futures markets, in the commodity futures markets there are costs of physical storage associated with purchasing the underlying commodity. The price of the commodity futures contract will reflect the storage costs of purchasing the physical commodity, including the time value of money invested in the physical commodity. To the extent that the storage costs for an underlying commodity change while the Fund is invested in futures contracts on that commodity, the value of the futures contract may change proportionately.

<u>Reinvestment</u>. In the commodity futures markets, producers of the underlying commodity may decide to hedge the price risk of selling the commodity by selling futures contracts today to lock in the price of the commodity at delivery tomorrow. In order to induce speculators to purchase the other side of the same futures contract, the commodity producer generally must sell the futures contract at a lower price than the expected future spot price. Conversely, if most hedgers in the futures market are purchasing futures contracts to hedge against a rise in prices, then speculators will only sell the other side of the futures contract at a higher futures price than the expected future spot price of the commodity. The changing nature of the hedgers and speculators in the commodity markets will influence whether futures prices are above or below the expected future spot price, which can have significant implications for the Fund. If the nature of hedgers and speculators in futures markets has shifted when it is time for the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a maturing contract in a new futures contract, the Fund might reinvest at higher or lower futures prices, or choose to pursue other investments.

Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the IRC may limit the Fund's ability to invest in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Tax Risk</u>. The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a RIC under the IRC. To qualify as a RIC under the IRC, the Fund must invest in assets which produce the types of income specified in the IRC and the Treasury Regulations ("Qualifying Income"). Whether the income from certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities is Qualifying Income must be determined on a case-by-case basis, and the Fund will endeavor to ensure that income that is not Qualifying Income will be limited to 10% or less of the Fund's income. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities may be restricted. Further, if the Fund does invest in these types of securities and the income is determined not to be Qualifying Income, it may cause the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these restrictions.

<u>Other Economic Factors</u>. The commodities which underlie commodity futures contracts may be subject to additional economic and non-economic variables, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments. These factors may have a larger impact on commodity prices and commodity-linked instruments, including futures contracts, than on traditional securities. Certain commodities are also subject to limited pricing flexibility because of supply and demand factors. Others are subject to broad price fluctuations as a result of the volatility of the prices for certain raw materials and the instability of supplies of other materials. These additional variables may create additional investment risks which subject the Fund's investments to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities.

<u>Additional Risks of Options on Securities, Futures Contracts, Options on Futures Contracts and Forward Currency Exchange Contracts and Options Thereon</u>. Options on securities, futures contracts and options on currencies may be traded on foreign exchanges. Such transactions may not be regulated as effectively as similar transactions in the United States may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Trust's ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States and (v) lesser trading volume.

<u>Swap Agreements and Options on Swap Agreements</u>*.*** The Fund may engage in swap transactions, including, but not limited to, swap agreements on interest rates, security or commodity indexes, specific securities and commodities, and credit and event-linked swaps. To the extent the Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities, it also may invest in currency exchange rate swap agreements. The Fund also may enter into options on swap agreements ("swap options").

The Fund may enter into swap transactions for any legal purpose consistent with its investment objectives and policies, such as attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining a return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in other markets, to protect against currency fluctuations, as a duration management technique, to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in a more cost efficient manner.

OTC swap agreements are bilateral contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a "notional amount," i.e., the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a "basket" of securities or commodities representing a particular index. A "quanto" or "differential" swap combines both an interest rate and a currency transaction. Other forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap"; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or "floor"; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. Consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and general investment policies, the Fund may invest in commodity swap agreements. For example, an investment in a commodity swap agreement may involve the exchange of floating-rate interest payments for the total return on a commodity index. In a total return commodity swap, the Fund will receive the price appreciation of a commodity index, a portion of the index, or a single commodity in exchange for paying an agreed-upon fee. If the commodity swap is for one period, the Fund may pay a fixed fee, established at the outset of the swap. However, if the term of the commodity swap is more than one period, with interim swap payments, the Fund may pay an adjustable or floating fee. With a "floating" rate, the fee may be pegged to a base rate and is adjusted each period. Therefore, if interest rates increase over the term of the swap contract, the Fund may be required to pay a higher fee at each swap reset date.

The Fund also may enter into swap options. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. The Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swap options.

Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, the Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swap option than it will incur when it purchases a swap option. When the Fund purchases a swap option, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when the Fund writes a swap option, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

Most types of swap agreements entered into by the Fund will calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a "net basis." Consequently, the Fund's current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the "net amount"). The Fund's current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund).

The Fund also may enter into credit default swap agreements. The credit default swap agreement may reference one or more debt securities or obligations that are not currently held by the Fund. The protection "buyer" in a credit default contract is generally obligated to pay the protection "seller" an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract until a credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the "par value" (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount if the swap is cash settled. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer may receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity whose value may have significantly decreased. As a seller, the Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

The spread of a credit default swap is the annual amount the protection buyer must pay the protection seller over the length of the contract, expressed as a percentage of the notional amount. When spreads rise, market perceived credit risk rises and when spreads fall, market perceived credit risk falls. Wider credit spreads and decreasing market values, when compared to the notional amount of the swap, represent a deterioration of the credit soundness of the issuer of the reference obligation and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. For credit default swap agreements on asset-backed securities and credit indices, the quoted market prices and resulting values, as well as the annual payment rate, serve as an indication of the current status of the payment/performance risk.

Credit default swap agreements sold by the Fund may involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, and with respect to OTC credit default swaps, counterparty risk and credit risk. The Fund will enter into uncleared credit default swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. A buyer generally also will lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. The Fund's obligations under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund).

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") and related regulatory developments require the clearing and exchange-trading of many standardized OTC derivative instruments that the CFTC and SEC have defined as "swaps" including non-deliverable foreign exchange forwards, OTC foreign exchange options and swap options. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing is occurring on a phased-in basis based on type of market participant and CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing. The Adviser will continue to monitor developments in this area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the Fund's ability to enter into swap agreements.

Whether the Fund's use of swap agreements or swap options will be successful in furthering its investment objective will depend on the Adviser's ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. The Fund will enter into OTC swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the Internal Revenue Code may limit the Fund's ability to use swap agreements. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including additional government regulation, could adversely affect the Fund's ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the reference asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. Because OTC swap agreements are two-party contracts that may be subject to contractual restrictions on transferability and termination and because they may have remaining terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid and subject to the Fund's limitation on investments in illiquid securities. However, the Trust has adopted procedures pursuant to which the Adviser may determine swaps to be liquid under certain circumstances. To the extent that a swap is not liquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.

Like most other investments, swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to the Fund's interest. The Fund bears the risk that the Adviser will not accurately forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors in establishing swap positions for the Fund. If the Adviser attempts to use a swap as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the swap will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the Fund. While hedging strategies involving swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other Fund investments. Many swaps are complex and often valued subjectively.

<u>Correlation Risk</u>. In certain cases, the value of derivatives may not correlate perfectly, or at all, with the value of the assets, reference rates or indexes they are designed to closely track. In this regard, certain funds seek to achieve their investment objectives, in part, by investing in derivatives positions that are designed to closely track the performance (or inverse performance) of an index on a daily basis. However, the overall investment strategies of the Fund are not designed or expected to produce returns which replicate the performance (or inverse performance) of the particular index, and the degree of variation could be substantial, particularly over longer periods. There are a number of factors which may prevent a mutual fund, or derivatives or other strategies used by the Fund, from achieving desired correlation (or inverse correlation) with an index. These may include, but are not limited to: (i) the impact of fund fees, expenses and transaction costs, including borrowing and brokerage costs/bid-ask spreads, which are not reflected in index returns; (ii) differences in the timing of daily calculations of the value of an index and the timing of the valuation of derivatives, securities and other assets held by the Fund and the determination of the NAV of fund shares; (iii) disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for derivative instruments or securities in which the Fund invests; (iv) the Fund having exposure to or holding less than all of the securities in the underlying index and/or having exposure to or holding securities not included in the underlying index; (v) large or unexpected movements of assets into and out of the Fund (due to share purchases or redemptions, for example), potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the index; (vi) the impact of accounting standards or changes thereto; (vii) changes to the applicable index that are not disseminated in advance; (viii) a possible need to conform the Fund's portfolio holdings to comply with investment restrictions or policies or regulatory or tax law requirements; and (ix) fluctuations in currency exchange rates.

<u>Risk of Potential Government Regulation of Derivatives</u>*.*** It is possible that additional government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, including futures, options and swap agreements, may limit or prevent the Fund from using such instruments potentially to the detriment of the Fund. It is impossible to fully predict the effects of past, present or future legislation and regulation in this area, but the effects could be substantial and adverse. It is possible that legislative and regulatory activity could limit or restrict the ability of the Fund to use certain instruments as a part of its investment strategy. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

There is a possibility of future regulatory changes altering, perhaps to a material extent, the nature of an investment in the Fund or the ability of the Fund to continue to implement their investment strategies. The futures, options and swaps markets are subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations, and margin requirements. In addition, the SEC, CFTC and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.

In particular, the Dodd-Frank Act sets forth a legislative framework for OTC derivatives, including financial instruments, such as swaps, in which the Fund may invest. Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act makes broad changes to the OTC derivatives market, grants significant new authority to the SEC and the CFTC to regulate OTC derivatives and market participants, and requires clearing and exchange trading of many OTC derivatives transactions.

Provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act include capital and margin requirements and the mandatory use of clearinghouse mechanisms for many OTC derivative transactions. The CFTC, SEC and other federal regulators have been developing the rules and regulations enacting the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. Because there is a prescribed phase-in period during which most of the mandated rulemaking and regulations will be implemented, it is not possible at this time to gauge the exact nature and full scope of the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act on the Fund. However, swap dealers, major market participants and swap counterparties are experiencing, and will continue to experience, new and additional regulations, requirements, compliance burdens and associated costs. The new law and the rules to be promulgated thereunder may negatively impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective either through limits or requirements imposed on it or upon its counterparties. In particular, new position limits imposed on the Fund or its counterparties may impact the Fund's ability to invest in futures, options and swaps in a manner that efficiently meets its investment objective. New requirements even if not directly applicable to the Fund, including capital requirements, changes to the CFTC speculative position limits regime and mandatory clearing, may increase the cost of a Fund's investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.

<u>Structured Notes</u>. Structured notes are derivative debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities include structured notes as well as securities other than debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities may include a multiplier that multiplies the indexed element by a specified factor and, therefore, the value of such securities may be very volatile. The terms of the structured and indexed securities may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity and therefore, may result in a loss of invested capital. Structured and indexed securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the reference index may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the structured or indexed security at maturity may be calculated as a specified multiple of the change in the value of the reference; therefore, the value of such security may be very volatile. Structured and indexed securities may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the reference. Structured or indexed securities may also be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities. To the extent the Fund invests in these securities, however, the Adviser analyzes these securities in its overall assessment of the effective duration of the Fund's portfolio in an effort to monitor the Fund's interest rate risk.

**DOLLAR ROLLS.** The Fund may enter into dollar roll agreements, which are similar to reverse repurchase agreements. Dollar rolls are transactions in which securities are sold by the Fund for delivery in the current month and the Fund simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. Any difference between the sale price and the purchase price is netted against the interest income foregone on the securities sold to arrive at an implied borrowing rate. Alternatively, the sale and purchase transactions can be executed at the same price, with the Fund being paid a fee as consideration for entering into the commitment to purchase. Dollar rolls may be renewed prior to cash settlement and initially may involve only a firm commitment agreement by the Fund to buy a security. If the broker-dealer to which the Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund's right to repurchase the security may be restricted. At the time the Fund enters into a dollar roll, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained.

**EQUITY-LINKED SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in equity-linked securities. Equity-linked securities are privately issued securities whose investment results are designed to correspond generally to the performance of a specified stock index or "basket" of stocks, or sometimes a single stock. To the extent that the Fund invests in an equity-linked security whose return corresponds to the performance of a foreign securities index or one or more foreign stocks, investing in equity-linked securities will involve risks similar to the risks of investing in foreign equity securities. See "Foreign Securities" below. In addition, the Fund bears the risk that the issuer of an equity-linked security may default on its obligations under the security. Equity-linked securities are often used for many of the same purposes as, and share many of the same risks with, derivative instruments such as index futures on stock indexes, zero-strike options and warrants and swap agreements. See "Derivative Instruments" above. Equity-linked securities may be considered illiquid and thus subject to the Fund's restriction on investments in illiquid securities.

**EVENT-LINKED EXPOSURE.** The Fund may obtain event-linked exposure by investing in "event-linked bonds" or "event-linked swaps," or implement "event-linked strategies." Event-linked exposure results in gains that typically are contingent on the non-occurrence of a specific "trigger" event, such as a hurricane, earthquake or other physical or weather-related phenomena. Some event-linked bonds are commonly referred to as "catastrophe bonds." They may be issued by government agencies, insurance companies, reinsurers, special purpose corporations or other on-shore or off-shore entities (such special purpose entities are created to accomplish a narrow and well-defined objective, such as the issuance of a note in connection with a reinsurance transaction). If a trigger event causes losses exceeding a specific amount in the geographic region and time period specified in a bond, the Fund, when investing in the bond

may lose a portion or all of its principal invested in the bond. If no trigger event occurs, the Fund will recover its principal plus interest. For some event-linked bonds, the trigger event or losses may be based on company-wide losses, index-portfolio losses, industry indices or readings of scientific instruments rather than specified actual losses. Often the event-linked bonds provide for extensions of maturity that are mandatory, or optional at the discretion of the issuer, in order to process and audit loss claims in those cases where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension of maturity may increase volatility. In addition to the specified trigger events, event-linked bonds may also expose the Fund to certain unanticipated risks including, but not limited to, issuer risk, credit risk, counterparty risk, restricted securities risk, liquidity risk and valuation risk as well as exposures to specific geographic areas, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations and adverse tax consequences.

Event-linked bonds are typically rated, and the Fund will only invest in catastrophe bonds that meet the credit quality requirements for the Fund.

**FIXED INCOME SECURITIES WITH BUY-BACK FEATURES.** Fixed income securities with buy-back features enable the Fund to recover principal upon tendering the securities to the issuer or a third party. Letters of credit issued by domestic or foreign banks often support these buy-back features. In evaluating a foreign bank's credit, the Adviser considers whether adequate public information about the bank is available and whether the bank may be subject to unfavorable political or economic developments, currency controls or other governmental restrictions that could adversely affect the bank's ability to honor its commitment under the letter of credit. Buy-back features include standby commitments, put bonds and demand features.

<u>Standby Commitments</u>. The Fund may acquire standby commitments from broker-dealers, banks or other financial intermediaries to enhance the liquidity of portfolio securities. A standby commitment entitles the Fund to same day settlement at amortized cost plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise. The amount payable by the issuer of the standby commitment during the time that the commitment is exercisable generally approximates the market value of the securities underlying the commitment. Standby commitments are subject to the risk that the issuer of a commitment may not be in a position to pay for the securities at the time that the commitment is exercised.

Ordinarily, the Fund will not transfer a standby commitment to a third party, although the Fund may sell securities subject to a standby commitment at any time. The Fund may purchase standby commitments separate from or in conjunction with the purchase of the securities subject to the commitments. In the latter case, the Fund may pay a higher price for the securities acquired in consideration for the commitment.

In selecting put bonds for the Fund, the Adviser takes into consideration the creditworthiness of the issuers of the underlying bonds and the creditworthiness of the providers of the tender option features. A sponsor may withdraw the tender option feature if the issuer of the underlying bond defaults on interest or principal payments, the bond's rating is downgraded or, in the case of a municipal bond, the bond loses its tax-exempt status.

<u>Demand Features</u>. Many variable rate securities carry demand features that permit the holder to demand repayment of the principal amount of the underlying securities plus accrued interest, if any, upon a specified number of days' notice to the issuer or its agent. A demand feature may be exercisable at any time or at specified intervals. Variable rate securities with demand features are treated as having a maturity equal to the time remaining before the holder can next demand payment of principal. The issuer of a demand feature instrument may have a corresponding right to prepay the outstanding principal of the instrument plus accrued interest, if any, upon notice comparable to that required for the holder to demand payment.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities and may purchase and sell foreign currency options and foreign currency futures contracts and related options (see "Derivative Instruments") and may engage in foreign currency transactions either on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time or through forward currency contracts ("forwards") with terms generally of less than one year. The Fund may engage in these transactions in order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign exchange rates in the purchase and sale of securities. The Fund may also use foreign currency options and foreign currency forward contracts to increase exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another.

A forward involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts may be bought or sold to protect the Fund against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar or to increase exposure to a particular foreign currency. Although forwards are intended to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currencies, at the same time, they tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currencies increase.

Forwards will be used primarily to adjust the foreign exchange exposure of the Fund with a view to protecting the outlook, and the Fund might be expected to enter into such contracts under the following circumstances:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) When the Adviser desires to lock in the U.S. dollar price on the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) If a particular currency is expected to decrease against another currency, the Fund may sell the currency expected to decrease and purchase a currency which is expected to increase against the currency sold in an amount approximately equal to some or all of the Fund's portfolio holdings denominated in the currency sold.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) If the Adviser wants to eliminate substantially all of the risk of owning a particular currency, and/or if the Adviser thinks that the Fund can benefit from price appreciation in a given country's bonds but does not want to hold the currency, it may employ a direct hedge back into the U.S. dollar. In either case, the Fund would enter into a forward contract to sell the currency in which a portfolio security is denominated and purchase U.S. dollars at an exchange rate established at the time it initiated the contract. The cost of the direct hedge transaction may offset most, if not all, of the yield advantage offered by the foreign security, but the Fund would hope to benefit from an increase (if any) in the value of the bond.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) The Adviser might choose to use a proxy hedge, which may be less costly than a direct hedge. In this case, the Fund, having purchased a security, will sell a currency whose value is believed to be closely linked to the currency in which the security is denominated. Interest rates prevailing in the country whose currency was sold would be expected to be closer to those in the U.S. and lower than those of securities denominated in the currency of the original holding. This type of hedging entails greater risk than a direct hedge because it is dependent on a stable relationship between the two currencies paired as proxies and the relationships can be very unstable at times.

<u>Costs of Hedging</u>. When the Fund purchases a foreign bond with a higher interest rate than is available on U.S. bonds of a similar maturity, the additional yield on the foreign bond could be substantially reduced or lost if the Fund were to enter into a direct hedge by selling the foreign currency and purchasing the U.S. dollar. This is what is known as the "cost" of hedging. Proxy hedging attempts to reduce this cost through an indirect hedge back to the U.S. dollar.

It is important to note that hedging costs are treated as capital transactions and are not, therefore, deducted from the Fund's dividend distribution and are not reflected in its yield. Instead such costs will, over time, be reflected in the Fund's NAV per share.

The forecasting of currency market movement is extremely difficult, and whether any hedging strategy will be successful is highly uncertain. Moreover, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of a foreign currency forward contract. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to buy or sell additional currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such transaction) if the Adviser's predictions regarding the movement of foreign currency or securities markets prove inaccurate. In addition, the use of cross-hedging transactions may involve special risks and may leave the Fund in a less advantageous position than if such a hedge had not been established. Because foreign currency forward contracts are privately negotiated transactions, there can be no assurance that the Fund will have flexibility to roll-over a foreign currency forward contract upon its expiration if it desires to do so. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the other party to the contract will perform its services thereunder.

The Fund may hold a portion of its assets in bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies, so as to facilitate investment in foreign securities as well as protect against currency fluctuations and the need to convert such assets into U.S. dollars (thereby also reducing transaction costs). To the extent these monies are converted back into U.S. dollars, the value of the assets so maintained will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations.

<u>Tax Consequences of Hedging</u>. Under applicable tax law, the Fund may be required to limit its gains from hedging in foreign currency forwards, futures and options. The extent to which these limits apply is subject to tax regulations that, to date, have not been issued. Hedging may also result in the application of the mark-to-market and straddle provisions of the IRC. Those provisions could result in

an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund and could affect whether dividends paid by the Fund are classified as capital gains or ordinary income. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these tax issues.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE-RELATED SECURITIES.**

<u>Foreign Currency Warrants</u>. Foreign currency warrants such as Currency Exchange Warrants ("CEWs") are warrants which entitle the holder to receive from their issuer an amount of cash (generally, for warrants issued in the United States, in U.S. dollars) which is calculated pursuant to a predetermined formula and based on the exchange rate between a specified foreign currency and the U.S. dollar as of the exercise date of the warrant. Foreign currency warrants generally are exercisable upon their issuance and expire as of a specified date and time. Foreign currency warrants have been issued in connection with U.S. dollar-denominated debt offerings by major corporate issuers in an attempt to reduce the foreign currency exchange risk which, from the point of view of prospective purchasers of the securities, is inherent in the international fixed-income marketplace. Foreign currency warrants may attempt to reduce the foreign exchange risk assumed by purchasers of a security by, for example, providing for a supplemental payment in the event that the U.S. dollar depreciates against the value of a major foreign currency such as the Japanese yen or the euro. The formula used to determine the amount payable upon exercise of a foreign currency warrant may make the warrant worthless unless the applicable foreign currency exchange rate moves in a particular direction (e.g., unless the U.S. dollar appreciates or depreciates against the particular foreign currency to which the warrant is linked or indexed). Foreign currency warrants are severable from the debt obligations with which they may be offered and may be listed on exchanges. Foreign currency warrants may be exercisable only in certain minimum amounts, and an investor wishing to exercise warrants who possesses less than the minimum number required for exercise may be required either to sell the warrants or to purchase additional warrants, thereby incurring additional transaction costs. In the case of any exercise of warrants, there may be a time delay between the time a holder of warrants gives instructions to exercise and the time the exchange rate relating to exercise is determined, during which time the exchange rate could change significantly, thereby affecting both the market and cash settlement values of the warrants being exercised. The expiration date of the warrants may be accelerated if the warrants should be delisted from an exchange or if their trading should be suspended permanently, which would result in the loss of any remaining "time value" of the warrants (i.e., the difference between the current market value and the exercise value of the warrants), and, in the case the warrants were "out-of-the-money," in a total loss of the purchase price of the warrants. Warrants are generally unsecured obligations of their issuers and are not standardized foreign currency options issued by the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"). Unlike foreign currency options issued by OCC, the terms of foreign exchange warrants generally will not be amended in the event of governmental or regulatory actions affecting exchange rates or in the event of the imposition of other regulatory controls affecting the international currency markets. The initial public offering price of foreign currency warrants is generally considerably in excess of the price that a commercial user of foreign currencies might pay in the interbank market for a comparable option involving significantly larger amounts of foreign currencies. Foreign currency warrants are subject to significant foreign exchange risk, including risks arising from complex political or economic factors.

<u>Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities</u>. Principal exchange rate linked securities ("PERLs") are debt obligations the principal on which is payable at maturity in an amount that may vary based on the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and a particular foreign currency at or about that time. The return on "standard" PERLs is enhanced if the foreign currency to which the security is linked appreciates against the U.S. dollar and is adversely affected by increases in the foreign exchange value of the U.S. dollar; "reverse" PERLs are like the "standard" securities, except that their return is enhanced by increases in the value of the U.S. dollar and adversely impacted by increases in the value of foreign currency. Interest payments on the securities are generally made in U.S. dollars at rates that reflect the degree of foreign currency risk assumed or given up by the purchaser of the notes (i.e., at relatively higher interest rates if the purchaser has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, or relatively lower interest rates if the issuer has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, based on the expectations of the current market). PERLs may in limited cases be subject to acceleration of maturity (generally, not without the consent of the holders of the securities), which may have an adverse impact on the value of the principal payment to be made at maturity.

<u>Performance Indexed Paper</u>. Performance indexed paper ("PIPs") is U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper the yield of which is linked to certain foreign exchange rate movements. The yield to the investor on PIPs is established at maturity as a function of spot exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a designated currency as of or about that time (generally, the index maturity two days prior to maturity). The yield to the investor will be within a range stipulated at the time of purchase of the obligation, generally with a guaranteed minimum rate of return that is below, and a potential maximum rate of return that is above, market yields on U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper, with both the minimum and maximum rates of return on the investment corresponding to the minimum and maximum values of the spot exchange rate two business days prior to maturity.

**FOREIGN SECURITIES AND EMERGING MARKETS.** The Fund may invest in foreign securities, including securities from issuers located in emerging market countries. Investing in foreign securities involves risks not typically associated with investing in securities of companies organized and operated in the United States that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. In addition to equity

securities, foreign investments of the Fund may include: (a) debt obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign sovereign governments or their agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or political subdivisions, including a foreign state, province or municipality; (b) debt obligations of supranational organizations; (c) debt obligations of foreign banks and bank holding companies; (d) debt obligations of domestic banks and corporations issued in foreign currencies; (e) debt obligations denominated in the Euro; and (f) foreign corporate debt securities and commercial paper. Such securities may include loan participations and assignments, convertible securities and zero-coupon securities.

<u>Currency Risk and Exchange Risk</u>*.* Because foreign securities generally are denominated and pay dividends or interest in foreign currencies, the value of the Fund (if it invests in foreign securities as measured in U.S. dollars) will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in exchange rates. Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency loses value because the currency is worth fewer U.S. dollars. Conversely, when the U.S. dollar decreases in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency gains value because the currency is worth more U.S. dollars. This risk, generally known as "currency risk," means that a stronger U.S. dollar will reduce returns for U.S. investors while a weak U.S. dollar will increase those returns.

<u>Foreign Market Risk</u>*.* A fund that may invest in foreign securities offers the potential for more diversification than a fund that invests only in the United States because securities traded on foreign markets have often (though not always) performed differently from securities traded in the United States. However, such investments often involve risks not present in U.S. investments that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. In particular, the Fund is subject to the risk that, because there are generally fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of shares traded each day, it may be difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. In addition, prices of foreign securities may fluctuate more than prices of securities traded in the United States. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of punitive taxes. In addition, the governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain industries. Any of these actions could severely affect security prices, impair the Fund's ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer the Fund's assets or income back into the United States or otherwise adversely affect its operations. Other potential foreign market risks include exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on foreign government securities, difficulties in enforcing favorable legal judgments in foreign courts and political and social conditions, such as diplomatic relations, confiscatory taxation, expropriation, limitation on the removal of funds or assets or imposition of (or change in) exchange control regulations. Legal remedies available to investors in certain foreign countries may be less extensive than those available to investors in the United States or other foreign countries. In addition, changes in government administrations or economic or monetary policies in the United States or abroad could result in appreciation or depreciation of portfolio securities and could favorably or adversely affect the Fund's operations.

<u>Public Availability of Information</u>*.* In general, less information is publicly available with respect to foreign issuers than is available with respect to U.S. companies. Most foreign companies are also not subject to the uniform accounting and financial reporting requirements applicable to issuers in the United States. While the volume of transactions effected on foreign stock exchanges has increased in recent years, it remains appreciably below that of the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange"). Accordingly, the Fund's foreign investments may be less liquid and their prices may be more volatile than comparable investments in securities in U.S. companies. In addition, there is generally less government supervision and regulation of securities exchanges, brokers and issuers in foreign countries than in the United States.

<u>Settlement Risk</u>*.* Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the United States. Foreign settlement procedures and trade regulations also may involve certain risks (such as delays in payment for or delivery of securities) not typically generated by the settlement of U.S. investments. Communications between the United States and emerging market countries may be unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates in markets that still rely on physical settlement. Settlements in certain foreign countries at times have not kept pace with the number of securities transactions; these problems may make it difficult for the Fund to carry out transactions. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a purchase of securities, it may miss attractive investment opportunities and certain of its assets may be uninvested with no return earned thereon for some period. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a sale of securities, it may lose money if the value of the security then declines or, if it has contracted to sell the security to another party, the Fund could be liable to that party for any losses incurred. Dividends or interest on, or proceeds from the sale of, foreign securities may be subject to foreign taxes on income from sources in such countries.

<u>Governmental Supervision and Regulation/Accounting Standards</u>. Many foreign governments supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities less than does the United States. Some countries may not have laws to protect investors comparable to the U.S. securities laws. For example, some foreign countries may have no laws or rules against insider trading. Insider trading occurs when a person buys or sells a company's securities based on nonpublic information about that company. In addition, the U.S. Government has from time to time in the past imposed restrictions, through penalties and otherwise, on foreign investments by U.S. investors such as the Fund. Accounting standards in other countries are not necessarily the same as in the United States. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as U.S. accounting standards, it may be harder for Fund management to completely and accurately determine a company's financial condition. Also, brokerage commissions and other costs of buying or selling securities often are higher in foreign countries than they are in the United States. This reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments.

<u>Certain Risks of Holding Fund Assets Outside the United States</u>. The Fund generally holds foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories. Some foreign banks and securities depositories may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In addition, there may be limited or no regulatory oversight over their operations. Also, the laws of certain countries may put limits on the Fund's ability to recover its assets if a foreign bank or depository or issuer of a security or any of their agents goes bankrupt. In addition, it is often more expensive for the Fund to buy, sell and hold securities in certain foreign markets than in the United States. The increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments and typically results in a higher operating expense ratio for the Fund as compared to investment companies that invest only in the United States.

<u>Foreign Economy Risk</u>*.* The economies of certain foreign markets often do not compare favorably with that of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of payments position. Certain such economies may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures.

<u>Sovereign Debt</u>. The Fund may invest in sovereign debt. Investment in sovereign debt can involve a high degree of risk. The governmental entity that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be able or willing to repay the principal and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of such debt. A governmental entity's willingness or ability to repay principal and interest due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the governmental entity's policy towards the International Monetary Fund and the political constraints to which a governmental entity may be subject. Governmental entities may also be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The commitment on the part of these governments, agencies and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on the implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor's obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties' commitments to lend funds to the governmental entity, which may further impair such debtor's ability or willingness to timely service its debts. Consequently, governmental entities may default on their sovereign debt.

Holders of sovereign debt may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such debt and to extend further loans to governmental entities. In the event of a default by a governmental entity, there may be few or no effective legal remedies for collecting on such debt.

<u>Risks of Investing in Asia-Pacific Countries</u>. In addition to the risks of foreign investing and the risks of investing in developing markets, the developing market Asia-Pacific countries in which the Fund may invest are subject to certain additional or specific risks. In many of these markets, there is a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of investors and financial intermediaries. Many of these markets also may be affected by developments with respect to more established markets in the region such as in Japan and Hong Kong. Brokers in developing market Asia-Pacific countries typically are fewer in number and less well capitalized than brokers in the United States. These factors, combined with the U.S. regulatory requirements for open-end investment companies and the restrictions on foreign investment discussed below, result in potentially fewer investment opportunities for the Fund and may have an adverse impact on the investment performance of the Fund.

Many of the developing market Asia-Pacific countries may be subject to a greater degree of economic, political and social instability than is the case in the United States and Western European countries. Such instability may result from, among other things: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision-making, including changes in government through extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic and social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; and (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection. In addition, the governments of many of such countries, such as Indonesia, have a substantial role in regulating and supervising the economy. Another risk common to most such countries is that the economy is heavily export oriented and, accordingly, is dependent upon international trade. The existence of overburdened infrastructure and obsolete financial systems also presents risks in certain countries, as do environmental problems. Certain economies also depend to a significant degree upon exports of primary commodities and, therefore, are vulnerable to changes in commodity prices that, in turn, may be affected by a variety of factors.

The legal systems in certain developing market Asia-Pacific countries also may have an adverse impact on the Fund. For example, while the potential liability of a shareholder in a U.S. corporation with respect to acts of the corporation is generally limited to the amount of the shareholder's investment, the notion of limited liability is less clear in certain emerging market Asia-Pacific countries. Similarly, the rights of investors in developing market Asia-Pacific companies may be more limited than those of shareholders of U.S. corporations. It may be difficult or impossible to obtain and/or enforce a judgment in a developing market Asia-Pacific country.

Governments of many developing market Asia-Pacific countries have exercised and continue to exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector. In certain cases, the government owns or controls many companies, including the largest in the country. Accordingly, government actions in the future could have a significant effect on economic conditions in developing market Asia-Pacific countries, which could affect private sector companies and a Fund itself, as well as the value of securities in the Fund's portfolio. In addition, economic statistics of developing market Asia-Pacific countries may be less reliable than economic statistics of more developed nations.

In addition to the relative lack of publicly available information about developing market Asia-Pacific issuers and the possibility that such issuers may not be subject to the same accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards as U.S. companies, inflation accounting rules in some developing market Asia-Pacific countries require companies that keep accounting records in the local currency, for both tax and accounting purposes, to restate certain assets and liabilities on the company's balance sheet in order to express items in terms of currency of constant purchasing power. Inflation accounting may indirectly generate losses or profits for certain developing market Asia-Pacific companies.

Satisfactory custodial services for investment securities may not be available in some developing Asia-Pacific countries, which may result in the Fund incurring additional costs and delays in providing transportation and custody services for such securities outside such countries. Certain developing Asia-Pacific countries, such as the Philippines, India and Turkey, are especially large debtors to commercial banks and foreign governments. The Adviser may determine that, notwithstanding otherwise favorable investment criteria, it may not be practicable or appropriate to invest in a particular developing Asia-Pacific country. The Fund may invest in countries in which foreign investors, including the Adviser, have had no or limited prior experience.

<u>Restrictions on Foreign Investments in Asia-Pacific Countries</u>. Some developing Asia-Pacific countries prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on investments in their capital markets, particularly their equity markets, by foreign entities such as the Fund. As illustrations, certain countries may require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company or limit the investment by foreign persons to only a specific class of securities of a company which may have less advantageous terms (including price and shareholder rights) than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to obtain required governmental approvals in a timely manner. In addition, changes to restrictions on foreign ownership of securities subsequent to the Fund's purchase of such securities may have an adverse effect on the value of such shares. Certain countries may restrict investment opportunities in issuers or industries deemed important to national interests.

The manner in which foreign investors may invest in companies in certain developing Asia-Pacific countries, as well as limitations on such investments, also may have an adverse impact on the operations of the Fund. For example, the Fund may be required in certain of such countries to invest initially through a local broker or other entity and then have the shares purchased re-registered in the name of the Fund. Re-registration may in some instances not be able to occur on a timely basis, resulting in a delay during which the Fund may be denied certain of its rights as an investor, including rights as to dividends or to be made aware of certain corporate actions. There also may be instances where the Fund places a purchase order but is subsequently informed, at the time of re-registration, that the permissible allocation of the investment to foreign investors has been filled, depriving the Fund of the ability to make its desired investment at that time.

Substantial limitations may exist in certain countries with respect to the Fund's ability to repatriate investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors. The Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation of capital, as well as by the application to the Fund of any restrictions on investments. It is possible that certain countries may impose currency controls or other restrictions relating to their currencies or to securities of issuers in those countries. To the extent that such restrictions have the effect of making certain investments illiquid, securities may not be available for sale to meet redemptions. Depending on a variety of financial factors, the percentage of the Fund's portfolio subject to currency controls may increase. In the event other countries impose similar controls, the portion of the Fund's assets that may be used to meet redemptions may be further decreased. Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain aspects of the operations of the Fund (for example, if funds may be withdrawn only in certain currencies and/or only at an exchange rate established by the government).

In certain countries, banks or other financial institutions may be among the leading companies or have actively traded securities available for investment. The 1940 Act restricts the Fund's investments in any equity securities of an issuer that, in its most recent fiscal year, derived more than 15% of its revenues from "securities related activities," as defined by the rules thereunder. These provisions may restrict the Fund's investments in certain foreign banks and other financial institutions.

Political and economic structures in emerging market countries may be undergoing significant evolution and rapid development, and these countries may lack the social, political and economic stability characteristic of more developed countries. Some of these countries may have in the past failed to recognize private property rights and have at times nationalized or expropriated the assets of private

companies. As a result the risks described above, including the risks of nationalization or expropriation of assets, may be heightened. In addition, unanticipated political or social developments may affect the value of investments in these countries and the availability to the Fund of additional investments in emerging market countries. The small size and inexperience of the securities markets in certain of these countries and the limited volume of trading in securities in these countries may make investments in the countries illiquid and more volatile than investments in Japan or most Western European countries. There may be little financial or accounting information available with respect to issuers located in certain emerging market countries, and it may be difficult to assess the value or prospects of an investment in such issuers.

The expense ratios of funds investing significantly in foreign securities can be expected to be higher than those of funds investing primarily in domestic securities. The costs attributable to investing abroad are usually higher for several reasons, such as the higher cost of custody of foreign securities, higher commissions paid on comparable transactions on foreign markets and additional costs arising from delays in settlements of transactions involving foreign securities.

<u>Risks of Investing in Eastern Europe</u>. Investing in the securities of issuers located or operating in Eastern Europe is highly speculative and involves risks not usually associated with investing in the more developed markets of Western Europe. Certain Eastern European countries have high public debt levels, significant underground economies, high unemployment and emigration of skilled workers. Such countries generally have a history of political instability, limited infrastructure and an inefficient public sector prone to endemic corruption. Political and economic reforms are too recent to establish a definite trend away from centrally planned economies and state-owned industries. In the past, some Eastern European governments have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and many claims of the property owners have never been fully settled.

Many Eastern European countries continue to move toward market economies at different paces with different characteristics. Many Eastern European securities markets are generally underdeveloped with low, irregular trading volumes, dubious investor protections, and often a dearth of reliable corporate information. Eastern European securities markets are generally subject to less government supervision and regulation and may be less liquid and more volatile than securities markets in the U.S. or Western European countries. Legal institutions governing private and foreign investments and private property may be relatively nascent, inefficient, and unevenly enforced or inequitably enforced. Certain Eastern European governments may exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector and may own or control many companies. Future government actions could have a significant effect on the economic conditions in such countries, which could have a negative impact on the Fund's investments. Information and transaction costs, differential taxes, and sometimes political or transfer risk give a comparative advantage to the domestic investor rather than the foreign investor.

Eastern European economies may also be particularly susceptible to changes in the international credit markets due to their reliance on bank related inflows of capital. Changes to the economies of countries with substantial foreign direct investment in certain Eastern European countries may negatively affect the region's economy. The economy of certain Eastern European countries may be adversely affected by global prices for manufactured goods or commodity price declines to the extent that a country relies on the export of such products.

Geopolitical events, including war, and other instability in certain Eastern European countries may cause uncertainty in the region's financial markets and adversely affect the performance of the issuers to which the Fund has exposure. These markets may be particularly sensitive to social, political, economic, and currency events in Russia and may suffer heavy losses as a result of their trading and investment links to the Russian economy and currency. Russia has historically asserted its influence in the region using diplomatic, informational, military, and economic instruments of national power, as it did with Georgia in the summer of 2008 and Ukraine beginning in 2014.

*Russian Invasion of Ukraine*. Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The extent and duration of the military action, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions, including declines in its stock markets and the value of the ruble against the U.S. dollar, are impossible to predict, but could be significant. Disruptions caused by Russian military action or other actions (including cyberattacks and espionage) or resulting actual and threatened responses to such activity, including purchasing and financing restrictions, boycotts or changes in consumer or purchaser preferences, sanctions, import and export restrictions, tariffs or cyberattacks on the Russian government, Russian companies or Russian individuals, including politicians, may impact Russia's economy, Russian issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, or the economies of Europe as a whole. Actual and threatened responses to Russian military action may also impact the markets for certain Russian commodities, such as oil and natural gas, as well as other sectors of the Russian economy, and are likely to have collateral impacts on such sectors across Europe and globally.

<u>P-notes</u>. The Fund may invest in participatory notes (commonly known as P-notes), which are offshore derivative instruments issued to foreign institutional investors and their sub-accounts against underlying Indian securities listed on the Indian bourses. These securities are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. Participatory notes are similar to ADRs and the risks of investing in participatory notes are similar to those discussed below with respect to securities of foreign issuers in general.

**GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACTS.** The Fund may invest in guaranteed investment contracts ("GIC"). A GIC is a general obligation of an insurance company. A GIC is generally structured as a deferred annuity under which the purchaser agrees to pay a given amount of money to an insurer (either in a lump sum or in installments) and the insurer promises to pay interest at a guaranteed rate (either fixed or variable) for the life of the contract. Some GICs provide that the insurer may periodically pay discretionary excess interest over and above the guaranteed rate. At the GIC's maturity, the purchaser generally is given the option of receiving payment or an annuity. Certain GICs may have features that permit redemption by the issuer at a discount from par value. Generally, GICs are not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuer. As a result, the acquisition of GICs is subject to the limitations applicable to the Fund's acquisition of illiquid and restricted securities. The holder of a GIC is dependent on the creditworthiness of the issuer as to whether the issuer is able to meet its obligations.

**HYBRID INSTRUMENTS.** A hybrid instrument is a type of potentially high-risk derivative that combines a traditional stock, bond or commodity with an option or forward contract. Generally, the principal amount, amount payable upon maturity or redemption or interest rate of a hybrid is tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency or securities index or another interest rate or some other economic factor (each a "benchmark"). The interest rate or (unlike most fixed income securities) the principal amount payable at maturity of a hybrid security may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark. An example of a hybrid could be a bond issued by an oil company that pays a small base level of interest with additional interest that accrues in correlation to the extent to which oil prices exceed a certain predetermined level. Such a hybrid instrument would be a combination of a bond and a call option on oil.

Hybrids can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging duration management and increased total return. Hybrids may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a hybrid or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could be zero. Thus, an investment in a hybrid may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of hybrids also exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrids. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the NAV of the Fund.

Certain hybrid instruments may provide exposure to the commodities markets. These are derivative securities with one or more commodity-linked components that have payment features similar to commodity futures contracts, commodity options or similar instruments. Commodity-linked hybrid instruments may be either equity or debt securities, leveraged or unleveraged, and are considered hybrid instruments because they have both security and commodity-like characteristics. A portion of the value of these instruments may be derived from the value of a commodity, futures contract, index or other economic variable. The Fund will only invest in commodity-linked hybrid instruments that qualify under applicable rules of the CFTC for an exemption from the provisions of the CEA.

Certain issuers of structured products such as hybrid instruments may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund's investments in these products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.

**ILLIQUID SECURITIES and liquidity risk management PROGRAM.** The Fund may not knowingly invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days at approximately the value at which they are being carried on the Fund's books. The Board of Trustees has the ultimate responsibility for determining whether specific securities are liquid or illiquid. The Board of Trustees has delegated the function of making day to day determinations of liquidity to the Adviser, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of securities held by the Fund and report periodically on such decisions to the Board of Trustees. If the limitations on illiquid securities are exceeded, other than by a change in market values, the condition will be reported by the Fund's Adviser to the Board of Trustees. Illiquid securities would generally include repurchase agreements with notice/termination dates in excess of seven days and certain securities which are subject to trading restrictions because they are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). External market conditions may impact the liquidity of portfolio securities and may cause the Fund to sell or divest certain illiquid securities in order to comply with its limitation on holding illiquid securities, which may result in realized losses to the Fund.

Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires, among other things, that the Fund establish a liquidity risk management program ("LRMP") that is reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 defines "liquidity risk" as the risk that a fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the fund without significant dilution of the remaining investors' interests in the fund. The Fund has implemented a LRMP to meet the relevant requirements. Additionally, the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the designation of a committee of individuals comprised of the Fund's President, Treasurer, and Chief Compliance Officer (the "LRMP Administrator") to administer the LRMP. The Board of Trustees will review no less frequently than annually a written report prepared by the LRMP Administrator that addresses the operation of the LRMP and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation. Among other things, the LRMP provides for the classification of each Fund investment as a "highly liquid investment," "moderately liquid investment," "less liquid investment" or "illiquid investment." The liquidity risk classifications of the Fund's investments are determined after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations. To the extent that a Fund investment is deemed to be an "illiquid investment" or a "less liquid investment," the Fund can expect to be exposed to greater liquidity risk. There is no guarantee the LRMP will be effective in its operations, and complying with Rule 22e-4, including bearing related costs, could impact the Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

**INFLATION-PROTECTED DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in inflation-protected debt securities or inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers utilize a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index ("CPI") accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS") have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if the Fund purchased TIPS with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year's inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. The Fund may also invest in other inflation-related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal amount.

The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.

While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.

Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

**EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS ("ETFs") AND OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies (each, an "Underlying Fund"), including open-end funds, (ETFs and mutual funds), closed-end funds and unit investment trusts ("UITs"), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI. By investing in another investment company, the Fund will indirectly bear any asset-based fees and expenses charged by the underlying investment company in which the Fund invest.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the "Acquired Fund"), such as the Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the "Acquiring Fund") or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of the Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC no-action relief.

Set forth below is additional information about the manner in which ETFs generally operate and the risks associated with an investment in ETFs, which are in addition to the risks associated with registered investment companies, generally.

In the event that the Fund purchases shares of ETFs, such purchase is expected to be made through a broker-dealer in a transaction on a securities exchange, and in such a case the Fund will pay customary brokerage commissions for each purchase and sale. Shares of an ETF may also be acquired by depositing a specified portfolio of the ETF's underlying securities, as well as a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit, with the ETF's custodian, in exchange for which the ETF will issue a quantity of new shares sometimes referred to as a "creation unit." Similarly, shares of an ETF purchased on an exchange may be accumulated until they represent a creation unit, and the creation unit may be redeemed in kind for a portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETF's NAV) together with a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. The Fund may redeem creation units for the underlying securities (and any applicable cash), and may assemble a portfolio of the underlying securities (and any required cash) to purchase creation units, if the Adviser believes it is in the Fund's interest to do so. The Fund's ability to redeem creation units may be limited by the 1940 Act, which provides that an ETF will not be obligated to redeem shares held by the Fund in an amount exceeding one percent of such ETF's total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days.

<u>Termination Risk</u>. There is a risk that ETFs in which the Fund invests may terminate due to extraordinary events. For example, any of the service providers to ETFs, such as the trustee or sponsor, may close or otherwise fail to perform their obligations to the ETF, and the ETF may not be able to find a substitute service provider. Also, the ETFs may be dependent upon licenses to use the various indices as a basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade names. If these licenses are terminated, ETFs may also terminate or experience a disruption in its activities. In addition, an ETF may terminate if its net assets fall below a certain amount.

Although the Adviser believes that, in the event of the termination of an ETF, the Fund will be able to invest instead in shares of an alternate ETF tracking the same market index or another index covering the same general market, there can be no assurance that shares of an alternate ETF would be available for investment at that time.

**INVESTMENTS IN COMMODITY/NATURAL RESOURCE-RELATED SECURITIES.** As discussed under "Investment Limitations" below, the Fund does not invest directly in commodities. However, the Fund may from time to time invest in securities of companies whose business is related to commodities and natural resources, or in registered investment companies or other companies that invest directly or indirectly in commodities and natural resources. For example, the Fund may invest in companies whose business is related to mining of precious or other metals (e.g., gold, silver, etc.) or registered investment companies that invest in securities of mining companies and related instruments (including, without limitation, the underlying commodities). Investments in equity securities of companies involved in mining or related precious metals industries, and the value of the investment companies and other companies that invest in precious metals and other commodities are subject to a number of risks. For example, the prices of precious metals or other commodities can move sharply, up or down, in response to cyclical economic conditions, political events or the monetary policies of various countries, any of which may adversely affect the value of companies whose business is related to such commodities, or the value of investment companies and other companies investing in such business or commodities. Furthermore, such companies are subject to risks related to fluctuations of prices and perceptions of value in the commodity markets generally.

**LOAN PARTICIPATIONS.** The Fund may purchase participations in commercial loans. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Loan participations typically represent direct participation in a loan to a corporate borrower and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Fund may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing loan participations, the Fund assumes the credit risk associated with the corporate borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interests in which the Fund intends to invest may not be rated by any nationally recognized statistical ratings organization ("NRSRO").

A loan is often administered by an agent bank acting as agent for all holders. The agent bank administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. In addition, the agent bank is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the corporate borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions which are parties to the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, the Fund has direct recourse against the corporate borrower, the Fund may have to rely on the agent bank or other financial intermediary to apply appropriate credit remedies against a corporate borrower. A financial institution's employment as agent bank might be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement should remain available to holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank's general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. In situations involving other interposed financial institutions (e.g., an insurance company or governmental agency) similar risks may arise.

Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the corporate borrower for payment of principal and interest. If the Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund's share price and yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.

The Fund may invest in loan participations with credit quality comparable to that of the issuers of the Fund's securities investments. Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

The Fund limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in any one issuer or in issuers within the same industry (see "Investment Limitations"). For purposes of these limits, the Fund generally will treat the corporate borrower as the "issuer" of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between the Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as "issuers" for the purpose of determining whether the Fund has invested more than 5% of its assets in a single issuer. Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict the Fund's ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries.

Loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of readily at what the Adviser believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of illiquid indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining the Fund's NAV than if that value were based on available market quotations and could result in significant variations in the Fund's daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are traded among certain financial institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of these instruments is expected to improve. In addition, the Fund currently intends to treat indebtedness for which there is no readily available market as illiquid for purposes of the Fund's limitation on illiquid investments. Investments in loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of the Trust's investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by the Fund.

Investments in loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution's interests with respect to the loan may involve additional risks to the Fund. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, the Fund could be held liable as co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protections against fraud and misrepresentation. In the absence of definitive regulatory guidance, the Fund relies on the Adviser's research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentation could adversely affect the Fund.

**MID-CAP RISK.** The Fund's performance may be more volatile because it invests in mid-cap stocks. Mid-cap companies may have limited product lines, markets and financial resources. Securities of mid cap companies are usually less stable in price and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. Additionally, mid-cap stocks may fall out of favor relative to large capitalization stocks, which may cause the Fund to underperform other equity funds that focus on large-cap stocks.

**MONEY MARKET FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in the securities of money market mutual funds. Such investments are subject to limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder and applicable SEC staff interpretations thereof, or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC. (See "Exchange-Traded Funds ("ETFs") and Other Investment Company Securities" above.) In seeking to provide downside protection, during periods of high market volatility the Fund may hold money market instruments, including commercial paper, banker's acceptances, certificates of deposit and other short-term debt securities.

**MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES AND ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES.** Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. See "Mortgage Pass-Through Securities." The Fund may also invest in debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations").

The recent financial downturn—particularly the increase in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgages, falling home prices, and unemployment—has adversely affected the market for mortgage-related securities. In addition, various market and governmental actions may impair the ability to foreclose on or exercise other remedies against underlying mortgage holders or may reduce the amount received upon foreclosure. These factors have caused certain mortgage-related securities to experience lower valuations and reduced liquidity. There is also no assurance that the U.S. Government will take further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economic downturn continue or the economy experience another downturn. Further, recent legislative action and any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk that the Fund could realize losses on mortgage-related securities.

<u>Mortgage Pass-Through Securities</u>*.* Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA")) are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase.

The residential mortgage market in the United States recently has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Fund's mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased recently and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has recently been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

<u>Agency Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA") or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA").

However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Trust's investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet the Trust's quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. The Fund will not purchase mortgage-related securities or any other assets which in the opinion of the Adviser are illiquid if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets will be illiquid.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. The substantial decline in real property values across the U.S. has exacerbated the level of losses that investors in privately issued mortgage-related securities have experienced. It is not certain when these trends may reverse. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in the Fund's portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

The Fund may purchase privately issued mortgage-related securities that are originated, packaged and serviced by third party entities. It is possible these third parties could have interests that are in conflict with the holders of mortgage-related securities, and such holders (such as the Fund) could have rights against the third parties or their affiliates. For example, if a loan originator, servicer or its affiliates engaged in negligence or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties, then a holder of the mortgage-related security could seek recourse against the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable. Also, as a loan originator/servicer, the originator/servicer or its affiliates may make certain representations and warranties regarding the quality of the mortgages and properties underlying a mortgage-related security. If one or more of those representations or warranties is false, then the holders of the mortgage-related securities (such as the Fund) could trigger an obligation of the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable, to repurchase the mortgages from the issuing trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, many of the third parties that are legally bound by trust and other documents have failed to perform their respective duties, as stipulated in such trust and other documents, and investors have had limited success in enforcing terms.

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Fund's industry concentration restrictions, set forth below under "Investment Limitations," by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. Government securities. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities, the Fund takes the position that mortgage-related securities do not represent interests in any particular "industry" or group of industries. Therefore, the Fund may invest more or less than 25% of its total assets in privately issued mortgage-related securities. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

<u>Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs")</u>*.* A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as "tranches," with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as "sequential pay" CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation ("issuer") issues multiple series (*e.g.*, A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds ("Bonds"). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates ("Collateral"). The Collateral is pledged to a third party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common. For example, the Fund may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class ("PAC") CMOs and multi-class pass through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches—known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds—which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final

distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk.

<u>Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Commercial mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

<u>Other Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals or stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS"). Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

<u>CMO Residuals</u>*.* CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only ("IO") class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. See "Other Mortgage-Related Securities—Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities." In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based.

As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.

CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. Transactions in CMO residuals are generally completed only after careful review of the characteristics of the securities in question. In addition, CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not have been registered under the 1933 Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the 1933 Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed "illiquid" and subject to the Fund's limitations on investment in illiquid securities.

<u>Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities ("ARMBSs") have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBSs permits the Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBSs are based. Such ARMBSs generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed income debt securities of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBSs, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, the Fund, when holding an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (i.e., the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBSs behave more like fixed income securities and less like adjustable rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed income securities. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

<u>Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the "IO" class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or "PO" class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund's yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated pre-payments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

<u>Collateralized Debt Obligations</u>*.* The Fund may invest in collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), which include collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and other similarly structured securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed income securities such as high yield debt, residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, commercial privately issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.

For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the "equity" tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade.

Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class.

The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities, however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Fund's Prospectus (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CDOs carry additional risks including, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the Fund may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

<u>Asset-Backed Securities</u>*.* Asset-backed securities ("ABS") are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. ABS are created from many types of assets, including auto loans, credit card receivables, home equity loans, and student loans. ABS are issued through special purpose vehicles that are bankruptcy remote from the issuer of the collateral. The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement. Some ABS, particularly home equity loan transactions, are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments (after expenses are paid) are used to pay investors as quickly as possible based upon a predetermined priority of payment.

Consistent with its investment objectives and policies, the Fund also may invest in other types of asset-backed securities.

**BELOW-INVESTMENT GRADE SECURITIES.** Subject to the limitations set forth in the Prospectus, the Fund may invest in "below-investment grade" or "high yield" fixed income securities commonly known to investors as "high yield bonds" or "junk bonds." High yield bonds are issued by a company whose credit rating (based on an NRSRO) evaluation of the likelihood of repayment) necessitates offering a higher coupon and yield on its issues when selling them to investors who may otherwise be hesitant in purchasing the debt of such a company. While generally providing greater income and opportunity for gain, below-investment grade debt securities are generally subject to greater risks than fixed income securities which have higher credit ratings, including a higher risk of default, and their yields will fluctuate over time. High yield bonds generally will be in the lower rating categories of NRSROs (rated "Ba" or lower by Moody's or "BB" or lower by S&P and Fitch or will be unrated. The credit rating of a high yield bond does not necessarily address its market value risk, and ratings may from time to time change, positively or negatively, to reflect developments regarding the issuer's financial condition. High yield bonds are considered to be speculative with respect to the capacity of the issuer to timely repay principal and pay interest or dividends in accordance with the terms of the obligation and may have more credit risk than higher rated securities.

While the market values of high yield bonds tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rates than do those of higher rated securities, the values of high yield bonds often reflect individual corporate developments and have a high sensitivity to economic changes to a greater extent than do higher rated securities. Issuers of high yield bonds are often in the growth stage of their development and/or involved in a reorganization or takeover. The companies are often highly leveraged (have a significant amount of debt relative to shareholders' equity) and may not have available to them more traditional financing methods, thereby increasing the risk associated with acquiring these types of securities. In some cases, obligations with respect to high yield bonds are subordinated to the prior repayment of senior indebtedness, which will potentially limit the Fund's ability to fully recover principal or to receive interest payments when senior securities are in default. Thus, investors in high yield bonds have a lower degree of protection with respect to principal and interest payments than do investors in higher rated securities.

During an economic downturn, a substantial period of rising interest rates or a recession, highly leveraged issuers of high yield bonds may experience financial distress possibly resulting in insufficient revenues to meet their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals and to obtain additional financing. An economic downturn could also disrupt the market for lower-rated securities and adversely affect the value of outstanding securities, the Fund's NAV and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest. If the issuer of a security held by the Fund has defaulted, the Fund may not receive full interest and principal payments due to it and could incur additional expenses if it chose to seek recovery of its investment.

The secondary markets for high yield bonds are not as liquid as the secondary markets for higher rated securities. The secondary markets for high yield bonds are concentrated in relatively few market makers and participants in the markets are mostly institutional investors, including insurance companies, banks, other financial institutions and mutual funds. In addition, the trading volume for high yield bonds is generally lower than that for higher rated securities and the secondary markets could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. Under certain economic and/or market conditions, the Fund may have difficulty disposing of certain high yield bonds due to the limited number of investors in that sector of the market. An illiquid secondary market may adversely affect the market price of the high yield security, which may result in increased difficulty selling the particular issue and obtaining accurate market quotations on the issue when valuing the Fund's assets. Market quotations on high yield bonds are available only from a limited number of dealers, and such quotations may not be the actual prices available for a purchase or sale.

The high yield markets may react strongly to adverse news about an issuer or the economy, or to the perception or expectation of adverse news, whether or not it is based on fundamental analysis. Additionally, prices for high yield bonds may be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. These developments could adversely affect the Fund's NAV and investment practices, the secondary market for high yield bonds, the financial condition of issuers of these securities and the value and liquidity of outstanding high yield bonds, especially in a thinly traded market. For example, Federal legislation requiring the divestiture by federally insured savings and loan associations of their investments in high yield bonds and limiting the deductibility of interest by certain corporate issuers of high yield bonds adversely affected the market in the past.

When the secondary market for high yield bonds becomes more illiquid, or in the absence of readily available market quotations for such securities, the relative lack of reliable objective data makes it more difficult to value the Fund's securities and judgment plays a more important role in determining such valuations. Increased illiquidity in the junk bond market, in combination with the relative youth and growth of the market for such securities, also may affect the ability of the Fund to dispose of such securities at a desirable price. Additionally, if the secondary markets for high yield bonds contract due to adverse economic conditions or for other reasons, some of the Fund's liquid securities may become illiquid and the proportion of the Fund's assets invested in illiquid securities may significantly increase.

The rating assigned by a rating agency evaluates the safety of a below-investment grade security's principal and interest payments but does not address market value risk. Because such ratings of NRSROs may not always reflect current conditions and events, in addition to using NRSROs and other sources, the Adviser performs its own analysis of the issuers whose below-investment grade securities are held by the Fund. Because of this, the Fund's performance may depend more on the Adviser's own credit analysis than in the case of mutual funds investing in higher-rated securities. For a description of these ratings, see "Appendix A - Description of Securities Ratings."

In selecting below-investment grade securities, the Adviser considers factors such as those relating to the creditworthiness of issuers, the ratings and performance of the securities, the protections afforded the securities and the diversity of the Fund. The Adviser continuously monitors the issuers of below-investment grade securities held by the Fund for their ability to make required principal and interest payments, as well as in an effort to control the liquidity of the Fund so that it can meet redemption requests. If a security's rating is reduced below the minimum credit rating that is permitted for the Fund, the Adviser will consider whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.

In the event that the Fund investing in high yield bonds experiences an unexpected level of net redemptions, the Fund could be forced to sell its holdings without regard to the investment merits, thereby decreasing the assets upon which the Fund's rate of return is based.

The costs attributable to investing in the high yield markets are usually higher for several reasons, such as higher investment research costs and higher commission costs.

**PARTICIPATION INTERESTS.** The Fund may invest in participation interests in fixed income securities. A participation interest provides the certificate holder with a specified interest in an issue of fixed income securities.

Some participation interests give the holders differing interests in the underlying securities, depending upon the type or class of certificate purchased. For example, coupon strip certificates give the holder the right to receive a specific portion of interest payments on the underlying securities; principal strip certificates give the holder the right to receive principal payments and the portion of interest not payable to coupon strip certificate holders. Holders of certificates of participation in interest payments may be entitled to receive a fixed rate of interest, a variable rate that is periodically reset to reflect the current market rate or an auction rate that is periodically reset at auction. Asset-backed residuals represent interests in any excess cash flow remaining after required payments of principal and interest have been made.

More complex participation interests involve special risk considerations. Since these instruments have only recently been developed, there can be no assurance that any market will develop or be maintained for the instruments. Generally, the fixed income securities that are deposited in trust for the holders of these interests are the sole source of payments on the interests; holders cannot look to the sponsor or trustee of the trust or to the issuers of the securities held in trust or to any of their affiliates for payment.

Participation interests purchased at a discount may experience price volatility. Certain types of interests are sensitive to fluctuations in market interest rates and to prepayments on the underlying securities. A rapid rate of prepayment can result in the failure to recover the holder's initial investment.

The extent to which the yield to maturity of a participation interest is sensitive to prepayments depends, in part, upon whether the interest was purchased at a discount or premium, and if so, the size of that discount or premium. Generally, if a participation interest is purchased at a premium and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that anticipated at the time of purchase, the holder's actual yield to maturity will be lower than that assumed at the time of purchase. Conversely, if a participation interest is purchased at a discount and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that assumed at the time of purchase, the investor's actual yield to maturity will be higher than that assumed at the time of purchase.

Participation interests in pools of fixed income securities backed by certain types of debt obligations involve special risk considerations. The issuers of securities backed by automobile and truck receivables typically file financing statements evidencing security interests in the receivables, and the servicers of those obligations take and retain custody of the obligations. If the servicers, in contravention of their duty to the holders of the securities backed by the receivables, were to sell the obligations, the third party purchasers could acquire an interest superior to the interest of the security holders. Also, most states require that a security interest in a vehicle must be noted on the certificate of title and the certificate of title may not be amended to reflect the assignment of the lender's security interest. Therefore, the recovery of the collateral in some cases may not be available to support payments on the securities. Securities backed by credit card receivables are generally unsecured, and both Federal and state consumer protection laws may allow set-offs against certain amounts owed.

**PREFERRED STOCK.** The Fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally dividends as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer's board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

**REAL ESTATE SECURITIES AND RELATED DERIVATIVES.** The Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in real estate-linked derivatives, real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Each of these types of investments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value and possible environmental liabilities. The Fund may also invest in rights or warrants to purchase income-producing common and preferred shares of issuers in real estate-related industries. It is anticipated that substantially all of the equity securities of issuers in real estate-related industries in which the Fund intends to invest will be traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market.

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that own, and typically operate, income-producing real estate. If a REIT meets certain requirements, including distributing to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income (other than net capital gains), then it is not taxed on the income distributed to shareholders. REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses, and so the Fund, when investing in REITs, will bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs' operations.

There are three general categories of REITs: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in direct fee ownership or leasehold ownership of real property; they derive most of their income from rents. Mortgage REITs invest mostly in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans, and the main source of their income is mortgage interest payments. Hybrid REITs hold both ownership and mortgage interests in real estate.

Along with the risks common to different types of real estate-related securities, REITs, no matter the type, involve additional risk factors. These include poor performance by the REIT's manager, changes to the tax laws, and failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free distribution of income or exemption under the 1940 Act. Furthermore, REITs are not diversified and are heavily dependent on cash flow. REITs can be listed and traded on national securities exchanges or can be traded privately between individual owners.

**REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commits to resell that security to a bank or dealer at an agreed upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest, unrelated to the coupon rate or the maturity of the purchased security. While it is not possible to eliminate all risks from these transactions (particularly the possibility of a decline in the market value of the underlying securities, as well as delays and costs to the Fund if the other party to the repurchase agreement defaults), it is the policy of the Fund to limit repurchase transactions to primary dealers and banks whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the Adviser. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered illiquid for purposes of the Fund's investment limitations.

**RESTRICTED SECURITIES.** Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption from registration. The Fund is subject to an investment limitation on the purchase of illiquid securities. Restricted securities, including securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, that are determined to be liquid are not subject to this limitation. This determination is to be made by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees. Under these guidelines, the Adviser will consider the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers in, and potential purchasers for, the securities, dealer undertakings to make a market in the security and the nature of the security and of the marketplace trades. In purchasing such restricted securities, the Adviser intends to purchase securities that are exempt from registration under Rule 144A.

**REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements in accordance with its investment restrictions. Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund would sell portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers, and agree to repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities, generally rated in one of the three highest ratings categories, consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value at least equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price at which it is obligated to repurchase the securities. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings by the Fund under the 1940 Act. The Fund will not engage in reverse repurchase transactions if such transactions, combined with any other borrowings, exceed 33-1/3% of the Fund's assets.

**RIGHTS OFFERINGS AND WARRANTS TO PURCHASE SECURITIES.** The Fund may participate in rights offerings and may purchase warrants, which are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time.

Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the rights' and warrants' expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security's market price such as when there is no

movement in the level of the underlying security. Buying a warrant does not make the Fund a shareholder of the underlying stock and changes in the value of a warrant do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security. The warrant holder has no voting or dividend rights with respect to the underlying stock. A warrant does not carry any right to assets of the issuer, and for this reason investment in warrants may be more speculative than other equity-based investments.

**SECTOR RISK.** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**SECURITIES LENDING.** For the purpose of achieving income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial institutions, provided: (i) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposits, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned; (ii) the Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of the securities loaned; (iii) the Fund will receive any interest or dividends paid on the loaned securities; and (iv) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33-1/3% of the total assets of the Fund. The Fund's performance will continue to reflect the receipt of either interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments, or a fee, if the collateral is U.S. Government securities. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral should the borrower fail to return the securities loaned or become insolvent. The Fund may pay lending fees to the party arranging the loan.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities as part of its overall portfolio management strategy involving the use of derivative instruments, to gain exposure to or adjust exposure to various market sectors, and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities or otherwise take advantage of market conditions. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.

When the Fund makes a short sale, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale as collateral for its obligation to deliver the security upon conclusion of the sale. The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over any accrued interest and dividends on such borrowed securities.

If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time that the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.

The Fund may invest pursuant to a risk arbitrage strategy to take advantage of a perceived relationship between the value of two securities. Frequently, a risk arbitrage strategy involves the short sale of a security.

The Fund may engage in short sales "against the box." A short sale is "against the box" to the extent that the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short. The Fund will engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the federal securities laws and rules and interpretations thereunder. To the extent the Fund engages in short selling in foreign (non-U.S.) jurisdictions, the Fund will do so to the extent permitted by the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction.

The Fund may also engage in so-called "naked" short sales (i.e., short sales that are not "against the box"), in which case the Fund's losses could theoretically be unlimited, in cases where the Fund is unable for whatever reason to close out its short position. The Fund has the flexibility to engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and interpretations thereunder.

**SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in special purpose acquisition companies ("SPACs"). SPACs are collective investment structures that pool funds in order to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less an amount to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities and cash. SPACs and similar entities may be blank check companies with no operating history or ongoing business other than to seek a potential acquisition. Accordingly, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity's management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Certain SPACs may seek acquisitions only in limited industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. Investments in SPACs may be deemed illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective. If a SPAC does not complete an acquisition within a specified period of time after going public, the SPAC is dissolved, at which point the invested funds are returned to the SPAC's shareholders (less certain permitted expenses) and any rights or warrants issued by the SPAC expire worthless.

**SMALL-CAP RISK.** Small-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies. Generally the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. Small-capitalization companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent upon a small or inexperienced management group and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs.

**U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS.** The Fund may invest in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Although all obligations of such agencies and instrumentalities are not direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Government generally directly or indirectly backs payment of the interest and principal on these obligations. This support can range from securities supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (for example, GNMA securities) to securities that are supported solely or primarily by the creditworthiness of the issuer, such as securities of FNMA, FHLMC, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Federal Farm Credit Banks and Federal Home Loan Banks. In the case of obligations not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Whether backed by full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury or not, U.S. Government obligations are not guaranteed against price movements due to fluctuating interest rates.

**VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES.** Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

The Fund may invest in floating and variable rate debt instruments ("floaters") and engage in credit spread trades. The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as a money-market index or Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, the Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. A credit spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two securities or currencies, where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities or currencies.

The Fund may also invest in inverse floating rate debt instruments ("inverse floaters"). The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floating rate security may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation of similar credit quality. See "Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities" for a discussion of IOs and POs.

**WHEN-ISSUED, DELAYED DELIVERY AND FORWARD COMMITMENT TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Typically, no income accrues on securities the Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made.

When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its NAV. Because the Fund is not required to pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other investments. If the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

When the Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis, the Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or could suffer a loss. The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a transaction after it is entered into and may sell when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment securities before they are delivered, which may result in a capital gain or loss. There is no percentage limitation on the extent to which the Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis.

**ZERO COUPON BONDS.** The Fund may invest in zero coupon bonds of governmental or private issuers that generally pay no interest to their holders prior to maturity. Since zero coupon bonds do not make regular interest payments, they allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments and may involve greater credit risks than bonds paying interest currently. The IRC requires that the Fund accrue interest income on zero-coupon bonds for each taxable year, even though no cash has been paid on the bonds, and generally requires the Fund to distribute such income (net of deductible expenses, if any) to avoid being subject to tax and to continue to maintain its status as a RIC under the IRC. Because no cash is generally received at the time of accrual, the Fund may be required to sell investments (even if such sales are not advantageous) to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy the federal tax distribution requirements applicable to the Fund under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information.

**TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS.** The Fund may, without limit, invest in U.S. Government securities, commercial paper and other money market instruments, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents in response to adverse market conditions, as a temporary defensive position. The result of this action may be that the Fund will be unable to achieve its investment objective.

**PORTFOLIO TURNOVER.** There has not been any significant variation in the Fund's portfolio turnover rates over the two most recently completed fiscal years. The Adviser does not currently anticipate significant variation in the portfolio turnover rate from that reported in the Fund's Prospectus for the last fiscal year.

**DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS**

As required by the federal or state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Fund discloses portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require. The Fund's complete list of portfolio holdings are available sixty days after each fiscal quarter end in the Fund's Form N-CSR (semiannually) and Form N-PORT (quarterly).

The Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of portfolio securities holdings. The policies and procedures are designed to allow disclosure of the Fund's holdings information where it is deemed appropriate for the Fund's operations or it is determined to be useful to the Fund's shareholders without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. Except when there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure of the Fund's holdings, the Fund will not provide or permit others to provide information about the Fund's holdings on a selective basis. The Board of Trustees provides ongoing oversight of the Trust's policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Trustees receive from the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Trustees receive an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation and effectiveness of the policies and procedures. Any deviation to this policy as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such deviations must be reported to the Trust's Board of Trustees, at its next quarterly Board meeting or sooner, as determined by the Trust's CCO.

The Fund may, but is not required to, post its schedule of investments on its website at regular intervals or from time to time at the discretion of the Adviser. This information may be as of the most recent practicable date available and need not be subject to a lag period prior to posting on its website. In addition to its schedule of investments, the Fund may post portfolio holdings information and other information on its website including, but not limited to, information about the number of securities the Fund holds, a summary schedule of investments, the Fund's top holdings, and a percentage breakdown of the Fund's investments by geographic region, sector, industry and market capitalization. After any portfolio holdings information becomes publicly available (by posting on its website or otherwise); it may be mailed, e-mailed or otherwise transmitted to any person.

The following disclosures of aggregate, composite or descriptive information about the Fund or its portfolio holdings are not subject to the Trust's policy on selective disclosure of portfolio information: (i) descriptions of allocations among classes, geographic regions, countries, industries or sectors; (ii) aggregated data such as average or median ratios or market capitalization; (iii) performance attribution by class, geographic region, country, industry or sector; (iv) aggregated risk statistics; (v) listing of top holdings without any reference to the amount of the Fund's holdings; and (vi) such other information that, in the opinion of the CCO or designee, does not present material risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading of the Fund. The Fund's portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to financial consultants or other entities that have a legitimate business purpose in receiving such information, including to assist them in determining the suitability of the Fund as an investment for their clients. In each case, such disclosure will be made in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, the Adviser's fiduciary duties to the Fund's shareholders and subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Board of Trustees, a committee thereof, or an officer designated by the Board of Trustees, may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Fund may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about its holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's or its Adviser's employees and affiliates that provide services to the Fund. The Fund may also distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Fund's holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's service providers who require access to the information (i) in order to fulfill their contractual duties relating to the Fund; (ii) to facilitate the transition of a newly hired investment adviser prior to the commencement of its duties; (iii) to facilitate the review of the Fund by a ranking or ratings agency; (iv) for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition; or (v) for the purpose of effecting in-kind redemption of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of the Fund's assets and minimize impact on remaining shareholders of the Fund.

Each of the following third parties has been approved to receive portfolio holdings information: (i) the Fund's administrator and accounting agent; (ii) the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, for use in providing audit opinions; (iii) financial printers, solely for the purpose of preparing the Fund's reports or regulatory filings; (iv) the Fund's custodian in connection with its custody of the Fund's assets; (v) if applicable, a proxy voting service; or (vi) disclosure to a ranking or rating agency, such as Lipper, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Moody's, S&P and Fitch. Information may be provided to these parties at any time so long as each of these parties is contractually and ethically prohibited from sharing the Fund's portfolio holding information without specific authorization. The Fund's Adviser and service providers have also established procedures to ensure that the Fund's portfolio holdings information is only disclosed in accordance with these policies.

Under no circumstances may the Fund, the Adviser or their affiliates receive any consideration or compensation for disclosing portfolio holdings information.

The Adviser manages other accounts such as separate accounts and other registered or unregistered pooled investment vehicles. These other accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus may have similar portfolio holdings. Such accounts may have disclosures at different times than a Fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed. Additionally, such accounts may have access to their portfolio holdings and may not be subject to the foregoing restrictions.

**INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS**

The Fund has adopted the investment limitations set forth below. Except with respect to the asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowing, if any percentage restriction on investment or utilization of assets set forth in the Prospectus or this SAI is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market values of the Fund or the Fund's assets or redemptions of shares will not be considered a violation of the limitation. The asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowings is an ongoing requirement. The following fundamental policies apply to the Fund and the Board of Trustees may not change them without shareholder approval as required by the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. The Fund will not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Issue senior securities or borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and then not in excess of 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets (including the amount of the senior securities issued but reduced by any liabilities not constituting senior securities) at the time of the issuance or borrowing, except that the Fund may borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets (not including the amount borrowed) for temporary purposes such as clearance of portfolio transactions and share redemptions. For purposes of these restrictions, the purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the purchase and sale of options and futures contracts and collateral arrangements with respect thereto are not deemed to be the issuance of a senior security, a borrowing or a pledge of assets;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets except to secure indebtedness permitted to be incurred by the Fund. (For the purpose of this restriction, the deposit in escrow of securities in connection with the writing of put and call options, collateralized loans of securities by and collateral arrangements with respect to margin for future contracts by the Fund are not deemed to be pledges or hypothecations);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Underwrite any issue of securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered to be acting as underwriter in connection with the disposition of any portfolio security;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Purchase or sell real estate or interests therein, although the Fund may purchase securities of issuers which engage in real estate operations and securities secured by real estate or interests therein, including real estate investment trusts;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Invest 25% or more of the value of the Fund's assets in securities of issuers in any one industry. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or to securities issued by other investment companies. For purposes of this limitation, states, municipalities and their political subdivisions are not considered to be part of any industry;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of owning securities or other instruments, but the Fund may purchase, sell or enter into financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Make loans, except loans of portfolio securities or through repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction, the acquisition of bonds, debentures, other debt securities or instruments, or participations or other interests therein and investments in government obligations, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or similar instruments will not be considered the making of a loan;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. Engage in short sales of securities or maintain a short position, except that the Fund may (a) sell short "against the box" and (b) maintain short positions in connection with its use of financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9. Purchase securities on margin except for the use of short-term credit necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities, provided that the Fund may make initial and variation margin deposits in connection with permitted transactions in options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments.

**TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS**

The following tables present certain information regarding the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust. None of the Trustees are an "interested person" of the Trust, the Adviser, another investment adviser of a series of the Trust, or Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, the principal underwriter of the Trust ("Underwriter"), within the meaning of the 1940 Act and each Trustee is referred to as an "Independent Trustee" and is listed under such heading below. Employees of certain service providers to the Trust serve as officers of the Trust; such persons are not compensated by the Fund. The address of each Trustee and officer as it relates to the Trust's business is 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809.

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of**<br> **Funds in**<br> **Trust Complex**<br> **Overseen by**<br> **Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** |
| **Robert J. Christian**<br> Date of Birth: 2/49 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. Chairman from 2007 until September 30, 2019. | Retired since February 2006; Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust Company from February 1996 to February 2006; President of Rodney Square Management Corporation ("RSMC") (investment advisory firm) from 1996 to 2005; Vice President of RSMC from 2005 to 2006. | 28 | Optimum Fund Trust (registered investment company with 6 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Iqbal Mansur**<br> Date of Birth: 6/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. | Retired since September 2020; Professor of Finance, Widener University from 1998 to August 2020; Member of the Investment Committee of ChristianaCare Health System from January 2022 to present. | 28 | Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr.**<br> Date of Birth: 8/55 | Trustee and Chairman of the Board | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2016. Chairman since October 1, 2019. | Retired since March 2016. President of PNC Bank Delaware from June 2011 to March 2016; Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2011; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from September 1997 to July 2010. | 28 | Brinker Capital Destinations Trust (registered investment company with 10 portfolios). Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of**<br> **Funds in**<br> **Trust Complex**<br> **Overseen by**<br> **Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **Nancy B. Wolcott**<br> Date of Birth: 11/54<br>| Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2011. | Retired since May 2014; EVP, Head of GFI Client Service Delivery, BNY Mellon from January 2012 to May 2014; EVP, Head of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2012; President of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2008 to July 2010; Chief Operating Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2007 to 2008; Executive Vice President of PFPC Worldwide Inc. from 2006 to 2007. | 28 | Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (registered investment company with 97 portfolios). Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Stephen M. Wynne**<br> Date of Birth: 1/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2009. | Retired since December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from July 2010 to December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from March 2008 to July 2010; President, PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2003 to 2008. | 28 | Copeland Trust (registered investment company with 3 portfolios). Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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**EXECUTIVE OFFICERS**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of**<br> **Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **Joel L. Weiss**<br> Date of Birth: 1/63 | President and Chief Executive Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2007. | Senior Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; President of JW Fund Management LLC from June 2016 to July 2025; Vice President and Managing Director of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from 1993 to June 2016. |
| **Christine S. Catanzaro**<br> Date of Birth: 8/84 | Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation, or removal. Officer since 2022. | Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; Consultant from October 2020 to July 2025; Senior Manager, Ernst & Young LLP from March 2013 to October 2020. |
| **T. Richard Keyes**<br> Date of Birth: 1/57 | Vice President | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2016. | President of TRK Fund Consulting LLC since July 2016; Head of Tax — U.S. Fund Services of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from February 2006 to July 2016. |
| **Gabriella Mercincavage**<br> Date of Birth: 6/68<br>| Assistant Treasurer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2019. | Fund Administration Consultant since January 2019; Fund Accounting and Tax Compliance Accountant to financial services companies from November 2003 to July 2018. |
| **Vincenzo A. Scarduzio**<br> Date of Birth: 4/72 | Secretary | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2012. | Director and Senior Vice President Regulatory Administration of The Bank of New York Mellon and predecessor firms since 2001. |
| **John Canning**<br> Date of Birth: 11/70 | Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Director of Chenery Compliance Group, LLC from March 2021 to present; Senior Consultant of Foreside Financial Group from August 2020 to March 2021; Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Operating Officer of Schneider Capital Management LP from May 2019 to July 2020; Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Context Capital Partners, LP from March 2016 to March 2018 and February 2019, respectively. |

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**LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES.** The basic responsibilities of the Trustees are to monitor the Trust and its funds' financial operations and performance, oversee the activities and legal compliance of the Adviser and other major service providers, keep themselves informed, and exercise their business judgment in making decisions important to the Trust's proper functioning based on what the Trustees reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the shareholders. The Board of Trustees is comprised of five individuals, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Board of Trustees meets multiple times during the year (but at least quarterly) to review the investment performance of the funds and other operational matters, including policies and procedures with respect to compliance with regulatory and other requirements.

The Board of Trustees has appointed an Independent Trustee to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman's primary role is to participate in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board of Trustees and the identification of information to be presented to the Board of Trustees with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board of Trustees. The Chairman also presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and acts as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys, and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman may perform such other functions as may be requested by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Except for any duties specified herein or pursuant to the Trust's Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, the designation of Chairman does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liability that is greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Board of Trustees, generally.

Each Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees because of his or her experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills as set forth in the subsection "Trustee Qualifications," below. Based on a review of the Board of Trustees and its function, the Trustees have determined that the leadership structure of the Board of Trustees is appropriate and that the Board of Trustees' role in the risk oversight of the Trust, as discussed below, allows the Board of Trustees to effectively administer its oversight function.

The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. The responsibilities of each committee and its members are described below.

**AUDIT COMMITTEE.** The Audit Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Wynne currently serves as the chairman of the Audit Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter (the "Audit Committee Charter") for the Audit Committee. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee has the responsibility, among others, to (1) select the Trust's independent registered public accountants; (2) review and approve the scope of the independent registered public accountants' audit activity; (3) oversee the audit process of the financial statements which are the subject of the independent registered public accountants' certifications; and (4) review with such independent registered public accountants the adequacy of the Trust's basic accounting system and the effectiveness of the Trust's internal accounting controls. The Audit Committee meets at least two times per year. The Audit Committee met four times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

**NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.** The Nominating and Governance Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott. Mr. Mansur serves as the chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for formulating a statement of corporate governance; assessing the size, structure and composition of the Board of Trustees; determining trustee qualification guidelines as well as compensation, insurance and indemnification of Trustees; identifying Trustee candidates; oversight of Board of Trustees self-evaluations; reviewing certain regulatory and corporate matters of the Trust; and identifying, from time to time, qualified candidates to serve as the CCO for the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee meets at least once a year. The Nominating and Governance Committee met two times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. The Nominating and Governance Committee identifies potential nominees in accordance with its Statement of Policy on Qualifications for Board of Trustees Membership. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominee candidates recommended by shareholders. Shareholders who wish to recommend individuals for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee as nominee candidates may do so by submitting a written recommendation to the Secretary of the Trust at: 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809. Submissions must include sufficient biographical information concerning the recommended individual, including age, at least ten years of employment history with employer names and a description of the employer's business, and a list of board memberships (if any). The submission must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board of Trustees and to serve if elected. Recommendations must be received in a sufficient time, as determined by the Nominating and Governance Committee in its sole discretion, prior to the date proposed for the consideration of nominee candidates by the Board of Trustees. Upon the written request of shareholders holding at least a 5% interest in the Trust's shares in the aggregate, the Secretary shall present to any special meeting of shareholders such nominees for election as trustees as specified in such written request.

**TRUSTEE QUALIFICATIONS.** The following is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills that led to the Board of Trustees' conclusion that each individual identified below is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

The Board of Trustees believes that the Trustees' ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Adviser, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, support the conclusion that each Trustee is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply as to each Trustee: Mr. Marsini is the former President of PNC Bank Delaware, former Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon, former Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Wynne is the former Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Ms. Wolcott is the former Executive Vice President of US Fund Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former President of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee of other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Christian served as the Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; and Mr. Mansur is a Professor Emeritus at Widener University. He previously served as a Professor of Finance, School of Business Administration, at Widener University and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes.

In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Trustees considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board of Trustees' overall composition so that the Board of Trustees, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Trust and its funds. The summaries set forth above as to the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of the Trustees do not constitute holding out the Board of Trustees or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board of Trustees as a whole than would otherwise be the case.

**RISK OVERSIGHT.** Through its direct oversight role, and indirectly through its Committees, of officers and service providers, the Board of Trustees performs a risk oversight function for the Trust and its funds consisting, among other things, of the following activities: (1) at regular and special Board of Trustees meetings, and on an ad hoc basis as needed, receiving and reviewing reports related to the performance and operations of the Trust and its funds; (2) reviewing and approving, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust; (3) meeting with the portfolio management team to review investment strategies, techniques and the processes used to manage related risks; (4) meeting with representatives of key service providers, including the investment advisers, administrator, the distributor, the transfer agent, the custodian and the independent registered public accounting firms of the funds, to review and discuss the activities of the Trust and its funds and to provide direction with respect thereto; and (5) engaging the services of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust to test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service providers.

**SECURITY AND OTHER INTERESTS.** The following table sets forth the equity securities in the Fund and in all registered investment companies overseen by the Trustees within the Trust Complex that the Trustees beneficially owned as of December 31, 2024.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range of Equity<br> Securities in the Fund** | **Aggregate Dollar Range<br> of Equity Securities in<br> All Registered Investment<br> Companies Overseen by<br> Trustee within the Family of<br> Investment Companies** |
| **Independent Trustees** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Robert J. Christian |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Iqbal Mansur |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nancy B. Wolcott |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stephen M. Wynne |  | $50001 - $100000 |

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As of December 31, 2024, none of the Independent Trustees, or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) served as an officer, director or was an employee of the Trust, the Adviser or the Underwriter, or of any of their respective affiliates. Nor do any of such persons serve as an officer or director or is an employee of any company controlled by or under common control with such entities. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Independent Trustees or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) owned beneficially or of record any interest in the Adviser or the Underwriter, or in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities.

**COMPENSATION.** In addition to the fees below, the Trust reimburses the Trustees for their related business expenses. The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Trustees for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Aggregate<br>Compensation<br>from the Trust** | **Pension or<br>Retirement<br>Benefits Accrued as<br>Part of the Trust's<br>Expenses** | **Estimated<br> Annual<br>Benefits upon<br>Retirement** | **Total<br> Compensation<br>from the Trust<br>Complex** |
| Robert J. Christian | $120639 | $0 | $0 | $120639 |
| Iqbal Mansur | $135586 | $0 | $0 | $135586 |
| Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. | $145492 | $0 | $0 | $145492 |
| Nancy B. Wolcott | $120579 | $0 | $0 | $120579 |
| Stephen M. Wynne | $140509 | $0 | $0 | $140509 |

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**CODE OF ETHICS**

In accordance with Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, each of the Trust and the Adviser have adopted a code of ethics (each, a "Code" and together, the "Codes").

The Codes are intended to prohibit or restrict transactions that may be deemed to create a conflict of interest among the Adviser or the Trust. Each Code identifies the specific employees, officers or other persons who are subject thereto and all are required to abide by the provisions thereunder. Persons covered under the Codes may engage in personal trading for their own accounts, including securities that may also be purchased or held or traded by the Fund under certain circumstances.

Under the Code adopted by the Trust, personal trading is subject to specific restrictions, limitations, guidelines and other conditions. Under the Code adopted by the Adviser, personal trading is subject to pre-clearance and other conditions set forth in its Code.

On an annual basis or whenever deemed necessary, the Board of Trustees reviews reports regarding all of the Codes including information about any material violations of the Codes. The Codes are on public file as exhibits to the Trust's registration statement with the SEC.

**PROXY VOTING**

The Board of Trustees has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting procedures and has delegated the responsibility for exercising the voting rights associated with the securities purchased and/or held by the Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Board of Trustees' continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by general fiduciary principles. It must act prudently, solely in the interest of the Fund, and for the purpose of providing benefits to the Fund. The Adviser will consider the factors that could affect the value of the Fund's investment in its determination on a vote.

The Adviser has identified certain significant contributors to shareholder value with respect to a number of common or routine matters that are often the subject of proxy solicitations for shareholder meetings. The proxy voting procedures address these considerations and establish a framework for consideration of a vote that would be appropriate for the Fund. In particular, the proxy voting procedures outline principles and factors to be considered in the exercise of voting authority for proposals addressing such common or routine matters.

The Adviser's proxy voting procedures establish a protocol for voting of proxies in cases in which the Adviser or an affiliated entity has an interest that is reasonably likely to be affected by a proxy to be voted on behalf of the Fund or that could compromise the Adviser's independence of judgment and action in voting the proxy in the best interest of the Fund's shareholders. The Adviser believes that consistently voting in accordance with its stated guidelines will address most conflicts of interest, and to the extent any deviation of such guidelines occurs it will be carefully assessed by a securities review committee to determine if a conflict of interest exists, and if a material conflict of interest exists, the committee will determine an appropriate resolution, which may include consultation with management or Trustees of the Trust, analyses by independent third parties, or other means necessary to ensure and demonstrate the proxy was voted in the best interests of shareholders. The Adviser's proxy voting policies and procedures are attached herewith as Appendix B. The Fund is required to file annually its proxy voting record on Form N-PX with the SEC. Form N-PX is required to be filed by August 31 of each year and when filed will be available by request by calling the Fund at (888) 678-6024 or on the SEC's website at *www.sec.gov*.

**CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES**

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Any person who directly or indirectly owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, may be deemed an "affiliated person" of the Fund, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. As of August 1, 2025, the following persons were the only persons who were record owners (or to the knowledge of the Trust, beneficial owners) of 5% or more of the shares of the Fund. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Trustees or officers of the Trust owned individually and together in excess of 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund**<br> **Investor Class Shares**<br> **Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br> of Record or<br>Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br>Shares Owned** |
| National Financial Services Corp.<br> (FBO) Our Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds Department, 4th Floor<br> 499 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010 | 146756.741 | 83.04% |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 211 Main Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1901 | 16886.612 | 9.56% |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund**<br> **Institutional Class Shares**<br> **Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br>Shares Held<br> of Record or<br>Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br>Shares Owned** |
| UBS WM USA<br> Special Custody A/C EXL BEN Customers<br> Of UBSFSI<br> 1000 Harbor Boulevard<br> Weehawken, NJ 07086  | 569553.892 | 72.32% |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 211 Main Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94105-1901 | 154752.793 | 19.65% |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund**<br> **Class Y Shares**<br> **Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held<br> of Record or<br>Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br> Shares Owned** |
| FCCI Insurance Company<br> 6300 University Pkwy<br> Sarasota, FL 34240-8424  | 6050540.102 | 14.47% |

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**INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES**

Polen Capital Credit, LLC ("Polen Credit" or the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1075 Main Street, Suite 320, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451. Polen Credit was founded in 1996 as DDJ Capital Management, LLC and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to pension and profit sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other institutional investors. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Credit had approximately $6.6 billion in assets under management. On January 31, 2022, Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital"), 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431, an investment adviser registered with the SEC, acquired 100% of the outstanding equity units of Polen Credit. Accordingly, as of such date, Polen Credit became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polen Capital.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser manages the assets of the Fund (the "Investment Advisory Agreement"). The Investment Advisory Agreement has an initial term of two years and continues in effect from year to year thereafter if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees including a majority of the Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the Fund on 60 days' written notice or the Adviser on 90 days' written notice without penalty. The Investment Advisory Agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment as defined in the 1940 Act.

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual investment advisory fee, paid monthly, comprising 0.70% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. Each class of shares of the Fund bears its respective pro-rata portion of the advisory fee payable by the Fund. The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses (excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by the Trust, interest and other costs of borrowing, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.89% with respect to Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares and 0.79% with respect to Class Y shares (on an annual basis) with respect to the Fund's average daily net assets (the "Expense Limitation"). The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026 unless the Board of Trustees approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, such amounts reduced or reimbursed for a period of up to three (3) years from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of the reimbursement. No reimbursement will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation. The following table sets forth the management fees paid by the Fund to the Adviser for the periods indicated:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **For the<br> Fiscal Year Ended<br>September 30,<br>2025** | **For the<br> Period from<br> October 1, 2023<br> through<br> April 30,<br> 2024<sup>1</sup>** | **For the<br>Fiscal Year Ended<br>September 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Fiscal Year Ended<br> September 30,<br>2022** |
| Gross Advisory Fees | $2149637 | $1241461 | $1948772 | $1859833 |
| Waiver of Advisory Fees | $(84999) | $(68624) | $(334289) | $(273460) |
| Reimbursement of Other Expenses | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Net Advisory Fees | $2064638 | $1172837 | $1614483 | $1586373 |

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<sup>1.</sup> The Fund changed its fiscal year end from September 30 to April 30.

Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser agrees to provide for the management of the Fund including: (i) the provision of a continuous investment program for the Fund, including investment research and management with respect to all securities, investments, cash and cash equivalents in the Fund, (ii) the determination from time to time of what securities and other investments will be purchased, retained, or sold for the Fund, (iii) the placement from time to time of orders for all purchases and sales made for the Fund, and (iv) the entering into, execution and delivery of all agreements, certificates, and documents for the purchase, sale and other dealings related to investments of the Fund (including, without limitation, assignment agreements with respect to bank loan transactions), in its capacity as investment adviser on behalf of the Fund. Additionally, the Adviser agrees to create and maintain all necessary records in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the various functions performed by it and not otherwise created and maintained by another party pursuant to contract with the Fund. The Trust and/or the Adviser may at any time or times, upon approval by the Board of Trustees, enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements with a sub-adviser pursuant to which the Adviser delegates any or all of its duties as listed.

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which the agreement relates, except to the extent of a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its obligations and duties under the agreement.

The salaries of personnel of the Adviser performing services for the Fund relating to research, statistical and investment activities are paid by the Adviser.

Polen Credit is wholly owned and controlled by Polen Capital. Polen Capital is controlled by its Management Committee. The Management Committee comprises Stan C. Moss, CEO, Daniel Davidowitz, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, and Damon Ficklin, Head of Team, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, and the Management Committee is controlled by Messrs. Moss and Davidowitz.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

The management of the Fund is the responsibility of investment professionals employed by the Adviser. The information provided below supplements the information provided in the Prospectus under the heading "Portfolio Managers" with respect to the investment professionals responsible, either individually or jointly, for the day-to-day management of the Fund, including information regarding:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) "Other Accounts Managed." Other accounts managed by Messrs. Santonelli and Sherman, who are the Portfolio Managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) "Material Conflicts of Interest." Material conflicts of interest that may arise in connection with the Portfolio Managers' management of the Fund's investments and investments of other accounts managed. These potential conflicts of interest include material conflicts between the investment strategy of the Fund and the investment strategy of the other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers and conflicts associated with the allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers. Additional conflicts of interest may potentially exist or arise that are not discussed below;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) "Compensation." A description of the structure of and method used to determine the compensation received by the Fund's Portfolio Managers from the Fund, the Adviser or any other source with respect to managing the Fund and any other accounts; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) "Ownership of Securities." Information regarding each Portfolio Manager's dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in the Fund.

<u>Other Accounts Managed</u>. The table below includes details regarding the number of other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by Messrs. Santonelli and Sherman, total assets under management for each type of account and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees as of April 30, 2025:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Type of Accounts** | **Total<br> Number of<br> Accounts<br>Managed** | **Total Assets<br>(millions)** | **Number of<br>Accounts<br> Managed<br>subject to a<br>Performance<br> Based<br> Advisory Fee** | **Total Assets<br> Managed<br>subject to a<br>Performance<br> Based<br>Advisory Fee<br>(millions)** |
| <u>Benjamin J. Santonelli</u> |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies<sup>(1)</sup>: | 7 | $632 | 0 | $- |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles<sup>(2)</sup>: | 4 | $201 | 0 | $- |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts<sup>(3)</sup>: | 23 | $4531 | 6 | $1351 |
| <u>John W. Sherman</u> |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies<sup>(1)</sup>: | 7 | $632 | 0 | $- |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles<sup>(2)</sup>: | 4 | $201 | 0 | $- |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts<sup>(3)</sup>: | 23 | $4531 | 6 | $1351 |

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(1) Represents the Adviser's mutual fund portfolios (either advised or sub-advised) that are registered with the SEC. Two legacy sub-advised mutual fund portfolios that remain in winddown as of April 30, 2025 and with de minimis assets under management have been excluded.

(2) Represents the Adviser's proprietary commingled vehicles (excluding any funds managed by the Adviser on behalf of a single investor or affiliated group of investors).

(3) Represents the Adviser's separately managed portfolios that are not advised or sub-advised for registered investment companies (as well as funds managed by the Adviser on behalf of a single investor or an affiliated group of investors). Legacy accounts presently in winddown and with insignificant assets under management have been excluded.

<u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>. Polen Credit provides advisory services to other clients which invest in securities of the same type in which the Funds invests. The Adviser is aware of its obligation to ensure that when orders for the same securities are entered on behalf of a Fund and other accounts, a Fund receives fair and equitable allocation of these orders, particularly where affiliated accounts may participate. The Adviser attempts to mitigate potential conflicts of interest by adopting policies and procedures regarding trade execution, brokerage allocation and order aggregation which provide a methodology for ensuring fair treatment for all clients in situations where orders cannot be completely filled or filled at different prices.

<u>Compensation</u>. The Adviser compensates the Fund's portfolio managers for management of the Fund. Each portfolio manager's compensation consists of (i) a base salary, (ii) a year-end bonus and (iii) awards of equity-like ("phantom") interests in the Adviser, entitling each portfolio manager to an additional distribution based on the revenue and/or profits of the Adviser and/or its parent company. The Adviser's compensation strategy is to provide each portfolio manager with a reasonable base salary commensurate with their responsibility together with a performance bonus award. Total compensation of the Fund's portfolio managers is not directly related to the Fund's performance.

<u>Ownership of Shares of the Fund</u>. As of April 30, 2025, Mr. Santonelli beneficially owned $10,001-$50,000 of equity securities in the Fund, and Mr. Sherman did not beneficially own any equity securities in the Fund.

**ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES**

Pursuant to an Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated July 19, 2007, The Bank of New York Mellon performs certain administrative services for the Trust including, among other things, assisting in the preparation of the annual post-effective amendments to the Trust's registration statement, assisting in obtaining the fidelity bond and trustees' and officers'/errors and omissions insurance policies, preparing notices, agendas, and resolutions for quarterly Board of Trustees meetings, maintaining the Trust's corporate calendar, maintaining Trust contract files and providing executive and administrative services to support the Independent Trustees. The Bank of New York Mellon also performs certain administrative and accounting services for the Trust such as preparing shareholder reports, providing statistical and research data, assisting the Adviser in compliance monitoring activities, and preparing and filing federal and state tax returns on behalf of the Trust. In addition, The Bank of New York Mellon prepares and files certain reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepares certain materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Trust. The accounting services performed by The Bank of New York Mellon include determining the NAV per share of the Fund and maintaining records relating to the securities transactions of the Fund.

During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the administration and accounting service fees paid by the Fund to The Bank of New York Mellon were $39,024. For the period from October 1, 2023 through April 30, 2024, the administration and accounting service fees paid by the Fund to The Bank of New York Mellon were $18,103. The Fund changed its fiscal year end from September 30 to April 30. For the period from July 24, 2023 (commencement of investment operations) through September 30, 2023, the administration and accounting service fees paid by the Fund to The Bank of New York Mellon were $19,057. For the period from October 1, 2022 through July 23, 2023, ALPS Fund Services, Inc., the administrator for the Predecessor Fund, received fees for its administration services of $203,164.

**ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS**

**INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.** PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market St #1800, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm to the Fund.

**LEGAL COUNSEL.** Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, 3000 Two Logan Square, 18th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as counsel to the Trust.

**CUSTODIAN.** The Bank of New York Mellon (the "Custodian"), 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286, serves as the Fund's custodian. The Custodian's services include, in addition to the custody of all cash and securities owned by the Trust, the maintenance of custody accounts in the Custodian's trust department, the segregation of all certificated securities owned by the Trust, the appointment of authorized agents as sub-custodians, disbursement of funds from the custody accounts of the Trust, releasing and delivering securities from the custody accounts of the Trust, maintaining records with respect to such custody accounts, delivering to the Trust a daily and monthly statement with respect to such custody accounts and causing proxies to be executed. The Fund has made arrangements with BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company to serve as custodian for Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs").

**TRANSFER AGENT.** BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing"), 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, serves as the Trust's Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent.

**OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.** The Trust has engaged Tidal ETF Services LLC, 234 West Florida Street, Suite 203, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204 to provide persons to serve as Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer and provide various other services for the Trust. The Trust has engaged Chenery Compliance Group LLC to provide on-going compliance services, including providing an individual to serve as the Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust.

**BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES**

Subject to policies established by the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is primarily responsible for the execution of the Fund's portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage. The Adviser has no obligation to deal with any dealer or group of dealers in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities of the Fund. The Fund invests in securities traded in the over-the-counter markets, and the Adviser often deals directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved except in those circumstances where better prices and execution are available elsewhere. It is the objective of the Adviser to seek to obtain the best results in conducting portfolio transactions for the Fund, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable dealer-spread or commission), the size, type and difficulty of the transaction involved, the firm's general execution and operations facilities and the firm's risk in positioning the securities involved. The cost of portfolio securities transactions of the Fund primarily consists of dealer or underwriter spreads and brokerage commissions.

While reasonable competitive spreads or commissions are sought, the Fund will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or commission available. Subject to obtaining the best net results, dealers who provide supplemental investment research (such as quantitative and modeling information assessments and statistical data and provide other similar services) to the Adviser may receive orders for transactions by the Fund. Information so received will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Agreement and the expense of the Adviser will not necessarily be reduced as a result of the receipt of such supplemental information. Supplemental investment research obtained from such dealers may be used by the Adviser in servicing all of its accounts and such research may or may not be useful to the Adviser in connection with the Fund. In all cases, the Adviser understands its on-going obligation to seek "best execution" of its clients' transactions. The Adviser considers the range of services provided by brokers in selecting those with whom to place trades including, but not limited to, commission rate, execution capability, responsiveness, and financial responsibility. In general, the Adviser receives a limited amount of research and/ or brokerage services paid for by brokers. Polen Capital, the parent company of the Adviser, maintains a Best Execution Committee, which is comprised of representatives from the trading, operations, portfolio management, investment research and compliance teams (including certain representatives of the Adviser). The Best Execution Committee meets quarterly and is responsible for overseeing the Adviser's trading activities in accordance with the Adviser's Best Execution Policies and Procedures. The Best Execution Committee evaluates brokerage relationships annually. Under the 1940 Act, except as permitted by exemptive order or rule, persons affiliated with the Fund are prohibited from dealing with the Fund as principal in the purchase and sale of securities. However, affiliated persons of the Fund may serve as its brokers in certain over-the-counter transactions conducted on an agency basis.

Securities held by the Fund may also be held by, or be appropriate investments for, other funds or investment advisory clients for which the Adviser or its affiliates act as an adviser. Because of different investment objectives or other factors, a particular security may be bought for an advisory client when other clients are selling the same security. If purchases or sales of securities by the Adviser for the Fund or other funds for which it acts as investment adviser or for other advisory clients arise for consideration at or about the same time, transactions in such securities may be made, insofar as are feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed by the Adviser to be on a fair and equitable basis. Transactions effected by the Adviser (or its affiliates) on behalf of more than one of its clients during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, causing an adverse effect on price.

The table below sets forth the brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the period from October 1, 2023 through April 30, 2024 and the period from July 24, 2023 (commencement of investment operations) through September 30, 2023. The brokerage commissions paid by the Predecessor Fund are included in the below table for the period from October 1, 2022 through July 23, 2023 and for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2022:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **Period from<br> October 1, 2023<br> through<br> April 30,<br> 2024<sup>1</sup>** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> September 30,<br> 2023** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> September 30,<br> 2022** |
| Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Fund | $681362.25 | $417280.94 | $482577.97 | $519185.78 |

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<sup>1.</sup> The Fund changed its fiscal year end from September 30 to April 30.

With respect to trades in high yield fixed income securities (which accounted for 100% of trades with a commission for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023, for the period from October 1, 2023 through April 30, 2024, and for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025), commissions are built into the bid-ask spread, with the current industry standard high yield commission being a quarter of a point (0.25%). Accordingly, such amount has been used to estimate the commissions incurred with respect to all high yield trading by the Fund.

For the periods in the above table, neither the Fund nor the Adviser, through an agreement or understanding with a broker, or otherwise through an internal allocation procedure, directed the Fund's brokerage transactions to a broker because of research services provided.

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, for the period from October 1, 2023 through April 30, 2024, and for the period from July 24, 2023 (commencement of investment operations) through September 30, 2023, the Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to the Adviser or to an affiliate of the Fund or the Adviser. Additionally, for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 and the period from October 1, 2022 through July 23, 2023 the Predecessor Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to the Adviser or to an affiliate of the Predecessor Fund or the Adviser.

The Fund may at times invest in securities of its regular broker-dealers or a parent of its regular broker-dealers. During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, period from October 1, 2023 through April 30, 2024 and the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023, the Fund acquired no securities of its regular broker-dealers, or a parent of their regular broker-dealers.

**ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES**

The additional compensation to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus may be calculated based on factors determined by the Adviser and its affiliates from time to time, including: the value of the Fund's shares sold to, or held by, a financial intermediary's customers; gross sales of the Fund's shares by a financial intermediary; or a negotiated lump sum payment.

In addition to the additional cash payments to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus, subject to applicable FINRA rules and regulations, the Adviser and its affiliates may provide compensation to financial intermediaries that may enable the Adviser and its affiliates to sponsor or participate in educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions involving the sales representatives and other employees of financial intermediaries in order to promote the sale of the Fund's shares. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses, meals, lodging and entertainment of financial intermediaries and their sales representatives and other employees in connection with such educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions. These payments may vary with each such event.

**DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES AND RULE 12B-1 PLAN**

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101, serves as a principal underwriter of the Fund's shares pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement with the Trust. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriter continuously distributes shares of the Fund on a best efforts basis. The Underwriter has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of shares of the Fund. The Underwriter and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Fund.

To the extent that the Underwriter receives fees under the Fund's Plan of Distribution adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "12b-1 Plan"), the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of marketing or sales services with respect to the Investor Class shares as may be required pursuant to such plan.

Moreover, to the extent that the Underwriter receives shareholder service fees under any shareholder services plan adopted by the Fund, the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of personal or account maintenance services with respect to the relevant shareholders of the Fund as may be required pursuant to such plan. The Underwriter receives no underwriting commissions or Rule 12b-1 fees in connection with the sale of the Fund's Institutional Class shares or Class Y shares. The Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of Independent Trustees, have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Trust, the Fund and the shareholders of the Fund's Investor Class shares.

The Underwriter may furnish or enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions for distribution of shares of the Fund. With respect to certain financial institutions and related fund "supermarket" platform arrangements, the Fund and/or the Adviser, rather than the Underwriter, typically enter into such agreements. These financial institutions may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from the Adviser and/or the Fund. These financial institutions may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Fund.

The Underwriting Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods provided such continuance is approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Underwriter, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the agreement, will not be liable to the Fund or its shareholders for losses arising in connection with the sale of Fund shares.

The Underwriting Agreement terminates automatically in the event of an assignment. The Underwriting Agreement is also terminable without payment of any penalty with respect to the Fund (i) by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust or the Fund who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan of the Fund or any agreements related to the 12b-1 Plan or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on sixty (60) days written notice to the Underwriter; or (ii) by the Underwriter on sixty (60) days written notice to the Fund. The Underwriter will be compensated for distribution services according to the 12b-1 Plan regardless of the Underwriter's expenses. The Underwriter uses the entire 12b-1 for distribution expenses and does not retain any amounts for profit. The Underwriter does not receive compensation from the Funds for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a 12b-1 Plan is effective. The Adviser pays the Underwriter a fee for certain distribution-related services.

The 12b-1 Plan provides that the Underwriter will be paid for distribution activities such as public relations services, telephone services, sales presentations, media charges, preparation, printing and mailing advertising and sales literature, data processing necessary to support a distribution effort and printing and mailing of prospectuses to prospective shareholders. Additionally, the Underwriter may pay certain financial institutions such as banks or broker-dealers who have entered into servicing agreements with the Underwriter and other financial institutions for distribution and shareholder servicing activities.

The 12b-1 Plan further provides that payment shall be made for any month only to the extent that such payment does not exceed 0.25% on an annualized basis of the Fund's Investor Class Shares average net assets, except with respect to limitations set from time to time by the Board of Trustees.

Under the 12b-1 Plan, if any payments made by the Adviser out of its advisory fee, not to exceed the amount of that fee, to any third parties (including banks), including payments for shareholder servicing and transfer agent functions, were deemed to be indirect financing by a Fund of the distribution of its Investor Class shares, such payments are authorized. A Fund may execute portfolio transactions with and purchase securities issued by depository institutions that receive payments under the 12b-1 Plan. No preference for instruments issued by such depository institutions is shown in the selection of investments.

The following table sets forth the distribution fee received by the Underwriter for the Investor Class shares for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025 and the period from October 1, 2023 through April 30, 2024:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Rule 12b-1 Distribution Fees** | **Fiscal Year ended<br>April 30,<br>2025** | **Period from<br> October 1, 2023<br> through<br> April 30,<br> 2024<sup>1</sup>** |
| **Investor Class** | $4019 | $2426 |

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<sup>1.</sup> The Fund changed its fiscal year end from September 30 to April 30.

During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Underwriter incurred the following expenses in connection with distribution under the 12b-1 Plan:

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| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Advertising** | **Printing and<br>Mailing of<br> Prospectuses<br>to other<br> Than Current<br>Shareholders** | **Compensation to<br>Underwriters** | **Compensation to<br> Broker- Dealers** | **Compensation to<br> Sales Personnel** | **Interest, Carrying or<br>other Financing Charges** |
| **Investor Class** | $0 | $0 | $0 | $3886 | $0 | $0 |

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**CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES**

The Trust issues and offers separate classes of shares of the Fund: Investor Class shares, Institutional Class shares and Class Y shares. The shares of the Fund, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Prospectus, will be fully paid and non-assessable shares, with equal voting rights and no preferences as to conversion, exchange, dividends, redemption or any other feature.

The separate classes of shares of the Fund represent interests in the same portfolio of investments, have the same rights and are identical in all respects, except that Investor Class shares bear Rule 12b-1 distribution expenses and have exclusive voting rights with respect to the 12b-1 Plan pursuant to which the distribution fee may be paid.

The net income attributable to a class of shares and the dividends payable on such shares will be reduced by the amount of any applicable shareholder service or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees. Accordingly, the NAV of the Investor Class shares will be reduced by such amount to the extent the Fund has undistributed net income.

Shares of the Fund entitle holders to one vote per share and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, do not have preemptive or subscription rights and are transferable. Each class takes separate votes on matters affecting only that class.

The Fund does not hold an annual meeting of shareholders. The Trustees are required to call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any Trustee when requested in writing to do so by the shareholders of record owning not less than 10% of the Fund's outstanding shares.

**PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES**

**PURCHASE OF SHARES.** Information regarding the purchase of shares is discussed in the "Purchase of Shares" section of the Prospectus. The following supplements the information contained in the "Purchase of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES.** Information regarding the redemption of shares is discussed in the "Redemption of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**PRICING OF SHARES.** For the Fund, the NAV per share of the Fund is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets by the total number of the Fund's shares outstanding. This determination is made by The Bank of New York Mellon, as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) each day the Fund is open for business. The Fund is open for business on days when the Exchange is open for business.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Certain fixed income securities may be valued based upon appraisals received from a pricing service using a computerized matrix system or based upon appraisals derived from information concerning the security or similar securities received from a recognized dealer or dealers in those securities. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used to value fixed income securities with 60 days or less remaining until maturity, so long as such amortized cost method approximates fair value. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**DIVIDENDS**

The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income, if any. Dividends from the Fund's net investment income, if any, are declared and paid monthly to shareholders. Distributions, if any, of net short-term capital gain and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over the short-term capital loss) realized by the Fund, after deducting any available capital loss carryovers are declared and paid to shareholders annually.

The Fund's dividends and distributions are taxable to shareholders (other than retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors) whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. A dividend or distribution paid by the Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend distribution. A dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares by an investor would, therefore, represent, in substance, a return of capital to the shareholder with respect to such shares even though it would be subject to federal income tax. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

A statement will be sent to you after the end of each year detailing the tax status of your distributions. Please see "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by the Fund.

**CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS** 

The following discussion summarizes certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders. This discussion is for general information only and does not purport to consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that might be relevant to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund. The summary discussion that follows may not be considered to be individual tax advice and may not be relied upon by any shareholder. The summary is based upon provisions of the IRC, applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations (whether temporary, proposed or final) promulgated thereunder (the "Regulations"), and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, as are in effect as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, which change could be retroactive and may affect the conclusions expressed herein. The summary applies only to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund in whose hands such shares are capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the IRC, and may not apply to certain types of beneficial owners of shares of the Fund, including, but not limited to insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, shareholders holding the Fund's shares through tax-advantaged accounts (such as an individual retirement account (an "IRA"), a 401(k) plan account, or other qualified retirement account), financial institutions, pass-through entities, broker-dealers, entities that are not organized under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, persons who are neither a citizen nor resident of the United States, shareholders holding the Fund's shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction and shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax. Persons who may be subject to tax in more than one country should consult the provisions of any applicable tax treaty to determine the potential tax consequences to them.

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the Fund's common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of such partnership. A partner of a partnership holding the Fund's common stock should consult its own tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the partner of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Fund's common stock by the partnership.

The summary assumes that shareholders will hold the Fund's common stock as capital assets, which generally means as property held for investment. This discussion addresses only the U.S. income tax consequences of an investment by U.S. shareholders, and, therefore, does not address U.S. estate and gift tax rules, U.S. state or local taxation, the alternative minimum tax, excise taxes, transfer taxes or foreign taxes.

For purposes of the following discussion, "U.S. shareholder" is a shareholder that is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) created or organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if (a) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust's administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) it has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. A "Non-U.S. shareholder" is a person that is neither a U.S. shareholder nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") as to the federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. In addition, the following discussion applicable to shareholders of the Fund addresses only some of the federal income tax considerations generally affecting investments in the Fund.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of the ownership, purchase and disposition of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**GENERAL.** The Fund has elected, and intends to continue to qualify each year for, taxation as a RIC under Subchapter M of the IRC. By qualifying as a RIC, the Fund (but not the shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders.

Shareholders should be aware that investments made by the Fund, some of which are described below, may involve complex tax rules some of which may result in income or gain recognition by a shareholder without the concurrent receipt of cash. Although the Fund seeks to avoid significant noncash income, such noncash income could be recognized by the Fund, in which case it may distribute cash derived from other sources in order to meet the minimum distribution requirements described below. Cash to make the required minimum distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by its governing documents and other regulatory restrictions, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed.

**QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY.** Qualification as a RIC under the IRC requires, among other things, that the Fund: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income from certain qualified publicly traded partnerships (together with (i), the "Qualifying Income Requirement"); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the value of its assets is comprised of cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with those other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers controlled by it and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (together with (i) the "Diversification Requirement").

The Treasury Department is authorized to promulgate regulations under which gains from foreign currencies (and options, futures, and forward contracts on foreign currency) would not constitute qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement only if such gains are not directly related to the principal business of the Fund in investing in stock or securities or options and futures with respect to stock or securities. To date, no such regulations have been issued.

As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders in any taxable year for which it distributes, in compliance with the IRC's timing and other requirements the sum of (i) at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount income, market discount income, income from securities lending, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, certain net realized foreign currency exchange gains, and any other taxable income other than "net capital gain" as defined below and is reduced by deductible expenses all determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid); and (ii) 90% of its tax-exempt interest, if any, net of certain expenses allocable thereto ("net tax-exempt interest"). The Fund may retain for investment all or a portion of its "net capital gain" (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). If the Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who will be (i) required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of tax paid by the Fund against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of the shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder's gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by the Fund on that amount of capital gain.

The qualifying income and asset requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC, as described above, may limit the extent to which it will be able to engage in derivative transactions. Rules governing the federal income tax aspects of derivatives, including swap agreements, are not entirely clear in certain respects, particularly in light of two IRS revenue rulings issued in 2006. Revenue Ruling 2006-1 held that income from a derivative contract with respect to a commodity index is not qualifying income for a RIC. Subsequently, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2006-31 in which it stated that the holding in Revenue Ruling 2006-1 "was not intended to preclude a conclusion that the income from certain instruments (such as certain structured notes) that create a commodity exposure for the holder is qualifying income." In 2016, the IRS issued a notice and stated they would not address what constitutes a "security" for purposes of Qualifying Income. In addition, the IRS requested comments as to whether the 2006 Revenue Rulings should be withdrawn. In 2019, the IRS concluded that it would not withdraw the 2006 Revenue Rulings at that time. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in commodity related derivative transactions and other derivative transactions may be limited by the Qualifying Income Requirement. The Fund will account for any investments in commodity derivative transactions in a manner it deems to be appropriate; the IRS, however, might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized.

For purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, all of the net income of a RIC derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (generally, defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (i) of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above) will be treated as qualifying income. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the IRC do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. The transferee of a partnership interest generally is required to withhold 10% of the amount realized on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest after December 31, 2017 if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person.

For purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership.

If the Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures to satisfy the Diversification Requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, the Fund will fail to qualify as a RIC and will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation subject to tax on a flat tax rate of 21% and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) to its shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders, and a maximum long-term capital gains tax rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for a period of greater than two taxable years, the Fund generally would be required to recognize any built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a sale of such assets within ten years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

**EXCISE TAX.** If the Fund fails to distribute by December 31 of each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its taxable ordinary income (excluding capital gains and losses) for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (as adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the twelve month period ending on October 31 of such year, and (3) all taxable ordinary income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for the prior year that were not distributed during such year and on which it did not pay federal income tax, the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax (the "Excise Tax") on the undistributed amounts. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November, or December of that year to shareholders of record on a date in such month and paid by it during January of the following year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders (other than those not subject to federal income tax) in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. The Fund intends to actually distribute or be deemed to have distributed substantially all of its net income and gain, if any, by the end of each calendar year in compliance with these requirements so that it will generally not be required to pay the Excise Tax. The Fund may, in certain circumstances, be required to liquidate its investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid Excise Tax liability at a time when its Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so. Liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Fund to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC.

**CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS.** The Fund is permitted to carry forward a net capital loss from any year to offset its capital gains, if any, realized indefinitely in the year following the year of the loss. The excess of the Fund's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gain is treated as short-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year and the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gain is treated as long-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year. If future capital gains are offset by carried forward capital losses, such future capital gains are not subject to Fund-level federal income taxation, regardless of whether they are distributed to shareholders. Accordingly, the Fund does not expect to distribute any such offsetting capital gains. The Fund cannot carry back or carry forward any net operating losses.

**MLPs.** The Fund may invest in master limited partnerships which may be treated as qualified publicly traded partnerships. Income from qualified publicly traded partnerships is qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement, but the Fund's investment in one or more of such qualified publicly traded partnerships is limited to no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets and must otherwise satisfy the Diversification Requirement. In addition, a 10% withholding tax is imposed on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest for transfers if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person or another exception applies.

**ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT AND MARKET DISCOUNT.** The Fund may acquire debt securities that are treated as having original issue discount ("OID") (generally a debt obligation with a purchase price less than its principal amount, such as a zero coupon bond). Generally, the Fund will be required to include the OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though it will not receive cash payments for such OID until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having OID which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income. Inflation-protected bonds generally can be expected to produce OID income as their principal amounts are adjusted upward for inflation. A portion of the OID includible in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities may be treated as a dividend for federal income tax purposes if the securities are characterized as equity for federal income tax purposes.

A debt security acquired in the secondary market by the Fund may be treated as having market discount if acquired at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Market discount generally is accrued ratably, on a daily basis, over the period from the date of acquisition to the date of maturity even though no cash will be received. Absent an election by the Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on its disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.

The Fund may be required to include in income certain fees that are treated as OID and required to be included in income for financial statement purposes when received (rather than when accrued into income).

In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund receives no interest payments in cash on such securities during the year.

The Fund generally will be required to make distributions to shareholders representing the income accruing on the debt securities, described above, that is currently includable in income, even though cash representing such income may not have been received by the Fund. Cash to pay these distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by the Fund's governing documents, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions.

**OPTIONS, FUTURES, AND FORWARD CONTRACTS.** The writing (selling) and purchasing of options and futures contracts and entering into forward currency contracts, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes the amount, character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses the Fund realizes in connection with such transactions.

Gains and losses on the sale, lapse, or other termination of options and futures contracts, options thereon and certain forward contracts (except certain foreign currency options, forward contracts and futures contracts) will generally be treated as capital gains and losses. Some regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts, and certain non-equity options (such as certain listed options or options on broad-based securities indexes) held by the Fund ("Section 1256 contracts"), other than contracts on which it has made a "mixed-straddle election," will be required to be "marked-to-market" for federal income tax purposes, that is, treated as having been sold at their market value on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. These provisions may require the Fund to recognize income or gains without a concurrent receipt of cash. Any gain or loss recognized on actual or deemed sales of Section 1256 contracts will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary income or loss as described below. Transactions that qualify as designated hedges are exempt from the mark-to-market rule, but may require the Fund to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and certain options to the extent of any unrecognized gains on related positions held by it.

The tax provisions described above applicable to options, futures and forward contracts may affect the amount, timing, and character of the Fund's distributions to its shareholders. For example, the Section 1256 rules described above may operate to increase the amount the Fund must distribute to satisfy the minimum distribution requirement for the portion treated as short-term capital gain which will be taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income, and to increase the net capital gain it recognizes, without, in either case, increasing the cash available to it. The Fund may elect to exclude certain transactions from the operation of Section 1256, although doing so may have the effect of increasing the relative proportion of net short-term capital gain (taxable as ordinary income) and, thus, increasing the amount of dividends it must distribute. Section 1256 contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of the Excise Tax.

When a covered call or put option written (sold) by the Fund expires the Fund will realize a short-term capital gain equal to the amount of the premium it received for writing the option. When the Fund terminates its obligations under such an option by entering into a closing transaction, it will realize a short-term capital gain (or loss), depending on whether the cost of the closing transaction is less than (or exceeds) the premium received when it wrote the option. When a covered call option written by the Fund is exercised, the Fund will be treated as having sold the underlying security, producing long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon the holding period of the underlying security and whether the sum of the option price received upon the exercise plus the premium received when it wrote the option is more or less than the basis of the underlying security.

**STRADDLES.** Section 1092 deals with the taxation of straddles which also may affect the taxation of options in which the Fund may invest. Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as options, futures and forward currency contracts, may be considered, for federal income tax purposes, to constitute "straddles." Straddles are defined to include offsetting positions in actively traded personal property. In certain circumstances, the rules governing straddles override or modify the provisions of Section 1256, described above. If the Fund is treated as entering into a straddle and at least one (but not all) of its positions in derivative contracts comprising a part of such straddle is governed by Section 1256, then such straddle could be characterized as a "mixed straddle." The Fund may make one or more elections with respect to mixed straddles. Depending on which election is made, if any, the results with respect to the Fund may differ. Generally, to the extent the straddle rules apply to positions established by the Fund, losses realized by it may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in any offsetting positions. Moreover, as a result of the straddle rules, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be characterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be characterized as short-term capital gain. In addition, the existence of a straddle may affect the holding period of the offsetting positions and cause such sales to be subject to the "wash sale" and "short sale" rules. As a result, the straddle rules could cause distributions that would otherwise constitute "qualified dividend income" to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements, described below, and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income. Further, the Fund may be required to capitalize, rather than deduct currently, any interest expense and carrying charges applicable to a position that is part of a straddle. Because the application of the straddle rules may affect the character and timing of gains and losses from affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to the situation where the Fund had not engaged in such transactions.

In circumstances where the Fund has invested in certain pass-through entities, the amount of long-term capital gain that it may recognize from certain derivative transactions with respect to interests in such pass-through entities is limited under the IRC's constructive ownership rules. The amount of long-term capital gain is limited to the amount of such gain the Fund would have had if it directly invested in the pass-through entity during the term of the derivative contract. Any gain in excess of this amount is treated as ordinary income. An interest charge is imposed on the amount of gain that is treated as ordinary income.

**SWAPS AND DERIVATIVES.** As a result of entering into swap or derivative agreements, the Fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The Fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap or derivative is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap, derivative or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap or derivative will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund has been a party to a swap or derivative for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps or derivatives, the Fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or derivatives or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps or derivatives to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss. The Fund's transactions in swaps or other derivatives may be subject to one or more special tax rules (e.g., notional principal contracts, straddles, constructive sales, wash sales and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains or losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and/or character of distributions to shareholders.

Rules governing the tax aspects of swap or derivative agreements are not entirely clear in certain respects, in particular whether income generated is Qualifying Income. Accordingly, while the Fund intends to account for such transactions in a manner it deems appropriate, the IRS might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be adversely affected. The Fund intends to monitor developments in this area. Certain requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC may limit the extent to which the Fund will be able to engage in swap agreements and certain derivatives.

**CONSTRUCTIVE SALES.** Certain rules may affect the timing and character of gain if the Fund engages in transactions that reduce or eliminate its risk of loss with respect to appreciated financial positions. If the Fund enters into certain transactions (including a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract, a futures or forward contract, or other transactions identified in Treasury regulations) in property while holding an appreciated financial position in substantially identical property, it will be treated as if it had sold and immediately repurchased the appreciated financial position and will be taxed on any gain (but not loss) from the constructive sale. The character of gain from a constructive sale will depend upon the Fund's holding period in the appreciated financial position. Loss from a constructive sale would be recognized when the position was subsequently disposed of, and its character would depend on the Fund's holding period and the application of various loss deferral provisions of the IRC.

In addition, if the appreciated financial position is itself a short sale or other such contract, acquisition of the underlying property or substantially identical property by the Fund will be deemed a constructive sale. The foregoing will not apply, however, to the Fund's transaction during any taxable year that otherwise would be treated as a constructive sale if the transaction is closed within 30 days after

the end of that year and the Fund holds the appreciated financial position unhedged for 60 days after that closing (i.e., at no time during that 60-day period is the Fund's risk of loss regarding the position reduced by reason of certain specified transactions with respect to substantially identical or related property, such as having an option to sell, being contractually obligated to sell, making a short sale or granting an option to buy substantially identical stock or securities).

**WASH SALES.** The Fund may be impacted in certain circumstances by special rules relating to "wash sales." In general, the wash sale rules prevent the recognition of a loss by the Fund from the disposition of stock or securities at a loss in a case in which identical or substantially identical stock or securities (or an option to acquire such property) is or has been acquired by it within 30 days before or 30 days after the sale.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities. Short sales may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by the Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to its shareholders. Short sales also may be subject to the "Constructive Sales" rules, discussed above.

**PASSIVE FOREIGN INVESTMENT COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in a non-U.S. corporation, which could be treated as a passive foreign investment company (a "PFIC") or become a PFIC under the IRC. A PFIC is generally defined as a foreign corporation that meets either of the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income for its taxable year is income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties, or capital gains); or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, such passive income. If the Fund acquires any equity interest in a PFIC, the Fund could be subject to federal income tax and interest charges on "excess distributions" received with respect to such PFIC stock or on any gain from the sale of such PFIC stock (collectively "PFIC income"), plus interest thereon even if the Fund distributes the PFIC income as a taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in the Fund's investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. The Fund's distributions of PFIC income, if any, will be taxable as ordinary income even though, absent the application of the PFIC rules, some portion of the distributions may have been classified as capital gain.

The Fund will not be permitted to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for taxes and interest charges incurred with respect to a PFIC. Payment of this tax would therefore reduce the Fund's economic return from its investment in PFIC shares. To the extent the Fund invests in a PFIC, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" ("QEF"), then instead of the tax and interest obligation described above on excess distributions, the Fund would be required to include in income each taxable year its pro rata share of the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain. As a result of a QEF election, the Fund would likely have to distribute to its shareholders an amount equal to the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain to satisfy the IRC's minimum distribution requirement described herein and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax even if the QEF did not distribute those earnings and gain to the Fund. In most instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain requirements in making the election.

The Fund may elect to "mark-to-market" its stock in any PFIC. "Marking-to-market," in this context, means including in ordinary income each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock over the Fund's adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, the Fund also may deduct (as an ordinary, not capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in the PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock it included in income for prior taxable years under the election. The Fund's adjusted basis in its PFIC stock subject to the election would be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken thereunder. In either case, the Fund may be required to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS.** Foreign currency gains and losses realized by the Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt instruments, certain options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments relating to foreign currency, foreign currencies, and foreign currency-denominated payables and receivables are subject to Section 988 of the IRC, which causes such gains and losses to be treated as ordinary income or loss and may affect the amount and timing of recognition of the Fund's income. In some cases, elections may be available that would alter this treatment, but such elections could be detrimental to the Fund by creating current recognition of income without the concurrent recognition of cash. If a foreign currency loss treated as an ordinary loss under Section 988 were to exceed the Fund's investment company taxable income (computed without regard to such loss) for a taxable year the resulting loss would not be deductible by it or its shareholders in future years. The foreign currency income or loss will also increase or decrease the Fund's investment company income distributable to its shareholders.

**FOREIGN TAXATION.** Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the Fund's total assets at the close of any taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations and it meets the distribution requirements described above, the Fund may file an election (the "pass-through election") with the IRS pursuant to which shareholders of the Fund would be required to (i) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) their pro rata shares of

foreign income taxes paid by the Fund even though not actually received by such shareholders; and (ii) treat such respective pro rata portions as foreign income taxes paid by them. The Fund will furnish its shareholders with a written statement providing the amount of foreign taxes paid by the Fund that will "pass-through" for the year, if any.

Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder's U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of the Fund's income will flow through to the Fund's shareholders. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. Shareholders may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Various limitations, including a minimum holding period requirement, apply to limit the credit and deduction for foreign taxes for purposes of regular federal tax and alternative minimum tax. In addition, a shareholder of the Fund may lose the ability to use foreign tax credits passed through by the Fund if the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement.

**REITs.** The Fund may invest in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require the Fund to accrue and distribute taxable income without the concurrent receipt of cash. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. The Fund's investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in its receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

The Fund may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs") or taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs"), or such REITs may themselves constitute TMPs. Under an IRS notice, and Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of the Fund's income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT's residual interest in a REMIC or a TMP (referred to in the IRC as an "excess inclusion") will be subject to federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a RIC, such as the Fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or invested in the TMP directly. As a result, the Fund may not be a suitable investment for certain tax-exempt shareholders, including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan and other tax-exempt entities. See "Tax-Exempt Shareholders."

Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that the Fund properly reports as "section 199A dividends," as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. Non-corporate shareholders are permitted a federal income tax deduction equal to 20% of qualified REIT dividends received by them, subject to certain limitations. Generally, a "section 199A dividend" is any dividend or portion thereof that is attributable to certain dividends received by a RIC from the REITs it holds, to the extent such dividends are properly reported as such by the RIC in a written notice to its shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.

**DISTRIBUTIONS.** Distributions paid out of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined at the end of the year), whether reinvested in additional shares or paid in cash, are generally taxable and must be reported by each shareholder who is required to file a federal income tax return except in the case of certain tax-exempt shareholders. Distributions in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, as computed for federal income tax purposes, will first be treated as a return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares and then as capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as a capital asset. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder's tax basis in the shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by a shareholder of the Fund's shares. Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or receive them in additional shares.

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment company taxable income are generally taxable as ordinary income, and distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions designated by the Fund as "capital gain dividends" (distributions from the excess of net long-term capital gain over short-term capital losses) will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time they have held their shares of the Fund. Such dividends do not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction described below.

Non-corporate shareholders of the Fund may be eligible for the long-term capital gain tax rate applicable to distributions of "qualified dividend income" received by such non-corporate shareholders. The maximum long-term capital gains tax rate is 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). The Fund's distribution will be treated as qualified dividend income and therefore eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rate to the extent that it receives dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding periods and other requirements are met. A corporate shareholder of the Fund may be eligible for the dividends received deduction with respect to the Fund's distributions attributable to dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations, which, if received directly by the corporate shareholder, would qualify for such a deduction. For eligible corporate shareholders, the dividends received deduction may be subject to certain reductions, and a distribution by the Fund attributable to dividends of a domestic corporation will be eligible for the deduction only if certain holding period and other requirements are met. If the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement, dividends paid while the shares are held by the borrower may not be qualified dividend income and may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax applies to net investment income including interest (excluding, tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.

The Fund will furnish a statement to shareholders providing the federal income tax status of its dividends and distributions including the portion of such dividends, if any, that qualifies as long-term capital gain.

Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement distributions and certain prohibited transactions, is accorded to accounts maintained as qualified retirement plans. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers for more information.**

**PURCHASES OF FUND SHARES.** Prior to purchasing shares in the Fund, the impact of dividends or distributions which are expected to be or have been declared, but not paid, should be carefully considered. Any dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares of the Fund prior to the record date will have the effect of reducing the per share net asset value by the per share amount of the dividend or distribution, and to the extent the distribution consists of the Fund's taxable income, the purchasing shareholder will be taxed on the taxable portion of the dividend or distribution received even though some or all of the amount distributed is effectively a return of capital. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

**SALES, EXCHANGES OR REDEMPTIONS.** Upon the disposition of shares of the Fund (whether by redemption, sale or exchange), a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the shares. The capital gain will be long-term if the shares were held for more than 12 months and short-term if held for 12 months or less. If a shareholder sells or exchanges shares of the Fund within 90 days of having acquired such shares and if, before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the sale or exchange, as a result of having initially acquired those shares, the shareholder subsequently pays a reduced sales charge on a new purchase of shares of the Fund, the sales charge previously incurred in acquiring the Fund's shares generally shall not be taken into account (to the extent the previous sales charges do not exceed the reduction in sales charges on the new purchase) for the purpose of determining the amount of gain or loss on the disposition, but generally will be treated as having been incurred in the new purchase. Any loss realized on a disposition will be disallowed under the "wash sale" rules to the extent that the shares disposed of by the shareholder are replaced by the shareholder within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends received by the shareholder with respect to such shares. Capital losses are generally deductible only against capital gains except that individuals may deduct up to $3,000 of capital losses against ordinary income.

The 3.8% Medicare contribution tax (applied as described above) will apply to gains from the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund.

**BACKUP WITHHOLDING.** The Fund generally is required to withhold, and remit to the U.S. Treasury, subject to certain exemptions, an amount equal to 24% of all distributions and redemption proceeds paid or credited to a shareholder of the Fund if (i) the shareholder fails to furnish the Fund with the correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") certified under penalties of perjury, (ii) the shareholder fails to provide a certified statement that the shareholder is not subject to "backup withholding," or (iii) the IRS or a broker has notified the Fund that the number furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report interest or dividend income. If the backup withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions or proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.

**STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.** State and local laws often differ from federal income tax laws with respect to the treatment of specific items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit. This summary discussion does not address the state and local income taxes applicable to a shareholder.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the state and local tax rules affecting investments in the Fund.**

**NON-U.S. SHAREHOLDERS.** Distributions made to non-U.S. shareholders attributable to net investment income generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding at a 30% rate (or such lower rate provided under an applicable income tax treaty). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution described above is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States), federal income tax withholding and exemptions attributable to foreign persons will not apply. Instead, the distribution will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable U.S. tax rate (currently 37% in the case of individuals and 21% in the case of corporations) and the non-U.S. shareholders will be subject to the federal income tax reporting requirements generally applicable to U.S. persons described above.

Under U.S. federal tax law, a non-U.S. shareholder is not, in general, subject to federal income tax or withholding tax on capital gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of the Fund, or on capital gains dividends, provided that the Fund obtains a properly completed and signed certificate of foreign status, unless (i) such gains or distributions are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States of the non-U.S. shareholder); (ii) in the case of an individual non-U.S. shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the shares of the Fund constitute U.S. real property interests ("USRPIs"), as described below.

Under current law, if the Fund is considered to be a "United States Real Property Holding Corporation" (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), then the distributions attributable to certain underlying REIT investments and redemption proceeds paid to a non-U.S. shareholder that owns at least 5% of the Fund, generally will cause the non-U.S. shareholder to treat such gain or distribution as income effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States, subject such gain or distribution to withholding tax, and cause the non-U.S. shareholder to be required to file a federal income tax return. In addition, in any year where at least 50% of the Fund's assets are USRPIs (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), distributions of the Fund that are attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of shares in USRPIs may be subject to U.S. withholding tax (regardless of such shareholder's percentage interest in the Fund) and may require the non-U.S. shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to receive a refund (if any) of the withheld amount.

Subject to the additional rules described herein, federal income tax withholding will apply to distributions attributable to dividends and other investment income distributed by the Fund. The federal income tax withholding rate may be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. shareholder's country of residence or incorporation. In order to qualify for treaty benefits, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign status (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN).

**All non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

Pursuant to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"), a 30% withholding tax generally is imposed on payments of interest and dividends to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless the foreign financial institution or foreign entity provides the withholding agent with documentation sufficient to show that it is compliant with FATCA (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). If the payment is subject to the 30% withholding tax under FATCA, a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to the 30% withholding tax described above on the same income. Under proposed regulations, FATCA withholding on the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gain distributions, scheduled to take effect beginning January 1, 2019, has been eliminated. Such proposed regulations are subject to change.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of this reporting and withholding regime to their own tax situation.**

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**FOREIGN BANK AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS AND FOREIGN FINANCIAL ASSETS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.** A shareholder that owns directly or indirectly more than 50% by vote or value of the Fund, is urged and advised to consult its own tax adviser regarding its filing obligations with respect to IRS Form FinCEN 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

Also, under enacted rules, subject to exceptions, individuals (and, to the extent provided in forthcoming future U.S. Treasury regulations, certain domestic entities) must report annually their interests in "specified foreign financial assets" on their U.S. federal income tax returns. It is currently unclear whether and under what circumstances shareholders would be required to report their indirect interests in the Fund's "specified foreign financial assets" (if any) under these new rules.

Shareholders may be subject to substantial penalties for failure to comply with these reporting requirements. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether these reporting requirements are applicable to them.**

**TAX-EXEMPT SHAREHOLDERS.** A tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") by virtue of its investment in the Fund as a result of the Fund's investments and if shares in the Fund constitute debt financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).

It is possible that a tax-exempt shareholder of the Fund will also recognize UBTI if the Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" (as described above) derived from direct or indirect investments in REMIC residual interests or TMPs. Furthermore, any investment in a residual interest of a CMO that has elected to be treated as a REMIC can create complex tax consequences, especially if the Fund has state or local governments or other tax-exempt organizations as shareholders.

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or in TMPs.

**Tax-exempt shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**TAX SHELTER REPORTING REGULATIONS.** Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper.

Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

**TAX BASIS INFORMATION.** For shares of the Fund that are redeemed, your financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) will report gains and losses realized on redemptions of shares for shareholders who are individuals and S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This information will also be reported to a shareholder on Form 1099-B and the IRS each year. In calculating the gain or loss on redemptions of shares, the average cost method will be used to determine the cost basis of the Fund's shares purchased after January 1, 2012 unless the shareholder instructs the Fund in writing that the shareholder wants to use another available method for cost basis reporting (for example, First In, First Out (FIFO), Last In, First Out (LIFO), Specific Lot Identification (SLID) or High Cost, First Out (HCFO)). If the shareholder designated SLID as the shareholder's tax cost basis method, the shareholder will also need to designate a secondary cost basis method (Secondary Method). If a Secondary Method is not provided, the Fund will designate FIFO as the Secondary Method and will use the Secondary Method with respect to systematic withdrawals that are made.

A shareholder's financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) is also required to report gains and losses to the IRS in connection with redemptions of shares by S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012. If a shareholder is a corporation and has not instructed the Fund that it is a C corporation in its Account Application or by written instruction, the Fund will treat the shareholder as an S corporation and file a Form 1099-B.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**This summary is provided for general information only and should not be considered tax advice or relied on by an investor.**

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Fund's financial statements, included in [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm), for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025 (the "Annual Report") are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The 2025 financial statements included in the Form N-CSR have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report thereon is also incorporated herein by reference. No other parts of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, are incorporated by reference herein. Information for the fiscal years from September 30, 2022 and prior was audited by the former independent registered public accounting firm of the Predecessor Fund. The Fund changed its fiscal year end from September 30 to April 30. Copies of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Trust at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 or calling Shareholder Services at (888) 678-6024 or on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/us-opportunistic-high-yield-fund.*

**APPENDIX A**

**DESCRIPTION OF Securities RATINGS**

**Description of Ratings**

The following descriptions of securities ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P Global Ratings"), and Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"), respectively.

**Description of Moody's Global Ratings**

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned for obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

**Description of Moody's Global Long-Term Ratings**

**Aaa** Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal risk.

**Aa** Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

**A** Obligations rated A are considered upper medium-grade and are subject to low credit risk.

**Baa** Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba** Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

**B** Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

**Caa** Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

**Ca** Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

**C** Obligations rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal and interest.

*Note*: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**Hybrid Indicator (hyb)**

The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

**Description of Moody's Global Short-Term Ratings**

**P-1** Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-2** Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-3** Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

**NP** Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's U.S. Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings**

The Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale is used to rate U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.

Moody's U.S. municipal short-term obligation ratings are as follows:

**MIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

**MIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

**MIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

**Description of Moody's Demand Obligation Ratings**

For variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), Moody's assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer's ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders ("on demand") and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer's long-term rating drops below investment grade. Please see their methodology that discusses obligations with conditional liquidity support.

For VRDOs, they typically assign a VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years, but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned, and it is denoted as "NR".

Moody's demand obligation ratings are as follows:

**VMIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Issue Credit Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings' view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P Global Ratings would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings S&P Global Ratings assigns to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings' analysis of the following considerations:

● The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

● The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P Global Ratings imputes; and

● The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

NR indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings\***

**AAA** An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

**AA** An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

**A** An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

**BBB** An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**BB; B; CCC; CC; and C** Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

**BB** An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CCC** An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CC** An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

**C** An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

\* Ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

**D** An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings**

**A-1** A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.

**A-2** A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

**A-3** A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

**C** A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**D** A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings' opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings' analysis will review the following considerations:

● Amortization schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

● Source of payment—the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P Global Ratings' municipal short-term note ratings are as follows:

**SP-1** Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

**SP-2** Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

**SP-3** Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

**D** 'D' is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

**Description of Fitch's Credit Ratings**

Fitch's credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issue level ratings are assigned and often include an expectation of recovery and may be notched above or below the issuer level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation).

Fitch's credit rating scale for issuers and issues is expressed using the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade) with an additional +/- for AA through CCC levels indicating relative differences of probability of default or recovery for issues. The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. Investment grade categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the speculative categories signal either a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

Fitch may also disclose issues relating to a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated. Such issues are also denoted as 'NR' on its web page.

Fitch's credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. Credit ratings do not deal with the risk of market value loss due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and/or other market considerations. However, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay or refinance a financial commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of payments linked to performance of an equity index).

Note: The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' ratings and ratings below the 'CCC' category. For the short-term rating category of 'F1', a '+' may be appended.

**Description of Fitch's Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Ratings**

**AAA** Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA** Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A** High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB** Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

**BB** Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

**B** Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

**CCC** Substantial credit risk. 'CCC' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present, and default is a real possibility.

**CC** Very high levels of credit risk. 'CC' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk and default of some kind appears probable.

**C** Near Default. 'C' ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk. A default or default-like process has begun, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired.

Ratings in the categories of 'CCC', 'CC' and 'C' can also relate to obligations or issuers that are in default. In this case, the rating does not opine on default risk but reflects the recovery expectation only.

Corporate Finance defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'RD' or 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'CCC' to 'C' rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

**Description of Fitch's Short-Term Ratings**

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Fitch's short-term ratings are as follows:

**F1** Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Under the agency's National Rating scale, this rating is assigned to the lowest default risk relative to others in the same country or monetary union. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a "+" is added to the assigned rating.

**F2** Good short-term credit quality. Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

**F3** Fair short-term credit quality. Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**B** Speculative short-term credit quality. Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**C** High short-term default risk. Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**RD** Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

**D** Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

**APPENDIX B**

**POLEN CAPITAL CREDIT, LLC**

**SUMMARY OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES**

In accordance with Rule 206(4)-6 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, Polen Capital Credit, LLC (the "Adviser" or "Polen Credit") has adopted and implemented certain Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the "Policies") that the Adviser believes are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of its clients, including the Fund. Accordingly, the Adviser votes proxies based on its judgment as to what voting decision is most likely to maximize total return to the client as an investor in the issuer whose securities are being voted, including, where applicable, returns to the client on positions held in non-voting securities of that issuer or securities of other issuers that may be materially affected by the outcome of the vote. Furthermore, the Policies are intended to support good corporate governance, including those corporate practices that address environmental and social issues, in all cases with the objective of protecting shareholder interests and maximizing shareholder value.

Polen Credit believes that it is not appropriate, in most cases, to vote proxies with respect to the securities of such issuers in accordance with fixed, predetermined guidelines. Accordingly, Polen Credit generally reviews and makes a voting decision on each matter presented in such proxy on an individual, case-by-case basis.

The Adviser has designated an internal proxy administrator who is responsible for coordinating the review and voting of client proxies. In the absence of a material conflict of interest, the internal proxy administrator votes the proxy in accordance with the instructions provided by the applicable investment professional covering the particular issuer.

From time to time, the Adviser (and/or its affiliates) may have a material conflict of interest with respect to a matter to be voted upon in a proxy. If the internal proxy administrator identifies or is notified of a potential material conflict of interest, the internal proxy administrator will notify the Adviser's chief compliance officer. If the chief compliance officer agrees that a material conflict of interest exists, the Adviser generally will request a waiver of the conflict of interest or otherwise seek to obtain voting instructions from the affected client(s) or an authorized representative of the client(s) (or, in limited circumstances, an appropriate independent third party). In the event that the client(s), client representative(s), or other third party, as the case may be, do not desire to direct the vote of the proxy matter in question, the Adviser may, as circumstances warrant, take other steps, such as consulting with its outside legal counsel or an independent third party service, which steps are designed to result in a decision that is demonstrably based on the client's best interests and not the product of the conflict.

The Adviser maintains records of proxies that it has voted on behalf of its clients. The Adviser maintains these proxy voting books and records for a period of not less than five years.

![](pro-pchi_001.jpg)

**Polen High Income ETF**

Ticker: PCHI

 *a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

**Prospectus**

September 1, 2025

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.

Website: *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/high-income-etf*

**These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.**

**Contents**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[Fund Summary](#pro2_001)** | **1** |
| **[Fund Details](#pro2_002)** | **8** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Goal and Approach](#pro2_003) | 8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Principal Risks](#pro2_004) | 9 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Risks](#pro2_005) | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Management](#pro2_006) | 15 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributor and Distribution and Service Plan](#pro2_007) | 15 |
| **[Additional Information](#pro2_008)** | **17** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Purchase and Sale Information](#pro2_009) | 17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Portfolio Holdings Disclosure](#pro2_010) | 18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributions](#pro2_011) | 18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Tax Information](#pro2_012) | 18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[General Information](#pro2_013) | 22 |
| **[Financial Highlights](#pro2_014)** | **23** |
| **[Disclaimers](#pro2_015)** | **25** |
| **[FOR MORE INFORMATION](#pro2_016)** | **Back Cover** |

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**Fund Summary**

**Investment Objective**

Polen High Income ETF (the "Fund") seeks to achieve overall total return consisting of a high level of current income together with long-term capital appreciation.

**Fees and Expenses**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)** |  |
| Management Fee<sup>1</sup> | 0.63% |
| Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees<sup>2</sup> | 0.00% |
| Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") | 0.03% |
| Other Expenses | 0.00% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses<sup>3</sup>** | **0.66%** |
| Fee Waiver<sup>4</sup> | (0.10)% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver<sup>3,4</sup>** | **0.56%** |

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<sup>1</sup> The management fee is structured as a "unified fee." Polen Capital Credit, LLC ("Polen Credit" or the "Adviser") has agreed to pay all expenses incurred by the Fund except for the following expenses, each of which is paid by the Fund: interest and other costs of borrowing; taxes and other governmental fees; brokerage expenses, trading expenses and other expenses in connection with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions; acquired fund fees and expenses; accrued deferred tax liability; extraordinary expenses and other non-routine expenses of the Fund; payments under the Fund's 12b-1 Plan (if activated); and the management fee payable to the Adviser.

<sup>2</sup> The Fund's Rule 12b-1 Plan is authorized but inactive, such that no related fees accrue to the Fund.

<sup>3</sup> Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" will not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets that will be disclosed in the Fund's Annual and Semi-annual Financials and Additional Information in the financial highlights table, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses".

<sup>4</sup> The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive 0.10% (10 basis points) of its investment advisory fee (the "Fee Waiver"). The Fee Waiver will remain in place until August 31, 2026, unless the Board of Trustees approves its earlier termination.

**Example**

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then hold or redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (reflecting any contractual fee waivers). This example does not include brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| $57 | $201 | $358 | $813 |

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**Portfolio Turnover**

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. This portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creations or redemptions. During the period March 25, 2025 (commencement of operations) through April 30, 2025, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 18% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Principal Investment Strategy**

The Fund pursues its investment objective by seeking to outperform, after taking into account fees and expenses, the broader high yield market over a complete credit cycle. The "credit cycle" is a cyclical event that generally occurs over a several year timeframe as access to credit increases or decreases for borrowers.

The Fund seeks to achieve its objective mainly by investing in fixed- and floating-rate high yield fixed income securities (commonly referred to as "junk bonds") with a focus on "middle market" issuers in the United States and, to a much lesser extent, Canada. The Adviser considers middle market companies to be those with normalized earnings before interest, tax and depreciation in the range of $75-250 million. The Adviser believes that the flexibility to invest, sell, and reinvest throughout the capital structure of an issuer (and in particular, in both more senior bank loans and more junior high yield bonds) enables the Adviser to tailor its investment approach to the specific credit-related circumstances of that issuer as they may change from time to time and thereby select the most attractive opportunities for the Fund.

The Adviser invests assets of the Fund primarily in credit instruments that are rated below investment grade by some or all relevant independent rating agencies, including Moody's Investors Service, Standard and Poor's Rating Services and Fitch Ratings (including a significant portion of such assets in credit instruments in the lower tier of the high yield market that are rated B and below). Additionally, certain other high yield securities may be unrated by rating agencies but determined by the Adviser to be of similar quality as other below investment grade bonds and credit instruments and accordingly purchased for investment by the Fund. The Fund does not have a percentage limitation on investing in securities that are rated below investment grade.

High yield fixed income securities include high yield corporate bonds, senior loans, convertible bonds, preferred stock, and other types of debt instruments (including, without limitation, unregistered (Rule 144A) securities, floating and variable rate securities and other restricted fixed income securities to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act")). In addition, the Fund may also purchase equity securities or otherwise hold positions in equity or other assets that the Fund receives as part of a reorganization process of a high yield issuer, and the Fund may hold those assets until such time as the Adviser believes that a disposition is most advantageous. From time to time, the Fund may make investments in distressed or defaulted securities or in issuers that are in bankruptcy. Although the Fund does not have any maturity or duration requirements, the Fund typically holds securities that, on average, have a shorter maturity and duration than the maturity and duration of broad-based high yield market indices. The Fund does not acquire securities or other permitted investments that it classifies as "illiquid" (i.e., the Fund does not reasonably expect to be able to sell or dispose of such security or investment within seven calendar days without significantly changing its market value); however, the Fund is not be restricted from continuing to hold an investment that the Adviser reclassifies as illiquid, subject to ongoing compliance with applicable law.

In making these investments, the Adviser seeks to purchase instruments that the Adviser believes are undervalued and offer a compelling risk/reward ratio. Specifically, the Adviser's investment process attempts to exploit inefficiencies in the high yield credit markets by adhering to a disciplined, bottom-up, fundamentally-oriented investment process with an emphasis on downside protection. The Adviser believes that its portfolios can appropriately balance these risks with the potential reward by purchasing securities of companies at deep discounts to intrinsic enterprise value, thereby providing significant cushion from a loan-to-value perspective; by properly understanding, as part of the Adviser's due diligence process, the relevant legal aspects of a bond indenture or loan document with a focus on downside or bankruptcy scenarios; and by managing liquidity in the portfolio by limiting the number and size of positions considered by the Adviser to be less liquid in nature. This process applies value investing principles through rigorous research coupled with financial, structural and legal analysis, including a review of bankruptcy law considerations where applicable. The foundation of this investment process is to derive an accurate, real-time valuation of a target company and to only invest in securities of that company's capital structure that offer a significant margin of safety coupled with strong total return potential. "Significant margin of safety" means that the Fund endeavors to identify securities with a low loan-to-value ratio where there is accordingly low risk that the subject security will default and experience principal losses as a result. By utilizing such a fundamental, bottom-up approach to investing, the Adviser seeks to add value first and foremost through security selection.

The Adviser manages a relatively concentrated portfolio typically comprising between 50-120 issuers and 60-150 issues.

**Summary of Principal Risks**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor and the relative significance of each risk below may change over time. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value ("NAV"), yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not be a suitable investment for all investors.

● **High Yield Securities Risk:** High yield securities (also known as junk bonds) are generally considered riskier than investment grade, fixed income securities. The total return and yield of high yield securities can be expected to fluctuate more than the total return and yield of higher quality securities. High yield securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. Successful investment in high yield securities involves greater investment risk and is highly dependent on the Adviser's credit analysis and market analysis.

● **Credit Risk:** The risk that the issuer of a security, or the counterparty to a contract, will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation (such as the payment of interest or principal on a debt security).

● **Debt Securities Risk:** Debt securities in which the Fund invests are subject to several types of investment risk, including market or interest rate risk (i.e., the risk that their value will be inversely affected by fluctuations in the prevailing interest rates), credit risk (i.e., the risk that the issuer may be unable to make timely interest payments and repay the principal upon maturity), call or income risk (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities with high interest rates will be prepaid or "called" by the issuer before they mature), and event risk (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities may suffer a substantial decline in credit quality and market value if the issuer restructures). Fixed income markets have recently experienced a period of relatively high volatility. If the Federal Reserve continues to increase interest rates, fixed income markets (and the high yield market in particular) could experience continuing high volatility, which could negatively impact the Fund's performance. A projection of an economic downturn or of a period rising interest rates, for example, could cause a decline in high yield bond prices because the advent of a recession could lessen the ability of a highly leveraged company to make principal and interest payment on its debt securities.

● **Bank Loan Risk:** The Fund's investment in secured and unsecured assignments of (or participations in) bank loans may create substantial risk. In making investments in bank loans, which are made by banks or other financial intermediaries to borrowers, the Fund depends primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and interest. In addition, the settlement of bank loans occurs on an extended (multi-week) basis, which may prevent the Fund from obtaining liquidity of certain assets within a desired timeframe. In addition, there is the potential that bank loans and other similar instruments may not be considered "securities" and, as a result, the Fund may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections under the federal securities laws and instead may have to resort to state law and direct claims.

● **Bankruptcy and Restructuring Risk:** The Fund may target securities and other obligations of issuers that are in financial difficulty and/or may be in, entering, or emerging from bankruptcy proceedings. Bankruptcy or other insolvency proceedings are highly complex and may result in unpredictable outcomes. In any investment opportunity involving work-outs, liquidations, spin-offs, reorganizations, bankruptcies and similar transactions, there exists the risk that the contemplated transaction may be unsuccessful. Similarly, if an anticipated transaction does not in fact occur, the Fund may be required to sell the investment at a loss. The level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties is unusually high. Because there is a substantial uncertainty concerning the outcome of transactions involving financially troubled companies in which the Fund may invest, there is a potential risk of loss of the entire investment in such companies, as well as the risk that the Fund may be required to accept cash or new securities with a value less than the Fund's original investment and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. Under such circumstances, the returns generated from the Fund's investments may not compensate it adequately for the risks assumed.

● **Canadian Securities Risk:** The Fund may invest in, and/or have exposure to, Canadian securities. The Canadian economy may be significantly affected by the U.S. economy because the U.S. is Canada's largest trading partner and foreign investor. Canada's largest exports are its natural resources, so the Canadian economy is dependent on the demand for, and supply and price of, natural resources, and any market developments that reduce the price of such goods could disproportionately affect the Canadian economy.

● **Cash Positions:** The Fund may not always stay fully invested. For example, when the Adviser believes that market conditions are unfavorable for profitable investing or when it is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund's cash or similar investments may increase. In other words, cash or similar investments generally are a residual – they represent the assets that remain after the Fund has committed available assets to desirable investment opportunities. When the Fund's investments in cash or similar investments increase, it may not participate in market advances to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested, and the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be affected.

● **Convertible Bond Risk:** Convertible bonds are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both bonds and common stocks and are therefore subject to both debt securities risk and equity securities risk. Convertible bonds are subject to equity securities risk especially when their conversion value is greater than the interest and principal value of the bond. The prices of equity securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes and may decline over short or extended periods of time.

● **Equity Securities Risk:** Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition, historical and prospective earnings of the company, interest rates, investor perceptions and overall market and economic conditions. The prices of securities change in response to many factors including the value of its assets.

● **Foreign Securities Risk:** The risk that investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Fund experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to less liquid markets, and adverse economic, political, diplomatic, financial, and regulatory factors. Foreign governments also may impose limits on investment and repatriation and impose taxes. Any of these events could cause the value of the Fund's investments to decline.

● **Interest Rate Risk:** The risk of market losses attributable to changes in interest rates. With fixed rate securities, a rise in interest rates typically causes a fall in values. The yield earned by the Fund will vary with changes in interest rates. The longer the average maturity of the Fund's investment portfolio, the greater the fluctuation in value.

● **Limited History of Operations:** The Fund is recently organized with a limited operating history, and there can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size.

● **Liquidity Risk:** The risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the seller would like.

● **Management Risk:** As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best performing securities or investment techniques, and the Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds. The Adviser may also miss an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in less advantageous investments.

● **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

● **Preferred Stock Risk:** Preferred stock is a class of a capital stock that typically pays dividends at a specified rate. Preferred stock is generally senior to common stock, but subordinate to debt securities, with respect to the payment of dividends and on liquidation of the issuer. The market value of preferred stock generally decreases when interest rates rise and is also affected by the issuer's ability to make payments on the preferred stock.

● **Prepayment Risk:** The risk that a debt security may be paid off and proceeds invested earlier than anticipated. Depending on market conditions, the new investments may or may not carry the same interest rate.

● **Private Placement Risk:** Private placements involve securities not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). In addition to the general risks associated with fixed income securities, such securities (including "144A" securities) may be subject to restrictions on resale, transaction costs for such securities may be higher than comparable securities, and there may be no liquid secondary market for such securities.

● **Rule 144A Securities Risk:** The market for certain Rule 144A securities can be less active than the market for publicly-traded securities. Certain Rule 144A securities carry a heightened risk that the liquidity of these securities may become impaired, making it more difficult for the Fund to sell these bonds at reasonable prices.

● **Small- and Mid-Cap Risk:** The Fund's investment approach is focused on identifying attractive securities issued by "middle market" companies. However, the securities of smaller and mid-size companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies. This can adversely affect the prices at which the Fund can purchase and sell these securities, and thus the value of the Fund's shares.

● **Valuation Risk:** Unlike publicly-traded common stock, which trades on national exchanges, there is no central exchange for fixed-income securities, including bank loans, to trade. Such fixed-income securities generally trade on an "over-the-counter" market, where the buyer and seller can settle on a price. Due to the lack of centralized information and trading, the valuation of fixed-income securities may carry more risk than that of publicly-traded common stocks. Uncertainties in the conditions of the financial market, unreliable reference data, lack of transparency and inconsistency of valuation models and processes may lead to inaccurate asset pricing by third-party pricing vendors. Moreover, to the extent that prices or quotations are not available from such third-party pricing vendors, or when the Adviser believes that they are unreliable, securities may be priced by the Fund using fair value procedures approved by the Trust's Board of Trustees. In addition, other market participants may value securities differently than the Fund. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the risk that when a fixed-income security is sold in the market, the amount received by the Fund is less than the value of such fixed-income security carried on the Fund's books.

● **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

● **ETF Risks:** 

○ *Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk*. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that are authorized to purchase and redeem shares (known as "Creation Units") directly from the Fund (known as "Authorized Participants" or "APs"). In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services; or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.

○ *Cash Redemption Risk.* The Fund is expected to generally redeem shares for cash or to otherwise include cash as part of its redemption proceeds. For example, the Fund may not be able to redeem in-kind certain securities held by the Fund (e.g., restricted securities). In such a case, the Fund may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.

○ *Costs of Buying or Selling Shares*. Due to the costs of buying or selling shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

○ *Market Trading Risk.* Although shares of the Fund are listed for trading on one or more stock exchanges, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. There are no obligations of market makers to make a market in the Fund's shares or of an authorized participant to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. Decisions by market makers or Authorized Participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying value of the Fund's portfolio securities and the Fund's market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV and also greater than normal intraday bid/ask spreads. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund's shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's portfolio holdings, which may cause a significant variance in the market price of the Fund's shares and its underlying value.

There can be no assurance that the shares will continue to trade on a stock exchange or in any market or that the Fund's shares will continue to meet the requirements for listing or trading on any exchange or in any market, or that such requirements will remain unchanged. Secondary market trading in Fund shares may be halted by a stock exchange because of market conditions or other reasons. In addition, trading in Fund shares on a stock exchange or in any market may be subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to "circuit breaker" rules on the stock exchange or market.

During a "flash crash," the market prices of the Fund's shares may decline suddenly and significantly. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause Authorized Participants and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund's shares for temporary or longer periods. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares at these temporarily low market prices. Shares of the Fund, similar to shares of other issuers listed on a stock exchange, may be sold short and are therefore subject to the risk of increased volatility associated with short selling.

○ *Premium/Discount Risk*. Shares of the Fund may trade at prices other than NAV. Shares of the Fund trade on stock exchanges at prices at, above or below its most recent NAV. The NAV of the Fund is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Fund's holdings since the most recent calculation. The trading prices of the Fund's shares fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than NAV. As a result, the trading prices of the Fund's shares may deviate significantly from NAV during periods of market volatility. In addition, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the exchange on which the Fund's shares trade. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid-ask spreads and resulting premium or discount to the shares' NAV is likely to widen.

Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund's shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than NAV when you buy shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those shares in the secondary market. The Adviser cannot predict whether shares will trade above (premium), below (discount) or at NAV. However, because shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units at NAV, the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of the Fund are not likely to be sustained over the long term. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that the Fund's shares normally will trade on stock exchanges at prices close to

the Fund's next calculated NAV, exchange prices are not expected to correlate exactly with the Fund's NAV due to timing reasons as well as market supply and demand factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions or extreme market volatility may result in trading prices for shares of the Fund that differ significantly from its NAV.

**Performance**

Because the Fund does not yet have a full calendar year of operations, no performance information is presented for the Fund at this time.Once available, performance information will be presented in this section of this Prospectus.

**Management of the Fund**

**Investment Adviser:**

The Fund's investment adviser is Polen Capital Credit, LLC.

**Portfolio Managers:**

**Benjamin J. Santonelli**, Portfolio Manager, joined Polen Credit in 2004 and has more than 21 years of experience in sourcing, analyzing, and managing investments across a variety of industries.

**John W. Sherman**, Portfolio Manager, joined Polen Credit in 2007 and has more than 21 years of corporate finance and investment experience.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

The Fund issues (or redeem) Fund shares to certain institutional investors known as "Authorized Participants" (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund shares known as "Creation Units." Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a portfolio of in-kind securities designated by the Fund and/or cash.

Individual Fund shares may only be purchased and sold on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the "Exchange"), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value, Fund shares may trade at a price greater than net asset value (premium) or less than net asset value (discount). When buying or selling shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) (the "bid-ask spread").

Recent information regarding the Fund's net asset value, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/high-income-etf.*

**Tax Information**

The Fund's distributions are taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through an individual retirement account (IRA), Retirement Plan or other U.S. tax-advantaged investment plan (in which case you may be taxed upon withdrawal of your investment from such account).

**Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase Fund shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

**Fund Details**

**Goal and Approach**

The Fund seeks to achieve overall total return consisting of a high level of current income together with long-term capital appreciation. Although no change is anticipated, the investment objective of the Fund may be changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

The Fund's principal investment strategies are discussed in the "Fund Summary" section. Principal investment strategies are those that the Adviser uses on a day-to-day basis to achieve the Fund's investment objective. This section provides more information about these strategies, as well as information about some additional strategies that the Fund's Adviser uses, or may use, to achieve the Fund's objective. Additional information about these investment strategies and practices and related risks is also provided in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"). The Fund may also use strategies and invest in securities that are not described in this Prospectus, but that are described in the Fund's SAI. The investments and strategies discussed below are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions.

**What is the Adviser's Investment Philosophy?**

The Adviser's high yield investment philosophy is based upon its belief that the lower-rated segments of the high yield market (rated B and below) are the most inefficient areas of the market and provide ample investment opportunities.

The Adviser believes that inefficiencies arise in this market segment (and in particular with respect to issuers within the middle market) for several reasons, including:

● Many traditional managers of large-cap high yield portfolios do not have an in-depth understanding of this market and/or do not participate in it. These traditional high yield managers oftentimes manage outsized, inflexible funds with large minimum investment size criteria. Therefore, they may not find it cost-effective to dedicate resources to the middle market segment, which the Adviser believes to be less frequently traded and offers smaller investment sizes. This segment accordingly is not as widely covered by high yield research analysts, and fewer brokers make a market trading in its securities. Because of the more limited following in the middle market, investment managers, such as the Adviser, that dedicate the resources and perform a heightened level of due diligence, are able to identify attractive investment opportunities.

● Traditional high yield managers generally may operate under more rigid investment guidelines than the Fund, which give rise to market inefficiencies. For example, certain mutual funds and structured products (e.g., CLOs) that invest in the leveraged credit market may have restrictions on the amount of CCC-rated investments that can be held in their portfolios. In addition, other institutional portfolios also have similar restrictions on the amount of CCC-rated investments that may be held. Consequently, managers of such portfolios may be encouraged, if not required to divest debt securities that are downgraded below a single-B rating, potentially at a depressed trading price, without regard to the merits of the investment or whether the manager agrees with the rating agency's new characterization of risk.

The Adviser seeks to identify and exploit inefficiencies such as these by adhering to a disciplined, fundamental-oriented investment process based upon company-specific research and applying value investing principles to the credit markets through financial and legal analysis. The Adviser's investment process generally involves observing a company as a whole and deriving a total enterprise value, and then generally only targeting those investments in that company's capital structure that the Adviser believes offer a significant margin of safety coupled with strong return potential.

As part of its due diligence process, the Adviser attempts to create a comprehensive analytical overview of a target company focused on its current and future business prospects. In addition, the Adviser may evaluate the company's senior management, industry fundamentals, market share, pricing power, operating characteristics and historical and projected financial performance to identify the risk and rewards of an investment.

In particular, the Adviser's fundamental analysis of each investment opportunity typically focuses on the following three components:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. *Cash Flow* – An evaluation of a company's ability to both (a) service its fixed obligations, including interest, capital expenditures, and working capital needs, and (b) generate free cash flow that will enable it to repay

its debt or reinvest capital. Polen Credit believes that understanding an issuer's discretionary free cash flow is important in assessing downside risk in the context of an adverse credit event that causes liquidity or cash flow to deteriorate.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. *Enterprise Value Coverage* – An analysis of a company's overall enterprise value relative to its liabilities and equity value (a "loan-to-value" analysis), including a determination of a company's value to prospective acquirer(s) of such business in whole or in pieces under a variety of economic assumptions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. *Legal Protections and Contractual Remedies* – An assessment of the contractual rights and remedies set forth in relevant legal documents governing a particular investment, such as a loan agreement, bond indenture, and/or intercreditor agreement.

Once a potential investment opportunity is identified, a research analyst will generally prepare a "first pass" analysis outlining the company's business model and financial condition, together with a proposed investment thesis. If a portfolio manager agrees with the analyst's recommendation, the analyst will undertake a more in-depth "second pass" analysis to create an overall financial assessment of the investment opportunity and verify the investment thesis. This second pass, or "deep dive," includes more extensive due diligence on the business and the securities that are being considered for investment. During this stage, Polen Credit's analysts may meet or conduct teleconferences with target company management, as well as with competitors, customers, suppliers and other third parties that are familiar with the company or industry, in order to acquire a more thorough understanding of the relevant aspects of the underlying business and corresponding investment opportunity. At this time, the research analyst is tasked with identifying all material risks related to the investment opportunity (including, without limitation, risks related to sustainability factors) in an effort to evaluate the overall risk-reward profile of the proposed investment.

Maintaining adequate downside protection is a key principle to the Adviser's risk management philosophy. In order to assess downside protection, the Adviser endeavors to undertake a careful evaluation of credit risk, legal risk and liquidity risk, as understanding these risks in particular is a crucial element of the Adviser's due diligence with respect to each investment opportunity. The Adviser believes that its portfolios can appropriately balance these risks with the potential reward by purchasing securities of companies at deep discounts to intrinsic enterprise value, thereby providing significant cushion from a loan-to-value perspective; by properly understanding, as part of the Adviser's due diligence process, the relevant legal aspects of a bond indenture or loan document with a focus on downside or bankruptcy scenarios; and by managing liquidity in the portfolio by limiting the number and size of positions considered by the Adviser to be less liquid in nature.

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"). At times, the Fund may be required to segregate or earmark certain assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser (generally, short-term investment grade fixed income securities) to cover borrowings.

The investments and strategies discussed above are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions. The Fund also may use other strategies and engage in other investment practices, which are described in the Fund's SAI.

In anticipation of or in response to adverse market or other conditions or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, the Fund may temporarily hold all or a portion of its assets in U.S. government securities, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures. Under such conditions, the Fund may not invest in accordance with its investment objective or principal investment strategy and may not achieve its investment objective.

**Principal Risks**

There are inherent risks associated with the Fund's principal investment strategies. The factors that are most likely to have a material effect on the Fund's investment portfolio as a whole are called "principal risks." The principal risks of the Fund are summarized in the Fund's "Summary Section" above and further described below. The Fund may be subject to additional risks other than those described because, among other reasons, the types of investments made by the Fund may change over time. For additional information regarding risks of investing in the Fund, please see the Fund's SAI. It is important to read all the disclosure information provided and to understand that you may lose money by investing in the Fund.

**High Yield Securities Risk:** High yield securities (also known as junk bonds) are generally considered riskier than investment grade, fixed income securities. The total return and yield of high yield securities can be expected to fluctuate more than the total return and yield of higher quality securities. High yield securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. Successful investment in high yield securities involves greater investment risk and is highly dependent on the Adviser's credit analysis and market analysis.

**Credit Risk:** The risk that the issuer of a security, or the counterparty to a contract, will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation (such as the payment of interest or principal on a debt security). Certain U.S. government agency securities are backed by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, while others, such as securities issued by the Federal Farm Credit Bank, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal National Mortgage Association and Federal Home Loan Bank, are supported only by the issuer's right to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the issuer's obligations, or by the issuer's own credit. However, the Fund will invest in the securities of such issuers only when the Adviser believes that the credit risk is minimal.

**Debt Securities Risk:** Debt securities in which the Fund invests are subject to several types of investment risk, including market or interest rate risk (i.e., the risk that their value will be inversely affected by fluctuations in the prevailing interest rates), credit risk (i.e., the risk that the issuer may be unable to make timely interest payments and repay the principal upon maturity), call or income risk, (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities with high interest rates will be prepaid or "called" by the issuer before they mature), and event risk (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities may suffer a substantial decline in credit quality and market value if the issuer restructures). Fixed income markets have recently experienced a period of relatively high volatility. If the Federal Reserve continues to increase interest rates, fixed income markets (and the high yield market in particular) could experience continuing high volatility, which could negatively impact the Fund's performance. A projection of an economic downturn or of a period rising interest rates, for example, could cause a decline in high yield bond prices because the advent of a recession could lessen the ability of a highly leveraged company to make principal and interest payment on its debt securities.

**Bank Loan Risk:** The Fund's investment in secured and unsecured assignments of (or participations in) bank loans may create substantial risk. In making investments in bank loans, which are made by banks or other financial intermediaries to borrowers, the Fund depends primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and interest. In addition, the settlement of bank loans occurs on an extended (multi-week) basis, which may prevent the Fund from obtaining liquidity of certain assets within a desired timeframe. In addition, there is the potential that bank loans and other similar instruments may not be considered "securities" and, as a result, the Fund may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections under the federal securities laws and instead may have to resort to state law and direct claims.

**Bankruptcy and Restructuring Risk:** The Fund may target securities and other obligations of issuers that are in financial difficulty and/or may be in, entering, or emerging from bankruptcy proceedings. Bankruptcy or other insolvency proceedings are highly complex and may result in unpredictable outcomes. In any investment opportunity involving work-outs, liquidations, spin-offs, reorganizations, bankruptcies and similar transactions, there exists the risk that the contemplated transaction may be unsuccessful. Similarly, if an anticipated transaction does not in fact occur, the Fund may be required to sell the investment at a loss. The level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties is unusually high. Because there is a substantial uncertainty concerning the outcome of transactions involving financially troubled companies in which the Fund may invest, there is a potential risk of loss of the entire investment in such companies, as well as the risk that the Fund may be required to accept cash or new securities with a value less than the Fund's original investment and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. Under such circumstances, the returns generated from the Fund's investments may not compensate it adequately for the risks assumed.

**Canadian Securities Risk:** The Fund may invest in, and/or have exposure to, Canadian securities. The Canadian economy may be significantly affected by the U.S. economy because the U.S. is Canada's largest trading partner and foreign investor. Canada's largest exports are its natural resources, so the Canadian economy is dependent on the demand for, and supply and price of, natural resources, and any market developments that reduce the price of such goods could disproportionately affect the Canadian economy.

**Cash Positions:** The Fund may not always stay fully invested. For example, when the Adviser believes that market conditions are unfavorable for profitable investing or when it is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund's cash or similar investments may increase. In other words, cash or similar investments generally are a residual – they represent the assets that remain after the Fund has committed available assets to desirable investment opportunities. When the Fund's investments in cash or similar investments increase, it may not participate in market advances to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested, and the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be affected.

**Convertible Bond Risk:** Convertible bonds are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both bonds and common stocks and are therefore subject to both debt securities risk and equity securities risk. Convertible bonds are subject to equity securities risk especially when their conversion value is greater than the interest and principal value of the bond. The prices of equity securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes and may decline over short or extended periods of time.

**Equity Securities Risk:** Markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition, historical and prospective earnings of the company, interest rates, investor perceptions and overall market and economic conditions. Market performance and economic factors may adversely affect securities markets generally, which could in turn adversely affect the value of the Fund's investments, regardless of the performance or expected performance of companies in which the Fund invests. Holders of common stock generally are subject to more risks than holders of preferred stock or debt securities because the right to repayment of common stockholders' claims is subordinated to that of preferred stock and debt securities upon the bankruptcy of the issuer.

**Interest Rate Risk:** The risk of market losses attributable to changes in interest rates. With fixed rate securities, a rise in interest rates typically causes a fall in values. The yield earned by the Fund will vary with changes in interest rates. The longer the average maturity of the Fund's investment portfolio, the greater the fluctuation in value. Duration is a measure of the expected life of a debt security that is used to determine the sensitivity of the security's price to changes in interest rates. Generally, the longer the Fund's duration, the more sensitive the Fund will be to changes in interest rates. For example, the price of a fixed income fund with a duration of five years would be expected to fall approximately 5% if interest rates rose by 1%.

**Foreign Securities Risk:** Foreign (non-U.S.) securities may experience more rapid and extreme changes in value than investments in securities of U.S. companies, due to less liquid securities and markets, and adverse economic, political, diplomatic, financial, and regulatory factors. In addition, there may be fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of securities traded each day, making it more difficult for an account to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. Foreign governments also may impose limits on investment and repatriation and impose taxes. Income from foreign issuers may be subject to non-U.S. withholding taxes. In some countries, investor accounts also may be subject to taxes on trading profits and, on certain securities transactions, transfer or stamp duties tax. Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the U.S. and may involve certain risks (such as delays on payment for or delivery of securities) not typically associated with the settlement of U.S. investments. Foreign companies generally are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards or to other regulatory requirements that apply to U.S. companies. As a result, less information may be available concerning non-U.S. issuers. Accounting and financial reporting standards in emerging markets may be especially lacking. Further, it is often more expensive to trade securities in foreign markets as commissions are generally higher than in the U.S., and foreign exchanges and investment professionals are subject to less governmental regulation than in the U.S. Any of these events could cause the value of the foreign securities in which the Fund invests in to decline. Governmental economic policies, whether in the form of tariffs or the imposition or threat of other measures, that would have a restrictive effect on global trade could negatively impact foreign companies. The impact of such policies could be more significant for smaller foreign companies operating in emerging economies that may be more susceptible to adverse economic conditions, which in turn could have a commensurately negative impact on the Fund. The Fund's investment in foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes, and to the extent that is the case, the Fund's return on such investments will be decreased.

**Limited History of Operations:** The Fund is recently organized with a limited operating history, and there can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size.

**Liquidity Risk:** The risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the seller would like. The seller may have to lower the price, sell other securities instead or forego an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund management or performance.

**Management Risk:** As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best performing securities or investment techniques, and the Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds. The Adviser may also miss an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in less advantageous investments.

**Market Risk:** The market values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**Preferred Stock Risk:** Preferred stock is a class of a capital stock that typically pays dividends at a specified rate. Preferred stock is generally senior to common stock, but subordinate to debt securities, with respect to the payment of dividends and on liquidation of the issuer. The market value of preferred stock generally decreases when interest rates rise and is also affected by the issuer's ability to make payments on the preferred stock.

**Prepayment Risk:** The risk that a debt security may be paid off and proceeds invested earlier than anticipated. Depending on market conditions, the new investments may or may not carry the same interest rate.

**Private Placement Risk:** Private placements involve securities not registered under the 1933 Act. In addition to the general risks associated with fixed income securities, such securities (including "144A" securities) may be subject to restrictions on resale, transaction costs for such securities may be higher than comparable securities, and there may be no liquid secondary market for such securities.

**Rule 144A Securities Risk:** The market for certain Rule 144A securities can be less active than the market for publicly-traded securities. Certain Rule 144A securities carry a heightened risk that the liquidity of these securities may become impaired, making it more difficult for the Fund to sell these bonds at reasonable prices.

**Small- and Mid-Cap Risk:** The Fund's investment approach is focused on identifying attractive securities issued by "middle market" companies. However, the securities of smaller and mid-size companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies. This can adversely affect the prices at which the Fund can purchase and sell these securities, and thus the value of the Fund's shares.

**Valuation Risk:** Unlike publicly-traded common stock, which trades on national exchanges, there is no central exchange for fixed-income securities, including bank loans, to trade. Such fixed-income securities generally trade on an "over-the-counter" market, where the buyer and seller can settle on a price. Due to the lack of centralized information and trading, the valuation of fixed-income securities, particularly in the lower tier of the high yield market where there are fewer market makers, may carry more risk than that of publicly-traded common stocks. Uncertainties in the conditions of the financial market, unreliable reference data, lack of transparency and inconsistency of valuation models and processes may lead to inaccurate asset pricing by third-party pricing vendors. Moreover, to the extent that prices or quotations are not available from such third-party pricing vendors, or when the Adviser believes that they are unreliable, securities may be priced by the Fund using fair value procedures approved by the Trust's Board of Trustees. In addition, other market participants may value securities differently than the Fund. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the risk that when a fixed-income security is sold in the market, the amount received by the Fund is less than the value of such fixed-income security carried on the Fund's books.

**Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory

oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

● **ETF Risks:** 

○ *Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk*. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that are authorized to purchase and redeem shares (known as "Creation Units") directly from the Fund (known as "Authorized Participants" or "APs"). In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services; or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.

○ *Cash Redemption Risk*. The Fund is expected to generally redeem shares for cash or to otherwise include cash as part of its redemption proceeds. For example, the Fund may not be able to redeem in-kind certain securities held by the Fund (e.g., restricted securities). In such a case, the Fund may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.

○ *Costs of Buying or Selling Shares*. Due to the costs of buying or selling shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

○ *Market Trading Risk* **.** Although shares of the Fund are listed for trading on one or more stock exchanges, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. There are no obligations of market makers to make a market in the Fund's shares or of an authorized participant to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. Decisions by market makers or Authorized Participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying value of the Fund's portfolio securities and the Fund's market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV and also greater than normal intraday bid/ask spreads. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund's shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's portfolio holdings, which may cause a significant variance in the market price of the Fund's shares and its underlying value.

There can be no assurance that the shares will continue to trade on a stock exchange or in any market or that the Fund's shares will continue to meet the requirements for listing or trading on any exchange or in any market, or that such requirements will remain unchanged. Secondary market trading in Fund shares may be halted by a stock exchange because of market conditions or other reasons. In addition, trading in Fund shares on a stock exchange or in any market may be subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to "circuit breaker" rules on the stock exchange or market.

During a "flash crash," the market prices of the Fund's shares may decline suddenly and significantly. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause Authorized Participants and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund's shares for temporary or longer periods. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares at these temporarily low market prices. Shares of the Fund, similar to shares of other issuers listed on a stock exchange, may be sold short and are therefore subject to the risk of increased volatility associated with short selling.

○ *Premium/Discount Risk*. Shares of the Fund may trade at prices other than NAV. Shares of the Fund trade on stock exchanges at prices at, above or below its most recent NAV. The NAV of the Fund is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Fund's holdings since the most recent calculation. The trading prices of the Fund's shares fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than NAV. As a result, the trading prices of the Fund's shares may deviate significantly from NAV during periods of market volatility. In addition, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the exchange on which the Fund's shares trade. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid-ask spreads and resulting premium or discount to the shares' NAV is likely to widen.

Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund's shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than NAV when you buy shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those shares in the secondary market. The Adviser cannot predict whether shares will trade above (premium), below (discount) or at NAV. However, because shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units at NAV, the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of the Fund are not likely to be sustained over the long term. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that the Fund's shares normally will trade on stock exchanges at prices close to the Fund's next calculated NAV, exchange prices are not expected to correlate exactly with the Fund's NAV due to timing reasons as well as market supply and demand factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions or extreme market volatility may result in trading prices for shares of the Fund that differ significantly from its NAV.

**Other Risks**

In addition to the principal risks described above, the Fund may also be subject to the following additional risks.

**Cyber Security Risk:** As part of its business, the Adviser processes, stores and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Fund. The Adviser and the Fund may be susceptible to operational and information security risk. Cyber security failures or breaches of the Adviser or the Fund's other service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of the Fund's shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties and/or reputational damage. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

**Other Investment Company Risk:** The Fund may invest in investment companies that are corporations, trusts, or partnerships that invest pooled shareholder dollars in securities appropriate to the organization's objective. Mutual funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts and ETFs are examples of investment companies. By investing in another investment company, the Fund will indirectly bear any asset-based fees and expenses charged by the underlying investment company in which the Fund invests. Investments in securities of other investment companies are subject to statutory limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act. Absent an available exemption, the Fund may not: (i) acquire more than 3% of the voting securities of any other investment company; (ii) invest more than 5% of its total assets in securities of any one investment company; or (iii) invest more than 10% of its total assets in securities of all investment companies.

**Leverage Risk:** The use of leverage by the Fund, such as borrowing money to purchase securities or the use of options, will cause the Fund to incur additional expenses and magnify the Fund's gains or losses. To the extent the Fund intends to use any leverage, it will be to meet Fund redemptions as appropriate.

**Portfolio Turnover Risk:** The Fund may engage in short-term trading to try and achieve its investment objective, and accordingly may have portfolio turnover rates in excess of 100%. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to a fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once during the course of a year. How long the Fund holds a security in its portfolio is generally not a factor in making buy and sell decisions. Increased portfolio turnover may cause the Fund to incur higher brokerage costs, which may adversely affect the Fund's performance and may produce increased taxable distributions. In the fixed income market, brokerage commissions are built directly into the applicable bid-ask spread. Distributions resulting from short-term trading may be taxed to shareholders at ordinary income rates. The Fund's portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creations or redemptions.

**Management:**

**Investment Adviser**

The Fund's investment adviser is Polen Capital Credit, LLC.

Polen Capital Credit, LLC ("Polen Credit" or the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1075 Main Street, Suite 320, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451. Polen Credit was founded in 1996 as DDJ Capital Management, LLC and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Credit had approximately $6.6 billion in assets under management. Polen Credit is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital"), an investment adviser registered with the SEC.

Polen Credit, subject to the general oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objectives, policies and limitations. For its services as Adviser to the Fund, Polen Credit is entitled to receive a unified management fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of 0.63% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.

Under the unified management fee, Polen Credit is responsible for payment of the Fund's ordinary operating expenses other than interest and other costs of borrowing; taxes and other governmental fees; brokerage expenses, trading expenses and other expenses in connection with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions; acquired fund fees and expenses; accrued deferred tax liability; extraordinary expenses and other non-routine expenses of the Fund; payments under the Fund's 12b-1 Plan (if activated); and the management fee payable to the Adviser.

A discussion of the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment management agreement between Polen Credit and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, is available in the Fund's Annual Financials and Additional Information for the fiscal period ended April 30, 2025.

**Portfolio Managers:**

**John W. Sherman,** Portfolio Manager, joined Polen Credit (formerly DDJ Capital Management, LLC) in 2007 and has more than 21 years of corporate finance and investment experience. Mr. Sherman serves as lead portfolio manager of Polen Credit's Bank Loan strategy and co-portfolio manager of Polen Credit's U.S. Opportunistic High Yield and Credit Opportunities strategies. He is also a member of Polen Credit's Investment Review Committee. Prior to joining Polen Credit, Mr. Sherman was an associate in the Healthcare Group at Thoma Cressey Equity Partners, focusing on private equity investments in middle-market companies. Prior to joining Thoma Cressey Equity Partners, Mr. Sherman was in the Investment Banking Division of Citigroup where he was an analyst in the Global Healthcare Group. Mr. Sherman graduated *magna cum laude* with a B.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.

**Benjamin J. Santonelli,** Portfolio Manager, joined Polen Credit (formerly DDJ Capital Management, LLC) in 2004 and has more than 21 years of experience in sourcing, analyzing, and managing investments across a variety of industries. Mr. Santonelli serves as lead portfolio manager of Polen Credit's Credit Opportunities strategy and co-portfolio manager of Polen Credit's U.S. Opportunistic High Yield and Bank Loan strategies. He is also a member of Polen Credit's Investment Review Committee. Mr. Santonelli serves as a member of the board of directors of a portfolio company held by certain funds and accounts managed by Polen Credit. Mr. Santonelli received his B.A. from Amherst College.

The Fund's SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager, including compensation, other accounts managed and ownership of Fund shares.

**Distributor and Distribution and Service Plan**

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC ("Foreside") serves as the Fund's distributor. Foreside does not distribute Fund shares in less than Creation Units, nor does it maintain a secondary market in Fund shares. Foreside may enter into selected agreements with other broker-dealers or other qualified financial institutions for the sale of Creation Units of Fund shares. Foreside also serves as distributor for other affiliated mutual funds.

The Board of Trustees of the Trust has adopted, but not activated, a distribution and service plan (the "Plan") pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act for the Fund.

Under the Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay fees in connection with the sale and distribution of its shares in an amount up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets each year. No payments pursuant to the Plan will be made through at least the next twelve (12) months of operation. Additionally, the implementation of any such payments would have to be approved by the Board prior to implementation. Because these fees would be paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, if payments are made in the future, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and will cost you more over time.

**Additional Information**

**Additional Purchase and Sale Information**

Fund shares are listed for secondary trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the "Exchange") and individual Fund shares may only be purchased and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. The secondary markets are closed on weekends and also are generally closed on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day (observed), Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. An exchange may close early on the business day before certain holidays and on the day after Thanksgiving Day. Exchange holiday schedules are subject to change without notice. If you buy or sell Fund shares in the secondary market, you will pay the secondary market price for Fund shares. In addition, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction.

The trading prices of Fund shares will fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than the Fund's net asset value, which is calculated at the end of each business day (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). Fund shares will trade on an exchange at market prices that may be above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount), to varying degrees, the daily net asset value of Fund shares. The trading prices of Fund shares may deviate significantly from the Fund's net asset value during periods of market volatility. Given, however, that Fund shares can be issued and redeemed daily in Creation Units, the Adviser believes that large discounts and premiums to net asset value should not be sustained over long periods. Each business day, the following information is available at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/high-income-etf* with respect to the Fund: (i) information for each portfolio holding that will form the basis of the next calculation of the Fund's net asset value per Fund share; (ii) the Fund's net asset value per Fund share, market price, and premium or discount, each as of the end of the prior business day; (iii) a table showing the number of days the Fund's shares traded at a premium or discount during the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarter since that year; (iv) a line graph showing Fund share premiums or discounts for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed quarter since that year; (v) the Fund's median bid-ask spread over the last thirty calendar days; and (vi) if during the past year the Fund's premium or discount was greater than 2% for more than seven consecutive trading days, a statement that the Fund's premium or discount, as applicable, was greater than 2% and a discussion of the factors that are reasonably believed to have materially contributed to the premium or discount.

The Exchange will disseminate, every fifteen seconds during the regular trading day, an indicative optimized portfolio value ("IOPV") relating to the Fund. The IOPV calculations are estimates of the value of the Fund's net asset value per Fund share. Premiums and discounts between the IOPV and the market price may occur. This should not be viewed as a "real-time" update of the net asset value per Fund share. The IOPV is based on the current market value of the published basket of portfolio securities and/or cash required to be deposited in exchange for a Creation Unit and does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the Fund actual portfolio at a particular point in time. Moreover, the IOPV is generally determined by using current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers and other market intermediaries and valuations based on current market rates. The IOPV may not be calculated in the same manner as the net asset value, which (i) is computed only once a day, (ii) unlike the calculation of the IOPV, takes into account Fund expenses, and (iii) may be subject, in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act, to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IOPV. The IOPV price is based on quotes and closing prices from the securities local market converted into U.S. dollars at the current currency rates and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market close. Therefore, the IOPV may not reflect the best possible valuation of the Fund's current portfolio. Neither the Fund nor the Adviser or any of their affiliates are involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of such IOPVs and make no warranty as to their accuracy.

The Fund does not impose any restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions; however, the Fund reserves the right to reject or limit purchases at any time as described in the SAI. When considering that no restriction or policy was necessary, the Board evaluated the risks posed by market timing activities, such as whether frequent purchases and redemptions would interfere with the efficient implementation of the Fund's investment strategy, or whether they would cause the Fund to experience increased transaction costs. The Board considered that, unlike traditional mutual funds, Fund shares are issued and redeemed only in large quantities of shares known as Creation Units, available only from the Fund directly, and that most trading in the Fund occurs on exchanges at prevailing market prices and does

not involve the Fund directly. Given this structure, the Board determined that it is unlikely that (a) market timing would be attempted by the Fund's shareholders or (b) any attempts to market time the Fund by shareholders would result in negative impact to the Fund or its shareholders.

**Portfolio Holdings Disclosure**

A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI, which is available, free of charge, by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 426-7515 and on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/high-income-etf*. The SAI may also be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") website at *www.sec.gov*.

**Distributions**

Each Fund shareholder is entitled to the shareholder's pro rata share of the Fund's income and net realized gains on the Fund' s investments. The Fund pays out substantially all of its net earnings to its shareholders as "distributions."

The Fund may earn income dividends from stocks, interest from debt securities and, if participating, securities lending income. These amounts, net of expenses and taxes (if applicable), are passed along to Fund shareholders as "income dividend distributions." The Fund will generally realize short-term capital gains or losses whenever it sells or exchanges assets held for one year or less. Net short-term capital gains will generally be treated as ordinary income when distributed to shareholders. The Fund will generally realize long-term capital gains or losses whenever it sells or exchanges assets held for more than one year. Net capital gains (the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses) are distributed to shareholders as "capital gain distributions." While the Fund does not intend to make distributions that would be treated as return of capital to shareholders, the Fund's investment in REITs may require the Fund to pay out estimated distributions that could constitute a return of capital to Fund shareholders. Any return of capital to shareholders will be distributed after payment of Fund fees and expenses, and should not be considered dividend income or total return of an investment in Fund shares.

Income dividend distributions, if any, for the Fund are generally distributed to shareholders monthly, but may vary significantly from period to period. Net capital gains for the Fund are distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently or at any other time to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code").

If you buy shares of the Fund when the Fund has realized but not yet distributed income or capital gains, you will be "buying a dividend" by paying the full price for the shares and then receiving a portion back in the form of a taxable distribution.

Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Fund shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Fund shares makes such option available. Distributions which are reinvested will nevertheless be taxable to the same extent as if such distributions had not been reinvested (unless you are investing through an IRA, retirement plan or other U.S. tax-advantaged investment plan).

**Additional Tax Information**

The following discussion is a summary of certain important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to an investment in the Fund. The summary is based on current tax laws, which may be changed by legislative, judicial or administrative action. You should not consider this summary to be a comprehensive explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund, or the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. An investment in the Fund may have other tax implications. Please consult a tax advisor about the applicable federal, state, local, foreign or other tax laws. Investors, including non-U.S. investors, may wish to consult the SAI tax section for additional disclosure.

*Tax Status of the Fund*. The Fund intends to elect and intends to qualify for the special tax treatment afforded a regulated investment company ("RIC") under the Code. If the Fund meets certain minimum distribution requirements, as a RIC it is not subject to tax at the Fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, if the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements, it would result in Fund-level taxation if certain relief provisions were not available, and consequently a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders. Unless you are a tax-exempt entity or your investment in the Fund's shares is made through a tax-deferred retirement account, such as an IRA, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when the Fund makes distributions, you sell Fund shares, and you purchase or redeem Creation Units (Authorized Participants only).

*Taxes on Distributions.* In general, distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether the distributions are taken in cash or reinvested in the Fund. The income dividends and short-term capital gains distributions received from the Fund will be taxed as either ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Distributions from the Fund's short-term capital gains are generally taxable as ordinary income. Subject to certain limitations, dividends that are reported by the Fund as qualified dividend income are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at rates of up to 20%. Any distributions of the Fund's net capital gains are taxable as long-term capital gain regardless of how long Fund shares have been owned by an investor. Long-term capital gains are generally taxed to non-corporate shareholders at rates of up to 20%. Distributions in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of the investor' basis in the Fund's shares, and, in general, as capital gain thereafter.

In general, dividends may be reported by the Fund as qualified dividend income if they are attributable to qualified dividend income received by the Fund, which, in general, includes dividend income from taxable U.S. corporations and certain foreign corporations (i.e., certain foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, and certain other foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States), provided that the Fund satisfies certain holding period requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations and has not hedged its position in the stock in certain ways. A dividend generally will not be treated as qualified dividend income if the dividend is received with respect to any share of stock held by the Fund for fewer than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning at the date which is 60 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend. These holding period requirements will also apply to investor ownership of Fund shares. Holding periods may be suspended for these purposes for stock that is hedged. It is expected that dividends received by the Fund from a REIT and distributed from the Fund to a shareholder generally will not be treated as qualified dividend income. Additionally, income derived in connection with the Fund's securities lending activities will not be treated as qualified dividend income.

U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% tax on all or a portion of their "net investment income," which includes taxable interest, dividends and certain capital gains (generally including capital gain distributions and capital gains realized upon the sale of Fund shares). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.

Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive from the Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. The Fund's investment strategies may significantly limit its ability to distribute dividends eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporations.

If an investor lends Fund shares pursuant to securities lending arrangements, the investor may lose the ability to treat Fund dividends (paid while the Fund shares are held by the borrower) as qualified dividend income. Please consult a financial intermediary or tax advisor to discuss the particular circumstances.

In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year in which they are paid. However, distributions paid in January, but declared by the Fund in October, November or December of the previous year, payable to shareholders of record in such a month, may be taxable to an investor in the calendar year in which they were declared.

A distribution will reduce the Fund's net asset value per Fund share and may be taxable to a shareholder as ordinary income or capital gain even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital. You should note that if you purchase shares of the Fund just before a distribution, the purchase price would reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution. In this case, you would be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the distribution simply constitutes a return of your investment. This is known as "buying a dividend" and generally should be avoided by taxable investors.

The Fund (or your broker) will inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income, and net capital gain distributions shortly after the close of each calendar year.

*Foreign Currency Transactions.* The Fund's transactions in foreign currencies may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned.

*Foreign Income Taxes.* Investment income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign income taxes withheld at the source. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries which may entitle the Fund to a reduced rate of such taxes or exemption from taxes on such income. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax for the Fund in advance since the amount of the assets to be invested within various countries is not known. If more than 50% of the total assets of the Fund at the close of its taxable year consist of certain foreign stocks or securities, the Fund may elect to "pass through" to shareholders certain foreign income taxes (including withholding taxes) paid by the Fund. If the Fund makes such an election, the shareholder will be considered to have received as an additional dividend the shareholder's share of such foreign taxes, but the shareholder may be entitled to either a corresponding tax deduction in calculating the shareholder's taxable income, or, subject to certain limitations, a credit in calculating the shareholder's federal income tax. No deduction for such taxes will be permitted to individuals in computing their alternative minimum tax liability. If the Fund does not so elect, the Fund will be entitled to claim a deduction for certain foreign taxes incurred by the Fund. Under certain circumstances, if the Fund receives a refund of foreign taxes paid in respect of a prior year, the value of Fund shares could be reduced or any foreign tax credits or deductions passed through to shareholders in respect of the Fund's foreign taxes for the current year could be reduced.

*Investments in Certain Foreign Corporations.* The Fund may invest in foreign entities classified as passive foreign investment companies or "PFICs" or controlled foreign corporations or "CFCs" under the Code. PFIC and CFC investments are subject to complex rules that may under certain circumstances adversely affect the Fund. Accordingly, investors should consult their own tax advisors and carefully consider the tax consequences of PFIC and CFC investments by the Fund before making an investment in the Fund. Fund dividends attributable to dividends received from PFICs and CFCs generally will not be treated as qualified dividend income. Additional information pertaining to the potential tax consequences to the Fund, and to the shareholders, from the Fund's potential investment in PFICs and CFCs can be found in the SAI.

*Taxation of REIT Investments.* The Fund may invest in U.S. REITs. "Qualified REIT dividends" (i.e., ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income eligible for capital gain tax rates) are eligible for a 20% deduction by non-corporate taxpayers. This deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6% (37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). Pursuant to proposed Treasury regulations on which the Fund may rely, distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that are attributable to qualified REIT dividends received by the Fund and which the Fund properly reports as "section 199A dividends," are treated as "qualified REIT dividends" in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible but is not required to do so. Unless later extended or made permanent, this 20% deduction will no longer be available for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

REITs in which the Fund invests often do not provide complete and final tax information to the Fund until after the time that the Fund issues a tax reporting statement. As a result, the Fund may at times find it necessary to reclassify the amount and character of its distributions to you after it issues your tax reporting statement. When such reclassification is necessary, the Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns shares) will send you a corrected, final Form 1099-DIV to reflect the reclassified information. If you receive a corrected Form 1099-DIV, use the information on this corrected form, and not the information on the previously issued tax reporting statement, in completing your tax returns.

Investments in REIT equity securities may require the Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. The Fund's investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in the Fund's receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to the Fund's shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends paid by a REIT, other than capital gain distributions, will generally be taxable as ordinary income up to the amount of the REIT's current and accumulated earnings and profits. Capital gain dividends paid by a REIT to the Fund will be treated as long-term capital gains by the Fund and, in turn, may be distributed by the Fund to shareholders as a capital gain distribution. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income or qualify for the dividends received deduction. If a REIT is operated in a manner

such that it fails to qualify as a REIT, an investment in the REIT would become subject to double taxation, meaning the taxable income of the REIT would be subject to federal income tax at the regular corporate rate without any deduction for dividends paid to shareholders and the dividends would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income (or possibly as qualified dividend income) to the extent of the REIT's current and accumulated earnings and profits.

*Taxes on Share Sales*. Each sale of shares of the Fund will generally be a taxable event. Assuming a shareholder holds shares of the Fund as capital assets, any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if Fund shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if Fund shares have been held for one year or less, except that any capital loss on the sale of Fund shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends were paid with respect to such Fund shares. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent shares of the Fund are acquired, including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the sale of such shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited.

*Taxes on Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units*. An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the exchanger's aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus any cash paid for the Creation Units. An Authorized Participant who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger's basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate market value of the securities and the amount of cash received. The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"), however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing "wash sales" (for an Authorized Participant who does not mark-to-market its holdings), or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Authorized Participants exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

When creating or redeeming Creation Units, a confirmation statement will be sent showing the number of Fund shares purchased or sold with the applicable share price.

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Fund shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of the securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If the Trust does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the Fund shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund, the purchaser (or group of purchasers) will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.

If the Fund redeems Creation Units in cash in addition to, or in place of, the delivery of a basket of securities, it may bear additional costs and recognize more capital gains than it would if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.

*Certain Tax-Exempt Investors*. The Fund, if investing in certain limited real estate investments, may be required to pass through certain "excess inclusion income" and other income as "unrelated business taxable income" ("UBTI"). Prior to investing in the Fund, tax-exempt investors sensitive to UBTI should consult their tax advisors regarding this issue and IRS pronouncements addressing the treatment of such income in the hands of such investors. Certain tax-exempt educational institutions will be subject to a 1.4% tax on net investment income. For these purposes, certain dividends and capital gain distributions, and certain gains from the disposition of Fund shares (among other categories of income), are generally taken into account in computing a shareholder's net investment income.

*Non-U.S. Investors*. Ordinary income dividends paid by the Fund to shareholders who are non-resident aliens or foreign entities will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax (other than distributions reported by the Fund as interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends) unless a lower treaty rate applies or unless such income is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. In general, the Fund may report interest-related dividends to the extent of its net income derived from U.S.-source interest, and the Fund may report short-term capital gain dividends to the extent its net short-term capital gain for the taxable year exceeds its net long-term capital loss. Gains on the sale of Fund shares and dividends that are, in each case, effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the U.S. will generally be subject to U.S. federal net income taxation at regular income tax rates.

Unless certain non-U.S. entities that hold Fund shares comply with IRS requirements that will generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may apply to distributions payable to such entities. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.

*Backup Withholding*. The Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold (as "backup withholding") on amounts payable to any shareholder who (1) has provided the Fund either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (2) is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends, (3) has failed to certify to the Fund that such shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, or (4) has not certified that such shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the United States.

*Certain Potential Tax Reporting Requirements.* Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Significant penalties may be imposed for the failure to comply with the reporting requirements. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

*Other Tax Issues*. The Fund may be subject to tax in certain states where the Fund does business (or is treated as doing business as a result of its investments). Furthermore, in those states which have income tax laws, the tax treatment of the Fund and of Fund shareholders with respect to distributions by the Fund may differ from federal tax treatment.

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the consequences under current federal income tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. Consult a personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the Fund under all applicable tax laws.

**General Information**

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of the Fund. However, Rule 12d1-4 permits registered investment companies to invest in the Fund beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Trust.

**Financial Highlights**

The Financial Highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period shown. The total investment returns in the table represent the rate at which an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). The information provided for the fiscal period ended April 30, 2025 has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the Form N-CSR for the period ended April 30, 2025. The 2025 financial statements and Financial Highlights are incorporated by reference into the Fund's SAI and are available upon request without charge by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 426-7515 or visiting the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/high-income-etf.*

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Institutional Class Shares** | **For the <br> Period Ended<br> to April 30,<br> 2025<sup>†</sup>** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of period | $25.00 |
| Net investment income<sup>1</sup> | 0.17 |
| Net realized and unrealized loss on investments | (0.20) |
| Total from investment operations | (0.03) |
| **Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:** |  |
| Net investment income | (0.08) |
| Net asset value, end of period | $24.89 |
| Total investment return<sup>2</sup> | (0.13)% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |
| Net assets, end of period (in 000s) | $12941 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 0.51%<sup>3</sup> |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers<sup>4</sup> | 0.61%<sup>3</sup> |
| Ratio of net investment income to average net assets | 6.63%<sup>3</sup> |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 18%<sup>5</sup> |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| † | The Polen High Income ETF commenced operations on March 25, 2025. |
| <sup>1</sup> | The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period. |
| <sup>2</sup> | Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not annualized. |
| <sup>3</sup> | Annualized. |
| <sup>4</sup> | During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated. |
| <sup>5</sup> | Not Annualized. |

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**Disclaimers**

Shares of the Fund are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the shares of the Fund. The Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the shares of the Fund to be issued, or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares are redeemable. The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of the shares of the Fund in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the shares of the Fund. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Exchange have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.

**POLEN HIGH INCOME ETF**

*a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

(888) 426-7515

**FOR MORE INFORMATION**

**For additional information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:**

**Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information**

The Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information (once available) contain more information about the Fund's investments and performance including information on the Fund's portfolio holdings and operating results for the most recently completed fiscal year or half-year. The Annual Financials and Additional Information include a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year.

**Statement of Additional Information (SAI)**

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Fund and its policies. The information in the SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is part of this Prospectus.

These documents are available free of charge on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/high-income-etf*. You can also get a free copy of these documents and other information, or ask us any questions, including information on how to purchase or redeem Fund shares, by calling us at (888) 426-7515.

If you buy your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact that financial intermediary directly for this information. You can also find information online at *https://www.polencapital.com.*

Reports and information about the Fund (including the SAI and Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information (once available)) also may be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov*. Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

The investment company registration number is 811-22027.

![](pro-pcfi_001.jpg)

**Polen Floating Rate Income ETF**

Ticker: PCFI

*a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

**Prospectus**

September 1, 2025

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.

Website: *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/floating-rate-income-etf*

**These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense**.

**Contents**<br>

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[Fund Summary](#pro1_001)** | **1** |
| **[Fund Details](#pro1_002)** | **9** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Goal and Approach](#pro1_003) | 9 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Principal Risks](#pro1_004) | 9 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Risks](#pro1_005) | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Management](#pro1_006) | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributor and Distribution and Service Plan](#pro1_007) | 17 |
| **[Additional Information](#pro1_008)** | **18** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Purchase and Sale Information](#pro1_009) | 18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Portfolio Holdings Disclosure](#pro1_010) | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributions](#pro1_011) | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Tax Information](#pro1_012) | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[General Information](#pro1_013) | 23 |
| **[Financial Highlights](#pro1_014)** | **24** |
| **[DISCLAIMERS](#pro1_015)** | **26** |
| **[For More Information](#pro1_016)** | **Back Cover** |

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**Fund Summary**

**Investment Objective**

Polen Floating Rate Income ETF (the "Fund") seeks to achieve overall total return consisting of a high level of current income together with long-term capital appreciation.

**Fees and Expenses**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)** | |
| Management Fee<sup>1</sup> | 0.59% |
| Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees<sup>2</sup> | 0.00% |
| Other Expenses | 0.00% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses** | **0.59%** |
| Fee Waiver<sup>3</sup> | (0.10)% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver<sup>3</sup>** | **0.49%** |

---

<sup>1</sup> The management fee is structured as a "unified fee." Polen Capital Credit, LLC ("Polen Credit" or the "Adviser") has agreed to pay all expenses incurred by the Fund except for the following expenses, each of which is paid by the Fund: interest and other costs of borrowing; taxes and other governmental fees; brokerage expenses, trading expenses and other expenses in connection with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions; acquired fund fees and expenses; accrued deferred tax liability; extraordinary expenses and other non-routine expenses of the Fund; payments under the Fund's 12b-1 Plan (if activated); and the management fee payable to the Adviser.

<sup>2</sup> The Fund's Rule 12b-1 Plan is authorized but inactive, such that no related fees accrue to the Fund.

<sup>3</sup> The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive 0.10% (10 basis points) of its investment advisory fee (the "Fee Waiver"). The Fee Waiver will remain in place until August 31, 2026, unless the Board of Trustees approves its earlier termination.

**Example**

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then hold or redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (reflecting any contractual fee waivers). This example does not include brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell shares. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| $50 | $179 | $319 | $728 |

---

**Portfolio Turnover**

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. This portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creations or redemptions. During the fiscal period April 30, 2024 through March 25, 2025, the portfolio turnover rate of the Predecessor Fund was 120% of the average value of its portfolio. During the most recent fiscal year, the portfolio turnover rate of the Fund was 96% of the average value of its portfolio. Please see the section "Performance" below for more information about the predecessor fund.

**Principal Investment Strategy**

The Fund pursues its investment objective by seeking to outperform, after taking into account fees and expenses, the broader bank loan market over a complete credit cycle. The "credit cycle" is a cyclical event that generally occurs over a several year timeframe as access to credit increases or decreases for borrowers. The "bank loan market" generally comprises first lien and second lien senior loans that are provided by a group of lenders and are structured, arranged and administered by one or several commercial or investment banks.

The Fund seeks to achieve its objective mainly by investing in bank loans and other high yield fixed income securities (commonly referred to as "junk bonds") with a focus on "middle market" issuers in the United States and, to a lesser extent, Canada. The Adviser considers middle market companies to be those with normalized earnings before interest, tax and depreciation in the range of $75-250 million. The Adviser believes that the flexibility to invest, sell, and reinvest throughout the capital structure of an issuer and, in particular, in bank loans will enable the Adviser to tailor its investment approach to the specific credit-related circumstances of that issuer as they may change from time to time and thereby select the most attractive opportunities for the Fund.

The Fund invests its assets primarily in credit instruments that are rated below investment grade by some or all relevant independent rating agencies, including Moody's Investors Service, Standard and Poor's Rating Services and Fitch Ratings (including a significant portion of such assets in credit instruments in the lower tier of the high yield and leveraged loan market that are rated B and below). Additionally, certain other high yield securities may be unrated by rating agencies but determined by the Adviser to be of similar quality as other below investment grade bonds and credit instruments and accordingly purchased for investment by the Fund. The Fund does not have a percentage limitation on investing in securities that are rated below investment grade.

High yield fixed income securities include high yield corporate bonds, senior loans, convertible bonds, preferred stock, and other types of debt instruments (including, without limitation, unregistered (Rule 144A) securities, floating and variable rate securities and other restricted fixed income securities to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act")). In addition, the Fund may also hold positions in equity or other assets that the Fund receives as part of a reorganization process of a high yield issuer, and may hold those assets until such time as the Adviser believes that a disposition is most advantageous. From time to time, the Fund may make investments in distressed or defaulted securities or in issuers that are in bankruptcy. The Fund does not have any maturity or duration requirements.

In making these investments, the Adviser seeks to purchase instruments that the Adviser believes are undervalued and offer a compelling risk/reward ratio. Specifically, the Adviser's investment process attempts to exploit inefficiencies in the high yield credit markets by adhering to a disciplined, bottom-up, fundamentally-oriented investment process with an emphasis on downside protection. This process applies value investing principles through rigorous research coupled with financial, structural and legal analysis, including a review of bankruptcy law considerations where applicable. The foundation of this investment process is to derive an accurate, real-time valuation of a target company, and only invest in securities of that company's capital structure that offer a significant margin of safety coupled with strong total return potential. By utilizing such a fundamental, bottom-up approach to investing, the Adviser seeks to add value first and foremost through security selection.

The Adviser manages a relatively concentrated portfolio typically comprising between 50-100 issuers and 60-110 issues; however, the Fund may fall outside such ranges at the Adviser's discretion based on then-available investment opportunities. The Fund has adopted an investment policy providing that under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of the value of its assets (net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in floating rate securities and other obligations (such as bank loans). For purposes herein, a bank loan is an instrument arranged by a bank (or similar financial institution) to a company that typically holds legal claim to such company's assets that is senior to all (or substantially all) other debt obligations.

**Summary of Principal Risks**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor and the relative significance of each risk below may change over time. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value ("NAV"), yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not be a suitable investment for all investors.

● **Bank Loan Risk:** The Fund's investment in secured and unsecured assignments of (or participations in) bank loans may create substantial risk. In making investments in bank loans, which are made by banks or other financial intermediaries to borrowers, the Fund depends primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment

of principal and interest. In addition, the settlement of bank loans occurs on an extended (multi-week) basis, which may prevent the Fund from obtaining liquidity of certain assets within a desired timeframe. In addition, there is the potential that bank loans and other similar instruments may not be considered "securities" and, as a result, the Fund may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections under the federal securities laws and instead may have to resort to state law and direct claims.

● **High Yield Securities Risk:** High yield securities (also known as junk bonds) are generally considered riskier than investment grade, fixed income securities. The total return and yield of high yield securities can be expected to fluctuate more than the total return and yield of higher quality securities. High yield securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. Successful investment in high yield securities involves greater investment risk and is highly dependent on the Adviser's credit analysis and market analysis.

● **Debt Securities Risk:** Debt securities in which the Fund invests are subject to several types of investment risk, including market or interest rate risk (i.e., the risk that their value will be inversely affected by fluctuations in the prevailing interest rates), credit risk (i.e., the risk that the issuer may be unable to make timely interest payments and repay the principal upon maturity), call or income risk (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities with high interest rates will be prepaid or "called" by the issuer before they mature), and event risk (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities may suffer a substantial decline in credit quality and market value if the issuer restructures). Fixed income markets have recently experienced a period of relatively high volatility. If the Federal Reserve continues to increase interest rates, fixed income markets (and the high yield market in particular) could experience continuing high volatility, which could negatively impact the Fund's performance. A projection of an economic downturn or of a period rising interest rates, for example, could cause a decline in high yield bond prices because the advent of a recession could lessen the ability of a highly leveraged company to make principal and interest payment on its debt securities.

● **Cash Positions:** The Fund may not always stay fully invested. For example, when the Adviser believes that market conditions are unfavorable for profitable investing or when it is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund's cash or similar investments may increase. In other words, cash or similar investments generally are a residual – they represent the assets that remain after the Fund has committed available assets to desirable investment opportunities. When the Fund's investments in cash or similar investments increase, it may not participate in market advances to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested, and the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be affected.

● **Convertible Bond Risk:** Convertible bonds are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both bonds and common stocks and are therefore subject to both debt securities risk and equity securities risk. Convertible bonds are subject to equity securities risk especially when their conversion value is greater than the interest and principal value of the bond. The prices of equity securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes and may decline over short or extended periods of time.

● **Credit Risk:** The risk that the issuer of a security, or the counterparty to a contract, will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation (such as the payment of interest or principal on a debt security).

● **Equity Securities Risk:** Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition, historical and prospective earnings of the company, interest rates, investor perceptions and overall market and economic conditions. The prices of securities change in response to many factors including the value of its assets.

● **Foreign Securities Risk:** The risk that investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Fund experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to less liquid markets, and adverse economic, political, diplomatic, financial, and regulatory factors. Foreign governments also may impose limits on investment and repatriation and impose taxes. Any of these events could cause the value of the Fund's investments to decline.

● **Canadian Securities Risk:** The Fund may invest in, and/or have exposure to, Canadian securities. The Canadian economy may be significantly affected by the U.S. economy because the U.S. is Canada's largest trading partner and foreign investor. Canada's largest exports are its natural resources, so the Canadian economy is dependent on the demand for, and supply and price of, natural resources, and any market developments that reduce the price of such goods could disproportionately affect the Canadian economy.

● **Interest Rate Risk:** The risk of market losses attributable to changes in interest rates. With fixed rate securities, a rise in interest rates typically causes a fall in values. The yield earned by the Fund will vary with changes in interest rates. The longer the average maturity of the Fund's investment portfolio, the greater the fluctuation in value.

● **Liquidity Risk:** The risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the seller would like.

● **Management Risk:** As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best performing securities or investment techniques, and the Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds. The Adviser may also miss an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in less advantageous investments.

● **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

● **Limited History of Operations:** The performance returns presented for the Fund reflect the performance of the Institutional Class shares of the Polen Bank Loan Fund (the "Predecessor Fund"). The Fund has adopted the performance of the Predecessor Fund as the result of a reorganization consummated after the close of business on March 21, 2025, in which the Fund acquired all or substantially all of the assets and all of the stated liabilities included in the financial statements of the Predecessor Fund (the "Reorganization"). Prior to the Reorganization, the Fund was a "shell" fund with no assets and had not commenced operations.

The Predecessor Fund is a mutual fund formed in 2022 and has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

● **Prepayment Risk:** The risk that a debt security may be paid off and proceeds invested earlier than anticipated. Depending on market conditions, the new investments may or may not carry the same interest rate.

● **Private Placement Risk:** Private placements involve securities not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). In addition to the general risks associated with fixed income securities, such securities (including "144A" securities) may be subject to restrictions on resale, transaction costs for such securities may be higher than comparable securities, and there may be no liquid secondary market for such securities.

● **Rating Agency Risk:** Investment grade debt securities may be downgraded by a major rating agency to below investment grade status, which would increase the risk of holding these securities. In addition, a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes to an issuer's financial condition. Ratings represent the rating agency's opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. Rating agencies may fail to make timely credit ratings in response to subsequent events. In addition, ratings agencies are subject to an inherent conflict of interest because they are often compensated by the same issuers whose securities they grade.

● **Rule 144A Securities Risk:** The market for certain Rule 144A securities can be less active than the market for publicly-traded securities. Certain Rule 144A securities carry a heightened risk that the liquidity of these securities may become impaired, making it more difficult for the Fund to sell these bonds at reasonable prices.

● **Small- and Mid-Cap Risk:** The Fund's investment approach is focused on identifying attractive securities issued by "middle market" companies. However, the securities of smaller and mid-size companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies. This can adversely affect the prices at which the Fund can purchase and sell these securities, and thus the value of the Fund's shares.

● **U.S. Government Agencies Securities Risk:** Certain U.S. government agency securities are backed by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury while others are supported only by the credit of the issuer or instrumentality. While the U.S. government is able to provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it will always do so. Such securities are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury.

● **Valuation Risk:** Unlike publicly-traded common stock, which trades on national exchanges, there is no central exchange for fixed-income securities, including bank loans, to trade. Such fixed-income securities generally trade on an "over-the-counter" market, where the buyer and seller can settle on a price. Due to the lack of centralized information and trading, the valuation of fixed-income securities may carry more risk than that of publicly-traded common stocks. Uncertainties in the conditions of the financial market, unreliable reference data, lack of transparency and inconsistency of valuation models and processes may lead to inaccurate asset pricing by third-party pricing vendors. Moreover, to the extent that prices or quotations are not available from such third-party pricing vendors, or when the Adviser believes that they are unreliable, securities may be priced by the Fund using fair value procedures approved by the Trust's Board of Trustees. In addition, other market participants may value securities differently than the Fund. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the risk that when a fixed-income security is sold in the market, the amount received by the Fund is less than the value of such fixed-income security carried on the Fund's books.

● **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

● **ETF Risks:** 

○ *Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk*. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that are authorized to purchase and redeem shares (known as "Creation Units") directly from the Fund (known as "Authorized Participants" or "APs"). In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services; or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.

○ *Cash Redemption Risk.* The Fund is expected to generally redeem shares for cash or to otherwise include cash as part of its redemption proceeds. For example, the Fund may not be able to redeem in-kind certain securities held by the Fund (e.g., restricted securities). In such a case, the Fund may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.

○ *Costs of Buying or Selling Shares*. Due to the costs of buying or selling shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

○ *Market Trading Risk.* Although shares of the Fund are listed for trading on one or more stock exchanges, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. There are no obligations of market makers to make a market in the Fund's shares or of an authorized participant to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. Decisions by market makers or Authorized Participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying value of the Fund's portfolio securities and the Fund's market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV and also greater than normal intraday bid/ask spreads. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund's shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's portfolio holdings, which may cause a significant variance in the market price of the Fund's shares and its underlying value.

There can be no assurance that the shares will continue to trade on a stock exchange or in any market or that the Fund's shares will continue to meet the requirements for listing or trading on any exchange or in any market, or that such requirements will remain unchanged. Secondary market trading in Fund shares may be halted by a stock exchange because of market conditions or other reasons. In addition, trading in Fund shares on a stock exchange or in any market may be subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to "circuit breaker" rules on the stock exchange or market.

During a "flash crash," the market prices of the Fund's shares may decline suddenly and significantly. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause Authorized Participants and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund's shares for temporary or longer periods. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares at these temporarily low market prices. Shares of the Fund, similar to shares of other issuers listed on a stock exchange, may be sold short and are therefore subject to the risk of increased volatility associated with short selling.

○ *Premium/Discount Risk.* Shares of the Fund may trade at prices other than NAV. Shares of the Fund trade on stock exchanges at prices at, above or below its most recent NAV. The NAV of the Fund is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Fund's holdings since the most recent calculation. The trading prices of the Fund's shares fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than NAV. As a result, the trading prices of the Fund's shares may deviate significantly from NAV during periods of market volatility. In addition, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the exchange on which the Fund's shares trade. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid-ask spreads and resulting premium or discount to the shares' NAV is likely to widen.

Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund's shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than NAV when you buy shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those shares in the secondary market. The Adviser cannot predict whether shares will trade above (premium), below (discount) or at NAV. However, because shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units at NAV, the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of the Fund are not likely to be sustained over the long term. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that the Fund's shares normally will trade on stock exchanges at prices close to the Fund's next calculated NAV, exchange prices are not expected to correlate exactly with the Fund's NAV due to timing reasons as well as market supply and demand factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions or extreme market volatility may result in trading prices for shares of the Fund that differ significantly from its NAV.

**Performance**

The returns presented below for the Fund reflect the performance of the Institutional Class shares of the Polen Bank Loan Fund (the "Predecessor Fund"). The Fund has adopted the performance of the Institutional Class shares of the Predecessor Fund as the result of a reorganization consummated after the close of business on March 21, 2025, in which the Fund acquired all or substantially all of the assets and all of the stated liabilities included in the financial statements of the Predecessor Fund (the "Reorganization"). Prior to the Reorganization, the Fund was a "shell" Fund with no assets and had not commenced operations.

The Predecessor Fund was managed by the same investment adviser and the same portfolio managers as the Fund. The performance information below is intended to serve as an illustration of the variability of the Fund's returns since the Fund is a continuation of the Predecessor Fund and has the same investment objective and a substantially similar investment strategy as the Predecessor Fund. While the Fund's investment strategy is substantially similar to the Predecessor Fund's investment strategy and the Predecessor Fund theoretically would have invested in a similar portfolio of securities, the Fund's performance during the same time period may have been different than the performance of the Predecessor Fund due to, among other things, difference in strategies and fees and expenses.

The bar chart and the performance table below provide an indication of the risks and volatility of investing in the Fund by showing: (a) changes in the performance of the Predecessor Fund's Institutional Class shares from year to year; and (b) how the average annual total return of the Predecessor Fund's Institutional Class shares compare to those of a regulatorily required broad-based securities market index (Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index) (the "Regulatory Benchmark") and the Morningstar LSTA U.S. Leveraged Loan Index (the "Performance Benchmark"). The Performance Benchmark is generally more representative of the market sectors and/or types of investments in which the Fund invests or to which the Fund has exposure and which the Adviser uses to measure the Fund's performance. The Fund has included in the table below the performance of the Regulatory Benchmark, which represents a broader measure of market performance, to comply with regulatory requirements. Total returns would have been lower had certain fees and expenses not been waived or reimbursed. Past performance, both before and after taxes, does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/floating-rate-income-etf* or by calling the Fund toll-free at (888) 426-7515.

![](pro-pcfi_002.jpg)

During the periods shown in the chart:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best Quarter** | **Worst Quarter** |
| 4.14% | 1.64% |
| (March 31, 2023) | (September 30, 2024) |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Predecessor Fund — Institutional Class Shares <br> Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2024** | **1 Year** | **Since <br> Inception <br> (June 30, 2022)** |
| Return Before Taxes | 8.88% | 10.14% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 4.47% | 5.96% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares | 5.26% | 5.95% |
| Morningstar LSTA U.S. Leveraged Loan Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1</sup> | 8.95% | 10.47% |
| Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)<sup>1, 2</sup> | 2.04% | 2.29% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The Morningstar LSTA U.S. Leveraged Loan Index is a market-value weighted index designed to measure the performance of the U.S. leveraged loan index. The Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index benchmark covers U.S.-dollar denominated, taxable bonds that are rated either investment grade or high-yield.

<sup>2</sup> Source: Bloomberg Index Services Limited. BLOOMBERG<sup>®</sup> and the Bloomberg indices referenced herein (for purposes of this paragraph, the "Indices", and each such index, an "Index") are service marks of Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates (collectively "Bloomberg") and/or one or more third-party providers (each such provider, a "Third-Party Provider,") and have been licensed for use for certain purposes to Polen Capital Credit, LLC (the "Licensee"). To the extent a Third-Party Provider contributes intellectual property in connection with the Index, such third-party products, company names and logos are trademarks or service marks, and remain the property, of such Third-Party Provider. Bloomberg or Bloomberg's licensors own all proprietary rights in the Bloomberg Indices. Neither Bloomberg nor Bloomberg's licensors, including a Third-Party Provider, approves or endorses this material, or guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information herein, or makes any warranty, express or implied, as to the results to be obtained therefrom and, to the maximum extent allowed by law, neither Bloomberg nor Bloomberg's licensors, including a Third-Party Provider, shall have any liability or responsibility for injury or damages arising in connection therewith.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through U.S. tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.After-tax returns shown are for Institutional Class shares of the Predecessor Fund; after-tax returns for other share classes will vary.

**Management of the Fund**

**Investment Adviser:**

The Fund's investment adviser is Polen Capital Credit, LLC.

**Portfolio Managers:**

**John W. Sherman,** Portfolio Manager, has served as the lead portfolio manager of the Predecessor Fund since its inception in 2022.

**Benjamin J. Santonelli,** Portfolio Manager, has served as a portfolio manager of the Predecessor Fund since its inception in 2022.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

The Fund issues (or redeem) Fund shares to certain institutional investors known as "Authorized Participants" (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) only in large blocks of Fund shares known as "Creation Units." Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a portfolio of in-kind securities designated by the Fund and/or cash.

Individual Fund shares may only be purchased and sold on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the "Exchange"), other national securities exchanges, electronic crossing networks and other alternative trading systems through your broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund shares trade at market prices rather than at net asset value, Fund shares may trade at a price greater than net asset value (premium) or less than net asset value (discount). When buying or selling shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) (the "bid-ask spread").

Recent information regarding the Fund's net asset value, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/floating-rate-income-etf.*

**Tax Information**

The Fund's distributions are taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through an individual retirement account (IRA), Retirement Plan or other U.S. tax-advantaged investment plan (in which case you may be taxed upon withdrawal of your investment from such account).

**Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase Fund shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

**Fund Details**

**Goal and Approach**

The Fund seeks to achieve overall total return consisting of a high level of current income together with long-term capital appreciation. Although no change is anticipated, the investment objective of the Fund may be changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

The Fund's principal investment strategies are discussed in the "Fund Summary" section. Principal investment strategies are those that the Adviser uses on a day-to-day basis to achieve the Fund's investment objective. This section provides more information about these strategies, as well as information about some additional strategies that the Fund's Adviser uses, or may use, to achieve the Fund's objective. Additional information about these investment strategies and practices and related risks is also provided in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"). The Fund may also use strategies and invest in securities that are not described in this Prospectus, but that are described in the Fund's SAI. The investments and strategies discussed below are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions.

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"). At times, the Fund may be required to segregate or earmark certain assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser (generally, short-term investment grade fixed income securities) to cover borrowings.

The investments and strategies discussed above are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions. The Fund also may use other strategies and engage in other investment practices, which are described in the Fund's SAI.

In anticipation of or in response to adverse market or other conditions or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, the Fund may temporarily hold all or a portion of its assets in U.S. government securities, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures. Under such conditions, the Fund may not invest in accordance with its investment objective or principal investment strategy and may not achieve its investment objective.

**Principal Risks**

There are inherent risks associated with the Fund's principal investment strategies. The factors that are most likely to have a material effect on the Fund's investment portfolio as a whole are called "principal risks." The principal risks of the Fund are summarized in the Fund's "Summary Section" above and further described below. The Fund may be subject to additional risks other than those described because, among other reasons, the types of investments made by the Fund may change over time. For additional information regarding risks of investing in the Fund, please see the SAI. It is important to read all the disclosure information provided and to understand that you may lose money by investing in the Fund.

● **High Yield Securities Risk:** High yield securities (also known as junk bonds) are generally considered riskier than investment grade, fixed income securities. The total return and yield of high yield securities can be expected to fluctuate more than the total return and yield of higher quality securities. High yield securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. Successful investment in high yield securities involves greater investment risk and is highly dependent on the Adviser's credit analysis and market analysis.

● **Bank Loan Risk:** The Fund's investment in secured and unsecured assignments of (or participations in) bank loans may create substantial risk. In making investments in bank loans, which are made by banks or other financial intermediaries to borrowers, the Fund will depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of principal and interest. In addition, the settlement of bank loans occurs on an extended (multi-week) basis, which may prevent the Fund from obtaining liquidity of certain assets within a desired timeframe. In addition, there is the potential that bank loans and other similar instruments may not be considered "securities" and, as a result, the Fund may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections under the federal securities laws and instead may have to resort to state law and direct claims.

● **Cash Positions:** The Fund may not always stay fully invested. For example, when the Adviser believes that market conditions are unfavorable for profitable investing or when it is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund's cash or similar investments may increase. In other words, cash or similar investments generally are a residual – they represent the assets that remain after the Fund has committed available assets to desirable investment opportunities. When the Fund's investments in cash or similar investments increase, they may not participate in market advances to the same extent that they would if the Fund remained more fully invested, and the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be affected.

● **Convertible Bond Risk:** Convertible bonds are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both bonds and common stocks and are therefore subject to both debt securities risk and equity securities risk. Convertible bonds are subject to equity securities risk especially when their conversion value is greater than the interest and principal value of the bond. The prices of equity securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes and may decline over short or extended periods of time.

● **Credit Risk:** The risk that the issuer of a security, or the counterparty to a contract, will default or otherwise become unable to honor a financial obligation (such as the payment of interest or principal on a debt security). Certain U.S. government agency securities are backed by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, while others, such as securities issued by the Federal Farm Credit Bank, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal National Mortgage Association and Federal Home Loan Bank, are supported only by the issuer's right to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the issuer's obligations, or by the issuer's own credit. However, the Fund will invest in the securities of such issuers only when the Adviser believes that the credit risk is minimal.

● **Debt Securities Risk:** Debt securities in which the Fund invests are subject to several types of investment risk, including market or interest rate risk (i.e., the risk that their value will be inversely affected by fluctuations in the prevailing interest rates), credit risk (i.e., the risk that the issuer may be unable to make timely interest payments and repay the principal upon maturity), call or income risk, (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities with high interest rates will be prepaid or "called" by the issuer before they mature), and event risk (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities may suffer a substantial decline in credit quality and market value if the issuer restructures). Fixed income markets have recently experienced a period of relatively high volatility. If the Federal Reserve continues to increase interest rates, fixed income markets (and the high yield market in particular) could experience continuing high volatility, which could negatively impact the Fund's performance. A projection of an economic downturn or of a period rising interest rates, for example, could cause a decline in high yield bond prices because the advent of a recession could lessen the ability of a highly leveraged company to make principal and interest payment on its debt securities.

● **Equity Securities Risk:** Markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company's financial condition, historical and prospective earnings of the company, interest rates, investor perceptions and overall market and economic conditions. Market performance and economic factors may adversely affect securities markets generally, which could in turn adversely affect the value of the Fund's investments, regardless of the performance or expected performance of companies in which the Fund invests. Holders of common stock generally are subject to more risks than holders of preferred stock or debt securities because the right to repayment of common stockholders' claims is subordinated to that of preferred stock and debt securities upon the bankruptcy of the issuer.

● **Foreign Securities Risk:** Foreign (non-U.S.) securities may experience more rapid and extreme changes in value than investments in securities of U.S. companies, due to less liquid securities and markets, and adverse economic, political, diplomatic, financial, and regulatory factors. In addition, there may be fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of securities traded each day, making it more difficult for an account to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. Foreign governments also may impose limits on investment and repatriation and impose taxes. Income from foreign issuers may be subject to non-U.S. withholding taxes. In some countries, investor accounts also may be subject to taxes on trading profits and, on certain securities transactions, transfer or stamp duties tax. Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the U.S. and may involve certain risks (such as delays on payment for or delivery of securities) not typically associated with the settlement of U.S. investments. Foreign companies generally are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards or to other regulatory requirements that apply to U.S. companies. As a result, less information may be available concerning non-U.S. issuers.

Accounting and financial reporting standards in emerging markets may be especially lacking. Further, it is often more expensive to trade securities in foreign markets as commissions are generally higher than in the U.S., and foreign exchanges and investment professionals are subject to less governmental regulation than in the U.S. Any of these events could cause the value of the foreign securities in which the Fund invests in to decline. Governmental economic policies, whether in the form of tariffs or the imposition or threat of other measures, that would have a restrictive effect on global trade could negatively impact foreign companies. The impact of such policies could be more significant for smaller foreign companies operating in emerging economies that may be more susceptible to adverse economic conditions, which in turn could have a commensurately negative impact on the Fund. The Fund's investment in foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes, and to the extent that is the case, the Fund's return on such investments will be decreased.

● **Canadian Securities Risk:** The Fund may invest in, and/or have exposure to, Canadian securities. The Canadian economy may be significantly affected by the U.S. economy because the U.S. is Canada's largest trading partner and foreign investor. Canada's largest exports are its natural resources, so the Canadian economy is dependent on the demand for, and supply and price of, natural resources, and any market developments that reduce the price of such goods could disproportionately affect the Canadian economy.

● **Interest Rate Risk:** The risk of market losses attributable to changes in interest rates. With fixed rate securities, a rise in interest rates typically causes a fall in values. The yield earned by the Fund will vary with changes in interest rates. The longer the average maturity of the Fund's investment portfolio, the greater the fluctuation in value. Duration is a measure of the expected life of a debt security that is used to determine the sensitivity of the security's price to changes in interest rates. Generally, the longer a Fund's duration, the more sensitive the Fund will be to changes in interest rates. For example, the price of a fixed income Fund with a duration of five years would be expected to fall approximately 5% if interest rates rose by 1%.

● **Liquidity Risk:** The risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time and the price that the seller would like. The seller may have to lower the price, sell other securities instead or forego an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on Fund management or performance.

● **Management Risk:** As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best performing securities or investment techniques, and the Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds. The Adviser may also miss an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in less advantageous investments.

● **Market Risk:** The market values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

● **Limited History of Operations:** The performance returns presented for the Fund reflect the performance of the Predecessor Fund. The Fund has adopted the performance of the Predecessor Fund as the result of the Reorganization consummated after the close of business on March 21, 2025, in which the Fund acquired all or substantially all of the assets and all of the stated liabilities included in the financial statements of the Predecessor Fund. Prior to the Reorganization, the Fund was a "shell" fund with no assets and had not commenced operations.

The Predecessor Fund is a mutual fund formed in 2022 and has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

● **Prepayment Risk:** The risk that a debt security may be paid off and proceeds invested earlier than anticipated. Depending on market conditions, the new investments may or may not carry the same interest rate.

● **Private Placement Risk:** Private placements involve securities not registered under the 1933 Act. In addition to the general risks associated with fixed income securities, such securities (including "144A" securities) may be subject to restrictions on resale, transaction costs for such securities may be higher than comparable securities, and there may be no liquid secondary market for such securities.

● **Rating Agency Risk:** Investment grade debt securities may be downgraded by a major rating agency to below investment grade status, which would increase the risk of holding these securities. In addition, a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes to an issuer's financial condition. Ratings represent the rating agency's opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. Rating agencies may fail to make timely credit ratings in response to subsequent events. In addition, ratings agencies are subject to an inherent conflict of interest because they are often compensated by the same issuers whose securities they grade.

● **Rule 144A Securities Risk:** The market for certain Rule 144A securities can be less active than the market for publicly-traded securities. Certain Rule 144A securities carry a heightened risk that the liquidity of these securities may become impaired, making it more difficult for the Fund to sell these bonds at reasonable prices.

● **Small- and Mid-Cap Risk:** The Fund's investment approach is focused on identifying attractive securities issued by "middle market" companies. However, the securities of smaller and mid-size companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies. This can adversely affect the prices at which the Fund can purchase and sell these securities, and thus the value of the Fund's shares.

● **Valuation Risk:** Unlike publicly-traded common stock, which trades on national exchanges, there is no central exchange for fixed-income securities, including bank loans, to trade. Such fixed-income securities generally trade on an "over-the-counter" market, where the buyer and seller can settle on a price. Due to the lack of centralized information and trading, the valuation of fixed-income securities, particularly in the lower tier of the high yield market where there are fewer market makers, may carry more risk than that of publicly-traded common stocks. Uncertainties in the conditions of the financial market, unreliable reference data, lack of transparency and inconsistency of valuation models and processes may lead to inaccurate asset pricing by third-party pricing vendors. Moreover, to the extent that prices or quotations are not available from such third-party pricing vendors, or when the Adviser believes that they are unreliable, securities may be priced by the Fund using fair value procedures approved by the Trust's Board of Trustees. In addition, other market participants may value securities differently than the Fund. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the risk that when a fixed-income security is sold in the market, the amount received by the Fund is less than the value of such fixed-income security carried on the Fund's books.

● **Risks Related to Changes in Government Policies and Institutions:** The U.S. government has recently made, and may continue to make from time to time, significant changes to established, and in some cases longstanding, policies and institutions of the United States federal government, including the restructuring of the United States' trade relationships, imposition of tariffs on products imported from foreign markets, reducing government investment, and downsizing or dismantling of government agencies. Such changes may have immediate and/or longstanding effects on the economies of the United States, its trade partners, and/or its allies. There could be a wide range of consequences that are difficult or impossible to predict from such actions. Such consequences may include a decrease in regulatory oversight of certain highly regulated industries (banking, financial services, data security, drug and medical device development, and energy), an increase in regulatory backlog leading to significantly slower regulatory approval processes, uncertainty with respect to the authority of certain agencies or their personnel, the inability of the federal government and its agencies to maintain the security of personal data of United States citizens and/or of other digital assets. The business and prospects of companies that do business with the government or which rely on government funding may be materially and adversely affected.

● **U.S. Government Agencies Securities Risk:** Certain U.S. government agency securities are backed by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury while others are supported only by the credit of the issuer or instrumentality. While the U.S. government is able to provide financial support to U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it will always do so. Such securities are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury.

● **ETF Risks:** 

○ *Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk*. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that are authorized to purchase and redeem shares (known as "Creation Units") directly from the Fund (known as "Authorized Participants" or "APs"). In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, shares may trade at a material discount to NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services; or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.

○ *Cash Redemption Risk.* The Fund is expected to generally redeem shares for cash or to otherwise include cash as part of its redemption proceeds. For example, the Fund may not be able to redeem in-kind certain securities held by the Fund (e.g., restricted securities). In such a case, the Fund may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.

○ *Costs of Buying or Selling Shares*. Due to the costs of buying or selling shares, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid-ask spreads, frequent trading of shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

○ *Market Trading Risk* **.** Although shares of the Fund are listed for trading on one or more stock exchanges, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. There are no obligations of market makers to make a market in the Fund's shares or of an authorized participant to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. Decisions by market makers or Authorized Participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying value of the Fund's portfolio securities and the Fund's market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Fund shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV and also greater than normal intraday bid/ask spreads. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund's shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's portfolio holdings, which may cause a significant variance in the market price of the Fund's shares and its underlying value.

There can be no assurance that the shares will continue to trade on a stock exchange or in any market or that the Fund's shares will continue to meet the requirements for listing or trading on any exchange or in any market, or that such requirements will remain unchanged. Secondary market trading in Fund shares may be halted by a stock exchange because of market conditions or other reasons. In addition, trading in Fund shares on a stock exchange or in any market may be subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to "circuit breaker" rules on the stock exchange or market.

During a "flash crash," the market prices of the Fund's shares may decline suddenly and significantly. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause Authorized Participants and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund's shares for temporary or longer periods. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares at these temporarily low market prices. Shares of the Fund, similar to shares of other issuers listed on a stock exchange, may be sold short and are therefore subject to the risk of increased volatility associated with short selling.

○ *Premium/Discount Risk*. Shares of the Fund may trade at prices other than NAV. Shares of the Fund trade on stock exchanges at prices at, above or below its most recent NAV. The NAV of the Fund is calculated at the end of each business day and fluctuates with changes in the market value of the Fund's holdings since the most recent calculation. The trading prices of the Fund's shares fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than NAV. As a result, the trading prices of the Fund's shares may deviate significantly from NAV during periods of market volatility. In addition, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the exchange on which the Fund's shares trade. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid-ask spreads and resulting premium or discount to the shares' NAV is likely to widen.

Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund's shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than NAV when you buy shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those shares in the secondary market. The Adviser cannot predict whether shares will trade above (premium), below (discount) or at NAV. However, because shares can be created and redeemed in Creation Units at NAV, the Adviser believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of the Fund are not likely to be sustained over the long term. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that the Fund's shares normally will trade on stock exchanges at prices close to the Fund's next calculated NAV, exchange prices are not expected to correlate exactly with the Fund's NAV due to timing reasons as well as market supply and demand factors. In addition, disruptions to creations and redemptions or extreme market volatility may result in trading prices for shares of the Fund that differ significantly from its NAV.

**Other Risks**

In addition to the principal risks described above, the Fund may also be subject to the following additional risks.

● **Bankruptcy and Restructuring Risk:** The Fund may target securities and other obligations of issuers that are in financial difficulty, and/or may be in, entering, or emerging from, bankruptcy proceedings. Bankruptcy or other insolvency proceedings are highly complex and may result in unpredictable outcomes. In any investment opportunity involving work-outs, liquidations, spin-offs, reorganizations, bankruptcies and similar transactions, there exists the risk that the contemplated transaction may be unsuccessful. Similarly, if an anticipated transaction does not in fact occur, the Fund may be required to sell the investment at a loss. The level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties is unusually high. Because there is a substantial uncertainty concerning the outcome of transactions involving financially troubled companies in which the Fund may invest, there is a potential risk of loss of the entire investment in such companies, as well as the risk that the Fund may be required to accept cash or new securities with a value less than the Fund's original investment and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. Under such circumstances, the returns generated from the Fund's investments may not compensate it adequately for the risks assumed.

● **Cyber Security Risk:** As part of its business, the Adviser processes, stores and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Fund. The Adviser and the Fund may be susceptible to operational and information security risk. Cyber security failures or breaches of the Adviser or the Fund's other service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of the Fund's shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties and/or reputational damage. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

● **Other Investment Company Risk:** The Fund may invest in investment companies that are corporations, trusts, or partnerships that invest pooled shareholder dollars in securities appropriate to the organization's objective. Mutual funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts and ETFs are examples of investment companies. By investing in another investment company, the Fund will indirectly bear any asset-based fees and expenses charged by the underlying investment company in which the Fund invests. Investments in securities of other investment companies are subject to statutory limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act. Absent an available exemption, the Fund may not: (i) acquire more than 3% of the voting securities of any other investment company; (ii) invest more than 5% of its total assets in securities of any one investment company; or (iii) invest more than 10% of its total assets in securities of all investment companies.

● **Leverage Risk:** The use of leverage by the Fund, such as borrowing money to purchase securities or the use of options, will cause the Fund to incur additional expenses and magnify the Fund's gains or losses. To the extent the Fund intends to use any leverage, it will be to meet Fund redemptions as appropriate.

**Management:**

**Investment Adviser**

The Fund's investment adviser is Polen Capital Credit, LLC.

Polen Capital Credit, LLC ("Polen Credit" or the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1075 Main Street, Suite 320, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451. Polen Credit was founded in 1996 as DDJ Capital Management, LLC and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, pension and profit-sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other businesses. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Credit had approximately $6.6 billion in assets under management. Polen Credit is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen Capital"), an investment adviser registered with the SEC.

Polen Credit, subject to the general oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objectives, policies and limitations. For its services as Adviser to the Fund, Polen Credit is entitled to receive a unified management fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of 0.59% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, after fee waivers and expense reimbursements, the Adviser did not receive an investment advisory fee with respect to the Predecessor Fund.

Under the unified management fee, Polen Credit is responsible for payment of the Fund's ordinary operating expenses other than interest and other costs of borrowing; taxes and other governmental fees; brokerage expenses, trading expenses and other expenses in connection with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions; acquired fund fees and expenses; accrued deferred tax liability; extraordinary expenses and other non-routine expenses of the Fund; payments under the Fund's 12b-1 Plan (if activated); and the management fee payable to the Adviser.

A discussion of the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment management agreement between Polen Credit and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, is available in the Fund's Annual Financials and Additional Information for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

**Portfolio Managers:**

**John W. Sherman,** lead Portfolio Manager, joined Polen Credit (formerly DDJ Capital Management, LLC) in 2007 and has more than 21 years of corporate finance and investment experience. Mr. Sherman serves as lead portfolio manager of Polen Credit's Bank Loan strategy and co-portfolio manager of Polen Credit's U.S. Opportunistic High Yield, and Credit Opportunities strategies. He is also a member of Polen Credit's Investment Review Committee. Prior to joining Polen Credit, Mr. Sherman was an associate in the Healthcare Group at Thoma Cressey Equity Partners, focusing on private equity investments in middle-market companies. Prior to joining Thoma Cressey Equity Partners, Mr. Sherman was in the Investment Banking Division of Citigroup where he was an analyst in the Global Healthcare Group. Mr. Sherman graduated *magna cum laude* with a B.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.

**Benjamin J. Santonelli,** Portfolio Manager, joined Polen Credit (formerly DDJ Capital Management, LLC) in 2004 and has more than 21 years of experience in sourcing, analyzing, and managing investments across a variety of industries. Mr. Santonelli serves as lead portfolio manager of Polen Credit's Credit Opportunities strategy and co-portfolio manager of Polen Credit's U.S. Opportunistic High Yield, and Bank Loan strategies. He is also a member of Polen Credit's Investment Review Committee. Mr. Santonelli serves as a member of the board of directors of a portfolio company held by certain funds and accounts managed by Polen Credit. Mr. Santonelli received his B.A. from Amherst College.

The Fund's SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager, including compensation, other accounts managed and ownership of Fund shares.

**Prior Performance of the Adviser**

Shown below is performance information of a composite of discretionary accounts managed by the Adviser using a strategy substantially similar to that to be used by the Fund (the "Composite"). The Composite reflects the performance of all client accounts with investment objectives, policies and strategies substantially similar to those used in managing the Fund. The results presented are not intended to predict or suggest the return to be experienced by the Fund or the return that an individual investor might achieve by investing in the Fund.

The Composite's results are reported both "gross" of fees and expenses and "net" of fees and expenses. The method used to calculate the performance of the Composite is described below and differs from the standardized SEC method of calculating returns required to calculate the Fund's performance. The Composite is not subject to the same type of expenses to which the Fund is subject, nor to the diversification requirements, specific tax restrictions and investment

limitations imposed on the Fund by the 1940 Act or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). Consequently, the performance results for the Composite could have been adversely affected if they had been regulated as investment companies. In addition, to the extent that operating expenses incurred by the separate accounts which comprise the Composite are lower than the expected operating expenses of the Fund, the performance results of the Composite would be greater than what the Fund's performance would have been.

**Past performance is not indicative of future results. The actual return and value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate and at any point in time could be worth more or less than the amount initially invested.**

**Polen Credit Bank Loan Composite**

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Average Annualized Composite Return (for periods ended December 31, 2024)** | **1 year** | **Since <br> Inception <br> (November 30,<br> 2021)** |
| Polen Credit Bank Loan Composite (Gross) | 9.76% | 6.06% |
| Polen Credit Bank Loan Composite (Net) | 9.15% | 5.49% |
| Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index<sup>1</sup> | 2.02% | (1.92)% |
| Morningstar LSTA U.S. Leveraged Loan Index<sup>2</sup> | 8.96% | 7.02% |

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<sup>1</sup> The Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index benchmark covers U.S.-dollar denominated, taxable bonds that are rated either investment grade or high-yield.

Source: Bloomberg Index Services Limited. BLOOMBERG<sup>®</sup> and the Bloomberg indices referenced herein (for purposes of this paragraph, the "Indices", and each such index, an "Index") are service marks of Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates (collectively "Bloomberg") and/or one or more third-party providers (each such provider, a "Third-Party Provider,") and have been licensed for use for certain purposes to Polen Capital Credit, LLC (the "Licensee"). To the extent a Third-Party Provider contributes intellectual property in connection with the Index, such third-party products, company names and logos are trademarks or service marks, and remain the property, of such Third-Party Provider. Bloomberg or Bloomberg's licensors own all proprietary rights in the Bloomberg Indices. Neither Bloomberg nor Bloomberg's licensors, including a Third-Party Provider, approves or endorses this material, or guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information herein, or makes any warranty, express or implied, as to the results to be obtained therefrom and, to the maximum extent allowed by law, neither Bloomberg nor Bloomberg's licensors, including a Third-Party Provider, shall have any liability or responsibility for injury or damages arising in connection therewith.

<sup>2</sup> The Morningstar LSTA U.S. Leveraged Loan Index is a broad, unmanaged high yield index composed of loans that meet the following inclusion rules; senior secured, minimum initial term of one year, initial minimum spread of Base Rate+125 basis points at inception, minimum size of $50 million, and U.S. dollar-denominated.

The year-to-date total return of the Polen Credit Bank Loan Composite as of June 30, 2025 was 1.97% (net) and 2.26% (gross), compared to 4.10% for the Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index and 2.81% for the Morningstar LSTA U.S. Leveraged Loan Index.

All returns are based in U.S. dollars and are computed using a time-weighted total rate of return. The Composite returns are an asset-weighted average of all discretionary portfolios managed by Polen Credit that follow the same strategy. Polen Credit values all accounts on a daily basis and accordingly this Composite is valued and calculated on a daily basis. Gross returns do not reflect the deduction of investment management fees, but are net of trading expenses, deal-related legal expenses and foreign withholding tax.

The information above has not been audited by the Predecessor Fund's or the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, and neither the Predecessor Fund's nor the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm expresses an opinion thereon. Additional information regarding policies for calculating and reporting Composite returns is available upon request.

**Distributor and Distribution and Service Plan**

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC ("Foreside") serves as the Fund's distributor. Foreside does not distribute Fund shares in less than Creation Units, nor does it maintain a secondary market in Fund shares. Foreside may enter into selected agreements with other broker-dealers or other qualified financial institutions for the sale of Creation Units of Fund shares. Foreside also serves as distributor for other affiliated mutual funds.

The Board of Trustees of the Trust has adopted, but not activated, a distribution and service plan (the "Plan") pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act for the Fund.

Under the Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay fees in connection with the sale and distribution of its shares in an amount up to 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets each year. No payments pursuant to the Plan will be made through at least the next twelve (12) months of operation. Additionally, the implementation of any such payments would have to be approved by the Board prior to implementation. Because these fees would be paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, if payments are made in the future, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and will cost you more over time.

**Additional Information**

**Additional Purchase and Sale Information**

Fund shares are listed for secondary trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the "Exchange") and individual Fund shares may only be purchased and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. The secondary markets are closed on weekends and also are generally closed on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day (observed), Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. An exchange may close early on the business day before certain holidays and on the day after Thanksgiving Day. Exchange holiday schedules are subject to change without notice. If you buy or sell Fund shares in the secondary market, you will pay the secondary market price for Fund shares. In addition, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction.

The trading prices of Fund shares will fluctuate continuously throughout trading hours based on market supply and demand rather than the Fund's net asset value, which is calculated at the end of each business day (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). Fund shares will trade on an exchange at market prices that may be above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount), to varying degrees, the daily net asset value of Fund shares. The trading prices of Fund shares may deviate significantly from the Fund's net asset value during periods of market volatility. Given, however, that Fund shares can be issued and redeemed daily in Creation Units, the Adviser believes that large discounts and premiums to net asset value should not be sustained over long periods. Each business day, the following information is available at https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/floating-rate-income-etf with respect to the Fund: (i) information for each portfolio holding that will form the basis of the next calculation of the Fund's net asset value per Fund share; (ii) the Fund's net asset value per Fund share, market price, and premium or discount, each as of the end of the prior business day; (iii) a table showing the number of days the Fund's shares traded at a premium or discount during the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarter since that year; (iv) a line graph showing Fund share premiums or discounts for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed quarter since that year; (v) the Fund's median bid-ask spread over the last thirty calendar days; and (vi) if during the past year the Fund's premium or discount was greater than 2% for more than seven consecutive trading days, a statement that the Fund's premium or discount, as applicable, was greater than 2% and a discussion of the factors that are reasonably believed to have materially contributed to the premium or discount.

The Exchange will disseminate, every fifteen seconds during the regular trading day, an indicative optimized portfolio value ("IOPV") relating to the Fund. The IOPV calculations are estimates of the value of the Fund's net asset value per Fund share. Premiums and discounts between the IOPV and the market price may occur. This should not be viewed as a "real-time" update of the net asset value per Fund share. The IOPV is based on the current market value of the published basket of portfolio securities and/or cash required to be deposited in exchange for a Creation Unit and does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the Fund actual portfolio at a particular point in time. Moreover, the IOPV is generally determined by using current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers and other market intermediaries and valuations based on current market rates. The IOPV may not be calculated in the same manner as the net asset value, which (i) is computed only once a day, (ii) unlike the calculation of the IOPV, takes into account Fund expenses, and (iii) may be subject, in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act, to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IOPV. The IOPV price is based on quotes and closing prices from the securities local market converted into U.S. dollars at the current currency rates and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market close. Therefore, the IOPV may not reflect the best possible valuation of the Fund's current portfolio. Neither the Fund nor the Adviser or any of their affiliates are involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of such IOPVs and make no warranty as to their accuracy.

The Fund does not impose any restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions; however, the Fund reserves the right to reject or limit purchases at any time as described in the SAI. When considering that no restriction or policy was necessary, the Board evaluated the risks posed by market timing activities, such as whether frequent purchases and redemptions would interfere with the efficient implementation of the Fund's investment strategy, or whether they would cause the Fund to experience increased transaction costs. The Board considered that, unlike traditional mutual funds, Fund shares are issued and redeemed only in large quantities of shares known as Creation Units, available only from the Fund directly, and that most trading in the Fund occurs on exchanges at prevailing market prices and does

not involve the Fund directly. Given this structure, the Board determined that it is unlikely that (a) market timing would be attempted by the Fund's shareholders or (b) any attempts to market time the Fund by shareholders would result in negative impact to the Fund or its shareholders.

**Portfolio Holdings Disclosure**

A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI, which is available, free of charge, by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 426-7515 and on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/floating-rate-income-etf.* The SAI may also be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") website at *www.sec.gov.*

**Distributions**

Each Fund shareholder is entitled to the shareholder's pro rata share of the Fund's income and net realized gains on the Fund' s investments. The Fund pays out substantially all of its net earnings to its shareholders as "distributions."

The Fund may earn income dividends from stocks, interest from debt securities and, if participating, securities lending income. These amounts, net of expenses and taxes (if applicable), are passed along to Fund shareholders as "income dividend distributions." The Fund will generally realize short-term capital gains or losses whenever it sells or exchanges assets held for one year or less. Net short-term capital gains will generally be treated as ordinary income when distributed to shareholders. The Fund will generally realize long-term capital gains or losses whenever it sells or exchanges assets held for more than one year. Net capital gains (the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital gains over its net short-term capital losses) are distributed to shareholders as "capital gain distributions." While the Fund does not intend to make distributions that would be treated as return of capital to shareholders, the Fund's investment in REITs may require the Fund to pay out estimated distributions that could constitute a return of capital to Fund shareholders. Any return of capital to shareholders will be distributed after payment of Fund fees and expenses, and should not be considered dividend income or total return of an investment in Fund shares.

Income dividend distributions, if any, for the Fund are generally distributed to shareholders monthly, but may vary significantly from period to period. Net capital gains for the Fund are distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently or at any other time to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code").

If you buy shares of the Fund when the Fund has realized but not yet distributed income or capital gains, you will be "buying a dividend" by paying the full price for the shares and then receiving a portion back in the form of a taxable distribution.

Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole Fund shares only if the broker through whom you purchased Fund shares makes such option available. Distributions which are reinvested will nevertheless be taxable to the same extent as if such distributions had not been reinvested (unless you are investing through an IRA, retirement plan or other U.S. tax-advantaged investment plan).

**Additional Tax Information**

The following discussion is a summary of certain important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to an investment in the Fund. The summary is based on current tax laws, which may be changed by legislative, judicial or administrative action. You should not consider this summary to be a comprehensive explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund, or the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. An investment in the Fund may have other tax implications. Please consult a tax advisor about the applicable federal, state, local, foreign or other tax laws. Investors, including non-U.S. investors, may wish to consult the SAI tax section for additional disclosure.

*Tax Status of the Fund*. The Fund intends to elect and intends to qualify for the special tax treatment afforded a regulated investment company ("RIC") under the Code. If the Fund meets certain minimum distribution requirements, as a RIC it is not subject to tax at the Fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, if the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements, it would result in Fund-level taxation if certain relief provisions were not available, and consequently a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders. Unless you are a tax-exempt entity or your investment in the Fund's shares is made through a tax-deferred retirement account, such as an IRA, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when the Fund makes distributions, you sell Fund shares and you purchase or redeem Creation Units (Authorized Participants only).

*Taxes on Distributions.* In general, distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether the distributions are taken in cash or reinvested in the Fund. The income dividends and short-term capital gains distributions received from the Fund will be taxed as either ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Distributions from the Fund's short-term capital gains are generally taxable as ordinary income. Subject to certain limitations, dividends that are reported by the Fund as qualified dividend income are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at rates of up to 20%. Any distributions of the Fund's net capital gains are taxable as long-term capital gain regardless of how long Fund shares have been owned by an investor. Long-term capital gains are generally taxed to non-corporate shareholders at rates of up to 20%. Distributions in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of the investor' basis in the Fund's shares, and, in general, as capital gain thereafter.

In general, dividends may be reported by the Fund as qualified dividend income if they are attributable to qualified dividend income received by the Fund, which, in general, includes dividend income from taxable U.S. corporations and certain foreign corporations (i.e., certain foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States, and certain other foreign corporations if the stock with respect to which the dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States), provided that the Fund satisfies certain holding period requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations and has not hedged its position in the stock in certain ways. A dividend generally will not be treated as qualified dividend income if the dividend is received with respect to any share of stock held by the Fund for fewer than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning at the date which is 60 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend. These holding period requirements will also apply to investor ownership of Fund shares. Holding periods may be suspended for these purposes for stock that is hedged. It is expected that dividends received by the Fund from a REIT and distributed from the Fund to a shareholder generally will not be treated as qualified dividend income. Additionally, income derived in connection with the Fund's securities lending activities will not be treated as qualified dividend income.

U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% tax on all or a portion of their "net investment income," which includes taxable interest, dividends and certain capital gains (generally including capital gain distributions and capital gains realized upon the sale of Fund shares). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.

Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive from the Fund that are attributable to dividends received by the Fund from U.S. corporations, subject to certain limitations. The Fund's investment strategies may significantly limit its ability to distribute dividends eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporations.

If an investor lends Fund shares pursuant to securities lending arrangements, the investor may lose the ability to treat Fund dividends (paid while the Fund shares are held by the borrower) as qualified dividend income. Please consult a financial intermediary or tax advisor to discuss the particular circumstances.

In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year in which they are paid. However, distributions paid in January, but declared by the Fund in October, November or December of the previous year, payable to shareholders of record in such a month, may be taxable to an investor in the calendar year in which they were declared.

A distribution will reduce the Fund's net asset value per Fund share and may be taxable to a shareholder as ordinary income or capital gain even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital. You should note that if you purchase shares of the Fund just before a distribution, the purchase price would reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution. In this case, you would be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the distribution simply constitutes a return of your investment. This is known as "buying a dividend" and generally should be avoided by taxable investors.

The Fund (or your broker) will inform you of the amount of your ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income, and net capital gain distributions shortly after the close of each calendar year.

*Foreign Currency Transactions.* The Fund's transactions in foreign currencies may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned.

*Foreign Income Taxes.* Investment income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign income taxes withheld at the source. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries which may entitle the Fund to a reduced rate of such taxes or exemption from taxes on such income. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax for the Fund in advance since the amount of the assets to be invested within various countries is not known. If more than 50% of the total assets of the Fund at the close of its taxable year consist of certain foreign stocks or securities, the Fund may elect to "pass through" to shareholders certain foreign income taxes (including withholding taxes) paid by the Fund. If the Fund makes such an election, the shareholder will be considered to have received as an additional dividend the shareholder's share of such foreign taxes, but the shareholder may be entitled to either a corresponding tax deduction in calculating the shareholder's taxable income, or, subject to certain limitations, a credit in calculating the shareholder's federal income tax. No deduction for such taxes will be permitted to individuals in computing their alternative minimum tax liability. If the Fund does not so elect, the Fund will be entitled to claim a deduction for certain foreign taxes incurred by the Fund. Under certain circumstances, if the Fund receives a refund of foreign taxes paid in respect of a prior year, the value of Fund shares could be reduced or any foreign tax credits or deductions passed through to shareholders in respect of the Fund's foreign taxes for the current year could be reduced.

*Investments in Certain Foreign Corporations.* The Fund may invest in foreign entities classified as passive foreign investment companies or "PFICs" or controlled foreign corporations or "CFCs" under the Code. PFIC and CFC investments are subject to complex rules that may under certain circumstances adversely affect the Fund. Accordingly, investors should consult their own tax advisors and carefully consider the tax consequences of PFIC and CFC investments by the Fund before making an investment in the Fund. Fund dividends attributable to dividends received from PFICs and CFCs generally will not be treated as qualified dividend income. Additional information pertaining to the potential tax consequences to the Fund, and to the shareholders, from the Fund's potential investment in PFICs and CFCs can be found in the SAI.

*Taxation of REIT Investments.* The Fund may invest in U.S. REITs. "Qualified REIT dividends" (i.e., ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income eligible for capital gain tax rates) are eligible for a 20% deduction by non-corporate taxpayers. This deduction, if allowed in full, equates to a maximum effective tax rate of 29.6% (37% top rate applied to income after 20% deduction). Pursuant to proposed Treasury regulations on which the Fund may rely, distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that are attributable to qualified REIT dividends received by the Fund and which the Fund properly reports as "section 199A dividends," are treated as "qualified REIT dividends" in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible but is not required to do so. Unless later extended or made permanent, this 20% deduction will no longer be available for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

REITs in which the Fund invests often do not provide complete and final tax information to the Fund until after the time that the Fund issues a tax reporting statement. As a result, the Fund may at times find it necessary to reclassify the amount and character of its distributions to you after it issues your tax reporting statement. When such reclassification is necessary, the Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns shares) will send you a corrected, final Form 1099-DIV to reflect the reclassified information. If you receive a corrected Form 1099-DIV, use the information on this corrected form, and not the information on the previously issued tax reporting statement, in completing your tax returns.

Investments in REIT equity securities may require the Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. The Fund's investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in the Fund's receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to the Fund's shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends paid by a REIT, other than capital gain distributions, will generally be taxable as ordinary income up to the amount of the REIT's current and accumulated earnings and profits. Capital gain dividends paid by a REIT to the Fund will be treated as long-term capital gains by the Fund and, in turn, may be distributed by the Fund to shareholders as a capital gain distribution. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income or qualify for the dividends received deduction. If a REIT is operated in a manner

such that it fails to qualify as a REIT, an investment in the REIT would become subject to double taxation, meaning the taxable income of the REIT would be subject to federal income tax at the regular corporate rate without any deduction for dividends paid to shareholders and the dividends would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income (or possibly as qualified dividend income) to the extent of the REIT's current and accumulated earnings and profits.

*Taxes on Share Sales*. Each sale of shares of the Fund will generally be a taxable event. Assuming a shareholder holds shares of the Fund as capital assets, any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if Fund shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if Fund shares have been held for one year or less, except that any capital loss on the sale of Fund shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends were paid with respect to such Fund shares. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent shares of the Fund are acquired, including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the sale of such shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited.

*Taxes on Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units*. An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the exchanger's aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus any cash paid for the Creation Units. An Authorized Participant who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger's basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate market value of the securities and the amount of cash received. The Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"), however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing "wash sales" (for an Authorized Participant who does not mark-to-market its holdings), or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Authorized Participants exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

When creating or redeeming Creation Units, a confirmation statement will be sent showing the number of Fund shares purchased or sold with the applicable share price.

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Fund shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of the securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If the Trust does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the Fund shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund, the purchaser (or group of purchasers) will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.

If the Fund redeems Creation Units in cash in addition to, or in place of, the delivery of a basket of securities, it may bear additional costs and recognize more capital gains than it would if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.

*Certain Tax-Exempt Investors*. The Fund, if investing in certain limited real estate investments, may be required to pass through certain "excess inclusion income" and other income as "unrelated business taxable income" ("UBTI"). Prior to investing in the Fund, tax-exempt investors sensitive to UBTI should consult their tax advisors regarding this issue and IRS pronouncements addressing the treatment of such income in the hands of such investors. Certain tax-exempt educational institutions will be subject to a 1.4% tax on net investment income. For these purposes, certain dividends and capital gain distributions, and certain gains from the disposition of Fund shares (among other categories of income), are generally taken into account in computing a shareholder's net investment income.

*Non-U.S. Investors*. Ordinary income dividends paid by the Fund to shareholders who are non-resident aliens or foreign entities will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax (other than distributions reported by the Fund as interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends) unless a lower treaty rate applies or unless such income is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. In general, the Fund may report interest-related dividends to the extent of its net income derived from U.S.-source interest, and the Fund may report short-term capital gain dividends to the extent its net short-term capital gain for the taxable year exceeds its net long-term capital loss. Gains on the sale of Fund shares and dividends that are, in each case, effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the U.S. will generally be subject to U.S. federal net income taxation at regular income tax rates.

Unless certain non-U.S. entities that hold Fund shares comply with IRS requirements that will generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may apply to distributions payable to such entities. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.

*Backup Withholding*. The Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold (as "backup withholding") on amounts payable to any shareholder who (1) has provided the Fund either an incorrect tax identification number or no number at all, (2) is subject to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly report payments of interest or dividends, (3) has failed to certify to the Fund that such shareholder is not subject to backup withholding, or (4) has not certified that such shareholder is a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien). The backup withholding rate is currently 24%. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the United States.

*Certain Potential Tax Reporting Requirements.* Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Significant penalties may be imposed for the failure to comply with the reporting requirements. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

*Other Tax Issues*. The Fund may be subject to tax in certain states where the Fund does business (or is treated as doing business as a result of its investments). Furthermore, in those states which have income tax laws, the tax treatment of the Fund and of Fund shareholders with respect to distributions by the Fund may differ from federal tax treatment.

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the consequences under current federal income tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. Consult a personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the Fund under all applicable tax laws.

**General Information**

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of the Fund. However, Rule 12d1-4 permits registered investment companies to invest in the Fund beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Trust.

**Financial Highlights**

The Financial Highlights present the Predecessor Fund's financial performance for the period June 30, 2022 (commencement of operations of the Predecessor Fund) through April 30, 2023, for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024, and for the period May 1, 2024 through March 21, 2025. As noted in a footnote below, the Fund acquired all of the assets and liabilities of the Predecessor Fund in a reorganization that occurred as of the close of business on March 21, 2025. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. Total return represents the rate you would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Predecessor Fund, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. This information for the period ended April 30, 2023 and the fiscal years ended April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025 has been derived from financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the Form N-CSR for the year ended April 30, 2025. The 2025 financial statements and Financial Highlights are incorporated by reference into the Fund's SAI and are available upon request without charge by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 426-7515 or visiting the Fund's website at https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/floating-rate-income-etf.

**Polen Floating Rate Income ETF Fund\***

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Institutional Class Shares** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> to April 30,<br> 2025<sup>(1)</sup>** | **For the <br> Year Ended <br> April 30,<br> 2024<sup>(1)</sup>** | **For the <br> Period Ended<br> to April 30,<br> 2023<sup>(1)</sup>** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year/period | $25.99 | $25.43 | $25.36 |
| Net investment income<sup>2</sup> | 2.40 | 2.56 | 1.70 |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | (1.25) | 0.61 | 0.02 |
| Total from investment operations | 1.15 | 3.17 | 1.72 |
| **Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:** |  |  |  |
| Net investment income | (2.40) | (2.56) | (1.62) |
| Net realized capital gains | (0.25) | (0.05) | (0.03) |
| Total dividends and distributions to shareholders | (2.65) | (2.61) | (1.65) |
| Net asset value, end of year/period | $24.49 | $25.99 | $25.43 |
| Total investment return<sup>3</sup> | 4.55% | 13.09% | 7.12% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year/period (in 000s) | $8876 | $9178 | $7725 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 0.72% | 0.75% | 0.75%<sup>(4)</sup> |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers<sup>5</sup> | 1.76% | 2.11% | 3.19%<sup>(4)</sup> |
| Ratio of net investment income to average net assets | 9.40% | 10.00% | 8.11%<sup>(4)</sup> |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 96% | 120% | 22%<sup>(6)</sup> |

---

\* The Polen Floating Rate Income ETF (the "Acquiring Fund") acquired all of the assets and liabilities of the Polen Bank Loan Fund (the "Acquired Fund"), which commenced operations on June 30, 2022, in a reorganization that occurred as of the close of business on March 21, 2025. Performance and financial history of the Acquired Fund's Institutional Class Shares have been adopted by the Acquiring Fund and will be used going forward. As a result, the information prior to the close of business March 21, 2025, reflects that of the Acquired Fund's Institutional Class Shares. The Acquired Fund ceased operations as of the date of the reorganization.

<sup>1</sup> On March 11, 2025, the Acquired Fund declared a 1-for-2.54 reverse stock split. The shares outstanding have been restated to reflect the share conversion ratio of 0.39. Prior year net asset values and per share amounts have been restated to reflect the impact of the reverse stock split.

<sup>2</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

<sup>3</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. Total returns for periods less than one year are not annualized.

<sup>4</sup> Annualized.

<sup>5</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

<sup>6</sup> Not Annualized.

**DISCLAIMERS**

Shares of the Fund are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the shares of the Fund. The Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the shares of the Fund to be issued, or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares are redeemable. The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of the shares of the Fund in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the shares of the Fund. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Exchange have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.

**POLEN FLOATING RATE INCOME ETF**

*a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

(888) 426-7515

**FOR MORE INFORMATION**

**For additional information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:**

**Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information**

The Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information (once available) contain more information about the Fund's investments and performance including information on the Fund's portfolio holdings and operating results for the most recently completed fiscal year or half-year. The Annual Financials and Additional Information includes a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year.

**Statement of Additional Information (SAI)**

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Fund and its policies. The information in the SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is part of this Prospectus.

These documents are available free of charge on the Fund's website at *https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/floating-rate-income-etf.* You can also get a free copy of these documents and other information, or ask us any questions, including information on how to purchase or redeem Fund shares, by calling us at (888) 426-7515.

If you buy your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact that financial intermediary directly for this information. You can also find information online at <u>*https://www.polencapital.com*</u>.

Reports and information about the Fund (including the SAI and Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information (once available)) also may be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov*. Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: <u>publicinfo@sec.gov</u>.

The investment company registration number is 811-22027.

**POLEN HIGH INCOME ETF**

**PCHI**

**POLEN FLOATING RATE INCOME ETF**

**PCFI**

**SERIES OF**

**FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**

**September 1, 2025**

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") provides information about the Polen High Income ETF and Polen Floating Rate Income ETF (each a "Fund" and together, the "Funds"). Each Fund is a series of FundVantage Trust (the "Trust").

This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Funds' current prospectus dated September 1, 2025, as restated, amended or supplemented from time to time (the "Prospectus"). This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. The Funds' audited financial statements and the notes thereto, which are included in the Funds' [Annual Financials and Additional Information](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm) dated April 30, 2025, are incorporated into this SAI by reference. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Financials and Additional Information may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to each Fund at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, by calling either Fund at (888) 426-7515, or by visiting the applicable Fund's website at <u>*https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/floating-rate-income-etf*</u> or <u>*https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/high-income-etf*</u>*.*

The Funds' Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **Page** |
| [General Information](#sai_001) | 1 |
| [Investment Policies](#sai_002) | 1 |
| [Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings](#sai_003) | 26 |
| [Investment Limitations](#sai_004) | 27 |
| [Trustees and Officers](#sai_005) | 29 |
| [Code of Ethics](#sai_006) | 34 |
| [Proxy Voting](#sai_007) | 35 |
| [Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities](#sai_008) | 35 |
| [Investment Advisory Services](#sai_009) | 36 |
| [Portfolio Managers](#sai_010) | 38 |
| [Administration and Accounting Services](#sai_011) | 40 |
| [Additional Service Providers](#sai_012) | 40 |
| [Offering Price](#sai_013) | 41 |
| [Continuous Offering](#sai_014) | 42 |
| [Exchange Listing and Trading](#sai_015) | 43 |
| [Book Only System](#sai_016) | 43 |
| [Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices](#sai_017) | 44 |
| [Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries](#sai_018) | 46 |
| [Distribution of Shares and Rule 12b-1 Plan](#sai_019) | 46 |
| [Capital Stock and Other Securities](#sai_020) | 48 |
| [Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units](#sai_021) | 48 |
| [Dividends](#sai_022) | 56 |
| [Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations](#sai_023) | 56 |
| [Financial Statements](#sai_024) | 70 |
| [Appendix A — Description of Securities Ratings](#sai_025) | A-1 |
| [Appendix B — Proxy Voting Policies](#sai_026) | B-1 |

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**GENERAL INFORMATION**

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 28, 2006. The Trust is a series trust authorized to issue separate series or classes of shares of beneficial interest. The Trust has established each of the Funds as a separate series of the Trust. Each Fund offers one class of shares. The Funds are diversified, open-end management investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). Polen Capital Credit, LLC ("Polen Credit" or the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser to the Funds.

Polen Floating Rate Income ETF acquired all of the assets and liabilities of Polen Bank Loan Fund (the "Predecessor Fund"), a series of the Trust, in a tax-free reorganization on March 21, 2025 (the "Reorganization"). The Predecessor Fund had the same material investment objectives, strategies and policies as the Polen Floating Rate Income ETF at the time of the Reorganization. The Adviser was also the investment adviser to the Predecessor Fund.

**INVESTMENT POLICIES**

The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objective and policies of the Funds. The information below does not describe every type of investment, technique or risk to which the Funds may be exposed. Much of the information contained in this SAI expands on subjects discussed in the Funds' Prospectus. No investment in the shares of each Fund should be made before reading the Prospectus.

**BANK LOANS.** The Funds may (and typically do) invest a significant amount of its net asset value in bank loans. Such loans may not be rated by a national ratings agency at the time of investment, will not be registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), and typically will not be listed on a securities exchange. In addition, the amount of public information available with respect to loans generally will be less extensive than that available for more widely traded, registered and exchange-listed securities. Because the interest rates of loans reset frequently, if market interest rates fall, the loans' interest rates may be reset to lower levels, potentially reducing a Fund's income.

The size of the trading market for loans is generally smaller than that for registered equities and investment grade rated bond securities; as such, loans may be relatively illiquid compared to those types of securities. Liquidity relates to the ability of a portfolio to sell an investment in a timely manner at a price approximately equal to its value on the portfolio's books. A Fund's ability to realize the full value of its assets may be impaired in the event of a voluntary or involuntary liquidation of any illiquid assets. Furthermore, in the event of an economic downturn, a substantial increase or decrease in interest rates, or other type of market dislocation, the market for loans may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods. In those instances, loans may be difficult to value and prices provided by external pricing services may not reflect the true fair value of the assets.

Borrowers may default on their obligations to pay principal or interest owed under loans when due. This non-payment would result in a reduction of income to a Fund and a reduction in the value of a loan experiencing non-payment. Although some loans in which a Fund will invest will be secured by specific collateral, there can be no assurance that liquidation of such collateral would satisfy the borrower's obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the event of bankruptcy of a borrower, a Fund could experience delays or limitations in its ability to realize the benefits of any collateral securing a loan.

Each Fund may purchase a participation interest in a loan and by doing so acquire some or all of the interest of the bank or other lending institution making the loan to a corporate borrower. A participation interest typically results in a Fund having a contractual relationship with the lender and not the borrower. In such circumstances, a Fund will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the bank or other lending institution selling the participation and only upon receipt by the bank or other lending institution of the payments from the borrower. Since a Fund has only acquired a participation in the loan made by a third party (i.e., the banker or other lending institution), the Fund may not be able to control the exercise of any remedies that such third party would have under the loan. Although the participation interest is in a loan, there can be no assurance that the principal and interest owed on the loan to a Fund will be repaid in full.

A Fund may experience delays in the settlement of certain loan transactions, which are more complicated, are paperwork intensive, and require greater internal resources to settle compared with bonds or exchange-traded equity securities, particularly in the case of loans that are or become distressed. Unlike the securities markets, there is no central clearinghouse for loan trades, and the loan market has not established enforceable settlement standards or remedies for failure to settle. Such delays may prevent a Fund from obtaining liquidity of certain assets within a desired timeframe. Furthermore, pursuant to certain insolvency laws, a counterparty may have the ability to reject or terminate an unsettled loan transaction. If a counterparty rejects an unsettled transaction, a Fund might lose any increase in value with respect to such loan that accrued while the transaction remained unsettled. In addition, bank loans and other similar instruments may not be considered "securities" and, as a result, a Fund may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections under the federal securities laws and instead may have to resort to state law and direct claims.

**BANK OBLIGATIONS.** Bank obligations in which the Funds may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits. The Funds will not invest in fixed time deposits which (1) are not subject to prepayment or (2) provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits) if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in such deposits, repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days and other illiquid assets.

Obligations of foreign banks involve somewhat different investment risks than those affecting obligations of United States banks, including the possibilities that their liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments, that their obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of United States banks, that a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations, that foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized, that foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations and that the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to United States banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any U.S. Government agency or instrumentality.

● **BANKERS' ACCEPTANCES.** Bankers' acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft that has been drawn on it by a customer. These instruments reflect the obligation of both the bank and the drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity.

● **CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT.** Certificates of deposit are certificates evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank to repay funds deposited with it for a definite period of time (usually from 14 days to one year) at a stated or variable interest rate. Variable rate certificates of deposit provide that the interest rate will fluctuate on designated dates based on changes in a designated base rate (such as the composite rate for certificates of deposit established by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York).

● **TIME DEPOSITS.** Time deposits are bank deposits for fixed periods of time. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which may vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.

**BANKRUPTCY AND RESTRUCTURING RISK.** Each Fund may acquire or hold securities and other obligations of issuers that are in financial difficulty, and/or may be in, entering, or emerging from, bankruptcy proceedings. Bankruptcy or other insolvency proceedings are highly complex and may result in unpredictable outcomes. In any investment opportunity involving work-outs, liquidations, spin-offs, reorganizations, bankruptcies and similar transactions, there exists the risk that the contemplated transaction may be unsuccessful. Similarly, if an anticipated transaction does not in fact occur, a Fund may be required to sell the investment at a loss. The level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in companies experiencing significant business and financial difficulties is unusually high. Because there is a substantial uncertainty concerning the outcome of transactions involving financially troubled companies in which a Fund may invest, there is a potential risk of loss of the entire investment in such companies, as well as the risk that a Fund may be required to accept cash or new securities with a value less than a Fund's original investment and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. Under such circumstances, the returns generated from a Fund's investments may not compensate it adequately for the risks assumed.

**BELOW-INVESTMENT GRADE SECURITIES.** Subject to the limitations set forth in the Prospectus, the Funds invest in "below-investment grade" or "high yield" fixed income securities (commonly known to investors as "high yield bonds" or "junk bonds." High yield bonds are issued by a company whose credit rating (based on an NRSRO) evaluation of the likelihood of repayment) necessitates offering a higher coupon and yield on its issues when selling them to investors who may otherwise be hesitant in purchasing the debt of such a company. While generally providing greater income and opportunity for gain, below-investment grade debt securities are generally subject to greater risks than fixed income securities which have higher credit ratings, including a higher risk of default, and their yields will fluctuate over time. High yield bonds generally will be in the lower rating categories of NRSROs (rated "Ba" or lower by Moody's or "BB" or lower by S&P and Fitch or will be unrated. The credit rating of a high yield bond does not necessarily address its market value risk, and ratings may from time to time change, positively or negatively, to reflect developments regarding the issuer's financial condition. High yield bonds are considered to be speculative with respect to the capacity of the issuer to timely repay principal and pay interest or dividends in accordance with the terms of the obligation and may have more credit risk than higher rated securities.

While the market values of high yield bonds tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rates than do those of higher rated securities, the values of high yield bonds often reflect individual corporate developments and have a high sensitivity to economic changes to a greater extent than do higher rated securities. Issuers of high yield bonds are often in the growth stage of their development and/or involved in a reorganization or takeover. The companies are often highly leveraged (have a significant amount of debt relative to shareholders' equity) and may not have available to them more traditional financing methods, thereby increasing the risk associated with acquiring these types of securities. In some cases, obligations with respect to high yield bonds are subordinated to the prior repayment of senior indebtedness, which will potentially limit a Fund's ability to fully recover principal or to receive interest payments when senior securities are in default. Thus, investors in high yield bonds have a lower degree of protection with respect to principal and interest payments than do investors in higher rated securities.

During an economic downturn, a substantial period of rising interest rates or a recession, highly leveraged issuers of high yield bonds may experience financial distress possibly resulting in insufficient revenues to meet their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals and to obtain additional financing. An economic downturn could also disrupt the market for lower-rated securities and adversely affect the value of outstanding securities, a Fund's net asset value ("NAV") and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest. If the issuer of a security held by a Fund has defaulted, the Fund may not receive full interest and principal payments due to it and could incur additional expenses if it chose to seek recovery of its investment.

The secondary markets for high yield bonds are not as liquid as the secondary markets for higher rated securities. The secondary markets for high yield bonds are concentrated in relatively few market makers and participants in the markets are mostly institutional investors, including insurance companies, banks, other financial institutions and mutual funds. In addition, the trading volume for high yield bonds is generally lower than that for higher rated securities and the secondary markets could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. Under certain economic and/or market conditions, the Funds may have difficulty disposing of certain high yield bonds due to the limited number of investors in that sector of the market. An illiquid secondary market may adversely affect the market price of the high yield security, which may result in increased difficulty selling the particular issue and obtaining accurate market quotations on the issue when valuing a Fund's assets. Market quotations on high yield bonds are available only from a limited number of dealers, and such quotations may not be the actual prices available for a purchase or sale.

The high yield markets may react strongly to adverse news about an issuer or the economy, or to the perception or expectation of adverse news, whether or not it is based on fundamental analysis. Additionally, prices for high yield bonds may be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. These developments could adversely affect a Fund's NAV and investment practices, the secondary market for high yield bonds, the financial condition of issuers of these securities and the value and liquidity of outstanding high yield bonds, especially in a thinly traded market. For example, Federal legislation requiring the divestiture by federally insured savings and loan associations of their investments in high yield bonds and limiting the deductibility of interest by certain corporate issuers of high yield bonds adversely affected the market in the past.

When the secondary market for high yield bonds becomes more illiquid, or in the absence of readily available market quotations for such securities, the relative lack of reliable objective data makes it more difficult to value a Fund's securities and judgment plays a more important role in determining such valuations. Increased illiquidity in the junk bond market, in combination with the relative youth and growth of the market for such securities, also may affect the ability of a Fund to dispose of such securities at a desirable price. Additionally, if the secondary markets for high yield bonds contract due to adverse economic conditions or for other reasons, some of a Fund's liquid securities may become illiquid and the proportion of the Fund's assets invested in illiquid securities may significantly increase.

The rating assigned by a rating agency evaluates the safety of a below-investment grade security's principal and interest payments but does not address market value risk. Because such ratings of NRSROs may not always reflect current conditions and events, in addition to using NRSROs and other sources, the Adviser performs its own analysis of the issuers whose below-investment grade securities are held by the Funds. Because of this, a Fund's performance may depend more on the Adviser's own credit analysis than in the case of mutual funds investing in higher-rated securities. For a description of these ratings, see "Appendix A - Description of Securities Ratings."

In selecting below-investment grade securities, the Adviser considers factors such as those relating to the creditworthiness of issuers, the ratings and performance of the securities, the protections afforded the securities and the diversity of a Fund. The Adviser continuously monitors the issuers of below-investment grade securities held by the Funds for their ability to make required principal and interest payments, as well as in an effort to control the liquidity of the Funds so that they can meet redemption requests. If a security's rating is reduced below the minimum credit rating that is permitted for a Fund, the Adviser will consider whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.

In the event that the Fund experiences an unexpected level of net redemptions, the Fund could be forced to sell its holdings without regard to the investment merits, thereby decreasing the assets upon which the Fund's rate of return is based.

The costs attributable to investing in the high yield markets are usually higher for several reasons, such as higher investment research costs and higher commission costs.

**BORROWING.** Each Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. This means that, in general, a Fund may borrow money from banks for any purpose on a secured basis in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets. Each Fund may also borrow money for temporary administrative purposes on an unsecured basis in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets. A Fund may choose to borrow in order to meet its redemptions.

Specifically, provisions of the 1940 Act require a Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of a Fund's total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, a Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.

As noted below, a Fund also may enter into certain transactions, including reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and sale-buybacks, that can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing or financing transaction by the Fund. The Derivatives Rule (as defined below) regulates a registered investment company's use of derivatives and certain other transactions that creature future payment and/or delivery obligations by a Fund. This rule became operative in August 2022. The Derivatives Rule prescribes specific "value at risk" or "VaR" (further defined below) leverage limits that apply to a Fund with derivatives and other applicable transactions (although a Fund may qualify for the Limited Derivatives User Exception (as defined below)). VaR is an estimate of potential losses on an instrument or portfolio over a specified time horizon and at a given confidence level. A Fund may apply a relative VaR test or an absolute VaR test (if the Fund's derivative risk manager, if applicable, determines that a designated reference portfolio would not provide an appropriate reference portfolio for purposes of the relative VaR test. The limit under the relative VaR test is 200% of the VaR of a designated reference portfolio, which, very generally, may be a designated unleveraged index or a Fund's securities portfolio excluding derivatives. If applicable, the limit under the absolute VaR test is 20% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Derivatives Rule also requires a Fund, if applicable, to appoint a derivatives risk manager, maintain a derivatives risk management program designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with transactions covered by the rule, and abide by certain Board and other reporting obligations and recordkeeping requirements. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, the Derivatives Rule permits a fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under the Derivatives Rule. A Fund has adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with the Derivatives Rule. Compliance with the Derivatives Rule could adversely affect the value or performance of a Fund. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which a Fund may engage in derivative transactions could also limit or prevent the Fund from using certain instruments. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of a Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. Each Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

Each Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and economically similar transactions. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a portfolio-eligible security by a Fund to another party coupled with its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, a Fund continues to be entitled to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by a Fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by a Fund which it is obligated to repurchase.

A "mortgage dollar roll" is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement in certain respects. In a "dollar roll" transaction, a Fund sells a mortgage-related security, such as a security issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a predetermined price. A dollar roll can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which a Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Unlike in the case of reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which a Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by a Fund, but only securities which are "substantially identical." To be considered substantially identical, the securities returned to a Fund generally must: (1) be collateralized by the same types of underlying mortgages; (2) be issued by the same agency and be part of the same program; (3) have a similar original stated maturity; (4) have identical net coupon rates; (5) have similar market yields (and therefore price); and (6) satisfy "good delivery" requirements, meaning that the aggregate principal amounts of the securities delivered and received back must be within 0.01% of the initial amount delivered.

Each Fund also may effect simultaneous purchase and sale transactions that are known as "sale-buybacks." A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty that purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of a Fund's repurchase of the underlying security. A Fund's obligation under a sale-buyback typically would be offset by liquid assets equal in value to the amount of a Fund's forward commitment to repurchase the subject security.

It is possible that changing government regulations may affect a Fund's use of these strategies. Changes in regulatory requirements concerning margin for certain types of financing transactions, such as repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and borrowing, could impact a Fund's ability to utilize these investment strategies and techniques.

**CASH POSITIONS.** A Fund may not always be fully invested. For example, when the Adviser believes that market conditions are unfavorable for profitable investing, or when it is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities in the high yield market, a Fund's cash or similar investments may increase. In other words, cash or similar investments generally are a residual – they represent the assets that remain after a Fund has committed available assets to desirable investment opportunities. When a Fund's investments in cash or similar investments increase, they may not participate in market advances to the same extent that they would if the Fund remained more fully invested, and the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be affected.

**CASH TRANSACTION RISK.** Most ETFs generally make in-kind redemptions to avoid being taxed at the fund level on gains on the distributed portfolio securities. However, unlike most ETFs, the Funds currently intend to effect redemptions for cash, rather than in-kind, because of the nature of each Fund's investments. As such, each Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds, which may result in cash transaction costs (such as brokerage costs) that are not incurred with in-kind redemptions. The Funds impose transaction fees to offset all or a part of the costs associated with a cash transaction. To the extent that the transaction fees do not offset the costs associated with a cash transaction, the Fund's performance may be negatively impacted. Each Fund may also recognize a capital gain on these sales that might not have been incurred if the Fund had made a redemption in-kind. This may decrease the tax efficiency of each Fund compared to ETFs that utilize in-kind redemption process, and there may be a substantial difference in the after-tax rate of return between each Fund and conventional ETFs.

**COMMERCIAL PAPER.** The Funds may invest in commercial paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (up to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities in order to finance their current operations.

**COMMON STOCK.** Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company or other entity. This ownership interest often gives a Fund the right to vote on measures affecting the company's organization and operations. Although common stocks generally have had a history of long-term growth in value, their prices are often volatile in the short-term and can be influenced by both general market risk and specific corporate risks. Accordingly, a Fund can lose money through its stock investments.

**CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES.** The Funds may invest in convertible securities, which may offer higher income than the common stocks into which they are convertible. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock, or other security that entitles the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to non-convertible debt or preferred securities, as applicable. Convertible securities are subordinate in rank to any senior debt obligations of the issuer, and, therefore, an issuer's convertible securities entail more risk than its debt obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible debt securities of similar credit quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. In addition, convertible securities are often lower-rated securities. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation's capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation's common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security.

Because of the conversion feature, the price of the convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying asset, and as such it is subject to risks relating to the activities of the issuer and/or general market and economic conditions. The income component of a convertible security may tend to cushion the security against declines in the price of the underlying asset. However, the income component of convertible securities causes fluctuations based upon changes in interest rates and the credit quality of the issuer.

If the convertible security's "conversion value," which is the market value of the underlying common stock that would be obtained upon the conversion of the convertible security, is substantially below the "investment value," which is the value of a convertible security viewed without regard to its conversion feature (i.e., strictly on the basis of its yield), the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. If the conversion value of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the value of the security will be principally influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security will sell at a premium over its conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding an income-producing security.

A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a predetermined price. If a convertible security held by a Fund is called for redemption, a Fund would be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security and convert it to underlying common stock, or would sell the convertible security to a third party, which may have an adverse effect on a Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective. A Fund generally would invest in convertible securities for their favorable price characteristics and total return potential and would normally not exercise an option to convert unless the security is called or conversion is forced.

**CORPORATE DEBT SECURITIES.** Each Fund's investments in U.S. dollar or foreign currency-denominated corporate debt securities of domestic or foreign issuers are limited to corporate debt securities (corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar corporate debt instruments, including convertible securities) which meet the minimum ratings criteria set forth for a Fund, or, if unrated, are in the Adviser's opinion comparable in quality to corporate debt securities in which a Fund may invest.

Corporate income-producing securities may include forms of preferred or preference stock. The rate of interest on a corporate debt security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may vary inversely with respect to a reference rate. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies. Debt securities may be acquired with warrants attached.

Securities rated Baa and BBB are the lowest which are considered "investment grade" obligations. Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") describes securities rated Baa as "subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics." Standard & Poor's<sup>®</sup> Financial Services LLC ("S&P") describes securities rated BBB as "regarded as having adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation." For securities rated BBB, Fitch Ratings Ltd. ("Fitch") states that "…expectations of default risk are currently low…capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity." For a discussion of securities rated below-investment grade, see "Below-Investment Grade Securities" above.

**CYBER SECURITY.** The Funds and their service providers are susceptible to operational and information security risks due to cyber security incidents. In general, cyber security incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber security attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (*e.g*., through "hacking" or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks also may be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (*i.e*., efforts to make services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security incidents affecting the Adviser, Transfer Agent or Custodian or other service providers such as financial intermediaries have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, including by interference with a Fund's ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading for a Fund's portfolio; the inability of a Fund's shareholders to transact business with a Fund; violations of applicable privacy, data security or other laws; regulatory fines and penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs; legal fees; or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber security incidents affecting issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, counterparties with which a Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions and other parties. While information risk management systems and business continuity plans have been developed which are designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there are inherent limitations in any cyber security risk management systems or business continuity plans, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified.

**DEBT SECURITIES.** Debt securities represent money borrowed that obligates the issuer (e.g., a corporation, municipality, government, government agency) to repay the borrowed amount at maturity (when the obligation is due and payable) and usually to pay the holder interest at specific times. Debt securities in which a Fund may (and typically does) invest are subject to several types of investment risk, including market or interest rate risk (i.e., the risk that their value will be inversely affected by fluctuations in the prevailing interest rates), credit risk (i.e., the risk that the issuer may be unable to make timely interest payments and repay the principal upon maturity), call or prepayment risk, (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities with high interest rates will be prepaid or "called" by the issuer before they mature), and event risk (i.e., the risk that certain debt securities may suffer a substantial decline in credit quality and market value if the issuer restructures).

**DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS.** American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") as well as other "hybrid" forms of ADRs, including European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"), are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. These certificates are issued by depository banks and generally trade on an established market in the United States or elsewhere. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends interest and shareholder information regarding corporate actions. ADRs may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and a depositary. An unsponsored facility may be established by a depositary without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities. These risks include foreign exchange risk as well as the political and economic risks of the underlying issuer's country.

**DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS.** In pursuing its investment objective, the Funds may, to the extent permitted by its investment objective and policies, purchase and sell (write) both put options and call options on securities, swap agreements, securities indexes, commodity indexes and foreign currencies, and enter into interest rate, index and commodity futures contracts and purchase and sell options on such futures contracts ("futures options"). The Funds also may purchase and sell foreign currency options for purposes of increasing exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another. The Funds may also enter into swap agreements with respect to interest rates, commodities and indexes of securities or commodities. The Funds may invest in structured notes. If other types of financial instruments, including other types of options, futures contracts or futures options are traded in the future, the Funds may also use those instruments, provided that such instruments are consistent with a Fund's investment objective.

The value of some derivative instruments in which the Funds invest may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Funds, the ability of the Funds to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of the Adviser to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken positions in derivative instruments contrary to prevailing market trends, the Funds could be exposed to the risk of loss.

The Funds might not employ any of the strategies described below, and no assurance can be given that any strategy used will succeed. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts interest rates, market values or other economic factors in using a derivatives strategy for the Funds, the Funds might have been in a better position if it had not entered into the transaction at all. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances. The use of these strategies involves certain special risks, including a possible imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of derivative instruments and price movements of related investments. While some strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in related investments or otherwise, due to the possible inability of the Funds to purchase or sell a portfolio security at a time that otherwise would be favorable, the possible need to sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time because the Funds are required to maintain asset coverage, offsetting positions in connection with transactions in derivative instruments or the possible inability of the Funds to close out or to liquidate its derivatives positions. In addition, a Fund's use of such instruments may cause the Funds to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains (generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates) than if it had not used such instruments. If the Funds gains exposure to an asset class using derivative instruments backed by a collateral portfolio of fixed income instruments, changes in the value of the fixed income instruments may result in greater or lesser exposure to that asset class than would have resulted from a direct investment in securities comprising that asset class.

The use of derivative instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Future Trading Commission ("CFTC"), various state regulatory authorities and, with respect to exchange-traded derivatives, the several exchanges upon which they are traded. In particular, under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act, a registered investment company's derivatives exposure, which includes short positions for this purpose, is limited through a value-at-risk test and Rule 18f-4 requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. However, subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4) are not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. Rule 18f-4 could limit a Fund's ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Funds. Moreover, there may be asset coverage requirements for certain arrangements. In order to engage in certain transactions in derivatives, the Funds may be required to hold offsetting positions or to hold cash or liquid securities in a segregated account or designated on the Fund's books. Changes in the value of a derivative may also create margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for the Funds. In addition, a Fund's ability to use derivative instruments may be limited by tax considerations.

**DOLLAR ROLLS.** The Funds may enter into dollar roll agreements, which are similar to reverse repurchase agreements. Dollar rolls are transactions in which securities are sold by a Fund for delivery in the current month and the Fund simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. Any difference between the sale price and the purchase price is netted against the interest income foregone on the securities sold to arrive at an implied borrowing rate. Alternatively, the sale and purchase transactions can be executed at the same price, with the Fund being paid a fee as consideration for entering into the commitment to purchase. Dollar rolls may be renewed prior to cash settlement and initially may involve only a firm commitment agreement by the Fund to buy a security. If the broker-dealer to which the Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund's right to repurchase the security may be restricted. At the time the Fund enters into a dollar roll, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained.

**EQUITY-LINKED SECURITIES.** The Funds may invest in equity-linked securities. Equity-linked securities are privately issued securities whose investment results are designed to correspond generally to the performance of a specified stock index or "basket" of stocks, or sometimes a single stock. To the extent that the Fund invests in an equity-linked security whose return corresponds to the performance of a foreign securities index or one or more foreign stocks, investing in equity-linked securities will involve risks similar to the risks of investing in foreign equity securities. See "Foreign Securities" below. In addition, the Fund bears the risk that the issuer of an equity-linked security may default on its obligations under the security. Equity-linked securities are often used for many of the same purposes as, and share many of the same risks with, derivative instruments such as index futures on stock indexes, zero-strike options and warrants and swap agreements. See "Derivative Instruments" above. Equity-linked securities may be considered illiquid and thus subject to the Fund's restriction on investments in illiquid securities.

**EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS ("ETFs") AND OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES.** The Funds may invest in shares of other investment companies (each, an "Underlying Fund"), including open-end funds (ETFs and mutual funds), closed-end funds, and unit investment trusts ("UITs"), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI. By investing in another investment company, the Funds will indirectly bear any asset-based fees and expenses charged by the underlying investment company in which the Funds invest.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the "Acquired Fund"), such as a Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the "Acquiring Fund") or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of a Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in a Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC no-action relief.

Set forth below is additional information about the manner in which ETFs generally operate and the risks associated with an investment in ETFs, which are in addition to the risks associated with registered investment companies, generally.

In the event that a Fund purchases shares of ETFs, such purchase is expected to be made through a broker-dealer in a transaction on a securities exchange, and in such a case the Fund will pay customary brokerage commissions for each purchase and sale. Shares of an ETF may also be acquired by depositing a specified portfolio of the ETF's underlying securities, as well as a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit, with the ETF's custodian, in exchange for which the ETF will issue a quantity of new shares sometimes referred to as a "creation unit." Similarly, shares of an ETF purchased on an exchange may be accumulated until they represent a creation unit, and the creation unit may be redeemed in kind for a portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETF's NAV) together with a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. The Funds may redeem Creation Units for the underlying securities (and any applicable cash), and may assemble a portfolio of the underlying securities (and any required cash) to purchase Creation Units, if the Adviser believes it is in a Fund's interest to do so. A Fund's ability to redeem Creation Units may be limited by the 1940 Act, which provides that an ETF will not be obligated to redeem shares held by the Funds in an amount exceeding one percent of such ETF's total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days.

<u>Termination Risk</u>. There is a risk that ETFs in which the Funds invest may terminate due to extraordinary events. For example, any of the service providers to ETFs, such as the trustee or sponsor, may close or otherwise fail to perform their obligations to the ETF, and the ETF may not be able to find a substitute service provider. Also, the ETFs may be dependent upon licenses to use the various indices as a basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade names. If these licenses are terminated, ETFs may also terminate or experience a disruption in its activities. In addition, an ETF may terminate if its net assets fall below a certain amount.

Although the Adviser believes that, in the event of the termination of an ETF, the Funds will be able to invest instead in shares of an alternate ETF tracking the same market index or another index covering the same general market, there can be no assurance that shares of an alternate ETF would be available for investment at that time.

**FIXED INCOME SECURITIES WITH BUY-BACK FEATURES.** Fixed income securities with buy-back features enable the Funds to recover principal upon tendering the securities to the issuer or a third party. Letters of credit issued by domestic or foreign banks often support these buy-back features. In evaluating a foreign bank's credit, the Adviser considers whether adequate public information about the bank is available and whether the bank may be subject to unfavorable political or economic developments, currency controls or other governmental restrictions that could adversely affect the bank's ability to honor its commitment under the letter of credit. Buy-back features include standby commitments, put bonds and demand features.

<u>Standby Commitments</u>. The Funds may acquire standby commitments from broker-dealers, banks or other financial intermediaries to enhance the liquidity of portfolio securities. A standby commitment entitles a Fund to same day settlement at amortized cost plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise. The amount payable by the issuer of the standby commitment during the time that the commitment is exercisable generally approximates the market value of the securities underlying the commitment. Standby commitments are subject to the risk that the issuer of a commitment may not be in a position to pay for the securities at the time that the commitment is exercised.

Ordinarily, a Fund will not transfer a standby commitment to a third party, although a Fund may sell securities subject to a standby commitment at any time. A Fund may purchase standby commitments separate from or in conjunction with the purchase of the securities subject to the commitments. In the latter case, the Fund may pay a higher price for the securities acquired in consideration for the commitment.

In selecting put bonds for the Funds, the Adviser takes into consideration the creditworthiness of the issuers of the underlying bonds and the creditworthiness of the providers of the tender option features. A sponsor may withdraw the tender option feature if the issuer of the underlying bond defaults on interest or principal payments, the bond's rating is downgraded or, in the case of a municipal bond, the bond loses its tax-exempt status.

<u>Demand Features</u>. Many variable rate securities carry demand features that permit the holder to demand repayment of the principal amount of the underlying securities plus accrued interest, if any, upon a specified number of days' notice to the issuer or its agent. A demand feature may be exercisable at any time or at specified intervals. Variable rate securities with demand features are treated as having a maturity equal to the time remaining before the holder can next demand payment of principal. The issuer of a demand feature instrument may have a corresponding right to prepay the outstanding principal of the instrument plus accrued interest, if any, upon notice comparable to that required for the holder to demand payment.

**FOREIGN SECURITIES.** The Funds may invest in foreign securities either directly by purchasing foreign securities or indirectly by purchasing depositary receipts or depositary shares of foreign securities (see "Depositary Receipts" above). Foreign securities include equity or debt securities issued by issuers outside the United States and include securities in the form of ADRs and EDRs (see "Depositary Receipts").

Foreign investments may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency rates and exchange control regulations. There may be less information available about a foreign company than about a U.S. company, and foreign companies may not be subject to reporting standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. Foreign securities may not be as liquid as U.S. securities. Securities of foreign companies may involve greater market risk than securities of U.S. companies, Investments in foreign securities may also be subject to local economic or political risks, political instability and possible nationalization of issuers.

Investments in securities of foreign issuers may involve risks that are not associated with domestic investments. Foreign issuers may lack uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements, and there is generally less publicly available information about foreign issuers than there is about domestic issuers. Securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and their prices are more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers. Income from foreign securities may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source or other foreign taxes. In some countries, there may also be the possibility of nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation (in which case a Fund could lose its entire investment in a certain market), limitations on the removal of monies or other assets of the Fund, higher rates of inflation, political or social instability or revolution, or diplomatic developments that could affect investments in those countries. In addition, it may be difficult to obtain and enforce a judgment in a court outside the United States.

Some of the risks described in the preceding paragraph may be more severe for investments in emerging or developing countries. By comparison with the United States and other developed countries, emerging or developing countries may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on a less diversified industrial base and securities markets that trade a smaller number of securities. Companies in emerging markets may generally be smaller, less experienced and more recently organized than many domestic companies, and prices of those companies' securities tend to be more volatile.

The economies of individual emerging countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rates of inflation, currency depreciation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment position and may be based on a substantially less diversified industrial base. Further, the economies of developing countries generally are heavily dependent upon international trade and, accordingly, have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. These economies also have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade. U.S. securities and accounting regulatory agencies continue to express concern regarding information access and audit quality regarding issuers in China and other emerging market countries, which could present heightened risks associated with investments in these markets.

**GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACTS.** The Funds may invest in guaranteed investment contracts ("GIC"). A GIC is a general obligation of an insurance company. A GIC is generally structured as a deferred annuity under which the purchaser agrees to pay a given amount of money to an insurer (either in a lump sum or in installments) and the insurer promises to pay interest at a guaranteed rate (either fixed or variable) for the life of the contract. Some GICs provide that the insurer may periodically pay discretionary excess interest over and above the guaranteed rate. At the GIC's maturity, the purchaser generally is given the option of receiving payment or an annuity. Certain GICs may have features that permit redemption by the issuer at a discount from par value. Generally, GICs are not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuer. As a result, the acquisition of GICs is subject to the limitations applicable to a Fund's acquisition of illiquid and restricted securities. The holder of a GIC is dependent on the creditworthiness of the issuer as to whether the issuer is able to meet its obligations.

**ILLIQUID SECURITIES and liquidity risk management PROGRAM.** A Fund may not knowingly invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days at approximately the value at which they are being carried on the Fund's books. The Board of Trustees has the ultimate responsibility for determining whether specific securities are liquid or illiquid. The Board of Trustees has delegated the function of making day to day determinations of liquidity to the Adviser, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of securities held by the Funds and report periodically on such decisions to the Board of Trustees. If the limitations on illiquid securities are exceeded, other than by a change in market values, the condition will be reported by the Funds' Adviser to the Board of Trustees. Illiquid securities would generally include repurchase agreements with notice/termination dates in excess of seven days and certain securities which are subject to trading restrictions because they are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). External market conditions may impact the liquidity of portfolio securities and may cause a Fund to sell or divest certain illiquid securities in order to comply with its limitation on holding illiquid securities, which may result in realized losses to the Fund.

Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires, among other things, that the Funds establish a liquidity risk management program ("LRMP") that is reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 defines "liquidity risk" as the risk that a Fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the Fund without significant dilution of the remaining investors' interests in the Fund. The Funds have implemented a LRMP to meet the relevant requirements. Additionally, the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the designation of a committee of individuals comprised of the Funds' President, Treasurer, and Chief Compliance Officer (the "LRMP Administrator") to administer the LRMP. The Board of Trustees will review no less frequently than annually a written report prepared by the LRMP Administrator that addresses the operation of the LRMP and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation. Among other things, the LRMP provides for the classification of each Fund's investment as a "highly liquid investment," "moderately liquid investment," "less liquid investment" or "illiquid investment." The liquidity risk classifications of a Fund's investments are determined after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations. To the extent that a Fund's investment is deemed to be an "illiquid investment" or a "less liquid investment," the Fund can expect to be exposed to greater liquidity risk. There is no guarantee the LRMP will be effective in its operations, and complying with Rule 22e-4, including bearing related costs, could impact a Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

**INFLATION-PROTECTED DEBT SECURITIES.** The Funds may invest in inflation-protected debt securities or inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers utilize a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index ("CPI") accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS") have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if a Fund purchased TIPS with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year's inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. The Funds may also invest in other inflation-related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal amount.

The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.

While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.

Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

**INTEREST RATE RISK.** Interest rate risk is the risk that fixed income securities will decline in value because of changes in interest rates. As nominal interest rates rise, the value of fixed income securities held by the Funds are likely to decrease. Securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates, and are usually more volatile than securities with shorter durations. In certain interest rate environments, such as when real interest rates are rising faster than nominal interest rates, inflation-indexed securities may experience greater losses than other fixed income securities with similar durations.

**LOAN PARTICIPATIONS.** The Funds may purchase participations in commercial loans. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Loan participations typically represent direct participation in a loan to a corporate borrower and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Funds may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing loan participations, a Fund assumes the credit risk associated with the corporate borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interests in which a Fund intends to invest may not be rated by any nationally recognized statistical ratings organization ("NRSRO").

A loan is often administered by an agent bank acting as agent for all holders. The agent bank administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. In addition, the agent bank is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the corporate borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions which are parties to the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, a Fund has direct recourse against the corporate borrower, the Fund may have to rely on the agent bank or other financial intermediary to apply appropriate credit remedies against a corporate borrower. A financial institution's employment as agent bank might be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement should remain available to holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank's general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. In situations involving other interposed financial institutions (e.g., an insurance company or governmental agency) similar risks may arise.

Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the corporate borrower for payment of principal and interest. If a Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund's share price and yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.

The Funds may invest in loan participations with credit quality comparable to that of the issuers of a Fund's securities investments. Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Funds bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

Each Fund limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in any one issuer or in issuers within the same industry (see "Investment Limitations"). For purposes of these limits, a Fund generally will treat the corporate borrower as the "issuer" of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between a Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as "issuers" for the purpose of determining whether the Fund has invested more than 5% of its assets in a single issuer. Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict a Fund's ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries.

Loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of readily at what the Adviser believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of illiquid indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining a Fund's NAV than if that value were based on available market quotations and could result in significant variations in the Fund's daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are traded among certain financial institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of these instruments is expected to improve. In addition, the Funds currently intend to treat indebtedness for which there is no readily available market as illiquid for purposes of the limitation on illiquid investments. Investments in loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of the Trust's investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by the Funds.

Investments in loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution's interests with respect to the loan may involve additional risks to a Fund. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, the Fund could be held liable as co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protections against fraud and misrepresentation. In the absence of definitive regulatory guidance, the Funds rely on the Adviser's research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentation could adversely affect the Funds.

**MONEY MARKET FUNDS.** The Funds may invest in the securities of money market mutual funds. Such investments are subject to limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder and applicable SEC staff interpretations thereof, or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC. (See "Investment Company Securities and Exchange-Traded Funds" above.) In seeking to provide downside protection, during periods of high market volatility the Funds may hold money market instruments, including commercial paper, banker's acceptances, certificates of deposit and other short-term debt securities.

**MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES AND ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES.** Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. See "Mortgage Pass-Through Securities." The Funds may also invest in debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations").

The recent financial downturn—particularly the increase in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgages, falling home prices, and unemployment—has adversely affected the market for mortgage-related securities. In addition, various market and governmental actions may impair the ability to foreclose on or exercise other remedies against underlying mortgage holders, or may reduce the amount received upon foreclosure. These factors have caused certain mortgage-related securities to experience lower valuations and reduced liquidity. There is also no assurance that the U.S. Government will take further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economic downturn continue or the economy experience another downturn. Further, recent legislative action and any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk that the Funds could realize losses on mortgage-related securities.

<u>Mortgage Pass-Through Securities</u>*.* Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA")) are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase.

The residential mortgage market in the United States recently has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of a Fund's mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased recently and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has recently been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

<u>Agency Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA"), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA").

However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Trust's investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Funds may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet the Trust's quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. A Fund will not purchase mortgage-related securities or any other assets which in the opinion of the Adviser are illiquid if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets will be illiquid.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. The substantial decline in real property values across the U.S. has exacerbated the level of losses that investors in privately issued mortgage-related securities have experienced. It is not certain when these trends may reverse. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in a Fund's portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

The Funds may purchase privately issued mortgage-related securities that are originated, packaged and serviced by third party entities. It is possible these third parties could have interests that are in conflict with the holders of mortgage-related securities, and such holders (such as the Funds) could have rights against the third parties or their affiliates. For example, if a loan originator, servicer or its affiliates engaged in negligence or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties, then a holder of the mortgage-related security could seek recourse against the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable. Also, as a loan originator/servicer, the originator/servicer or its affiliates may make certain representations and warranties regarding the quality of the mortgages and properties underlying a mortgage-related security. If one or more of those representations or warranties is false, then the holders of the mortgage-related securities (such as the Funds) could trigger an obligation of the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable, to repurchase the mortgages from the issuing trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, many of the third parties that are legally bound by trust and other documents have failed to perform their respective duties, as stipulated in such trust and other documents, and investors have had limited success in enforcing terms.

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to a Fund's industry concentration restrictions, set forth below under "Investment Limitations," by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. Government securities. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities, the Funds take the position that mortgage-related securities do not represent interests in any particular "industry" or group of industries. Therefore, a Fund may invest more or less than 25% of its total assets in privately issued mortgage-related securities. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

<u>Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs")</u>*.* A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as "tranches," with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as "sequential pay" CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation ("issuer") issues multiple series (*e.g.*, A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds ("Bonds"). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates ("Collateral"). The Collateral is pledged to a third party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common. For example, the Funds may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class ("PAC") CMOs and multi-class pass through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches—known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds—which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk.

<u>Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Commercial mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

<u>Other Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals or stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS"). Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

<u>CMO Residuals</u>*.* CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only ("IO") class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. See "Other Mortgage-Related Securities—Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities." In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based.

As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances the Funds may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.

CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. Transactions in CMO residuals are generally completed only after careful review of the characteristics of the securities in question. In addition, CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not have been registered under the 1933 Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the 1933 Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed "illiquid" and subject to a Fund's limitations on investment in illiquid securities.

<u>Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities ("ARMBSs") have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBSs permits the Funds to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBSs are based. Such ARMBSs generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed income debt securities of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the Funds can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBSs, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, a Fund, when holding an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (*i.e.*, the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBSs behave more like fixed income securities and less like adjustable rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed income securities. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

<u>Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the "IO" class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or "PO" class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on a Fund's yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated pre-payments of principal, the Funds may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

<u>Collateralized Debt Obligations</u>*.* The Funds may invest in collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), which include collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and other similarly structured securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed income securities such as high yield debt, residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, commercial privately issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.

For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the "equity" tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade.

Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class.

The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Funds invest. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Funds as illiquid securities, however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Funds' Prospectus (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CDOs carry additional risks including, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the Funds may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

<u>Asset-Backed Securities</u>*.* Asset-backed securities ("ABS") are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. ABS are created from many types of assets, including auto loans, credit card receivables, home equity loans, and student loans. ABS are issued through special purpose vehicles that are bankruptcy remote from the issuer of the collateral. The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement. Some ABS, particularly home equity loan transactions, are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments (after expenses are paid) are used to pay investors as quickly as possible based upon a predetermined priority of payment.

Consistent with its investment objectives and policies, the Funds also may invest in other types of asset-backed securities.

**PARTICIPATION INTERESTS.** The Funds may invest in participation interests in fixed income securities. A participation interest provides the certificate holder with a specified interest in an issue of fixed income securities.

Some participation interests give the holders differing interests in the underlying securities, depending upon the type or class of certificate purchased. For example, coupon strip certificates give the holder the right to receive a specific portion of interest payments on the underlying securities; principal strip certificates give the holder the right to receive principal payments and the portion of interest not payable to coupon strip certificate holders. Holders of certificates of participation in interest payments may be entitled to receive a fixed rate of interest, a variable rate that is periodically reset to reflect the current market rate or an auction rate that is periodically reset at auction. Asset-backed residuals represent interests in any excess cash flow remaining after required payments of principal and interest have been made.

More complex participation interests involve special risk considerations. Since these instruments have only recently been developed, there can be no assurance that any market will develop or be maintained for the instruments. Generally, the fixed income securities that are deposited in trust for the holders of these interests are the sole source of payments on the interests; holders cannot look to the sponsor or trustee of the trust or to the issuers of the securities held in trust or to any of their affiliates for payment.

Participation interests purchased at a discount may experience price volatility. Certain types of interests are sensitive to fluctuations in market interest rates and to prepayments on the underlying securities. A rapid rate of prepayment can result in the failure to recover the holder's initial investment.

The extent to which the yield to maturity of a participation interest is sensitive to prepayments depends, in part, upon whether the interest was purchased at a discount or premium, and if so, the size of that discount or premium. Generally, if a participation interest is purchased at a premium and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that anticipated at the time of purchase, the holder's actual yield to maturity will be lower than that assumed at the time of purchase. Conversely, if a participation interest is purchased at a discount and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that assumed at the time of purchase, the investor's actual yield to maturity will be higher than that assumed at the time of purchase.

Participation interests in pools of fixed income securities backed by certain types of debt obligations involve special risk considerations. The issuers of securities backed by automobile and truck receivables typically file financing statements evidencing security interests in the receivables, and the servicers of those obligations take and retain custody of the obligations. If the servicers, in contravention of their duty to the holders of the securities backed by the receivables, were to sell the obligations, the third party purchasers could acquire an interest superior to the interest of the security holders. Also, most states require that a security interest in a vehicle must be noted on the certificate of title and the certificate of title may not be amended to reflect the assignment of the lender's security interest. Therefore, the recovery of the collateral in some cases may not be available to support payments on the securities. Securities backed by credit card receivables are generally unsecured, and both Federal and state consumer protection laws may allow set-offs against certain amounts owed.

**PREFERRED STOCK.** The Funds may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally dividends as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer's board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

**REAL ESTATE SECURITIES AND RELATED DERIVATIVES.** The Funds may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in real estate-linked derivatives, real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Each of these types of investments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value and possible environmental liabilities. The Funds may also invest in rights or warrants to purchase income-producing common and preferred shares of issuers in real estate-related industries. It is anticipated that substantially all of the equity securities of issuers in real estate-related industries in which the Funds intend to invest will be traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market.

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that own, and typically operate, income-producing real estate. If a REIT meets certain requirements, including distributing to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income (other than net capital gains), then it is not taxed on the income distributed to shareholders. REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses, and so the Funds, when investing in REITs, will bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs' operations.

There are three general categories of REITs: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in direct fee ownership or leasehold ownership of real property; they derive most of their income from rents. Mortgage REITs invest mostly in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans, and the main source of their income is mortgage interest payments. Hybrid REITs hold both ownership and mortgage interests in real estate.

Along with the risks common to different types of real estate-related securities, REITs, no matter the type, involve additional risk factors. These include poor performance by the REIT's manager, changes to the tax laws, and failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free distribution of income or exemption under the 1940 Act. Furthermore, REITs are not diversified and are heavily dependent on cash flow. REITs can be listed and traded on national securities exchanges or can be traded privately between individual owners.

**REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Funds may invest in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which a Fund purchases a security from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commits to resell that security to a bank or dealer at an agreed upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest, unrelated to the coupon rate or the maturity of the purchased security. While it is not possible to eliminate all risks from these transactions (particularly the possibility of a decline in the market value of the underlying securities, as well as delays and costs to the Fund if the other party to the repurchase agreement defaults), it is the policy of each Fund to limit repurchase transactions to primary dealers and banks whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the Adviser. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered illiquid for purposes of a Fund's investment limitations.

**RESTRICTED SECURITIES.** Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption from registration. The Funds are subject to an investment limitation on the purchase of illiquid securities. Restricted securities, including securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, that are determined to be liquid are not subject to this limitation. This determination is to be made by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees. Under these guidelines, the Adviser will consider the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers in, and potential purchasers for, the securities, dealer undertakings to make a market in the security and the nature of the security and of the marketplace trades. In purchasing such restricted securities, the Adviser intends to purchase securities that are exempt from registration under Rule 144A.

**REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Funds may enter into reverse repurchase agreements in accordance with its investment restrictions. Pursuant to such agreements, a Fund would sell portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers, and agree to repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities, generally rated in one of the three highest ratings categories, consistent with a Fund's investment restrictions having a value at least equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by a Fund may decline below the price at which it is obligated to repurchase the securities. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings by a Fund under the 1940 Act. A Fund will not engage in reverse repurchase transactions if such transactions, combined with any other borrowings, exceed 33-1/3% of a Fund's assets.

**RIGHTS OFFERINGS AND WARRANTS TO PURCHASE SECURITIES.** The Funds may participate in rights offerings and may purchase warrants, which are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time.

Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Funds could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the rights' and warrants' expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security's market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. Buying a warrant does not make the Funds a shareholder of the underlying stock and changes in the value of a warrant do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security. The warrant holder has no voting or dividend rights with respect to the underlying stock. A warrant does not carry any right to assets of the issuer, and for this reason investment in warrants may be more speculative than other equity-based investments.

**SECURITIES LENDING.** For the purpose of achieving income, a Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial institutions, provided: (i) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposits, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned; (ii) a Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of the securities loaned; (iii)a Fund will receive any interest or dividends paid on the loaned securities; and (iv) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33-1/3% of the total assets of a Fund. A Fund's performance will continue to reflect the receipt of either interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments, or a fee, if the collateral is U.S. Government securities. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral should the borrower fail to return the securities loaned or become insolvent. A Fund may pay lending fees to the party arranging the loan.

**SMALL AND MID-CAP RISK.** Each Fund's investment approach is focused on identifying attractive securities issued by "middle market" companies. However, the securities of smaller and mid-size companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than securities of larger companies. This can adversely affect the prices at which a Fund can purchase and sell these securities, and thus the value of the Fund's shares.

**U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS.** The Funds may invest in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Although all obligations of such agencies and instrumentalities are not direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Government generally directly or indirectly backs payment of the interest and principal on these obligations. This support can range from securities supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (for example, GNMA securities) to securities that are supported solely or primarily by the creditworthiness of the issuer, such as securities of FNMA, FHLMC, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Federal Farm Credit Banks and Federal Home Loan Banks. In the case of obligations not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, a Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Whether backed by full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury or not, U.S. Government obligations are not guaranteed against price movements due to fluctuating interest rates.

**VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES.** Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

The Funds may invest in floating and variable rate debt instruments ("floaters") and engage in credit spread trades. The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as a money-market index or Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide the Funds with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, the Funds will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. A credit spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two securities or currencies, where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities or currencies.

The Funds may also invest in inverse floating rate debt instruments ("inverse floaters"). The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floating rate security may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation of similar credit quality. See "Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities" for a discussion of IOs and POs.

**WHEN-ISSUED, DELAYED DELIVERY AND FORWARD COMMITMENT TRANSACTIONS.** The Funds may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Typically, no income accrues on securities a Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made.

When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, a Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its NAV. Because a Fund is not required to pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other investments. If the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

When a Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis, the Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or could suffer a loss. The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a transaction after it is entered into and may sell when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment securities before they are delivered, which may result in a capital gain or loss. There is no percentage limitation on the extent to which a Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis.

**ZERO COUPON BONDS.** The Funds may invest in zero coupon bonds of governmental or private issuers that generally pay no interest to their holders prior to maturity. Since zero coupon bonds do not make regular interest payments, they allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments and may involve greater credit risks than bonds paying interest currently. The IRC requires that a Fund accrue income on zero coupon bonds for each taxable year, even though no cash has been paid on the bonds, and generally requires a Fund to distribute such income (net of deductible expenses, if any) to avoid being subject to tax and to continue to maintain its status as a RIC under the IRC. Because no cash is generally received at the time of accrual, a Fund may be required to sell investments (even if such sales are not advantageous) to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy the federal tax distribution requirements applicable to the Fund under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information.

**TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS.** The Funds may, without limit, invest in U.S. Government securities, commercial paper and other money market instruments, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents in response to adverse market conditions, as a temporary defensive position. The result of this action may be that the Funds will be unable to achieve its investment objective.

**PORTFOLIO TURNOVER.** The Funds may engage in short-term trading to try and achieve its investment objective, and accordingly may have portfolio turnover rates in excess of 100%. A portfolio turnover rate of 100% is equivalent to a fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once during the course of a year. How long the Funds hold a security in their portfolio is generally not a factor in making buy and sell decisions. Increased portfolio turnover may cause a Fund to incur higher brokerage costs, which may adversely affect the Fund's performance, and may produce increased taxable distributions. Distributions resulting from short-term trading may be taxed at less favorable rates. A Fund's portfolio turnover rate is only shown once the Fund has completed its first fiscal period of operations. With respect to the Polen Floating Rate Income ETF in particular, prior to the Reorganization with the Predecessor Fund, the portfolio turnover rate of the Predecessor Fund had increased significantly in both fiscal year 2024 and fiscal year 2025 as compared with fiscal year 2023 due to subscription and redemption activity, as well as several refinancings and repricings of certain of the holdings of the Predecessor Fund. At this time, the Adviser anticipates a significant reduction in the portfolio turnover rate for the Polen Floating Rate Income ETF as compared with the immediate two prior fiscal years of the Predecessor Fund.

**DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS**

The Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures regarding the disclosure of information about each Fund's security holdings. Each Fund's entire portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day a Fund is open for business and through financial reporting and news services including publicly available internet websites. In addition, the composition of the Deposit Securities (defined below) is publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of a national securities exchange via the National Securities Clearing Corporation.

As required by the federal or state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Funds disclose portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require. A Fund's complete list of portfolio holdings are available sixty days after each fiscal quarter end in the Funds' Form N-CSR (semiannually), and Form N-PORT (quarterly).

The Board of Trustees provides ongoing oversight of the Trust's policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Trustees receive from the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Trustees receive an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Funds, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation and effectiveness of the policies and procedures. Any deviation to this policy as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such deviations must be reported to the Trust's Board of Trustees, at its next quarterly Board meeting or sooner, as determined by the Trust's CCO.

A Fund may, but is not required to, post its schedule of investments on its website at regular intervals or from time to time at the discretion of the Adviser. This information may be as of the most recent practicable date available and need not be subject to a lag period prior to posting on its website. In addition to its schedule of investments, the Funds may post portfolio holdings information and other information on its website including, but not limited to, information about the number of securities a Fund holds, a summary schedule of investments, the Fund's top holdings, and a percentage breakdown of the Fund's investments by geographic region, sector, industry and market capitalization. After any portfolio holdings information becomes publicly available (by posting on its website or otherwise); it may be mailed, e-mailed or otherwise transmitted to any person.

The following disclosures of aggregate, composite or descriptive information about the Funds or their portfolio holdings are not subject to the Trust's policy on selective disclosure of portfolio information: (i) descriptions of allocations among classes, geographic regions, countries, industries or sectors; (ii) aggregated data such as average or median ratios or market capitalization; (iii) performance attribution by class, geographic region, country, industry or sector; (iv) aggregated risk statistics; (v) listing of top holdings without any reference to the amount of a Fund's holdings; and (vi) such other information that, in the opinion of the CCO or designee, does not present material risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading of the Funds. A Fund's portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to financial consultants or other entities that have a legitimate business purpose in receiving such information, including to assist them in determining the suitability of the Funds as an investment for their clients. In each case, such disclosure will be made in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, the Adviser's fiduciary duties to a Fund's shareholders and subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Board of Trustees, a committee thereof, or an officer designated by the Board of Trustees, may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

A Fund may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about its holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's or its Adviser's employees and affiliates that provide services to the Funds. A Fund may also distribute or authorize the distribution of information about a Fund's holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Funds' service providers who require access to the information (i) in order to fulfill their contractual duties relating to the Funds; (ii) to facilitate the transition of a newly hired investment adviser prior to the commencement of its duties; (iii) to facilitate the review of the Funds by a ranking or ratings agency; (iv) for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition; or (v) for the purpose of effecting in-kind redemption of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of a Fund's assets and minimize impact on remaining shareholders of a Fund.

Each of the following third parties has been approved to receive portfolio holdings information: (i) the Funds' administrator and accounting agent; (ii) the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm, for use in providing audit opinions; (iii) financial printers, solely for the purpose of preparing the Funds' reports or regulatory filings; (iv) the Funds' custodian in connection with their custody of the Funds' assets; (v) if applicable, a proxy voting service; or (vi) disclosure to a ranking or rating agency, such as Lipper, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Moody's, S&P and Fitch. Information may be provided to these parties at any time so long as each of these parties is contractually and ethically prohibited from sharing the Funds' portfolio holding information without specific authorization. The Funds' Adviser and service providers have also established procedures to ensure that the Funds' portfolio holdings information is only disclosed in accordance with these policies.

Under no circumstances may the Funds, the Adviser or their affiliates receive any consideration or compensation for disclosing portfolio holdings information.

The Adviser manages other accounts such as separate accounts and other registered or unregistered pooled investment vehicles. These other accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus may have similar portfolio holdings. Such accounts may have disclosures at different times than a Fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed. Additionally, such accounts may have access to their portfolio holdings and may not be subject to the foregoing restrictions.

**INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS**

The Funds have adopted the investment limitations set forth below. Except with respect to the asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowing, if any percentage restriction on investment or utilization of assets set forth in the Prospectus or this SAI is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market values of a Fund or a Fund's assets or redemptions of shares will not be considered a violation of the limitation. The asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowings is an ongoing requirement. The following fundamental policies apply to the Funds and the Board of Trustees may not change them without shareholder approval as required by the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Each Fund will not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Underwrite any issue of securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered to be acting as underwriter in connection with the purchase or sale of any portfolio security;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Purchase or sell real estate, although the Fund may purchase securities of issuers which deal in real estate, securities which are secured by interests in real estate, and securities which represent interests in real estate, and the Fund may acquire and dispose of real estate or interests in real estate acquired through the exercise of its rights as a holder of debt obligations secured by real estate or interests therein;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Purchase or sell commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments; however, this restriction shall not prevent the Fund from engaging in transactions involving swaps, futures contracts, forward contracts, options or other derivative instruments, investing in securities that are secured by commodities or investing in companies or other entities that are engaged in a commodities or commodities trading business or that have a significant portion of their assets in commodities-related investments, subject to restrictions described in the Fund's Prospectus and elsewhere in this SAI;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Make loans, except loans of portfolio securities or through repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction, the acquisition of bonds, debentures, bank loans, other debt securities or instruments, or participations or other interests therein and investments in government obligations, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or similar instruments will not be considered the making of a loan; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Invest 25% or more of the value of the Fund's assets in securities of issuers in any one industry. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or to securities issued by other investment companies. For purposes of this limitation, states, municipalities and their political subdivisions are not considered to be part of any industry;

Limitations (1) and (6) above shall be interpreted based upon no-action letters and other pronouncements of the staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Under current pronouncements, certain Fund positions may be excluded from the definition of "senior security" so long as the Fund maintains adequate cover, segregation of assets or otherwise.

For the purposes of limitation (7) above, industry classifications are determined for the Funds in accordance with the industry or sub-industry classifications as defined by Level 4 of the ICE BofA Index industry classification system. The Funds may use other classification titles, standards and systems from time to time, as it determines. The use of any particular classification system is not a fundamental policy.

**TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS**

The following tables present certain information regarding the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust. None of the Trustees are an "interested person" of the Trust, the Adviser, another investment adviser of a series of the Trust, or Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, the principal underwriter of the Trust ("Underwriter"), within the meaning of the 1940 Act and each Trustee is referred to as an "Independent Trustee" and is listed under such heading below. Employees of certain service providers to the Trust serve as officers of the Trust; such persons are not compensated by the Funds. The address of each Trustee and officer as it relates to the Trust's business is 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809.

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| **Name and**<br>**Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br>Held with<br>Trust** | **Term of<br>Office and<br>Length of**<br>**Time Served** | **Principal**<br>**Occupation(s)**<br>**During Past**<br>**Five Years** | **Number of<br>Funds in<br>Trust Complex<br>Overseen by<br>Trustee** | **Other**<br>**Directorships**<br>**Held by Trustee** |
| **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** |
| **Robert J. Christian**<br>Date of Birth: 2/49 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. Chairman from 2007 until September 30, 2019. | Retired since February 2006; Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust Company from February 1996 to February 2006; President of Rodney Square Management Corporation ("RSMC") (investment advisory firm) from 1996 to 2005; Vice President of RSMC from 2005 to 2006. | 28 | Optimum Fund Trust (registered investment company with 6 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Iqbal Mansur**<br>Date of Birth: 6/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. | Retired since September 2020; Professor of Finance, Widener University from 1998 to August 2020; Member of the Investment Committee of ChristianaCare Health System from January 2022 to present. | 28 | Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br>**Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br>Held with<br>Trust** | **Term of<br>Office and<br>Length of**<br>**Time Served** | **Principal**<br>**Occupation(s)**<br>**During Past**<br>**Five Years** | **Number of<br>Funds in<br>Trust Complex<br>Overseen by<br>Trustee** | **Other**<br>**Directorships**<br>**Held by Trustee** |
| **Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr.**<br>Date of Birth: 8/55 | Trustee and Chairman of the Board | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2016; Chairman since October 1, 2019. | Retired since March 2016. President of PNC Bank Delaware from June 2011 to March 2016; Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2011; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from September 1997 to July 2010. | 28 | Brinker Capital Destinations Trust (registered investment company with 10 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Nancy B. Wolcott**<br>Date of Birth: 11/54 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2011. | Retired since May 2014; EVP, Head of GFI Client Service Delivery, BNY Mellon from January 2012 to May 2014; EVP, Head of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2012; President of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2008 to July 2010; Chief Operating Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2007 to 2008; Executive Vice President of PFPC Worldwide Inc. from 2006 to 2007. | 28 | Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (registered investment company with 97 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Stephen M. Wynne**<br>Date of Birth: 1/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2009. | Retired since December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from July 2010 to December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from March 2008 to July 2010; President, PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2003 to 2008. | 28 | Copeland Trust (registered investment company with 2 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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**EXECUTIVE OFFICERS**

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br>Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br>Held with<br>Trust** | **Term of<br>Office and<br>Length of<br>Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br>During Past Five Years** |
| **Joel L. Weiss**<br>Date of Birth: 1/63 | President and Chief Executive Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2007. | Senior Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; President of JW Fund Management LLC from June 2016 to July 2025; Vice President and Managing Director of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from 1993 to June 2016. |
| **Christine S. Catanzaro**<br> Date of Birth: 8/84 | Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022 | Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; Consultant from October 2020 to July 2025; Senior Manager, Ernst & Young LLP from March 2013 to October 2020. |
| **T. Richard Keyes**<br>Date of Birth: 1/57 | Vice President | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2016. | President of TRK Fund Consulting LLC since July 2016; Head of Tax — U.S. Fund Services of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from February 2006 to July 2016. |
| **Gabriella Mercincavage**<br> Date of Birth: 6/68 | Assistant Treasurer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2019. | Fund Administration Consultant since January 2019; Fund Accounting and Tax Compliance Accountant to financial services companies from November 2003 to July 2018. |
| **Vincenzo A. Scarduzio**<br>Date of Birth: 4/72 | Secretary | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2012. | Director and Senior Vice President Regulatory Administration of The Bank of New York Mellon and predecessor firms since 2001. |
| **John Canning**<br>Date of Birth: 11/70 | Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Director of Chenery Compliance Group, LLC from March 2021 to present; Senior Consultant of Foreside Financial Group from August 2020 to March 2021; Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Operating Officer of Schneider Capital Management LP from May 2019 to July 2020; Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Context Capital Partners, LP from March 2016 to March 2018 and February 2019, respectively. |

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**LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES.** The basic responsibilities of the Trustees are to monitor the Trust and its funds' financial operations and performance, oversee the activities and legal compliance of the Adviser and other major service providers, keep themselves informed, and exercise their business judgment in making decisions important to the Trust's proper functioning based on what the Trustees reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the shareholders. The Board of Trustees is comprised of five individuals, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Board of Trustees meets multiple times during the year (but at least quarterly) to review the investment performance of the funds and other operational matters, including policies and procedures with respect to compliance with regulatory and other requirements.

The Board of Trustees has appointed an Independent Trustee to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman's primary role is to participate in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board of Trustees and the identification of information to be presented to the Board of Trustees with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board of Trustees. The Chairman also presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and acts as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman may perform such other functions as may be requested by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Except for any duties specified herein or pursuant to the Trust's Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, the designation of Chairman does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liability that is greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Board of Trustees, generally.

Each Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees because of his or her experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills as set forth in the subsection "Trustee Qualifications," below. Based on a review of the Board of Trustees and its function, the Trustees have determined that the leadership structure of the Board of Trustees is appropriate and that the Board of Trustees' role in the risk oversight of the Trust, as discussed below, allows the Board of Trustees to effectively administer its oversight function.

The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. The responsibilities of each committee and its members are described below.

**AUDIT COMMITTEE.** The Audit Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Wynne currently serves as the chairman of the Audit Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter (the "Audit Committee Charter") for the Audit Committee. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee has the responsibility, among others, to (1) select the Trust's independent registered public accountants; (2) review and approve the scope of the independent registered public accountants' audit activity; (3) oversee the audit process of the financial statements which are the subject of the independent registered public accountants' certifications; and (4) review with such independent registered public accountants the adequacy of the Trust's basic accounting system and the effectiveness of the Trust's internal accounting controls. The Audit Committee meets at least two times per year. The Audit Committee met four times during the Funds' fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

**NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.** The Nominating and Governance Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott. Mr. Mansur serves as the chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for formulating a statement of corporate governance; assessing the size, structure and composition of the Board of Trustees; determining trustee qualification guidelines as well as compensation, insurance and indemnification of Trustees; identifying Trustee candidates; oversight of Board of Trustees self-evaluations; reviewing certain regulatory and corporate matters of the Trust; and identifying, from time to time, qualified candidates to serve as the CCO for the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee meets at least once a year. The Nominating and Governance Committee met two times during the Funds' fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. The Nominating and Governance Committee identifies potential nominees in accordance with its Statement of Policy on Qualifications for Board of Trustees Membership. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominee candidates recommended by shareholders. Shareholders who wish to recommend individuals for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee as nominee candidates may do so by submitting a written recommendation to the Secretary of the Trust at: 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809. Submissions must include sufficient biographical information concerning the recommended individual, including age, at least ten years of employment history with employer names and a description of the employer's business, and a list of board memberships (if any). The submission must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board of Trustees and to serve if elected. Recommendations must be received in a sufficient time, as determined by the Nominating and Governance Committee in its sole discretion, prior to the date proposed for the consideration of nominee candidates by the Board of Trustees. Upon the written request of shareholders holding at least a 5% interest in the Trust's shares in the aggregate, the Secretary shall present to any special meeting of shareholders such nominees for election as trustees as specified in such written request.

**TRUSTEE QUALIFICATIONS.** The following is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills that led to the Board of Trustees' conclusion that each individual identified below is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

The Board of Trustees believes that the Trustees' ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Adviser, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, support the conclusion that each Trustee is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply as to each Trustee: Mr. Marsini is the former President of PNC Bank Delaware, former Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon, former Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual funds complexes; Mr. Wynne is the former Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual funds complexes; Ms. Wolcott is the former Executive Vice President of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former President of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee of other mutual funds complexes; Mr. Christian served as the Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual funds complexes; and Mr. Mansur is a Professor Emeritus at Widener University. He previously served as a Professor of Finance, School of Business Administration, at Widener University and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes.

In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Trustees considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board of Trustees' overall composition so that the Board of Trustees, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Trust and its funds. The summaries set forth above as to the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of the Trustees do not constitute holding out the Board of Trustees or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board of Trustees as a whole than would otherwise be the case.

**RISK OVERSIGHT.** Through its direct oversight role, and indirectly through its Committees, of officers and service providers, the Board of Trustees performs a risk oversight function for the Trust and its funds consisting, among other things, of the following activities: (1) at regular and special Board of Trustees meetings, and on an ad hoc basis as needed, receiving and reviewing reports related to the performance and operations of the Trust and its funds; (2) reviewing and approving, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust; (3) meeting with the portfolio management team to review investment strategies, techniques and the processes used to manage related risks; (4) meeting with representatives of key service providers, including the investment advisers, administrator, the distributor, the transfer agent, the custodian and the independent registered public accounting firms of the funds, to review and discuss the activities of the Trust and its funds and to provide direction with respect thereto; and (5) engaging the services of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust to test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service providers.

**SECURITY AND OTHER INTERESTS.** The following table sets forth the equity securities in the Funds and in all registered investment companies overseen by the Trustees within the Trust Complex that the Trustees beneficially owned as of December 31, 2024.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range of Equity<br>Securities in each Fund** | **Aggregate Dollar Range<br>of Equity Securities in<br>All Registered Investment<br>Companies Overseen by<br>Trustee within the Family of<br>Investment Companies** |
| **Independent Trustees** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Robert J. Christian |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Iqbal Mansur |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nancy B. Wolcott |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stephen M. Wynne |  | $50001 - $100000 |

---

As of December 31, 2024, none of the Independent Trustees, or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) served as an officer, director or was an employee of the Trust, the Adviser or the Underwriter, or of any of their respective affiliates. Nor do any of such persons serve as an officer or director or is an employee of any company controlled by or under common control with such entities. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Independent Trustees or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) owned beneficially or of record any interest in the Adviser or the Underwriter, or in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities.

**COMPENSATION.** In addition to the fees below, the Trust reimburses the Trustees for their related business expenses. The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Trustees for the fiscal period ended April 30, 2025.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**Name of Trustee** | **Aggregate<br> Compensation<br> from the**<br>**Trust** | **Pension or Retirement<br> Benefits Accrued as<br> Part of the Trust's**<br>**Expenses** | **Estimated Annual<br> Benefits upon**<br>**Retirement** | **Total Compensation<br> from the Trust**<br>**Complex** |
| Robert J. Christian | $120639 | $0 | $0 | $120639 |
| Iqbal Mansur | $135586 | $0 | $0 | $135586 |
| Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. | $145492 | $0 | $0 | $145492 |
| Nancy B. Wolcott | $120579 | $0 | $0 | $120579 |
| Stephen M. Wynne | $140509 | $0 | $0 | $140509 |

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**CODE OF ETHICS**

In accordance with Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, each of the Trust and the Adviser have adopted a code of ethics (each, a "Code" and together, the "Codes").

The Codes are intended to prohibit or restrict transactions that may be deemed to create a conflict of interest among the Adviser or the Trust. Each Code identifies the specific employees, officers or other persons who are subject thereto and all are required to abide by the provisions thereunder. Persons covered under the Codes may engage in personal trading for their own accounts, including securities that may also be purchased or held or traded by the Funds under certain circumstances.

Under the Code adopted by the Trust, personal trading is subject to specific restrictions, limitations, guidelines and other conditions. Under the Code adopted by the Adviser, personal trading is subject to pre-clearance and other conditions set forth in its Code.

On an annual basis or whenever deemed necessary, the Board of Trustees reviews reports regarding all of the Codes including information about any material violations of the Codes. The Codes are on public file as exhibits to the Trust's registration statement with the SEC.

**PROXY VOTING**

The Board of Trustees has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting procedures and has delegated the responsibility for exercising the voting rights associated with the securities purchased and/or held by the Funds to the Adviser, subject to the Board of Trustees' continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by general fiduciary principles. It must act prudently, solely in the interest of a Fund, and for the purpose of providing benefits to the Fund. The Adviser will consider the factors that could affect the value of a Fund's investment in its determination on a vote.

The Adviser has identified certain significant contributors to shareholder value with respect to a number of common or routine matters that are often the subject of proxy solicitations for shareholder meetings. The proxy voting procedures address these considerations and establish a framework for consideration of a vote that would be appropriate for a Fund. In particular, the proxy voting procedures outline principles and factors to be considered in the exercise of voting authority for proposals addressing such common or routine matters.

The Adviser's proxy voting procedures establish a protocol for voting of proxies in cases in which the Adviser or an affiliated entity has an interest that is reasonably likely to be affected by a proxy to be voted on behalf of a Fund or that could compromise the Adviser's independence of judgment and action in voting the proxy in the best interest of a Fund's shareholders. The Adviser believes that consistently voting in accordance with its stated guidelines will address most conflicts of interest, and to the extent any deviation of such guidelines occurs it will be carefully assessed by a securities review committee to determine if a conflict of interest exists, and if a material conflict of interest exists, the committee will determine an appropriate resolution, which may include consultation with management or Trustees of the Trust, analyses by independent third parties, or other means necessary to ensure and demonstrate the proxy was voted in the best interests of shareholders. The Adviser's proxy voting policies and procedures are attached herewith as Appendix B. The Funds are required to file annually its proxy voting record on Form N-PX with the SEC. Form N-PX is required to be filed by August 31 of each year and when filed will be available without charge by request by calling either Fund at (888) 426-7515 or on the SEC's website at *www.sec.gov*.

**CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES**

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund. Any person who directly or indirectly owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund, may be deemed an "affiliated person" of the Fund, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. As of August 1, 2025, the following persons were the only persons who were record owners (or to the knowledge of the Trust, beneficial owners) of 5% or more of the shares of the Fund. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Trustees and officers of the Trust owned individually and together in excess of 1% of the outstanding shares of a Fund.

**Polen Floating Rate Income ETF**

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held of<br> Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br> Institutional Class<br> Shares Owned** |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122 | 229426.20 | 60% |
| Cede & Co. | 152950.80 | 40% |

---

**Polen High Income**

**ETF**

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Address of Owner** | **Number of<br> Shares Held of<br> Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Percentage of<br> Institutional Class<br> Shares Owned** |
| Cede & Co. | 800000 | 100% |

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See also, "Book Entry Only System" regarding the DTC which acts as securities depositary for the shares.

**INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES**

Polen Capital Credit, LLC ("Polen Credit" or the "Adviser") is a registered investment adviser headquartered at 1075 Main Street, Suite 320, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451. Polen Credit was founded in 1996 as DDJ Capital Management, LLC and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to pension and profit sharing plans, other pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government agencies and other institutional investors. As of June 30, 2025, Polen Credit had approximately $6.6 billion in assets under management. Polen Credit is wholly-owned by Polen Capital Management, LLC, 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33431, an investment adviser registered with the SEC.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser manages the assets of each Fund (the "Investment Advisory Agreement"). Each Investment Advisory Agreement has an initial term of two years and continues in effect from year to year thereafter if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees including a majority of the Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Fund. Each Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the respective Fund on 60 days' written notice or the Adviser on 90 days' written notice without penalty. Each Investment Advisory Agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment as defined in the 1940 Act. Polen Credit, subject to the general oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objectives, policies and limitations.

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, Polen Credit is entitled to receive a unified management fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the applicable Fund of 0.59% for the Polen Floating Rate Income ETF and 0.63% for the Polen High Income ETF. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024, after fee waivers and expense reimbursements, the Adviser did not receive an investment advisory fee with respect to the Predecessor Fund.

The management fee is structured as a "unified fee." Polen Credit has agreed to pay all expenses incurred by the Fund except for the following expenses, each of which is paid by the Fund: interest and other costs of borrowing; taxes and other governmental fees; brokerage expenses, trading expenses and other expenses in connection with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions; acquired fund fees and expenses; accrued deferred tax liability; extraordinary expenses and other non-routine expenses of the Fund; payments under the Fund's 12b-1 Plan (if activated); and the management fee payable to the Adviser.

With respect to each Fund, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive 0.10% (10 basis points) of its investment advisory fee (the "Fee Waiver"). The Fee Waiver will remain in place until August 31, 2026, unless the Board of Trustees approves its earlier termination.

The following tables set forth the aggregate fees paid to the Adviser by the Predecessor Fund and Polen Floating Rate Income ETF (the "Successor Fund") for services rendered during the fiscal period from June 30, 2022 (commencement of Predecessor Fund operations) to April 30, 2023, the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024 and the fiscal periods from April 30, 2024 to March 23, 2025 and March 24, 2025 (commencement of Polen Floating Rate Income ETF operations) to April 30, 2025, and by Polen High Income ETF for services rendered during the fiscal period from March 25, 2025 (commencement of Polen High Income ETF operations) to April 30, 2025:

<u>**For the Fiscal Period Ended April 30, 2025**</u>**<sup>1</sup>**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Gross Advisory<br> Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee<br> Waivers and<br> Expenses Waived<br> or Reimbursed** | **Net<br> Advisory<br> Fees** |
| Polen Floating Rate Income ETF | $5444 | $(923) | $4521 |

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(1) Polen Floating Rate Income ETF commenced operations on March 24, 2025.

<u>**For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024**</u>

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Gross Advisory<br>Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee<br>Waivers and<br>Expenses Waived<br>or Reimbursed** | **Net<br>Advisory<br>Fees** |
| Predecessor Fund | $53868 | $(112820) | $(58952) |

---

<u>**For the Fiscal Period Ended April 30, 2023**</u>**<sup>2</sup>**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Gross Advisory<br>Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee<br>Waivers and<br>Expenses Waived<br>or Reimbursed** | **Net<br>Advisory<br>Fees** |
| Predecessor Fund | $32255 | $(120962) | $(88707) |

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(2) The Predecessor Fund commenced operations on June 30, 2022.

<u>**For the Fiscal Period Ended April 30, 2025**</u>**<sup>3</sup>**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Gross Advisory<br> Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee<br> Waivers and<br> Expenses Waived or Reimbursed** | **Net<br> Advisory<br> Fees** |
| Polen High Income ETF | $3994 | $(634) | $3360 |

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3) Polen High Income ETF commenced operations on March 25, 2025.

Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser agrees to provide for the management of the Fund including: (i) the provision of a continuous investment program for the Fund, including investment research and management with respect to all securities, investments, cash and cash equivalents in the Fund, (ii) the determination from time to time of what securities and other investments will be purchased, retained, or sold for the Fund, (iii) the placement from time to time of orders for all purchases and sales made for the Fund, (iv) the entering into, execution and delivery of all agreements, certificates, and documents for the purchase, sale and other dealings related to investments of the Fund (including, without limitation, assignment agreements with respect to bank loan transactions), in its capacity as investment adviser on behalf of the Fund; (v) in connection with its management of the Fund, monitoring and assistance with anticipated purchases and redemptions of Creation Units (as defined in the Fund's Prospectus and SAI) by shareholders and new investors, (vi) the determination of the amount of the cash component, the identity and number of shares of the securities to be accepted in exchange for "Creation Units" for the Fund and the securities that will be applicable that day to redemption requests received for the Fund (and may give directions to the Fund's custodian with respect to such designations), (vii) the coordination of the Fund's compliance with rules of the applicable securities exchange on which the Fund's shares are listed, and (viii) the establishment, monitoring and maintaining the Fund's website to comply with applicable law. Additionally, the Adviser agrees to create and maintain all necessary records in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the various functions performed by it and not otherwise created and maintained by another party pursuant to contract with the Funds. The Trust and/or the Adviser may at any time or times, upon approval by the Board of Trustees, enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements with a sub-adviser pursuant to which the Adviser delegates any or all of its duties as listed.

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any loss suffered by a Fund in connection with the matters to which the agreement relates, except resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services, or to the extent of a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its obligations and duties under the agreement.

The salaries of personnel of the Adviser performing services for the Funds relating to research, statistical and investment activities are paid by the Adviser.

Polen Credit is wholly owned and controlled by Polen Capital. Polen Capital is controlled by its Management Committee. The Management Committee comprises Stan C. Moss, CEO, Daniel Davidowitz, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, and Damon Ficklin, Head of Team, Portfolio Manager and Analyst, and the Management Committee is controlled by Messrs. Moss and Davidowitz.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

The management of each Fund is the responsibility of investment professionals employed by the Adviser. The information provided below supplements the information provided in the Prospectus under the heading "Portfolio Managers" with respect to the investment professionals responsible, either individually or jointly, for the day-to-day management of the Funds, including information regarding:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) " <u>Other Accounts Managed</u>." Other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers and the management team members responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds as of the date of this SAI;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) " <u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>." Material conflicts of interest identified by the Adviser that may arise in connection with each Portfolio Manager's management of a Fund's investments and investments of other accounts managed.

These potential conflicts of interest include material conflicts between the investment strategy of a Fund and the investment strategy of the other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager and conflicts associated with the allocation of investment opportunities between the Funds and other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager. Additional conflicts of interest may potentially exist or arise that are not discussed below;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) " <u>Compensation</u>." A description of the structure of and method used to determine the compensation received by the Portfolio Managers or management team members from a Fund, the Adviser or any other source with respect to managing a Fund and any other accounts and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) " <u>Ownership of Securities</u>." Information regarding each Portfolio Manager's dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in the Funds as of the date of this SAI.

<u>Other Accounts Managed</u>. The table below includes details regarding the number of other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers, total assets under management for each type of account and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees as of April 30, 2025:

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **POLEN HIGH INCOME ETF**<br>**Type of Accounts** | **Total<br> Number of<br> Accounts**<br>**Managed** | **Total Assets**<br>**(millions)** | **Number of <br> Accounts <br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance<br> Based**<br>**Advisory Fee** | **Total Assets <br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance <br> Based<br> Advisory Fee**<br>**(millions)** |
| **John W. Sherman** |  | | | |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies<sup>(1)</sup>: | 7 | $917 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles<sup>(2)</sup>: | 4 | $201 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts<sup>(3)</sup>: | 23 | $4531 | 6 | $1351 |
| **Benjamin J. Santonelli** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies<sup>(1)</sup>: | 7 | $917 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles<sup>(2)</sup>: | 4 | $201 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts<sup>(3)</sup>: | 23 | $4531 | 6 | $1351 |

---

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **POLEN FLOATING RATE INCOME ETF**<br>**Type of Accounts** | **Total<br> Number of<br> Accounts**<br>**Managed** | **Total Assets**<br>**(millions)** | **Number of <br> Accounts <br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance<br> Based**<br>**Advisory Fee** | **Total Assets <br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance <br> Based<br> Advisory Fee**<br>**(millions)** |
| **John W. Sherman** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies<sup>(1)</sup>: | 7 | $921 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles<sup>(2)</sup>: | 4 | $201 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts<sup>(3)</sup>: | 23 | $4531 | 6 | 1351 |
| **Benjamin J. Santonelli** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Registered Investment Companies<sup>(1)</sup>: | 7 | $921 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles<sup>(2)</sup>: | 4 | $201 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts<sup>(3)</sup>: | 23 | $4531 | 6 | $1351 |

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(1) Represents the Adviser's mutual fund portfolios (either advised or sub-advised) that are registered with the SEC. Two legacy sub-advised mutual fund portfolios that remain in winddown as of April 30, 2025 and with de minimis assets under management have been excluded.

(2) Represents the Adviser's proprietary commingled vehicles (excluding any funds managed by the Adviser on behalf of a single investor or affiliated group of investors).

(3) Represents the Adviser's separately managed portfolios that are not advised or sub-advised for registered investment companies (as well as funds managed by the Adviser on behalf of a single investor or an affiliated group of investors). Legacy accounts presently in winddown and with insignificant assets under management have been excluded.

<u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>. Polen Credit provides advisory services to other clients which invest in securities of the same type in which the Funds invests. The Adviser is aware of its obligation to ensure that when orders for the same securities are entered on behalf of a Fund and other accounts, a Fund receives fair and equitable allocation of these orders, particularly where affiliated accounts may participate. The Adviser attempts to mitigate potential conflicts of interest by adopting policies and procedures regarding trade execution, brokerage allocation and order aggregation which provide a methodology for ensuring fair treatment for all clients in situations where orders cannot be completely filled or filled at different prices.

<u>Compensation</u>. The Adviser compensates each Fund's portfolio managers for management of the Fund. Each portfolio manager's compensation consists of (i) a base salary, (ii) a year-end bonus and (iii) awards of equity-like ("phantom") interests in the Adviser, entitling each portfolio manager to an additional distribution based on the revenue and/or profits of the Adviser and/or its parent company. The Adviser's compensation strategy is to provide each portfolio manager with a reasonable base salary commensurate with their responsibility together with a performance bonus award. Total compensation of each Fund's portfolio managers is not directly related to the Fund's performance.

<u>Ownership of Shares of the Funds</u>. As of April 30, 2025, Mr. Santonelli did not beneficially own equity securities in the Polen High Income ETF or the Polen Floating Rate Income ETF. As of April 30, 2025, Mr. Sherman beneficially owned $50,001-$100,000 of equity securities in the Polen High Income ETF and $100,001-$500,000 of equity securities in the Polen Floating Rate Income ETF.

**ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES**

Pursuant to an Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated July 19, 2007, The Bank of New York Mellon performs certain administrative services for the Trust including, among other things, assisting in the preparation of the annual post-effective amendments to the Trust's registration statement, assisting in obtaining the fidelity bond and trustees' and officers'/errors and omissions insurance policies, preparing notices, agendas, and resolutions for quarterly Board of Trustees meetings, maintaining the Trust's corporate calendar, maintaining Trust contract files and providing executive and administrative services to support the Independent Trustees. The Bank of New York Mellon also performs certain administrative and accounting services for the Trust such as preparing shareholder reports, providing statistical and research data, assisting the Adviser in compliance monitoring activities, and preparing and filing federal and state tax returns on behalf of the Trust. In addition, The Bank of New York Mellon prepares and files certain reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepares certain materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Trust. The accounting services performed by The Bank of New York Mellon include determining the NAV per share of the Funds and maintaining records relating to the securities transactions of the Funds.

The Bank of New York Mellon performed certain administrative services for the Predecessor Fund. Administration and accounting service fees paid for the Predecessor Fund during the fiscal period from June 30, 2022 (commencement of Predecessor Fund operations) to April 30, 2023 and for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024 were $8,008 and $7,622, respectively.

The table below sets forth the administration and accounting service fees paid by each Fund to The Bank of New York Mellon for services rendered during the fiscal period from March 24, 2025 (commencement of Polen Floating Rate Income ETF operations) to April 30, 2025 and the fiscal period from March 25, 2025 (commencement of Polen High Income ETF operations) to April 30, 2025:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Fiscal Period Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** |
| Polen Floating Rate Income ETF<sup>1</sup> | $3087 |
| Polen High Income ETF<sup>2</sup> | $0 |

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(1) Polen Floating Rate Income ETF commenced operations on March 24, 2025.

(2) Polen High Income ETF commenced operations on March 25, 2025.

**ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS**

**INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.** PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market St #1800, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm to the Funds.

**LEGAL COUNSEL.** Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, 3000 Two Logan Square, 18th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as counsel to the Trust.

**CUSTODIAN.** The Bank of New York Mellon (the "Custodian"), 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286, serves as the Funds' custodian. The Custodian's services include, in addition to the custody of all cash and securities owned by the Trust, the maintenance of custody accounts in the Custodian's trust department, the segregation of all certificated securities owned by the Trust, the appointment of authorized agents as sub-custodians, disbursement of funds from the custody accounts of the Trust, releasing and delivering securities from the custody accounts of the Trust, maintaining records with respect to such custody accounts, delivering to the Trust a daily and monthly statement with respect to such custody accounts and causing proxies to be executed. The Funds have made arrangements with BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company to serve as custodian for Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs").

**TRANSFER AGENT.** BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing"), 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, serves as the Trust's Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent.

**OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.** The Trust has engaged Tidal ETF Services LLC, 234 West Florida Street, Suite 203, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204 to provide persons to serve as Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer and provide various other services for the Trust. The Trust has engaged Chenery Compliance Group, LLC to provide on-going compliance services, including providing an individual to serve as the Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust.

**OFFERING PRICE**

Each Fund offers and issues its shares at its NAV only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (each, a "Creation Unit"). The Funds generally offer and issue shares either in exchange for (i) specified cash payment equal to the aggregate NAV of a Creation Unit, (ii) a basket of securities designated by the Fund ("Deposit Securities") together with the deposit of a specified cash payment ("Cash Component") (or a cash payment equal in value to the Deposit Securities ("Deposit Cash") together with the Cash Component). The primary consideration accepted by the Funds (*i.e.,* Cash Payment, Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash) is set forth under "Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units" later in this SAI. The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Cash to replace any Deposit Security, which shall be added to the Cash Component. The Trust also reserves the right to: permit or require the substitution of Deposit Securities in lieu of Deposit Cash (subject to applicable legal requirements). The Trust also reserves the right to deviate from a representative selection of a Fund's portfolio holdings as part of the Deposit Securities if such deviation is in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. The shares have been approved for listing and secondary trading on a national securities exchange. The shares will trade on the exchange at market prices. These prices may differ from the shares' NAVs. The shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, and generally in exchange either for (i) cash (subject to applicable legal requirements), or (ii) portfolio securities and a specified cash payment. For the preceding, the Trust reserves the right to deviate from a representative selection of the Fund's portfolio holdings if such deviation is in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders.

Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Trust cash at least equal to a specified percentage of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities as set forth in the applicable participant agreement. See "Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units" below. The Trust may impose a transaction fee for each creation or redemption. In all cases, such fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the SEC applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. In addition to the fixed creation or redemption transaction fee, an additional transaction fee of up to three times the fixed creation or redemption transaction fee and/or an additional variable charge may apply as discussed in the section "Purchase and Redemptions of Creation Units" below.

**CONTINUOUS OFFERING**

The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Trust on an ongoing basis, at any point a "distribution," as such term is used in the 1933 Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the 1933 Act.

For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares, and sells such shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the 1933 Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker- dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not "underwriters" but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the 1933 Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus-delivery obligation with respect to shares of the Funds are reminded that under 1933 Act Rule 153, a prospectus-delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the 1933 Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on an exchange is satisfied by the fact that the Fund's prospectus is available at the exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

The Adviser or its affiliates (the "Selling Shareholder") may purchase Creation Units through a broker-dealer to "seed" (in whole or in part) funds as they are launched, or may purchase shares from broker-dealers or other investors that have previously provided "seed" for funds when they were launched or otherwise in secondary market transactions, and because the Selling Shareholder may be deemed an affiliate of such funds, the Funds' shares are being registered to permit the resale of these shares from time to time after purchase. Such Fund will not receive any of the proceeds from the resale by the Selling Shareholders of these Fund shares.

The Selling Shareholder intends to sell all or a portion of the Fund shares owned by it and offered hereby from time to time directly or through one or more broker-dealers and may also hedge such positions. The Fund shares may be sold on any national securities exchange on which the Fund shares may be listed or quoted at the time of sale, in the over-the-counter market or in transactions other than on these exchanges or systems at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of the sale, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices. These sales may be effected in transactions, which may involve cross or block transactions.

The Selling Shareholder may also loan or pledge Fund shares to broker-dealers that in turn may sell such Fund shares, to the extent permitted by applicable law. The Selling Shareholder may also enter into options or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or the creation of one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of Fund shares, which Fund shares such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell.

The Selling Shareholder and any broker-dealer or agents participating in the distribution of Fund shares may be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the 1933 Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions paid to any such broker-dealer or agent and any profit on the resale of the Fund shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the 1933 Act. The Selling Shareholder who may be deemed an "underwriter" within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the 1933 Act will be subject to the applicable prospectus delivery requirements of the 1933 Act.

**EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING**

Shares are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on the Funds' Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc. (the "Exchange").

A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in a Fund is contained in such Fund's prospectus under "Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares" and "Additional Purchase and Sale Information." The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such sections of the Fund's Prospectus.

Shares are approved for listing and trading on the Exchange, subject to notice of issuance. Shares trade on the Exchange at prices that may differ to some degree from their NAV. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of shares of a Fund will continue to be met.

The Exchange may consider the suspension of trading in, and may initiate delisting proceedings of, the shares of a Fund under any of the following circumstances: (i) if the Exchange becomes aware that the Fund is no longer eligible to operate in reliance on Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act; (ii) if the Fund no longer complies with the applicable listing requirements set forth in the Exchange's rules; (iii) if, following the initial twelve-month period after commencement of trading on the Exchange of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial holders of the Fund; or (iv) if such other event shall occur or condition exists which, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will remove the shares from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund. The Trust reserves the right to adjust the share price of the Fund in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.

As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers' commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.

The base and trading currencies of the fund is the U.S. dollar. The base currency is the currency in which the Fund's NAV per share is calculated and the trading currency is the currency in which shares of the Fund are listed and traded on the Exchange.

**BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM**

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the prospectus entitled "Additional Purchase and Sale Information."

The DTC acts as securities depositary for the shares. Shares of the Funds are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC. Except in the limited circumstance provided below, certificates will not be issued for shares. DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, was created to hold securities of its participants (the "DTC Participants") and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the NYSE and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the "Indirect Participants").

Beneficial ownership of shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as "Beneficial Owners") is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of shares.

**Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows.** Pursuant to the depositary agreement between the Trust and DTC, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the shares of the Funds held by each DTC Participant. The Trust, either directly or through a third-party service, shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust, either directly or through a third-party service, shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant and/or third-party service a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

Share distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all shares. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall credit immediately DTC Participants' accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in shares of the Funds as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a "street name," and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.

The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspects of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.

DTC may determine to discontinue providing its service with respect to shares at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action either to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost or, if such a replacement is unavailable, to issue and deliver printed certificates representing ownership of shares, unless the Trust makes other arrangements with respect thereto satisfactory to the Exchange.

**BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES**

Subject to policies established by the Board of Trustees, the Adviser is primarily responsible for the execution of the Funds' portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage. The Adviser has no obligation to deal with any dealer or group of dealers in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities of the Funds. The Funds invest in securities traded in the over-the-counter markets, and the Adviser often deals directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved except in those circumstances where better prices and execution are available elsewhere. It is the objective of the Adviser to seek to obtain the best results in conducting portfolio transactions for the Funds, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable dealer-spread or commission), the size, type and difficulty of the transaction involved, the firm's general execution and operations facilities and the firm's risk in positioning the securities involved. The cost of portfolio securities transactions of the Funds primarily consists of dealer or underwriter spreads and brokerage commissions.

While reasonable competitive spreads or commissions are sought, the Funds will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or commission available. Subject to obtaining the best net results, dealers who provide supplemental investment research (such as quantitative and modeling information assessments and statistical data and provide other similar services) to the Adviser may receive orders for transactions by the Funds. Information so received will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Agreement and the expense of the Adviser will not necessarily be reduced as a result of the receipt of such supplemental information. Supplemental investment research obtained from such dealers may be used by the Adviser in servicing all of its accounts and such research may or may not be useful to the Adviser in connection with the Funds. In all cases, the Adviser understands its on-going obligation to seek "best execution" of its clients' transactions. The Adviser considers the range of services provided by brokers in selecting those with whom to place trades including, but not limited to, commission rate, execution capability, responsiveness, and financial responsibility. In general, the Adviser receives a limited amount of research and/ or brokerage services paid for by brokers. Polen Capital, the parent company of the Adviser, maintains a Best Execution Committee, which is comprised of representatives from trading, operations, portfolio management, investment research and compliance teams (including certain representatives of the Adviser). The Best Execution Committee meets quarterly and is responsible for overseeing the Adviser's trading activities in accordance with the Adviser's Best Execution Policies and Procedures. The Best Execution Committee evaluates brokerage relationships annually. Under the 1940 Act, except as permitted by exemptive order or rule, persons affiliated with the Funds are prohibited from dealing with the Funds as principal in the purchase and sale of securities. However, affiliated persons of the Funds may serve as its brokers in certain over-the-counter transactions conducted on an agency basis.

Securities held by the Funds may also be held by, or be appropriate investments for, other funds or investment advisory clients for which the Adviser or its affiliates act as an adviser. Because of different investment objectives or other factors, a particular security may be bought for an advisory client when other clients are selling the same security. If purchases or sales of securities by the Adviser for the Funds or other funds for which it acts as investment adviser or for other advisory clients arise for consideration at or about the same time, transactions in such securities may be made, insofar as are feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed by the Adviser to be on a fair and equitable basis. Transactions effected by the Adviser (or its affiliates) on behalf of more than one of its clients during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, causing an adverse effect on price.

Brokerage commissions paid by the Predecessor Fund for the fiscal period from June 30, 2022 (commencement of its operations) to April 30, 2023, for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024, and for the period April 30, 2024 through March 23, 2025 were $25,080.93, $30,206.19 and $18,261.82, respectively. Brokerage commissions paid by the Polen Floating Rate Income ETF for the fiscal period from March 24, 2025 (commencement of its operations) to April 30, 2025 were $15,872.90. Brokerage commissions paid by the Polen High Income ETF for the fiscal period from March 25, 2025 (commencement of its operations) to April 30, 2025 were $28,550.00.

With respect to trades in high yield fixed income securities (which accounted for 100% of trades with a commission for the Predecessor Fund for the period April 30, 2024 through March 23, 2025, the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024, and the period from June 30, 2022 through April 30, 2023, 100% of trades with a commission for the Polen Floating Rate Income ETF for the period March 24, 2025 (commencement of fund operations) to April 30, 2025, and 100% of trades with a commission for the Polen High Income ETF for the period March 25, 2025 (commencement of fund operations) to April 30, 2025), commissions are built into the bid-ask spread, with the current industry standard high yield commission being a quarter of a point (0.25%). Accordingly, such amount has been used to estimate the commissions incurred with respect to all high yield trading by the Predecessor Fund.

For the periods discussed in the paragraph above, the Predecessor Fund, Polen Floating Rate Income ETF, Polen High Income ETF and the Adviser did not, through an agreement or understanding with a broker, or otherwise through an internal allocation procedure, direct brokerage transactions to a broker because of research services provided.

For the period April 30, 2024 through March 23, 2025, the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024, and the period from June 30, 2022 through April 30, 2023, the Predecessor Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to the Adviser or to an affiliate of the Predecessor Fund or the Adviser. For the fiscal periods from March 24, 2025 (commencement of Polen Floating Rate Income ETF operations) to April 30, 2025 and from March 25, 2025 (commencement of Polen High Income ETF operations) to April 30, 2025, neither Polen Floating Rate Income ETF nor Polen High Income ETF, paid any brokerage commissions to the Adviser or to an affiliate of the Funds or the Adviser.

The Funds may at times invest in securities of their regular broker-dealers or a parent of their regular broker-dealers. During the fiscal period from June 30, 2022 (commencement of the Predecessor Fund's operations) until April 30, 2023, the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024, and the period April 30, 2024 through March 23, 2025, the Predecessor Fund acquired no securities of its regular broker-dealers or a parent of its regular broker-dealers. During the fiscal periods from March 24, 2025 (commencement of Polen Floating Rate Income ETF operations) to April 30, 2025 and from March 25, 2025 (commencement of Polen High Income ETF operations) to April 30, 2025, neither Polen Floating Rate Income ETF nor Polen High Income ETF acquired any securities of their regular broker-dealers or a parent of their regular broker-dealers.

**ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES**

The additional compensation to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus may be calculated based on factors determined by the Adviser and its affiliates from time to time, including: the value of a Fund's shares sold to, or held by, a financial intermediary's customers; gross sales of a Fund's shares by a financial intermediary; or a negotiated lump sum payment.

In addition to the additional cash payments to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus, subject to applicable FINRA rules and regulations, the Adviser and its affiliates may provide compensation to financial intermediaries that may enable the Adviser and its affiliates to sponsor or participate in educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions involving the sales representatives and other employees of financial intermediaries in order to promote the sale of the Funds' shares. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses, meals, lodging and entertainment of financial intermediaries and their sales representatives and other employees in connection with such educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions. These payments may vary with each such event.

**DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES AND RULE 12B-1 PLAN**

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"), located at 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101, serves as a principal underwriter of the Funds' shares pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement with the Trust. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriter continuously distributes shares of the Funds on a best efforts basis. The Underwriter has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of shares of the Funds. The Underwriter and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Funds. Shares will be continuously offered for sale by series of the Trust through the Underwriter only in Creation Units, as described in the prospectus and in this SAI under "Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units." Shares in less than Creation Units are not distributed by the Underwriter, nor does the Underwriter maintain a secondary market in fund shares. The Underwriter will deliver the prospectus to persons purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Underwriter is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and a member of FINRA. An affiliate of the Underwriter may assist Authorized Participants (defined below) in assembling shares to purchase Creation Units or upon redemption, for which it may receive commissions or other fees from such Authorized Participants (defined below). The Underwriter also serves as distributor for other affiliated registered funds.

To the extent that the Underwriter receives fees under the Funds' Plan of Distribution adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "12b-1 Plan"), the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of marketing or sales services with respect to the Funds' shares as may be required pursuant to such plan.

Moreover, to the extent that the Underwriter receives shareholder service fees under any shareholder services plan adopted by the Funds, the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, or other financial institutions for the furnishing of personal or account maintenance services with respect to the relevant shareholders of the Funds as may be required pursuant to such plan. The Underwriter receives no underwriting commissions or Rule 12b-1 fees in connection with the sale of the Funds' Institutional Class shares. The Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of Independent Trustees, have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Trust, the Funds and the shareholders of the Funds' shares.

The Underwriter may furnish or enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions for the sale of Creation Units of Fund shares. With respect to certain financial institutions and related funds "supermarket" platform arrangements, the Funds and/or the Adviser, rather than the Underwriter, typically enter into such agreements. These financial institutions may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from the Adviser and/or the Funds. These financial institutions may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Funds.

The Underwriting Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods provided such continuance is approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Underwriter, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the agreement, will not be liable to the Funds or its shareholders for losses arising in connection with the sale of Funds' shares.

The Underwriting Agreement terminates automatically in the event of an assignment. The Underwriting Agreement is also terminable without payment of any penalty with respect to the Funds (i) by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust or the Funds and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan of a Fund or any agreements related to the 12b-1 Plan or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund on sixty (60) days written notice to the Underwriter; or (ii) by the Underwriter on sixty (60) days written notice to the Fund. The Underwriter will be compensated for distribution services according to the 12b-1 Plan regardless of the Underwriter's expenses. The Underwriter uses the entire 12b-1 for distribution expenses and does not retain any amounts for profit. The Underwriter does not receive compensation from the Fund for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a 12b-1 Plan is effective. The Adviser pays the Underwriter a fee for certain distribution-related services.

The 12b-1 Plan provides that the Underwriter will be paid for distribution activities such as public relations services, telephone services, sales presentations, media charges, preparation, printing and mailing advertising and sales literature, data processing necessary to support a distribution effort and printing and mailing of prospectuses to prospective shareholders. Additionally, the Underwriter may pay certain financial institutions such as banks or broker-dealers who have entered into servicing agreements with the Underwriter and other financial institutions for distribution and shareholder servicing activities.

The 12b-1 Plan further provides that payment shall be made for any month only to the extent that such payment does not exceed 0.25% on an annualized basis of the Fund's shares average net assets, except with respect to limitations set from time to time by the Board of Trustees.

Under the 12b-1 Plan, if any payments made by the Adviser out of its advisory fee, not to exceed the amount of that fee, to any third parties (including banks), including payments for shareholder servicing and transfer agent functions, were deemed to be indirect financing by the Funds of the distribution of its shares, such payments are authorized. The Funds may execute portfolio transactions with and purchase securities issued by depository institutions that receive payments under the 12b-1 Plan. No preference for instruments issued by such depository institutions is shown in the selection of investments.

**CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES**

The Trust issues and offers one class of shares of each Fund. The shares of a Fund, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Prospectus, will be fully paid and non-assessable shares, with equal voting rights and no preferences as to conversion, exchange, dividends, redemption or any other feature.

The net income attributable to the shares and the dividends payable on such shares will be reduced by the amount of any applicable shareholder service or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees. Accordingly, the NAV of the shares will be reduced by such amount to the extent a Fund has undistributed net income.

Shares of a Fund entitle holders to one vote per share and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, do not have preemptive or subscription rights and are transferable. Each Fund takes separate votes on matters affecting only that Fund's shares.

The Funds do not hold an annual meeting of shareholders. The Trustees are required to call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any Trustee when requested in writing to do so by the shareholders of record owning not less than 10% of a Fund's outstanding shares.

**PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS**

The Trust issues and redeems shares of the Funds on any Business Day (as defined below) only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Underwriter, without a sales load but subject to the transaction fees described below, at the NAV next determined after receipt of an order in proper form. The number of shares of a Fund that constitute a Creation Unit is 10,000. The Creation Unit size of a Fund may change, and an Authorized Participant (defined below) will be notified of such change.

The Funds are open on every "Business Day," which is any day the Exchange is open. The Exchange is generally open for trading Monday through Friday and are generally closed on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. On days when the Exchange or the bond markets close earlier than normal, the Funds may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day.

See "Purchase of Creation Units" and "Acceptance of Orders for and Redemption of Creation Units" below for more information about transacting in the shares of the Funds. The Board reserves the right to declare a split or a consolidation in the number of shares outstanding of each Fund, and may make a corresponding change in the number of shares constituting a Creation Unit, in the event that the per shares price in the secondary market rises (or declines) to an amount that falls outside the range deemed desirable by the Adviser or the Board or for any other reason.

**Purchase of Creation Units.** Creation Units may be purchased and redeemed only by or through a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Underwriter that allows such member or participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units (an "Authorized Participant"). Such Authorized Participant will agree to certain conditions, pursuant to the terms of such Authorized Participant Agreement and on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act. Investors who are not Authorized Participants must make appropriate arrangements with an Authorized Participant to purchase or redeem Creation Units. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not be an Authorized Participant and that Creation Unit orders may have to be placed by the investor's broker through an Authorized Participant, which may result in additional charges to such investor. A list of current Authorized Participants may be obtained from the Underwriter.

Investors who are not Authorized Participants may purchase and sell shares of the Funds in any amount on the secondary market.

Because the portfolio securities of the Funds may trade on days that the Exchanges are closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, investors may not be able to purchase or redeem Creation Units of a Fund, or buy or sell shares of the Funds on days when the NAV of a Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant non-U.S. markets.

The consideration for the purchase of a Creation Unit of a Funds consists of either (i) for cash purchase, the specified cash payment equal to the aggregate NAV of a Creation Unit (the "Cash Payment") or (ii) for in-kind purchases, an in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the "Deposit Securities") (or cash for all or any portion of such Deposit Securities ("Deposit Cash")), and the Cash Component, which is an amount equal to the difference between the aggregate NAV of a Creation Unit and the Deposit Securities. The term "Fund Deposit" as used herein means, (i) for cash purchase, the Cash Payment; or (ii) for in-kind purchases, collectively, the Deposit Securities and/or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component. Currently, the Trust anticipates that Creation Units will be purchased in cash.

The Custodian or the Administrator expects to make available through the National Securities Clearing Corporation ("NSCC") on each Business Day, prior to the opening of regular trading on the Exchanges, the required Cash Payment (for cash purchases) or the list of names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security and the required amount of Deposit Cash (for in-kind purchases), as applicable, and the estimated amount of the Cash Component to be included in the current Fund Deposit for that Business Day.

The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities may change pursuant to, among other matters, changes in the composition of a Fund's portfolio and as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time and when Custom Baskets (defined below) are used. Cash purchases of Creation Units will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases. The Authorized Participant will pay the required Deposit Cash plus or minus the same Cash Component. The means by which the Fund Deposit are to be delivered by the Authorized Participant to the Funds are set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement, except to the extent the Underwriter and the Authorized Participant otherwise agree. Fund shares will be settled through the DTC system.

To the extent the Fund permits or requires in-kind purchase of Creation Units, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Cash to replace any Deposit Security, which shall be added to the Cash Component, including, without limitation, situations where the Deposit Security: (i) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery, (ii) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC for corporate securities and municipal securities; (iii) may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant (as discussed below) or the investor for which it is acting; (iv) would be restricted under the securities laws or where the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under the securities laws, or (v) in certain other situations (collectively, "non-standard orders"). The Trust also reserves the right to: permit or require the substitution of Deposit Securities in lieu of Deposit Cash. The adjustments described above will reflect changes, known to the Adviser on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of a Fund Deposit, resulting from certain corporate actions.

To the extent that the Adviser, on behalf of a Fund, may need to convert subscriptions that are made in whole or in part in cash into a foreign currency prior to purchasing investments denominated in foreign currencies at the applicable exchange rate and subject to the applicable spread, Creation Unit purchasers bear the risk associated with changes in the currency exchange rate and security value between the time they place their order and the time that a Fund converts any cash received into foreign investments.

**Placement of Purchase Orders.** To initiate an order for a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit to the Underwriter an irrevocable order in proper form to purchase shares of a Fund on a Business Day generally before the time as of which that day's NAV is calculated. The NAV of each Fund is calculated and determined once daily as of the close of the regular trading session on the Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, or at the time as of which the Exchange establishes official closing prices) on each day that the Exchange is open. For a purchase order to be processed based on the NAV calculated on a particular Business Day, the purchase order must be received in proper form and accepted by the Trust prior to the time the applicable NAV is calculated and the order window, as established for the Fund, is closed ("Cutoff Time"). Investors who are not Authorized Participants and seek to place a purchase order for a Creation Unit through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Underwriter by the Cutoff Time on such Business Day. On days when the applicable Exchange or the bond markets close earlier than normal, a Fund may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. Orders requesting a change in the Deposit Securities as disseminated through NSCC for that Business Day, non-standard orders (e.g., "Custom Baskets" (defined below)), or all-cash orders generally must be received in proper form and accepted by the Trust at least three hours prior to Cutoff Time (1:00 p.m. Eastern Time), for orders seeking the same Business Day's NAV. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust may, but is not required to, permit non-standard orders and/or all-cash payments until 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, or until the market close (in the event an Exchange closes early).

Purchase orders requesting settlement on a T+0 basis must be received in proper form between 6:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, to be calculated using the same Business Day's NAV. Purchase orders requesting settlement on a T+0 basis may also be received in proper form between 4:01 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time to be calculated using the next Business Day's NAV.

The Authorized Participant Agreement sets forth the different methods whereby Authorized Participants can submit purchase orders. A purchase order is considered to be in "proper form" if a request in a form satisfactory to the Funds is (1) received by the Underwriter from an Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another person before the Cutoff Time, and (2) all the procedures and other requirements applicable to the method used by the Authorized Participant to submit the purchase order, such as, in the case of purchase orders submitted through the applicable order portal, the completion of all required fields, and otherwise set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement are properly followed.

Creation Unit orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant through the applicable order portal, by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Underwriter. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede transmissions between the Underwriter and an Authorized Participant. Orders to create shares of a Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) when the securities markets in a foreign market in which a Fund may invest are closed may not be accepted or may be charged the maximum transaction fee. A purchase order, if accepted by the respective Fund, will be processed based on the NAV as of the next Cutoff Time.

**Acceptance of Orders for and Issuance of Creation Units.** All questions as to whether an order has been submitted in proper form and the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by each Fund and the Fund's determination shall be final and binding.

The Funds reserve the right to reject or revoke acceptance of a creation order for any reason, provided that such action does not result in a suspension of sales of Creation Units in contravention of Rule 6c-11 and the SEC's positions thereunder. For example, a Fund may reject or revoke acceptance of a creation order, including, but not limited to, when (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of a Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the identity and number of shares specified; (iv) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (v) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; (vi) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Authorized Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; or (vii) circumstances outside the control of the Funds, the Underwriter and the Adviser make it impracticable to process purchase orders. The Underwriter shall notify a prospective purchaser of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such purchaser of the rejection or revocation of acceptance of such order. The Funds, the Custodian, any subcustodian and the Underwriter are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall any of them incur any liability for failure to give such notification.

Except as provided in the following paragraph, a Creation Unit will not be issued until the transfer of good title to a Fund of the Deposit Securities and the payment of the Cash Component, Deposit Cash and creation transaction fees have been completed. In this regard, the Custodian will require, prior to the issuance of a Creation Unit, that any sub-custodian confirm to the Custodian that the Deposit Securities have been delivered to the account of a Fund at the sub-custodian(s). If a Fund does not receive the foregoing by the time specified the Creation Unit may not be delivered or the purchase order may ultimately be rejected.

The Funds may issue Creation Units to an Authorized Participant, notwithstanding the fact that all Deposit Securities have not been received, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant's delivery and maintenance of collateral having a value of up to 105% of the value of the missing Deposit Securities. The only collateral that is acceptable is cash in U.S. dollars. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time on the contractual settlement date of the Creation Unit(s). The Funds may buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time, and the Authorized Participant will be liable for any shortfall between the cost to the Fund of purchasing such securities and the cash collateral. In addition, the cash collateral may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and any income on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant.

In certain cases, an Authorized Participant may create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date. In these instances, the Funds reserve the right to settle these transactions on a net basis or require a representation from the Authorized Participant that the creation and redemption transactions are for separate Beneficial Owners.

Once a Fund has accepted a purchase order, upon the next determination of the NAV of the shares, the Fund may confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit, against receipt of payment, at such NAV. The Fund will then transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order. Creation Units typically are settled on a "T+1 basis" (i.e., one Business Day after trade date), subject to certain exceptions. However, the Funds reserve the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1, including in order to accommodate non-U.S. market holiday schedules, closures and settlement cycles, and to account for different treatment among non-U.S. and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates.

Orders for Creation Units received in proper form that request a T+0 settlement will be settled on a "T+0 basis" (i.e., on trade date).

**Creation Transaction Fees.** A standard creation transaction fee, as set forth in the table below, is imposed to offset transfer and other costs associated with the issuance of Creation Units, as applicable. The Funds may adjust the transaction fee from time to time. The standard creation transaction fee is charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant creates a Creation Unit and is the same regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased by the Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day.

The Authorized Participant may also be required to pay a variable transaction fee (up to the maximum amount shown in the table below) to cover certain non-standard orders, whole or partial cash purchases or redemptions, brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses. Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities, including any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses. With respect to creation orders, Authorized Participants are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Securities to the account of the respective Fund and with respect to redemption orders, Authorized Participants are responsible for the costs of transferring the Redemption Securities from the respective Fund to their account or on their order. Investors who use the services of a broker or other financial intermediary may be charged a fee for such services.

The standard creation transaction fee for a Creation Unit of each Fund is set forth below:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Standard<br> Transaction Fee** |
| Polen Floating Rate Income ETF | $500 |
| Polen High Income ETF | $500 |

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The Adviser may adjust the transactions fees from time to time based on actual experience.

**Redemptions of Creation Units.** The consideration paid by the Funds for the redemption of Creation Units consists of either (i) for cash redemptions, cash equal to the aggregate NAV of a Creation Unit (the "Cash Redemption Proceeds"), or (ii) for in-kind redemptions, an in-kind basket of a designated portfolio of securities (the "Fund Securities") (or cash for all or any portion of such Fund Securities ("Redemption Cash")) and the Cash Component, which is an amount equal to the difference between the aggregate NAV of a Creation Unit and the Fund Securities. The term "Fund Redemption" as used herein means, (i) for cash redemptions, the Cash Redemption Proceeds; or (ii) for in-kind redemptions, collectively, the Fund Securities and/or Redemption Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component. Currently, the Trust anticipates that Creation Units will be cash redemptions.

Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws and the Funds (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserve the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that a Fund cannot lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or cannot do so without first registering the Fund Security under such laws.

The composition of the Fund Securities may not be the same as the Deposit Securities. In addition, the identity and number of shares of the Fund Securities may change pursuant to, among other matters, changes in the composition of a Fund's portfolio and as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time and when Custom Baskets (defined below) are used. Cash redemptions of Creation Units will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions. The Authorized Participant will receive cash equal to the aggregate NAV of the Creation Units redeemed.

The means by which the Fund Securities and Cash Component are to be delivered to the Authorized Participant by the Funds are set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement, except to the extent the Underwriter and the Authorized Participant otherwise agree. The delivery of Fund Shares will be settled through the DTC system.

To the extent that the Adviser may need to sell investments denominated in foreign currencies prior to converting such proceeds into U.S. dollars at the applicable exchange rate and subject to the applicable spread for redemptions that are made in whole or in part for cash, those redeeming Creation Units will bear the risk associated with changes in the currency exchange rate and securities value between the time they place their redemption order and the time that a Fund converts any foreign currency-denominated investments into U.S. dollars.

**Placement of Redemption Orders.** To initiate a redemption order for a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit to the Underwriter an irrevocable order in proper form to redeem shares of a Fund on a Business Day generally before the time as of which that day's NAV is calculated. The NAV of each Fund is calculated and determined once daily as of the close of the regular trading session on the Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, or at the time as of which the Exchange establishes official closing prices) on each day that the Exchange is open. For a redemption order to be processed based on the NAV calculated on a particular Business Day, the order must be received in proper form and accepted by the Trust prior to the Cutoff Time. Investors who are not Authorized Participants and seek to place a redemption order for a Creation Unit through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the redemption order to the Underwriter by the Cutoff Time on such Business Day. On days when the applicable Exchange or the bond markets close earlier than normal, a Fund may require orders to redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. Orders requesting a change in the Fund Redemption as disseminated through NSCC for that Business Day, non-standard orders (e.g., "Custom Baskets"), or all-cash redemption orders generally must be received in proper form and accepted by the Trust at least three hours prior to Cutoff Time (1:00 p.m. Eastern Time), for orders seeking the same Business Day's NAV. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust may, but is not required to, permit non-standard orders and/or all-cash redemptions until 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time, or until the market close (in the event an Exchange closes early).

The Authorized Participant Agreement sets forth the different methods whereby Authorized Participants can submit redemption orders. A redemption request is considered to be in "proper form" if a request in a form satisfactory to the Fund is (1) received by the Underwriter from an Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another person within the time period set above, and (2) all the procedure sand other requirements applicable to the method used by the Authorized Participant to submit the redemption order, such as, in the case of redemption orders submitted through the applicable order portal, the completion of all required fields, and otherwise set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement are properly followed.

Creation Unit orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant through the applicable order portal, by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Underwriter. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede transmissions between the Underwriter and an Authorized Participant. Orders to redeem shares of a Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) when the securities markets in a foreign market in which the Funds may invest are closed may be charged the maximum transaction fee. A redemption request, if accepted by the Trust, will be processed based on the NAV as of the next Cutoff Time.

**Acceptance of Orders for and Redemption of Creation Units.** All questions as to whether an order has been submitted in proper form and the requisite number of Fund Shares and transaction fees have been delivered shall be determined by the Funds and a Fund's determination shall be final and binding.

The Funds reserve the absolute right to reject a redemption order if the order is not in proper form. In addition, the right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to a Fund (i) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (ii) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted, (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of a Fund's portfolio securities or determination of its NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC. The Funds or Underwriter will normally notify the Authorized Participant of such rejection, but neither shall be liable for any failure to give such notification.

Except as provided in the following paragraph, the payment by the Fund of Cash Redemption Proceeds or the Fund Securities, including Redemption Cash, and Cash Component will not be issued until the transfer of the Creation Unit(s) and the applicable redemption transaction fees have been completed. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the redeeming investor's shares through DTC's facilities and the applicable redemption transaction fees by the required time, the redemption request may be rejected. Further, a redeeming Beneficial Owner or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Beneficial Owner must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction where Fund Securities are customarily traded and will be delivered. If neither the redeeming Beneficial Owner nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Beneficial Owner has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of Fund Securities in the applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction, and it is not possible to make such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Trust in its sole discretion may determine to redeem Shares in Redemption Cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds as Redemption Cash.

To the extent contemplated by the Authorized Participant Agreement, in the event the Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit to be redeemed to the Funds' Transfer Agent, the Transfer Agent will nonetheless accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant's delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash having a value (marked to market daily) of up to 105%, which the Trust may change from time to time, of the value of the missing shares. The current procedures for collateralization of missing shares require, among other things, that any cash collateral shall be in the form of U.S. dollars in immediately available funds and shall be held by the Custodian and marked to market daily, and that the fees of the Custodian and any sub-custodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant Agreement will permit the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, to purchase the missing shares and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such shares and the value of the collateral.

Once a Fund has accepted a redemption order, upon the next determination of the NAV of the shares, the Fund may confirm the redemption of a Creation Unit, against receipt of Shares, at such NAV. The Fund will then transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order. Deliveries of redemption proceeds by a Fund typically are settled on a "T+1 basis" (i.e., one Business Day after trade date), but may be made up to seven days later, particularly in stressed market conditions. Further, the Funds reserve the right to settle redemption transactions on another basis to accommodate non-U.S. market holiday schedules (see below for further information), closures and settlement cycles, to account for different treatment among non-U.S. and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (i.e., the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold), and in certain other circumstances.

In certain cases, an Authorized Participant may create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date. In these instances, the Fund reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis or require a representation from the Authorized Participant that the creation and redemption transactions are for separate Beneficial Owners.

**Redemption Transaction Fees.** A standard redemption transaction fee, as set forth in the table below, is imposed to offset transfer and other costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units, as applicable. The Funds may adjust the transaction fee from time to time. The standard redemption transaction fee is charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant redeems a Creation Unit and is the same regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed by an Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day.

The Authorized Participant may also be required to pay a variable transaction fee (up to the maximum amount shown in the table below) to cover certain non-standard orders, whole or partial cash purchases or redemptions, brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses. Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Fund Securities, including any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses. Investors who use the services of a broker or other financial intermediary may be charged a fee for such services.

The standard redemption transaction fee for a Creation Unit is set forth below:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Standard<br> Transaction Fee** |
| Polen Floating Rate Income ETF | $500 |
| Polen High Income ETF | $500 |

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The Adviser may adjust the transactions fees from time to time based on actual experience.

**Custom Baskets.** The baskets of securities comprising a Fund Deposit and a Fund Redemption may be representative of a Fund's portfolio holdings, or a Fund may utilize Custom Baskets provided that certain conditions are met.

A "Custom Basket" is (i) a basket that is composed of a non-representative selection of a Fund's portfolio holdings, or (ii) a representative basket that is different from the initial basket used in transactions on the same business day, and (iii) a basket that contains bespoke cash and/or security substitutions, including for a single Authorized Participant. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that govern the construction and acceptance of baskets, including heightened requirements for Custom Baskets. Such policies and procedures provide detailed parameters for the construction and acceptance of Custom Baskets that are deemed to be in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders, establish processes for revisions to, or deviations from, such parameters, and specify the titles and roles of the employees of the Adviser who are required to review each Custom Basket for compliance with those parameters.

In connection with the construction and acceptance of Custom Baskets, the Adviser may consider various factors, including, but not limited to: (1) whether the securities, assets and other positions comprising a basket are consistent with a Fund's investment objective, policies and disclosure; (2) whether the securities, assets and other positions can legally and readily be acquired, transferred and held by the Fund and/or Authorized Participant(s), as applicable; (3) whether to utilize cash, either in lieu of securities or other instruments or as a cash balancing amount; and (4) whether the use of Custom Baskets may reduce costs, increase (tax) efficiency and improve trading. Although the policies and procedures are designed to mitigate against potential overreaching by an Authorized Participant, there is no guarantee that such policies and procedures will be effective.

**PRICING OF FUND SHARES**

For the Funds, the NAV per share of a Fund is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets by the total number of the Fund's shares outstanding. This determination is made by The Bank of New York Mellon, as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) each day the Funds are open for business. The Funds are open for business on days when the Exchange is open for business.

Each Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Certain fixed income securities may be valued based upon appraisals received from a pricing service using a computerized matrix system or based upon appraisals derived from information concerning the security or similar securities received from a recognized dealer or dealers in those securities. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used to value fixed income securities with 60 days or less remaining until maturity, so long as such amortized cost method approximates fair value. Any assets held by a Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that a Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of a Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of a Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**DIVIDENDS**

The Funds intend to distribute substantially all of their net investment income, if any. Dividends from a Fund's net investment income are declared and paid monthly to the shareholders. Distributions, if any, of net short-term capital gain and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over the short-term capital loss) realized by a Fund, after deducting any available capital loss carryovers are declared and paid to its shareholders annually.

A Fund's dividends and distributions are taxable to shareholders (other than retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors) whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of a Fund. A dividend or distribution paid by a Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend distribution. A dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares by an investor would, therefore, represent, in substance, a return of capital to the shareholder with respect to such shares even though it would be subject to federal income tax. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check a Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

A statement will be sent to you after the end of each year detailing the tax status of your distributions. Please see "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by a Fund.

**CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS**

The following discussion summarizes certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Funds and their shareholders. This discussion is for general information only and does not purport to consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that might be relevant to beneficial owners of shares of a Fund. The summary discussion that follows may not be considered to be individual tax advice and may not be relied upon by any shareholder. The summary is based upon provisions of the IRC, applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations (whether temporary, proposed or final) promulgated thereunder (the "Regulations"), and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, as are in effect as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, which change could be retroactive and may affect the conclusions expressed herein. The summary applies only to beneficial owners of shares of a Fund in whose hands such shares are capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the IRC, and may not apply to certain types of beneficial owners of shares of a Fund, including, but not limited to insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, shareholders holding a Fund's shares through tax-advantaged accounts (such as an individual retirement account (an "IRA"), a 401(k) plan account, or other qualified retirement account), financial institutions, pass-through entities, broker-dealers, entities that are not organized under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, persons who are neither a citizen nor resident of the United States, shareholders holding a Fund's shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction and shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax. Persons who may be subject to tax in more than one country should consult the provisions of any applicable tax treaty to determine the potential tax consequences to them.

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds a Fund's common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of such partnership. A partner of a partnership holding a Fund's common stock should consult its own tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the partner of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Fund's common stock by the partnership.

The summary assumes that shareholders will hold a Fund's common stock as capital assets, which generally means as property held for investment. This discussion addresses only the U.S. income tax consequences of an investment by U.S. shareholders, and, therefore, does not address U.S. estate and gift tax rules, U.S. state or local taxation, the alternative minimum tax, excise taxes, transfer taxes or foreign taxes.

For purposes of the following discussion, "U.S. shareholder" is a shareholder that is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) created or organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if (a) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust's administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) it has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. A "Non-U.S. shareholder" is a person that is neither a U.S. shareholder nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The Funds have not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") as to the federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. In addition, the following discussion applicable to shareholders of the Funds addresses only some of the federal income tax considerations generally affecting investments in the Funds.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of the ownership, purchase and disposition of an investment in the Funds including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**GENERAL.** The Funds have elected, and intends to continue to qualify each year for, taxation as a RIC under Subchapter M of the IRC. By qualifying as a RIC, a Fund (but not the shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders.

Shareholders should be aware that investments made by the Funds, some of which are described below, may involve complex tax rules some of which may result in income or gain recognition by a shareholder without the concurrent receipt of cash. Although the Funds seek to avoid significant noncash income, such noncash income could be recognized by the Funds, in which case it may distribute cash derived from other sources in order to meet the minimum distribution requirements described below. Cash to make the required minimum distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by a Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by its governing documents and other regulatory restrictions, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed.

**QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY.** Qualification as a RIC under the IRC requires, among other things, that each Fund: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income from certain qualified publicly traded partnerships (together with (i), the "Qualifying Income Requirement"), and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the value of its assets is comprised of cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with those other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers controlled by it and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (together with (i) the "Diversification Requirement").

The Treasury Department is authorized to promulgate regulations under which gains from foreign currencies (and options, futures, and forward contracts on foreign currency) would not constitute qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement only if such gains are not directly related to the principal business of a Fund in investing in stock or securities or options and futures with respect to stock or securities. To date, no such regulations have been issued.

As a RIC, a Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders in any taxable year for which it distributes, in compliance with the IRC's timing and other requirements the sum of (i) at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount income, market discount income, income from securities lending, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, certain net realized foreign currency exchange gains, and any other taxable income other than "net capital gain" as defined below and is reduced by deductible expenses all determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid); and (ii) 90% of its tax-exempt interest, if any, net of certain expenses allocable thereto ("net tax-exempt interest"). A Fund may retain for investment all or a portion of its "net capital gain" (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). If a Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain, they will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If a Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who will be (i) required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of tax paid by the Fund against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of the shares owned by a shareholder of a Fund will be increased by the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder's gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by the Fund on that amount of capital gain.

The qualifying income and asset requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for a Fund to qualify as a RIC, as described above, may limit the extent to which it will be able to engage in derivative transactions. Rules governing the federal income tax aspects of derivatives, including swap agreements, are not entirely clear in certain respects, particularly in light of two IRS revenue rulings issued in 2006. Revenue Ruling 2006-1 held that income from a derivative contract with respect to a commodity index is not qualifying income for a RIC. Subsequently, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2006-31 in which it stated that the holding in Revenue Ruling 2006-1 "was not intended to preclude a conclusion that the income from certain instruments (such as certain structured notes) that create a commodity exposure for the holder is qualifying income." In 2016, the IRS issued notice and stated they would not address what constitutes a "security" for purposes of Qualifying Income. In addition, the IRS requested comments as to whether the 2006 Revenue Rulings should be withdrawn, and in 2019, the IRS concluded that it would not withdraw the 2006 Revenue Rulings at that time. Accordingly, a Fund's ability to invest in commodity related derivative transactions and other derivative transactions may be limited by the Qualifying Income Requirement. A Fund will account for any investments in commodity derivative transactions in a manner it deems to be appropriate; the IRS, however, might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized.

For purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, all of the net income of a RIC derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (generally, defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (i) of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above) will be treated as qualifying income. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the IRC do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. The transferee of a partnership interest generally is required to withhold 10% of the amount realized on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest after December 31, 2017 if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person.

For purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership.

If a Fund fail to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures to satisfy the Diversification Requirements where a Fund correct the failure within a specified period of time. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, the Fund will fail to qualify as a RIC and will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation subject to tax on a flat tax rate of 21% and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) to its shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders, a maximum long-term capital gains rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). If a Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for a period of greater than two taxable years, the Fund generally would be required to recognize any built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a sale of such assets within ten years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

**EXCISE TAX.** If a Fund fail to distribute by December 31 of each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its taxable ordinary income (excluding capital gains and losses) for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (as adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the twelve month period ending on October 31 of such year), and (3) all taxable ordinary income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for the prior year that were not distributed during such year and on which it did not pay federal income tax, the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax (the "Excise Tax") on the undistributed amounts. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the calendar year if it is declared by the Funds in October, November, or December of that year to shareholders of record on a date in such month and paid by it during January of the following year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders (other than those not subject to federal income tax) in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. A Fund intend to actually distribute or be deemed to have distributed substantially all of its net income and gain, if any, by the end of each calendar year in compliance with these requirements so that it will generally not be required to pay the Excise Tax. A Fund may, in certain circumstances, be required to liquidate its investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid Excise Tax liability at a time when its Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so. Liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of a Fund to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC.

**CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS.** The Funds are permitted to carry forward a net capital loss from any year to offset their capital gains, if any, realized indefinitely in the years following the year of the loss. The excess of a Fund's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gain is treated as short-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year and the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gain is treated as long-term capital losses arising on the first day of a Fund's next taxable year. If future capital gains are offset by carried forward capital losses, such future capital gains are not subject to Funds-level federal income taxation, regardless of whether they are distributed to shareholders. Accordingly, the Funds do not expect to distribute any such offsetting capital gains. The Funds cannot carry back or carry forward any net operating losses.

**CREATION UNITS.** An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the sum of the exchanger's aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger's basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing "wash sales" (for an Authorized Participant that does not mark-to-market its holdings) or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.

Any gain or loss realized upon a creation of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the Authorized Participant holds the securities exchanged therefor as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Similarly, any gain or loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units will be treated as capital gain or loss if the Authorized Participant holds the shares comprising the Creation Units as capital assets, and otherwise will be ordinary income or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year, and otherwise will be short-term capital gain or loss. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year, and otherwise, will generally be short-term capital gain or loss. Any capital loss realized upon a redemption of Creation Units held for six months or less will be disallowed to the extent of exempt-interest dividends paid with respect to the Creation Units, and to the extent not disallowed will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the applicable Authorized Participant of long-term capital gains with respect to the Creation Units (including any amounts credited to the Authorized Participant as undistributed capital gains).

Each Fund has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in any deposit securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Fund also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If the Fund does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund, the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) may not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.

A person subject to U.S. federal income tax with the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes who receives non-U.S. currency upon a redemption of Creation Units and does not immediately convert the non-U.S. currency into U.S. dollars may, upon a later conversion of the non-U.S. currency into U.S. dollars, or upon the use of the non-U.S. currency to pay expenses or acquire assets, recognize as ordinary gains or losses any gains or losses resulting from fluctuations in the value of the non-U.S. currency relative to the U.S. dollar since the date of the redemption. Authorized Participants purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction and whether the wash sales rule applies and when a loss might be deductible.

**MLPs.** A Fund may invest in master limited partnerships which may be treated as qualified publicly traded partnerships. Income from qualified publicly traded partnerships is qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement, but the Fund's investment in one or more of such qualified publicly traded partnerships is limited to no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets and must otherwise satisfy the Diversification Requirement. In addition, a 10% withholding tax is imposed on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest for transfers if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person or another exception applies.

**ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT AND MARKET DISCOUNT.** The Funds may acquire debt securities that are treated as having original issue discount ("OID") (generally a debt obligation with a purchase price less than its principal amount, such as a zero coupon bond). Generally, a Fund will be required to include the OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though it will not receive cash payments for such OID until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. A Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having OID which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income. Inflation-protected bonds generally can be expected to produce OID income as their principal amounts are adjusted upward for inflation. A portion of the OID includible in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities may be treated as a dividend for federal income tax purposes if the securities are characterized as equity for federal income tax purposes.

A debt security acquired in the secondary market by a Fund may be treated as having market discount if acquired at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Market discount generally is accrued ratably, on a daily basis, over the period from the date of acquisition to the date of maturity even though no cash will be received. Absent an election by a Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on its disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.

The Funds may be required to include in income certain fees that are treated as OID and required to be included in income for financial statement purposes when received (rather than when accrued into income).

In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though a Fund receives no interest payments in cash on such securities during the year.

A Fund generally will be required to make distributions to shareholders representing the income accruing on the debt securities, described above that is currently includable in income, even though cash representing such income may not have been received by a Fund. Cash to pay these distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by a Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by a Fund's governing documents, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed. In the event a Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions.

**OPTIONS, FUTURES AND FORWARD CONTRACTS.** The writing (selling) and purchasing of options and futures contracts and entering into forward currency contracts, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes the amount, character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses a Fund realize in connection with such transactions.

Gains and losses on the sale, lapse, or other termination of options and futures contracts, options thereon and certain forward contracts (except certain foreign currency options, forward contracts and futures contracts) will generally be treated as capital gains and losses. Some regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts, and certain non-equity options (such as certain listed options or options on broad-based securities indexes) held by a Fund ("Section 1256 contracts"), other than contracts on which they have made a "mixed-straddle election," will be required to be "marked-to-market" for federal income tax purposes, that is, treated as having been sold at their market value on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. These provisions may require a Fund to recognize income or gains without a concurrent receipt of cash. Any gain or loss recognized on actual or deemed sales of Section 1256 contracts will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary income or loss as described below. Transactions that qualify as designated hedges are exempt from the mark-to-market rule, but may require a Fund to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and certain options to the extent of any unrecognized gains on related positions held by it.

The tax provisions described above applicable to options, futures and forward contracts may affect the amount, timing, and character of a Fund's distributions to its shareholders. For example, the Section 1256 rules described above may operate to increase the amount the Fund must distribute to satisfy the minimum distribution requirement for the portion treated as short-term capital gain which will be taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income, and to increase the net capital gain it recognizes, without, in either case, increasing the cash available to it. A Fund may elect to exclude certain transactions from the operation of Section 1256, although doing so may have the effect of increasing the relative proportion of net short-term capital gain (taxable as ordinary income) and, thus, increasing the amount of dividends it must distribute. Section 1256 contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of the Excise Tax.

When a covered call or put option written (sold) by a Fund expires the Fund will realize a short-term capital gain equal to the amount of the premium it received for writing the option. When a Fund terminates its obligations under such an option by entering into a closing transaction, it will realize a short-term capital gain (or loss), depending on whether the cost of the closing transaction is less than (or exceeds) the premium received when it wrote the option. When a covered call option written by a Fund is exercised, the Fund will be treated as having sold the underlying security, producing long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon the holding period of the underlying security and whether the sum of the option price received upon the exercise plus the premium received when it wrote the option is more or less than the basis of the underlying security.

**STRADDLES.** Section 1092 deals with the taxation of straddles which also may affect the taxation of options in which a Fund may invest. Offsetting positions held by a Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as options, futures and forward currency contracts, may be considered, for federal income tax purposes, to constitute "straddles." Straddles are defined to include offsetting positions in actively traded personal property. In certain circumstances, the rules governing straddles override or modify the provisions of Section 1256, described above. If a Fund is treated as entering into a straddle and at least one (but not all) of its positions in derivative contracts comprising a part of such straddle is governed by Section 1256, then such straddle could be characterized as a "mixed straddle." A Fund may make one or more elections with respect to mixed straddles. Depending on which election is made, if any, the results with respect to a Fund may differ. Generally, to the extent the straddle rules apply to positions established by a Fund, losses realized by it may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in any offsetting positions. Moreover, as a result of the straddle rules, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be characterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be characterized as short-term capital gain. In addition, the existence of a straddle may affect the holding period of the offsetting positions and cause such sales to be subject to the "wash sale" and "short sale" rules. As a result, the straddle rules could cause distributions that would otherwise constitute "qualified dividend income" to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements, described below, and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income. Further, a Fund may be required to capitalize, rather than deduct currently, any interest expense and carrying charges applicable to a position that is part of a straddle. Because the application of the straddle rules may affect the character and timing of gains and losses from affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to the situation where a Fund had not engaged in such transactions.

In circumstances where a Fund has invested in certain pass-through entities, the amount of long-term capital gain that they may recognize from certain derivative transactions with respect to interests in such pass-through entities is limited under the IRC's constructive ownership rules. The amount of long-term capital gain is limited to the amount of such gain a Fund would have had if they directly invested in the pass-through entity during the term of the derivative contract. Any gain in excess of this amount is treated as ordinary income. An interest charge is imposed on the amount of gain that is treated as ordinary income.

**SWAPS AND DERIVATIVES.** As a result of entering into swap or derivative agreements, a Fund may make or receive periodic net payments. A Fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap or derivative is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap, derivative or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap or derivative will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if a Fund has been a party to a swap or derivative for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps or derivatives, a Fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or derivatives or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps or derivatives to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss. A Fund's transactions in swaps or other derivatives may be subject to one or more special tax rules (e.g., notional principal contracts, straddles, constructive sales, wash sales and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains or losses recognized by a Fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to a Fund, defer losses to a Fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of a Fund's securities. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and/or character of distributions to shareholders.

Rules governing the tax aspects of swap or derivative agreements are not entirely clear in certain respects, in particular whether income generated is Qualifying Income. Accordingly, while each Fund intends to account for such transactions in a manner it deems appropriate, the IRS might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of a Fund as a RIC might be adversely affected. The Funds intend to monitor developments in this area. Certain requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for a Fund to qualify as a RIC may limit the extent to which a Fund will be able to engage in swap agreements and certain derivatives.

**CONSTRUCTIVE SALES.** Certain rules may affect the timing and character of gain if the Funds engage in transactions that reduce or eliminate their risk of loss with respect to appreciated financial positions. If a Fund enters into certain transactions (including a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract, a futures or forward contract, or other transactions identified in Treasury regulations) in property while holding an appreciated financial position in substantially identical property, they will be treated as if they had sold and immediately repurchased the appreciated financial position and will be taxed on any gain (but not loss) from the constructive sale. The character of gain from a constructive sale will depend upon a Fund's holding period in the appreciated financial position. Loss from a constructive sale would be recognized when the position was subsequently disposed of, and its character would depend on a Fund's holding period and the application of various loss deferral provisions of the IRC.

In addition, if the appreciated financial position is itself a short sale or other such contract, acquisition of the underlying property or substantially identical property by a Fund will be deemed a constructive sale. The foregoing will not apply, however, to a Fund's transaction during any taxable year that otherwise would be treated as a constructive sale if the transaction is closed within 30 days after the end of that year and a Fund holds the appreciated financial position unhedged for 60 days after that closing (i.e., at no time during that 60-day period is the Fund's risk of loss regarding the position reduced by reason of certain specified transactions with respect to substantially identical or related property, such as having an option to sell, being contractually obligated to sell, making a short sale or granting an option to buy substantially identical stock or securities).

**WASH SALES.** The Funds may be impacted in certain circumstances by special rules relating to "wash sales." In general, the wash sale rules prevent the recognition of a loss by a Fund from the disposition of stock or securities at a loss in a case in which identical or substantially identical stock or securities (or an option to acquire such property) is or has been acquired by it within 30 days before or 30 days after the sale.

**SHORT SALES.** The Funds may make short sales of securities. Short sales may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by a Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to its shareholders. Short sales also may be subject to the "Constructive Sales" rules, discussed above.

**PASSIVE FOREIGN INVESTMENT COMPANIES.** The Funds may invest in a non-U.S. corporation, which could be treated as a passive foreign investment company (a "PFIC") or become a PFIC under the IRC. A PFIC is generally defined as a foreign corporation that meets either of the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income for its taxable year is income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties, or capital gains); or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, such passive income. If a Fund acquires any equity interest in a PFIC, the Fund could be subject to federal income tax and interest charges on "excess distributions" received with respect to such PFIC stock or on any gain from the sale of such PFIC stock (collectively "PFIC income"), plus interest thereon even if a Fund distributes the PFIC income as a taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in a Fund's investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. A Fund's distributions of PFIC income, if any, will be taxable as ordinary income even though, absent the application of the PFIC rules, some portion of the distributions may have been classified as capital gain.

A Fund will not be permitted to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for taxes and interest charges incurred with respect to a PFIC. Payment of this tax would therefore reduce a Fund's economic return from its investment in PFIC shares. To the extent a Fund invests in a PFIC, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a "qualified electing Funds" ("QEF"), then instead of the tax and interest obligation described above on excess distributions, a Fund would be required to include in income each taxable year its pro rata share of the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain. As a result of a QEF election, a Fund would likely have to distribute to its shareholders an amount equal to the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain to satisfy the IRC's minimum distribution requirement described herein and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax even if the QEF did not distribute those earnings and gain to a Fund. In most instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain requirements in making the election.

The Funds may elect to "mark-to-market" its stock in any PFIC. "Marking-to-market," in this context, means including in ordinary income each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock over a Fund's adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, a Fund also may deduct (as an ordinary, not capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in the PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock it included in income for prior taxable years under the election. A Fund's adjusted basis in its PFIC stock subject to the election would be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken thereunder. In either case, a Fund may be required to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS.** Foreign currency gains and losses realized by a Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt instruments, certain options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments relating to foreign currency, foreign currencies, and foreign currency-denominated payables and receivables are subject to Section 988 of the IRC, which causes such gains and losses to be treated as ordinary income or loss and may affect the amount and timing of recognition of a Fund's income. In some cases, elections may be available that would alter this treatment, but such elections could be detrimental to a Fund by creating current recognition of income without the concurrent recognition of cash. If a foreign currency loss treated as an ordinary loss under Section 988 were to exceed a Fund's investment company taxable income (computed without regard to such loss) for a taxable year, the resulting loss would not be deductible by it or its shareholders in future years. The foreign currency income or loss will also increase or decrease a Fund's investment company income distributable to its shareholders.

**FOREIGN TAXATION.** Income received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of a Fund's total assets at the close of any taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations and it meets the distribution requirements described above, a Fund may file an election (the "pass-through election") with the IRS pursuant to which shareholders of a Fund would be required to (i) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) their pro rata shares of foreign income taxes paid by a Fund even though not actually received by such shareholders; and (ii) treat such respective pro rata portions as foreign income taxes paid by them. A Fund will furnish its shareholders with a written statement providing the amount of foreign taxes paid by a Fund that will "pass-through" for the year, if any.

Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder's U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of a Fund's income will flow through to the Fund's shareholders. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. Shareholders may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by a Fund. Various limitations, including a minimum holding period requirement, apply to limit the credit and deduction for foreign taxes for purposes of regular federal tax and alternative minimum tax. In addition, a shareholder of a Fund may lose the ability to use foreign tax credits passed through by a Fund if a Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement.

**REITs.** The Funds may invest in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require a Fund to accrue and distribute taxable income without the concurrent receipt of cash. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, a Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. A Fund's investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in its receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if a Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by a Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

The Funds may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs") or taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs"), or such REITs may themselves constitute TMPs. Under an IRS notice, and Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of a Fund's income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT's residual interest in a REMIC or a TMP (referred to in the IRC as an "excess inclusion") will be subject to federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a RIC, such as a Fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or invested in the TMP directly. As a result, a Fund may not be a suitable investment for certain tax-exempt shareholders, including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan and other tax-exempt entities. See "Tax-Exempt Shareholders."

Distributions by a Fund to its shareholders that a Fund properly report as "section 199A dividends," as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. Non-corporate shareholders are permitted a federal income tax deduction equal to 20% of qualified REIT dividends received by them, subject to certain limitations. Generally, a "section 199A dividend" is any dividend or portion thereof that is attributable to certain dividends received by a RIC from the REITs it holds, to the extent such dividends are properly reported as such by the RIC in a written notice to its shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Funds are permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible, but they are not required to do so.

**DISTRIBUTIONS.** Distributions paid out of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined at the end of the year), whether reinvested in additional shares or paid in cash, are generally taxable and must be reported by each shareholder who is required to file a federal income tax return except in the case of certain tax-exempt shareholders. Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, as computed for federal income tax purposes, will first be treated as a return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder's tax basis in his or her Funds' shares and then as capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as a capital asset. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder's tax basis in the shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by a shareholder of a Fund's shares. Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or receive them in additional shares.

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment company taxable income are generally taxable as ordinary income, and distributions of gains from the sale of investments that a Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions designated by a Fund as "capital gain dividends" (distributions from the excess of net long-term capital gain over short-term capital losses) will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time they have held their shares of a Fund. Such dividends do not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction described below.

Non-corporate shareholders of the Funds may be eligible for the long-term capital gain tax rate applicable to distributions of "qualified dividend income" received by such non-corporate shareholders. The maximum long-term capital gains tax rate is 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). A Fund's distribution will be treated as qualified dividend income and therefore eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rate to the extent that it receives dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding periods and other requirements are met. A corporate shareholder of a Fund may be eligible for the dividends received deduction with respect to a Fund's distributions attributable to dividends received by a Fund from domestic corporations, which, if received directly by the corporate shareholder, would qualify for such a deduction. For eligible corporate shareholders, the dividends received deduction may be subject to certain reductions, and a distribution by a Fund attributable to dividends of a domestic corporation will be eligible for the deduction only if certain holding period and other requirements are met. If a Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement, dividends paid while the shares are held by the borrower may not be qualified dividend income and may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax applies to net investment income including interest (excluding, tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.

The Funds will furnish a statement to shareholders providing the federal income tax status of its dividends and distributions including the portion of such dividends, if any, that qualifies as long-term capital gain.

Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement distributions and certain prohibited transactions, is accorded to accounts maintained as qualified retirement plans. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers for more information.**

**PURCHASES OF FUNDS SHARES.** Prior to purchasing shares in a Fund, the impact of dividends or distributions which are expected to be or have been declared, but not paid, should be carefully considered. Any dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of such shares of a Fund prior to the record date will have the effect of reducing the per share net asset value by the per share amount of the dividend or distribution, and to the extent the distribution consists of a Fund's taxable income, the purchasing shareholder will be taxed on the taxable portion of the dividend or distribution received even though some or all of the amount distributed is effectively a return of capital. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check a Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

**SALES, EXCHANGES OR REDEMPTIONS.** Upon the disposition of shares of a Fund (whether by redemption, sale or exchange), a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the shares. The capital gain will be long-term if the shares were held for more than 12 months and short-term if held for 12 months or less. If a shareholder sells or exchanges shares of a Fund within 90 days of having acquired such shares and if, before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the sale or exchange, as a result of having initially acquired those shares, the shareholder subsequently pays a reduced sales charge on a new purchase of shares of a Fund, the sales charge previously incurred in acquiring a Fund's shares generally shall not be taken into account (to the extent the previous sales charges do not exceed the reduction in sales charges on the new purchase) for the purpose of determining the amount of gain or loss on the disposition, but generally will be treated as having been incurred in the new purchase. Any loss realized on a disposition will be disallowed under the "wash sale" rules to the extent that the shares disposed of by the shareholder are replaced by the shareholder within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends received by the shareholder with respect to such shares. Capital losses are generally deductible only against capital gains except that individuals may deduct up to $3,000 of capital losses against ordinary income.

The 3.8% Medicare contribution tax (applied as described above) will apply to gains from the sale or exchange of shares of a Fund.

**BACKUP WITHHOLDING.** A Fund generally are required to withhold, and remit to the U.S. Treasury, subject to certain exemptions, an amount equal to 24% of all distributions and redemption proceeds paid or credited to a shareholder of a Fund if (i) the shareholder fails to furnish a Fund with the correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") certified under penalties of perjury, (ii) the shareholder fails to provide a certified statement that the shareholder is not subject to "backup withholding," or (iii) the IRS or a broker has notified a Fund that the number furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report interest or dividend income. If the backup withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions or proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.

**STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.** State and local laws often differ from federal income tax laws with respect to the treatment of specific items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit. This summary discussion does not address the state and local income taxes applicable to a shareholder.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the state and local tax rules affecting investments in the Funds.**

**NON-U.S. SHAREHOLDERS.** Distributions made to non-U.S. shareholders attributable to net investment income generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding at a 30% rate (or such lower rate provided under an applicable income tax treaty). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution described above is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States), federal income tax withholding and exemptions attributable to foreign persons will not apply. Instead, the distribution will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable U.S. tax rate (currently 37% in the case of individuals and 21% in the case of corporations) and the non-U.S. shareholders will be subject to the federal income tax reporting requirements generally applicable to U.S. persons described above.

Under U.S. federal tax law, a non-U.S. shareholder is not, in general, subject to federal income tax or withholding tax on capital gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of a Fund, or on capital gains dividends, provided that a Fund obtain a properly completed and signed certificate of foreign status, unless (i) such gains or distributions are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States of the non-U.S. shareholder); (ii) in the case of an individual non-U.S. shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the shares of a Fund constitutes U.S. real property interests ("USRPIs"), as described below.

Under current law, if a Fund is considered to be a "United States Real Property Holding Corporation" (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), then the distributions attributable to certain underlying REIT investments and redemption proceeds paid to a non-U.S. shareholder that owns at least 5% of a Fund, generally will cause the non-U.S. shareholder to treat such gain or distribution as income effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States, subject such gain or distribution to withholding tax, and cause the non-U.S. shareholder to be required to file a federal income tax return. In addition, in any year where at least 50% of a Fund's assets are USRPIs (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), distributions of a Fund that are attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of shares in USRPIs may be subject to U.S. withholding tax (regardless of such shareholder's percentage interest in a Fund) and may require the non-U.S. shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to receive a refund (if any) of the withheld amount.

Subject to the additional rules described herein, federal income tax withholding will apply to distributions attributable to dividends and other investment income distributed by the Funds. The federal income tax withholding rate may be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. shareholder's country of residence or incorporation. In order to qualify for treaty benefits, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign status (generally by providing the Funds with a properly completed Form W-8BEN). **All non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Funds.**

Pursuant to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"), a 30% withholding tax generally is imposed on payments of interest and dividends to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment Funds and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless the foreign financial institution or foreign entity provides the withholding agent with documentation sufficient to show that it is compliant with FATCA (generally by providing the Funds with a properly completed Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). If the payment is subject to the 30% withholding tax under FATCA, a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to the 30% withholding tax described above on the same income. Under proposed regulations, FATCA withholding on the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gain distributions, scheduled to take effect beginning January 1, 2019, has been eliminated. Such proposed regulations are subject to change.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of this reporting and withholding regime to their own tax situation.**

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Funds.**

**FOREIGN BANK AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS AND FOREIGN FINANCIAL ASSETS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.** A shareholder that owns directly or indirectly more than 50% by vote or value of a Fund, is urged and advised to consult its own tax adviser regarding its filing obligations with respect to IRS Form FinCEN 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

Also, under enacted rules, subject to exceptions, individuals (and, to the extent provided in forthcoming future U.S. Treasury regulations, certain domestic entities) must report annually their interests in "specified foreign financial assets" on their U.S. federal income tax returns. It is currently unclear whether and under what circumstances shareholders would be required to report their indirect interests in a Fund's "specified foreign financial assets" (if any) under these new rules.

Shareholders may be subject to substantial penalties for failure to comply with these reporting requirements. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether these reporting requirements are applicable to them.**

**TAX-EXEMPT SHAREHOLDERS.** A tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") by virtue of its investment in a Fund as a result of a Fund's investments and if shares in a Fund constitute debt financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).

It is possible that a tax-exempt shareholder of a Fund will also recognize UBTI if a Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" (as described above) derived from direct or indirect investments in REMIC residual interests or TMPs. Furthermore, any investment in a residual interest of a CMO that has elected to be treated as a REMIC can create complex tax consequences, especially if the Fund has state or local governments or other tax-exempt organizations as shareholders.

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or in TMPs.

**Tax-exempt shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Funds.**

**TAX SHELTER REPORTING REGULATIONS.** Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

**TAX BASIS INFORMATION.** For shares of a Fund that are redeemed, your financial intermediary or a Fund (if a shareholder hold the shares in a Fund's direct account) will report gains and losses realized on redemptions of shares for shareholders who are individuals and S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This information will also be reported to a shareholder on Form 1099-B and the IRS each year. In calculating the gain or loss on redemptions of shares, the average cost method will be used to determine the cost basis of a Fund's shares purchased after January 1, 2012 unless the shareholder instructs a Fund in writing that the shareholder wants to use another available method for cost basis reporting (for example, First In, First Out (FIFO), Last In, First Out (LIFO), Specific Lot Identification (SLID) or High Cost, First Out (HCFO)). If the shareholder designated SLID as the shareholder's tax cost basis method, the shareholder will also need to designate a secondary cost basis method (Secondary Method). If a Secondary Method is not provided, a Fund will designate FIFO as the Secondary Method and will use the Secondary Method with respect to systematic withdrawals that are made.

A shareholder's financial intermediary or a Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in a Fund direct account) is also required to report gains and losses to the IRS in connection with redemptions of shares by S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012. If a shareholder is a corporation and has not instructed a Fund that it is a C corporation in its Account Application or by written instruction, a Fund will treat the shareholder as an S corporation and file a Form 1099-B.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in a Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**This summary is provided for general information only and should not be considered tax advice or relied on by an investor.**

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**

The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Funds' financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, for the fiscal period ended April 30, 2025 are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The 2025 financial statements, included in [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000119312525155435/d935910dncsr.htm), have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report thereon is also incorporated herein by reference. No other parts of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, are incorporated by reference herein. Copies of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Trust at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 or calling the Funds at (888) 426-7515 or on the Fund's website at <u>*https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/floating-rate-income-etf*</u> or <u>*https://www.polencapital.com/strategies/high-income-etf*</u>*.*

**APPENDIX A**

**DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS**

**Description of Ratings**

The following descriptions of securities ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P Global Ratings"), and Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"), respectively.

**Description of Moody's Global Ratings**

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned for obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

**Description of Moody's Global Long-Term Ratings**

**Aaa** Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal risk.

**Aa** Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

**A** Obligations rated A are considered upper medium-grade and are subject to low credit risk.

**Baa** Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba** Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

**B** Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

**Caa** Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

**Ca** Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

**C** Obligations rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal and interest.

*Note*: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**Hybrid Indicator (hyb)**

The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

**Description of Moody's Global Short-Term Ratings**

**P-1** Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-2** Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-3** Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

**NP** Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's U.S. Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings**

The Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale is used to rate U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.

Moody's U.S. municipal short-term obligation ratings are as follows:

**MIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

**MIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

**MIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

**Description of Moody's Demand Obligation Ratings**

For variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), Moody's assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer's ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders ("on demand") and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer's long-term rating drops below investment grade. Please see their methodology that discusses obligations with conditional liquidity support.

For VRDOs, they typically assign a VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years, but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned, and it is denoted as "NR".

Moody's demand obligation ratings are as follows:

**VMIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Issue Credit Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings' view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P Global Ratings would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings S&P Global Ratings assigns to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings' analysis of the following considerations:

● The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

● The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P Global Ratings imputes; and

● The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

NR indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings\***

**AAA** An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

**AA** An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

**A** An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

**BBB** An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**BB; B; CCC; CC; and C** Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

**BB** An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CCC** An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CC** An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

**C** An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

\* Ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

**D** An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings**

**A-1** A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.

**A-2** A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

**A-3** A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

**C** A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**D** A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings' opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings' analysis will review the following considerations:

● Amortization schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

● Source of payment—the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P Global Ratings' municipal short-term note ratings are as follows:

**SP-1** Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

**SP-2** Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

**SP-3** Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

**D** 'D' is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

**Description of Fitch's Credit Ratings**

Fitch's credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issue level ratings are assigned and often include an expectation of recovery and may be notched above or below the issuer level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation).

Fitch's credit rating scale for issuers and issues is expressed using the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade) with an additional +/- for AA through CCC levels indicating relative differences of probability of default or recovery for issues. The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. Investment grade categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the speculative categories signal either a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

Fitch may also disclose issues relating to a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated. Such issues are also denoted as 'NR' on its web page.

Fitch's credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. Credit ratings do not deal with the risk of market value loss due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and/or other market considerations. However, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay or refinance a financial commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of payments linked to performance of an equity index).

Note: The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' ratings and ratings below the 'CCC' category. For the short-term rating category of 'F1', a '+' may be appended.

**Description of Fitch's Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Ratings**

**AAA** Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA** Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A** High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB** Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

**BB** Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

**B** Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

**CCC** Substantial credit risk. 'CCC' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present, and default is a real possibility.

**CC** Very high levels of credit risk. 'CC' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk and default of some kind appears probable.

**C** Near Default. 'C' ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk. A default or default-like process has begun, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired.

Ratings in the categories of 'CCC', 'CC' and 'C' can also relate to obligations or issuers that are in default. In this case, the rating does not opine on default risk but reflects the recovery expectation only.

Corporate Finance defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'RD' or 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'CCC' to 'C' rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

**Description of Fitch's Short-Term Ratings**

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Fitch's short-term ratings are as follows:

**F1** Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Under the agency's National Rating scale, this rating is assigned to the lowest default risk relative to others in the same country or monetary union. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a "+" is added to the assigned rating.

**F2** Good short-term credit quality. Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

**F3** Fair short-term credit quality. Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**B** Speculative short-term credit quality. Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**C** High short-term default risk. Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**RD** Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

**D** Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

**APPENDIX B**

**POLEN CAPITAL CREDIT, LLC**

**SUMMARY OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES**

In accordance with Rule 206(4)-6 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, Polen Capital Credit, LLC (the "Adviser" or "Polen Credit") has adopted and implemented certain Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the "Policies") that the Adviser believes are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of its clients, including the Fund. Accordingly, the Adviser votes proxies based on its judgment as to what voting decision is most likely to maximize total return to the client as an investor in the issuer whose securities are being voted, including, where applicable, returns to the client on positions held in non-voting securities of that issuer or securities of other issuers that may be materially affected by the outcome of the vote. Furthermore, the Policies are intended to support good corporate governance, including those corporate practices that address environmental and social issues, in all cases with the objective of protecting shareholder interests and maximizing shareholder value.

Polen Credit believes that it is not appropriate, in most cases, to vote proxies with respect to the securities of such issuers in accordance with fixed, predetermined guidelines. Accordingly, Polen Credit generally reviews and makes a voting decision on each matter presented in such proxy on an individual, case-by-case basis.

The Adviser has designated an internal proxy administrator who is responsible for coordinating the review and voting of client proxies. In the absence of a material conflict of interest, the internal proxy administrator votes the proxy in accordance with the instructions provided by the applicable investment professional covering the particular issuer.

From time to time, the Adviser (and/or its affiliates) may have a material conflict of interest with respect to a matter to be voted upon in a proxy. If the internal proxy administrator identifies or is notified of a potential material conflict of interest, the internal proxy administrator will notify the Adviser's chief compliance officer. If the chief compliance officer agrees that a material conflict of interest exists, the Adviser generally will request a waiver of the conflict of interest or otherwise seek to obtain voting instructions from the affected client(s) or an authorized representative of the client(s) (or, in limited circumstances, an appropriate independent third party). In the event that the client(s), client representative(s), or other third party, as the case may be, do not desire to direct the vote of the proxy matter in question, the Adviser may, as circumstances warrant, take other steps, such as consulting with its outside legal counsel or an independent third party service, which steps are designed to result in a decision that is demonstrably based on the client's best interests and not the product of the conflict.

The Adviser maintains records of proxies that it has voted on behalf of its clients. The Adviser maintains these proxy voting books and records for a period of not less than five years.

![](pro-vfpix_001.jpg)

**PRIVATE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT**

**VALUE FUND**

Class C

Class I

VFPIX

Class R

*a series of*

**FundVantage Trust**

**PROSPECTUS**

September 1, 2025

**These securities have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.**

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[Fund Summary](#pro-vfpix_001)** | **1** |
| **[More Information about the Fund's Investment Objective, Strategies and Risks](#pro-vfpix_002)** | **8** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Objective](#pro-vfpix_003) | 8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Additional Information about the Fund's Investment Strategies](#pro-vfpix_004) | 8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Principal Risks](#pro-vfpix_005) | 10 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Other Risks](#pro-vfpix_006) | 12 |
| **[More Information about Management of the Fund](#pro-vfpix_007)** | **13** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Investment Adviser](#pro-vfpix_008) | 13 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Portfolio Managers](#pro-vfpix_009) | 13 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Analyst Team](#pro-vfpix_010) | 13 |
| **[Shareholder Information](#pro-vfpix_011)** | **14** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Pricing of Shares](#pro-vfpix_012) | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Purchase of Shares](#pro-vfpix_013) | 14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Open an Account Through a Financial Intermediary](#pro-vfpix_014) | 17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Redemption of Shares](#pro-vfpix_015) | 20 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[To Redeem from your Account](#pro-vfpix_016) | 21 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Transaction Policies](#pro-vfpix_017) | 22 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Shareholder Services](#pro-vfpix_018) | 23 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[Distributions](#pro-vfpix_019) | 24 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[More Information about Taxes](#pro-vfpix_020) | 24 |
| **[Financial Highlights](#pro-vfpix_021)** | **26** |
| **[For More Information](#pro-vfpix_022)** | **Back Cover** |

---

**FUND SUMMARY**

**PRIVATE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT VALUE FUND**

**Investment Objective**

The Private Capital Management Value Fund (the "Fund") seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation.

**Fees and Expenses**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.**

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment):** | **Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment):** | **Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment):** | **Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment):** | **Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment):** |
|  | **Class C** | **Class I** | **Class R** | **Class R** |
| Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lower of the original purchase price or the net asset value at redemption) | 1.00%<sup>1</sup> |  |  |  |
| Redemption Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed within 30 days of purchase) | 2.00% | 2.00% | 2.00 | % |

---

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** | **Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment):** |
| Management Fees | 0.90% | 0.90% | 0.90% |
| Distribution and/or Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees | 1.00% |  | 0.50% |
| Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses ("AFFE") | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Other Expenses | 0.53% | 0.53% | 0.53% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses<sup>2,3</sup>** | **2.45%** | **1.45%** | **1.95%** |
| Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement | (0.23)% | (0.23)% | (0.23)% |
| **Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement<sup>2,3</sup>** | **2.22%** | **1.22%** | **1.72%** |

---

<sup>1</sup> A 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") will be assessed when Class C shares are redeemed within 12 months after initial purchase; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker dealer was not paid a commission at the time of initial purchase.

<sup>2</sup> "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" will not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets that will be disclosed in the Fund's Annual and Semi-annual Financials and Additional Information in the financial highlights table, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses".

<sup>3</sup> Private Capital Management, LLC ("Private Capital" or the "Adviser") has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses, excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by FundVantage Trust (the "Trust"), "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses," interest, extraordinary items and brokerage commissions do not exceed 1.20% (on an annual basis) of the Fund's average daily net assets (the "Expense Limitation"). Prior to September 1, 2019 the Expense Limitation was 1.10%. The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026, unless the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, such amounts reduced or reimbursed for a period of up to three (3) years from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual Fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of reimbursement. No recoupment will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation amount.

**Expense Example**

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund's Class C shares, Class I shares and Class R shares for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same (reflecting any contractual fee waivers). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Class C | $325 | $742 | $1285 | $2769 |
| Class I | $124 | $436 | $770 | $1716 |
| Class R | $175 | $590 | $1031 | $2256 |

---

You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Year** | **3 Years** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** |
| Class C | $225 | $742 | $1285 | $2769 |
| Class I | $124 | $436 | $770 | $1716 |
| Class R | $175 | $590 | $1031 | $2256 |

---

**Portfolio Turnover**

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 25% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Summary of Principal Investment Strategies**

The Fund, under normal circumstances, primarily invests in common stocks of companies listed on stock exchanges in North America. While the Fund focuses its investments in smaller capitalization companies, there are no set limits on the market capitalizations of the companies in which the Fund may invest.

The Adviser applies a fundamental value, research driven investment approach. The Adviser seeks to identify businesses that it believes are significantly mispriced by the public market. The Adviser values companies using a variety of measures, including an estimate of a company's capacity to generate discretionary cash flow (cash flow from operations after required capital expenditures) over time and the long-term value of its assets. The Adviser seeks to identify companies that are out of favor, underappreciated or misunderstood, and thereby trade at a significant discount to the Adviser's estimation of long-term intrinsic value.

The Adviser looks for companies that it believes have entrenched market positions or sustainable competitive advantages; competent management whose interests are aligned with creating long-term shareholder value; corporate cultures that are consistent with good governance and appropriately responsive to shareholders — the company's ultimate owners; and the ability to compete effectively and succeed under various industry and broader economic scenarios. Consistent with its primary objective of achieving long-term capital appreciation, the Adviser generally expects to hold its investment in a company for a period of 3 to 5 years.

The Adviser continually re-evaluates companies in which it has invested and will scale back or exit a position as a company's market price approaches the Adviser's price target or when a change in a fundamental aspect of the company or its operating environment materially affects the Adviser's investment view. The Adviser will often continue to hold, or add to, positions with declining share prices so long as the factors driving the price decline do not result in a negative revision to the Adviser's overall investment assessment of the company.

The Fund is a diversified fund, but nevertheless has invested a significant portion of its assets in the securities of a small number of issuers, which may cause the Fund's value to fluctuate more widely than some other diversified funds. As a result of the Fund's investment approach and the relative price movements of certain Fund holdings, at times the Fund's holdings profile may approximate a portfolio of securities with percentage weightings typically associated with a non-diversified fund.

**Summary of Principal Risks**

The Fund is subject to the principal risks summarized below. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor and the relative significance of each risk below may change over time. These risks could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value ("NAV"), yield and total return. It is possible to lose money by investing in the Fund.

● **Common Stock Risk:** Because the Fund normally invests a substantial portion of its assets in common stocks, the value of the Fund's portfolio will be affected by changes in stock markets. Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company or other entity. At times, the stock markets can be volatile, and stock prices can change drastically. This market risk will affect the Fund's net asset value, which will fluctuate as the values of the Fund's portfolio securities and other assets change. Not all stock prices change uniformly or at the same time, and not all stock markets move in the same direction at the same time. In addition, other factors can adversely affect a particular stock's price (for example, poor management decisions, poor earnings reports by an issuer, loss of major customers, competition, major litigation against an issuer, or changes in government regulations affecting an industry). Not all of these factors nor their affects can be predicted.

● **Currency Translation Risk:** A significant number of companies in which the Fund invests rely on markets outside the United States for a portion of their operating revenues. These revenues are frequently denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. As a result, these companies face a risk that revenues can be affected by changes in the exchange rate between the local currencies in which revenues are denominated and the U.S. dollar. A relative decline in the value of the U.S. dollar would have the effect of increasing the dollar amount of revenues generated in local currencies, while a relative strengthening of the U.S. dollar would have the opposite effect. While the Adviser evaluates potential currency translation effects along with other factors in making investment decisions, the Adviser does not take steps to hedge potential currency translation risks.

● **Focused Portfolio Risk:** The Adviser seeks to invest Fund assets in the equity securities (stock) of companies that the Adviser believes are currently being undervalued by the market. As a result, individual securities held by the Fund may appreciate significantly over time and may grow to comprise in excess of 5% of the Fund's invested assets. Collectively, such positions may comprise materially in excess of 25% of the Fund's overall portfolio. The Adviser is likely to continue to hold such positions so long as they meet the Adviser's investment criteria. As a result, from time-to-time the Fund's portfolio may reflect a concentration profile more typically associated with a non-diversified fund. This may cause the Fund's value to fluctuate more widely than some other diversified funds.

● **Foreign Securities Risk:** The risk that investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities, including Canadian securities, may result in the Fund experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies, due to less liquid markets, and adverse economic, political, diplomatic, financial, and regulatory factors. Foreign governments also may impose limits on investment and repatriation and impose taxes. Any of these events could cause the value of the Fund's investments to decline.

● **Management Risk:** As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best-performing securities or investment techniques, and the Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds. In particular, the Fund faces the risk of loss as a result of mis-estimation or other errors by the Adviser in its fundamental analysis regarding the companies in which the Fund invests. The Adviser may also miss out on an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in other investments, potentially including investments that may not perform as well as the investment opportunity.

● **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

**●** **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**●** **Small- and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk:** The risk that securities of small or mid-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies. Generally the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. Small and mid-capitalization companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent upon a small or inexperienced management group and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs.

● **Value Investing Risk:** A value-oriented investment approach is subject to the risk that a security believed to be undervalued does not appreciate in value as anticipated or experiences a decline in value. The returns on "value" equity securities may be less than returns on other styles of investing or the overall stock market.

**Performance Information**

The bar chart and table below provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing: (a) changes in the performance of the Fund's Class I shares from year to year; and (b) how the average annual total return of the Fund's Class I shares compares to those of a regulatorily required broad-based securities market index (Russell 1000<sup>®</sup> Equal Weight Index) (the "Regulatory Benchmark") and the Russell 2000<sup>®</sup> Index (the "Performance Benchmark"). The Performance Benchmark is generally more representative of the market sectors and/or types of investments in which the Fund invests or to which the Fund has exposure. The Fund has included in the table below the performance of the Regulatory Benchmark, which represents a broader measure of market performance, to comply with new regulatory requirements.

The Fund's past performance (both before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at *www.private-cap.com* or by calling the Fund toll-free at (888) 568-1267.

The annual returns in the bar chart are for the Fund's Class I shares and do not reflect sales loads. If sales loads were reflected, returns would be lower than those shown. In addition, total returns would have been lower had certain fees and expenses not been waived or reimbursed.

![](pro-vfpix_002.jpg)

Calendar Year-to-Date Total Return as of June 30, 2025: (7.29)%

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the Fund's best quarter was up 37.45% (December 31, 2020) and the Fund's worst quarter was down (38.97)% (March 31, 2020).

**Average Annual Total Returns For Periods Ended December 31, 2024**

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Private Capital Management Value Fund Class I Shares<sup>1</sup>** | **1 Year** | **5 Years** | **10 Years** | **Since <br> Inception <br> (January 1, 1987)** |
| Return Before Taxes | 31.32% | 16.61% | 10.22% | 11.82% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 28.30% | 14.42% | 8.01% | 10.02% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Shares | 19.90% | 12.79% | 7.54% | 9.37% |
| Russell 2000<sup>®</sup> Index<sup>2</sup> (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) | 11.54% | 7.40% | 7.82% | 9.24% |
| Russell 1000<sup>®</sup> Equal Weight Index<sup>3</sup> (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes) | 11.53% | 9.24% | 8.78% | N/A<sup>4</sup> |

---

<sup>1</sup> Performance shown for the period from January 1, 1987 to May 28, 2010 is the performance of a corporate defined contribution plan account (the "Predecessor Account"), which transferred its assets to the Fund in connection with the Fund's commencement of operations on May 28, 2010 and does not reflect any taxes that you may pay as a result of any distributions or sale of shares of the Fund. The Predecessor Account's performance has been adjusted to reflect the monthly deduction of the Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement applicable to Class I shares of the Fund effective at the Fund's commencement of operations on May 28, 2010. The Class C shares and the Class R shares have not been issued.

<sup>2</sup> The Russell 2000<sup>®</sup> Index is an unmanaged index measuring the performance of the 2,000 smallest companies in the Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index, which represents approximately 8% of the total market capitalization of the Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index. The Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index measures the performance of the 3,000 largest U.S. companies based on market capitalization, which represents approximately 98% of the investable U.S. equity market.

<sup>3</sup> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Russell 1000<sup>®</sup> Equal Weight Index is an unmanaged broad-based securities market index measuring the performance of the 1,000 largest companies in the Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index. It represents approximately 93% of the total market capitalization of the Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index. The Russell 3000<sup>®</sup> Index measures the performance of the 3,000 largest U.S. companies based on market capitalization, which represents approximately 98% of the investable U.S. equity market. As an "equal weight" index, the Russell 1000<sup>®</sup> Equal Weight Index equally weights each industry within the index and then equally weights the companies within each industry. This methodology is intended to capture representative performance of the investable companies in the U.S. equity market.

<sup>4</sup> Index performance commences in 2000.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown and are not relevant if you hold your shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown only for Class I shares; after-tax returns for Class C and Class R shares will vary. The Class C shares and the Class R shares would have had substantially similar annual returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio. Annual returns would differ only to the extent that the Classes have different expenses. The Predecessor Account was not registered as a mutual fund under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"), and therefore was not subject to certain investment restrictions, limitations and diversification requirements imposed by the 1940 Act and Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. If the Predecessor Account had been registered under the 1940 Act its performance may have been different.

**Management of the Fund**

**Investment Adviser**

Private Capital Management, LLC serves as the Fund's investment adviser.

**Portfolio Managers**

● **Gregg J. Powers** is the CEO and Chairman of Private Capital Management, LLC and has been managing the Fund since 2010 and the Predecessor Account since 1994. Mr. Powers is the Fund's Portfolio Manager.

**●** **Erick A. E. Sönne** serves as the Fund's Co-Portfolio Manager. Mr. Sönne joined PCM's investment team in 2010 and was named Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund in 2021.

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** | **Minimum Investment Requirements** |
| **Account Type** | **Minimum** | **Class C** | **Class I** | **Class R** |
| Regular Accounts | Initial Investment | $5000 | $5000 | No Minimum |
|  | Additional Investments | $50 | No Minimum | No Minimum |
| Individual Retirement Accounts | Initial Investment | $2000 | $5000 | No Minimum |
|  | Additional Investments | $50 | No Minimum | No Minimum |
| Automatic Investment Plan | Initial Investment | $2000 | N/A | N/A |
|  | Additional Investments | $50 | N/A | N/A |

---

The Fund reserves the right to waive the minimum initial investment requirement for any investor. You can only purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on days the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is open. Shares may be redeemed through the means described below.

**Redemption by Mail:**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Private Capital Management Value Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445<br>| **Overnight Mail:**<br> Private Capital Management Value Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 568-1267 |

---

**Redemption by Telephone:**

Call Fund shareholder services ("Shareholder Services") toll-free at (888) 568-1267.

**Tax Information**

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains. Such distributions are not currently taxable when shares are held through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. However, subsequent withdrawals from any tax-deferred account in which the shares are held may be subject to federal income tax.

**Payments to Broker-Dealers or Other Financial Intermediaries**

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and/or for related services to shareholders. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S<br> INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, STRATEGIES AND RISKS**

**INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE**

The Fund seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation. The investment objective may be changed by the Trust's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval upon written notice to shareholders. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S INVESTMENT STRATEGIES**

**Principal Investment Strategies**

The Fund, under normal circumstances, primarily invests in common stocks of companies listed on stock exchanges in North America. While the Fund frequently invests in smaller capitalization companies, there are no limits on the market capitalizations of the companies in which the Fund may invest.

The Adviser applies a fundamental value, research driven investment approach. The Adviser's goal is to identify businesses that it believes are significantly mispriced by the public market. The Adviser values companies using a variety of measures, including an estimate of a company's capacity to generate discretionary cash flow over time and the long-term value of its assets. The Adviser defines discretionary cash flow as cash flow from operations after required capital expenditures. The Adviser seeks to identify companies that are out of favor, underappreciated or misunderstood, and thereby trade at a significant discount to the Adviser's estimation of long-term intrinsic value.

The Adviser believes that companies can become (and in some cases remain for an extended period) significantly mispriced for reasons that do not materially detract from the company's long-term intrinsic value. Such circumstances may arise as a result of, for instance, short-term (or in some cases successive) earnings disappointments; skepticism or uncertainty regarding management or market strategy; negative market perceptions about an industry that fail to adequately account for a company's particular advantages; or negative company specific sentiment or publicity that is not likely to coincide with a long-term erosion in shareholder value. Mispricing can also occur as a result of complexity in a company's business model or when positive developments go unnoticed or are not fully reflected in the company's share price. Management improvements, new product or strategic initiatives, or changes in competitive environment often develop over time and may ultimately have a much greater impact on shareholder value than initially anticipated.

While the Adviser's bottom-up analysis of each company will in some ways differ, the analysis process generally includes the following:

*Ongoing quantitative screening to identify publicly traded companies that are potentially significantly mispriced by the stock market.*

The Adviser conducts extensive financial screening leveraging its proprietary analytical capabilities, referrals from its industry contacts, and its own in-depth knowledge developed over more than 30 years of investing in public companies. In identifying opportunities, the investment team also draws upon domain expertise in diverse fields such as technology, financial services, consumer discretionary, healthcare, energy services and infrastructure and communications.

*Rigorous financial analysis, focusing on "discretionary cash flow."*

Once a potential investment opportunity is identified, the Adviser performs rigorous financial analysis focused on valuing the company's business operations and assets over an identifiable investment horizon. Included in this analysis is a focus on conducting financial statement adjustments to better reflect a fair valuation of the company's assets and liabilities, and to identify any potential "footnote" risks such as off-balance sheet liabilities, underfunded pension plans and overly aggressive accounting policies. The Adviser places significant emphasis on a company's capacity to generate discretionary cash flow over time.

The Adviser believes that discretionary cash flow is a superior measure of a business' true economic value and, ultimately, its ability to create value for shareholders. Companies can use discretionary cash flow to undertake a number of activities that can increase shareholder value including (i) stock repurchases, (ii) paying down debt, (iii) paying dividends to shareholders, or (iv) expanding operations or acquiring new businesses to enhance the company's strategic position and overall value. Conversely, earnings per share, the indicator commonly used by many analysts, is prone to a broad range of distortions and management discretion that may mask significant problems with the underlying business.

*In-depth qualitative analysis.*

In addition to its quantitative analysis, the Adviser undertakes an in-depth qualitative assessment of the company. As a part of this assessment the Adviser evaluates the company's operations and business strategy; the intellect, ability, motivation and focus

of company management and other key employees; compensation practices and incentive horizons; the company's philosophy and corporate culture; the level of goal congruency between management and shareholders; and management's candor and willingness to engage in dialogue with shareholders and the investment community at large. The Adviser also evaluates management's history of creating (or failing to create) value for shareholders. In the course of this analysis, the Adviser will routinely seek input from, among others, management, competitors, suppliers, customers and other significant industry participants.

The Adviser looks for companies that have entrenched market positions or sustainable competitive advantages; competent management whose interests are aligned with creating long-term shareholder value; corporate cultures that are consistent with good governance and appropriately responsive to shareholders — the company's ultimate owners; and the ability to effectively compete and succeed under a variety of industry and broader economic scenarios. A primary goal of this inquiry is to support and further the Adviser's quantitative analysis, as well as to allow the Adviser to identify and evaluate opportunities and risks that may not be fully reflected in the company's public filings.

*Long-term focus.*

The Adviser approaches its investment analysis as though it intends to acquire and hold the entire company. This "acquisition due diligence" approach guides the Adviser through both its qualitative and quantitative analysis. Where the Adviser identifies shortcomings or potential risks associated with a potential investment, it will seek to analyze and account for them relative to the overall attractiveness of the opportunity, understanding that risk or market uncertainty may be central contributors to a compelling valuation. Consistent with its primary objective of creating long-term capital appreciation, the Adviser generally expects to hold an investment for a period of 3 to 5 years, though the actual holding period may vary based on market and company specific factors.

The Adviser normally initiates positions at weightings of between 1% and 2% of Fund assets. Position weightings may grow significantly over time, both through appreciation and additional purchases. The Adviser normally maintains core position weightings of between 2% and 5%, though in certain instances positions may comprise as much as or more than 10% of Fund assets. The Fund's 10 largest holdings may frequently exceed 40% of the Fund's assets.

The Adviser continually re-evaluates companies in which it has invested and will scale back or exit a position as a company's market price approaches the Adviser's target price or when a change in a fundamental aspect of the

company or its operating environment materially affects the Adviser's investment view. The Adviser will often continue to hold, or add to, positions with declining share prices so long as the factors driving the market decline do not result in a negative revision to the Adviser's overall investment assessment of the company.

The investments and strategies discussed above are those that the Adviser will use under normal market conditions. The Fund also may use other strategies and engage in other investment practices, which are described below under "Other Investment Strategies" and in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").

**Other Investment Strategies**

The Fund may invest in equity related securities (such as convertible bonds, convertible preferred stock, warrants, options and rights). The price of a convertible security normally will vary in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying common stock because of either a conversion or exercise feature. However, the value of a convertible security may not increase or decrease as rapidly as the underlying common stock. Additionally, a convertible security normally also will provide income and therefore is subject to interest rate risk. While convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible fixed-income securities of similar quality, their value tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock increases and to decrease when the value of the underlying stock decreases.

The Fund may, for hedging or other reasons, purchase and sell index and individual put and call options. The decision as to whether, and to what extent, the Fund will engage in option transactions (such as the purchase and sale of index and individual put and call options) to hedge against portfolio risk or pursue other investment objectives will depend on a number of factors, including prevailing market conditions, the composition of the Fund and the availability of suitable opportunities. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the Fund will engage in hedging or other option transactions at any given time or from time to time, even under volatile market environments, or that any such strategies, if used, will be successful. Option transactions involve costs and may result in losses. The risks associated with options include the potential inability to terminate or sell a position, the lack of a liquid secondary market for the Fund's position and the risk that the counterparty to the transaction will not meet its obligations.

The Fund may also invest in fixed income securities. The market value of fixed income investments changes in response to interest rate changes and other factors. During periods of falling interest rates, the values of fixed income securities generally rise, while during periods of

rising interest rates, the values of those securities generally fall. While securities with longer maturities tend to produce higher yields, the prices of longer maturity securities are also subject to greater market fluctuations as a result of changes in interest rates.

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. At times, the Fund may be required to segregate or earmark certain assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser (generally short-term investment grade fixed income securities) to cover borrowings or its obligations under certain investments such as reverse repurchase agreements and derivative instruments (including options contracts).

In anticipation of, or in response to, adverse market or other conditions or atypical circumstances such as unusually large cash inflows or redemptions, the Fund may temporarily hold all or a larger than normal portion of its assets in U.S. Government securities, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures. Under such conditions, the Fund may not invest in accordance with its investment objective or principal investment strategy and may not achieve its investment objective.

**PRINCIPAL RISKS**

The following is a list of certain principal risks that may apply to your investment in the Fund. Further information about investment risks is available in the Fund's SAI:

● **Common Stock Risk:** Because the Fund normally invests a substantial portion of its assets in common stocks, the value of the Fund's portfolio will be affected by changes in stock markets. Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company or other entity. At times, the stock markets can be volatile, and stock prices can change drastically. This market risk will affect the Fund's net asset value, which will fluctuate as the values of the Fund's portfolio securities and other assets change. Not all stock prices change uniformly or at the same time, and not all stock markets move in the same direction at the same time. In addition, other factors can adversely affect a particular stock's price (for example, poor management decisions, poor earnings reports by an issuer, loss of major customers, competition, major litigation against an issuer, or changes in government regulations affecting an industry). Not all of these factors nor their affects can be predicted.

**●** **Currency Translation Risk:** A significant number of companies in which the Fund invests rely on markets outside the United States for a portion of their operating revenues. These revenues are

 frequently denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. As a result, these companies face a risk that revenues can be affected by changes in the exchange rate between the local currencies in which revenues are denominated and the U.S. dollar. A relative decline in the value of the U.S. dollar would have the effect of increasing the dollar amount of revenues generated in local currencies, while a relative strengthening of the U.S. dollar would have the opposite effect. While the Adviser evaluates potential currency translation effects along with other factors in making investment decisions, the Adviser does not take steps to hedge potential currency translation risks.

● **Focused Portfolio Risk:** The Adviser seeks to invest Fund assets in the equity securities (stock) of companies that the Adviser believes are currently being undervalued by the market. As a result, individual securities held by the Fund may appreciate significantly over time and may grow to comprise in excess of 5% of the Fund's invested assets. Collectively, such positions may comprise materially in excess of 25% of the Fund's overall portfolio. The Adviser is likely to continue to hold such positions so long as they meet the Adviser's investment criteria. As a result, from time-to-time the Fund's portfolio may reflect a concentration profile more typically associated with a non-diversified fund. This may cause the Fund's value to fluctuate more widely than some other diversified funds.

**●** **Foreign Securities Risk:** Foreign securities include direct investments in non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities, including Canadian securities, traded primarily outside of the United States and dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers. Foreign securities involve special risks and costs, which are considered by the Adviser in evaluating the creditworthiness of issuers and making investment decisions for the Fund. Foreign securities fluctuate in price because of political, financial, social and economic events in foreign countries. A foreign security could also lose value because of more or less stringent foreign securities regulations and less stringent accounting and disclosure standards. In addition, foreign markets may have greater volatility than domestic markets and foreign securities may be less liquid and harder to value than domestic securities. Foreign securities, and in particular foreign debt securities, are sensitive to changes in interest rates. In addition, investment in the securities of foreign governments involves the risk that foreign governments may default on their obligations or may otherwise not respect the integrity of their obligations. The performance of

investments in securities denominated in a foreign currency also will depend, in part, on the strength of the foreign currency against the U.S. dollar and the interest rate environment in the country issuing the currency. Absent other events which could affect the value of a foreign security (such as a change in the political climate or an issuer's credit quality), appreciation in the value of the foreign currency generally results in an increase in value of a foreign currency-denominated security in terms of U.S. dollars. A decline in the value of the foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar generally results in a decrease in value of a foreign currency-denominated security. Additionally, many countries throughout the world are dependent on a healthy U.S. economy and are adversely affected when the U.S. economy weakens or its markets decline. For example, the decline in the U.S. subprime mortgage market quickly spread throughout global credit markets, triggering a liquidity crisis that affected fixed-income and equity markets around the world.

Investment in foreign securities may involve higher costs than investment in U.S. securities, including higher transaction and custody costs as well as the imposition of additional taxes by foreign governments. Foreign investments also may involve risks associated with the level of currency exchange rates, less complete financial information about the issuers, less market liquidity, more market volatility and political instability.

Future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on dividend income, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign holdings, the possible establishment of exchange controls or freezes on the convertibility of currency, or the adoption of other governmental restrictions might adversely affect an investment in foreign securities. Additionally, foreign banks and foreign branches of domestic banks may be subject to less stringent reserve requirements and to different accounting, auditing and recordkeeping requirements.

In addition to the risks described above, the Fund may be subject to risks relating to its investment in Canadian securities. The Canadian economy may be significantly affected by the U.S. economy, given that the United States is Canada's largest trading partner and foreign investor. Since the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement ("NAFTA") in 1994, total two-way merchandise trade between the United States and

Canada has increased. To further this relationship, all three NAFTA countries entered into The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America in March 2005, which addressed economic and security related issues. Political developments including the implementation of tariffs by the U.S. and the renegotiation of NAFTA in the form of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement ("USMCA"), which replaced NAFTA on July 1, 2020, could negatively affect the trade relationship between the United States, Canada and Mexico and, as a result, the value of securities held by the Fund.

● **Management Risk:** As with any managed fund, the Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best-performing securities or investment techniques, and the Fund's performance may lag behind that of similar funds. As a high conviction investor, the Adviser typically takes significant, long-term positions in companies it believes are undervalued by the market. Companies in which the Fund invests may remain out of favor with the market for extended periods of time. The Fund faces the risk of loss as a result of mis-estimation or other errors by the Adviser in its fundamental analysis regarding the companies in which the Fund invests. The Fund's investment style is unlikely to result in performance that closely correlates to specific market indices over time and may include extended periods of underperformance as compared to the broader market. There is no assurance investors will not lose principal invested in the Fund. The Adviser may also miss out on an investment opportunity because the assets necessary to take advantage of the opportunity are tied up in less advantageous investments.

Additionally, under applicable law, the Adviser is restricted in its ability to effect trades in securities with respect to which it possesses material, non-public inside information ("Inside Information"). The Adviser has adopted a number of policies and procedures with respect to the Fund to ensure compliance with laws governing Inside Information. As a part of these policies and procedures, the Adviser may adopt a plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (a "Rule 10b5-1 Plan") that permits the Adviser, under narrowly defined parameters, to effect certain purchases and sales of otherwise restricted securities. Other than pursuant to the requirements of applicable law, the Adviser does not initiate discretionary purchases or sales of

securities on behalf of the Fund with respect to which it possesses Inside Information.

Accordingly, the Adviser's periodic possession of Inside Information may restrict the Adviser from effecting trades for the Fund that it would otherwise implement. In certain circumstances, the Adviser's possession of Inside Information regarding portfolio securities could have a negative impact on the performance of the Fund.

● **Market Risk:** The values of, and/or the income generated by, securities held by the Fund may decline due to factors that are specifically related to a particular company, as well as general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic or political conditions, inflation rates and/or investor expectations concerning such rates, changes in interest rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Securities markets are volatile and may decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, regulatory, political, or economic developments. Different sectors of the market and different security types may react differently to such developments. Geopolitical events, including terrorism, tensions or open conflict between nations, or political or economic dysfunction within some nations that are global economic powers, may lead to instability in world economies and markets, may lead to increased market volatility, and may have adverse long-term effects. Events such as environmental and natural disasters, public health crises (such as epidemics and pandemics), social unrest, and cybersecurity incidents, and governments' reactions to such events, could cause uncertainty in the markets and may adversely affect the performance of the global economy.

● **Sector Risk:** Although the Fund may not "concentrate" (invest 25% or more of its net assets) in any industry, it may focus its investments from time to time on one or more economic sectors. To the extent that it does so, developments affecting companies in that sector or sectors will likely have a magnified effect on the Fund's NAV and total returns and may subject the Fund to greater risk of loss. Accordingly, the Fund could be considerably more volatile than a broad-based market index or other mutual funds that are diversified across a greater number of securities and sectors.

**●** **Small- and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk:** The risk that securities of small or mid-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies.

 Generally the smaller the company size, the greater the risk. Small and mid-capitalization companies may have limited product lines or financial resources, or may be dependent upon a small or inexperienced management group and their securities may trade less frequently and in lower volume than the securities of larger companies, which could lead to higher transaction costs.

**●** **Value Investing Risk:** A value-oriented investment approach is subject to the risk that a security believed to be undervalued does not appreciate in value as anticipated. The returns on "value" equity securities may be less than returns on other styles of investing or the overall stock market. Value stocks also may decline in price, even though in theory they are already underpriced. Different types of stocks tend to shift in and out of favor depending on market and economic conditions and the Fund's performance may sometimes be lower or higher than that of other types of funds (such as those emphasizing growth stocks).

**OTHER RISKS**

In addition to the principal risks described above, the Fund may also be subject to the following additional risk.

● **Cyber Security Risk:** As part of its business, the Adviser processes, stores and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Fund. The Adviser and Fund may be susceptible to operational and information security risk. Cyber security failures or breaches of the Adviser or the Fund's other service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of the Fund's shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties and/or reputational damage. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

**Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings** 

A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI, which is available, free of charge, by calling Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 568-1267 and on the Fund's website at *www.private-cap.com*. The SAI may also be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the Securities and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") website at *www.sec.gov.*

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND**

The Trust's Board of Trustees supervises the management, activities and affairs of the Fund and has approved contracts with various organizations to provide, among other services, the day-to-day management required by the Fund and its shareholders.

**INVESTMENT ADVISER**

Private Capital is a registered investment adviser located at 8889 Pelican Bay Boulevard, Suite 500, Naples, FL 34108. Private Capital was founded in 1986 and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, institutions, corporate retirement plans and other pooled investment vehicles. As of June 30, 2025, Private Capital had approximately $1.17 billion in assets under management. Private Capital, subject to the general oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objective, policies and limitations. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, after fee waivers and expense reimbursements, Private Capital received an aggregate investment advisory fee as a percentage of average net assets of 0.67% of the Fund.

A discussion of the basis for the Board of Trustees' approval of the investment management agreement between Private Capital and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, is available in the Fund's Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2024.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

**Gregg J. Powers** is the Fund's Portfolio Manager. Mr. Powers served as Co-Portfolio Manager at Private Capital from the early 1990s through early 2009. Mr. Powers served as Private Capital's sole Portfolio Manager from 2009 to 2012 and has served as Lead Portfolio Manager since 2012. As Portfolio Manager, Mr. Powers oversees all aspects of the investment of client portfolios. Mr. Powers joined Private Capital's investment research team in 1988. In his prior role as Co-Portfolio Manager, Mr. Powers was credited with the primary underwriting of Private Capital's investments in technology, healthcare and telecommunications. Mr. Powers became President of Private Capital in 1999, CEO in 2008, and assumed the role of Chairman in 2009. Prior to joining Private Capital, Mr. Powers was a healthcare analyst at Raymond James Financial. Mr. Powers has a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Florida.

**Erick A. E. Sönne, CFA** is the Fund's Co-Portfolio Manager. Mr. Sönne joined PCM in 2010 from Steinberg Asset Management in New York, where he spent 6 years as a research analyst. He focuses on a broad range of industries

including financial services and regional banks, business services, industrials and technology. Mr. Sönne earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Foreign Service, Cum Laude from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

The Fund's SAI provides additional information about each Portfolio Manager's compensation, other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager and each Portfolio Manager's ownership of Fund shares.

**ANALYST TEAM**

**David A. Sissman** currently serves as a Portfolio Manager of Private Capital's Value Focus strategy and the firm's Director of Research. He joined PCM from H.I.G. Capital's hedge fund unit, where he was a founding principal of the firm's value-oriented long/short equity fund in 2006. At H.I.G. Capital, Mr. Sissman focused primarily on health care, business services, and special situation investments. He also helped develop and direct the firm's investment research process. Mr. Sissman previously served as a principal within H.I.G. Capital's private equity group, where he identified, evaluated, and led acquisitions of private healthcare and business services companies. Earlier in his career Mr. Sissman worked at Bain & Company, a leading management consulting firm, where he worked with Fortune 500 companies to implement strategic plans and operational improvements. Mr. Sissman holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Statistics and Spanish, Summa Cum Laude from Rice University.

**Andrew L. Martin** currently serves as a Co-Portfolio Manager of one of Private Capital's private fund offerings and as a senior analyst for Private Capital's other offerings, including the Fund. He joined Private Capital from H.I.G. Capital's hedge fund unit, where he was a senior research analyst for the firm's value-oriented long/short equity fund. At H.I.G. Capital, Mr. Martin focused primarily on industrials, business services and special situation investments. Mr. Martin previously was Director of Research at Polen Capital Management, where he helped develop and direct the firm's research process. Prior to Polen Capital, Mr. Martin worked at Fine Capital Partners, a value focused long/short equity fund and at Sanford C. Bernstein, a leading institutional equity research firm. Earlier in his career Mr. Martin worked at Credit Suisse First Boston as an investment banker and at the public accounting firm Arthur Andersen, earning a CPA. Mr. Martin holds an MBA from Columbia Business School. He received his Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics and Business Management from Cornell University.

**SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION**

**PRICING OF SHARES**

The price of the Fund's shares is based on its NAV. The Fund values its assets, based on current market values when such values are available. The NAV per share of the Fund is calculated as follows:

Value of Assets Attributable to the Shares <br> NAV = – <u>Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Shares</u> <br> Number of Outstanding Shares

The Fund's NAV per share is calculated once daily as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each business day (i.e., a day that the Exchange is open for business). The Exchange is generally open on Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The price at which a purchase, redemption or exchange is effected is based on the next calculation of NAV after the order is received in good form by an authorized financial institution or the transfer agent, plus any applicable sales charges.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**PURCHASE OF SHARES**

You may purchase shares of the Fund through financial intermediaries authorized to sell Fund shares. Such financial intermediaries may charge additional fees and may require higher minimum investments or impose other limitations on buying and selling shares. "Financial intermediaries" include brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), insurance companies, investment advisers, financial advisers, financial planners, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators, their designated intermediaries and any other firm having a selling, administration or similar agreement.

**Share Classes**

The Fund is authorized to offer Class C, I and R shares. Class C and R Shares are not currently operational. Each class of shares has different expenses and distribution arrangements to provide for different investment needs. This allows you to choose the class of shares most suitable for you depending on the amount and expected length of your investment and other relevant factors. Sales personnel may receive different compensation for selling each class of shares. Class I shares are typically offered to corporations or other institutions such as trusts, foundations, broker-dealers purchasing for the accounts of others or certain clients of the Adviser or its affiliates. If you purchase Class I shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization. Class R shares are typically offered to employee benefit plans including, but not limited to, 401(k) plans, 457 plans, 403(b) plans, profit-sharing and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans and nonqualified deferred compensation plans. Class R shares are also generally available only to retirement plans where plan level or omnibus accounts are held on the books of the Fund. Class R shares generally are not available to retail nonretirement accounts, traditional and Roth individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"), Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, simplified employee pension ("SEPs"), Salary Reduction Simplified Employee Pension Plan ("SARSEPs"), Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees ("SIMPLE IRAs") and 529 college savings plans.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class C** | **Class I** | **Class R** |
| No initial sales charge | No initial sales charge | No initial sales charge |
| 1.00% deferred sales charge if redeemed within 12 months<sup>1</sup> | No deferred sales charge | No deferred sales charge |
| Higher annual expenses than Class I and Class R shares due to higher distribution fees | Lower annual expenses than Class C and Class R shares due to no distribution fee | Lower annual expenses than Class C shares due to lower distribution fees; higher annual expenses than Class I shares due to higher distribution fees |

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<sup>1</sup> A 1.00% CDSC will be assessed when Class C shares are redeemed within 12 months after initial purchase; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of Class C shares where the selling broker dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase.

Shares representing interests in the Fund are offered on a continuous basis by the Fund's principal underwriter, Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"). You can purchase Class C, I and R shares of the Fund through certain financial intermediaries, as discussed below. Shares of the Fund are offered only to residents of states in which the shares are registered or qualified. No share certificates are issued in connection with the purchase of Fund shares. The Fund reserves the right to waive the minimum initial investment requirement for any investor.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be redeemed by the Trust unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." To open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest.

In the event you modify or change your relationship with your financial intermediary through which you invest in the Fund (for instance from an advisory relationship to a brokerage relationship) you may no longer be eligible to invest in a particular share class and your financial intermediary may exchange your shares for another share class which may be subject to higher expenses and Rule 12b-1 distribution fees. In addition, the availability of certain classes of shares may be limited to certain intermediary platforms, which means that your eligibility to purchase a specific class of Fund shares may depend on whether your intermediary offers that class.

The Trust is not responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Class C Shares** 

Sales of the Fund's Class C shares are not subject to a front-end sales charge or a CDSC. Because Class C shares pay a higher Rule 12b-1 fee than Class I shares or Class R shares, Class C shares have higher expenses than those shares.

***Distribution Plan***

The Trust's Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Fund's Class C shares, has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to pay distribution and service fees for the sale and distribution of its shares and for services provided to its shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plan for Class C shares provides for payments of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Class C shares. This fee is comprised of a distribution fee of 0.75% of average daily net assets and a shareholder service fee of 0.25% of average daily net assets.

***Contingent Deferred Sales Charge ("CDSC")***

A 1.00% CDSC will be assessed when Class C shares are redeemed within 12 months after initial purchase; however, the CDSC shall not apply to the purchases of class shares where the selling broker dealer was not paid a commission at the time of purchase. To the same extent, subsequent Class C share purchases will also be subject to a CDSC if you redeem them within twelve months of purchasing those shares. If a CDSC is not (or is no longer) applicable with respect to such shares, the Class C Rule 12b-1 fees attributable to those shares will be paid to the selling broker, dealer or other financial intermediary. Investors should inquire with their financial intermediary regarding whether the CDSC is applicable to them.

The CDSC on Class C shares is applied to the NAV at the time of your purchase or sale, whichever is lower, and will not be applied to any shares you receive through reinvested distributions. When you place an order to sell your Class C shares, the Fund will first redeem any shares that are not subject to a CDSC followed by those you have held the longest.

The CDSC applicable to Class C shares may be waived when redeeming Class C shares: (i) purchased with reinvested dividends or capital gains; (ii) purchased through financial intermediaries who did not receive advanced sales commission payments; (iii) if, after you purchase shares, you become disabled, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS"); (iv) if the Fund redeems your shares and closes your account for not meeting the minimum balance requirement; (v) if your redemption is a required retirement plan distribution; (vi) representing minimum required distributions from an Individual Retirement Account or other retirement plan to a shareholder who has attained the age of 70½; (vii) upon the death of the last surviving shareholder of the account; or (viii) in the absolute discretion of the Fund, for other hardships with appropriate verification. If your redemption qualifies, you or your financial intermediary should notify the Underwriter or the Fund at the time of redemption to eliminate the CDSC. Financial intermediaries may charge additional fees for their services in connection with share transactions. The Fund may modify or cancel these terms at any time.

**Class I Shares**

Sales of the Fund's Class I shares are not subject to a front-end sales charge or a Rule 12b-1 fee. Class I shares are available to individuals, corporations or other institutions such as trusts, endowments, foundations or financial intermediaries purchasing for the accounts of others or clients of the Adviser or its affiliates. If you purchase Class I shares through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a brokerage commission on shares transacted in, other transaction-based fees or other fees for the services of such organization.

**Class R Shares**

Sales of the Fund's Class R shares are not subject to a front-end sales charge or a CDSC. Class R shares are typically offered to employee benefit plans including, but not limited to, 401(k) plans, 457 plans, 403(b) plans, profit-sharing and money purchase pension plans, defined benefit plans and nonqualified deferred compensation plans. Because Class R shares pay a higher Rule 12b-1 fee than Class I shares, Class R shares have higher expenses than Class I shares.

***Distribution Plan***

The Board of Trustees, on behalf of the Fund's Class R shares, has adopted a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to pay distribution and service fees for the sale and distribution of its shares and for services provided to its shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time, these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. The distribution plan for Class R shares provides for payments of up to 0.50% of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Class R shares.

**TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT THROUGH A FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY**

Shares of the Fund are only available through financial intermediaries (brokers, dealers, banks (including bank trust departments), insurance companies, investment advisers, financial advisers, financial planners, retirement or 401(k) plan administrators, their designated intermediaries and any other firm having a selling, administration or similar agreement). Such financial intermediary may charge additional fees and may require different minimum investments or impose other limitations on buying and selling shares. The financial intermediary is responsible for transmitting orders by close of business and may have an earlier cut-off time for purchase and sale requests. Purchase and redemption orders placed through a financial intermediary will be deemed to have been received and accepted by the Fund when the financial intermediary accepts the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. Customer orders are required to be priced at the Fund's NAV next computed after the authorized financial intermediary or its authorized representative's receipt of the order to buy or sell. Purchase and redemption requests sent to such authorized broker (or its designee) are executed at the NAV next determined after the intermediary receives the request if transmitted to the Fund's transfer agent in accordance with the Fund's procedures and applicable law. Financial intermediaries may also designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Fund's behalf. Consult your investment representative for specific information.

In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account."

It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary to transmit orders for the purchase of shares by its customers to the Fund's transfer agent and to deliver required funds on a timely basis, in accordance with the procedures stated above.

The Fund will only accept checks drawn in U.S. currency on domestic banks. The Fund will not accept any of the following: cash or cash equivalents, money orders, traveler's checks, cashier's checks, bank checks, official checks and treasurer's checks, payable through checks, third-party checks and third-party transactions.

While the Fund does not generally accept foreign investors, it may in instances where either (i) an intermediary makes shares of the Fund available or (ii) the transfer agent, in the case of a direct to Fund subscription, has satisfied its internal procedures with respect to the establishment of foreign investor accounts. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 568-1267 for more information.

The USA PATRIOT Act requires financial institutions, including the Fund, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money-laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of customers opening new accounts. As requested on the application, you must supply your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address. If you are opening the account in the name of a legal entity (e.g., partnership, limited liability company, business trust, corporation, etc.), you must also supply the identity of the beneficial owners. This information will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, the Fund may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Fund may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a shareholder's identity. As required by law, the Fund may employ various procedures, such as comparing information it has obtained to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

**Automatic Investment Plan**

You may open an automatic investment plan account for Class C shares with a $2,000 initial purchase and a $50 monthly investment. This plan is not available for Class I or Class R shares. The automatic investment plan provides a convenient method to have monies deducted directly from your bank account for investment in the Fund. You may authorize the automatic withdrawal of funds from your bank account for a monthly minimum amount of $50. The Fund may alter, modify or terminate this plan at any time. To begin participating in this plan, please complete the "Automatic Investment Plan" section found on the application.

**Purchase Price**

Class C, I and R shares of the Fund are sold at the NAV next determined after receipt of the request in good order. "Good Order" means that the purchase request is complete and includes all required information.

**Networking and Sub-Transfer Agency Fees.** The Fund may also directly enter into agreements with financial intermediaries pursuant to which it will pay the financial intermediary for services such as networking or sub-transfer agency, including the maintenance of "street name" or omnibus accounts and related sub-accounting, record-keeping and administrative services provided to such accounts. Payments made pursuant to such agreements are generally based on either: (i) a percentage of the average daily net assets of clients serviced by such financial intermediary, or (ii) the number of accounts serviced by such financial intermediary. Any payments made pursuant to such agreements are in addition to, rather than in lieu of, Rule 12b-1 distribution or shareholder service fees the financial intermediary may also be receiving. From time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay a portion of the fees for networking or sub-transfer agency at its or their own expense and out of its or their own resources. These payments may be material to financial intermediaries relative to other compensation paid by the Fund and/or the Underwriter, the Adviser and their affiliates. The payments described above may differ and may vary from amounts paid to the Fund's transfer agent for providing similar services to other accounts. The financial intermediaries are not audited by the Fund, the Adviser or their service providers to determine whether such intermediaries are providing the services for which they are receiving such payments.

**Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries.** The Adviser and, from time to time, affiliates of the Adviser may also, at their own expense and out of their own resources, provide additional cash payments to financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. These additional cash payments are payments over and above sales commissions or reallowances, distribution fees or servicing fees (including networking, administration and sub-transfer agency fees) payable to a financial intermediary which are disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus. These additional cash payments are generally made to financial intermediaries that provide sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency, shareholder or administrative services or marketing support. Marketing support may include: (i) access to sales meetings or conferences, sales representatives and financial intermediary management representatives; (ii) inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or other sales programs to which financial intermediaries provide more marketing support than to other sales programs on which the Adviser or its affiliates may not need to make additional cash payments to be included; (iii) promotion of the sale of the Fund's shares in communications with financial intermediaries' customers, sales representatives or management representatives; and/or (iv) other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of the Fund's shares. These additional cash payments also may be made as an expense reimbursement in cases where the financial intermediary provides shareholder services to Fund shareholders.

The amount and value of additional cash payments vary for each financial intermediary. The additional cash payment arrangement between a particular financial intermediary and the Adviser or its affiliates may provide for increased rates of compensation as the dollar value of the Fund's shares or particular class of shares sold or invested through such financial intermediary increases. The availability of these additional cash payments, the varying fee structure within a particular additional cash payment arrangement and the basis for and manner in which a financial intermediary compensates its sales representatives may create a financial incentive for a particular financial intermediary and its sales representatives to recommend the Fund's shares over the shares of other mutual funds based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. A financial intermediary and its sales representatives may have similar financial incentives to recommend a particular class of the Fund's shares over other classes of its shares. You should consult with your financial adviser and review carefully any disclosure by the financial firm as to compensation received by your financial adviser.

Although the Fund may use financial firms that sell its shares to effect portfolio transactions for the Fund, the Fund and the Adviser will not consider the sale of Fund shares as a factor when choosing financial firms to effect those transactions.

For more information about these additional cash payments made to financial intermediaries, please refer to the section entitled "Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries" located in the SAI.

**General Information About Sales Charges**

Your securities dealer may be paid a commission when you buy Class C shares. Your securities dealer or servicing agent may receive different levels of compensation depending on which class of shares you buy. From time to time, some financial institutions may receive a concession up to the entire sales charge. Firms that receive a concession of the entire sales charge may be considered underwriters for the purpose of federal securities law.

**Rights Reserved by the Fund** 

The Fund reserves the right to:

● reject any purchase order;

● suspend the offering of shares;

● vary the initial and subsequent investment minimums;

● waive the minimum investment requirement for any investor;

● redeem accounts with balances below the minimum account size after 30 days' written notice;

● redeem your shares in the event your financial intermediary's relationship with the Trust is modified or terminated;

● subject to applicable law, redeem your shares in other circumstances determined by the Board of Trustees to be in the best interest of the Fund; and

● redeem your shares if you hold your shares through a financial intermediary and you propose to transfer your shares to another financial intermediary that does not have a relationship with the Trust.

The Trust will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

**Market Timing and Frequent Trading Policy**

The Fund discourages frequent purchases and redemptions, and the Trust's Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures consistent with such position. The Fund is not designed to accommodate market timing or short-term trading. Frequent or excessive trades into or out of the Fund in an effort to anticipate changes in market prices of its investment portfolio is generally referred to as "market timing." Market timing can adversely impact the ability of the Adviser to invest assets in an orderly manner, which in turn may adversely impact the expenses and the performance of the Fund. These expenses are borne by all Fund shareholders, including long-term investors who do not generate such costs. Specifically, frequent trading may result in the Fund engaging in activities to a greater extent than it otherwise would, such as maintaining higher cash balances, using a line of credit and trading in portfolio securities, each of which may increase expenses and decrease performance. This occurs when market timers attempt to trade Fund shares when the NAV of the Fund does not reflect the value of the underlying portfolio securities.

To deter market timing and to minimize harm to the Fund and its shareholders, the Fund (i) charges a redemption fee of 2% on shares redeemed within thirty (30) days of purchase, and (ii) reserves the right to restrict, reject or cancel, without prior notice, any purchase order by market timers or by those persons the Fund believes are engaging in similar trading activity that, in the judgment of the Fund or the Adviser, may be disruptive to the Fund. The Fund will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. No waivers of the provisions of this policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

The Fund's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") reviews on an as-needed basis, as determined by the CCO in coordination with the Adviser and other service providers, available information related to the trading activity in the Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of market timing or similar trading practices. If, in its judgment, the Fund or the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Fund may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor's account with the Fund. The Fund may modify its procedures from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Fund will apply its procedures in a manner that, in the Fund's judgment, will be uniform.

There is no guarantee that the Fund or its agents will be able to detect frequent trading activity or the shareholders engaged in such activity, or, if it is detected, to prevent its recurrence.

In order for a financial intermediary to purchase shares of the Fund for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person, the Trust will enter into shareholder information agreements with such financial intermediary or its agent. These agreements require each financial intermediary to provide the Fund access, upon request, to information about underlying shareholder transaction activity in these accounts and the Shareholder's Taxpayer Identification Number (or International Taxpayer Identification Number or other government issued identifier). If a

shareholder information agreement has not been entered into by a financial intermediary, such financial intermediary will be prohibited from purchasing Fund shares for an "omnibus" account, in nominee name or on behalf of another person. If necessary, the Fund may prohibit additional purchases of Fund shares by a financial intermediary or by certain customers of the financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may also monitor their customers' trading activities in the Fund. The criteria used by intermediaries to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Fund. If a financial intermediary fails to enforce the Fund's excessive trading policies, the Fund may take certain actions, including terminating the relationship.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES**

You may "redeem" or sell your shares on any day the Exchange is open, either directly through the Fund's transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing, or through your broker-dealer. The price you receive will be the NAV next calculated after receipt of the request in good order. "Good Order" means that the redemption request is complete and includes all accurate required information including any medallion signature guarantees, if necessary. The Fund charges a redemption fee of 2.00% on proceeds redeemed within 30 days following their acquisition (see "Redemption Fee").

**Redemption Fee**

The Fund charges a redemption fee of 2.00% on proceeds of shares redeemed within 30 days following their acquisition. The redemption fee will be calculated as a percentage of the NAV of total redemption proceeds. Those shares held the longest will be treated as being redeemed first and the shares held shortest as being redeemed last. The fee will be paid directly to the Fund and is intended to offset the trading costs, market impact and other costs associated with short-term money movements in and out of the Fund. This redemption fee is not intended to accommodate short-term trading and the Fund will monitor the assessment of redemption fees against your account.

The 2.00% redemption fee will not be charged on the following transactions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Redemptions on shares held through retirement plans (including, without limitation, those maintained pursuant to Sections 401, 403, 408, 408A and 457 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and nonqualified plans), unless the plan has the systematic capability of assessing the redemption fee at the participant or individual account level;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Redemptions requested following (a) the death of a shareholder, or (b) the post-purchase "disability" or "hardship" (as such terms are defined by the Code or the rules and regulations thereunder) of the shareholder or as required by law (i.e., a divorce settlement) provided that such death, disability, hardship or other event (i.e., divorce settlement) occurs after the shareholder's account was established with the Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Redemptions initiated by the Fund (e.g., for failure to meet account minimums, to pay account fees funded by share redemptions, in the event of the liquidation of the Fund, if your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Fund);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Shares acquired through the reinvestment of distributions (dividends and capital gains);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Redemptions in omnibus accounts where redemptions cannot be tracked to the individual shareholder;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Redemptions by certain funds of funds and in connection with certain comprehensive fee programs, such as wrap fee accounts and automated rebalancing, or asset allocation programs offered by financial intermediaries; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Redemptions for systematic withdrawal plans.

**Redemption Policies**

Payment for redemptions of Fund shares is usually made within one business day, but not later than seven calendar days after receipt of your redemption request, unless the check used to purchase the shares has not yet cleared. The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment for more than seven days during any period when: (i) trading on the Exchange is restricted or the Exchange is closed for other than customary weekends and holidays, (ii) the SEC has by order permitted such suspension for the protection of the Fund's shareholders or (iii) an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, making disposal of portfolio securities or valuation of net assets of the Fund not reasonably practicable. The Fund will automatically redeem shares if a purchase check is returned for insufficient funds and the shareholder's account will be charged for any loss. The Fund reserves the right to reject any third-party check.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund generally meets redemption requests through its holdings of cash or cash equivalents or by selling a portion of the Fund's holdings consistent with its investment strategy. The Fund generally pays redemptions proceeds in cash; however, the Fund reserves the right to honor certain redemptions "in-kind" with securities, rather than cash. The Fund is more likely to redeem in-kind to meet large redemption requests or during times of market stress.

**TO REDEEM FROM YOUR ACCOUNT**

**By Mail**

To redeem your shares by mail:

● Write a letter of instruction that includes: the name of the Fund, your account number, the name(s) in which the account is registered and the dollar value or number of shares you wish to sell.

● Include all signatures and any additional documents that may be required.

● Mail your request to:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Regular Mail:**<br> Private Capital Management Value Fund<br> FundVantage Trust <br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> P.O. Box 534445<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445 | **Overnight Mail:**<br> Private Capital Management Value Fund<br> FundVantage Trust<br> c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing<br> Attention: 534445<br> 500 Ross Street, 154-0520<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15262<br> (888) 568-1267 |

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A check will be mailed to the name(s) and address in which the account is registered and may take up to seven days. The Fund may require additional documentation or a medallion signature guarantee on any redemption request to help protect against fraud. The Fund requires a medallion signature guarantee if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record.

**By Telephone**

To redeem your shares by telephone, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 568-1267. The proceeds will be paid to the registered owner: (i) by mail at the address on the account, or (ii) by wire to the pre-designated bank account on the fund account. To use the telephone redemption privilege, you must have selected this service on your original account application or submitted a subsequent medallion signature guaranteed request in writing to add this service to your account. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing reserve the right to refuse any telephone transaction when they are unable to confirm to their satisfaction that a caller is the account owner, or a person preauthorized by the account owner. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing has established security procedures to prevent unauthorized account access. Neither the Fund nor any of its service contractors will be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The telephone transaction privilege may be suspended, limited, modified or terminated at any time without prior notice by the Fund or BNY Mellon Investment Servicing.

**By Wire**

In the case of redemption proceeds that are wired to a bank, the Fund transmits the payment only on days that commercial banks are open for business and only to the bank and account previously authorized on your application or your medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. The Fund and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing will not be responsible for any delays in wired redemption proceeds due to heavy wire traffic over the Federal Reserve System. The Fund reserves the right to refuse a wire redemption if it believes that it is advisable to do so. You may also have your redemption proceeds sent to your bank via ACH. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing does not charge for this service; however, please allow 2 to 3 business days for the transfer of money to reach your banking institution.

**Systematic Withdrawal Plan Through your Financial Intermediary**

Once you have established an account with $25,000 or more, you may automatically receive funds from your account on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annual basis (minimum withdrawal of $100). Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 568-1267 to request a form to start the Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

**Selling Recently Purchased Shares**

If you wish to sell shares that were recently purchased by check, the Fund may delay mailing your redemption check for up to 15 business days after your redemption request to allow the purchase check to clear. The Fund reserves the right to reject any redemption request for shares recently purchased by check that has not cleared, and the Fund may require that a subsequent request be submitted. The Fund charges a redemption fee of 2.00% on proceeds redeemed within 30 days following their acquisition (see "Redemption of Shares — Redemption Fee").

**Late Trading**

Late trading is the practice of buying or selling Fund shares at the closing price after the Fund's NAV has been set for the day. Federal securities laws governing mutual funds prohibit late trading. The Fund has adopted trading policies designed to comply with requirements of the federal securities laws.

**TRANSACTION POLICIES**

**Timing of Purchase or Sale Requests**

All requests received in Good Order by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing or authorized dealers of Fund shares before the close of regular trading on the Exchange, typically 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, will be executed the same day, at that day's NAV. Such orders received after the close of regular trading of the Exchange will be executed the following day, at that day's NAV. All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Purchase and redemption orders are executed only on days when the Exchange is open for trading. If the Exchange closes early, the deadlines for purchase and redemption orders are accelerated to the earlier closing time.

**New York Stock Exchange Closings**

The Exchange is typically closed for trading on New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

**Investments through Financial Intermediaries/Nominees**

When you invest through a financial intermediary or nominee, such as a broker-dealer or financial adviser, certain policies and fees regarding your investment in the Fund may be different than those described in this Prospectus. In the event your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust, your shares may be subject to involuntary redemption unless you make arrangements to (a) transfer your Fund shares to another financial intermediary that is authorized to process Fund orders or (b) establish a direct account with the Fund's transfer agent by following the instructions under "To Open An Account." Financial intermediaries and nominees may charge transaction fees, may charge you a commission on your purchase, and may set different minimum investments or limitations or procedures on buying or selling shares; however, in the event that your financial intermediary modifies or terminates its relationship with the Trust and you chose to open an account directly with the Fund, you must meet the minimum initial investment amount or, if available, exchange your shares for shares of another class in which you are eligible to invest. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker, or, if applicable, a broker's designee receives the order. It is the responsibility of the financial intermediary or nominee to promptly forward purchase or redemption orders and payments to the Fund. You will not be charged any additional fees by the Fund (other than those described in this Prospectus) if you purchase or redeem shares directly through the Fund's transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing.

Contact your financial intermediary for specific information regarding the availability and suitability of various account options described throughout this Prospectus. Contact your financial intermediary for specific information with respect to the financial intermediary's policies regarding minimum purchase and minimum balance requirements and involuntary redemption, which may differ from what is described throughout this Prospectus.

**Account Minimum**

Class I shares require a minimum balance of $5,000 (not including market fluctuations). You must keep at least $2,500 ($1,000 for automatic investment plan accounts and IRAs) worth of shares in your Class C account to keep the account open. If, after giving you 30 days' prior written notice, your account value is still below $2,500 ($1,000 for automatic investment plan accounts) due to your redemptions (not including market fluctuations), the Fund may redeem your shares and send you a check for the redemption proceeds.

**Medallion Signature Guarantees**

The Fund may require additional documentation for the redemption of corporate, partnership or fiduciary accounts, or medallion signature guarantees for certain types of transfer requests or account registration changes. A medallion signature guarantee helps protect against fraud. A medallion signature guarantee is required if the written redemption request exceeds $100,000, the address of record has changed within the past 30 days, or the proceeds are to be paid to a person other than the account owner of record. When the Fund requires a signature guarantee, a medallion signature must be provided. A medallion signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency, saving association or other financial institution that is participating in a medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The Fund recognizes the following three medallion programs: (i) Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program (STAMP), (ii) Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and (iii) New York Stock Exchange, Inc., Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature guarantees from a financial institution that does not participate in one of these programs will not be accepted. Call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 568-1267 for further information on obtaining a proper signature guarantee.

**Customer Identification Program**

Federal law requires the Fund to obtain, verify and record identifying information, which includes the name, residential or business street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or taxpayer identification number or other identifying information for each investor who opens or reopens an account with the Fund. Applications without the required information, or without any indication that a social security or taxpayer identification number has been applied for, will not be accepted. After acceptance, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its customer identification program, the Fund reserves the right to (i) place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; or (ii) to refuse an investment in the Fund or to involuntarily redeem an investor's shares and close an account in the event that an investor's identity is not verified. The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss in an investor's account resulting from the investor's delay in providing all required identifying information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor's shares when an investor's identity cannot be verified.

**Other Documents**

Additional documents may be required for purchases and redemptions when shares are registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, association, agent, fiduciary, trust, estate or other organization. For further information, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 568-1267.

**SHAREHOLDER SERVICES**

**Your Account**

If you have questions about your account, including purchases, redemptions and distributions, you should contact your investment representative. You may also call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 568-1267 from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time.

**Delivery of Shareholder Documents**

To reduce expenses, the Fund mails only one copy of the Fund's Prospectus and each Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 568-1267 or, if your shares are held through a financial institution, please contact the financial institution directly. The Fund will begin sending you individual copies within 30 days after receiving your request.

**DISTRIBUTIONS**

Distributions of net investment income and net capital gains, if any, are declared and paid annually to you. The Fund may distribute net realized gains from foreign currency transactions, if any, after the end of the fiscal year in which the gain was realized. The amount of any distribution will vary and there is no guarantee that the Fund will distribute either investment income or capital gains.

Distributions are payable to the shareholders of record at the time the distributions are declared (including holders of shares being redeemed but excluding holders of shares being purchased). All distributions are reinvested in additional shares, unless you elect to receive the distributions in cash. Shares become entitled to receive distributions on the day after the shares are issued. If you invest in the Fund shortly before the ex-dividend date of a taxable distribution, the distribution will lower the value of the Fund's shares by the amount of the distribution and, in effect, you will receive some of your investment back in the form of a taxable distribution (see "More Information about Taxes — Distributions").

**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TAXES**

Each shareholder and prospective investor's particular tax situation is unique, and, therefore, the tax information in this Prospectus is provided only for general information purposes and only for U.S. taxpayers and should not be considered as tax advice or relied on by a shareholder or prospective investor.

**General.** The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a regulated investment company (a "RIC") under Subchapter M of the Code. As such, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on the earnings it distributes to shareholders provided it satisfies certain requirements and restrictions set forth in the Code, one of which is to distribute to its shareholders substantially all of its income and gains each year. If for any taxable year the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC: (1) it will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and will be subject to tax at the corporate tax rates then in effect; and (2) all distributions from its earnings and profits (as determined under federal income tax principles) will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders and the non-corporate shareholder long-term capital gain rate for "qualified dividend income" and ordinary rates for all other distributions, except for those treated as a return of capital or substitute dividends with respect to dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund. In addition, dividends paid on securities lent out by the Fund may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

**Distributions.** The Fund will make distributions to you that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains (which may be taxed at different rates depending on the length of time the Fund holds its assets). The dividends and distributions you receive may be subject to federal, state and local taxation, depending upon your tax situation. Distributions are taxable whether you reinvest such distributions in additional shares of the Fund or choose to receive cash.

Unless you are investing through a tax-deferred retirement account (such as a 401(k) or an IRA), you should consider avoiding a purchase of Fund shares shortly before the Fund makes a distribution, because making such a purchase can increase your taxes and the cost of the shares. This is known as "buying a dividend." For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the Fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you received — even if you reinvest it in more shares and have to pay the tax due on the dividend without receiving any cash to pay the taxes. To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest.

**Ordinary Income.** Net investment income (except for qualified dividends and income designated as tax-exempt), distributions of income from securities lending, and short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. Certain dividends distributed to non-corporate shareholders and designated by the Fund as "qualified dividend income" are eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rates. Short-term capital gains that are distributed to you are taxable as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares. In addition, certain qualified REIT dividends may be eligible for a deduction for non-corporate shareholders.

**Net Capital Gains.** Net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) distributed to you, if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains (based on the Fund's holding period) for federal income tax purposes regardless of how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Sale of Shares.** It is a taxable event for you if you sell shares of the Fund. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price of the shares you sell, you may have a taxable gain or loss on the transaction. Any realized gain will be taxable to you, and, generally, will be capital gain, assuming you held the shares of the Fund as a capital asset. The capital gain will be long-term or short-term depending on how long you have held your shares in the Fund. Sales of shares of the Fund that you have held for twelve months or less will be a short-term capital gain or loss and if held for more than twelve months will constitute a long-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends, if any, received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.

**Returns of Capital.** If the Fund's distributions exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in the same taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable to the extent of each shareholder's basis in the Fund's shares, but will reduce each shareholder's cost basis in the Fund and result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold. If the return of capital distribution exceeds a shareholder's cost basis, the excess amount will be capital gain, assuming you held your shares as a capital asset, and will be long-term or short-term capital gain depending on how long you have held your Fund shares.

**Medicare Contribution Tax.** U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000, if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately) will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income including interest (excluding tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains. If applicable, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of the individual's (i) net investment income or (ii) the excess of modified adjusted gross income over $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly and $125,000 if married and filing separately).

**IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans.** One major exception to these tax principles is that a distribution on or the sale or exchange of shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable unless the shares were acquired with borrowed funds.

**Backup Withholding.** The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax on all taxable distributions and sales payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%.

**State and Local Income Taxes.** This Prospectus does not discuss the state and local tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. **You are urged and advised to consult your own tax adviser concerning state and local taxes, which may have different consequences from those of the federal income tax laws.**

**Non-U.S. Shareholders.** Non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. tax as a result of an investment in the Fund. The Fund is required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments made to foreign entities that do not qualify for reduced withholding rates under a treaty and do not meet specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. This Prospectus does not discuss the U.S. or foreign country tax consequences of an investment by a non-U.S. shareholder in the Fund. **Non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the U.S. and foreign country tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**Basis Reporting and Holding Periods.** A shareholder is responsible for tracking the tax basis and holding periods of the shareholder's shares in the Fund for federal income tax purposes. However, RICs, such as the Fund, must report cost basis information to you and the IRS when a shareholder sells or exchanges shares that are not in a tax deferred retirement account. The Fund will permit shareholders to elect from among several IRS accepted cost basis methods.

**Statements and Notices.** You will receive an annual statement outlining the tax status of your distributions. You may also receive written notices of certain foreign taxes and distributions paid by the Fund during the prior taxable year.

***This section is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal tax income considerations of taxable U.S. shareholders that may affect your investment in the Fund. This summary is provided for general information purposes only and should not be considered as tax advice and may not be relied on by a prospective investor. This general summary does not apply to non-U.S. shareholders or tax-exempt shareholders, and does not address state, local or foreign taxes. More information regarding these considerations is included in the Fund's SAI. All prospective investors and shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser regarding the effects of an investment in the Fund on their particular tax situation.***

**financial Highlights**

The Financial Highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the periods shown. Class C and Class R shares have not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. The Fund's fiscal year runs from May 1 to April 30. Certain information in the table reflects the financial results of a single Fund share. The total investment return in the table represents the rate at which an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). The information provided has been derived from financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in form N-CSR for the period ended April 30, 2025. The 2025 financial statements and Financial Highlights are incorporated by reference into the Fund's SAI. To request the Fund's Annual Report, call Shareholder Services toll-free at (888) 568-1267, or visit the website *www.private-cap.com.*

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Class I** | **Class I** | **Class I** | **Class I** | **Class I** |
|  | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2025** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2022** | **For the<br> Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2021** |
| **Per Share Operating Performance** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net asset value, beginning of year | $14.92 | $15.20 | $13.79 | $15.65 | $8.80 |
| Net investment income/(loss)<sup>1</sup> | (0.02) | (0.03) | (0.06) | 0.79<sup>2</sup> | (0.05) |
| Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments | 3.85 | (0.15) | 1.97 | (0.61) | 8.52 |
| Total from investment operations | 3.83 | (0.18) | 1.91 | 0.18 | 8.47 |
| Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net investment income |  |  | (0.17) | (0.72) |  |
| Net realized capital gains | (1.69) | (0.10) | (0.33) | (1.34) | (1.62) |
| Total dividends and distributions to shareholders | (1.69) | (0.10) | (0.50) | (2.06) | (1.62) |
| Redemption fees | 0.00<sup>3</sup> | 0.00<sup>3</sup> | 0.00<sup>3</sup> | 0.02 | 0.00<sup>3</sup> |
| Net asset value, end of year | $17.06 | $14.92 | $15.20 | $13.79 | $15.65 |
| Total investment return<sup>4</sup> | 24.44% | (1.16)% | 13.96% | (0.16)% | 101.74% |
| **Ratios/Supplemental Data** |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net assets, end of year (in 000s) | $65051 | $53752 | $53888 | $35434 | $33657 |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets | 1.20% | 1.20% | 1.20% | 1.20% | 1.20% |
| Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements<sup>5</sup> | 1.43% | 1.42% | 1.67% | 1.73% | 2.06% |
| Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets | (0.10)% | (0.23)% | (0.43)% | 5.01%<sup>2</sup> | (0.38)% |
| Portfolio turnover rate | 25% | 22% | 6% | 26% | 20% |

---

<sup>1</sup> The selected per share data was calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the year.

<sup>2</sup> Investment income/(loss) per share reflects special dividends received during the year which amounted to $0.42 per share. Excluding the special dividend, the ratio of net investment income to average net assets would have been 2.34%.

<sup>3</sup> Amount is less than $0.005 per share.

<sup>4</sup> Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any.

<sup>5</sup> During the period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

**PRIVATE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT VALUE FUND**

*a series of*

**F** **undVantage Trust**

(888) 568-1267

**FOR MORE INFORMATION**

**For additional information about the Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:**

**Annual and Semi-Annual Financial and Additional Information**

These Fund's Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information contain more information about the Fund's investments and performance including information on the Fund's portfolio holdings and operating results for the most recently completed fiscal year or half-year. The Annual Financials and Additional Information includes a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year.

**Statement of Additional Information (SAI)**

The SAI contains more detailed information about the Fund and its policies. The information in the SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus. This means that the SAI, for legal purposes, is part of this Prospectus.

These documents will be available free of charge on the Fund's website at *https://www.private-cap.com*. You can also get a free copy of these documents and other information, or ask us any questions, including information on how to purchase or redeem Fund shares, by calling us at (888) 568-1267 or writing to:

Private Capital Management Value Fund FundVantage Trust c/o BNY Mellon Investment Servicing P.O. Box 534445 Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4445

If you buy your shares through a financial intermediary, you should contact that financial intermediary directly for this information. You can also find information online at *https://www.private-cap.com.*

Reports and information about the Fund (including the SAI and Annual and Semi-Annual Financials and Additional Information) also may be viewed or downloaded, free of charge, from the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at *http://www.sec.gov*. Copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: *publicinfo@sec.gov.*

The investment company registration number is 811-22027.

**PRIVATE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT VALUE FUND**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class C** | **Class I** | **Class R** |
|  | **VFPIX** |  |

---

**A SERIES OF**

**FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**

**September 1, 2025**

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") provides information about the Private Capital Management Value Fund (the "Fund"). The Fund is a series of FundVantage Trust (the "Trust").

This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Fund's current prospectus dated September 1, 2025, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the "Prospectus"). This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. The Fund's audited financial statements and the notes thereto, which are included in the Fund's [Annual Financials and Additional Information](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000119312525155431/d88680dncsr.htm) to shareholders dated April 30, 2025, are incorporated into this SAI by reference. A copy of the Prospectus and Annual Financials and Additional Information to shareholders may be obtained without charge, upon request, by writing to the Fund at 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262 or calling the Fund at (888) 568-1267 or on the Fund's website at *www.private-cap.com*.

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **Page** |
| [General Information](#saipcmv_001) | 1 |
| [Investment Policies](#saipcmv_002) | 1 |
| [Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings](#saipcmv_003) | 32 |
| [Investment Limitations](#saipcmv_004) | 34 |
| [Trustees and Officers](#saipcmv_005) | 35 |
| [Code of Ethics](#saipcmv_006) | 40 |
| [Proxy Voting](#saipcmv_007) | 40 |
| [Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities](#saipcmv_008) | 41 |
| [Investment Advisory Services](#saipcmv_009) | 42 |
| [Portfolio Managers](#saipcmv_010) | 43 |
| [Administration and Accounting Services](#saipcmv_011) | 45 |
| [Additional Service Providers](#saipcmv_012) | 45 |
| [Brokerage Allocation and Other Practices](#saipcmv_013) | 46 |
| [Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries](#saipcmv_014) | 48 |
| [Distribution of Shares and Rule 12b-1 Plan](#saipcmv_015) | 48 |
| [Capital Stock and Other Securities](#saipcmv_016) | 49 |
| [Purchase, Redemption and Pricing of Shares](#saipcmv_017) | 49 |
| [Dividends](#saipcmv_018) | 50 |
| [Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations](#saipcmv_019) | 51 |
| [Financial Statements](#saipcmv_020) | 61 |
| [Appendix A — Description of Ratings](#saipcmv_021) | A-1 |
| [Appendix B — Proxy Voting Policies](#saipcmv_022) | B-1 |

---

i

**GENERAL INFORMATION**

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 28, 2006. The Trust is a series trust authorized to issue separate series or classes of shares of beneficial interest. The Trust has established the Fund as a separate series of the Trust. The Fund issues Class C, Class I and Class R shares. Class C and R Shares are not currently operational. The Fund is a diversified, open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). Private Capital Management, LLC ("Private Capital" or the "Adviser"), serves as investment adviser to the Fund.

**INVESTMENT POLICIES**

The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objective and policies of the Fund.

**BANK OBLIGATIONS.** Bank obligations in which the Fund may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third-party, although there is no market for such deposits. The Fund will not invest in fixed time deposits which (1) are not subject to prepayment or (2) provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits) if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in such deposits, repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days and other illiquid assets.

Obligations of foreign banks involve somewhat different investment risks than those affecting obligations of United States banks, including the possibilities that their liquidity could be impaired because of future political and economic developments, that their obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of United States banks, that a foreign jurisdiction might impose withholding taxes on interest income payable on those obligations, that foreign deposits may be seized or nationalized, that foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be adopted which might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on those obligations and that the selection of those obligations may be more difficult because there may be less publicly available information concerning foreign banks or the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to foreign banks may differ from those applicable to United States banks. Foreign banks are not generally subject to examination by any U.S. Government agency or instrumentality.

● **BANKERS' ACCEPTANCES.** Bankers' acceptances are credit instruments evidencing the obligation of a bank to pay a draft that has been drawn on it by a customer. These instruments reflect the obligation of both the bank and the drawer to pay the face amount of the instrument upon maturity.

● **CERTIFICATES OF DEPOSIT.** Certificates of deposit are certificates evidencing the indebtedness of a commercial bank to repay funds deposited with it for a definite period of time (usually from 14 days to one year) at a stated or variable interest rate. Variable rate certificates of deposit provide that the interest rate will fluctuate on designated dates based on changes in a designated base rate (such as the composite rate for certificates of deposit established by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York).

● **TIME DEPOSITS.** Time deposits are bank deposits for fixed periods of time. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which may vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third-party, although there is no market for such deposits.

**BORROWING.** The Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time. This means that, in general, the Fund may borrow money from banks for any purpose on a secured basis in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets. The Fund may also borrow money for temporary administrative purposes on an unsecured basis in an amount not to exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets.

Specifically, provisions of the 1940 Act require the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.

As noted below, the Fund also may enter into certain transactions, including reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and sale-buybacks, that can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing or financing transaction by the Fund. The Derivatives Rule (as defined below) regulates a registered investment company's use of derivatives and certain other transactions that creature future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. This new rule became operative in August 2022. The Derivatives Rule prescribes specific "value at risk" or "VaR" (further defined below) leverage limits that apply to the Fund with derivatives and other applicable transactions (although the Fund may qualify for the Limited Derivatives User Exception (as defined below)). VaR is an estimate of potential losses on an instrument or portfolio over a specified time horizon and at a given confidence level. The Fund may apply a relative VaR test or an absolute VaR test (if the Fund's derivative risk manager, if applicable, determines that a designated reference portfolio would not provide an appropriate reference portfolio for purposes of the relative VaR test. The limit under the relative VaR test is 200% of the VaR of a designated reference portfolio, which, very generally, may be a designated unleveraged index or the Fund's securities portfolio excluding derivatives. If applicable, the limit under the absolute VaR test is 20% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Derivatives Rule also requires the Fund, if applicable, to appoint a derivatives risk manager, maintain a derivatives risk management program designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with transactions covered by the rule, and abide by certain Board and other reporting obligations and recordkeeping requirements. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, the Derivatives Rule permits a fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under the Derivatives Rule. The Fund has adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with the Derivatives Rule. Compliance with the Derivatives Rule could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which the Fund may engage in derivative transactions could also limit or prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value ("NAV") of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, mortgage dollar rolls and economically similar transactions. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a portfolio-eligible security by the Fund to another party coupled with its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund continues to be entitled to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by the Fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by the Fund which it is obligated to repurchase.

A "mortgage dollar roll" is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement in certain respects. In a "dollar roll" transaction, the Fund sells a mortgage-related security, such as a security issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a predetermined price. A dollar roll can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which the Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Unlike in the case of reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which the Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but only securities which are "substantially identical." To be considered substantially identical, the securities returned to the Fund generally must: (1) be collateralized by the same types of underlying mortgages; (2) be issued by the same agency and be part of the same program; (3) have a similar original stated maturity; (4) have identical net coupon rates; (5) have similar market yields (and therefore price); and (6) satisfy "good delivery" requirements, meaning that the aggregate principal amounts of the securities delivered and received back must be within 0.01% of the initial amount delivered.

The Fund also may effect simultaneous purchase and sale transactions that are known as "sale-buybacks." A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty that purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of the Fund's repurchase of the underlying security.

It is possible that changing government regulation may affect the Fund's use of these strategies. Changes in regulatory requirements concerning margin for certain types of financing transactions, such as repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and securities lending and borrowing, could impact the Fund's ability to utilize these investment strategies and techniques.

**COMMERCIAL PAPER.** The Fund may invest in commercial paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (up to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations and other entities in order to finance their current operations.

**COMMON STOCK.** Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company or other entity. This ownership interest often gives the Fund the right to vote on measures affecting the company's organization and operations. Although common stocks generally have had a history of long-term growth in value, their prices are often volatile in the short-term and can be influenced by both general market risk and specific corporate risks. Accordingly, the Fund can lose money through its stock investments.

**CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in convertible securities, which may offer higher income than the common stocks into which they are convertible. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock, or other security that entitles the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to non-convertible debt or preferred securities, as applicable. Convertible securities are subordinate in rank to any senior debt obligations of the issuer, and, therefore, an issuer's convertible securities entail more risk than its debt obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible debt securities of similar credit quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. In addition, convertible securities are often lower-rated securities. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation's capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation's common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security.

Because of the conversion feature, the price of the convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying asset, and as such is subject to risks relating to the activities of the issuer and/or general market and economic conditions. The income component of a convertible security may tend to cushion the security against declines in the price of the underlying asset. However, the income component of convertible securities causes fluctuations based upon changes in interest rates and the credit quality of the issuer.

If the convertible security's "conversion value," which is the market value of the underlying common stock that would be obtained upon the conversion of the convertible security, is substantially below the "investment value," which is the value of a convertible security viewed without regard to its conversion feature (i.e., strictly on the basis of its yield), the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. If the conversion value of a convertible security increases to a point that approximates or exceeds its investment value, the value of the security will be principally influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security will sell at a premium over its conversion value to the extent investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding an income-producing security.

A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a predetermined price. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund would be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security and convert it to underlying common stock, or would sell the convertible security to a third-party, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective. The Fund generally would invest in convertible securities for their favorable price characteristics and total return potential and would normally not exercise an option to convert unless the security is called or conversion is forced.

**CORPORATE DEBT AND INCOME SECURITIES.** The Fund's investments in U.S. dollar or foreign currency-denominated corporate debt securities of domestic or foreign issuers are limited to corporate debt securities (corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar corporate debt instruments, including convertible securities) which meet the minimum ratings criteria set forth for the Fund, or, if unrated, are in the Adviser's opinion comparable in quality to corporate debt securities in which the Fund may invest.

Corporate income producing securities may include forms of preferred or preference stock (see "Preferred Stock"). The rate of interest on a corporate debt security may be fixed, floating or variable, and may vary inversely with respect to a reference rate. The rate of return or return of principal on some debt obligations may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies. Debt securities may be acquired with warrants attached.

Securities rated Baa and BBB are the lowest which are considered "investment grade" obligations. Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") describes securities rated Baa as "subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics." Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P") describes securities rated BBB as "regarded as having adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation." For securities rated BBB, Fitch Ratings Ltd. ("Fitch") states that "…expectations of default risk are currently low…capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity." For a discussion of securities rated below-investment grade, see "Below-Investment Grade Securities" below.

**CYBER SECURITY.** The Fund and its service providers are susceptible to operational and information security risks due to cyber security incidents. In general, cyber security incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber security attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (*e.g*., through "hacking" or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks also may be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (*i.e*., efforts to make services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security incidents affecting the Adviser, Transfer Agent or Custodian or other service providers such as financial intermediaries have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, including by interference with the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading for the Fund's portfolio; the inability of fund shareholders to transact business with the Fund; violations of applicable privacy, data security or other laws; regulatory fines and penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation or remediation costs; legal fees; or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber security incidents affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions and other parties. While information risk management systems and business continuity plans have been developed which are designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there are inherent limitations in any cyber security risk management systems or business continuity plans, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified.

**DEBT SECURITIES.** Debt securities represent money borrowed that obligates the issuer (e.g., a corporation, municipality, government, government agency) to repay the borrowed amount at maturity (when the obligation is due and payable) and usually to pay the holder interest at specific times.

**DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS.** American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs") as well as other "hybrid" forms of ADRs, including European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"), are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer. These certificates are issued by depository banks and generally trade on an established market in the United States or elsewhere. The underlying shares are held in trust by a custodian bank or similar financial institution. The depository bank may not have physical custody of the underlying securities at all times and may charge fees for various services, including forwarding dividends interest and shareholder information regarding corporate actions. ADRs may be available through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and a depositary. An unsponsored facility may be established by a depositary without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. ADRs are alternatives to directly purchasing the underlying foreign securities in their national markets and currencies. However, ADRs continue to be subject to many of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities. These risks include foreign exchange risk as well as the political and economic risks of the underlying issuer's country.

**DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS.** In pursuing its investment objective, the Fund may, to the extent permitted by its investment objective and policies, purchase and sell (write) both put options and call options on securities swap agreements, securities indexes, commodity indexes and foreign currencies, and enter into interest rate, index and commodity futures contracts and purchase and sell options on such futures contracts ("futures options"). The Fund also may purchase and sell foreign currency options for purposes of increasing exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another. The Fund may also enter into swap agreements with respect to interest rates, commodities and indexes of securities or commodities. The Fund may invest in structured notes. If other types of financial instruments, including other types of options, futures contracts or futures options are traded in the future, the Fund may also use those instruments, provided that such instruments are consistent with the Fund's investment objective.

The value of some derivative instruments in which the Fund invests may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates, and, like the other investments of the Fund, the ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend in part upon the ability of the Adviser to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts such factors and has taken positions in derivative instruments contrary to prevailing market trends, the Fund could be exposed to the risk of loss.

The Fund might not employ any of the strategies described below, and no assurance can be given that any strategy used will succeed. If the Adviser incorrectly forecasts interest rates, market values or other economic factors in using a derivatives strategy for the Fund, the Fund might have been in a better position if it had not entered into the transaction at all. Also, suitable derivative transactions may not be available in all circumstances. The use of these strategies involves certain special risks, including a possible imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of derivative instruments and price movements of related investments. While some strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in related investments or otherwise, due to the possible inability of the Fund to purchase or sell a portfolio security at a time that otherwise would be favorable, the possible need to sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time because the Fund is required to maintain asset coverage, offsetting positions in connection with transactions in derivative instruments or the possible inability of the Fund to close out or to liquidate its derivatives positions. In addition, the Fund's use of such instruments may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains (generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates) than if it had not used such instruments. If the Fund gains exposure to an asset class using derivative instruments backed by a collateral portfolio of fixed income instruments, changes in the value of the fixed income instruments may result in greater or lesser exposure to that asset class than would have resulted from a direct investment in securities comprising that asset class.

The use of derivative instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), the Commodity Future Trading Commission ("CFTC"), various state regulatory authorities and, with respect to exchange-traded derivatives, the several exchanges upon which they are traded. In particular, under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act, a registered investment company's derivatives exposure, which includes short positions for this purpose, is limited through a value-at-risk test and Rule 18f-4 requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. However, subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4) are not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. Rule 18f-4 could limit the Fund's ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Moreover, there may be asset coverage requirements for certain arrangements. In order to engage in certain transactions in derivatives, the Fund may be required to hold offsetting positions or to hold cash or liquid securities in a segregated account or designated on the Fund's books. Changes in the value of a derivative may also create margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for the Fund. In addition, the Fund's ability to use derivative instruments may be limited by tax considerations.

<u>Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. The Fund may, to the extent specified herein or in the Prospectus, purchase and sell both put and call options on fixed income or other securities or indexes in standardized contracts traded on foreign or domestic securities exchanges, boards of trade, or similar entities, or quoted on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System ("NASDAQ") or on an over-the-counter market, and agreements, sometimes called cash puts, which may accompany the purchase of a new issue of bonds from a dealer.

An option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from (in the case of a call) or sell to (in the case of a put) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security. Upon exercise, the writer of an option on an index is obligated to pay the difference between the cash value of the index and the exercise price multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. (An index is designed to reflect features of a particular financial or securities market, a specific group of financial instruments or securities or certain economic indicators.)

The Fund will write call options and put options only if they are "covered." In the case of a call option on a security, the option is "covered" if the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by the Fund. For a call option on an index, the option is covered if the Fund maintains with its custodian assets determined to be liquid by the Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, in an amount equal to the contract value of the index. A call option is also covered if the Fund holds a call on the same security or index as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written. A put option on a security or an index is "covered" if the Fund holds a put on the same security or index as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written.

If an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid. Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange-traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, exchange, underlying security or index, exercise price and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund desires.

The Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option which is sold. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series. The Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security or index in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.

The premium paid for a put or call option purchased by the Fund is an asset of the Fund. The premium received for an option written by the Fund is recorded as a deferred credit. The value of an option purchased or written is marked to market daily and is valued at the closing price on the exchange on which it is traded or, if not traded on an exchange or no closing price is available, at the mean between the last bid and asked prices.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a combination of a call and a put written on the same underlying security. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

<u>Risks Associated with Options on Securities and Indexes</u>. There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and on indexes. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.

The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying security at the exercise price. If a put or call option purchased by the Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security remains equal to or greater than the exercise price (in the case of a put), or remains less than or equal to the exercise price (in the case of a call), the Fund will lose its entire investment in the option. Also, where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security, the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out an option position. If the Fund were unable to close out an option that it had purchased on a security, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit or the option may expire worthless. If trading were suspended in an option purchased by the Fund, the Fund would not be able to close out the option. If restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise an option it has purchased. Except to the extent that a call option on an index written by the Fund is covered by an option on the same index purchased by the Fund, movements in the index may result in a loss to the Fund; however, such losses may be mitigated by changes in the value of the Fund's securities during the period the option was outstanding. If the Fund were unable to close out a covered call option that it had written on a security, it would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise. As the writer of a covered call option, the Fund forgoes, during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the security covering the call option above the sum of the premium and the exercise price of the call.

To the extent that the Fund writes a call option on a security it holds in its portfolio and intends to use such security as the sole means of "covering" its obligation under the call option, the Fund has, in return for the premium on the option, given up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying security above the exercise price during the option period, but, as long as its obligation under such call option continues, has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline. If the Fund were unable to close out such a call option, the Fund would not be able to sell the underlying security unless the option expired without exercise.

<u>Foreign Currency Options</u>. Funds that invest in foreign currency-denominated securities may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies. These Funds may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies either on exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires. Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits which may limit the ability of the Fund to reduce foreign currency risk using such options. Over-the-counter options differ from traded options in that over-the-counter options are two-party contracts with price and other terms negotiated between buyer and seller and generally do not have as much market liquidity as exchange traded options. (See "Foreign Currency and Related Transactions").

<u>Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts</u>. A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security or commodity for a set price on a future date. These contracts are traded on exchanges, so that, in most cases, either party can close out its position on the exchange for cash, without delivering the security or commodity. An option on a futures contract gives the holder of the option the right to buy or sell a position in a futures contract from or to the writer of the option, at a specified price and on or before a specified expiration date. The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options thereon ("futures options") with respect to, but not limited to, interest rates, commodities and security or commodity indexes. To the extent that the Fund may invest in foreign currency denominated securities, it may also invest in foreign currency futures contracts and options thereon.

An interest rate, commodity, foreign currency or index futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of a financial instrument, foreign currency, commodity or the cash value of an index at a specified price and time. A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract was originally written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, no physical delivery of these securities is made. A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes as well as financial instruments and foreign currencies and it is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future. The Fund may also invest in commodity futures contracts and options thereon. A commodity futures contract is an agreement between two parties, in which one party agrees to buy a commodity, such as an energy, agricultural or metal commodity from the other party at a later date at a price and quantity agreed-upon when the contract is made.

The Fund may purchase and write call and put futures options. Futures options possess many of the same characteristics as options on securities and indexes (discussed above). A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. A call option is "in the money" if the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option exceeds the exercise price. A put option is "in the money" if the exercise price exceeds the value of the futures contract that is the subject of the option.

Pursuant to a claim for exclusion from the definition of "commodity pool operator" filed by the Trust with the National Futures Association ("NFA"), the Trust does not fall within the definition of "commodity pool operator" under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended ("CEA"), in respect of the Fund, and thus, is not subject to registration or regulation as such under the CEA in respect of the Fund.

<u>Limitations on Use of Futures and Futures Options</u>. The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and futures options which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity or quoted on an automated quotation system.

Additionally, the Fund will limit its trading in "commodity interests," as that term is defined under applicable CFTC Rules, and which generally includes commodity futures, futures options and swaps, such that, aside from commodity futures, commodity options contracts or swaps that, in each case, are used solely for bona fide hedging purposes within the meaning and intent of applicable CFTC Rules, (i) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish positions in commodity interests will not exceed five percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, or (ii) the aggregate net notional value of commodity interest positions does not exceed 100 percent of the liquidation value of the Fund's portfolio after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such contracts it has entered into, in each case, as further described in CFTC Rule 4.5(c)(2).

When a purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by the Fund, the Fund is required to deposit with the custodian (or broker, if legally permitted) a specified amount of assets determined to be liquid by the investment adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees ("initial margin"). The margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. Margin requirements on foreign exchanges may be different than U.S. exchanges. The initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the futures contract which is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. The Fund expects to earn interest income on its initial margin deposits. A futures contract held by the Fund is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded. Each day the Fund pays or receives cash, called "variation margin," equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. This process is known as "marking to market." Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract expired. In computing the daily NAV, the Fund will mark to market its open futures positions.

The Fund is also required to deposit and maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option and other futures positions held by the Fund.

Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities or commodities, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (same exchange, underlying security or index and delivery month). Closing out a futures contract sale is effected by purchasing a futures contract for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument or commodity with the same delivery date. If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss. Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations.

The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a call and a put written on the same underlying futures contract. A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options where the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.

When purchasing a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the investment adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" their position by purchasing a put option on the same futures contract with a strike price as high as or higher than the price of the contract held by the Fund.

When selling a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the investment adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees that are equal to the market value of the futures contract. Alternatively, the Fund may "cover" its position by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract (or, in the case of an index futures contract, a portfolio with a volatility substantially similar to that of the index on which the futures contract is based), or by holding a call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price no higher than the price of the contract written by the Fund (or at a higher price if the difference is maintained in liquid assets with the Trust's custodian).

When selling a call option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the investment adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that, when added to the amounts deposited with a futures commission merchant as margin, equal the total market value of the futures contract underlying the call option. Alternatively, the Fund may cover its position by entering into a long position in the same futures contract at a price no higher than the strike price of the call option, by owning the instruments underlying the futures contract, or by holding a separate call option permitting the Fund to purchase the same futures contract at a price not higher than the strike price of the call option sold by the Fund.

When selling a put option on a futures contract, the Fund will maintain with its custodian (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) assets determined to be liquid by the investment adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board of Trustees, that equal the purchase price of the futures contract, less any margin on deposit. Alternatively, the Fund may cover the position either by entering into a short position in the same futures contract, or by owning a separate put option permitting it to sell the same futures contract so long as the strike price of the purchased put option is the same or higher than the strike price of the put option sold by the Fund.

The requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company ("RIC") provided under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("IRC") also may limit the extent to which the Fund may enter into futures, futures options or forward contracts. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

<u>Risks Associated with Futures and Futures Options</u>. There are several risks associated with the use of futures contracts and futures options. A purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the margin deposits relating to the futures contract. There can be no guarantee that there will be a correlation between price movements in the hedging vehicle and in the Fund securities being hedged. In addition, there are significant differences between the securities and futures markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between the markets, causing a given hedge not to achieve its objectives. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends on circumstances such as variations in speculative market demand for futures and futures options on securities, including technical influences in futures trading and futures options, and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard contracts available for trading in such respects as interest rate levels, maturities and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision as to whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected interest rate trends.

Futures contracts on U.S. Government securities historically have reacted to an increase or decrease in interest rates in a manner similar to that in which the underlying U.S. Government securities reacted. To the extent, however, that the Fund enters into such futures contracts, the value of such futures will not vary in direct proportion to the value of the Fund's holdings. Thus, the anticipated spread between the price of the futures contract and the hedged security may be distorted due to differences in the nature of the markets. The spread also may be distorted by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets and the participation of speculators in such markets.

Futures exchanges may limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in certain futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of the current trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a futures contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may work to prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when the Fund seeks to close out a futures or a futures option position, and that the Fund would remain obligated to meet margin requirements until the position is closed. In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively new instruments without a significant trading history. As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.

<u>Risks Associated with Commodity Futures Contracts</u>. There are several additional risks associated with transactions in commodity futures contracts.

Storage. Unlike the financial futures markets, in the commodity futures markets there are costs of physical storage associated with purchasing the underlying commodity. The price of the commodity futures contract will reflect the storage costs of purchasing the physical commodity, including the time value of money invested in the physical commodity. To the extent that the storage costs for an underlying commodity change while the Fund is invested in futures contracts on that commodity, the value of the futures contract may change proportionately.

Reinvestment. In the commodity futures markets, producers of the underlying commodity may decide to hedge the price risk of selling the commodity by selling futures contracts today to lock in the price of the commodity at delivery tomorrow. In order to induce speculators to purchase the other side of the same futures contract, the commodity producer generally must sell the futures contract at a lower price than the expected future spot price. Conversely, if most hedgers in the futures market are purchasing futures contracts to hedge against a rise in prices, then speculators will only sell the other side of the futures contract at a higher futures price than the expected future spot price of the commodity. The changing nature of the hedgers and speculators in the commodity markets will influence whether futures prices are above or below the expected future spot price, which can have significant implications for the Fund. If the nature of hedgers and speculators in futures markets has shifted when it is time for the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a maturing contract in a new futures contract, the Fund might reinvest at higher or lower futures prices, or choose to pursue other investments.

Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the IRC may limit the Fund's ability to invest in commodity futures contracts.

<u>Tax Risk</u>. The Fund intends to qualify annually to be treated as a RIC under the IRC. To qualify as a RIC under the IRC, the Fund must invest in assets which produce the types of income specified in the IRC and the Treasury Regulations ("Qualifying Income"). Whether the income from certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities is Qualifying Income must be determined on a case-by-case basis, and the Fund will endeavor to ensure that income that is not Qualifying Income will be limited to 10% or less of the Fund's income. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in certain derivatives, swaps, commodity-linked derivatives and other commodity/natural resource-related securities may be restricted. Further, if the Fund does invest in these types of securities and the income is determined not to be Qualifying Income, it may cause the Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these restrictions.

<u>Other Economic Factors</u>. The commodities which underlie commodity futures contracts may be subject to additional economic and non-economic variables, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments. These factors may have a larger impact on commodity prices and commodity-linked instruments, including futures contracts, than on traditional securities. Certain commodities are also subject to limited pricing flexibility because of supply and demand factors. Others are subject to broad price fluctuations as a result of the volatility of the prices for certain raw materials and the instability of supplies of other materials. These additional variables may create additional investment risks which subject the Fund's investments to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities.

<u>Additional Risks of Options on Securities, Futures Contracts, Options on Futures Contracts and Forward Currency Exchange Contracts and Options Thereon</u>. Options on securities, futures contracts and options on currencies may be traded on foreign exchanges. Such transactions may not be regulated as effectively as similar transactions in the United States may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees and are subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities. The value of such positions also could be adversely affected by (i) other complex foreign political, legal and economic factors, (ii) lesser availability than in the United States of data on which to make trading decisions, (iii) delays in the Trust's ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, (iv) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States and (v) lesser trading volume.

<u>Swap Agreements and Options on Swap Agreements</u>. The Fund may engage in swap transactions, including, but not limited to, swap agreements on interest rates, security or commodity indexes, specific securities and commodities, and credit and event-linked swaps. To the extent the Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities, it also may invest in currency exchange rate swap agreements. The Fund also may enter into options on swap agreements ("swap options").

The Fund may enter into swap transactions for any legal purpose consistent with its investment objectives and policies, such as attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining a return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in other markets, to protect against currency fluctuations, as a duration management technique, to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in a more cost efficient manner.

OTC swap agreements are bilateral contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a "notional amount," i.e., the return on or change in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a "basket" of securities or commodities representing a particular index. A "quanto" or "differential" swap combines both an interest rate and a currency transaction. Other forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap"; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or "floor"; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. Consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and general investment policies, the Fund may invest in commodity swap agreements. For example, an investment in a commodity swap agreement may involve the exchange of floating-rate interest payments for the total return on a commodity index. In a total return commodity swap, the Fund will receive the price appreciation of a commodity index, a portion of the index, or a single commodity in exchange for paying an agreed-upon fee. If the commodity swap is for one period, the Fund may pay a fixed fee, established at the outset of the swap. However, if the term of the commodity swap is more than one period, with interim swap payments, the Fund may pay an adjustable or floating fee. With a "floating" rate, the fee may be pegged to a base rate and is adjusted each period. Therefore, if interest rates increase over the term of the swap contract, the Fund may be required to pay a higher fee at each swap reset date.

The Fund also may enter into swap options. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. The Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swap options.

Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, the Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swap option than it will incur when it purchases a swap option. When the Fund purchases a swap option, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when the Fund writes a swap option, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

Most types of swap agreements entered into by the Fund will calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a "net basis." Consequently, the Fund's current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the "net amount"). The Fund's current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund).

The Fund also may enter into credit default swap agreements. The credit default swap agreement may reference one or more debt securities or obligations that are not currently held by the Fund. The protection "buyer" in a credit default contract is generally obligated to pay the protection "seller" an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract until a credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the "par value" (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount if the swap is cash settled. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer may receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity whose value may have significantly decreased. As a seller, the Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

The spread of a credit default swap is the annual amount the protection buyer must pay the protection seller over the length of the contract, expressed as a percentage of the notional amount. When spreads rise, market perceived credit risk rises and when spreads fall, market perceived credit risk falls. Wider credit spreads and decreasing market values, when compared to the notional amount of the swap, represent a deterioration of the credit soundness of the issuer of the reference obligation and a greater likelihood or risk of default or other credit event occurring as defined under the terms of the agreement. For credit default swap agreements on asset-backed securities and credit indices, the quoted market prices and resulting values, as well as the annual payment rate, serve as an indication of the current status of the payment/performance risk.

Credit default swap agreements sold by the Fund may involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, and with respect to OTC credit default swaps, counterparty risk and credit risk. The Fund will enter into uncleared credit default swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. A buyer generally also will lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. The Fund's obligations under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund).

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") and related regulatory developments require the clearing and exchange-trading of many standardized OTC derivative instruments that the CFTC and SEC recently defined as "swaps" including non-deliverable foreign exchange forwards, OTC foreign exchange options and swap options. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing is occurring on a phased-in basis based on type of market participant and CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing. The Adviser will continue to monitor developments in this area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the Fund's ability to enter into swap agreements.

Whether the Fund's use of swap agreements or swap options will be successful in furthering its investment objective will depend on the Adviser's ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. The Fund will enter into OTC swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. Certain restrictions imposed on the Fund by the Internal Revenue Code may limit the Fund's ability to use swap agreements. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including additional government regulation, could adversely affect the Fund's ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the reference asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. Because OTC swap agreements are two-party contracts that may be subject to contractual restrictions on transferability and termination and because they may have remaining terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid and subject to the Fund's limitation on investments in illiquid securities. However, the Trust has adopted procedures pursuant to which the Adviser may determine swaps to be liquid under certain circumstances. To the extent that a swap is not liquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.

Like most other investments, swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to the Fund's interest. The Fund bears the risk that the Adviser will not accurately forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors in establishing swap positions for the Fund. If the Adviser attempts to use a swap as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the Fund will be exposed to the risk that the swap will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the Fund. While hedging strategies involving swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other Fund investments. Many swaps are complex and often valued subjectively.

<u>Correlation Risk</u>. In certain cases, the value of derivatives may not correlate perfectly, or at all, with the value of the assets, reference rates or indexes they are designed to closely track. In this regard, certain funds seek to achieve their investment objectives, in part, by investing in derivatives positions that are designed to closely track the performance (or inverse performance) of an index on a daily basis. However, the overall investment strategies of the Fund are not designed or expected to produce returns which replicate the performance (or inverse performance) of the particular index, and the degree of variation could be substantial, particularly over longer periods. There are a number of factors which may prevent a mutual fund, or derivatives or other strategies used by the Fund, from achieving desired correlation (or inverse correlation) with an index. These may include, but are not limited to: (i) the impact of fund fees, expenses and transaction costs, including borrowing and brokerage costs/bid-ask spreads, which are not reflected in index returns; (ii) differences in the timing of daily calculations of the value of an index and the timing of the valuation of derivatives, securities and other assets held by the Fund and the determination of the NAV of fund shares; (iii) disruptions or illiquidity in the markets for derivative instruments or securities in which the Fund invests; (iv) the Fund having exposure to or holding less than all of the securities in the underlying index and/or having exposure to or holding securities not included in the underlying index; (v) large or unexpected movements of assets into and out of the Fund (due to share purchases or redemptions, for example), potentially resulting in the Fund being over- or under-exposed to the index; (vi) the impact of accounting standards or changes thereto; (vii) changes to the applicable index that are not disseminated in advance; (viii) a possible need to conform the Fund's portfolio holdings to comply with investment restrictions or policies or regulatory or tax law requirements; and (ix) fluctuations in currency exchange rates.

<u>Risk of Potential Government Regulation of Derivatives</u>*.* It is possible that additional government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, including futures, options and swap agreements, may limit or prevent the Fund from using such instruments, potentially to the detriment of the Fund. It is impossible to fully predict the effects of past, present or future legislation and regulation in this area, but the effects could be substantial and adverse. It is possible that legislative and regulatory activity could limit or restrict the ability of the Fund to use certain instruments as a part of its investment strategy. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent the Fund from using certain instruments.

There is a possibility of future regulatory changes altering, perhaps to a material extent, the nature of an investment in the Fund or the ability of the Fund to continue to implement their investment strategies. The futures, options and swaps markets are subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations, and margin requirements. In addition, the SEC, CFTC and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.

In particular, the Dodd-Frank Act sets forth a legislative framework for OTC derivatives, including financial instruments, such as swaps, in which the Fund may invest. Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act makes broad changes to the OTC derivatives market, grants significant new authority to the SEC and the CFTC to regulate OTC derivatives and market participants, and requires clearing and exchange trading of many OTC derivatives transactions.

Provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act include capital and margin requirements and the mandatory use of clearinghouse mechanisms for many OTC derivative transactions. The CFTC, SEC and other federal regulators have been developing the rules and regulations enacting the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. Because there is a prescribed phase-in period during which most of the mandated rulemaking and regulations will be implemented, it is not possible at this time to gauge the exact nature and full scope of the impact of

the Dodd-Frank Act on the Fund. However, swap dealers, major market participants and swap counterparties are experiencing, and will continue to experience, new and additional regulations, requirements, compliance burdens and associated costs. The new law and the rules to be promulgated thereunder may negatively impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective either through limits or requirements imposed on it or upon its counterparties. In particular, new position limits imposed on the Fund or its counterparties may impact the Fund's ability to invest in futures, options and swaps in a manner that efficiently meets its investment objective. New requirements even if not directly applicable to the Fund, including capital requirements, changes to the CFTC speculative position limits regime and mandatory clearing, may increase the cost of a Fund's investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.

<u>Structured Notes</u>. Structured notes are derivative debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities include structured notes as well as securities other than debt securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. Indexed securities may include a multiplier that multiplies the indexed element by a specified factor and, therefore, the value of such securities may be very volatile. The terms of the structured and indexed securities may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity and therefore, may result in a loss of invested capital. Structured and indexed securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the reference index may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the structured or indexed security at maturity may be calculated as a specified multiple of the change in the value of the reference; therefore, the value of such security may be very volatile. Structured and indexed securities may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the reference. Structured or indexed securities may also be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities. To the extent the Fund invests in these securities, however, the Adviser analyzes these securities in its overall assessment of the effective duration of the Fund's portfolio in an effort to monitor the Fund's interest rate risk.

**DOLLAR ROLLS.** The Fund may enter into dollar roll agreements, which are similar to reverse repurchase agreements. Dollar rolls are transactions in which securities are sold by the Fund for delivery in the current month and the Fund simultaneously contracts to repurchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. Any difference between the sale price and the purchase price is netted against the interest income foregone on the securities sold to arrive at an implied borrowing rate. Alternatively, the sale and purchase transactions can be executed at the same price, with the Fund being paid a fee as consideration for entering into the commitment to purchase. Dollar rolls may be renewed prior to cash settlement and initially may involve only a firm commitment agreement by the Fund to buy a security. If the broker-dealer to which the Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund's right to repurchase the security may be restricted. At the time the Fund enters into a dollar roll, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained.

**EVENT-LINKED EXPOSURE.** The Fund may obtain event-linked exposure by investing in "event-linked bonds" or "event-linked swaps," or implement "event-linked strategies." Event-linked exposure results in gains that typically are contingent on the non-occurrence of a specific "trigger" event, such as a hurricane, earthquake or other physical or weather-related phenomena. Some event-linked bonds are commonly referred to as "catastrophe bonds." They may be issued by government agencies, insurance companies, reinsurers, special purpose corporations or other on-shore or off-shore entities (such special purpose entities are created to accomplish a narrow and well-defined objective, such as the issuance of a note in connection with a reinsurance transaction). If a trigger event causes losses exceeding a specific amount in the geographic region and time period specified in a bond, the Fund, when investing in the bond may lose a portion or all of its principal invested in the bond. If no trigger event occurs, the Fund will recover its principal plus interest. For some event-linked bonds, the trigger event or losses may be based on company-wide losses, index-portfolio losses, industry indices or readings of scientific instruments rather than specified actual losses. Often the event-linked bonds provide for extensions of maturity that are mandatory, or optional at the discretion of the issuer, in order to process and audit loss claims in those cases where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred. An extension of maturity may increase volatility. In addition to the specified trigger events, event-linked bonds may also expose the Fund to certain unanticipated risks including but not limited to issuer risk, credit risk, counterparty risk, adverse regulatory or jurisdictional interpretations and adverse tax consequences.

Event-linked bonds are a relatively new type of financial instrument. As such, there is no significant trading history of these securities, and there can be no assurance that a liquid market in these instruments will develop. See "Illiquid Securities" below. Lack of a liquid market may impose the risk of higher transaction costs and the possibility that the Fund may be forced to liquidate positions when it would not be advantageous to do so. Event-linked bonds are typically rated, and the Fund will only invest in catastrophe bonds that meet the credit quality requirements for the Fund.

**FIXED INCOME SECURITIES WITH BUY-BACK FEATURES.** Fixed income securities with buy-back features enable the Fund to recover principal upon tendering the securities to the issuer or a third-party. Letters of credit issued by domestic or foreign banks often support these buy-back features. In evaluating a foreign bank's credit, the Adviser considers whether adequate public information about the bank is available and whether the bank may be subject to unfavorable political or economic developments, currency controls or other governmental restrictions that could adversely affect the bank's ability to honor its commitment under the letter of credit. Buy-back features include standby commitments, put bonds and demand features.

<u>Standby Commitments</u>. The Fund may acquire standby commitments from broker-dealers, banks or other financial intermediaries to enhance the liquidity of portfolio securities. A standby commitment entitles the Fund to same day settlement at amortized cost plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise. The amount payable by the issuer of the standby commitment during the time that the commitment is exercisable generally approximates the market value of the securities underlying the commitment. Standby commitments are subject to the risk that the issuer of a commitment may not be in a position to pay for the securities at the time that the commitment is exercised.

Ordinarily, the Fund will not transfer a standby commitment to a third-party, although the Fund may sell securities subject to a standby commitment at any time. The Fund may purchase standby commitments separate from or in conjunction with the purchase of the securities subject to the commitments. In the latter case, the Fund may pay a higher price for the securities acquired in consideration for the commitment.

In selecting put bonds for the Fund, the Adviser takes into consideration the creditworthiness of the issuers of the underlying bonds and the creditworthiness of the providers of the tender option features. A sponsor may withdraw the tender option feature if the issuer of the underlying bond defaults on interest or principal payments, the bond's rating is downgraded or, in the case of a municipal bond, the bond loses its tax-exempt status.

<u>Demand Features</u>. Many variable rate securities carry demand features that permit the holder to demand repayment of the principal amount of the underlying securities plus accrued interest, if any, upon a specified number of days' notice to the issuer or its agent. A demand feature may be exercisable at any time or at specified intervals. Variable rate securities with demand features are treated as having a maturity equal to the time remaining before the holder can next demand payment of principal. The issuer of a demand feature instrument may have a corresponding right to prepay the outstanding principal of the instrument plus accrued interest, if any, upon notice comparable to that required for the holder to demand payment.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may invest in foreign currency-denominated securities and may purchase and sell foreign currency options and foreign currency futures contracts and related options (see "Derivative Instruments") and may engage in foreign currency transactions either on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time or through forward currency contracts ("forwards") with terms generally of less than one year. The Fund may engage in these transactions in order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign exchange rates in the purchase and sale of securities. The Fund may also use foreign currency options and foreign currency forward contracts to increase exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another.

A forward involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts may be bought or sold to protect the Fund against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar or to increase exposure to a particular foreign currency. Although forwards are intended to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currencies, at the same time, they tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currencies increase.

Forwards will be used primarily to adjust the foreign exchange exposure of the Fund with a view to protecting the outlook, and the Fund might be expected to enter into such contracts under the following circumstances:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) When the Adviser desires to lock in the U.S. dollar price on the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) If a particular currency is expected to decrease against another currency, the Fund may sell the currency expected to decrease and purchase a currency which is expected to increase against the currency sold in an amount approximately equal to some or all of the Fund's portfolio holdings denominated in the currency sold.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) If the Adviser wants to eliminate substantially all of the risk of owning a particular currency, and/or if the Adviser thinks that the Fund can benefit from price appreciation in a given country's bonds but does not want to hold the currency, it may employ a direct hedge back into the U.S. dollar. In either case, the Fund would enter into a forward contract to sell the currency in which a portfolio security is denominated and purchase U.S. dollars at an exchange rate established at the time it initiated the contract. The cost of the direct hedge transaction may offset most, if not all, of the yield advantage offered by the foreign security, but the Fund would hope to benefit from an increase (if any) in the value of the bond.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) The Adviser might choose to use a proxy hedge, which may be less costly than a direct hedge. In this case, the Fund, having purchased a security, will sell a currency whose value is believed to be closely linked to the currency in which the security is denominated. Interest rates prevailing in the country whose currency was sold would be expected to be closer to those in the U.S. and lower than those of securities denominated in the currency of the original holding. This type of hedging entails greater risk than a direct hedge because it is dependent on a stable relationship between the two currencies paired as proxies and the relationships can be very unstable at times.

<u>Costs of Hedging</u>. When the Fund purchases a foreign bond with a higher interest rate than is available on U.S. bonds of a similar maturity, the additional yield on the foreign bond could be substantially reduced or lost if the Fund were to enter into a direct hedge by selling the foreign currency and purchasing the U.S. dollar. This is what is known as the "cost" of hedging. Proxy hedging attempts to reduce this cost through an indirect hedge back to the U.S. dollar.

It is important to note that hedging costs are treated as capital transactions and are not, therefore, deducted from the Fund's dividend distribution and are not reflected in its yield. Instead such costs will, over time, be reflected in the Fund's NAV per share.

The forecasting of currency market movement is extremely difficult, and whether any hedging strategy will be successful is highly uncertain. Moreover, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of a foreign currency forward contract. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to buy or sell additional currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such transaction) if the Adviser's predictions regarding the movement of foreign currency or securities markets prove inaccurate. In addition, the use of cross-hedging transactions may involve special risks and may leave the Fund in a less advantageous position than if such a hedge had not been established. Because foreign currency forward contracts are privately negotiated transactions, there can be no assurance that the Fund will have flexibility to roll-over a foreign currency forward contract upon its expiration if it desires to do so. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the other party to the contract will perform its services thereunder.

The Fund may hold a portion of its assets in bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies, so as to facilitate investment in foreign securities as well as protect against currency fluctuations and the need to convert such assets into U.S. dollars (thereby also reducing transaction costs). To the extent these monies are converted back into U.S. dollars, the value of the assets so maintained will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations.

<u>Tax Consequences of Hedging</u>. Under applicable tax law, the Fund may be required to limit its gains from hedging in foreign currency forwards, futures and options. The extent to which these limits apply is subject to tax regulations that, to date, have not been issued. Hedging may also result in the application of the mark-to-market and straddle provisions of the IRC. Those provisions could result in an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund and could affect whether dividends paid by the Fund are classified as capital gains or ordinary income. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for additional information related to these tax issues.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE-RELATED SECURITIES.**

<u>Foreign Currency Warrants</u>. Foreign currency warrants such as Currency Exchange Warrants ("CEWs") are warrants which entitle the holder to receive from their issuer an amount of cash (generally, for warrants issued in the United States, in U.S. dollars) which is calculated pursuant to a predetermined formula and based on the exchange rate between a specified foreign currency and the U.S. dollar as of the exercise date of the warrant. Foreign currency warrants generally are exercisable upon their issuance and expire as of a specified date and time. Foreign currency warrants have been issued in connection with U.S. dollar-denominated debt offerings by major corporate issuers in an attempt to reduce the foreign currency exchange risk which, from the point of view of prospective purchasers of the securities, is inherent in the international fixed-income marketplace. Foreign currency warrants may attempt to reduce the foreign exchange risk assumed by purchasers of a security by, for example, providing for a supplemental payment in the event that the U.S. dollar depreciates against the value of a major foreign currency such as the Japanese yen or the euro. The formula used to determine the amount payable upon exercise of a foreign currency warrant may make the warrant worthless unless the applicable foreign currency exchange rate moves in a particular direction (e.g., unless the U.S. dollar appreciates or depreciates against the particular foreign currency to which the warrant is linked or indexed). Foreign currency warrants are severable from the debt obligations with which they may be offered and may be listed on exchanges. Foreign currency warrants may be exercisable only in certain minimum amounts, and an investor wishing to exercise warrants who possesses less than the minimum number required for exercise may be required either to sell the warrants or to purchase additional warrants, thereby incurring additional transaction costs. In the case of any exercise of warrants, there may be a time delay between the time a holder of warrants gives instructions to exercise and the time the exchange rate relating to exercise is determined, during which time the exchange rate could change significantly, thereby affecting both the market and cash settlement values of the warrants being exercised. The expiration date of the warrants may be accelerated if the warrants should be delisted from an exchange or if their trading should be suspended permanently, which would result in the loss of any remaining "time value" of the warrants (i.e., the difference between the current market value and the exercise value of the warrants), and, in the case the warrants were "out-of-the-money," in a total loss of the purchase price of the warrants. Warrants are generally unsecured obligations of their issuers and are not standardized foreign currency options issued by the Options Clearing Corporation ("OCC"). Unlike foreign currency options issued by OCC, the terms of foreign exchange warrants generally will not be amended in the event of governmental or regulatory actions affecting exchange rates or in the event of the imposition of other regulatory controls affecting the international currency markets. The initial public offering price of foreign currency warrants is generally considerably in excess of the price that a commercial user of foreign currencies might pay in the interbank market for a comparable option involving significantly larger amounts of foreign currencies. Foreign currency warrants are subject to significant foreign exchange risk, including risks arising from complex political or economic factors.

<u>Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities</u>. Principal exchange rate linked securities ("PERLs") are debt obligations the principal on which is payable at maturity in an amount that may vary based on the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and a particular foreign currency at or about that time. The return on "standard" PERLs is enhanced if the foreign currency to which the security is linked appreciates against the U.S. dollar and is adversely affected by increases in the foreign exchange value of the U.S. dollar; "reverse" PERLs are like the "standard" securities, except that their return is enhanced by increases in the value of the U.S. dollar and adversely impacted by increases in the value of foreign currency. Interest payments on the securities are generally made in U.S. dollars at rates that reflect the degree of foreign currency risk assumed or given up by the purchaser of the notes (i.e., at relatively higher interest rates if the purchaser has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, or relatively lower interest rates if the issuer has assumed some of the foreign exchange risk, based on the expectations of the current market). PERLs may in limited cases be subject to acceleration of maturity (generally, not without the consent of the holders of the securities), which may have an adverse impact on the value of the principal payment to be made at maturity.

<u>Performance Indexed Paper</u>. Performance indexed paper ("PIPs") is U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper the yield of which is linked to certain foreign exchange rate movements. The yield to the investor on PIPs is established at maturity as a function of spot exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a designated currency as of or about that time (generally, the index maturity two days prior to maturity). The yield to the investor will be within a range stipulated at the time of purchase of the obligation, generally with a guaranteed minimum rate of return that is below, and a potential maximum rate of return that is above, market yields on U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper, with both the minimum and maximum rates of return on the investment corresponding to the minimum and maximum values of the spot exchange rate two business days prior to maturity.

**FOREIGN SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in foreign securities either directly by purchasing foreign securities or indirectly by purchasing depositary receipts or depositary shares of foreign securities. (See "Depositary Receipts" above.) Foreign securities include equity or debt securities issued by issuers outside the United States, and include securities in the form of ADRs and EDRs (see "Depositary Receipts"). Direct investments in foreign securities will be made in U.S. dollar denominated securities traded on U.S. exchanges and over-the-counter-markets.

Foreign investments may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency rates and exchange control regulations. There may be less information available about a foreign company than about a U.S. company, and foreign companies may not be subject to reporting standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. Foreign securities may not be as liquid as U.S. securities. Securities of foreign companies may involve greater market risk than securities of U.S. companies, Investments in foreign securities may also be subject to local economic or political risks, political instability and possible nationalization of issuers.

Investments in securities of foreign issuers may involve risks that are not associated with domestic investments. Foreign issuers may lack uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements, and there is generally less publicly available information about foreign issuers than there is about domestic issuers. Securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and their prices are more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers. Income from foreign securities may be reduced by a withholding tax at the source or other foreign taxes. In some countries, there may also be the possibility of nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation (in which case the Fund could lose its entire investment in a certain market), limitations on the removal of monies or other assets of the Fund, higher rates of inflation, political or social instability or revolution, or diplomatic developments that could affect investments in those countries. In addition, it may be difficult to obtain and enforce a judgment in a court outside the United States.

Some of the risks described in the preceding paragraph may be more severe for investments in emerging or developing countries. By comparison with the United States and other developed countries, emerging or developing countries may have relatively unstable governments, economies based on a less diversified industrial base and securities markets that trade a smaller number of securities. Companies in emerging markets may generally be smaller, less experienced and more recently organized than many domestic companies, and prices of those companies' securities tend to be more volatile.

The economies of individual emerging countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rates of inflation, currency depreciation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment position and may be based on a substantially less diversified industrial base. Further, the economies of developing countries generally are heavily dependent upon international trade and, accordingly, have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. These economies also have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade. U.S. securities and accounting regulatory agencies continue to express concern regarding information access and audit quality regarding issuers in China and other emerging market countries, which could present heightened risks associated with investments in these markets.

**GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACTS.** The Fund may invest in guaranteed investment contracts ("GIC"). A GIC is a general obligation of an insurance company. A GIC is generally structured as a deferred annuity under which the purchaser agrees to pay a given amount of money to an insurer (either in a lump sum or in installments) and the insurer promises to pay interest at a guaranteed rate (either fixed or variable) for the life of the contract. Some GICs provide that the insurer may periodically pay discretionary excess interest over and above the guaranteed rate. At the GIC's maturity, the purchaser generally is given the option of receiving payment or an annuity. Certain GICs may have features that permit redemption by the issuer at a discount from par value. Generally, GICs are not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuer. As a result, the acquisition of GICs is subject to the limitations applicable to the Fund's acquisition of illiquid and restricted securities. The holder of a GIC is dependent on the creditworthiness of the issuer as to whether the issuer is able to meet its obligations.

**HYBRID INSTRUMENTS.** A hybrid instrument is a type of potentially high-risk derivative that combines a traditional stock, bond or commodity with an option or forward contract. Generally, the principal amount, amount payable upon maturity or redemption or interest rate of a hybrid is tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some commodity, currency or securities index or another interest rate or some other economic factor (each a "benchmark"). The interest rate or (unlike most fixed income securities) the principal amount payable at maturity of a hybrid security may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark. An example of a hybrid could be a bond issued by an oil company that pays a small base level of interest with additional interest that accrues in correlation to the extent to which oil prices exceed a certain predetermined level. Such a hybrid instrument would be a combination of a bond and a call option on oil.

Hybrids can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment goals, including currency hedging duration management and increased total return. Hybrids may not bear interest or pay dividends. The value of a hybrid or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark. These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid. Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could be zero. Thus, an investment in a hybrid may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest. The purchase of hybrids also exposes the Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrids. These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the NAV of the Fund.

Certain hybrid instruments may provide exposure to the commodities markets. These are derivative securities with one or more commodity-linked components that have payment features similar to commodity futures contracts, commodity options or similar instruments. Commodity-linked hybrid instruments may be either equity or debt securities, leveraged or unleveraged, and are considered hybrid instruments because they have both security and commodity-like characteristics. A portion of the value of these instruments may be derived from the value of a commodity, futures contract, index or other economic variable. The Fund will only invest in commodity-linked hybrid instruments that qualify under applicable rules of the CFTC for an exemption from the provisions of the CEA.

Certain issuers of structured products such as hybrid instruments may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund's investments in these products may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.

**ILLIQUID SECURITIES AND LIQUIDITY RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.** The Fund may not knowingly invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be disposed of within seven days at approximately the value at which they are being carried on the Fund's books. The Board of Trustees has the ultimate responsibility for determining whether specific securities are liquid or illiquid. The Board of Trustees has delegated the function of making day to day determinations of liquidity to the Adviser, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of securities held by the Fund and report periodically on such decisions to the Board of Trustees. If the limitations on illiquid securities are exceeded, other than by a change in market values, the condition will be reported by the Fund's Adviser to the Board of Trustees. Illiquid securities would generally include repurchase agreements with notice/termination dates in excess of seven days and certain securities which are subject to trading restrictions because they are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"). External market conditions may impact the liquidity of portfolio securities and may cause the Fund to sell or divest certain illiquid securities in order to comply with its limitation on holding illiquid securities, which may result in realized losses to the Fund.

Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires, among other things, that the Fund establish a liquidity risk management program ("LRMP") that is reasonably designed to assess and manage liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 defines "liquidity risk" as the risk that a fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the fund without significant dilution of the remaining investors' interests in the fund. The Fund has implemented a LRMP to meet the relevant requirements. Additionally, the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the designation of a committee of individuals comprised of the Fund's President, Treasurer, and Chief Compliance Officer (the "LRMP Administrator") to administer the LRMP. The Board of Trustees will review no less frequently than annually a written report prepared by the LRMP Administrator that addresses the operation of the LRMP and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation. Among other things, the LRMP provides for the classification of each Fund investment as a "highly liquid investment," "moderately liquid investment," "less liquid investment" or "illiquid investment." The liquidity risk classifications of the Fund's investments are determined after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations. To the extent that a Fund investment is deemed to be an "illiquid investment" or a "less liquid investment," the Fund can expect to be exposed to greater liquidity risk. There is no guarantee the LRMP will be effective in its operations, and complying with Rule 22e-4, including bearing related costs, could impact the Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

**INFLATION-PROTECTED DEBT SECURITIES.** The Fund may invest in inflation-protected debt securities or inflation-indexed bonds, which are fixed income securities whose value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. Two structures are common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers utilize a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the Consumer Price Index ("CPI") accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.

Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS") have maturities of approximately five, ten or thirty years, although it is possible that securities with other maturities will be issued in the future. The U.S. Treasury securities pay interest on a semi-annual basis equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal amount. For example, if the Fund purchased TIPS with a par value of $1,000 and a 3% real rate of return coupon (payable 1.5% semi-annually), and the rate of inflation over the first six months was 1%, the mid-year par value of the bond would be $1,010 and the first semi-annual interest payment would be $15.15 ($1,010 times 1.5%). If inflation during the second half of the year resulted in the whole year's inflation equaling 3%, the end-of-year par value of the bond would be $1,030 and the second semi-annual interest payment would be $15.45 ($1,030 times 1.5%).

If the periodic adjustment rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of TIPS, even during a period of deflation. However, the current market value of the bonds is not guaranteed and will fluctuate. The Fund may also invest in other inflation-related bonds which may or may not provide a similar guarantee. If a guarantee of principal is not provided, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal amount.

The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates in turn are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. Therefore, if the rate of inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-indexed bonds. In contrast, if nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds.

While these securities are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these securities may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The periodic adjustment of U.S. inflation-indexed bonds is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation and energy. Inflation-indexed bonds issued by a foreign government are generally adjusted to reflect a comparable inflation index calculated by that government. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States.

Any increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be considered taxable ordinary income, even though investors do not receive their principal until maturity.

**INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies (each, an "Underlying Fund"), including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts ("UITs") and exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the "Acquired Fund"), such as the Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the "Acquiring Fund") or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of the Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC no-action relief.

Set forth below is additional information about the manner in which ETFs generally operate and the risks associated with an investment in ETFs which are in addition to the risks associated with registered investment companies generally.

In the event that the Fund purchases shares of ETFs, such purchase is expected to be made through a broker-dealer in a transaction on a securities exchange, and in such case the Fund will pay customary brokerage commissions for each purchase and sale. Shares of an ETF may also be acquired by depositing a specified portfolio of the ETF's underlying securities, as well as a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends of the securities (net of expenses) up to the time of deposit, with the ETF's custodian, in exchange for which the ETF will issue a quantity of new shares sometimes referred to as a "creation unit." Similarly, shares of an ETF purchased on an exchange may be accumulated until they represent a creation unit, and the creation unit may be redeemed in kind for a portfolio of the underlying securities (based on the ETF's NAV) together with a cash payment generally equal to accumulated dividends as of the date of redemption. The Fund may redeem creation units for the underlying securities (and any applicable cash), and may assemble a portfolio of the underlying securities (and any required cash) to purchase creation units, if the Adviser believes it is in the Fund's interest to do so. The Fund's ability to redeem creation units may be limited by the 1940 Act, which provides that an ETF will not be obligated to redeem shares held by the Fund in an amount exceeding one percent of such ETF's total outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days.

<u>Termination Risk</u>. There is a risk that ETFs in which the Fund invests may terminate due to extraordinary events. For example, any of the service providers to ETFs, such as the trustee or sponsor, may close or otherwise fail to perform their obligations to the ETF, and the ETF may not be able to find a substitute service provider. Also, the ETFs may be dependent upon licenses to use the various indices as a basis for determining their compositions and/or otherwise to use certain trade names. If these licenses are terminated, ETFs may also terminate or experience a disruption in its activities. In addition, an ETF may terminate if its net assets fall below a certain amount.

Although the Adviser believes that, in the event of the termination of an ETF, the Fund will be able to invest instead in shares of an alternate ETF tracking the same market index or another index covering the same general market, there can be no assurance that shares of an alternate ETF would be available for investment at that time.

**INVESTMENTS IN COMMODITY/NATURAL RESOURCE-RELATED SECURITIES.** As discussed under "Investment Limitations" below, the Fund does not invest directly in commodities. However, the Fund may from time to time invest in securities of companies whose business is related to commodities and natural resources, or in registered investment companies or other companies that invest directly or indirectly in commodities and natural resources. For example, the Fund may invest in companies whose business is related to mining of precious or other metals (e.g., gold, silver, etc.) or registered investment companies that invest in securities of mining companies and related instruments (including, without limitation, the underlying commodities). Investments in equity securities of companies involved in mining or related precious metals industries, and the value of the investment companies and other companies that invest in precious metals and other commodities are subject to a number of risks. For example, the prices of precious metals or other commodities can move sharply, up or down, in response to cyclical economic conditions, political events or the monetary policies of various countries, any of which may adversely affect the value of companies whose business is related to such commodities, or the value of investment companies and other companies investing in such business or commodities. Furthermore, such companies are subject to risks related to fluctuations of prices and perceptions of value in the commodity markets generally.

**LOAN PARTICIPATIONS.** The Fund may purchase participations in commercial loans. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Loan participations typically represent direct participation in a loan to a corporate borrower and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Fund may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing loan participations, the Fund assumes the credit risk associated with the corporate borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. The participation interests in which the Fund intends to invest may not be rated by any nationally recognized statistical ratings organization ("NRSRO").

A loan is often administered by an agent bank acting as agent for all holders. The agent bank administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. In addition, the agent bank is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the corporate borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions which are parties to the loan agreement. Unless, under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness, the Fund has direct recourse against the corporate borrower, the Fund may have to rely on the agent bank or other financial intermediary to apply appropriate credit remedies against a corporate borrower. A financial institution's employment as agent bank might be terminated in the event that it fails to observe a requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent. A successor agent bank would generally be appointed to replace the terminated agent bank, and assets held by the agent bank under the loan agreement should remain available to holders of such indebtedness. However, if assets held by the agent bank for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent bank's general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal and/or interest. In situations involving other interposed financial institutions (e.g., an insurance company or governmental agency) similar risks may arise.

Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the corporate borrower for payment of principal and interest. If the Fund does not receive scheduled interest or principal payments on such indebtedness, the Fund's share price and yield could be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured offer the Fund more protection than an unsecured loan in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated.

The Fund may invest in loan participations with credit quality comparable to that of the issuers of the Fund's securities investments. Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed. Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

The Fund limits the amount of its total assets that it will invest in any one issuer or in issuers within the same industry (see "Investment Limitations"). For purposes of these limits, the Fund generally will treat the corporate borrower as the "issuer" of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as a financial intermediary between the Fund and the corporate borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the corporate borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the corporate borrower as "issuers" for the purpose of determining whether the Fund has invested more than 5% of its assets in a single issuer. Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict the Fund's ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries.

Loans and other types of direct indebtedness may not be readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. In some cases, negotiations involved in disposing of indebtedness may require weeks to complete. Consequently, some indebtedness may be difficult or impossible to dispose of readily at what the Adviser believes to be a fair price. In addition, valuation of illiquid indebtedness involves a greater degree of judgment in determining the Fund's NAV than if that value were based on available market quotations and could result in significant variations in the Fund's daily share price. At the same time, some loan interests are traded among certain financial institutions and accordingly may be deemed liquid. As the market for different types of indebtedness develops, the liquidity of these instruments is expected to improve. In addition, the Fund currently intends to treat indebtedness for which there is no readily available market as illiquid for purposes of the Fund's limitation on illiquid investments. Investments in loan participations are considered to be debt obligations for purposes of the Trust's investment restriction relating to the lending of funds or assets by the Fund.

Investments in loans through a direct assignment of the financial institution's interests with respect to the loan may involve additional risks to the Fund. For example, if a loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is conceivable that under emerging legal theories of lender liability, the Fund could be held liable as co-lender. It is unclear whether loans and other forms of direct indebtedness offer securities law protections against fraud and misrepresentation. In the absence of definitive regulatory guidance, the Fund relies on the Adviser's research in an attempt to avoid situations where fraud or misrepresentation could adversely affect the Fund.

**MONEY MARKET FUNDS.** The Fund may invest in the securities of money market mutual funds. Such investments are subject to limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder and applicable SEC staff interpretations thereof, or applicable exemptive relief granted by the SEC. (See "Investment Company Securities and Exchange-Traded Funds" above.)

**MORTGAGE-RELATED SECURITIES AND ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES.** Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. See "Mortgage Pass-Through Securities." The Fund may also invest in debt securities which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations").

The recent financial downturn—particularly the increase in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgages, falling home prices, and unemployment—has adversely affected the market for mortgage-related securities. In addition, various market and governmental actions may impair the ability to foreclose on or exercise other remedies against underlying mortgage holders, or may reduce the amount received upon foreclosure. These factors have caused certain mortgage-related securities to experience lower valuations and reduced liquidity. There is also no assurance that the U.S. Government will take further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economic downturn continue or the economy experience another downturn. Further, recent legislative action and any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk that the Fund could realize losses on mortgage-related securities.

<u>Mortgage Pass-Through Securities</u>*.* Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass-through" of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA")) are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase.

The residential mortgage market in the United States recently has experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain of the Fund's mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased recently and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has recently been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

<u>Agency Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA"), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA").

However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Trust's investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet the Trust's quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable. The Fund will not purchase mortgage-related securities or any other assets which in the opinion of the Adviser are illiquid if, as a result, more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets will be illiquid.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. The substantial decline in real property values across the U.S. has exacerbated the level of losses that investors in privately issued mortgage-related securities have experienced. It is not certain when these trends may reverse. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in the Fund's portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

The Fund may purchase privately issued mortgage-related securities that are originated, packaged and serviced by third-party entities. It is possible these third parties could have interests that are in conflict with the holders of mortgage-related securities, and such holders (such as the Fund) could have rights against the third parties or their affiliates. For example, if a loan originator, servicer or its affiliates engaged in negligence or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties, then a holder of the mortgage-related security could seek recourse against the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable. Also, as a loan originator/servicer, the originator/servicer or its affiliates may make certain representations and warranties regarding the quality of the mortgages and properties underlying a mortgage-related security. If one or more of those representations or warranties is false, then the holders of the mortgage-related securities (such as the Fund) could trigger an obligation of the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable, to repurchase the mortgages from the issuing trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, many of the third parties that are legally bound by trust and other documents have failed to perform their respective duties, as stipulated in such trust and other documents, and investors have had limited success in enforcing terms.

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Fund's industry concentration restrictions, set forth below under "Investment Limitations," by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. Government securities. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities, the Fund takes the position that mortgage-related securities do not represent interests in any particular "industry" or group of industries. Therefore, the Fund may invest more or less than 25% of its total assets in privately issued mortgage-related securities. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

<u>Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs")</u>*.* A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams.

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as "tranches," with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as "sequential pay" CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation ("issuer") issues multiple series (*e.g.*, A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds ("Bonds"). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates ("Collateral"). The Collateral is pledged to a third-party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities.

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common. For example, the Fund may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class ("PAC") CMOs and multi-class pass through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches—known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds—which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk.

<u>Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Commercial mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

<u>Other Mortgage-Related Securities</u>*.* Other mortgage-related securities include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals or stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS"). Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

<u>CMO Residuals</u>*.* CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only ("IO") class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. See "Other Mortgage-Related Securities—Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities." In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.

CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. Transactions in CMO residuals are generally completed only after careful review of the characteristics of the securities in question. In addition, CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not have been registered under the 1933 Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the 1933 Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed "illiquid" and subject to the Fund's limitations on investment in illiquid securities.

<u>Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities ("ARMBSs") have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBSs permits the Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBSs are based. Such ARMBSs generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed income debt securities of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBSs, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, the Fund, when holding an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (*i.e.*, the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBSs behave more like fixed income securities and less like adjustable rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed income securities. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

<u>Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>*.* SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the "IO" class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or "PO" class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund's yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated pre-payments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

<u>Collateralized Debt Obligations</u>*.* The Fund may invest in collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), which include collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and other similarly structured securities. CBOs and CLOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed income securities such as high yield debt, residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, commercial privately issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.

For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the "equity" tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO or CLO securities as a class.

The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities, however an active dealer market may exist for CDOs allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Fund's Prospectus (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CDOs carry additional risks including, but are not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the Fund may invest in CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

<u>Asset-Backed Securities</u>*.* Asset-backed securities ("ABS") are bonds backed by pools of loans or other receivables. ABS are created from many types of assets, including auto loans, credit card receivables, home equity loans, and student loans. ABS are issued through special purpose vehicles that are bankruptcy remote from the issuer of the collateral. The credit quality of an ABS transaction depends on the performance of the underlying assets. To protect ABS investors from the possibility that some borrowers could miss payments or even default on their loans, ABS include various forms of credit enhancement. Some ABS, particularly home equity loan transactions, are subject to interest-rate risk and prepayment risk. A change in interest rates can affect the pace of payments on the underlying loans, which in turn, affects total return on the securities. ABS also carry credit or default risk. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in an ABS transaction. Finally, ABS have structure risk due to a unique characteristic known as early amortization, or early payout, risk. Built into the structure of most ABS are triggers for early payout, designed to protect investors from losses. These triggers are unique to each transaction and can include: a big rise in defaults on the underlying loans, a sharp drop in the credit enhancement level, or even the bankruptcy of the originator. Once early amortization begins, all incoming loan payments (after expenses are paid) are used to pay investors as quickly as possible based upon a predetermined priority of payment.

Consistent with its investment objectives and policies, the Fund also may invest in other types of asset-backed securities.

**BELOW-INVESTMENT GRADE SECURITIES.** Subject to the limitations set forth in the Prospectus, the Fund may invest in "below-investment grade" or "high yield" fixed income securities commonly known to investors as "high yield bonds" or "junk bonds." High yield bonds are issued by a company whose credit rating (based on an NRSRO) evaluation of the likelihood of repayment) necessitates offering a higher coupon and yield on its issues when selling them to investors who may otherwise be hesitant in purchasing the debt of such a company. While generally providing greater income and opportunity for gain, below-investment grade debt securities are generally subject to greater risks than fixed income securities which have higher credit ratings, including a higher risk of default and their yields will fluctuate over time. High yield bonds generally will be in the lower rating categories of NRSROs (rated "Ba" or lower by Moody's or "BB" or lower by S&P and Fitch or will be unrated. The credit rating of a high yield bond does not necessarily address its market value risk, and ratings may from time to time change, positively or negatively, to reflect developments regarding the issuer's financial condition. High yield bonds are considered to be speculative with respect to the capacity of the issuer to timely repay principal and pay interest or dividends in accordance with the terms of the obligation and may have more credit risk than higher rated securities.

While the market values of high yield bonds tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rates than do those of higher rated securities, the values of high yield bonds often reflect individual corporate developments and have a high sensitivity to economic changes to a greater extent than do higher rated securities. Issuers of high yield bonds are often in the growth stage of their development and/or involved in a reorganization or takeover. The companies are often highly leveraged (have a significant amount of debt relative to shareholders' equity) and may not have available to them more traditional financing methods, thereby increasing the risk associated with acquiring these types of securities. In some cases, obligations with respect to high yield bonds are subordinated to the prior repayment of senior indebtedness, which will potentially limit the Fund's ability to fully recover principal or to receive interest payments when senior securities are in default. Thus, investors in high yield bonds have a lower degree of protection with respect to principal and interest payments than do investors in higher rated securities.

During an economic downturn, a substantial period of rising interest rates or a recession, highly leveraged issuers of high yield bonds may experience financial distress possibly resulting in insufficient revenues to meet their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals and to obtain additional financing. An economic downturn could also disrupt the market for lower-rated securities and adversely affect the value of outstanding securities, the Fund's NAV and the ability of the issuers to repay principal and interest. If the issuer of a security held by the Fund has defaulted, the Fund may not receive full interest and principal payments due to it and could incur additional expenses if it chose to seek recovery of its investment.

The secondary markets for high yield bonds are not as liquid as the secondary markets for higher rated securities. The secondary markets for high yield bonds are concentrated in relatively few market makers and participants in the markets are mostly institutional investors, including insurance companies, banks, other financial institutions and mutual funds. In addition, the trading volume for high yield bonds is generally lower than that for higher rated securities and the secondary markets could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. Under certain economic and/or market conditions, the Fund may have difficulty disposing of certain high yield bonds due to the limited number of investors in that sector of the market. An illiquid secondary market may adversely affect the market price of the high yield security, which may result in increased difficulty selling the particular issue and obtaining accurate market quotations on the issue when valuing the Fund's assets. Market quotations on high yield bonds are available only from a limited number of dealers, and such quotations may not be the actual prices available for a purchase or sale.

The high yield markets may react strongly to adverse news about an issuer or the economy, or to the perception or expectation of adverse news, whether or not it is based on fundamental analysis. Additionally, prices for high yield bonds may be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. These developments could adversely affect the Fund's NAV and investment practices, the secondary market for high yield bonds, the financial condition of issuers of these securities and the value and liquidity of outstanding high yield bonds, especially in a thinly traded market. For example, Federal legislation requiring the divestiture by federally insured savings and loan associations of their investments in high yield bonds and limiting the deductibility of interest by certain corporate issuers of high yield bonds adversely affected the market in the past.

When the secondary market for high yield bonds becomes more illiquid, or in the absence of readily available market quotations for such securities, the relative lack of reliable objective data makes it more difficult to value the Fund's securities and judgment plays a more important role in determining such valuations. Increased illiquidity in the junk bond market, in combination with the relative youth and growth of the market for such securities, also may affect the ability of the Fund to dispose of such securities at a desirable price. Additionally, if the secondary markets for high yield bonds contract due to adverse economic conditions or for other reasons, some of the Fund's liquid securities may become illiquid and the proportion of the Fund's assets invested in illiquid securities may significantly increase.

The rating assigned by a rating agency evaluates the safety of a below-investment grade security's principal and interest payments but does not address market value risk. Because such ratings of NRSROs may not always reflect current conditions and events, in addition to using NRSROs and other sources, the Adviser performs its own analysis of the issuers whose below-investment grade securities are held by the Fund. Because of this, the Fund's performance may depend more on the Adviser's own credit analysis than in the case of mutual funds investing in higher-rated securities. For a description of these ratings, see "Appendix A - Description of Securities Ratings."

In selecting below-investment grade securities, the Adviser considers factors such as those relating to the creditworthiness of issuers, the ratings and performance of the securities, the protections afforded the securities and the diversity of the Fund. The Adviser continuously monitors the issuers of below-investment grade securities held by the Fund for their ability to make required principal and interest payments, as well as in an effort to control the liquidity of the Fund so that it can meet redemption requests. If a security's rating is reduced below the minimum credit rating that is permitted for the Fund, the Adviser will consider whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.

In the event that the Fund investing in high yield bonds experiences an unexpected level of net redemptions, the Fund could be forced to sell its holdings without regard to the investment merits, thereby decreasing the assets upon which the Fund's rate of return is based.

The costs attributable to investing in the high yield markets are usually higher for several reasons, such as higher investment research costs and higher commission costs.

**PARTICIPATION INTERESTS.** The Fund may invest in participation interests in fixed income securities. A participation interest provides the certificate holder with a specified interest in an issue of fixed income securities.

Some participation interests give the holders differing interests in the underlying securities, depending upon the type or class of certificate purchased. For example, coupon strip certificates give the holder the right to receive a specific portion of interest payments on the underlying securities; principal strip certificates give the holder the right to receive principal payments and the portion of interest not payable to coupon strip certificate holders. Holders of certificates of participation in interest payments may be entitled to receive a fixed rate of interest, a variable rate that is periodically reset to reflect the current market rate or an auction rate that is periodically reset at auction. Asset-backed residuals represent interests in any excess cash flow remaining after required payments of principal and interest have been made.

More complex participation interests involve special risk considerations. Since these instruments have only recently been developed, there can be no assurance that any market will develop or be maintained for the instruments. Generally, the fixed income securities that are deposited in trust for the holders of these interests are the sole source of payments on the interests; holders cannot look to the sponsor or trustee of the trust or to the issuers of the securities held in trust or to any of their affiliates for payment.

Participation interests purchased at a discount may experience price volatility. Certain types of interests are sensitive to fluctuations in market interest rates and to prepayments on the underlying securities. A rapid rate of prepayment can result in the failure to recover the holder's initial investment.

The extent to which the yield to maturity of a participation interest is sensitive to prepayments depends, in part, upon whether the interest was purchased at a discount or premium, and if so, the size of that discount or premium. Generally, if a participation interest is purchased at a premium and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that anticipated at the time of purchase, the holder's actual yield to maturity will be lower than that assumed at the time of purchase. Conversely, if a participation interest is purchased at a discount and principal distributions occur at a rate faster than that assumed at the time of purchase, the investor's actual yield to maturity will be higher than that assumed at the time of purchase.

Participation interests in pools of fixed income securities backed by certain types of debt obligations involve special risk considerations. The issuers of securities backed by automobile and truck receivables typically file financing statements evidencing security interests in the receivables, and the servicers of those obligations take and retain custody of the obligations. If the servicers, in contravention of their duty to the holders of the securities backed by the receivables, were to sell the obligations, the third-party purchasers could acquire an interest superior to the interest of the security holders. Also, most states require that a security interest in a vehicle must be noted on the certificate of title and the certificate of title may not be amended to reflect the assignment of the lender's security interest. Therefore, the recovery of the collateral in some cases may not be available to support payments on the securities. Securities backed by credit card receivables are generally unsecured, and both Federal and state consumer protection laws may allow set-offs against certain amounts owed.

**PREFERRED STOCK.** The Fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally dividends as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer's board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

**REAL ESTATE SECURITIES AND RELATED DERIVATIVES.** The Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in real estate-linked derivatives, real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Each of these types of investments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value and possible environmental liabilities. The Fund may also invest in rights or warrants to purchase income-producing common and preferred shares of issuers in real estate-related industries. It is anticipated that substantially all of the equity securities of issuers in real estate-related industries in which the Fund intends to invest will be traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market.

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that own, and typically operate, income-producing real estate. If a REIT meets certain requirements, including distributing to shareholders substantially all of its taxable income (other than net capital gains), then it is not taxed on the income distributed to shareholders. REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses, and so the Fund, when investing in REITs, will bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs' operations.

There are three general categories of REITs: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in direct fee ownership or leasehold ownership of real property; they derive most of their income from rents. Mortgage REITs invest mostly in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans, and the main source of their income is mortgage interest payments. Hybrid REITs hold both ownership and mortgage interests in real estate.

Along with the risks common to different types of real estate-related securities, REITs, no matter the type, involve additional risk factors. These include poor performance by the REIT's manager, changes to the tax laws, and failure by the REIT to qualify for tax-free distribution of income or exemption under the 1940 Act. Furthermore, REITs are not diversified and are heavily dependent on cash flow. REITs can be listed and traded on national securities exchanges or can be traded privately between individual owners.

**REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commits to resell that security to a bank or dealer at an agreed upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest, unrelated to the coupon rate or the maturity of the purchased security. While it is not possible to eliminate all risks from these transactions (particularly the possibility of a decline in the market value of the underlying securities, as well as delays and costs to the Fund if the other party to the repurchase agreement defaults), it is the policy of the Fund to limit repurchase transactions to primary dealers and banks whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the Adviser. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered illiquid for purposes of the Fund's investment limitations.

**RESTRICTED SECURITIES.** Restricted securities are securities that may not be sold to the public without registration under the 1933 Act or an exemption from registration. The Fund is subject to an investment limitation on the purchase of illiquid securities. Restricted securities, including securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, that are determined to be liquid are not subject to this limitation. This determination is to be made by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines adopted by the Board of Trustees. Under these guidelines, the Adviser will consider the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers in, and potential purchasers for, the securities, dealer undertakings to make a market in the security and the nature of the security and of the marketplace trades. In purchasing such restricted securities, the Adviser intends to purchase securities that are exempt from registration under Rule 144A.

**REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS.** The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements in accordance with its investment restrictions. Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund would sell portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers, and agree to repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will place in a segregated custodial account assets such as U.S. Government securities or other liquid, high grade debt securities, generally rated in one of the three highest ratings categories, consistent with the Fund's investment restrictions having a value at least equal to the repurchase price (including accrued interest) and will subsequently monitor the account to ensure that such equivalent value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price at which it is obligated to repurchase the securities. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings by the Fund under the 1940 Act. The Fund will not engage in reverse repurchase transactions if such transactions, combined with any other borrowings, exceed 33-1/3% of the Fund's assets.

**RIGHTS OFFERINGS AND WARRANTS TO PURCHASE SECURITIES.** The Fund may participate in rights offerings and may purchase warrants, which are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time. Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the rights' and warrants' expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security's market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. Buying a warrant does not make the Fund a shareholder of the underlying stock. The warrant holder has no voting or dividend rights with respect to the underlying stock. A warrant does not carry any right to assets of the issuer, and for this reason investment in warrants may be more speculative than other equity-based investments.

**SECURITIES LENDING.** For the purpose of achieving income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and other financial institutions, provided: (i) the loan is secured continuously by collateral consisting of U.S. Government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposits, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned; (ii) the Fund may at any time call the loan and obtain the return of the securities loaned; (iii) the Fund will receive any interest or dividends paid on the loaned securities; and (iv) the aggregate market value of securities loaned will not at any time exceed 33-1/3% of the total assets of the Fund. The Fund's performance will continue to reflect the receipt of either interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments, or a fee, if the collateral is U.S. Government securities. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in the collateral or delay in recovery of the collateral should the borrower fail to return the securities loaned or become insolvent. The Fund may pay lending fees to the party arranging the loan.

**SHORT SALES.** Though it does not currently do so, the Fund could change its investment limitations (see "Investment Limitations") to permit the Fund to make short sales of securities as part of its overall portfolio management strategy involving the use of derivative instruments to gain exposure to or adjust exposure to various market sectors, and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities or otherwise take advantage of market conditions. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.

When the Fund makes a short sale, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale as collateral for its obligation to deliver the security upon conclusion of the sale. The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over any accrued interest and dividends on such borrowed securities.

If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time that the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.

The Fund may invest pursuant to a risk arbitrage strategy to take advantage of a perceived relationship between the value of two securities. Frequently, a risk arbitrage strategy involves the short sale of a security.

The Fund may engage in short sales "against the box." A short sale is "against the box" to the extent that the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short. The Fund will engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the federal securities laws and rules and interpretations thereunder. To the extent the Fund engages in short selling in foreign (non-U.S.) jurisdictions, the Fund will do so to the extent permitted by the laws and regulations of such jurisdiction.

The Fund may also engage in so-called "naked" short sales (i.e., short sales that are not "against the box"), in which case the Fund's losses could theoretically be unlimited, in cases where the Fund is unable for whatever reason to close out its short position. The Fund has the flexibility to engage in short selling to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and interpretations thereunder.

**SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in special purpose acquisition companies ("SPACs"). SPACs are collective investment structures that pool funds in order to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less an amount to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities and cash. SPACs and similar entities may be blank check companies with no operating history or ongoing business other than to seek a potential acquisition. Accordingly, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity's management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Certain SPACs may seek acquisitions only in limited industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. Investments in SPACs may be deemed illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective. If a SPAC does not complete an acquisition within a specified period of time after going public, the SPAC is dissolved, at which point the invested funds are returned to the SPAC's shareholders (less certain permitted expenses) and any rights or warrants issued by the SPAC expire worthless.

**U.S. GOVERNMENT OBLIGATIONS.** The Fund may invest in debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Although all obligations of such agencies and instrumentalities are not direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Government generally directly or indirectly backs payment of the interest and principal on these obligations. This support can range from securities supported by the full faith and credit of the United States (for example, GNMA securities) to securities that are supported solely or primarily by the creditworthiness of the issuer, such as securities of FNMA, FHLMC, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Federal Farm Credit Banks and Federal Home Loan Banks. In the case of obligations not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments. Whether backed by full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury or not, U.S. Government obligations are not guaranteed against price movements due to fluctuating interest rates.

**VARIABLE AND FLOATING RATE SECURITIES.** Variable and floating rate securities provide for a periodic adjustment in the interest rate paid on the obligations. The terms of such obligations must provide that interest rates are adjusted periodically based upon an interest rate adjustment index as provided in the respective obligations. The adjustment intervals may be regular, and range from daily up to annually, or may be event based, such as based on a change in the prime rate.

The Fund may invest in floating and variable rate debt instruments ("floaters") and engage in credit spread trades. The interest rate on a floater is a variable rate which is tied to another interest rate, such as a money-market index or Treasury bill rate. The interest rate on a floater resets periodically, typically every six months. While, because of the interest rate reset feature, floaters provide the Fund with a certain degree of protection against rises in interest rates, the Fund will participate in any declines in interest rates as well. A credit spread trade is an investment position relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two securities or currencies, where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities or currencies.

The Fund may also invest in inverse floating rate debt instruments ("inverse floaters"). The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floating rate security may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation of similar credit quality. See "Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities" for a discussion of IOs and POs.

**WHEN-ISSUED, DELAYED DELIVERY AND FORWARD COMMITMENT TRANSACTIONS.** The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. Typically, no income accrues on securities the Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made.

When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its NAV. Because the Fund is not required to pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other investments. If the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

When the Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis, the Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or could suffer a loss. The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a transaction after it is entered into and may sell when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment securities before they are delivered, which may result in a capital gain or loss. There is no percentage limitation on the extent to which the Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis.

**ZERO COUPON BONDS.** The Fund may invest in zero coupon bonds of governmental or private issuers that generally pay no interest to their holders prior to maturity. Since zero coupon bonds do not make regular interest payments, they allow an issuer to avoid the need to generate cash to meet current interest payments and may involve greater credit risks than bonds paying interest currently. The IRC requires that the Fund accrue income on zero coupon bonds for each taxable year, even though no cash has been paid on the bonds, and generally requires the Fund to distribute such income (net of deductible expenses, if any) to avoid being subject to tax and to continue to maintain its status as a RIC under the IRC. Because no cash is generally received at the time of accrual, the Fund may be required to sell investments (even if such sales are not advantageous) to obtain sufficient cash to satisfy the federal tax distribution requirements applicable to the Fund under the IRC. See "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" Below for additional information.

**TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS.** The Fund may, without limit, invest in U.S. Government securities, commercial paper and other money market instruments, money market funds, cash or cash equivalents in response to adverse market conditions, as a temporary defensive position. The result of this action may be that the Fund will be unable to achieve its investment objective.

**PORTFOLIO TURNOVER.** The Fund's portfolio turnover rate for the Fund's most recently completed fiscal year was in line with longer-term historical levels. The Fund's portfolio turnover rate for the Fund's prior fiscal year was lower than the Fund's historical turnover rate as a result of market conditions and the performance of holdings within the Fund's portfolio.

**DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS**

As required by the federal or state securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Fund discloses portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT, or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require. The Fund's complete list of portfolio holdings are available sixty days after each fiscal quarter end in the Fund's Form N-CSR (semiannually), and Form N-PORT (quarterly).

The Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of portfolio securities holdings. The policies and procedures are designed to allow disclosure of the Fund's holdings information where it is deemed appropriate for the Fund's operations or it is determined to be useful to the Fund's shareholders without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. Except when there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure of the Fund's holdings, the Fund will not provide or

permit others to provide information about the Fund's holdings on a selective basis. The Board of Trustees provides ongoing oversight of the Trust's policies and procedures and compliance with such policies and procedures. As part of this oversight function, the Trustees receive from the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") as necessary, reports on compliance with these policies and procedures. In addition, the Trustees receive an annual assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the policies and procedures with respect to the Fund, and any changes thereto, and an annual review of the operation of the policies and procedures. Any deviation to this policy as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such deviations must be reported to the Trust's Board of Trustees, at its next quarterly Board meeting or sooner, as determined by the Trust's CCO.

The Fund may, but is not required to, post its schedule of investments on its website at regular intervals or from time to time at the discretion of the Adviser. This information may be as of the most recent practicable date available and need not be subject to a lag period prior to posting on its website. In addition to its schedule of investments, the Fund may post portfolio holdings information and other information on its website including, but not limited to, information about the number of securities the Fund holds, a summary schedule of investments, the Fund's top holdings, and a percentage breakdown of the Fund's investments by geographic region, sector, industry and market capitalization. After any portfolio holdings information becomes publicly available (by posting on its website or otherwise); it may be mailed, e-mailed or otherwise transmitted to any person.

The following disclosures of aggregate, composite or descriptive information about the Fund or its portfolio holdings are not subject to the Trust's policy on selective disclosure of portfolio information: (i) descriptions of allocations among classes, geographic regions, countries, industries or sectors; (ii) aggregated data such as average or median ratios or market capitalization; (iii) performance attribution by class, geographic region, country, industry or sector; (iv) aggregated risk statistics; (v) listing of top holdings without any reference to the amount of the Fund's holdings; and (vi) such other information that, in the opinion of the CCO or designee, does not present material risks of dilution, arbitrage, market timing, insider trading or other inappropriate trading of the Fund. The Fund's portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to financial consultants or other entities that have a legitimate business purpose in receiving such information, including to assist them in determining the suitability of the Fund as an investment for their clients. In each case, such disclosure will be made in accordance with the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, the Adviser's fiduciary duties to the Fund's shareholders and subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Board of Trustees, a committee thereof, or an officer designated by the Board of Trustees, may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions.

The Fund may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about its holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's, or its Adviser's, employees and affiliates that provide services to the Fund. The Fund may also distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Fund's holdings that is not publicly available (on a website or otherwise) to the Fund's service providers who require access to the information (i) in order to fulfill their contractual duties relating to the Fund; (ii) to facilitate the transition of a newly hired investment adviser prior to the commencement of its duties; (iii) to facilitate the review of the Fund by a ranking or ratings agency; (iv) for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition; or (v) for the purpose of effecting in-kind redemption of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of the Fund's assets and minimize impact on remaining shareholders of the Fund.

Each of the following third parties has been approved to receive portfolio holdings information: (i) the Fund's administrator and accounting agent; (ii) the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, for use in providing audit opinions; (iii) financial printers, solely for the purpose of preparing the Fund's reports or regulatory filings; (iv) the Fund's custodian in connection with its custody of the Fund's assets; (v) if applicable, a proxy voting service; or (vi) disclosure to a ranking or rating agency, such as Lipper, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Moody's, S&P and Fitch. Information may be provided to these parties at any time so long as each of these parties is contractually and ethically prohibited from sharing the Fund's portfolio holding information without specific authorization. The Fund's Adviser and service providers have also established procedures to ensure that the Fund's portfolio holdings information is only disclosed in accordance with these policies.

Under no circumstances may the Fund, the Adviser or their affiliates receive any consideration or compensation for disclosing portfolio holdings information.

The Adviser manages other accounts such as separate accounts and other registered or unregistered pooled investment vehicles. These other accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus may have similar portfolio holdings. Such accounts may have disclosures at different times than a Fund's portfolio holdings are disclosed. Additionally, such accounts may have access to their portfolio holdings and may not be subject to the foregoing restrictions.

**INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS**

The Fund has adopted the investment limitations set forth below. Except with respect to the asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowing, if any percentage restriction on investment or utilization of assets is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market values of the Fund or the Fund's assets or redemptions of shares will not be considered a violation of the limitation. The asset coverage requirement under Section 18(f)(1) of the 1940 Act with respect to borrowings is an ongoing requirement. The following non-fundamental policies apply to the Fund and the Board of Trustees may change them without shareholder approval unless shareholder approval is required by the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. The Fund will not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Issue senior securities or borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, and then not in excess of 33-1/3% of the Fund's total assets (including the amount of the senior securities issued but reduced by any liabilities not constituting senior securities) at the time of the issuance or borrowing, except that the Fund may borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets (not including the amount borrowed) for temporary purposes such as clearance of portfolio transactions and share redemptions. For purposes of these restrictions, the purchase or sale of securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, the purchase and sale of options and futures contracts and collateral arrangements with respect thereto are not deemed to be the issuance of a senior security, a borrowing or a pledge of assets;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets except to secure indebtedness permitted to be incurred by the Fund. (For the purpose of this restriction, the deposit in escrow of securities in connection with the writing of put and call options, collateralized loans of securities by and collateral arrangements with respect to margin for future contracts by the Fund are not deemed to be pledges or hypothecations);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Underwrite any issue of securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered to be acting as underwriter in connection with the disposition of any portfolio security;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Invest 25% or more of the value of the Fund's assets in securities of issuers in any one industry. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or to securities issued by other investment companies. For purposes of this limitation states, municipalities and their political subdivisions are not considered to be part of any industry;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Purchase securities of any one issuer if, as a result, more than 5% of the Fund's total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer or the Fund would own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer, except that (a) up to 25% of the Fund's total assets may be invested without regard to this limitation; and (b) this limitation does not apply to securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities ("U.S. Government obligations") or to securities issued by other investment companies. Repurchase agreements fully collateralized by U.S. Government obligations are treated as U.S. Government obligations;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Purchase or sell real estate or interests therein, although the Fund may purchase securities of issuers which engage in real estate operations and securities secured by real estate or interests therein, including real estate investment trusts;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of owning securities or other instruments, but the Fund may purchase, sell or enter into financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8. Make loans, except loans of portfolio securities or through repurchase agreements, provided that for purposes of this restriction, the acquisition of bonds, debentures, other debt securities or instruments, or participations or other interests therein and investments in government obligations, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or similar instruments will not be considered the making of a loan;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9. Engage in short sales of securities or maintain a short position, except that the Fund may (a) sell short "against the box" and (b) maintain short positions in connection with its use of financial options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10. Purchase securities on margin except for the use of short-term credit necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities, provided that the Fund may make initial and variation margin deposits in connection with permitted transactions in options and futures, forward and spot currency contracts, swap transactions and other financial contracts or derivative instruments; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11. Purchase securities if its outstanding borrowings exceed 5% of the value of its total assets.

**TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS**

The following tables present certain information regarding the Board of Trustees and officers of the Trust. None of the Trustees are an "interested person" of the Trust, the Adviser, another investment adviser of a series of the Trust, or Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, the principal underwriter of the Trust ("Underwriter"), within the meaning of the 1940 Act and each Trustee is referred to as an "Independent Trustee" and is listed under such heading below. Employees of certain service providers to the Trust serve as officers of the Trust; such persons are not compensated by the Fund. The address of each Trustee and officer as it relates to the Trust's business is 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809.

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| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** | **INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES** |
| **Robert J. Christian**<br> Date of Birth: 2/49 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. Chairman from 2007 until September 30, 2019. | Retired since February 2006; Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust Company from February 1996 to February 2006; President of Rodney Square Management Corporation ("RSMC") (investment advisory firm) from 1996 to 2005; Vice President of RSMC from 2005 to 2006. | 28 | Optimum Fund Trust (registered investment company with 6 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Iqbal Mansur**<br> Date of Birth: 6/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2007. | Retired since September 2020; Professor of Finance, Widener University from 1998 to August 2020; Member of the Investment Committee of ChristianaCare Health System from January 2022 to present. | 28 | Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr.**<br> Date of Birth: 8/55 | Trustee and Chairman of the Board | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2016. Chairman since October 1, 2019. | Retired since March 2016. President of PNC Bank Delaware from June 2011 to March 2016; Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2011; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from September 1997 to July 2010. | 28 | Brinker Capital Destinations Trust (registered investment company with 10 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and**<br> **Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of**<br> **Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)**<br> **During Past Five Years** | **Number of<br> Funds in<br> Trust Complex<br> Overseen by<br> Trustee** | **Other Directorships**<br> **Held by Trustee** |
| **Nancy B. Wolcott**<br> Date of Birth: 11/54 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2011. | Retired since May 2014; EVP, Head of GFI Client Service Delivery, BNY Mellon from January 2012 to May 2014; EVP, Head of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon from July 2010 to January 2012; President of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2008 to July 2010; Chief Operating Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2007 to 2008; Executive Vice President of PFPC Worldwide Inc. from 2006 to 2007. | 28 | Lincoln Variable Insurance Products Trust (registered investment company with 97 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |
| **Stephen M. Wynne**<br> Date of Birth: 1/55 | Trustee | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Trustee since 2009. | Retired since December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing from July 2010 to December 2010; Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing from March 2008 to July 2010; President, PNC Global Investment Servicing from 2003 to 2008. | 28 | Copeland Trust (registered investment company with 2 portfolios); Third Avenue Trust (registered investment company with 4 portfolios); Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (registered investment company with 1 portfolio); Polen Credit Opportunities Fund (registered investment company). |

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**EXECUTIVE OFFICERS**

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **Joel L. Weiss**<br> Date of Birth: 1/63 | President and Chief Executive Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2007. | Senior Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; President of JW Fund Management LLC from June 2016 to July 2025; Vice President and Managing Director of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from 1993 to June 2016. |
| **Christine S. Catanzaro**<br> Date of Birth: 8/84 | Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Vice President of Board Management of Tidal ETF Services LLC since August 2025; Consultant from October 2020 to July 2025; Senior Manager, Ernst & Young LLP from March 2013 to October 2020. |

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and<br> Date of Birth** | **Position(s)<br> Held with<br> Trust** | **Term of<br> Office and<br> Length of<br> Time Served** | **Principal Occupation(s)<br> During Past Five Years** |
| **T. Richard Keyes**<br> Date of Birth: 1/57 | Vice President | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2016. | President of TRK Fund Consulting LLC since July 2016; Head of Tax — U.S. Fund Services of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and predecessor firms from February 2006 to July 2016. |
| **Gabriella<br> Mercincavage**<br> Date of Birth: 6/68 | Assistant Treasurer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2019. | Fund Administration Consultant since January 2019; Fund Accounting and Tax Compliance Accountant to financial services companies from November 2003 to July 2018. |
| **Vincenzo A.<br> Scarduzio**<br> Date of Birth: 4/72 | Secretary | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2012. | Director and Senior Vice President Regulatory Administration of The Bank of New York Mellon and predecessor firms since 2001. |
| **John Canning**<br> Date of Birth: 11/70 | Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Shall serve until death, resignation or removal. Officer since 2022. | Director of Chenery Compliance Group, LLC from March 2021 to present; Senior Consultant of Foreside Financial Group from August 2020 to March 2021; Chief Compliance Officer & Chief Operating Officer of Schneider Capital Management LP from May 2019 to July 2020; Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Context Capital Partners, LP from March 2016 to March 2018 and February 2019, respectively. |

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**LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES.** The basic responsibilities of the Trustees are to monitor the Trust and its funds' financial operations and performance, oversee the activities and legal compliance of the Adviser and other major service providers, keep themselves informed and exercise their business judgment in making decisions important to the Trust's proper functioning based on what the Trustees reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the shareholders. The Board of Trustees is comprised of five individuals, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Board of Trustees meets multiple times during the year (but at least quarterly) to review the investment performance of the funds and other operational matters, including policies and procedures with respect to compliance with regulatory and other requirements.

The Board of Trustees has appointed an Independent Trustee to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman's primary role is to participate in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board of Trustees and the identification of information to be presented to the Board of Trustees with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board of Trustees. The Chairman also presides at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and acts as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman may perform such other functions as may be requested by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Except for any duties specified herein or pursuant to the Trust's Declaration of Trust or By-Laws, the designation of Chairman does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liability that is greater than the duties, obligations or liability imposed on such person as a member of the Board of Trustees, generally.

Each Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees because of his or her experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills as set forth in the subsection "Trustee Qualifications," below. Based on a review of the Board of Trustees and its function, the Trustees have determined that the leadership structure of the Board of Trustees is appropriate and that the Board of Trustees' role in the risk oversight of the Trust, as discussed below, allows the Board of Trustees to effectively administer its oversight function.

The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee. The responsibilities of each committee and its members are described below.

**AUDIT COMMITTEE.** The Audit Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini, Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Wynne currently serves as the chairman of the Audit Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter (the "Audit Committee Charter") for the Audit Committee. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, the Audit Committee has the responsibility, among others, to (1) select the Trust's independent registered public accountants; (2) review and approve the scope of the independent registered public accountants' audit activity; (3) oversee the audit process of the financial statements which are the subject of the independent registered public accountants' certifications; and (4) review with such independent registered public accountants the adequacy of the Trust's basic accounting system and the effectiveness of the Trust's internal accounting controls. The Audit Committee meets at least two times per year. The Audit Committee met four times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

**NOMINATING AND GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE.** The Nominating and Governance Committee is comprised of Messrs. Christian, Mansur, Marsini. Jr. and Wynne and Ms. Wolcott. Mr. Mansur serves as the chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Board of Trustees has adopted a written charter for the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for formulating a statement of corporate governance; assessing the size, structure and composition of the Board of Trustees; determining trustee qualification guidelines as well as compensation, insurance and indemnification of Trustees; identifying Trustee candidates; oversight of Board of Trustees self-evaluations; reviewing certain regulatory and corporate matters of the Trust; and identifying, from time to time, qualified candidates to serve as the CCO for the Trust. The Nominating and Governance Committee meets at least once a year. The Nominating and Governance Committee met two times during the Fund's fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. The Nominating and Governance Committee identifies potential nominees in accordance with its Statement of Policy on Qualifications for Board of Trustees Membership. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominee candidates recommended by shareholders. Shareholders who wish to recommend individuals for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee as nominee candidates may do so by submitting a written recommendation to the Secretary of the Trust at: 103 Bellevue Parkway, 2nd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19809. Submissions must include sufficient biographical information concerning the recommended individual, including age, at least ten years of employment history with employer names and a description of the employer's business, and a list of board memberships (if any). The submission must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board of Trustees and to serve if elected. Recommendations must be received in a sufficient time, as determined by the Nominating and Governance Committee in its sole discretion, prior to the date proposed for the consideration of nominee candidates by the Board of Trustees. Upon the written request of shareholders holding at least a 5% interest in the Trust's shares in the aggregate, the Secretary shall present to any special meeting of shareholders such nominees for election as trustees as specified in such written request.

**TRUSTEE QUALIFICATIONS.** The following is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills that led to the Board of Trustees' conclusion that each individual identified below is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

The Board of Trustees believes that the Trustees' ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Adviser, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, support the conclusion that each Trustee is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills apply as to each Trustee: Mr. Marsini is the former President of PNC Bank Delaware, former Executive Vice President of Finance of BNY Mellon, former Chief Financial Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Wynne is the former Chief Executive Officer of US Funds Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former Chief Executive Officer of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; Ms. Wolcott is the former Executive Vice President of US Fund Services, BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, former President of PNC Global Investment Servicing and currently serves as a Trustee of other mutual fund complexes; Mr. Christian served as the Executive Vice President of Wilmington Trust and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes; and Mr. Mansur is a Professor Emeritus at Widener University. He previously served as a Professor of Finance, School of Business Administration, at Widener University and currently serves as a Trustee to other mutual fund complexes.

In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Trustees considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board of Trustees' overall composition so that the Board of Trustees, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Trust and its funds. The summaries set forth above as to the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of the Trustees do not constitute holding out the Board of Trustees or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board of Trustees as a whole than would otherwise be the case.

**RISK OVERSIGHT.** Through its direct oversight role, and indirectly through its Committees, of officers and service providers, the Board of Trustees performs a risk oversight function for the Trust and its funds consisting, among other things, of the following activities: (1) at regular and special Board of Trustees meetings, and on an ad hoc basis as needed, receiving and reviewing reports related to the performance and operations of the Trust and its funds; (2) reviewing and approving, as applicable, the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust; (3) meeting with the portfolio management team to review investment strategies, techniques and the processes used to manage related risks; (4) meeting with representatives of key service providers, including the investment advisers, administrator, the distributor, the transfer agent, the custodian and the independent registered public accounting firms of the funds, to review and discuss the activities of the Trust and its funds and to provide direction with respect thereto; and (5) engaging the services of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust to test the compliance procedures of the Trust and its service providers.

**SECURITY AND OTHER INTERESTS.** The following table sets forth the equity securities in the Fund and in all registered investment companies overseen by the Trustees within the Trust Complex that the Trustees beneficially owned as of December 31, 2024.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Dollar Range of Equity<br> Securities in the Fund** | **Aggregate Dollar Range<br> of Equity Securities in<br> All Registered Investment<br> Companies Overseen by<br> Trustee within the Family of<br> Investment Companies** |
| **Independent Trustees** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Robert J. Christian |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Iqbal Mansur |  | Over $100,000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nancy B. Wolcott |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stephen M. Wynne |  | $50001 - $100000 |

---

As of December 31, 2024, none of the Independent Trustees, or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) served as an officer, director or was an employee of the Trust, the Adviser or the Underwriter, or of any of their respective affiliates. Nor do any of such persons serve as an officer or director or is an employee of any company controlled by or under common control with such entities. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Independent Trustees or any of their immediate family members (i.e., spouse or dependent children) owned beneficially or of record any interest in the Adviser or the Underwriter, or in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities.

**COMPENSATION.** In addition to the fees below, the Trust reimburses the Trustees for their related business expenses. The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation paid to each of the Trustees for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Aggregate<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust** | **Pension or<br> Retirement<br> Benefits Accrued as<br> Part of the Trust's<br> Expenses** | **Estimated<br> Annual<br> Benefits upon<br> Retirement** | **Total<br> Compensation<br> from the Trust<br> Complex** |
| Robert J. Christian | $120639 | $0 | $0 | $120639 |
| Iqbal Mansur | $135586 | $0 | $0 | $135586 |
| Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. | $145492 | $0 | $0 | $145492 |
| Nancy B. Wolcott | $120579 | $0 | $0 | $120579 |
| Stephen M. Wynne | $140509 | $0 | $0 | $140509 |

---

**CODE OF ETHICS**

In accordance with Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, each of the Trust and the Adviser have adopted a code of ethics (each, a "Code" and together, the "Codes").

The Codes are intended to prohibit or restrict transactions that may be deemed to create a conflict of interest among the Adviser or the Trust. Each Code identifies the specific employees, officers or other persons who are subject thereto and all are required to abide by the provisions thereunder. Persons covered under the Codes may engage in personal trading for their own accounts, including securities that may also be purchased or held or traded by the Fund under certain circumstances.

Under the Code adopted by the Trust, personal trading is subject to specific restrictions, limitations, guidelines and other conditions. Under the Code adopted by the Adviser, personal trading is subject to pre-clearance and other conditions set forth in its Code.

On an annual basis or whenever deemed necessary, the Board of Trustees reviews reports regarding all of the Codes including information about any material violations of the Codes. The Codes are on public file as exhibits to the Trust's registration statement with the SEC.

**PROXY VOTING**

The Board of Trustees has adopted the Adviser's proxy voting procedures and has delegated the responsibility for exercising the voting rights associated with the securities purchased and/or held by the Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Board of Trustees' continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by general fiduciary principles. It must act prudently, solely in the interest of the Fund, and for the purpose of providing benefits to the Fund. The Adviser will consider the factors that could affect the value of the Fund's investment in its determination on a vote.

The Adviser has identified certain significant contributors to shareholder value with respect to a number of common or routine matters that are often the subject of proxy solicitations for shareholder meetings. Their proxy voting procedures address these considerations and establish a framework for consideration of a vote that would be appropriate for the Fund. In particular, the proxy voting procedures outline principles and factors to be considered in the exercise of voting authority for proposals addressing such common or routine matters.

The Adviser's proxy voting procedures establish a protocol for voting of proxies in cases in which the Adviser or an affiliated entity has an interest that is reasonably likely to be affected by a proxy to be voted on behalf of the Fund or that could compromise the Adviser's independence of judgment and action in voting the proxy in the best interest of the Fund's shareholders. The Adviser believes that consistently voting in accordance with its stated guidelines will address most conflicts of interest, and to the extent any deviation of such guidelines occurs it will be carefully assessed by a securities review committee to determine if a conflict of interest exists, and if a material conflict of interest exists, the committee will determine an appropriate resolution, which may include consultation with management or Trustees of the Trust, analyses by independent third parties, or other means necessary to ensure and demonstrate the proxy was voted in the best interests of shareholders. The Adviser's proxy voting policies are attached herewith as Appendix B. The Fund is required to file annually its proxy voting record on Form N-PX with the SEC. Form N-PX is required to be filed by August 31 of each year and when filed will be available: (i) without charge by request by calling the Fund at (888) 568-1267 or; (ii) on the SEC's website at *www.sec.gov*.

**CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES**

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Any person who directly or indirectly owns 5% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, may be deemed an "affiliated person" of the Fund, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. As of August 1, 2025, the following persons were the only persons who were record owners (or to the knowledge of the Trust, beneficial owners) of 5% or more of the shares of the Fund. Additionally, as of the same date, none of the Trustees or officers of the Trust owned individually and together in excess of 1% of any class of outstanding shares of the Fund.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class I Shares Name, Ad dress** | **Number of<br> shares Held<br> of Record or<br> Beneficially** | **Ownership<br> Percentage** |
| National Financial Services Corp.<br> (FBO) Our Customers<br> ATTN Mutual Funds Department 4th Floor<br> 99 Washington Blvd.<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010 | 1225387.405 | 32.15% |
| Advisor Trust, Inc.<br> Private Capital Management 401K PL<br> 717 17<sup>th</sup> Street, Suite 1300<br> Denver, CO 80202 | 1194816.974 | 31.34% |
| RBC CAPITAL MARKETS LLC<br> Mutual Fund Omnibus Processing<br> ATTN Mutual Fund Ops Manager<br> 250 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1400<br> Minneapolis, MN 55401-1931 | 359749.094 | 9.44% |
| LPL FINANCIAL<br> Omnibus Customer Account<br> ATTN Lindsay Otoole<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego Ca 92121 | 295245.708 | 7.75% |
| Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.<br> Special Custody A/C FBO Customers<br> ATTN Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122 | 269367.384 | 7.07% |

---

**INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES**

Private Capital is a registered investment adviser located at 8889 Pelican Bay Boulevard, Suite 500, Naples, Florida 34108. Private Capital was founded in 1986 and, in addition to serving as the investment adviser to the Fund, provides portfolio management services to individuals, institutions, corporate retirement plans and pooled investment vehicles. As of June 30, 2025, Private Capital had approximately $1.17 billion in assets under management. Private Capital is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pelican Bay Holdings, LLC, a holding company that owns Private Capital and Carnes Capital Corp., a registered broker-dealer. Pelican Bay Holdings, LLC's principal executive offices are located at 8889 Pelican Bay Blvd., Suite 500, Naples, FL 34108. Pelican Bay Holdings, LLC is owned by Joelle Investments, LLC, which is 100% owned by Gregg J. Powers.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Adviser, the Adviser manages the assets of the Fund (the "Investment Advisory Agreement"). The investment Advisory Agreement has an initial term of two years and continues in effect from year to year thereafter if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees including a majority of the Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Investment Advisory Agreement may be terminated by the Fund or the Adviser on 60 days' written notice without penalty. The Investment Advisory Agreement will also terminate automatically in the event of its assignment as defined in the 1940 Act.

Pursuant to the investment advisory agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual investment advisory fee, paid monthly, comprising 0.90% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. The Adviser has contractually agreed to reduce its investment advisory fee and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses, excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by the Trust, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses", interest, extraordinary items and brokerage commissions do not exceed 1.20% (on an annual basis) of the Fund's average daily net assets (the "Expense Limitation"). Prior to September 1, 2019, the Expense Limitation was 1.10%. The Expense Limitation will remain in place until August 31, 2026, unless the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves its earlier termination. The Adviser is entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, such amounts reduced or reimbursed for a period of up to three (3) years from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to certain limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of reimbursement. No recoupment will occur unless the Fund's expenses are below the Expense Limitation amount.

The following tables set forth the aggregate fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, 2024 and 2025:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2025** |
| **Gross Advisory<br> Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived<br> or Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $571235 | $(147604) | $423631 |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024** |
| **Gross Advisory<br> Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived<br> or Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $506930 | $(125949) | $380981 |

---

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** | **For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023** |
| **Gross Advisory<br> Fees Earned** | **Advisory Fee Waivers<br> and Expenses Waived<br> or Reimbursed** | **Net Advisory Fees** |
| $379480 | $(198031) | $181449 |

---

Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser agrees to: (a) direct the investments of the Fund, subject to and in accordance with the Fund's investment objective, policies and limitations set forth in the Prospectus and this SAI; (b) purchase and sell for the Fund, securities and other investments consistent with the Fund's objective and policies; (c) supply office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary for servicing the investments of the Fund; (d) pay the salaries of all personnel of the Adviser performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities on behalf of the Trust; (e) make available and provide such information as the Trust and/or its administrator may reasonably request for use in the preparation of its registration statement, reports and other documents required by any applicable federal, foreign or state statutes or regulations; and (f) make its officers and employees available to the Trustees and officers of the Trust for consultation and discussion regarding the management of the Fund and its investment activities. Additionally, the Adviser agrees to create and maintain all necessary records in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the various functions performed by it and not otherwise created and maintained by another party pursuant to contract with the Fund. The Trust and/or the Adviser may at any time or times, upon approval by the Board of Trustees, enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements with a sub-adviser pursuant to which the Adviser delegates any or all of its duties as listed.

The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which the agreement relates, except to the extent of a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its obligations and duties under the agreement.

The salaries of personnel of the Adviser performing services for the Fund relating to research, statistical and investment activities are paid by the Adviser.

Additionally, the Adviser has agreed to compensate, at its own expense and out of its own legitimate profits, the Underwriter for, among other services: (i) entering into selling and/or service agreements to assist in facilitating the distribution of the Fund's shares; (ii) preparing and executing selling and service agreements; (iii) preparing quarterly Rule 12b-1 reports to the Board of Trustees; and (iv) reviewing and submitting to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") the Fund's advertising and sales literature.

**PORTFOLIO MANAGERS**

The management of the Fund is the responsibility of Mr. Gregg J. Powers, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Adviser and Co-Portfolio Manager Mr. Erick A. E. Sönne. The information provided below supplements the information provided in the Prospectus under the heading "Portfolio Managers" with respect to the investment professional responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, including information regarding:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) "Other Accounts Managed." Other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager who is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) "Material Conflicts of Interest." Material conflicts of interest identified by the Adviser that may arise in connection with a Portfolio Manager's management of the Fund's investments and investments of other accounts managed. These potential conflicts of interest include material conflicts between the investment strategy of the Fund and the investment strategy of the other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager and conflicts associated with the allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager. Under applicable law, a fund is restricted in its ability to effect discretionary trades in securities with respect to which it or its investment adviser possesses material, non-public inside information ("Inside Information"). The Adviser has adopted a number of policies and procedures with respect to the Fund to ensure compliance with laws governing Inside Information. As a part of these policies and procedures, the Adviser may adopt a plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (a "Rule 10b5-1 Plan") that permits the Fund, under narrowly defined parameters, to effect certain sales of otherwise restricted securities in connection with significant Fund shareholder redemptions. Other than pursuant to the requirements of applicable law, the Adviser does not initiate discretionary purchases or sales of securities for the Fund with respect to which it possesses Inside Information. Accordingly, the Adviser's periodic possession of Inside Information may restrict the Adviser from making discretionary trades for its clients including the Fund that it would otherwise implement. In certain circumstances the Adviser's possession of Inside Information regarding portfolio securities could have a negative impact on the performance of the Fund. *Additional conflicts of interest may potentially exist or arise that are not discussed below*;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) "Compensation." A description of the structure of and method used to determine the compensation received by the Fund's Portfolio Managers from the Fund, the Adviser or any other source with respect to managing the Fund and any other accounts for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) "Ownership of Securities." Information regarding the Portfolio Managers' dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned in the Fund for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025.

<u>Other Accounts Managed</u>. The table below includes details regarding the number of other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by Mr. Powers and Mr. Sönne, total assets under management for each type of account and total assets in each type of account with performance-based advisory fees, as of April 30, 2025.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| <br>**Type of Accounts** | **Total <br> Number of<br> Accounts**<br>**Managed** | **Total<br> Assets**<br>**(millions)** | **Number of <br> Accounts <br> Managed<br> subject to a<br> Performance <br> Based**<br>**Advisory Fee** | **Total Assets <br> Managed <br> subject to a<br> Performance <br> Based<br> Advisory Fee**<br>**(millions)** |
| **Gregg J. Powers** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Registered Investment Companies: | 1 | $65.1 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 3 | $179.8 | 3 | $179.8 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 196 | $598.3 | 97 | $278.8 |
| **Erick A. E. Sönne** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Registered Investment Companies: | 1 | $65.1 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Pooled Investment Vehicles: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Other Accounts: | 0 | $0 | 0 | $0 |

---

<u>Material Conflicts of Interest</u>. The Adviser provides advisory services to other clients which invest in securities of the same type in which the Fund invests. The Adviser is aware of its obligation to ensure that when orders for the same securities are entered on behalf of the Fund and other accounts, the Fund receives fair and equitable allocation of these orders, particularly where affiliated accounts may participate. The Adviser attempts to mitigate potential conflicts of interest by adopting policies and procedures regarding trade execution, brokerage allocation and order aggregation which provide a methodology for ensuring fair treatment for all clients in situations where orders cannot be completely filled or filled at different prices.

<u>Compensation</u>. During the most recently completed fiscal year, the Adviser compensated the Fund's Portfolio Managers through contractual cash and compensation payments and distributions related to his indirect ownership interests in Private Capital. In future years, the Portfolio Managers may also receive discretionary bonuses. Under certain circumstances the Portfolio Managers will receive distributions in respect of their indirect ownership interest in Private Capital. Any discretionary bonus allocated to the Portfolio Managers would be based upon their perceived contribution to the management of client portfolios and their overall contributions to the firm. Employment contracts and non-compete/non-disclosure agreements are utilized by the Adviser.

The Adviser believes that the compensation structure utilized by the firm has allowed for the attraction and retention of "high caliber" key personnel.

<u>Ownership of Shares of the Fund</u>. The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity shares beneficially owned by the Portfolio Managers in the Fund as of April 30, 2025:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Dollar Range of Equity<br> Securities in the Fund** |
| Gregg J. Powers | Over $1,000,000 |
| Erick A. E. Sönne | $500001 - $1000000 |

---

**ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES**

Pursuant to an Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated July 19, 2007, The Bank of New York Mellon performs certain administrative services for the Trust including, among other things, assisting in the preparation of the annual post-effective amendments to the Trust's registration statement, assisting in obtaining the fidelity bond and trustees' and officers'/errors and omissions insurance policies, preparing notices, agendas and resolutions for quarterly Board of Trustees meetings, maintaining the Trust's corporate calendar, maintaining Trust contract files and providing executive and administrative services to support the Independent Trustees. The Bank of New York Mellon also performs certain administrative and accounting services for the Trust such as preparing shareholder reports, providing statistical and research data, assisting the Adviser in compliance monitoring activities and preparing and filing federal and state tax returns on behalf of the Trust. In addition, The Bank of New York Mellon prepares and files certain reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepares certain materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Trust. The accounting services performed by The Bank of New York Mellon include determining the NAV per share of the Fund and maintaining records relating to the securities transactions of the Fund.

The table below sets forth the administration and accounting service fees paid by the Fund to The Bank of New York Mellon for services rendered during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended<br> April 30,<br> 2023** |
| Administration and Accounting Fee | $59097 | $57058 | $49493 |

---

**ADDITIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS** 

**INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.** PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, Two Commerce Square, 2001 Market St #1800, Philadelphia, PA 19103 serves as the independent registered public accounting firm to the Fund.

**LEGAL COUNSEL.** Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, 3000 Two Logan Square, 18th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19103, serves as counsel to the Trust.

**CUSTODIAN.** The Bank of New York Mellon (the "Custodian"), 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286, serves as the Fund's custodian. The Custodian's services include, in addition to the custody of all cash and securities owned by the Trust, the maintenance of custody accounts in the Custodian's trust department, the segregation of all certificated securities owned by the Trust, the appointment of authorized agents as sub-custodians, disbursement of funds from the custody accounts of the Trust, releasing and delivering securities from the custody accounts of the Trust, maintaining records with respect to such custody accounts, delivering to the Trust a daily and monthly statement with respect to such custody accounts and causing proxies to be executed. The Fund has made arrangements with BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company to serve as custodian for Individual Retirement Accounts ("IRAs").

**TRANSFER AGENT.** BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. ("BNY Mellon Investment Servicing"), 500 Ross Street, 154-0520, Pittsburgh, PA 15262, serves as the Trust's Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent.

**OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS.** The Trust has engaged Tidal ETF Services LLC, 234 West Florida Street, Suite 203, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204 to provide persons to serve as Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer and provide various other services for the Trust. The Trust has engaged Chenery Compliance Group, LLC to provide on-going compliance services, including providing an individual to serve as the Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust.

**BROKERAGE ALLOCATION AND OTHER PRACTICES**

The Adviser is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund, the selection of brokers and dealers to execute the Fund's portfolio transactions, and the negotiation of brokerage commissions. The cost of portfolio securities transactions of the Fund primarily consists of dealer or underwriter spreads and brokerage commissions.

Purchases and sales of securities on a securities exchange are effected through brokers who charge a negotiated commission for their services. Increasingly, securities traded over-the-counter also involve the payment of negotiated brokerage commissions. In the over-the-counter market, most securities have historically traded on a "net" basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of a security usually includes a profit to the dealer. In underwritten offerings, securities are purchased at a fixed price which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter's concession or discount. On occasion, certain money market instruments may be purchased directly from an issuer, in which case no commissions or discounts are paid.

Orders may be directed to any broker or dealer, including, to the extent and manner permitted by applicable law, affiliated persons of the Adviser. The Adviser has no obligation to deal with any dealer or group of dealers in the execution of transactions in portfolio securities of the Fund. Under the 1940 Act, except as permitted by exemptive order or rule, persons affiliated with the Fund are prohibited from dealing with the Fund as principal in the purchase and sale of securities. However, affiliated persons of the Fund may serve as its brokers in certain brokerage transactions conducted on an agency basis. Subject to the above considerations, the Adviser intends to use an affiliated person, Carnes Capital Corp. ("Carnes"), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Pelican Bay Holdings, LLC, the Adviser's parent company, as a broker for the Fund. In order for an affiliated person such as Carnes to act as agent to effect any portfolio transactions for the Fund, the commissions, fees or other remuneration received by the affiliate must be reasonable and fair compared to the commissions, fees or other remuneration received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities. Furthermore, the Trustees, including a majority of the Trustees who are not "interested" Trustees, have adopted procedures which are reasonably designed to provide that any commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to an affiliated person of the Adviser are consistent with the foregoing standard.

Based on a number of objective and qualitative factors, the Adviser has made a determination that trading through Carnes is in the best interest of Fund investors. However, the Adviser and Carnes have certain overlapping officers and employees, share office space and certain expenses. The relationship between the Adviser and Carnes creates a potential conflict of interest. Commission based compensation received by Carnes on Fund trades indirectly benefits the Adviser, which could motivate the Adviser to trade more frequently for the Fund. This potential conflict is mitigated by a number of factors, including the Fund's long-term investment horizon (resulting in comparatively lower portfolio turnover) and the fact that the commission rate charged to the Fund by Carnes is the lowest rate offered to any client of Carnes. The Adviser views the commission rate charged by Carnes as both reasonable in light of the services Carnes provides the Fund and competitive with rates that would be paid to unaffiliated broker-dealers for execution. For the fiscal year end ended April 30, 2023, the Fund incurred brokerage commission charges to Carnes in the amount of $50,781 which equated to 0.10% of the Fund's assets as of the fiscal year ended April 30, 2023. For the fiscal year end ended April 30, 2024, the Fund incurred brokerage commission charges to Carnes in the amount of $81,188 which equated to 0.15% of the Fund's assets as of the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024. For the fiscal year end ended April 30, 2025, the Fund incurred brokerage commission charges to Carnes in the amount of $93,493 which equated to 0.14% of the Fund's assets as of the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025. Whether using Carnes or another broker, it is the objective of the Adviser to obtain the best results in conducting portfolio transactions for the Fund, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable dealer-spread or commission), the size, type and difficulty of the transaction involved, the firm's general execution and operations facilities and the firm's risk in positioning the securities involved. While reasonable competitive spreads or commissions are sought, the Fund will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or commission available.

Subject to obtaining the best net results, dealers who are not affiliates of the Adviser who provide supplemental investment research (such as quantitative and modeling information assessments and statistical data and provide other similar services) to the Adviser may receive orders for transactions by the Fund. Information so received will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Agreement and the expense of the Adviser will not necessarily be reduced as a result of the receipt of such supplemental information. Supplemental investment research obtained from such dealers may be used by the Adviser in servicing all of its accounts and such research may or may not be useful to the Adviser in connection with the Fund. In addition, as permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Adviser may pay a broker-dealer that provides brokerage and research services an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Fund in excess of the commission that another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the amount is believed by the Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the overall quality of the brokerage and research services provided. Such research and investment services are those which brokerage houses customarily provide to institutional investors and include research reports on particular industries and companies; economic surveys and analyses; recommendations as to specific securities; research products including quotation equipment and computer related programs; advice concerning the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities and the availability of securities or the purchasers or sellers of securities; analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and performance of accounts; services relating to effecting securities transactions and functions incidental thereto (such as clearance and settlement); and other lawful and appropriate assistance to the Adviser in the performance of its decision-making responsibilities. Other clients of the Adviser may indirectly benefit from the provision of these services to the Adviser, and the Fund may indirectly benefit from services provided to the Adviser as a result of transactions for other clients. Securities held by the Fund may also be held by, or be appropriate investments for, other funds or investment advisory clients for which the Adviser or its affiliates act as an adviser. Because of different investment objectives or other factors, a particular security may be bought for an advisory client when other clients are selling the same security. If purchases or sales of securities by the Adviser for the Fund as well as its other customers (including any other fund or other investment company or advisory account for which the Adviser acts as investment adviser or sub-adviser) arise for consideration at or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as are feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed equitable to all. Transactions effected by the Adviser (or its affiliates) on behalf of more than one of its clients during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, causing an adverse effect on price. On occasions when the Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interest of the Fund as well as its other customers the Adviser, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, may aggregate the securities to be sold or purchased for the Fund with those to be sold or purchased for such other customers in order to obtain the best net price and most favorable execution under the circumstances. In such event, allocation of the securities so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Adviser in the manner it considers to be equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and such other customers. In some instances, this procedure may adversely affect the price and size of the position obtainable for the Fund.

For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025, the Fund paid brokerage commissions to Carnes, as follows:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended**<br>**April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended**<br>**April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended**<br>**April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Aggregate Dollar Amount of Brokerage Commissions Paid to Carnes** | $93493 | $81188 | $50781 |

---

For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2023, April 30, 2024 and April 30, 2025, the percentage of aggregate brokerage commissions paid to Carnes and the percentage of aggregate dollar amount of transactions effected through Carnes for the Fund are as follows:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Fiscal Year Ended**<br>**April 30,<br> 2025** | **Fiscal Year Ended**<br>**April 30,<br> 2024** | **Fiscal Year Ended**<br>**April 30,<br> 2023** |
| **Percentage of Commissions Paid to Carnes** | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| **Percentage of Transactions Effected through Carnes** | 100% | 100% | 100% |

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The Fund may at times invest in securities of its regular broker-dealers or the parent of its regular broker-dealers. During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2025, the Fund acquired no securities of its regular broker-dealers or a parent of its regular broker-dealers.

**ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES**

The additional compensation to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus may be calculated based on factors determined by the Adviser and its affiliates from time to time, including: the value of the Fund's shares sold to, or held by, a financial intermediary's customers; gross sales of the Fund's shares by a financial intermediary; or a negotiated lump sum payment.

In addition to the additional cash payments to financial intermediaries described in the Prospectus, subject to applicable FINRA rules and regulations, the Adviser and its affiliates may provide compensation to financial intermediaries that may enable the Adviser and its affiliates to sponsor or participate in educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions involving the sales representatives and other employees of financial intermediaries in order to promote the sale of the Fund's shares. The Adviser and its affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses, meals, lodging and entertainment of financial intermediaries and their sales representatives and other employees in connection with such educational or training programs, sales contests and other promotions. These payments may vary with each such event.

**DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES AND RULE 12B-1 PLAN**

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (d/b/a ACA Group) (the "Underwriter"), 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101, serves as a principal underwriter of the Fund's shares pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement with the Trust. Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Underwriter continuously distributes shares of the Fund on a best efforts basis. The Underwriter has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of shares of the Fund. The Underwriter and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Fund.

To the extent that the Underwriter receives fees under the Fund's Plan of Distribution adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the "12b-1 Plan"), the Underwriter will furnish or enter into arrangements with others for the furnishing of marketing or sales services with respect to the Class C and Class R shares as may be required pursuant to such plan. Moreover, to the extent that the Underwriter receives shareholder service fees under any shareholder services plan adopted by the Fund, the Underwriter will enter into arrangements with others for the furnishing of personal or account maintenance services with respect to the relevant shareholders of the Fund as may be required pursuant to such plan. The Underwriter receives no underwriting commissions or Rule 12b-1 fees in connection with the sale of the Fund's Class I shares. The Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of Independent Trustees, have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Trust, the Fund and the shareholders of the Fund's Class C and Class R shares.

The Underwriter will furnish or enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers, banks or other financial institutions for distribution of shares of the Fund. With respect to certain financial institutions and related Fund "supermarket" platform agreements, the Fund and/or the Adviser, rather than the Underwriter, typically will furnish or enter into such agreements. These financial institutions may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from the Adviser and/or the Fund. These financial institutions may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Fund.

The Underwriting Agreement continues in effect for successive annual periods provided such continuance is approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Underwriter, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the agreements, will not be liable to the Fund or its shareholders for losses arising in connection with the sale of Fund shares.

The Underwriting Agreement terminates automatically in the event of an assignment. The Underwriting Agreement is also terminable without payment of any penalty with respect to the Fund (i) (by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of any 12b-1 Plan of the Fund or any agreements related to a 12b-1 Plan, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund) on sixty (60) days' written notice to the Underwriter; or (ii) by the Underwriter on sixty (60) days' written notice to the Fund. The Underwriter will be compensated for distribution services according to the 12b-1 Plan regardless of the Underwriter's expenses. The Underwriter uses the entire 12b-1 for distribution expenses and does not retain any amounts for profit. The Underwriter does not receive compensation from the Fund for its distribution services except the distribution/service fees with respect to the shares of those classes for which a 12b-1 Plan is effective. The Adviser pays the Underwriter a fee for certain distribution-related services.

The 12b-1 Plan provides that the Underwriter will be paid for distribution activities such as public relations services, telephone services, sales presentations, media charges, preparation, printing and mailing advertising and sales literature, data processing necessary to support a distribution effort and printing and mailing of prospectuses to prospective shareholders. Additionally, the Underwriter may pay certain financial institutions such as banks or broker-dealers who have entered into servicing agreements with the Underwriter and other financial institutions for distribution and shareholder servicing activities.

The 12b-1 Plan further provides that payment shall be made for any month only to the extent that such payment does not exceed 0.25%, 1.00% (0.75% distribution fee and 0.25% shareholder service fee) and 0.50%, on an annualized basis of the Class C and Class R shares, respectively, of the Fund's average net assets, except with respect to limitations set from time to time by the Board of Trustees.

Under the 12b-1 Plan, if any payments made by the Adviser out of its advisory fee, not to exceed the amount of that fee, to any third parties (including banks), including payments for shareholder servicing and transfer agent functions, were deemed to be indirect financing by the Fund of the distribution of its Class C and Class R shares, such payments are authorized. The Fund may execute portfolio transactions with and purchase securities issued by depository institutions that receive payments under the 12b-1 Plan. No preference for instruments issued by such depository institutions is shown in the selection of investments.

**CAPITAL STOCK AND OTHER SECURITIES**

The Trust issues and offers separate classes of shares of the Fund: Class C, Class I and Class R shares. The shares of the Fund, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Prospectus, will be fully paid and non-assessable shares, with equal voting rights and no preferences as to conversion, exchange, dividends, redemption or any other feature.

The separate classes of shares of the Fund represent interests in the same portfolio of investments, have the same rights and are identical in all respects, except that Class C and Class R shares bear Rule 12b-1 distribution expenses and have exclusive voting rights with respect to their respective 12b-1 Plan pursuant to which the distribution fee may be paid.

The net income attributable to a class of shares and the dividends payable on such shares will be reduced by the amount of any applicable shareholder service or Rule 12b-1 distribution fees. Accordingly, the NAV of the Class C and Class R shares will be reduced by such amount to the extent the Fund has undistributed net income.

Shares of the Fund entitle holders to one vote per share and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, do not have preemptive or subscription rights and are transferable. Each class takes separate votes on matters affecting only that class.

The Fund does not hold an annual meeting of shareholders. The Trustees are required to call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any Trustee when requested in writing to do so by the shareholders of record owning not less than 10% of the Fund's outstanding shares.

**PURCHASE, REDEMPTION AND PRICING OF SHARES**

**PURCHASE OF SHARES.** Information regarding the purchase of shares is discussed in the "Purchase of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**REDEMPTION OF SHARES.** Information regarding the redemption of shares is discussed in the "Redemption of Shares" section of the Prospectus.

**PRICING OF SHARES.** For the Fund, the NAV per share of the Fund is determined by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets by the total number of the Fund's shares outstanding. This determination is made by The Bank of New York Mellon, as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") (typically 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) each day the Fund is open for business. The Fund is open for business on days when the Exchange is open for business.

The Fund's equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing sale or official closing price. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Prices for equity securities normally are supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the Board of Trustees. The valuations of securities that trade principally on a foreign market that closes before the time as of which a Fund calculates its NAV will generally be based on an adjusted fair value price furnished by an independent pricing service as of the time NAV is calculated. Fixed income securities are valued based on market quotations, which are furnished by an independent pricing service. Certain fixed income securities may be valued based upon appraisals received from a pricing service using a computerized matrix system or based upon appraisals derived from information concerning the security or similar securities received from a recognized dealer or dealers in those securities. The amortized cost method of valuation may be used to value fixed income securities with 60 days or less remaining until maturity, so long as such amortized cost method approximates fair value. Any assets held by the Fund that are denominated in foreign currencies are valued daily in U.S. dollars at the foreign currency exchange rates that are prevailing at the time that the Fund determines the daily NAV per share. Foreign securities may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not calculate NAV. As a result, the market value of these investments may change on days when you cannot buy or sell shares of the Fund. Investments in any mutual fund are valued at their respective NAVs as determined by those mutual funds each business day (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses).

Securities that do not have a readily available current market value are valued in good faith by the Adviser as "valuation designee" under the oversight of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the aforementioned valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to its policies and procedures. On a quarterly basis, the Adviser's fair valuation determinations will be reviewed by the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security or asset values as of the time of pricing. However, fair values for a security or asset determined pursuant to the Adviser's policies and procedures may not accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain if it were to dispose of that security or asset as of the time of pricing.

Market quotes are considered not readily available in circumstances where there is an absence of current or reliable market-based data (e.g., trade information, bid/asked information, broker quotes), including where events occur after the close of the relevant market, but prior to the close of the Exchange, that materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets. In addition, market quotes are considered not readily available when, due to extraordinary circumstances, an exchange or market on which a security trades does not open for trading for the entire day and no other market prices are available. The Adviser as valuation designee will monitor for significant events that may materially affect the values of the Fund's securities or assets and for determining whether the value of the applicable securities or assets should be re-evaluated in light of such significant events.

**DIVIDENDS**

The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income, if any. Dividends from the Fund's net investment income are declared and paid annually to the shareholders. Distributions, if any, of net short-term capital gain and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over the short-term capital loss) realized by the Fund, after deducting any available capital loss carryovers are declared and paid to its shareholders annually.

The Fund's dividends and other distributions are taxable to shareholders (other than retirement plans and other tax-exempt investors) whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. A dividend or distribution paid by the Fund has the effect of reducing the NAV per share on the ex-dividend date by the amount of the dividend distribution. A dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of shares by an investor would, therefore, represent, in substance, a return of capital to the shareholder with respect to such shares even though it would be subject to federal income tax. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

A statement will be sent to you after the end of each year detailing the tax status of your distributions. Please see "Certain Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" below for more information on the federal income tax consequences of dividends and other distributions made by the Fund.

**CERTAIN MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS**

The following discussion summarizes certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders. This discussion is for general information only and does not purport to consider all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that might be relevant to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund. The summary discussion that follows may not be considered to be individual tax advice and may not be relied upon by any shareholder The summary is based upon provisions of the IRC, applicable U.S. Treasury Regulations (whether temporary, proposed or final) promulgated thereunder (the "Regulations"), and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof, as are in effect as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change, which change could be retroactive and may affect the conclusions expressed herein. The summary applies only to beneficial owners of shares of the Fund in whose hands such shares are capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the IRC, and may not apply to certain types of beneficial owners of shares of the Fund, including, but not limited to insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, shareholders holding the Fund's shares through tax-advantaged accounts (such as an individual retirement account (an "IRA"), a 401(k) plan account, or other qualified retirement account), financial institutions, pass-through entities, broker-dealers, entities that are not organized under the laws of the United States or a political subdivision thereof, persons who are neither a citizen nor resident of the United States, shareholders holding the Fund's shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction and shareholders who are subject to the alternative minimum tax. Persons who may be subject to tax in more than one country should consult the provisions of any applicable tax treaty to determine the potential tax consequences to them.

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the Fund's common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of such partnership. A partner of a partnership holding the Fund's common stock should consult its own tax adviser regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences to the partner of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of the Fund's common stock by the partnership.

The summary assumes that shareholders will hold the Fund's common stock as capital assets, which generally means as property held for investment. This discussion addresses only the U.S. income tax consequences of an investment by U.S. shareholders, and, therefore, does not address U.S. estate and gift tax rules, U.S. state or local taxation, the alternative minimum tax, excise taxes, transfer taxes or foreign taxes.

For purposes of the following discussion, "U.S. shareholder" is a shareholder that is (i) a citizen or resident of the United States, (ii) a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation) created or organized under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, (iii) an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source or (iv) a trust if (a) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust's administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) it has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. A "Non-U.S. shareholder" is a person that is neither a U.S. shareholder nor an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") as to the federal income tax matters described below. The IRS could adopt positions contrary to those discussed below and such positions could be sustained. In addition, the following discussion applicable to shareholders of the Fund addresses only some of the federal income tax considerations generally affecting investments in the Fund.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of the ownership, purchase and disposition of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**GENERAL.** The Fund has elected, and intends to continue to qualify each year for, taxation as a RIC under Subchapter M of the IRC. By qualifying as a RIC, the Fund (but not the shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of its investment company taxable income and net realized capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders.

Shareholders should be aware that investments made by the Fund, some of which are described below, may involve complex tax rules some of which may result in income or gain recognition by a shareholder without the concurrent receipt of cash. Although the Fund seeks to avoid significant noncash income, such noncash income could be recognized by the Fund, in which case it may distribute cash derived from other sources in order to meet the minimum distribution requirements described below. Cash to make the required minimum distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by its governing documents and other regulatory restrictions, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed.

**QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY.** Qualification as a RIC under the IRC requires, among other things, that the Fund: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income from certain qualified publicly traded partnerships (together with (i), the "Qualifying Income Requirement"); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the value of its assets is comprised of cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with those other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount that does not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and that does not represent more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or the securities (other than the securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers controlled by it and engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (together with (i) the "Diversification Requirement").

The Treasury Department is authorized to promulgate regulations under which gains from foreign currencies (and options, futures, and forward contracts on foreign currency) would not constitute qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement only if such gains are not directly related to the principal business of the Fund in investing in stock or securities or options and futures with respect to stock or securities. To date, no such regulations have been issued.

As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders in any taxable year for which it distributes, in compliance with the IRC's timing and other requirements the sum of (i) at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, taxable interest, taxable original issue discount income, market discount income, income from securities lending, net short-term capital gain in excess of net long-term capital loss, certain net realized foreign currency exchange gains, and any other taxable income other than "net capital gain" as defined below and is reduced by deductible expenses all determined without regard to any deduction for dividends paid); and (ii) 90% of its tax-exempt interest, if any, net of certain expenses allocable thereto ("net tax-exempt interest"). The Fund may retain for investment all or a portion of its "net capital gain" (i.e., the excess of its net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). If the Fund retains any investment company taxable income or net capital gain, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who will be (i) required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of tax paid by the Fund against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of the shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by the amount of undistributed net capital gain included in the shareholder's gross income and decreased by the federal income tax paid by the Fund on that amount of capital gain.

The qualifying income and asset requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC, as described above, may limit the extent to which it will be able to engage in derivative transactions. Rules governing the federal income tax aspects of derivatives, including swap agreements, are not entirely clear in certain respects, particularly in light of two IRS revenue rulings issued in 2006. Revenue Ruling 2006-1 held that income from a derivative contract with respect to a commodity index is not qualifying income for a RIC. Subsequently, the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2006-31 in which it stated that the holding in Revenue Ruling 2006-1 "was not intended to preclude a conclusion that the income from certain instruments (such as certain structured notes) that create a commodity exposure for the holder is qualifying income." In 2016, the IRS issued a notice and stated they would not address what constitutes a "security" for purposes of Qualifying Income. In addition, the IRS requested comments as to whether the 2006 Revenue Rulings should be withdrawn. In 2019, the IRS concluded that it would not withdraw the 2006 Revenue Rulings at that time. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to invest in commodity related derivative transactions and other derivative transactions may be limited by the Qualifying Income Requirement. The Fund will account for any investments in commodity derivative transactions in a manner it deems to be appropriate; the IRS, however, might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be jeopardized.

For purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above, all of the net income of a RIC derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership (generally, defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (i) of the Qualifying Income Requirement described above) will be treated as qualifying income. Income derived from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the IRC do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. The transferee of a partnership interest generally is required to withhold 10% of the amount realized on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest after December 31, 2017 if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person.

For purposes of the Diversification Requirement described above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership.

If the Fund fails to satisfy the Qualifying Income Requirement or the Diversification Requirement in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures to satisfy the Diversification Requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period of time. If the applicable relief provisions are not available or cannot be met, the Fund will fail to qualify as a RIC and will be subject to tax in the same manner as an ordinary corporation subject to tax on a flat tax rate of 21% and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles) to its shareholders will be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders, and a maximum long-term capital gains rate of 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for a period of greater than two taxable years, the Fund generally would be required to recognize any built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a sale of such assets within ten years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

**EXCISE TAX.** If the Fund fails to distribute by December 31 of each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its taxable ordinary income (excluding capital gains and losses) for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its capital gains over its capital losses (as adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the twelve month period ending on October 31 of such year), and (3) all taxable ordinary income and the excess of capital gains over capital losses for the prior year that were not distributed during such year and on which it did not pay federal income tax, the Fund will be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax (the "Excise Tax") on the undistributed amounts. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November, or December of that year to shareholders of record on a date in such month and paid by it during January of the following year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders (other than those not subject to federal income tax) in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received. The Fund intends to actually distribute or be deemed to have distributed substantially all of its net income and gain, if any, by the end of each calendar year in compliance with these requirements so that it will generally not be required to pay the Excise Tax. The Fund may, in certain circumstances be required to liquidate its investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid Excise Tax liability at a time when its Adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so. Liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Fund to satisfy the requirements for qualification as a RIC.

**CAPITAL LOSS CARRYFORWARDS.** The Fund is permitted to carry forward a net capital loss from any year to offset its capital gains, if any, realized indefinitely in the years following the year of the loss. The excess of the Fund's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gain is treated as short-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year and the excess of the Fund's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gain is treated as long-term capital losses arising on the first day of the Fund's next taxable year. If future capital gains are offset by carried forward capital losses, such future capital gains are not subject to Fund-level federal income taxation, regardless of whether they are distributed to shareholders. Accordingly, the Fund does not expect to distribute any such offsetting capital gains. The Fund cannot carry back or carry forward any net operating losses.

**MLPs.** The Fund may invest in master limited partnerships which may be treated as qualified publicly traded partnerships. Income from qualified publicly traded partnerships is qualifying income for purposes of the Qualifying Income Requirement, but the Fund's investment in one or more of such qualified publicly traded partnerships is limited to no more than 25% of the value of the Fund's assets and must otherwise satisfy the Diversification Requirement. In addition, a 10% withholding tax is imposed on the sale or exchange of a partnership interest for transfers if any portion of the gain on the disposition would be treated as effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, unless the transferor certifies it is not a foreign person or another exception applies.

**ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT AND MARKET DISCOUNT.** The Fund may acquire debt securities that are treated as having original issue discount ("OID") (generally a debt obligation with a purchase price less than its principal amount, such as a zero coupon bond). Generally, the Fund will be required to include the OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though it will not receive cash payments for such OID until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having OID which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income. Inflation-protected bonds generally can be expected to produce OID income as their principal amounts are adjusted upward for inflation. A portion of the OID includible in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities may be treated as a dividend for federal income tax purposes if the securities are characterized as equity for federal income tax purposes.

A debt security acquired in the secondary market by the Fund may be treated as having market discount if acquired at a price below redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Market discount generally is accrued ratably, on a daily basis, over the period from the date of acquisition to the date of maturity even though no cash will be received. Absent an election by the Fund to include the market discount in income as it accrues, gain on its disposition of such an obligation will be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gain to the extent of the accrued market discount.

In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund receives no interest payments in cash on such securities during the year.

The Fund may be required to include in income certain fees that are treated as OID and required to be included in income for financial statement purposes when received (rather than when accrued into income).

The Fund generally will be required to make distributions to shareholders representing the income accruing on the debt securities, described above, that is currently includable in income, even though cash representing such income may not have been received by the Fund. Cash to pay these distributions may be obtained from sales proceeds of securities held by the Fund (even if such sales are not advantageous) or, if permitted by the Fund's governing documents, through borrowing the amounts required to be distributed. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would have in the absence of such transactions.

**OPTIONS, FUTURES, AND FORWARD CONTRACTS.** The writing (selling) and purchasing of options and futures contracts and entering into forward currency contracts, involves complex rules that will determine for income tax purposes the amount, character and timing of recognition of the gains and losses the Fund realizes in connection with such transactions.

Gains and losses on the sale, lapse, or other termination of options and futures contracts, options thereon and certain forward contracts (except certain foreign currency options, forward contracts and futures contracts) will generally be treated as capital gains and losses. Some regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts, and certain non-equity options (such as certain listed options or options on broad-based securities indexes) held by the Fund ("Section 1256 contracts"), other than contracts on which it has made a "mixed-straddle election," will be required to be "marked-to-market" for federal income tax purposes, that is, treated as having been sold at their market value on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. These provisions may require the Fund to recognize income or gains without a concurrent receipt of cash. Any gain or loss recognized on actual or deemed sales of Section 1256 contracts will be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary income or loss as described below. Transactions that qualify as designated hedges are exempt from the mark-to-market rule, but may require the Fund to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and certain options to the extent of any unrecognized gains on related positions held by it.

The tax provisions described above applicable to options, futures and forward contracts may affect the amount, timing, and character of the Fund's distributions to its shareholders. For example, the Section 1256 rules described above may operate to increase the amount the Fund must distribute to satisfy the minimum distribution requirement for the portion treated as short-term capital gain which will be taxable to its shareholders as ordinary income, and to increase the net capital gain it recognizes, without, in either case, increasing the cash available to it. The Fund may elect to exclude certain transactions from the operation of Section 1256, although doing so may have the effect of increasing the relative proportion of net short-term capital gain (taxable as ordinary income) and, thus, increasing the amount of dividends it must distribute. Section 1256 contracts also may be marked-to-market for purposes of the Excise Tax.

When a covered call or put option written (sold) by the Fund expires the Fund will realize a short-term capital gain equal to the amount of the premium it received for writing the option. When the Fund terminates its obligations under such an option by entering into a closing transaction, it will realize a short-term capital gain (or loss), depending on whether the cost of the closing transaction is less than (or exceeds) the premium received when it wrote the option. When a covered call option written by the Fund is exercised, the Fund will be treated as having sold the underlying security, producing long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending upon the holding period of the underlying security and whether the sum of the option price received upon the exercise plus the premium received when it wrote the option is more or less than the basis of the underlying security.

**STRADDLES.** Section 1092 deals with the taxation of straddles which also may affect the taxation of options in which the Fund may invest. Offsetting positions held by the Fund involving certain derivative instruments, such as options, futures and forward currency contracts, may be considered, for federal income tax purposes, to constitute "straddles." Straddles are defined to include offsetting positions in actively traded personal property. In certain circumstances, the rules governing straddles override or modify the provisions of Section 1256, described above. If the Fund is treated as entering into a straddle and at least one (but not all) of its positions in derivative contracts comprising a part of such straddle is governed by Section 1256, then such straddle could be characterized as a "mixed straddle." The Fund may make one or more elections with respect to mixed straddles. Depending on which election is made, if any, the results with respect to the Fund may differ. Generally, to the extent the straddle rules apply to positions established by the Fund, losses realized by it may be deferred to the extent of unrealized gain in any offsetting positions. Moreover, as a result of the straddle rules, short-term capital loss on straddle positions may be characterized as long-term capital loss, and long-term capital gain may be characterized as short-term capital gain. In addition, the existence of a straddle may affect the holding period of the offsetting positions and cause such sales to be subject to the "wash sale" and "short sale" rules. As a result, the straddle rules could cause distributions that would otherwise constitute "qualified dividend income" to fail to satisfy the applicable holding period requirements, described below, and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income. Further, the Fund may be required to capitalize, rather than deduct currently, any interest expense and carrying charges applicable to a position that is part of a straddle. Because the application of the straddle rules may affect the character and timing of gains and losses from affected straddle positions, the amount which must be distributed to shareholders, and which will be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income or long-term capital gain, may be increased or decreased substantially as compared to the situation where the Fund had not engaged in such transactions.

In circumstances where the Fund has invested in certain pass-through entities, the amount of long-term capital gain that it may recognize from certain derivative transactions with respect to interests in such pass-through entities is limited under the IRC's constructive ownership rules. The amount of long-term capital gain is limited to the amount of such gain the Fund would have had if it directly invested in the pass-through entity during the term of the derivative contract. Any gain in excess of this amount is treated as ordinary income. An interest charge is imposed on the amount of gain that is treated as ordinary income.

**SWAPS AND DERIVATIVES.** As a result of entering into swap or derivative agreements, the Fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The Fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap or derivative is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap, derivative or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap or derivative will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund has been a party to a swap or derivative for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps or derivatives, the Fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or derivatives or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps or derivatives to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss. The Fund's transactions in swaps or other derivatives may be subject to one or more special tax rules (e.g., notional principal contracts, straddles, constructive sales, wash sales and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains or losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary or capital or as short-term or long-term, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and/or character of distributions to shareholders.

Rules governing the tax aspects of swap or derivative agreements are not entirely clear in certain respects, in particular whether income generated is Qualifying Income. Accordingly, while the Fund intends to account for such transactions in a manner it deems appropriate, the IRS might not accept such treatment. If the IRS did not accept such treatment, the status of the Fund as a RIC might be adversely affected. The Fund intends to monitor developments in this area. Certain requirements that must be met under the IRC in order for the Fund to qualify as a RIC may limit the extent to which the Fund will be able to engage in swap agreements and certain derivatives.

**CONSTRUCTIVE SALES.** Certain rules may affect the timing and character of gain if the Fund engages in transactions that reduce or eliminate its risk of loss with respect to appreciated financial positions. If the Fund enters into certain transactions (including a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract, a futures or forward contract, or other transactions identified in Treasury regulations) in property while holding an appreciated financial position in substantially identical property, it will be treated as if it had sold and immediately repurchased the appreciated financial position and will be taxed on any gain (but not loss) from the constructive sale. The character of gain from a constructive sale will depend upon the Fund's holding period in the appreciated financial position. Loss from a constructive sale would be recognized when the position was subsequently disposed of, and its character would depend on the Fund's holding period and the application of various loss deferral provisions of the IRC.

In addition, if the appreciated financial position is itself a short sale or other such contract, acquisition of the underlying property or substantially identical property by the Fund will be deemed a constructive sale. The foregoing will not apply, however, to the Fund's transaction during any taxable year that otherwise would be treated as a constructive sale if the transaction is closed within 30 days after the end of that year and the Fund holds the appreciated financial position unhedged for 60 days after that closing (i.e., at no time during that 60-day period is the Fund's risk of loss regarding the position reduced by reason of certain specified transactions with respect to substantially identical or related property, such as having an option to sell, being contractually obligated to sell, making a short sale or granting an option to buy substantially identical stock or securities).

**WASH SALES.** The Fund may be impacted in certain circumstances by special rules relating to "wash sales." In general, the wash sale rules prevent the recognition of a loss by the Fund from the disposition of stock or securities at a loss in a case in which identical or substantially identical stock or securities (or an option to acquire such property) is or has been acquired by it within 30 days before or 30 days after the sale.

**SHORT SALES.** The Fund may make short sales of securities. Short sales may increase the amount of short-term capital gain realized by the Fund, which is taxed as ordinary income when distributed to its shareholders. Short sales also may be subject to the "Constructive Sales" rules, discussed above.

**PASSIVE FOREIGN INVESTMENT COMPANIES.** The Fund may invest in a non-U.S. corporation, which could be treated as a passive foreign investment company (a "PFIC") or become a PFIC under the IRC. A PFIC is generally defined as a foreign corporation that meets either of the following tests: (1) at least 75% of its gross income for its taxable year is income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties, or capital gains); or (2) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, such passive income. If the Fund acquires any equity interest in a PFIC, the Fund could be subject to federal income tax and interest charges on "excess distributions" received with respect to such PFIC stock or on any gain from the sale of such PFIC stock (collectively "PFIC income"), plus interest thereon even if the Fund distributes the PFIC income as a taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in the Fund's investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent it distributes that income to its shareholders. The Fund's distributions of PFIC income, if any, will be taxable as ordinary income even though, absent the application of the PFIC rules, some portion of the distributions may have been classified as capital gain.

The Fund will not be permitted to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for taxes and interest charges incurred with respect to a PFIC. Payment of this tax would therefore reduce the Fund's economic return from its investment in PFIC shares. To the extent the Fund invests in a PFIC, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" ("QEF"), then instead of the tax and interest obligation described above on excess distributions, the Fund would be required to include in income each taxable year its pro rata share of the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain. As a result of a QEF election, the Fund would likely have to distribute to its shareholders an amount equal to the QEF's annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain to satisfy the IRC's minimum distribution requirement described herein and avoid imposition of the Excise Tax even if the QEF did not distribute those earnings and gain to the Fund. In most instances it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to make this election because of certain requirements in making the election.

The Fund may elect to "mark-to-market" its stock in any PFIC. "Marking-to-market," in this context, means including in ordinary income each taxable year the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the PFIC stock over the Fund's adjusted basis therein as of the end of that year. Pursuant to the election, the Fund also may deduct (as an ordinary, not capital, loss) the excess, if any, of its adjusted basis in the PFIC stock over the fair market value thereof as of the taxable year-end, but only to the extent of any net mark-to-market gains with respect to that stock it included in income for prior taxable years under the election. The Fund's adjusted basis in its PFIC stock subject to the election would be adjusted to reflect the amounts of income included and deductions taken thereunder. In either case, the Fund may be required to recognize taxable income or gain without the concurrent receipt of cash.

**FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS.** Foreign currency gains and losses realized by the Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt instruments, certain options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments relating to foreign currency, foreign currencies, and foreign currency-denominated payables and receivables are subject to Section 988 of the IRC, which causes such gains and losses to be treated as ordinary income or loss and may affect the amount and timing of recognition of the Fund's income. In some cases elections may be available that would alter this treatment, but such elections could be detrimental to the Fund by creating current recognition of income without the concurrent recognition of cash. If a foreign currency loss treated as an ordinary loss under Section 988 were to exceed the Fund's investment company taxable income (computed without regard to such loss) for a taxable year the resulting loss would not be deductible by it or its shareholders in future years. The foreign currency income or loss will also increase or decrease the Fund's investment company income distributable to its shareholders.

**FOREIGN TAXATION.** Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding and other taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the Fund's total assets at the close of any taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations and it meets the distribution requirements described above, the Fund may file an election (the "pass-through election") with the IRS pursuant to which shareholders of the Fund would be required to (i) include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) their pro rata shares of foreign income taxes paid by the Fund even though not actually received by such shareholders; and (ii) treat such respective pro rata portions as foreign income taxes paid by them. The Fund will furnish its shareholders with a written statement providing the amount of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund that will "pass-through" for the year, if any.

Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder's U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of the Fund's income will flow through to the Fund's shareholders. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. Shareholders may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Various limitations, including a minimum holding period requirement, apply to limit the credit and deduction for foreign taxes for purposes of regular federal tax and alternative minimum tax. In addition, a shareholder of the Fund may lose the ability to use foreign tax credits passed through by the Fund if the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement.

**REITs.** The Fund may invest in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require the Fund to accrue and distribute taxable income without the concurrent receipt of cash. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. The Fund's investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in its receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to its shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

The Fund may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs") or taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs"), or such REITs may themselves constitute TMPs. Under an IRS notice, and Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of the Fund's income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT's residual interest in a REMIC or a TMP (referred to in the IRC as an "excess inclusion") will be subject to federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a RIC, such as the Fund, will be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or invested in the TMP directly. As a result, the Fund may not be a suitable investment for certain tax-exempt-shareholders, including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan and other tax-exempt entities. See "Tax-Exempt Shareholders."

Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that the Fund properly reports as "section 199A dividends," as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. Non-corporate shareholders are permitted a federal income tax deduction equal to 20% of qualified REIT dividends received by them, subject to certain limitations. Generally, a "section 199A dividend" is any dividend or portion thereof that is attributable to certain dividends received by a RIC from the REITs it holds, to the extent such dividends are properly reported as such by the RIC in a written notice to its shareholders. A section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.

**DISTRIBUTIONS.** Distributions paid out of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined at the end of the year), whether reinvested in additional shares or paid in cash, are generally taxable and must be reported by each shareholder who is required to file a federal income tax return except in the case of certain tax-exempt shareholders.

Distributions in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, as computed for federal income tax purposes, will first be treated as a return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder's tax basis in his or her Fund shares and then as capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as a capital asset. A return of capital is not taxable, but reduces a shareholder's tax basis in the shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by a shareholder of the Fund's shares. Distributions are taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or receive them in additional shares.

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment company taxable income are generally taxable as ordinary income, and distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions designated by the Fund as "capital gain dividends" (distributions from the excess of net long-term capital gain over short-term capital losses) will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain regardless of the length of time they have held their shares of the Fund. Such dividends do not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction described below.

Non-corporate shareholders of the Fund may be eligible for the long-term capital gain tax rate applicable to distributions of "qualified dividend income" received by such non-corporate shareholders. The maximum long-term capital gains tax rate is 20% for non-corporate shareholders (15% or 0% for non-corporate shareholders in lower income tax brackets). The Fund's distribution will be treated as qualified dividend income and therefore eligible for the long-term capital gains tax rate to the extent that it receives dividend income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding periods and other requirements are met. A corporate shareholder of the Fund may be eligible for the dividends received deduction with respect to the Fund's distributions attributable to dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations, which, if received directly by the corporate shareholder, would qualify for such a deduction. For eligible corporate shareholders, the dividends received deduction may be subject to certain reductions, and a distribution by the Fund attributable to dividends of a domestic corporation will be eligible for the deduction only if certain holding period and other requirements are met. If the Fund's shares are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement, dividends paid while the shares are held by the borrower may not be qualified dividend income and may not qualify for the dividends received deduction.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax applies to net investment income including interest (excluding, tax-exempt interest), dividends, and capital gains of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 if married and filing jointly) and of estates and trusts.

The Fund will furnish a statement to shareholders providing the federal income tax status of its dividends and distributions including the portion of such dividends, if any, that qualifies as long-term capital gain.

Different tax treatment, including penalties on certain excess contributions and deferrals, certain pre-retirement and post-retirement distributions and certain prohibited transactions, is accorded to accounts maintained as qualified retirement plans. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers for more information.**

**PURCHASES OF FUND SHARES.** Prior to purchasing shares in the Fund, the impact of dividends or distributions which are expected to be or have been declared, but not paid, should be carefully considered. Any dividend or distribution declared shortly after a purchase of such shares of the Fund prior to the record date will have the effect of reducing the per share net asset value by the per share amount of the dividend or distribution, and to the extent the distribution consists of the Fund's taxable income, the purchasing shareholder will be taxed on the taxable portion of the dividend or distribution received even though some or all of the amount distributed is effectively a return of capital. This is called "buying a dividend." To avoid "buying a dividend," check the Fund's distribution dates before you invest.

**SALES, EXCHANGES OR REDEMPTIONS.** Upon the disposition of shares of the Fund (whether by redemption, sale or exchange), a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the shares. The capital gain will be long-term if the shares were held for more than 12 months and short-term if held for 12 months or less. If a shareholder sells or exchanges shares of the Fund within 90 days of having acquired such shares and if, before January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year of the sale or exchange, as a result of having initially acquired those shares, the shareholder subsequently pays a reduced sales charge on a new purchase of shares of the Fund, the sales charge previously incurred in acquiring the Fund's shares generally shall not be taken into account (to the extent the previous sales charges do not exceed the reduction in sales charges on the new purchase) for the purpose of determining the amount of gain or loss on the disposition, but generally will be treated as having been incurred in the new purchase. Any loss realized on a disposition will be disallowed under the "wash sale" rules to the extent that the shares disposed of by the shareholder are replaced by the shareholder within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of capital gain dividends received by the shareholder and disallowed to the extent of any distributions of tax-exempt interest dividends received by the shareholder with respect to such shares. Capital losses are generally deductible only against capital gains except that individuals may deduct up to $3,000 of capital losses against ordinary income.

The 3.8% Medicare contribution tax (applied as described above) will apply to gains from the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund.

**BACKUP WITHHOLDING.** The Fund generally is required to withhold, and remit to the U.S. Treasury, subject to certain exemptions, an amount equal to 24% of all distributions and redemption proceeds paid or credited to a shareholder of the Fund if (i) the shareholder fails to furnish the Fund with the correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN") certified under penalties of perjury, (ii) the shareholder fails to provide a certified statement that the shareholder is not subject to "backup withholding," or (iii) the IRS or a broker has notified the Fund that the number furnished by the shareholder is incorrect or that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of failure to report interest or dividend income. If the backup withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions or proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability.

**STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.** State and local laws often differ from federal income tax laws with respect to the treatment of specific items of income, gain, loss, deduction and credit. This summary discussion does not address the state and local income taxes applicable to a shareholder.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the state and local tax rules affecting investments in the Fund.**

**NON-U.S. SHAREHOLDERS.** Distributions made to non-U.S. shareholders attributable to net investment income generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding at a 30% rate (or such lower rate provided under an applicable income tax treaty). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a distribution described above is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, is attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States), federal income tax withholding and exemptions attributable to foreign persons will not apply. Instead, the distribution will be subject to withholding at the highest applicable U.S. tax rate (currently 37% in the case of individuals and 21% in the case of corporations) and the non-U.S. shareholders will be subject to the federal income tax reporting requirements generally applicable to U.S. persons described above.

Under U.S. federal tax law, a non-U.S. shareholder is not, in general, subject to federal income tax or withholding tax on capital gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of the Fund, or on capital gains dividends, provided that the Fund obtains a properly completed and signed certificate of foreign status, unless (i) such gains or distributions are effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder within the United States (or, if an income tax treaty applies, are attributable to a permanent establishment in the United States of the non-U.S. shareholder); (ii) in the case of an individual non-U.S. shareholder, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the shares of the Fund constitute U.S. real property interests ("USRPIs"), as described below.

Under current law, if the Fund is considered to be a "United States Real Property Holding Corporation" (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations), then the distributions attributable to certain underlying REIT investments and redemption proceeds paid to a non-U.S. shareholder that owns at least 5% of the Fund generally will cause the non-U.S. shareholder to treat such gain or distribution as income effectively connected with a trade or business in the United States, subject such gain and distribution to withholding tax, and cause the non-U.S. shareholder to be required to file a federal income tax return. In addition, in any year where at least 50% of the Fund's assets are USRPIs (as defined in the IRC and Treasury Regulations) distributions of the Fund that are attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of shares in USRPIs may be subject to U.S. withholding tax (regardless of such shareholder's percentage interest in the Fund) and may require the non-U.S. shareholder to file a U.S. federal income tax return in order to receive a refund (if any) of the withheld amount.

Subject to the additional rules described herein, federal income tax withholding will apply to distributions attributable to dividends and other investment income distributed by the Fund. The federal income tax withholding rate may be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and the non-U.S. shareholder's country of residence or incorporation. In order to qualify for treaty benefits, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its foreign status (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN). **All non-U.S. shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

Pursuant to the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA"), a 30% withholding tax generally is imposed on payments of interest and dividends to (i) foreign financial institutions including non-U.S. investment funds and (ii) certain other foreign entities, unless the foreign financial institution or foreign entity provides the withholding agent with documentation sufficient to show that it is compliant with FATCA (generally by providing the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN or Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable). If the payment is subject to the 30% withholding tax under FATCA, a non-U.S. shareholder will not be subject to the 30% withholding tax described above on the same income. Under proposed regulations, FATCA withholding on the gross proceeds of share redemptions and certain capital gain distributions, scheduled to take effect beginning January 1, 2019, has been eliminated. Such proposed regulations are subject to change.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers regarding the application of this reporting and withholding regime to their own tax situation.**

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**FOREIGN BANK AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS AND FOREIGN FINANCIAL ASSETS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.** A shareholder that owns directly or indirectly more than 50% by vote or value of the Fund is urged and advised to consult its own tax adviser regarding its filing obligations with respect to IRS Form FinCEN 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

Also, under enacted rules, subject to exceptions, individuals (and, to the extent provided in forthcoming future U.S. Treasury regulations, certain domestic entities) must report annually their interests in "specified foreign financial assets" on their U.S. federal income tax returns. It is currently unclear whether and under what circumstances shareholders would be required to report their indirect interests in the Fund's "specified foreign financial assets" (if any) under these new rules.

Shareholders may be subject to substantial penalties for failure to comply with these reporting requirements. **Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine whether these reporting requirements are applicable to them.**

**TAX-EXEMPT SHAREHOLDERS.** A tax-exempt shareholder could realize unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") by virtue of its investment in the Fund as a result of the Fund's investments and if shares in the Fund constitute debt financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).

It is possible that a tax-exempt shareholder of the Fund will also recognize UBTI if the Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" (as described above) derived from direct or indirect investments in REMIC residual interests or TMPs. Furthermore, any investment in a residual interest of a CMO that has elected to be treated as a REMIC can create complex tax consequences, especially if the Fund has state or local governments or other tax-exempt organizations as shareholders.

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or in TMPs.

**Tax-exempt shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.**

**TAX SHELTER REPORTING REGULATIONS.** Under Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

**TAX BASIS INFORMATION.** For shares of the Fund that are redeemed, your financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) will report gains and losses realized on redemptions of shares for shareholders who are individuals and S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This information will also be reported to a shareholder on Form 1099-B and the IRS each year. In calculating the gain or loss on redemptions of shares, the average cost method will be used to determine the cost basis of the Fund's shares purchased after January 1, 2012 unless the shareholder instructs the Fund in writing that the shareholder wants to use another available method for cost basis reporting (for example, First In, First Out (FIFO), Last In, First Out (LIFO), Specific Lot Identification (SLID) or High Cost, First Out (HCFO)). If the shareholder designated SLID as the shareholder's tax cost basis method, the shareholder will also need to designate a secondary cost basis method (Secondary Method). If a Secondary Method is not provided, the Fund will designate FIFO as the Secondary Method and will use the Secondary Method with respect to systematic withdrawals that are made.

A shareholder's financial intermediary or the Fund (if a shareholder holds the shares in the Fund direct account) is also required to report gains and losses to the IRS in connection with redemptions of shares by S corporations purchased after January 1, 2012. If a shareholder is a corporation and has not instructed the Fund that it is a C corporation in its Account Application or by written instruction, the Fund will treat the shareholder as an S corporation and file a Form 1099-B.

**Shareholders are urged and advised to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund including, but not limited to, the applicability of state, local, foreign and other tax laws affecting the particular shareholder and to possible effects of changes in federal or other tax laws.**

**This summary is provided for general information only and should not be considered tax advice or relied on by an investor.**

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**

The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Fund's financial statements, included in [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000119312525155431/d88680dncsr.htm), for the fiscal period ended April 30, 2025 (the "Annual Report") are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The 2025 financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report thereon is also incorporated herein by reference. No other parts of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, are incorporated by reference herein. Copies of the financial statements, included in Form N-CSR, may be obtained at no charge by calling the Fund at (888) 568-1267 or on the Fund's website at *www.private-cap.com*.

**APPENDIX A**

**DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS**

**Description of Ratings**

The following descriptions of securities ratings have been published by Moody's Investors Services, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P Global Ratings"), and Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"), respectively.

**Description of Moody's Global Ratings**

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned for obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

**Description of Moody's Global Long-Term Ratings**

**Aaa** Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal risk.

**Aa** Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

**A** Obligations rated A are considered upper medium-grade and are subject to low credit risk.

**Baa** Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba** Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

**B** Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

**Caa** Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

**Ca** Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

**C** Obligations rated C are the lowest-rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal and interest.

*Note*: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**Hybrid Indicator (hyb)**

The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

**Description of Moody's Global Short-Term Ratings**

**P-1** Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-2** Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

**P-3** Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

**NP** Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's U.S. Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings**

The Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale is used to rate U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less.

Moody's U.S. municipal short-term obligation ratings are as follows:

**MIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

**MIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

**MIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

**Description of Moody's Demand Obligation Ratings**

For variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), Moody's assigns both a long-term rating and a short-term payment obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer's ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term payment obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to meet any purchase price payment obligation resulting from optional tenders ("on demand") and/or mandatory tenders of the VRDO. The short-term payment obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. Transitions of VMIG ratings with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions of Prime ratings reflecting the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer's long-term rating drops below investment grade. Please see their methodology that discusses obligations with conditional liquidity support.

For VRDOs, they typically assign a VMIG rating if the frequency of the payment obligation is less than every three years. If the frequency of the payment obligation is less than three years, but the obligation is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the VMIG short-term rating is not assigned, and it is denoted as "NR".

Moody's demand obligation ratings are as follows:

**VMIG 1** This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 2** This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**VMIG 3** This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

**SG** This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Issue Credit Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings' view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P Global Ratings would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings S&P Global Ratings assigns to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings' analysis of the following considerations:

● The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

● The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P Global Ratings imputes; and

● The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

NR indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings\***

**AAA** An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

**AA** An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

**A** An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

**BBB** An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**BB; B; CCC; CC; and C** Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

**BB** An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CCC** An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**CC** An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

**C** An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

\* Ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

**D** An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings**

**A-1** A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.

**A-2** A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

**A-3** A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**B** A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

**C** A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

**D** A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings**

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings' opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings' analysis will review the following considerations:

● Amortization schedule — the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

● Source of payment — the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P Global Ratings' municipal short-term note ratings are as follows:

**SP-1** Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

**SP-2** Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

**SP-3** Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

**D** 'D' is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

**Description of Fitch's Credit Ratings**

Fitch's credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issue level ratings are assigned and often include an expectation of recovery and may be notched above or below the issuer level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation).

Fitch's credit rating scale for issuers and issues is expressed using the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade) with an additional +/- for AA through CCC levels indicating relative differences of probability of default or recovery for issues. The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. Investment grade categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the speculative categories signal either a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

Fitch may also disclose issues relating to a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated. Such issues are also denoted as 'NR' on its web page.

Fitch's credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. Credit ratings do not deal with the risk of market value loss due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and/or other market considerations. However, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay or refinance a financial commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of payments linked to performance of an equity index).

Note: The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' ratings and ratings below the 'CCC' category. For the short-term rating category of 'F1', a '+' may be appended.

**Description of Fitch's Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Ratings**

**AAA** Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

**AA** Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

**A** High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

**BBB** Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

**BB** Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

**B** Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

**CCC** Substantial credit risk. 'CCC' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present, and default is a real possibility.

**CC** Very high levels of credit risk. 'CC' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk and default of some kind appears probable.

**C** Near Default. 'C' ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk. A default or default-like process has begun, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired.

Ratings in the categories of 'CCC', 'CC' and 'C' can also relate to obligations or issuers that are in default. In this case, the rating does not opine on default risk but reflects the recovery expectation only.

Corporate Finance defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'RD' or 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'CCC' to 'C' rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

**Description of Fitch's Short-Term Ratings**

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Fitch's short-term ratings are as follows:

**F1** Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Under the agency's National Rating scale, this rating is assigned to the lowest default risk relative to others in the same country or monetary union. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a "+" is added to the assigned rating.

**F2** Good short-term credit quality. Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

**F3** Fair short-term credit quality. Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**B** Speculative short-term credit quality. Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**C** High short-term default risk. Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country or monetary union.

**RD** Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Applicable to entity ratings only.

**D** Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

**Date: January 21, 2025**

**APPENDIX B**

**PROXY VOTING POLICY**

**Description of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures**

Private Capital Management, LLC ("PCM") has adopted policies and procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in accordance with Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and the requirements applicable to ERISA and other benefit plan accounts. Unless an investment adviser of ERISA assets has been expressly precluded from voting proxies, the Department of Labor has determined that voting authority lies with the investment adviser. In exercising its voting authority, PCM generally relies on its own review and does not consult or enter into agreements with any third party.

PCM's substantive voting decisions are based on the particular facts and circumstances of each proxy vote and are evaluated by the applicable Portfolio Manager or senior research staff member. The following general guidelines reflect PCM's decision making approach with respect to particular issues and may be overridden in any particular case to the extent that PCM deems appropriate.

<u>Election of Directors</u> — PCM generally votes in favor of nominees. However, in a contested election, PCM will vote for the nominees on a case-by-case basis. Compensation Programs — PCM generally favors compensation programs that align executive compensation to a company's long-term performance. Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals relating to executive compensation.

<u>Auditors</u> — PCM generally votes in favor of the ratification of auditors, unless in PCM's view the auditor has a clear conflict of interest or the auditor has failed to render an accurate financial opinion of a company's financial status. In making a determination regarding the proposed ratification of an independent auditor, PCM also may take into account its prior experiences with such auditor in providing audit and other services to PCM portfolio companies.

<u>Anti-Takeover Measures</u> — PCM evaluates all proposals to institute or amend shareholder rights plans on a case-by-case basis. PCM will sometimes vote against board-approved proposals to adopt antitakeover measures.

<u>Capital Structure</u> — The management of a company's capital structure involves a number of important issues, including cash flows, financing needs and market conditions that are unique to the circumstances of each company. As a result, PCM votes on a case-by-case basis involving changes to a company's capitalization. In general, PCM has a preference for voting against proposals relating to the authorization of additional common stock, and for voting in favor of proposals authorizing share repurchase programs.

<u>Mergers and Acquisitions</u> — With respect to matters relating to acquisitions, mergers, reorganizations and other transactions, PCM votes these issues on a case-by-case basis. PCM examines factors including the economic merits of the transaction, the potential conflicts of interests between management's interest and shareholders' interests, and the impact of the transaction on corporate governance and shareholder rights.

<u>Corporate Charter or Bylaws</u> — With respect to board proposals to amend a company's charter or bylaws, PCM votes on a case-by-case basis. PCM evaluates the stated reasons for the amendment as well as the effects on shareholders' rights.

<u>Corporate Governance</u> — SEC regulations permit shareholders to also submit proposals for inclusion in a company's proxy statement. These proposals generally seek to change some aspect of a company's corporate governance structure or to change some aspect of its business operations. In some cases, these proposals are made in furtherance of broader social concerns held by the proposing shareholders. Though PCM reviews all such proposals on a case-by-case basis, it most frequently votes in accordance with the recommendation of the company's board of directors. PCM generally places particular significance on proposals made by significant or long term shareholders and on proposals relating to governance issues or acquisitions, mergers, reorganizations and other transactions.

PCM's Compliance Department is responsible for overseeing the proxy voting process and ensuring that conflicts of interest do not influence PCM's proxy voting decisions. Examples of conflicts of interest may include (i) whether PCM manages assets for the company, or an employee of the company, or employee group of the company; (ii) whether the Portfolio Manager responsible for recommending the proxy vote is a close relative of or has a personal or business relationship with an executive, director or person who is a candidate for director of the company or is a participant in a proxy contest; and (iii) whether a Portfolio Manager has a personal interest in the outcome of the matter before shareholders that is different from the general interests of PCM clients. If a material conflict is identified, PCM will take steps to ameliorate the conflict that may include (a) removing the conflicted PCM employee(s) from the voting process, (b) voting shares in accordance with the recommendations of one or more nationally recognized corporate governance advisory firms, (c) seeking voting instructions from a non-interested party, (d) referring the proxy vote or recommendation to the client or (e) adopting such other method as is deemed appropriate given the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue and the nature of the conflict of interest. In addition, in the event the Adviser identifies a potential circumstance where an Adviser employee involved in voting a proxy has a personal interest in the company or its securities that may differ from the interests of shareholders generally, the Adviser will bring the facts relevant to any potential conflict to the attention of the Fund's CCO in advance of Adviser's proxy vote on behalf of the Fund.

**FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**

**PART C**

**OTHER INFORMATION**

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| **Item 28.** | **Exhibits.** |
| (a)(i) (A) | [Second Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the "Trust Agreement"). Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(i) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 334 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on March 3, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625001400/fundvantage_exai.htm) |
| (B) | [Amended and Restated Schedule A to the Trust Agreement dated June 16, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(i)(B) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 337 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 2, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625004845/fundvantage_exaib.htm) |
| (a)(ii) | [Certificate of Trust. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(ii) to Registrant's Initial Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on March 7, 2007.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000113542807000099/ex23aii.htm) |
| (b) | [By-Laws. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (b) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 169 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 28, 2017.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000110465917054016/a17-20266_1ex99dbb.htm) |
| (c) | [See, Articles 3, 7 and 8 of Exhibit (a)(i) to the Trust Agreement.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912624008395/fundvantage_exai.htm) |
| (d)(i) | [Investment Advisory Agreement with Polen Capital Credit, LLC ("Polen Credit") dated March 21, 2025 with respect to the Polen Floating Rate Income ETF and Polen High Income ETF. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(i) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 335 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on March 24, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625002022/fundvantage_exdi.htm) |
| (d)(ii) (A) | [Investment Advisory Agreement with Polen Credit dated June 30, 2022. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(iii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 279 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on June 30, 2022.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912622013983/fundvantage_ex99-diii.htm) |
| (B) | [Amended and Restated Schedules A and B to the Investment Advisory Agreement with Polen Credit dated June 16, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(ii)(B) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 337 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 2, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625004845/fundvantage_exdiib.htm) |
| (d)(iii) | [Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Polen Capital Management, LLC ("Polen") and Polen Credit dated September 29, 2023. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(ii) to Amendment No. 328 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on September 29, 2023.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623006370/fundvantage_exdii.htm) |
| (d)(iv) | [Investment Advisory Agreement with Whittier Advisors, LLC ("Whittier") dated September 1, 2022. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(v) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 285 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on September 6, 2022.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912622016458/fundvantage_exdv.htm) |
| (d)(v) | [Investment Advisory Agreement with Private Capital Management, LLC ("Private Capital") dated October 28, 2013. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(vii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on March 19, 2014.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000110465914020990/a14-8425_1ex99dbdvii.htm) |
| (d)(vi) (A) | [Investment Advisory Agreement with the Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii ("AMG of BOH") dated June 25, 2010. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(x) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 1, 2010.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000095012310063211/b78120bexv99w28wdwx.htm) |
| (B) | [Amended and Restated Schedules A and B to Exhibit (d)(ix)(B) to the Investment Advisory Agreement with AMG of BOH dated May 16, 2018 as filed with the Commission on May 16, 2018.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000161577418003945/s110241_ex99dixb.htm) |
| (d)(vii) (A) | [Investment Advisory Agreement with Polen dated October 19, 2012. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(x) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 77 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 28, 2013.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000110465913066732/a13-18611_1ex99dbdx.htm) |
| (B) | [Amended and Restated Schedules A and B to the Investment Advisory Agreement with Polen dated June 16, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(vii)(B) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 337 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 2, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625004845/fundvantage_exdviib.htm) |

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| (d)(viii)(A) | [Investment Advisory Agreement with Gotham Asset Management, LLC ("Gotham") dated November 2, 2010. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(xv) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on November 3, 2010.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000095012310100216/b79512bexv99w28dxv.htm) |
| (B) | [Amended and Restated Schedules A and B to the Investment Advisory Agreement with Gotham dated February 12, 2024. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(viii)(B) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 333 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 28, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625000447/fundvantage_exdviiib.htm) |

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| (d)(ix) | [Investment Advisory Agreement with Equity Investment Corporation ("EIC") dated January 10, 2017. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(xv) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 169 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 28, 2017.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000110465917054016/a17-20266_1ex99dbdxv.htm) |
| (d)(x) | [Form of Investment Advisory Agreement with Polen with respect to the Polen Focus Growth ETF. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (d)(xi) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 335 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on March 24, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625002022/fundvantage_exdxi.htm) |
| (e)(i) | [Underwriting Agreement with Foreside Funds Distributors LLC ("Foreside") dated April 1, 2012. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 55 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on April 13, 2012.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000110465912025279/a12-9002_1ex99db28e.htm) |
| (e)(ii) | [Amendment to Underwriting Agreement with Foreside effective September 30, 2021. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(ii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 28, 2022.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912622002021/fundvantage_exeii.htm) |
| (e)(iii) | [First Amendment to Underwriting Agreement with Foreside dated December 2, 2021. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(iii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 28, 2022.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912622002021/fundvantage_exeiii.htm) |
| (e)(iv) | [Second Amendment to Underwriting Agreement with Foreside dated March 15, 2022. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(iv) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 284 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 29, 2022.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912622016264/fundvantage_ex99eiv.htm) |
| (e)(v) | [Third Amendment to Underwriting Agreement with Foreside dated June 30, 2022. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(v) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 299 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 30, 2023.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623001144/fundvantage_exev.htm) |
| (e)(vi) | [Fourth Amendment to Underwriting Agreement with Foreside dated December 2, 2022. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(vi) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 299 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 30, 2023.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623001144/fundvantage_exevi.htm) |
| (e)(vii) | [Fifth Amendment to Underwriting Agreement with Foreside dated June 1, 2023. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(vii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 319 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 28, 2023](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623005688/fundvantage_exevii.htm). |
| (e)(viii) | [Sixth Amendment to Underwriting Agreement with Foreside dated June 21, 2023. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(viii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 319 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 28, 2023.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623005688/fundvantage_exeviii.htm) |
| (e)(ix) | [Seventh Amendment to Underwriting Agreement with Foreside dated December 8, 2023. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(ix) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 29, 2024.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000182912624000531/fundvantage_exeix.htm) |
| (e)(x) | [Eighth Amendment to Underwriting Agreement with Foreside dated December 21, 2023. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(x) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 29, 2024.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000182912624000531/fundvantage_exex.htm) |
| (e)(xi) | [Ninth Amendment to Underwriting Agreement with Foreside dated May 8, 2024. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(xi) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 331 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 28, 2024.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912624005904/fundvantage_exexi.htm) |
| (e)(xii) | [ETF Distribution Agreement dated February 5, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(xii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 335 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on March 24, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625002022/fundvantage_exexii.htm) |
| (e)(xiii) | [Form of Authorized Participant Agreement, Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (e)(xiii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 335 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on March 24, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625002022/fundvantage_exexiii.htm) |
| (f) | Not applicable. |
| (g)(i) (A) | [Custody Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon ("BNY") dated March 14, 2011. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (g)(i) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 29, 2011.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000095012311080998/w83456bexv99w28wgwi.htm) |
| (B) | [Amended and Restated Schedule II to the Custody Agreement with BNY dated July 21, 2023. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (g)(i)(B) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 319 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 28, 2023.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623005688/fundvantage_exgib.htm) |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| (C) | [Amendment to Custody Agreement with BNY effective August 4, 2025 to amend and restate Schedule II to the Custody Agreement is filed herewith.](fundvantage_exgic.htm) |
| (g)(ii) | [Foreign Custody Manager Agreement with BNY dated March 14, 2011. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (g)(ii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 29, 2011.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000095012311080998/w83456bexv99w28wgwii.htm) |
| (h)(i) (A) | [Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement with BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. dated October 30, 2018. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(1)(A) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 205 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 28, 2019.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000161577419001085/s115431_exhia.htm) |
| (B) | [First Amendment to Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement dated December 31, 2018. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(B) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 205 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 28, 2019.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000161577419001085/s115431_exhib.htm) |
| (C) | [Second Amendment to Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement dated October 12, 2020. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(C) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 255 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 28, 2021.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912621000154/fundvantage_exhic.htm) |
| (D) | [Third Amendment to Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement dated March 31, 2021. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(D) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 258 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 30, 2021.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912621008893/fundvantage_ex99h1d.htm) |
| (E) | [Fourth Amendment to Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement dated December 2, 2021. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(E) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 266 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 28, 2022.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912622002021/fundvantage_exhie.htm) |
| (F) | [Fifth Amendment to Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement dated June 9, 2022. Incorporated by Reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(F) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 284 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 29, 2022.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912622016264/fundvantage_ex99hif.htm) |
| (G) | [Sixth Amendment to Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement dated December 30, 2022. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(G) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 299 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 30, 2023.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623001144/fundvantage_exhig.htm) |
| (H) | [Seventh Amendment to Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement dated July 21, 2023. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(i)(H) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 319 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 28, 2023.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623005688/fundvantage_exhih.htm) |
| (h)(ii) (A) | [Administration and Accounting Services Agreement with BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (formerly, PFPC Inc.) dated July 19, 2007. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii) to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 27, 2007.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000111650207001396/exhibit23hii.htm) |
| (B) | [Amended and Restated Exhibit A to the Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated July 21, 2023. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(B) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 319 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 28, 2023.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623005688/fundvantage_exhiib.htm) |
| (C) | [Fair Value Services Amendment to the Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated August 12, 2010. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xvii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 30, 2010.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000095012310082365/b78894bexv99w28whwxvii.htm) |
| (D) | [Amendment to the Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated December 2, 2010. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xxv) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 29, 2011.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000095012311080998/w83456bexv99w28whwxxv.htm) |
| (E) | [Amendment to the Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated June 14, 2017. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(E) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 169 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 28, 2017.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000110465917054016/a17-20266_1ex99dbhiie.htm) |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| (F) | [Amendment to the Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated July 21, 2022. Incorporated by Reference to Exhibit (h)(ii)(F) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 284 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 29, 2022.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912622016264/fundvantage_ex99hiif.htm) |
| (G) | [Amendment to the Administration and Accounting Services Agreement effective August 4, 2025 to amend and restate Exhibit A is filed herewith.](fundvantage_exhiig.htm) |
| (h)(iii) (A) | [Transfer Agency and Service Agreement with BNY dated March 7, 2025 with respect to ETF Series. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii)(A) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 335 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on March 24, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625002022/fundvantage_exhiiia.htm) |
| (B) | [Amendment to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement effective August 4, 2025 is filed herewith.](fundvantage_exhiiib.htm) |
| (h)(iv) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Private Capital for the Private Capital Management Value Fund dated May 27, 2010, as amended and restated August 31, 2025 is filed herewith.](fundvantage_exhiv.htm) |
| (h)(v) | [Amended and Restated Fee Waiver Agreement with AMG of BOH for the Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund and the Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund dated June 25, 2010. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(v) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 339 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 28, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625005423/fundvantage_exhv.htm) |
| (h)(vi) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Polen for the Polen Growth Fund dated June 20, 2010, as amended and restated July 1, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(vi) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 339 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 28, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625005423/fundvantage_exhvi.htm) |
| (h)(vii) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with EIC for the EIC Value Fund dated April 21, 2011, as amended and restated August 31, 2025 is filed herewith.](fundvantage_exhvii.htm) |
| (h)(viii) | [Amended and Restated Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Gotham for the Gotham Large Value Fund (formerly, Gotham Institutional Value Fund) dated December 31, 2015, as amended and restated January 28, 2024, Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xiii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 29, 2024.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000182912624000531/fundvantage_exhxiii.htm) |
| (h)(ix) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Polen for the Polen Global Growth Fund dated December 29, 2014, as amended and restated July 1, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(ix) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 339 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 28, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625005423/fundvantage_exhix.htm) |
| (h)(x) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Gotham for the Gotham Absolute Return Fund dated February 1, 2021, as amended and restated January 28, 2024. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xv) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 29, 2024.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000182912624000531/fundvantage_exhxv.htm) |
| (h)(xi) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Gotham for the Gotham Enhanced Return Fund dated February 1, 2021, as amended and restated January 28, 2024, Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xvi) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 29, 2024.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000182912624000531/fundvantage_exhxvi.htm) |
| (h)(xii) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Gotham for the Gotham Neutral Fund dated August 30, 2013, as amended and restated January 28, 2024. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xvii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 29, 2024.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000182912624000531/fundvantage_exhxvii.htm) |
| (h)(xiii) | [Fee Waiver Agreement with Polen Credit for the Polen Floating Rate Income ETF and Polen High Income ETF dated March 21, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xv) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 335 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on March 24, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625002022/fundvantage_exhxv.htm) |
| (h)(xiv) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Gotham for the Gotham Enhanced 500 Plus Fund (formerly, Gotham Enhanced 500 Core Fund) dated September 30, 2016, as amended and restated January 28, 2024. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xxiv) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 29, 2024.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000182912624000531/fundvantage_exhxxiv.htm) |

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|:---|:---|
| (h)(xv) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Gotham for the Gotham Hedged Core Fund dated September 30, 2016, as amended and restated January 28, 2024. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xxvi) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 29, 2024.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000182912624000531/fundvantage_exhxxvi.htm) |

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|:---|:---|
| (h)(xvi) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Polen Credit for the Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund dated July 24, 2023, as amended and restated July 1, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xvi) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 339 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 28, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625005423/fundvantage_exhxvi.htm) |
| (h)(xvii) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Gotham for the Gotham Total Return Fund dated March 30, 2015, as amended and restated January 28, 2024. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xxviii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 29, 2024.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000182912624000531/fundvantage_exhxxviii.htm) |
| (h)(xviii) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Gotham for the Gotham Index Plus Fund dated February 1, 2021, as amended and restated August 7, 2025 is filed herewith.](fundvantage_exhxviii.htm) |
| (h)(xix) | [Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Gotham for the Gotham Enhanced S&P 500 Index Fund dated February 1, 2021, as amended and restated January 28, 2024. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xxx) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 29, 2024.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000182912624000531/fundvantage_exhxxx.htm) |
| (h)(xx) | [Amended and Restated Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Gotham for the Gotham Defensive Long 500 Fund dated September 30, 2016, as amended and restated January 28, 2024. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xxxiv) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 29, 2024.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000182912624000531/fundvantage_exhxxxiv.htm) |
| (h)(xxi) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Whittier for the Ambrus Tax-Conscious National Bond Fund dated September 1, 2022, as amended and restated January 31, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xxiii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 333 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 28, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625000447/fundvantage_exhxxiii.htm) |
| (h)(xxii) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Whittier for the Ambrus Core Bond Fund dated September 1, 2022, as amended and restated January 31, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xxiv) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 333 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 28, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625000447/fundvantage_exhxxiv.htm) |
| (h)(xxiii) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Whittier for Ambrus Tax-Conscious California Bond Fund dated September 1, 2022, as amended and restated January 31, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xxv) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 333 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 28, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625000447/fundvantage_exhxxv.htm) |
| (h)(xxiv) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Polen for the Polen International Growth Fund dated December 30, 2016, as amended and restated July 1, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xxvi) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 339 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 28, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625005423/fundvantage_exhxxiv.htm) |
| (h)(xxv) | [Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Polen for the Polen Growth & Income Fund dated September 29, 2023. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(iii) to Amendment No. 328 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on September 29, 2023.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623006370/fundvantage_exhiii.htm) |
| (h)(xxvi) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Polen for the Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund dated October 31, 2017, as amended and restated July 1, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xxvi) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 339 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 28, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625005423/fundvantage_exhxxvi.htm) |
| (h)(xxvii) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Polen for the Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund (formerly, Polen Global Emerging Markets Growth Fund) dated October 1, 2020, as amended and restated July 1, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xxvii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 339 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 28, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625005423/fundvantage_exhxxvii.htm) |
| (h)(xxviii) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Polen for the Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund dated March 31, 2021, as amended and restated July 1, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xxviii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 339 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 28, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625005423/fundvantage_exhxxviii.htm) |
| (h)(xxix) | [Form of Fee Waiver Agreement with Polen for the Polen Focus Growth ETF. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (h)(xxxi) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 335 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on March 24, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625002022/fundvantage_exhxxxi.htm) |
| (i) | None. |
| (j)(i) | [Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP is filed herewith.](fundvantage_exji.htm) |
| (j)(ii) | [Consent of Cohen & Company Ltd. is filed herewith.](fundvantage_exjii.htm) |
| (k) | Not applicable. |
| (l) | [Initial Capital Agreement. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (l) to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 27, 2007.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000111650207001396/exhibitl.htm) |

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|:---|:---|
| (m)(i) | [Form of Selling and/or Services Agreement related to Rule 12b-1 Plans. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(iii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 29, 2011.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000095012311080998/w83456bexv99w28wmwiii.htm) |
| (m)(ii) | [12b-1 Plan for the Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(ii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 337 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 2, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625004845/fundvantage_exmii.htm) |
| (m)(iii) | [12b-1 Plan for the Private Capital Management Value Fund. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(vi) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 29, 2011.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000095012311080998/w83456bexv99w28wmwvi.htm) |
| (m)(iv) | [12b-1 Plan for the Polen High Income ETF and the Polen Floating Rate Income ETF. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(iv) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 335 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on March 24, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625002022/fundvantage_exmiv.htm) |
| (m)(v) | [12b-1 Plan for the Polen Growth Fund, Polen Global Growth Fund, Polen International Growth Fund, Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund, Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund and Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(vii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 302 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on February 28, 2023.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623001718/fundvantage_exmvii.htm) |
| (m)(vi) | [12b-1 Plan for the Ambrus Tax-Conscious National Bond Fund, Ambrus Core Bond Fund and Ambrus Tax-Conscious California Bond Fund. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(ix) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 285 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on September 6, 2022.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912622016458/fundvantage_exmix.htm) |
| (m)(vii) | [12b-1 Plan for EIC Value Fund. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(xv) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on April 21, 2011.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000095012311037838/b81469bexv99w28wmwxv.htm) |
| (m)(viii) | [12b-1 Plan for the Gotham Index Plus Fund. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(xvi) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 299 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 30, 2023.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623001144/fundvantage_exmxvi.htm) |
| (m)(ix) | [12b-1 Plan for Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund dated March 14, 2018. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(xix) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 190 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on May 16, 2018.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000161577418003945/s110241_ex99mxix.htm) |
| (m)(x) | [12b-1 Plan for Polen Focus Growth ETF dated March 10, 2025. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (m)(x) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 339 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 28, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625005423/fundvantage_exmx.htm) |
| (n) | [Amended and Restated Multiple Class Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (n) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 316 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on July 21, 2023.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623004823/fundvantage_exn.htm) |
| (o) | [Reserved] |
| (p)(i) | [Code of Ethics of the Registrant. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(i) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 196 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 28, 2018.](http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000161577418008707/s112173_ex99pi.htm) |
| (p)(ii) | [Code of Ethics of Whittier. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(viii) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 29, 2024.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001388485/000182912624000531/fundvantage_expviii.htm) |
| (p)(iii) | [Code of Ethics of AMG of BOH is filed herewith.](fundvantage_expiii.htm) |
| (p)(iv) | [Code of Ethics of Private Capital. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(x) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 319 to Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on August 28, 2023.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623005688/fundvantage_expx.htm) |
| (p)(v) | [Code of Ethics of Polen and Polen Credit. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(xi) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 328 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 29, 2024.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912624000531/fundvantage_expxi.htm) |
| (p)(vi) | [Code of Ethics of Gotham. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (p)(vi) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 333 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on January 28, 2025.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912625000447/fundvantage_expvi.htm) |
| (p)(vii) | [Code of Ethics of EIC is filed herewith.](fundvantage_expvii.htm) |
| (q) | [Powers of Attorney for Robert J. Christian, Iqbal Mansur, Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr., Nancy B. Wolcott and Stephen M. Wynne. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (q) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 302 to the Registrant's Registration Statement as filed with the Commission on February 28, 2023.](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1388485/000182912623001718/fundvantage_exq.htm) |

---

**Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Registrant.**

None.

**Item 30. Indemnification.**

The Registrant's Trust Agreement and by-laws provide, among other things, that the trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrong-doing of any officer, agent, employee, investment adviser or distributor of the Registrant, nor shall any trustee be responsible for the act or omission of any other trustee, and the Registrant out of its assets may indemnify and hold harmless each trustee and officer of the Registrant from and against any and all claims, demands, costs, losses, expenses and damages whatsoever arising out of or related to such trustee's performance of his or her duties as a trustee or officer of the Registrant; provided that the trustees and officers of the Registrant shall not be entitled to an indemnification or held harmless if such liabilities were a result of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office. (See Article 5 and 9 of the Trust Agreement which has been incorporated by reference as Exhibit 28(a)(i) and the Registrant's By-Laws which have been incorporated by reference as Exhibit 28(b)).

Each Investment Advisory Agreement with Whittier, Private Capital, AMG of BOH, Polen, Gotham, EIC and Polen Credit provides, among other things, that an investment adviser shall not be liable for any loss suffered by the Registrant with respect to its duties under the agreement, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the investment adviser in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties under the agreement ("disabling conduct"). In addition, the Registrant has agreed to indemnify an investment adviser against and hold it harmless from any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including reasonable counsel fees and expenses) resulting from any claim, demand, action or suit not resulting from disabling conduct by the investment adviser. (See Investment Advisory Agreements which have been incorporated by reference as Exhibits 28(d)(i) – (d)(x).

The Underwriting Agreement with Foreside Funds Distributors LLC (the "Underwriter") provides, among other things, that the Registrant will indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Underwriter and its affiliates and their respective directors, trustees, officers, agents and employees from all claims, suits, actions, damages, losses, liabilities, obligations, costs and reasonable expenses (including attorneys' fees and court costs, travel costs and other reasonable out-of-pocket costs related to dispute resolution) arising directly or indirectly from (a) any action or omission to act by any prior service provider of the Registrant, and (b) any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Underwriter in connection with the provision of services to the Registrant except that the Underwriter shall be liable for any damages arising out of its failure to perform its duties under the agreement to the extent such damages arise out of the Underwriter's willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence or reckless disregard of such duties. (See the Underwriting Agreement which has been incorporated by reference as Exhibits 28(e)(i)-(xi)).

The ETF Distribution Agreement with Foreside Funds Distributors LLC (the "Underwriter") provides, among other things, that the Registrant will indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Underwriter and its affiliates and their respective directors, trustees, officers, agents and employees from all claims, suits, actions, damages, losses, liabilities, obligations, costs and reasonable expenses (including attorneys' fees and court costs, travel costs and other reasonable out-of-pocket costs related to dispute resolution) arising directly or indirectly from (a) any action or omission to act by any prior service provider of the Registrant, and (b) any action taken or omitted to be taken by the Underwriter in connection with the provision of services to the Registrant except that the Underwriter shall be liable for any damages arising out of its failure to perform its duties under the agreement to the extent such damages arise out of the Underwriter's willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of such duties. (See the ETF Distribution Agreement which has been incorporated by reference as Exhibit 28(e)(xii)).

**Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Advisers.**

Private Capital is a registered investment adviser located at 8889 Pelican Bay Boulevard, Suite 500, Naples, Florida 34108. The officers of Private Capital are provided on Private Capital's most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 104672), which is incorporated herein by reference. Set forth below are the names and businesses of certain officers of Private Capital who are engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Position with Private Capital** | **Other Substantial Business Activities** |
| Charles D. Atkins | President, Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel | General Counsel of Carnes Capital Corporation, 8889 Pelican Bay Blvd., Suite 500, Naples, FL 34108-7512 |
| David G. Joyce | Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer | Director of Carnes Capital Corporation, 8889 Pelican Bay Blvd., Suite 500, Naples, FL 34108-7512 |

---

AMG of BOH is a registered investment adviser located at 111 South King Street, 4th Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. The members and officers of AMG of BOH are provided on AMG of BOH's most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 112324), which is incorporated herein by reference. The members, directors and officers of AMG are not engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.

Polen is a registered investment adviser located at 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, Florida 33431. The directors and officers of Polen are provided on Polen's most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 106093), which is incorporated herein by reference. Set forth below are the names and businesses of certain directors and officers of Polen who are engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Position with Polen** | **Other Substantial Business Activities** |
| Stanley C. Moss | Chief Executive Officer | Chief Executive Officer, Polen Capital Credit, LLC |

---

Gotham is a registered investment adviser located at 825 Third Avenue, Suite 1750, New York, New York 10022. The members, directors and officers of Gotham are provided on Gotham's most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 149335), which is incorporated herein by reference.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Position with Gotham** | **Other Substantial Business Activities** |
| Robert Goldstein | Managing Principal and Co-Chief Investment Officer | Trustee, Museum of the City of New York |

---

EIC is a registered investment adviser located at 1776 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 600S, Atlanta, Georgia 30309. The members and officers of EIC are provided on EIC's most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 283930), which is incorporated herein by reference. The members, directors and officers of EIC are not engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.

Polen Credit is a registered investment adviser located at 1075 Main Street, Suite 320, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451. Polen Credit was founded in 1996 as DDJ Capital Management, LLC. The directors and officers of Polen Credit are provided on Polen Credit's most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 108468), which is incorporated herein by reference. Set forth below are the names and businesses of certain directors and officers of Polen Credit who are engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Position with Polen Credit** | **Other Substantial Business Activities** |
| Stanley C. Moss | CEO | Chief Executive Officer, Polen Capital Management, LLC |

---

Whittier is a registered investment adviser located at 4695 MacArthur Court, Suite 1500, Newport Beach, CA 92660. The members, directors and officers of Whittier are provided on Whittier's most recently filed Schedule A of Form ADV (IARD No. 318024), which is incorporated herein by reference. Set forth below are the names and businesses of certain directors and officers of Whittier who are engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Position with Whittier** | **Other Substantial Business Activities** |
| David A. Dahl | CEO | Director, Arrowhead Lake Association |
|  |  | Director, Chief Financial Officer, Confidence Foundation |
|  |  | Board Member, Delco |
|  |  | Board Member, Holmes Western Oil Corporation |
|  |  | Member, Los Angeles Society of Financial Analysts |
|  |  | President, LWK Ventures |
|  |  | Board Member, Mericos Foundation |
|  |  | Board Member, M.H. Whittier Corporation |
|  |  | Director, Vice President, Newport Mesa High School Sailing Foundation |
|  |  | Director, Theta Oil Company |
|  |  | CEO, The Whittier Trust Company of Nevada, Inc. |
|  |  | Manager, Whittier Energy LLC |
|  |  | Manager, Whittier Financial LLC |
|  |  | Manager, Whittier Properties LLC |
|  |  | Manager, Whittier Realty LLC |
|  |  | Manager, Whittier Ventures LLC |
|  |  | Director, CFO, WWW Foundation |
| Liam McGuiness | CFO | CFO, M.H. Whittier Corporation |
|  |  | CFO, Whittier Financial LLC |
|  |  | CFO, Whittier Ventures LLC |
|  |  | CFO, Whittier Realty LLC |
|  |  | CFO, MHW Realty LLC |
|  |  | CFO, M.H. Whittier Energy LLC |
| Timothy K. McCarthy | Director | Board Member, Managing Director, Whittier Trust Company |
| Robert Renken | Chief Legal Officer | EVP, Deputy General Counsel, Whittier Trust Company |
| Caleb J. Silsby | Director | SVP, Sr. Portfolio Manager, Whittier Trust Company |

---

**Item 32. Foreside Funds Distributors LLC**

Item 32(a) Foreside Funds Distributors LLC (the "Distributor") serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Fairholme Funds, Inc.

2. GuideStone Funds

3. Matthews International Funds (d/b/a Matthews Asia Funds)

4. New Alternatives Fund

5. Old Westbury Funds, Inc.

6. Polen Credit Opportunities Fund

7. Versus Capital Infrastructure Income Fund

8. Versus Capital Multi-Manager Real Estate Income Fund LLC

9. Versus Capital Real Assets Fund LLC

Item 32(b) The following are the Officers and Manager of the Distributor, the Registrant's underwriter. The Distributor's main business address is 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Address** | **Position with Underwriter** | **Position with Registrant** |
| Teresa Cowan | 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101 | President/Manager |  |
| Chris Lanza | 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101 | Vice President |  |
| Kate Macchia | 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101 | Vice President |  |
| Jennifer A. Brunner | 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101 | Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer |  |
| Kelly B. Whetstone | 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101 | Secretary |  |
| Susan L. LaFond | 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101 | Treasurer |  |
| Weston Sommers | 190 Middle Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101 | Financial and Operations Principal and Chief Financial Officer |  |

---

**Item 32(c) Not applicable.**

**Item 33. Locations of Accounts and Records.**

All accounts and records are maintained by the Registrant, or on its behalf by the following entities:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Tran Capital, 300 Drakes Landing Road, Suite 210, Greenbrae, California 94904 (for certain records of the Tran Capital Fund) (series liquidated on August 5, 2022);

2. Private Capital, 8889 Pelican Bay Boulevard, Suite 500, Naples, Florida 34108 (for certain records of the Private Capital Management Value Fund);

3. AMG of BOH, 111 South King Street, 4<sup>th</sup> Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 (for certain records of the Pacific Capital Funds and of the U.S. Government Money Market Fund);

4. Polen, 1825 NW Corporate Blvd., Suite 300, Boca Raton, Florida 33431 (for certain records of the Polen Funds);

5. DuPont Capital, Chestnut Run Plaza, Building C735-1, 974 Centre Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19805 (for certain records of the DuPont Capital Emerging Markets Fund (series liquidated on July 28, 2021), DuPont Capital Emerging Markets Debt Fund (series liquidated on February 26, 2021) and DuPont Capital Value Creators Large Cap Fund (series liquidated on August 18, 2023));

6. Gotham, 535 Madison Avenue, 30th Floor, New York, New York (for certain records of the Formula Funds (series liquidated and/or merged with Gotham Funds) and Gotham Funds);

7. EIC, 1776 Peachtree Street NW, Suite 600S, Atlanta, Georgia 30309(for certain records of the EIC Value Fund);

8. EquityCompass, 1 South Street, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202 (for certain records of the Quality Dividend Fund) (series liquidated on March 27, 2025);

9. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (formerly, PFPC Inc.), Registrant's administrator, transfer agent, dividend-paying agent and accounting services agent, 301 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809;

10. Sirios Capital Management, L.P., One International Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02110 (for certain records of the Sirios Focus Fund (series liquidated on May 17, 2024) and Sirios Long/Short Fund (series liquidated on May 29, 2024);

11. Mount Lucas, 1450, 405 South State Street, Newtown, PA 18940 (for certain records of the Mount Lucas U.S. Focused Equity Fund) (series liquidated on October 25, 2019);

12. SkyBridge, 527 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10022 (for certain records of the SkyBridge Dividend Value Fund) (series liquidated July 19, 2019);

13. TOBAM, 49-53, Avenue des Champs-Elysées, 75008 Paris, France (for certain records of the TOBAM Emerging Markets Fund) (series liquidated on September 27, 2023);

14. Arabesque, 68 Brook St, London W1K 5DZ, UK (for certain records of the Arabesque Systematic USA Fund (series liquidated on September 18, 2020);

15. C WorldWide Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A/S, Dampfaergevej 26 DK-2100 Copenhagen Denmark (for certain records of the C WorldWide International Equities Fund) (series liquidated on December 21, 2023);

16. Polen Capital Credit, LLC, 1075 Main Street, Suite 320, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451 (for certain records of the Polen Bank Loan Fund, Polen U.S. High Yield Fund, Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund, Polen Floating Rate ETF and Polen High Income ETF); and

17. Whittier Advisors, LLC, 4695 MacArthur Court, Suite 1500, Newport Beach, CA 92660 (for certain records of the Ambrus Tax-Conscious National Bond Fund, Ambrus Core Bond Fund and Ambrus Tax-Conscious California Bond Fund).

**Item 34. Management Services.**

There are no management-related service contracts not discussed in Parts A or B.

**Item 35. Undertakings.**

Pursuant to Rule 484 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant furnishes the following undertaking:

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy/as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

**SIGNATURES**

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Post-Effective Amendment No. 340 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 340 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Wilmington, State of Delaware on the 28th of August, 2025.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **FUNDVANTAGE TRUST** | **FUNDVANTAGE TRUST** |
| By: | /s/ Joel L. Weiss |
|  | Joel L. Weiss, President and CEO |

---

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 340 to the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| /s/ Robert J. Christian\* | Trustee | August 28, 2025 |
| Robert J. Christian |  |  |
| /s/ Iqbal Mansur\* | Trustee | August 28, 2025 |
| Iqbal Mansur |  |  |
| /s/ Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr.\* | Trustee | August 28, 2025 |
| Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr. |  |  |
| /s/ Nancy B. Wolcott\* | Trustee | August 28, 2025 |
| Nancy B. Wolcott |  |  |
| /s/ Stephen M. Wynne\* | Trustee | August 28, 2025 |
| Stephen M. Wynne |  |  |
| /s/ Christine S. Catanzaro | Treasurer and CFO | August 28, 2025 |
| Christine S. Catanzaro |  |  |
| /s/ Joel L. Weiss | President and CEO | August 28, 2025 |
| Joel L. Weiss |  |  |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| \* By: | /s/ Joel L. Weiss |
|  | Joel L. Weiss |
|  | Attorney-in-Fact |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **EXHIBIT NO.** | **DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT** |
| **Item 28.** |  |
| (g)(i)(C) | [Amendment to Custody Agreement with BNY](fundvantage_exgic.htm) |
| (h)(ii)(G) | [Amendment to the Administration and Accounting Services Agreement with BNY](fundvantage_exhiig.htm) |
| (h)(iii)(B) | [Amendment to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement with BNY](fundvantage_exhiiib.htm) |
| (h)(iv) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with Private Capital for the Private Capital Management Value Fund](fundvantage_exhiv.htm) |
| (h)(vii) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement with EIC for the EIC Value Fund](fundvantage_exhvii.htm) |
| (h)(xviii) | [Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement with Gotham for the Gotham Index Plus Fund](fundvantage_exhxviii.htm) |
| (j)(i) | [Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP](fundvantage_exji.htm) |
| (j)(ii) | [Consent of Cohen & Company Ltd.](fundvantage_exjii.htm) |
| (p)(iii) | [Code of Ethics of AMG of BOH](fundvantage_expiii.htm) |
| (p)(vii) | [Code of Ethics of EIC](fundvantage_expvii.htm) |

---

## Ex-99.(G)(I)(C)

**Exhibit (g)(i)(C)**

EXECUTION

**AMENDMENT TO THE CUSTODY AGREEMENT**

This Amendment is an amendment to the Custody Agreement between The Bank of New York Mellon ("BNY") and FundVantage Trust (the "Fund") dated as of March 14, 2011 (the "Agreement").

The effective date of this Amendment is as of August 4, 2025.

Intending to be legally bound, BNY and Fund hereby agree as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Schedule II of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as set forth in Schedule II to this Amendment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. The parties hereto expressly agree that this Amendment may be executed in one or more counterparts and expressly agree that such execution may occur by manual signature on a physically delivered copy of this Amendment, by a manual signature on a copy of this Amendment transmitted by facsimile transmission, by a manual signature on a copy of this Amendment transmitted as an imaged document attached to an email, or by "Electronic Signature", which is hereby defined to mean inserting an image, representation, or symbol of a signature into an electronic copy of this Amendment by electronic, digital, or other technological methods. Each counterpart executed in accordance with the foregoing will be deemed an original, with all such counterparts together constituting one and the same instrument. The exchange of executed counterparts of this Amendment or of executed signature pages to counterparts of this Amendment, in either case by facsimile transmission or as an imaged document attached to an email transmission, will constitute effective execution and delivery of this Amendment and may be used for all purposes in lieu of a manually executed and physically delivered copy of this Amendment.

Each party hereto has caused this Amendment to be executed by its duly authorized representative indicated below. An authorized representative, if executing this Amendment by Electronic Signature, affirms authorization to execute this Amendment by Electronic Signature and that the Electronic Signature represents an intent to enter into this Amendment and an agreement with its terms.

Agreed:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| FundVantage Trust | FundVantage Trust | The Bank of New York Mellon | The Bank of New York Mellon |
| By: | /s/ Joel Weiss | By: | /s/ Allison M. Gardner |
| Name: | Joel Weiss | Name: | Allison M. Gardner |
| Title: | President | Title: | Senior Vice President |

---

<u>SCHEDULE II</u>

Ambrus Tax-Conscious California Bond Fund

Ambrus Core Bond Fund

Ambrus Tax-Conscious National Bond Fund

EIC Value Fund

Gotham Absolute Return Fund

Gotham Defensive Long 500 Fund

Gotham Enhanced 500 Plus Fund

Gotham Enhanced Return Fund

Gotham Enhanced S&P 500 Index Fund

Gotham Hedged Core Fund

Gotham Index Plus Fund

Gotham Large Value Fund

Gotham Neutral Fund

Gotham Total Return Fund

Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund

Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund

Polen International Growth Fund

Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund

Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund

Polen Floating Rate Income ETF

Polen Focus Growth ETF

Polen Global Growth Fund

Polen Growth Fund

Polen Growth & Income Fund

Polen High Income ETF

Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund

Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund

Private Capital Management Value Fund

## Ex-99.(H)(Ii)(G)

**Exhibit (h)(ii)(G)**

**AMENDMENT TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES AGREEMENT**

This Amendment is an amendment to the Administration and Accounting Services Agreement between The Bank of New York Mellon ("BNY") and FundVantage Trust (the "Trust") dated as of July 19, 2007 (the "Agreement").

The effective date of this Amendment is as of August 4, 2025.

Intending to be legally bound, BNY and the Trust hereby agree as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Exhibit A of the Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as set forth in Exhibit A to this Amendment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. The parties hereto expressly agree that this Amendment may be executed in one or more counterparts and expressly agree that such execution may occur by manual signature on a physically delivered copy of this Amendment, by a manual signature on a copy of this Amendment transmitted by facsimile transmission, by a manual signature on a copy of this Amendment transmitted as an imaged document attached to an email, or by "Electronic Signature", which is hereby defined to mean inserting an image, representation, or symbol of a signature into an electronic copy of this Amendment by electronic, digital, or other technological methods. Each counterpart executed in accordance with the foregoing will be deemed an original, with all such counterparts together constituting one and the same instrument. The exchange of executed counterparts of this Amendment or of executed signature pages to counterparts of this Amendment, in either case by facsimile transmission or as an imaged document attached to an email transmission, will constitute effective execution and delivery of this Amendment and may be used for all purposes in lieu of a manually executed and physically delivered copy of this Amendment.

Each party hereto has caused this Amendment to be executed by its duly authorized representative indicated below. An authorized representative, if executing this Amendment by Electronic Signature, affirms authorization to execute this Amendment by Electronic Signature and that the Electronic Signature represents an intent to enter into this Amendment and an agreement with its terms.

Agreed:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| FundVantage Trust | FundVantage Trust | The Bank of New York Mellon | The Bank of New York Mellon |
| By: | /s/ Joel Weiss | By: | /s/ Allison M. Gardner |
| Name: | Joel Weiss | Name: | Allison M. Gardner |
| Title: | President | Title: | Senior Vice President |

---

<u>EXHIBIT A</u>

Ambrus Tax-Conscious California Bond Fund

Ambrus Core Bond Fund

Ambrus Tax-Conscious National Bond Fund

EIC Value Fund

Gotham Absolute Return Fund

Gotham Defensive Long 500 Fund

Gotham Enhanced 500 Plus Fund

Gotham Enhanced Return Fund

Gotham Enhanced S&P 500 Index Fund

Gotham Hedged Core Fund

Gotham Index Plus Fund

Gotham Large Value Fund

Gotham Neutral Fund

Gotham Total Return Fund

Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund

Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund

Polen International Growth Fund

Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund

Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund

Polen Floating Rate Income ETF\*

Polen Global Growth Fund

Polen Growth Fund

Polen Growth & Income Fund

Polen High Income ETF\*

Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund

Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund

Private Capital Management Value Fund

Polen Focus Growth ETF\*

\* This Fund will receive the following additional service:

With respect to the net asset value report prepared by BNY under the Agreement, BNY will provide that report to the Fund and to Authorized Participants in the Fund on days when the exchange listing the Fund is operating, in each case by such means as BNY and the Fund may agree upon from time to time.

## Ex-99.(H)(Iii)(B)

**Exhibit (h)(iii)(B)**

**EXECUTION**

**AMENDMENT**

**TO**

**TRANSFER AGENCY AND SERVICE AGREEMENT**

This Amendment is effective as of August 4, 2025 (the **"Effective Date")** by and between each Trust (hereinafter each a "Trust," and collectively the "Trusts" as applicable) listed on Appendix A hereto (as such Appendix is amended from time to time) and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, a New York corporation authorized to do a banking business, having its principal office and place of business at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York, 10286 (the "Bank").

**RECITALS**

WHEREAS, the Trust and the Bank are parties to that certain Transfer Agency and Service Agreement effective as of March 7, 2025 (the "Agreement"), pursuant to which the Trust has appointed the Bank as its transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, and agent in connection with certain other activities with respect to shares of each of its series (each a "Series"); and

WHEREAS, the Trust and the Bank desire to amend the Agreement as set forth herein;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows;

1. The Agreement is hereby amended as of the Effective Date by adding the following Series, each as a party to the Agreement:

Polen Focus Growth ETF

2. The Agreement is hereby amended as of the Effective Date by deleting Appendix A of the Agreement in its entirety and replacing it with Appendix A as attached hereto.

3. The Trust and the Bank hereby agree to be bound by all of the terms, provisions, covenants, and obligations set forth in the Agreement.

4. Except as specifically amended hereby, all other terms and conditions of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

5. Any capitalized terms not defined herein shall have their respective meanings as assigned in the Agreement.

6. The parties expressly agree that this Amendment may be executed in one or more counterparts and expressly agree that such execution may occur by manual signature on a physically delivered copy of this Amendment, by a manual signature on a copy of this Amendment transmitted by facsimile transmission, by a manual signature on a copy of this Amendment transmitted as an imaged document attached to an email, or by "Electronic Signature", which is hereby defined to mean inserting an image, representation or symbol of a signature into an electronic copy of this Amendment by electronic, digital or other technological methods. Each counterpart executed in accordance with the foregoing shall be deemed an original, with all such counterparts together constituting one and the same instrument. The exchange of executed counterparts of this Amendment or of executed signature pages to counterparts of this Amendment, in either case by facsimile transmission or as an imaged document attached to an email transmission, shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Amendment and may be used for all purposes in lieu of a manually executed and physically delivered copy of this Amendment.

7. This Amendment shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its principles of conflicts of laws.

[Signature page follows.]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Amendment to be executed as of the Effective Date by its duly authorized representative indicated below. An authorized representative, if executing this Amendment by Electronic Signature, affirms authorization to execute this Amendment by Electronic Signature and that the Electronic Signature represents an intent to enter into this Amendment and an agreement with its terms.

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON**  | **THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON**  | **FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**<br>on behalf of each Series identified on Appendix A attached hereto | **FUNDVANTAGE TRUST**<br>on behalf of each Series identified on Appendix A attached hereto |
| By: | /s/ Allison M. Gardner | By: | /s/ Joel Weiss |
| Name: | Allison M. Gardner | Name: | Joel Weiss |
| Title: | Senior Vice President | Title: | President |
| Date: | July 16, 2025 | Date: | July 16, 2025 |

---

**APPENDIX A**

**(Effective Date: August 4, 2025)**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Trust** | **Series** |
| FundVantage Trust | Polen Floating Rate Income ETF |
|  | Polen High Income ETF |
|  | Polen Focus Growth ETF |

---

## Ex-99.(H)(Iv)

**Exhibit (h)(iv)**

**AMENDED AND RESTATED**

**EXPENSE LIMITATION/REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT**

This Agreement is entered into as of the 27<sup>th</sup> day of May, 2010, as last amended and restated August 31, 2025, by and between Private Capital Management, LLC (the *"Adviser")* and FundVantage Trust (the *"Trust"),* on behalf of Private Capital Management Value Fund (the *"Fund").*

**WHEREAS,** the Adviser desires to contractually reduce its advisory fee and/or reimburse certain of the Fund's operating expenses to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses, excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by the Trust, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" (as defined in Form N-lA), interest, extraordinary items, and brokerage commissions, do not exceed the levels described below;

**WHEREAS,** on August 31, 2016, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated May 27, 2010 to extend the term to August 31, 2017;

**WHEREAS,** on September 1, 2017, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated May 27, 2010 to extend the term of and increase the expense limitation on an annual basis from 1.00% to 1.10% of the Fund's average daily net assets from September 1, 2017 through August 31, 2018;

**WHEREAS,** effective September 1, 2018, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated May 27, 2010 to extend the term to August 31, 2019;

**WHEREAS,** on August 31, 2019, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated May 27, 2010 to extend the term of and increase the expense limitation on an annual basis from 1.10% to 1.20% of the Fund's average daily net assets from September 1, 2019 through August 31, 2020;

**WHEREAS,** effective September 1, 2020, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated May 27, 2010 to extend the term to August 31, 2021;

**WHEREAS,** effective September 1, 2021, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated May 27, 2010 to extend the term to August 31, 2022;

**WHEREAS,** effective September 1, 2022, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated May 27, 2010 to extend the term to August 31, 2023;

**WHEREAS,** effective September 1, 2023, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated May 27, 20 10 to extend the term to August 31, 2024;

**WHEREAS,** effective September 1, 2024, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated May 27, 2010 to extend the term to August 31, 2025; and

**WHEREAS,** effective September 1, 2025, the Adviser wishes to amend and restate the Agreement dated May 27, 2010 to extend the term to August 31, 2026.

**NOW, THEREFORE,** the parties agree as follows:

**Fee Reduction.** The Adviser agrees that it will reduce its compensation and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund, to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses, excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by the Trust, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses," interest, extraordinary items, and brokerage commissions do not exceed (on an annual basis) (i) 1.00% of the Fund's average daily net assets for the period from the commencement of operations of the Fund through August 31, 2017, (ii) 1.10% of the Fund's average daily net assets for the period of September 1, 2017 through August 31, 2019 and (iii) 1.20% of the Fund's average daily net assets for the period of September 1, 2019 through August 31, 2026.

**Fee Recovery.** The Adviser shall be entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, such amounts for a period of up to three (3) years from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of reimbursement.

**Term.** This Agreement shall terminate on August 31, 2026, or at an earlier date at the discretion of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, unless extended, terminated, modified or revised by the mutual agreement of the parties, as provided for in writing. If the Board of Trustees of the Trust approves the termination of this Agreement before August 31, 2026, such termination shall be effective 30 days after such approval.

*[Signature page follows.]*

Effective as of the date first set forth above.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| By: | /s/ Chad Atkins |
| Name: | Chad Atkins |
| Title: | President |
| FundVantage Trust, on behalf of the Fund | FundVantage Trust, on behalf of the Fund |
| By: | /s/ Joel Weiss |
| Name: | Joel L. Weiss |
| Title: | President |

---

## Ex-99.(H)(Vii)

**Exhibit (h)(vii)**

**AMENDED AND RESTATED**

**EXPENSE LIMITATION/REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT**

This Agreement is entered into as of the 21<sup>st</sup> of April, 2011, as last amended and restated August 31, 2025, between EQUITY INVESTMENT CORPORATION (the "Adviser") and FUNDVANTAGE TRUST (the "Trust"), on behalf of EIC Value Fund (the "Fund").

**WHEREAS,** the Adviser desires to contractually agree to reduce its advisory fee and/or reimburse certain of the Fund's operating expenses to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses, excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by the Trust, interest, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" (as defined in Form N-1A) and brokerage commissions, do not exceed the levels described below;

**WHEREAS,** on August 31, 2017, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated April 21, 2011 to extend the term for an additional one year period to August 31, 2018;

**WHEREAS,** effective September 1, 2018, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated April 21, 2011 to extend the term to August 31, 2019 and reduce the expense limitation to 0.90%;

**WHEREAS,** effective September 1, 2019, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated April 21, 2011 to extend the term to August 31, 2020;

**WHEREAS,** effective September 1, 2020, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated April 21, 2011 to extend the term to August 31, 2021 and increase the expense limitation to 0.95%;

**WHEREAS,** effective September 1, 2021, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated April 21, 2011 to extend the term to August 31, 2022;

**WHEREAS,** effective September 1, 2022, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated April 21, 2011 to extend the term to August 31, 2023;

**WHEREAS,** effective September 1, 2023, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated April 21, 2011 to extend the term to August 31, 2024;

**WHEREAS**, effective September 1, 2024, the Adviser amended and restated the Agreement dated April 21, 2011 to extend the term to August 31, 2025; and

**WHEREAS**, effective September 1, 2025, the Adviser wishes to amend and restate the Agreement dated April 21, 2011 to extend the term to August 31, 2026.

**NOW, THEREFORE,** the parties agree as follows:

**Fee Reduction/Reimbursement.** The Adviser agrees that it will reduce its compensation and/or reimburse certain expenses for the Fund, to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's total operating expenses, excluding taxes, fees and expenses attributable to a distribution or service plan adopted by the Trust, interest, extraordinary items, "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" (as defined in Form N-1A) and brokerage commissions, do not exceed (on an annual basis) (i) 1.00% of the Fund's average daily net assets for the period from the commencement of operations of the Fund through August 31, 2018, (ii) 0.90% of the Fund's average daily net assets for the period of September 1, 2018 through August 31, 2020, and (iii) 0.95% of the Fund's average daily net assets for the period of September 1, 2020 through August 31, 2026.

**Fee Recovery.** The Adviser shall be entitled to recover, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, such amounts for a period of up to three (3) years from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses for the Fund. The Adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid to the extent the total annual fund operating expenses do not exceed the limits described above or any lesser limits in effect at the time of reimbursement.

**Term.** This Agreement shall terminate on August 31, 2026 or at an earlier date upon the discretion of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, unless extended, terminated, modified or revised by the mutual agreement of the parties, as provided for in writing.

[*Signature page follows*.]

Effective as of the date first set forth above.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| EQUITY INVESTMENT CORPORATION | EQUITY INVESTMENT CORPORATION |
| By: | /s/ J. Paul Power |
| Name: | J. Paul Power |
| Title: | COO |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| FUNDVANTAGE TRUST, on behalf of<br> EIC Value Fund | FUNDVANTAGE TRUST, on behalf of<br> EIC Value Fund |
| By: | /s/ Joel Weiss |
| Name: | Joel L. Weiss |
| Title: | President |

---

## Ex-99.(H)(Xviii)

**Exhibit (h)(xviii)**

**AMENDED AND RESTATED**

**EXPENSE Limitation/reimbursement AGREEMENT**

This Agreement is entered into as of the 1<sup>st</sup> day of February, 2021, as last amended and restated as of August 7, 2025, by and between Gotham Asset Management, LLC (the "*Adviser*") and FundVantage Trust (the "*Trust*"), on behalf of the Gotham Index Plus Fund (the *"Fund"*).

**WHEREAS,** the Adviser desires to contractually agree to reduce its advisory fee and/or reimburse certain of the Fund's operating expenses to ensure that the Fund's "Other Expenses," (excluding taxes, dividend and interest expense on short sales of securities, interest, extraordinary items, and brokerage commissions) do not exceed the levels described below (the *"Expense Limitation"*); and

**WHEREAS,** effective January 28, 2022, the Adviser extended the term of this Agreement for an additional one year period ended January 31, 2023; and

**WHEREAS,** effective January 28, 2023, the Adviser extended the term of this Agreement for an additional one year period ending January 31, 2024; and

**WHEREAS,** effective January 28, 2024, the Adviser extended the term of this Agreement for an additional two year period ending January 31, 2026; and

**WHEREAS,** effective August 7, 2025, the Adviser desires to extend the term of this Agreement for an additional period ending January 31, 2027.

**NOW, THEREFORE,** the parties agree as follows:

**Fee Reduction.** The Adviser agrees that it will reduce its compensation and/or reimburse certain expenses for the Fund, to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund's "Other Expenses" (exclusive of taxes, dividend and interest expense on securities sold short, interest, extraordinary items, and brokerage commissions), do not exceed (on an annual basis) for the period from February 1, 2021 through January 31, 2027:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| Institutional Class | 0.15% |
| Investor Class | 0.15% |

---

**Fee Recovery.** The Adviser shall be entitled to recover from the Fund, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, amounts waived or reimbursed by the Adviser with respect to the Fund pursuant to this Agreement and prior expense limitation/reimbursement agreements for a period of up to three (3) years from the date on which the Adviser reduced its compensation and/or assumed expenses for the Fund. The recoupment of fees waived or expenses reimbursed are limited to the lesser of (a) the Expense Limitation in effect at the time fees were waived or expenses were reimbursed, or (b) the Expense Limitation in effect at the time of recoupment.

**Term.** This Agreement shall terminate on January 31, 2027, or at an earlier date upon the discretion of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, unless extended, terminated, modified or revised by the mutual agreement of the parties, as provided for in writing.

[*Signature Page Follows*]

**IN WITNESS WHEREOF**, each of the parties hereto has caused this Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement to be executed in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized representative as of August 7, 2025.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| GOTHAM ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC | GOTHAM ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC |
| By: | /s/ Louis LaRocca |
| Name: | Louis LaRocca |
| Title: | General Counsel & CCO |
| FUNDVANTAGE TRUST, on behalf of<br> Gotham Index Plus Fund | FUNDVANTAGE TRUST, on behalf of<br> Gotham Index Plus Fund |
| By: | /s/ Joel L. Weiss |
| Name: | Joel L. Weiss |
| Title: | President |

---

[*Signature Page to Expense Limitation/Reimbursement Agreement*]

## Ex-99.(J)(I)

**Exhibit (j)(i)**

<u>CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM</u>

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of FundVantage Trust of each of our reports dated June 27, 2025, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights, which appear in Polen Growth Fund, Polen Global Growth Fund, Polen International Growth Fund, Polen U.S. Small Company Growth Fund, Polen Emerging Markets Growth Fund, Polen U.S. SMID Company Growth Fund, Polen Opportunistic High Yield Fund, Polen Floating Rate Income ETF (formerly, Polen Bank Loan Fund), Polen High Income ETF, Pacific Capital Tax-Free Securities Fund, Pacific Capital Tax-Free Short Intermediate Securities Fund and Private Capital Management Value Fund's Certified Shareholder Report on Form N-CSR for the year ended April 30, 2025. We also consent to the references to us under the headings: "Financial Statements", "Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm" and "Financial Highlights" in such Registration Statement.

/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

August 28, 2025

<u>CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM</u>

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of FundVantage Trust of our report dated June 24, 2020, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights, which appear in the Pacific Capital U.S. Government Money Market Fund's Certified Shareholder Report on Form N-CSR for the year ended April 30, 2020. We also consent to the references to us under the headings: "Financial Statements", "Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm" and "Financial Highlights" in such Registration Statement.

/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

August 28, 2025

## Ex-99.(J)(Ii)

**Exhibit (j)(ii)**

**CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM**

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of our report dated June 25, 2025, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights of EIC Value Fund, a series of FundVantage Trust, which are included in Form N-CSR for the year ended April 30, 2025, and to the references to our firm under the headings "Financial Highlights" in the Prospectus and "Additional Service Providers" and "Financial Statements" in the Statement of Additional Information.

/s/ Cohen & Company, Ltd

COHEN & COMPANY, LTD.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

August 26, 2025

![](ex-jii_002.jpg)

## Ex-99.(P)(Iii)

**Exhibit (p)(iii)**

**Asset Management Group**

**of**

**Bank of Hawaii**

<br>**<u>COMPLIANCE MANUAL</u>**<br>**Code of Ethics Excerpt**<br>**Effective: 12/18/2024**<br>

This Manual is the property of Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii ("AMG").<br> Its contents are confidential and are not to be distributed outside of AMG.<br> For questions, please contact the AMG Chief Compliance Officer,<br> Catherine M. Fujisaki, at (808) 694-8372.

**I.** **Contents** 

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| I. | INTRODUCTION | INTRODUCTION | INTRODUCTION | 1 |
| II. | CODE OF ETHICS | CODE OF ETHICS | CODE OF ETHICS | 1 |
|  | A. | Code of Conduct, Fiduciary Standards and Compliance with the Federal Securities Laws | Code of Conduct, Fiduciary Standards and Compliance with the Federal Securities Laws | 1 |
|  | B. | Who are the Access Persons? | Who are the Access Persons? | 2 |
|  | C. | Reporting Violations | Reporting Violations | 2 |
|  | D. | Review of Potential Violations | Review of Potential Violations | 3 |
|  |  | 1. | Sanctions | 4 |
|  |  | 2. | CCO Reporting of Violations | 4 |
|  |  | 3. | Record Retention | 4 |
|  | E. | Conflicts of Interest | Conflicts of Interest | 5 |
|  | F. | Personal Securities Transactions | Personal Securities Transactions | 5 |
|  |  | 1. | Market Timing and Late Trading | 5 |
|  |  | 2. | Accounts Covered by the Policies and Procedures | 6 |
|  |  | 3. | Reportable Securities | 6 |
|  |  | 4. | Pre-clearance Procedures | 7 |
|  |  | 5. | Trading in BOH stock | 8 |
|  | G. | Supervised Persons' Reporting | Supervised Persons' Reporting | 8 |
|  |  | 1. | Initial and Annual Holdings Reports | 8 |
|  |  | 2. | Quarterly Reporting | 8 |
|  |  | 3. | Exceptions from Reporting Requirements | 9 |
|  |  | 4. | Review of Personal Trading and Holdings Reports | 9 |
|  | H. | Exemptions under Special Circumstances | Exemptions under Special Circumstances | 10 |
|  | I. | Disclosure of the Code of Ethics | Disclosure of the Code of Ethics | 10 |
|  | <u>EXHIBITS</u> | <u>EXHIBITS</u> | <u>EXHIBITS</u> |  |
|  | Exhibit B – Pre-clearance Request – IPO and Private Placements | Exhibit B – Pre-clearance Request – IPO and Private Placements | Exhibit B – Pre-clearance Request – IPO and Private Placements | 11 |
|  | Exhibit C – Pre-clearance Log – IPO and Private Placements | Exhibit C – Pre-clearance Log – IPO and Private Placements | Exhibit C – Pre-clearance Log – IPO and Private Placements | 12 |
|  | Exhibit D – Quarterly Transaction Report | Exhibit D – Quarterly Transaction Report | Exhibit D – Quarterly Transaction Report | 13 |
|  | Exhibit E – Request for Duplicate Confirmations and Statements | Exhibit E – Request for Duplicate Confirmations and Statements | Exhibit E – Request for Duplicate Confirmations and Statements | 14 |
|  | Exhibit F – All Reportable Holdings – Periodic Report | Exhibit F – All Reportable Holdings – Periodic Report | Exhibit F – All Reportable Holdings – Periodic Report | 15 |
|  | Exhibit G – All Brokerage Accounts – Periodic Report | Exhibit G – All Brokerage Accounts – Periodic Report | Exhibit G – All Brokerage Accounts – Periodic Report | 16 |
|  | Exhibit H – Exempt Accounts Certification | Exhibit H – Exempt Accounts Certification | Exhibit H – Exempt Accounts Certification | 17 |

---

i

I. INTRODUCTION

The following Code of Ethics, with attached Exhibits B through H, is an excerpt from the AMG Compliance Manual ("Manual").

II. CODE OF ETHICS

A. Code of Conduct, Fiduciary Standards and Compliance with the Federal Securities Laws

At all times, AMG and its Supervised Persons must comply with the spirit and the letter of the Federal Securities Laws and the rules governing the capital markets. The "Federal Securities Laws" include the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended; the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended; Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, as amended; the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010; any rules adopted by the SEC under any of these statutes; and the Bank Secrecy Act as it applies to investment companies and investment advisers, and any rules adopted thereunder by the SEC or the Department of the Treasury.

Pursuant to Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act and Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("IC Act"), AMG has adopted this written Code of Ethics to acknowledge its fiduciary duty to its Clients and require:

● Compliance with all applicable Federal Securities Laws;

● Reporting and review of personal securities transactions and holdings;

● Reporting of violations of the code; and

● The provision of the code to all supervised persons.

All Supervised Persons will act with competence, dignity, integrity, and in an ethical manner, when dealing with Clients, the public, prospects, third-party service providers and fellow Supervised Persons. Supervised Persons must use reasonable care and exercise independent professional judgment when conducting investment analysis, making investment recommendations, trading, promoting AMG's services, and engaging in other professional activities.

All Supervised Persons are expected to adhere to the highest standards with respect to any potential conflicts of interest with Clients. As a fiduciary, AMG must act in its Clients' best interests. Neither AMG nor any Supervised Person should ever benefit at the expense of any Client. Notify the CCO promptly about any practice that creates, or gives the appearance of, a material conflict of interest.

Page **1**

Supervised Persons are generally expected to discuss any perceived risks, or concerns about AMG's business practices, with their direct supervisor. However, if a Supervised Person is uncomfortable discussing an issue with their supervisor, or if the issue involves a suspected violation of the Manual or Code of Ethics, they should bring the matter to the Manager or CCO's attention.

Supervised Persons may not, in connection with the purchase or sale, directly or indirectly, of a security held or to be acquired by any Client, including mutual fund Clients:

● Employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud the Client;

● Make any untrue statement of a material fact to the Client or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made to the Client, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading;

● Engage in any act, practice or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon the Client;

● Engage in any manipulative practice with respect to the Client;

● Use their positions, or any investment opportunities presented by virtue of their positions, to their personal advantage or to the detriment of a Client; or

● Conduct personal trading activities in contravention of this Code or applicable legal principles or in such a manner as may be inconsistent with the duties owed to Clients as a fiduciary.

These general standards are overriding guidelines to be adhered to in all current and emerging situations and are not limited to the detailed behavior specifically discussed in the Code.

In the event of a material change to the Code of Ethics, the CCO shall inform each Mutual Fund's CCO of such change and ensure that the change is approved by each Mutual Fund's Board no later than six months after the change is adopted.

B. Who are the Access Persons?

As a matter of policy, AMG designates ALL Supervised Persons of AMG as Access Persons with respect to its compliance with Rule 204A-1. All AMG employees are responsible for complying with all parts of this Code, including the requirement to report personal securities transactions and holdings periodically.

C. Reporting Violations

Improper actions by AMG or its Supervised Persons could have severe negative consequences for AMG, its Clients, and its Supervised Persons. Impropriety, or even the appearance of impropriety, could negatively impact all Supervised Persons, including people who had no involvement in the problematic activities.

Page **2**

Supervised Persons must promptly report any improper or suspicious activities, including any suspected violations of the Manual or Code of Ethics, to the CCO. Issues can be reported to the CCO in person, or by telephone, email, or written letter. Reports of potential issues may also be made anonymously through the BOH Anonymous AlertLine. Any reports of potential problems will be thoroughly investigated by the CCO, who will report directly to the AMG Manager on the matter.

A Supervised Person's identification of a material compliance issue will be viewed favorably by AMG and BOH senior executives. Retaliation against any Supervised Person who reports a violation of the Code of Ethics in good faith is strictly prohibited and will be cause for corrective action, up to and including dismissal. If a Supervised Person believes that he or she has been retaliated against, he or she should notify the CCO, AMG Manager, or BOH People Services Department directly.

For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Manual prohibits Supervised Persons from reporting potential violations of federal law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity, including but not limited to the Department of Justice, the SEC, or any agency's inspector general, or from making other disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulation. Supervised Persons do not need prior authorization from their supervisor, the IAOC, the CCO, or any other person or entity affiliated with AMG or BOH to make any such reports or disclosures and do not need to notify the CCO that they have made such reports or disclosures. Additionally, nothing in this Manual prohibits Supervised Persons from recovering an award pursuant to a whistleblower program of a government agency or entity.

D. Review of Potential Violations

Any problems identified during the review will be addressed in accordance with AMG's fiduciary duty to its Clients. All reports of potential problems will be thoroughly investigated by the CCO. The details of any non-material violations will be documented, shared with the AMG Manager, and retained by the CCO.

The CCO will report all material issues to a Code of Ethics Working Group (COEWG), which shall be organized immediately and be comprised of at least four members including:

● The AMG Chief Compliance Officer,

● The AMG Manager,

● A representative of Bank of Hawaii People Services designated by the Chief People Officer,

● A representative of the Bank of Hawaii Legal Department designated by the Chief General Counsel, and

● Such other members as needed.

Whether a violation is "material" is determined by a review of the issues including, but not limited to, consideration of the responsibility of the individual in question, the amount or potential amount at issue, and the significance of the potential Code violation, law or regulation that is the subject of the investigation. The duties and responsibilities of the COEWG, subject to limitations imposed from time to time by the IAOC, include:

● Provide oversight for the administration of the AMG Code of Ethics;

Page **3**

● Review potential, alleged, and/or actual violations; and

● Recommend sanctions, if any, to be imposed as a result of such violations, including possible disciplinary actions, to the AMG Manager.

In all cases of a potential or actual Code violation, when the allegation involves (1) any Bank of Hawaii Corporation or Bank of Hawaii (collectively, "BOH") director or Managing Committee member; (2) any fraud, whether material or not; or (3) any management level employees or employees who have a significant role in BOH's internal controls, the CCO shall immediately notify the Manager, and a representative from BOH's Legal Department, People Services Department and/or Corporate Security Department as necessary or appropriate.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Sanctions

Violations of this Code of Ethics, or the other policies and procedures set forth in the Manual, may warrant sanctions including, without limitation, requiring that personal trades be reversed, requiring the disgorgement of profits or gifts, issuing a letter of caution or warning, reporting to the Supervised Person's supervisor, suspending personal trading rights, imposing a fine, suspending employment (with or without compensation), making a civil referral to the SEC, making a criminal referral, terminating employment for cause, and/or a combination of the foregoing. Violations may also subject a Supervised Person to civil, regulatory or criminal sanctions. No Supervised Person will determine whether he or she committed a violation of the Code of Ethics or impose any sanction against himself or herself. All sanctions and other actions taken will be in accordance with applicable employment laws and regulations.

Sanctions will be recommended by the COEWG, but the AMG Manager will make a final determination regarding the disciplinary action, if any, to be taken.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. CCO Reporting of Violations

If the CCO and the COEWG determine that a material violation of this Code of Ethics has occurred that may involve a fraudulent, deceptive or manipulative act, AMG will report its findings to the Mutual Funds' Board of Directors or Trustees pursuant to Rule 17j-1.

In addition, the CCO's Compliance Dashboards and Annual Compliance Review will include a description of issues that have arisen under the Code of Ethics since the last reporting period including such items as any violations of the Code, sanctions imposed in response to the violations, changes in the Code, and any recommended changes.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Record Retention

AMG will maintain all records required by Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act including copies of the Code of Ethics, records of violations and sanctions, if applicable, holdings and transactions reports, copies of AMG Supervised Persons certifications, a list of all Access Persons within the last 7 years, and copies of the annual reports, as provided in Exhibit O Books and Records Matrix.

Page **4**

E. Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest may exist between various individuals and entities, including AMG, Supervised Persons, and current or prospective Clients. Any failure to identify or properly address a conflict can have severe negative repercussions for AMG, its Supervised Persons, and/or Clients. In some cases,the improper handling of a conflict could result in litigation and/or disciplinary action.

AMG's policies and procedures have been designed to identify and properly disclose, mitigate, and/or eliminate applicable conflicts of interest. However, written policies and procedures cannot address every potential conflict, so Supervised Persons must use good judgment to avoid, identify, and respond appropriately to actual or apparent conflicts. Conflicts of interest that involve AMG and/or its Supervised Persons on one hand, and Clients on the other hand, will generally be fully disclosed and/or resolved in a way that favors the interests of Clients over the interests of AMG and its Supervised Persons. If a Supervised Person believes that a conflict of interest has not been identified or appropriately addressed, that Supervised Person should promptly bring the issue to the CCO's attention.

In some instances, conflicts of interest may arise between Clients. Responding appropriately to these types of conflicts can be challenging and may require robust disclosures if there is any appearance that one or more Clients have been unfairly disadvantaged. Supervised Persons should notify the CCO promptly if it appears that any actual or apparent conflict of interest between Clients has not been appropriately addressed.

Key areas of potential conflict of interest are identified on the AMG Risk Matrix and monitored quarterly.

F. Personal Securities Transactions

Supervised Person trades should be executed in a manner consistent with AMG's fiduciary obligation to its Clients: trades should avoid actual improprieties, as well as the appearance of impropriety. Employee trades must not be timed to precede orders placed for any Client, nor should trading activity be so excessive as to conflict with the Supervised Person's ability to fulfill daily job responsibilities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Market Timing and Late Trading

Market Timing, which is defined as trading shares of an open-ended mutual fund with the intent of arbitraging an inefficiency in the valuation of the fund, is prohibited. This prohibition applies to Client accounts, as well as to transactions for the direct or indirect benefit of Access Persons and Supervised Persons.

AMG employees shall not engage in late trading of open-end mutual fund shares (i.e., the submission of a trade after the daily pricing time for net asset value with an intent or agreement to obtain that day's net asset value) for either themselves or for AMG Clients.

Page **5**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Accounts Covered by the Policies and Procedures

AMG's Personal Securities Transactions policies and procedures apply to all accounts holding any Securities over which Supervised Persons have any beneficial ownership interest, which typically includes accounts held by immediate family members sharing the same household, or non-Clients over which Supervised Persons exercise investment discretion. Immediate family members include children, stepchildren, grandchildren, parents, stepparents, grandparents, spouses, domestic partners, siblings, parents-in-law, and children-in-law, as well as adoptive relationships that meet the above criteria.

It may be possible for Supervised Persons to exclude accounts held personally or by immediate family members sharing the same household if the Supervised Person does not have any direct or indirect influence or control over the accounts, or if the Supervised Person can rebut the presumption of beneficial ownership over family members' accounts. Supervised Persons should consult with the CCO before excluding any accounts held by immediate family members sharing the same household.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Reportable Securities

AMG requires Supervised Persons to provide periodic reports regarding transactions and holdings in all "Reportable Securities," which include any Security, <u>except</u>:

● Direct obligations of the Government of the United States;

● Bankers' acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high-quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements;

● Shares issued by money market funds;

● Shares issued by open-end investment companies registered in the U.S., other than funds advised, sub-advised, or underwritten by AMG or an affiliate;

● Interests in 529 college savings plans; and

● Shares issued by unit investment trusts that are invested exclusively in one or more open-end registered investment companies, none of which are advised or underwritten by AMG or an affiliate.

Exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") and exchange traded notes ("ETNs") are Reportable Securities and are subject to the reporting requirements contained in AMG's Personal Securities Transactions policy.

'Security' may also include virtual currency or cryptocurrency coins or tokens that are being offered, or previously were offered, as part of certain types of initial coin offerings ("ICOs").

Page **6**

Any Supervised Person who wishes to purchase, acquire or sell any asset that is issued and transferred using distributed ledger or blockchain technology, including, but not limited to, virtual currencies, cryptocurrencies, digital "coins" or "tokens" (collectively, "Digital Assets") should consult with the CCO as to whether such Digital Assets would be considered a Security, and specifically a "Digital Security," for purposes of this policy. A Digital Asset is likely to be considered a Digital Security if it is offered and sold as an investment contract. On April 3, 2019, the SEC published a framework for investment contract analysis of Digital Assets.<sup>1</sup> The CCO may use this framework, among other relevant SEC guidance, to determine whether a Digital Asset would be considered a Digital Security for the purposes of this policy. If the CCO determines that such Digital Assets should be considered a Digital Security, the Digital Asset will be considered a Reportable Security for purposes of this policy.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Pre-clearance Procedures

Supervised Persons must have written clearance for all transactions involving IPOs or Private Placements before completing the transactions. AMG may disapprove any proposed transaction, particularly if the transaction appears to pose a conflict of interest or otherwise appears improper. If clearance is granted for a specified period of time, the Supervised Person receiving the approval is responsible for ensuring that his or her trading is completed before the clearance's expiration. Supervised Persons should be cautious when submitting good-until-cancelled orders to avoid inadvertent violations of AMG's pre-clearance procedures.

Supervised Persons must use the *Trade Pre-clearance Form* (Exhibit B) to seek pre-clearance. All pre-clearance requests must be submitted to the CCO. The CCO will use the *Trading Pre-clearance Request Log* (Exhibit C) to track pre-clearance requests.

Supervised Persons are not required to obtain written pre-clearance for purchases of other Securities, even those that are of the type held in the Client accounts (municipal bonds and Government Securities). Supervised Person trades should be executed in a manner consistent with our fiduciary obligations to our Clients: trades should avoid actual improprieties, as well as the appearance of impropriety. Supervised Person trades must not be timed to precede orders placed for any Client, nor should trading activity be so excessive as to conflict with the Supervised Person's ability to fulfill daily job responsibilities. It is important to remember that AMG Compliance reviews personal trading and compares a Supervised Person's personal securities transactions against Clients' trades.

<sup>1</sup> https://www.sec.gov/files/dlt-framework.pdf

Page **7**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Trading in BOH stock

AMG employees are required to comply with the BOH Securities Trading Policy, located for reference in the Bank of Hawaii Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and on <u>www.BOH.com</u> (https://ir.boh.com/corporate-governance/highlights)). The BOH Securities Trading Policy prohibits directors, employees and their immediate family from:

● disclosing or profiting from material, non-public information about BOH.

● trading during the recommended black-out period beginning 14 calendar days before the end of each fiscal quarter and ending after the second full trading day following the earnings announcement, without prior review and approval by BOH Legal.

● pledging BOH stock as collateral for a loan (including the use of a traditional margin account with a broker dealer) and hedging the risk in BOH stock by buying or selling publicly traded options, puts, calls or other derivative instruments relation to BOH stock.

G. Supervised Persons' Reporting

AMG collects information about the personal trading activities and holdings of all Supervised Persons. Each Supervised Person must provide the AMG CCO with the information and authorizations necessary to have duplicate statements and confirmations sent directly to AMG (Exhibit E).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Initial and Annual Holdings Reports

Supervised Persons must periodically report the existence of any account that holds any Securities (including securities and/or accounts excluded from the definition of Reportable) to the CCO or a designee:

● Within 10 days of becoming a Supervised Person, reporting current holdings, and

● On or before February 14th annually, reporting holdings as of previous year-end.

Forms to report holdings include Exhibit F - All Reportable Holdings (that aren't shown on a statement), Exhibit G - All Brokerage Accounts, Exhibit H - Exempt Accounts Certification. A Supervised Person who does not have any transactions or account openings to report, is required to complete the forms to indicate this.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Quarterly Reporting

New accounts must be reported to the AMG CCO when they are opened, and on the Quarterly Compliance Questionnaire. Any reportable trades that did not occur through a broker-dealer, such as the purchase of a private fund, must be reported on the Quarterly Transaction Report (Exhibit D).

Page **8**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Exceptions from Reporting Requirements

There are limited exceptions from certain reporting requirements. Specifically, a Supervised Person is not required to submit:

● Quarterly reports for any transactions effected pursuant to an Automatic Investment Plan; or

● Any reports with respect to Securities held in accounts over which the Supervised Person had no direct or indirect influence or control, such as an account managed by an investment adviser on a discretionary basis.

Any investment plans or accounts that may be eligible for either of these exceptions should be brought to the attention of the CCO who will, on a case-by-case basis, determine whether the plan or account qualifies for an exception. In making this determination, the CCO may ask for supporting documentation, such as a copy of the Automatic Investment Plan, a copy of the discretionary account management agreement and/or a written certification from an unaffiliated investment adviser, and may provide employees with the exact wording and a clear definition of "no direct or indirect influence or control" that the adviser consistently applies to all Supervised Persons. On a sample basis, the CCO may request reports on holdings and/or transactions made in the trust or discretionary account to identify transactions that would have been prohibited pursuant to AMG's Code, absent reliance on the reporting exception. Supervised Persons who claim they have no direct or indirect influence or control over an account are also required to complete the attached *Exempt Accounts Certification* (Exhibit H), upon commencement of their employment and on an annual basis thereafter.

Reliance on this independent or separately managed account exception is conditioned on AMG's receipt of the *<u>Exempt Accounts Certification</u>*, and other satisfactory documentary evidence (e.g., copy of advisory agreement, certification from adviser, etc.) as directed by the CCO. Supervised Persons should consult with the CCO before excluding any accounts, especially those held by immediate family members sharing the same household.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Review of Personal Trading and Holdings Reports

AMG's Personal Securities Transactions policies and procedures are designed to mitigate any potential material conflicts of interest associated with Supervised Persons' personal trading activities. Accordingly, the CCO or a designee will closely monitor Supervised Persons' investment patterns to detect the following potentially abusive behavior:

● Frequent and/or short-term trades in any Security, with particular attention paid to potential market-timing of mutual funds;

● Trading opposite of Client trades;

● Trading ahead of Clients; and

● Trading that appears to be based on Material Nonpublic Information.

Page **9**

The CCO's manager, or delegate, will monitor the CCO's personal securities transactions for compliance with the Personal Securities Transactions policies and procedures. The CCO will monitor the other Compliance Officers' personal Securities transactions for compliance with the Personal Securities Transactions policies and procedures.

In the event of a Supervised Person's extended leave of absence, the requirement for filing Personal Securities Transaction Reports, Disclosures of Personal Holdings, and Certifications of Compliance with the Code will be deferred until the Supervised Person returns to work.

H. Exemptions under Special Circumstances

Supervised persons who experience unanticipated difficulties that necessitate the need to liquidate a securities holding or any other act that contradicts the above-mentioned policies, must seek prior written approval of the CCO before executing any transaction that would violate the above-mentioned policies. Exemptions will be decided on a case-by-case basis and the Company provides no assurance that an exemption will be granted.

I. Disclosure of the Code of Ethics

AMG will describe its Code of Ethics in Part 2 of Form ADV and, upon request, furnish Clients with a copy of the Code of Ethics (excerpted from this Manual). All Client requests for AMG's Code of Ethics should be directed to the CCO.

Page **10**

**Exhibit B – Pre-clearance Request – IPO and Private Placements**

**Bank of Hawaii**

Asset Management Group

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Trade Pre-clearance Form

Transaction Type: Buy / Sell / Short / Cover Short / Other (describe):

Security Name:  

Security Type: Common Stock / Option / Debt / Other (describe):

Symbol or Identifier:  

Number of Shares / Contracts / Principal Amount:

For Options, Indicate the Expiration Date:

Broker / Custodian:

Does the transaction involve an IPO or private placement?  

If you are seeking to invest in a private fund, describe the fund's investment strategy.

Pre-clearance sought through (date):

By signing below, I certify and acknowledge the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. I
have no Material Nonpublic Information or other knowledge pertaining to this proposed transaction that constitutes a violation of Bank
of Hawaii policy, confidentiality agreements or securities laws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. The
proposed transaction does not limit a Client's investment opportunities or disadvantage a Client in any way.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. I
am not contractually or legally prohibited from executing this transaction (e.g., I am not a restricted person under FINRA Rule 5130
or 5131)

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| Signature: | |  | Date: |
| Print Name: | |  |  |
| CCO Use Only | Approved | Not Approved |  |
| Reviewed by: | |  | Date: |

---

Page **11**

**Exhibit C – Pre-clearance Log – IPO and Private Placements**

Trading Pre-Clearance Request Log

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Supervised Person Name** | **Requested Transaction** | **Approval Granted? <br> (Y or N)** | **Date** | **Comments <br> (Including Applicable Conflicts of Interest and any Mitigating Factors)** |

---

Page **12**

**Exhibit D – Quarterly Transaction Report**

**Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii**

QUARTERLY TRANSACTION AND NEW ACCOUNTS REPORT

Quarter: ____________ Year: ____________

**TRANSACTIONS** (Check one):

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | I had no reportable security transactions for the quarter specified above. | I had no reportable security transactions for the quarter specified above. | I had no reportable security transactions for the quarter specified above. | I had no reportable security transactions for the quarter specified above. | I had no reportable security transactions for the quarter specified above. |
| | I had reportable security transactions during the quarter. I have listed below any transactions that are **<u>not</u>** shown on my duplicate statements sent to AMG Compliance. | I had reportable security transactions during the quarter. I have listed below any transactions that are **<u>not</u>** shown on my duplicate statements sent to AMG Compliance. | I had reportable security transactions during the quarter. I have listed below any transactions that are **<u>not</u>** shown on my duplicate statements sent to AMG Compliance. | I had reportable security transactions during the quarter. I have listed below any transactions that are **<u>not</u>** shown on my duplicate statements sent to AMG Compliance. | I had reportable security transactions during the quarter. I have listed below any transactions that are **<u>not</u>** shown on my duplicate statements sent to AMG Compliance. |
| **Trade<br> Date** | **<br> Security Name** | **<br> Buy/Sell** | **Number of<br> Shares** | **$ Amount** | **<br> Broker-Dealer** |

---

**NEW ACCOUNTS** (Check one)**:**

<u>I did not open any new securities accounts, including any accounts with non-reportable securities.</u> <br>   <u>I did open a new securities account during the quarter and have provided the details below.</u>

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Institution holding my investment** | **Account Title** | **Account Number** | **Date Opened** |

---

AMG Supervised Person:

    <br> Printed Name Signature Date

Compliance Review:  

Page **13**

**Exhibit E – Request for Duplicate Confirmations and Statements**

Date

{Brokerage Firm Name}

{Address}

{Address}

Attn: Compliance Department

Dear Sir or Madam:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. We understand that your firm maintains Brokerage Account No.(s) *{Account #}* and *{Account #}* for *{Supervised Peron's Name}*, an employee of the Asset Management Group of the Bank of Hawaii. The Asset Management Group of the Bank of Hawaii is an investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. In order for us to comply with regulatory requirements, we hereby request duplicate copies of confirmations and statements for all transactions for these accounts. *{Supervised Peron's Name}* has indicated his consent to this request by signing below. Please send all confirmations and statements to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. AMG Compliance Officer

Bank of Hawaii – Asset Management Group, Dept. 770<br> P.O. Box 3170 <br> Honolulu, Hawaii 96802

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Thank you for your attention to this matter. If you have any questions concerning this request, please do not hesitate to contact me (808) 694-8372.

Sincerely,

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Catherine M. Fujisaki

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Asset Management Group, Chief Compliance Officer

Supervised Person's Consent

I hereby authorize {Brokerage Firm Name} to send duplicate confirmations and statements of all transactions in the above account to Bank of Hawaii Asset Management Group.

  <br> *{Supervised Person's Name},* Signature Account # *{Account #}* and *{Account #}* Date

Page **14**

**Exhibit F – All Reportable Holdings - Periodic Report**

**Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii**

Personal Holdings Report

I hereby certify that my duplicate statement(s) sent to AMG Compliance, along with the holdings listed below, are a complete and accurate representation of my reportable securities holdings:

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Security** | **Ticker Symbol or<br> CUSIP Number** | **Type of Security**<br> ***(Equity, Fixed<br> Income, Limited<br> Partnerships)*** | **Number of Shares** | **Principal Amount** | **Name of Account<br> Holder, Account <br> Number, Name of<br> Broker-Dealer** |

---

AMG Supervised Person:

    <br> Printed Name Signature Date

Compliance Review:  

Page **15**

**Exhibit G – All Brokerage Accounts - Periodic Report**

**Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii**

**DISCLOSURE OF BROKERAGE ACCOUNTS**

I hereby certify that I have disclosed all brokerage accounts in which I have direct or indirect beneficial interest.

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Broker** | **Address** | **Name of Account Holder** | **Account Number** |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| Date | Name (Print) |
|  | Signature |

---

Page **16**

**Exhibit H – Exempt Accounts Certification**

Dear AMG Chief Compliance Officer,

In accordance with Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the "Rule"), I am considered to be an "access person" of the Asset Management Group of Bank of Hawaii ("AMG") and subject to the Rule's terms and conditions. The Rule requires periodic reporting of my personal securities transactions and holdings to be made to AMG. However, as specified in the Rule, I am not required to submit any report with respect to securities held in accounts over which I have "no direct or indirect influence or control."

Following is a list of the accounts over which I have no direct or indirect influence or control (the "Accounts"):

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Bank or<br> Broker/Dealer** | **Account Name** | **Relationship of Manager to AMG employee**<br> (relative, independent manager) |
| *Ex1: Vanguard* | *John Smith IRA* | *Investments managed by Vanguard* |

---

By signing below, I acknowledge and certify that:

● I have no direct or indirect influence or control over the Accounts;

● If my control over the Accounts should change in any way, I will immediately notify you in writing of such a change and will provide any required information regarding holdings and transactions in the Accounts pursuant to the Rule; and

● I agree to provide reports of holdings and/or transactions (including, but not limited to, duplicate account statements and trade confirmations) made in the Accounts at the request of AMG's Chief Compliance Officer.

Access persons completing this certification on an annual basis, also acknowledge and certify the following:

● I did not direct or suggest any purchases or sales of specific securities for the Accounts during the period __________________ to __________________;

● Any discussions with the Manager about my Accounts related to general guidelines involving my investment objectives, risk tolerance and investment timeline.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| Name: |  |
| Signature: | Date: |
| Reviewer Name & Conclusion: | Date: |

---

Page **17**

## Ex-99.(P)(Vii)

**Exhibit (p)(vii)**

**Equity Investment Corporation**

**CODE OF ETHICS**

**February 2025**

**I.** **<u>Introduction and General Provisions</u>**

Equity Investment Corporation ("EIC") is registered as an investment adviser with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") pursuant to the provisions of Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ("Advisers Act").

EIC is dedicated to providing effective and proper professional investment management services to a wide variety of institutional and individual advisory **clients** (defined below). Our reputation is a reflection of the quality of our directors, officers and employees and their dedication to excellence in serving our clients. Employees must possess the requisite qualifications of experience, education, intelligence, and judgment necessary to effectively serve as investment management professionals. In addition, every director, officer and employee is expected to demonstrate the highest standards of moral and ethical conduct for continued employment with EIC.

The SEC and the courts have stated that portfolio management professionals, including registered investment advisers, have a fiduciary duty to their clients. The SEC's Interpretation Regarding Standard of Conduct for Investment Advisers (the "Fiduciary Release") issued June 5, 2019, reaffirms and clarifies an investment adviser's fiduciary duty. An adviser's fiduciary duty is principles based and applies to the entire relationship, shaped by agreement, between the adviser and its client. More particularly, an investment adviser's fiduciary duty under the Advisers Act is comprised of a duty of care and a duty of loyalty. This means that the adviser must act in the best interest of its client at all times during the course of the relationship and not subordinate its client's interest to its own. Failure to do so may render the adviser in violation of the anti-fraud provisions of the Advisers Act.

To meet its duty of care, as the SEC interprets in the Fiduciary Release, an adviser must provide advice that is suitable and in conformity with the best interests of its client based upon the client's objectives. This duty of care includes a duty to seek best execution of a client's trades where the adviser selects the client's broker-dealer and a duty to provide a steady level of advice and monitoring over the course of the relationship.

To meet its duty of loyalty, as the SEC interprets in the Fiduciary Release, an adviser must make full and fair disclosure to its clients all material facts relating to the advisory relationship that might influence an investor's decision to purchase, or refrain from purchasing, a security recommended by the adviser, or to engage the adviser to manage the client's investments. The SEC has made it clear that the duty of an investment adviser not to engage in fraudulent conduct includes an obligation to disclose material facts to clients whenever the failure to disclose such facts might cause financial harm. An adviser's duty to disclose material facts is particularly important whenever the advice given to clients involves a conflict, or potential conflict, of interest between the **supervised persons** (defined below) of the adviser and its clients. All EIC's directors, officers and employees are regarded as supervised persons.

Equity Investment Corporation

Code of Ethics

February 2025

Additionally, an adviser must eliminate or at least expose through full and fair disclosure all conflicts of interest which might influence the adviser to render advice not in the best interest of the client.

Under SEC Rule 204A-1 (the "Rule"), effective August 31, 2004, with a compliance date of February 1, 2005, advisers are required to adopt a written Code of Ethics to set forth standards of conduct and to address personal trading so as to reasonably detect and prevent conflicts of interest that arise from personal trading by its supervised persons. In addition to establishing a Code of Ethics, advisers are also required to maintain and enforce the Code of Ethics.

The Rule requires that all supervised persons be provided with a copy of the Code of Ethics and that each supervised person provide written acknowledgement of their receipt of the Code of Ethics and any amendments. Moreover, all supervised persons must report any violations of the Code of Ethics that come to their attention to the adviser's Chief Compliance Officer.

In meeting its fiduciary responsibilities to our clients, EIC has promulgated a Code of Ethics ("Code"), which establishes standards of conduct and addresses the potential problems in the purchase and/or sale of **securities** (defined in Section III of the Code) in the personal accounts of **supervised persons** (defined below) or in those accounts in which supervised persons may have a direct or indirect **beneficial ownership** or **beneficial interest** (defined below).

The Code is intended to lessen the chance of any misunderstanding between EIC and its supervised persons regarding trading activities and insider trading infractions. In those situations where supervised persons may be uncertain as to the intent or purpose of the Code, they are advised to consult with EIC's Chief Compliance Officer ("the CCO"). The CCO may, under circumstances that are considered appropriate and necessary, grant exceptions to the provisions contained in the Code only when it is clear that the interests of EIC's clients will not be adversely affected. All questions arising in connection with personal securities trading should be resolved in favor of the interest of the clients even at the expense of the interest of supervised persons.

To enforce the policies and procedures contained in the Code, the CCO will provide periodic training for supervised persons on requirements imposed by the Code. Each new supervised person will be provided a copy of the Code and will be required to affirm through our designated third party compliance portal, MyComplianceOffice Technologies ("the Portal") that they have read, understand and will adhere to the Code. Annually, supervised persons will be provided an updated Code and will be required to affirm through the Portal that they have read, understand and will adhere to the Code. Supervised persons who have any questions about the Code or the application of the Code to their individual circumstances should consult with the CCO.

Equity Investment Corporation

Code of Ethics

February 2025

The CCO shall maintain a file entitled "Code of Ethics and Section 204A Policies & Procedures" containing the Code and revisions to the Code, noting the effective date of each revision. This file should be current at all times and available for review by regulatory authorities.

**Definitions:**

● **Access person**. Access person, as defined by the Rule, is any supervised person who (i) has access to nonpublic information regarding any client's purchase or sale of securities, or information regarding the portfolio holdings of any fund; or (ii) is involved in making securities recommendations to clients or who has access to such recommendations that are nonpublic. (Generally, all EIC's directors, officers and employees are regarded as access persons.)

● **Beneficial ownership** / **beneficial interest**. Beneficial ownership/beneficial interest, is interpreted under Rule 16a-1(a)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as ownership by any person who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares in a direct or indirect **pecuniary interest** in the equity securities. **Pecuniary interest** in any class of equity securities generally means the opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit or share in any profit derived from a transaction in the subject securities. An indirect pecuniary interest in any class of equity securities includes but is not limited to securities held by members of a person's immediate family sharing the same household. Each access person is assumed to have a pecuniary interest, and therefore, beneficial interest in or ownership of, all securities held by the access person, the access person's spouse, all minor children, all dependent adult children and in all accounts subject to their direct or indirect influence or control and/or through which they obtain the substantial equivalent of ownership.

● **Client.** When used herein, the term "client" includes individual and institutional investors for whom EIC provides investment supervisory services or manages investment advisory accounts. Also the term includes any investment company for which EIC manages or co-manages assets, or for which it otherwise provides portfolio management services.

● **Supervised persons**. Supervised persons are the directors, officers (or other person having a similar status or performing similar functions), and employees of an investment adviser who are subject to the investment adviser's supervision and control.

Equity Investment Corporation

Code of Ethics

February 2025

**II.** **<u>COMPLIANCE & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY POLICY</u>**

The Code articulates the ethical, legal and moral responsibilities of all supervised persons of EIC. Further, it formalizes the policies, principles, obligations and standards of behavior expected of all supervised persons. No attempt has been made to detail all responsibilities in all occasions. Supervised persons are expected to apply the spirit of the Code in circumstances not specifically addressed.

All supervised persons are obliged to monitor their personal and professional affairs so as not to discredit EIC. A supervised person's personal conduct should reflect the highest professional standards of behavior. Supervised persons are expected to:

● Obey all laws and regulations that apply to EIC's business.

● Avoid activities that could create conflicts of interest or even the *appearance* of a conflict of interest with EIC or a client.

● Respect the confidentiality of information about those with whom EIC has business relationships as more fully articulated in EIC's Privacy Policy.

The CCO shall promptly report to EIC's Management Committee all apparent material violations of the Code. EIC's Management Committee will determine what sanctions, if any, should be imposed. Violation of any provision of the Code and policies and procedures contained in EIC's Compliance Manual, may result in disciplinary action including reprimands, fines, suspension or dismissal.

Any violation of criminal law applicable to EIC's business, involving or located on EIC property will be reported to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.

The examples that follow are only guidelines concerning the application of the standards.

**A.** **Laws & Regulations** 

There are numerous federal and state laws and regulations under which EIC conducts its investment advisory business. Supervised persons are expected to conduct all business dealings according to these laws and regulations. Violating any of them could subject the supervised person or EIC to criminal and civil penalties. Any questions about these laws and regulations and their application to EIC are to be directed to the CCO.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.** **Securities and Exchange Commission.** 

EIC is a registered investment advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") under the Advisers Act), and therefore subject to its oversight and jurisdiction. EIC's policy, and the objective of the Code, is to actively endeavor to comply with all applicable regulations promulgated by the SEC. Rule 206(4)-7 requires EIC to adopt written compliance policies and procedures for fulfilling its regulatory obligations thereunder, and to periodically review such policies and procedures, and to designate a chief compliance officer. Messrs. W. Andrew Bruner, R. Terrence Irrgang and Ian Zabor, Principals of EIC, are ultimately responsible for the EIC's overall compliance policies and procedures, and have appointed Mr. Phillip Lorren as EIC's Chief Compliance Officer to supervise firm-wide compliance with such policies and procedures, to oversee the on-going implementation of such policies, and to assist in the development of appropriate policies for meeting its regulatory and other obligations to clients. In addition, EIC has retained both regulatory consulting specialists and legal advisors to assist it in fulfilling this responsibility.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.** **Anti-Competitive Activities.** 

The *Sherman Antitrust Act* prohibits any combination, conspiracy or agreement among competitors to restrict or prevent competition. A specific violation of this Act could be a formal or informal agreement between a supervised person and a competitor of EIC to (i) fix prices, (ii) allocate markets, (iii) allocate funds, or (iv) refuse to deal with particular suppliers or clients.

Supervised persons must avoid any agreements with EIC's competitors (or even circumstances that might give the appearance of such agreements) relating to how EIC conducts its business. Supervised persons should be especially careful at social or professional gatherings and at trade association meetings.

A "tying arrangement" is one in which a seller conditions their sale of a product or service on a buyer's purchase of a separate product or service. For instance, supervised persons may not tie services to obtaining or assisting in obtaining a grant, a contract or services from a client or any account at EIC.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.** **Illegal Use of Corporate Funds.** 

The purpose of any transaction that relates to EIC funds or assets must be revealed and recorded at the time of the transaction. A supervised person:

● may not record or participate in the recording of incorrect or fictitious entries in the books or records of EIC;

● may not use EIC funds or assets for political contributions in connection with federal, state or local elections (for purposes of this provision, an employee's time during regular working hours, EIC equipment and supplies, office space, clerical help and advertising facilities are all considered corporate assets);

● may not make any payment for an expressed purpose on EIC's behalf to any individual who intends to use the money for a different purpose; or

● may not make payments, whether corporate or personal, of cash or other items of value to political candidates, to government officials, or to businesses, that are designed to influence their judgment or actions in connection with any EIC activity.

It is EIC's policy, as a corporation, not to take sides (whether in financial support or endorsement) in political elections. Where necessary and appropriate, EIC will participate in political lobbying conducted by industry or trade organizations for the purpose of influencing legislation affecting EIC's business.

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February 2025

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.** **Criminal Laws.** 

A number of criminal statutes apply to all financial institutions. These laws generally forbid such activities as:

● accepting a fee, commission or gift for obtaining a service;

● stealing, embezzling or misapplying corporate funds or assets;

● using threats, physical force or other unauthorized means to collect money;

● recording false entries;

● using corporate funds or assets to finance campaigns for political office;

● making a loan or giving a gift to an examiner who has the authority to examine EIC;

● misusing federal records and documents;

● accessing EIC's computerized financial records without authorization; or

● defrauding EIC.

Criminal statutes also provide a penalty for those who know that a criminal offense has been committed and who help the criminal avoid capture or punishment. Supervised persons who suspect criminal activity must notify the CCO.

**B.** **CONFLICTS OF INTEREST** 

Supervised persons cannot participate in any activity that could cause a conflict of interest or give the appearance of a conflict of interest. As a rule of thumb, any time that a supervised person has a financial interest in a transaction or activity by EIC and/or EIC's clients, a conflict of interest exists. Care should then be taken to address, manage or remove the conflict pursuant to applicable EIC policies or procedures.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.** **Transactions with EIC or Parties Related to EIC.** 

Supervised persons must put the interests of the client, then the interests of EIC, ahead of their own personal interests. Generally, a supervised person will have a conflict of interest if there is a difference between their personal interests and the interests of EIC and/or EIC's clients or when the supervised person's personal interests interfere with the interests of EIC and/or EIC's clients. A conflict of interest is broadly defined to occur when a supervised person allows any interest, activity or influence outside of EIC to:

● influence their judgment when acting on behalf of EIC;

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● compete against EIC;

● negatively affect the way a supervised person performs regular duties; or

● harm EIC's reputation.

Supervised persons cannot participate in any activity that could cause a conflict of interest or give the appearance of a conflict of interest. Care should then be taken to address, manage or remove the conflict pursuant to applicable EIC policies or procedures.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**a.** **Securities.** EIC will not invest in the stock and obligations of, or assets acquired from:

● EIC or any of its directors, officers, or employees;

● affiliates of EIC or any of their directors, officers, or employees; or

● other individuals or entities with whom there exists an interest that might affect EIC's exercise of its best judgment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**b.** **Loans, Sales, or Other Transfers from Fiduciary Accounts.** EIC will not lend, sell, or otherwise transfer assets of a client account to:

● EIC or any of its directors, officers, or employees;

● affiliates of EIC or any of their directors, officers, or employees; or

● other individuals or entities with whom there exists an interest that might appear to affect EIC's exercise of its best judgment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**c.** **Other Restricted Business Dealings.** Supervised persons are restricted from becoming involved in certain business dealings with EIC and others. Supervised persons are prohibited from:

● directly or indirectly, buying assets from or selling assets to EIC or any account for which EIC acts;

● representing EIC in any transactions requiring judgment or discretion with a person or organization in which the supervised person has a financial or material interest. Therefore, supervised persons should avoid such transactions, and any exception needs the approval of EIC's CCO.

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February 2025

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.** **Outside Activity.** 

Supervised persons are expected to avoid any outside interest or activity that will interfere with their duties. Outside activities that compete with EIC's business or present a conflict or potential conflict of interest are not permitted.

Initially upon employment with EIC, supervised persons must disclose their outside activities via the Portal. Quarterly thereafter, supervised persons must certify that they have not engaged in any restricted outside activities described below.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**a.** **General Guidelines.** An employee's outside interests or activities:

● should not significantly encroach on the time or attention devoted to their duties;

● should not adversely affect the quality of their work;

● should not involve any significant use of EIC's equipment, facilities, or supplies;

● should not imply EIC's sponsorship or support (for example, through the use of EIC's stationery for personal purposes); and

● should not adversely affect the reputation of EIC.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**b.** **Appointments.** All supervised persons must complete an Outside Activity Disclosure via the Portal to obtain approval from the CCO, before accepting any fiduciary appointment, directorship, trustee of a non-family member trust, or other outside position. Quarterly, all supervised persons must affirm via the Portal that they have not served in any unapproved appointed positions.

Supervised persons may not:

● represent any non-EIC company in any transaction with EIC, which involves the exercise of discretion on the part of either party;

● accept a position as an officer or director of a corporation or become a member of a business partnership.

This provision does not apply to limited partnerships solely for investment purposes or services as director or officer of purely social, civil, religious or charitable institutions. Exceptions to this provision must be authorized by the CCO, or designee.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**c.** **Political Activity.** EIC encourages supervised persons to take an active interest in political and governmental affairs and to keep informed concerning political issues and candidates. However, a supervised person may not act as a representative of EIC in any political activity unless specifically authorized to do so by the CCO, or designee.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**d.** **Outside Employment.** A supervised person may not accept outside employment as one who prepares, audits, or certifies statements or documents pertinent to EIC's business. In addition, supervised persons must complete an Outside Activity Disclosure via the Portal to obtain approval from the CCO, or designee, before accepting employment:

● as a broker, contractor, or agent who engages in real estate transactions such as negotiating and selling mortgages, making investments for other, appraising property, or collecting rents;

● as an attorney, tax or investment counselor or insurance broker or agent; or

● in other situations where referral or finder fees or similar outside compensation is received.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**e.** **Other Prohibited Activity.** Supervised persons may also be prohibited by law from participating in "interlocking affiliations", that is, dual service, in the following areas:

● as an employee of an organization which is primarily engaged in the issue, flotation, underwriting, public sale or distribution of stocks, bonds or other securities;

● as a director, officer or employee of any commercial bank, banking association, trust company or savings bank; or

● as a director or officer of a registered public utility holding company or subsidiary.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.** **Gifts.** 

Giving or receiving gifts in a business setting may create an appearance of impropriety or may raise a potential conflict of interest. Gifts include cash, checks, gift certificates and gift cards, tickets, securities, property, special discounts and free services.

Supervised persons may not accept or make gifts of securities, cash, checks and traveler's checks, or gift certificates and gift cards that are either convertible into cash (e.g., American Express gift card) or not directly associated with a service provider or retailer.

EIC has adopted the policies set forth below to guide supervised persons in this area.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**a.** **Accepting Gifts.** 

Supervised persons may not accept gifts from clients for providing EIC services.

A supervised person may not accept gifts under circumstances intended to influence them. For instance, supervised person may not accept gifts from consultants, attorneys, insurance and real estate agents, salesmen, brokers, accountants, or other potential referral business associates.

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Supervised persons may accept the following:

● non-cash gifts that do not exceed $100 in value per individual recipient per year received from a client or a vendor for holidays, birthdays or other special occasions;

● advertising or promotional material received of de minimis value (substantially below $100). Such gifts do not count against the $100 per individual recipient per year limit for non-cash gifts;

● food and entertainment received at a regular luncheon, dinner or business meeting at which the client or vendor is present. Meals or events at which the client or vendor is not in attendance must be treated as a gift and are subject to the $100 per individual recipient per year limit for non-cash gifts;

● gifts or bequests received based on family relationships or well-established friendships;

● loans from banks or other financial institutions received on regular terms to finance proper credit needs; and

● awards received from charitable, civic, religious or similar organizations for contributions or service.

Supervised persons are expected to use particular care and good judgment to achieve and maintain independence and objectivity. To this end, any unsolicited entertainment at a social, cultural or sporting event, provided by any person or entity that does business with or on behalf of EIC, must include both the supervised person and the representative of the sponsoring firm. If tickets to these types of events are provided to a supervised person without a representative of the sponsor in attendance, then the prior approval of the CCO is required. Such request and approval is to be made through the Portal.

Supervised persons must submit a New Gift Request to the CCO, or designee, via the Portal, for gifts received in relation to the business of EIC and the employer of the person receiving the gift, including a description of the gift, value of the gift, provider of the gift and date it was received.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**b.** **Making Gifts.** 

Supervised persons may not offer gifts under circumstances intended to influence a client or a supplier in conducting business.

Supervised persons may not make gifts to consultants, attorneys, insurance and real estate agents, salesmen, brokers, accountants, etc., for giving or referring business to EIC.

Supervised persons may not make gifts to clients without the prior approval of the CCO. Such request and approval is to be made through the Portal.

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Gifts to a government employee or official are prohibited.

Gifts may be offered so long as they are reasonable and not so frequent or extravagant as to raise any question of impropriety. The following are the only gifts permitted:

● non-cash gifts that do not exceed $100 in value per individual recipient per year made to clients or suppliers for holidays, birthdays or other special occasions;

● promotional material of de minimis value (substantially below $100) and such gifts do not count against the $100 per individual recipient per year limit; and

● gifts or bequests based on family relationships or well-established friendships.

Prior to making a gift to a client, supplier or potential referral recipient, supervised persons must submit a New Gift Request to the CCO, or designee, for review and approval. Such request and approval is to be made through the Portal.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.** **Meals & Entertainment.** 

Supervised persons may provide food and entertainment at a regular or virtual luncheon, dinner or business entertainment event or meeting at which a supervised person is present.

Entertainment and meals for all luncheons, dinners, business meetings, etc. with a union official or employee must not exceed $250 per recipient per year.

Meals or events at which a supervised person is not in attendance must be treated as a gift and are subject to the $100 per individual recipient per year limit of non-cash gifts.

The provision of food and beverages must not be preconditioned on achieving a sales target.

Meals and entertainment expenses must be reported on an Expense Report and are reimbursed subject to EIC's Travel & Business Expense Reimbursement Policy.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**5.** **Event Hosting & Sponsorship.** 

Financial consultants may sponsor/host an "event" such as a golf outing, a prospect dinner, or restaurant gathering. EIC may contribute toward the cost of such an event. EIC's agreement to participate cannot be preconditioned on the achievement of a sales target. Such events should not be so frequent or so extravagant as to raise any question of propriety.

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EIC's policy requirements are as follows:

● EIC's contribution toward the cost of an event must be approved by both the CCO and the Chief Operating Officer;

● EIC must be acknowledged as a contributor to the event in the form of a banner, signage, or material bearing EIC's name;

● expense reimbursement is generally limited to $1,000 per event per year, but may exceed that amount on occasion due to a higher cost of sponsorship in correlation to a financial consultant's number of clients/assets represented at the event;

● itemized receipts and a list of all event attendees must be obtained; and reimbursement must be paid directly to the financial consultant's firm or event organizer (or follow the Broker-Dealer guidelines for reimbursement under their cash/non-cash compensation policy).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**6.** **Other Non-Cash Compensation.** 

A supervised person may not engage in any non-cash compensation arrangement in connection with the marketing of any product without the prior approval of their functional manager and the CCO, or designee. Non-cash compensation payments must always be made directly to the financial consultant's or broker-dealer's firm and not to an individual.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**7.** **Political Contributions.** 

**Supervised persons (and family members) may not make political contributions for the purpose of obtaining or retaining advisory contracts with government entities. For more information, see EIC's Pay to Play Policy & Procedures*.***

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**8.** **Honoraria.** 

No supervised person or any member of the supervised person's immediate family may accept cash honoraria for public speaking or writing services on behalf of EIC. If a cash honorarium is tendered, a supervised person may request that it be donated to a charity of their choice. Supervised persons may accept non-cash honoraria of limited value with the approval of the CCO, or designee. Supervised persons may also accept reimbursement of related expenses.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**9.** **Referrals.** 

Supervised persons must name several candidates without indicated favoritism when asked by a current or potential client to recommend consultants, attorneys, accountants, insurance brokers or agents, stock brokers, real estate agents, etc. Under no circumstances may a supervised person make a recommendation if there is even the appearance that the supervised person may benefit from making it. Supervised persons may not recommend a family member. A supervised person may include a family member's firm or other professionals associated with a family member if such relationship is disclosed to the current or potential client.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**10.** **Investments.** 

Because investments can lead to conflicts of interest, all supervised persons must follow these investment standards, as well as EIC's Policy & Procedures Regarding Personal Securities Transactions & Insider Trading set forth in Section III of the Code*.*

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**a.** **Investments Supervised Persons May Not Make.** When considering investment, an access person may not invest (directly or indirectly) in a publicly held security whenever:

● such a transaction would place EIC under obligation (financial or other) to any investment banking or brokerage firm or to the seller or issuer of the security;

● supervised person knows EIC is in the process of buying or selling the security for its own account or for the account of others (exceptions noted in this policy);

● supervised person possesses information not available to the general public that is likely to affect the price of the security;

● supervised person is considering acting as advisor to the issuer of the security; or

● supervised person is recommending the sale or purchase of the security.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**b.** **Investments That Require Approval.** Supervised persons are required to obtain approval from the CCO, or designee, through the Portal:

● before investing (directly or indirectly) in a privately held company which is an EIC client;

● before directly or indirectly acquiring beneficial ownership in any security in an initial public offering ("IPO"), initial coin offering ("ICO"), or in a limited offering;

● if supervised person subsequently becomes aware that they hold (directly or indirectly) stock in a privately held company which is an EIC client; or

● if person has responsibility for providing services to a firm that is an EIC client and attempts to acquire or hold more than 5% of the shares of that client's stock.

Rules of various stock exchanges require brokers to obtain EIC's approval for the opening of accounts for supervised persons. Because margin trading can create serious financial problems, all supervised persons are urged to avoid margin transactions.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**11.** **Clients and Suppliers**.

In dealing with clients and suppliers, situations sometimes occur that may create a conflict or the appearance of a conflict of interest. To avoid such situations, corporate policies were developed in the following areas:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**a.** **Loans.** Supervised persons are not permitted to borrow from or lend personal funds to clients, brokers, or suppliers of EIC. Credit transactions in the normal course of business (for example, transacting business with a recognized lending institution or charging items at a department store) are not included in this restriction.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**b.** **Advising Clients.** Supervised persons may be asked by a client to make a statement regarding the legal implications of a proposed transaction. A supervised person cannot give legal advice to clients unless giving such advice is part of their regular corporate responsibilities.

Supervised persons should be cautious that statements are not inappropriately interpreted as giving legal advice.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**c.** **Financial Incentives from Mutual Funds and Other Investments Vendors.** Generally, neither EIC nor any of its supervised persons may accept financial incentives from vendors of mutual funds or other investments with which it does business on behalf of fiduciary accounts. Financial incentives include anything of more than nominal value which EIC or its supervised persons may receive directly or indirectly from a vendor, including items such as 12b-1 fees, computer equipment and seminars. Each decision to give business to a particular vendor must be made solely on the basis of factors which relate to the appropriateness of that vendor and its services or products for the accounts which will use them. EIC should never place itself in a position where the receipt of financial benefits in connection with any transaction may influence its judgment.

**C.** **WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY** 

EIC supervised persons are expected to read, understand and follow all policies and procedures set forth in EIC's Compliance Manual, as well as the Code. Supervised persons are required to conduct themselves with loyalty and integrity in their dealings with our clients, customers, and one another.

Improper conduct on the part of any supervised persons puts EIC at risk. Accordingly, supervised persons are expected to promptly report to the CCO, or designee, any suspicions of improper activity and all apparent violations of EIC's policies and procedures and all state and federal securities laws, rules and regulations.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.** **Reporting Potential Misconduct.** 

Supervised persons must have the opportunity to report any concerns or suspicions of improper activity, confidentially and without retaliation. Accordingly, supervised persons may report potential misconduct via the Portal. Additionally, supervised persons may report securities law violations to the Securities and Exchange Commission Office of the Whistleblower at <u>https://www.sec.gov/whistleblower</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.** **Responsibility of the Whistleblower**.

The reporting person must be acting in good faith in reporting a concern under this policy and must have reasonable grounds for believing (1) a deliberate misrepresentation has been made regarding accounting or audit matters; (2) a breach of EIC's Compliance Manual policies or the Code has occurred, or (3) a violation or suspected violation of securities laws, rules and regulations has occurred.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.** **Handling of Reported Improper Activity**.

EIC will take seriously any report regarding a potential violation of EIC's Compliance Manual policies, the Code, or other improper or illegal activity. An individual who makes a report can be assured that EIC will appropriately manage all such reported concerns or suspicions of improper activity in a timely and professional manner, confidentially and without retaliation. To protect the confidentiality of the individual submitting such a report and to enable EIC to conduct an investigation of reported misconduct, those individuals responsible for conducting any investigation are generally precluded from communicating information pertaining to the scope and/or status of such reviews.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.** **Discussing violations with third-party regulators.** 

Nothing is this policy shall be deemed to prohibit or discourage reporting of any possible violations of federal or state securities laws or regulations to any governmental or self-regulatory agency or entity, including, without limitation, any law enforcement agency, the Securities and Exchange Commission, FINRA, or any state securities agency, or from making any other disclosure that is protected under any whistleblower provisions of any federal or state law or regulation. Supervised persons are neither required nor encouraged to obtain permission from EIC to make any such report nor required or encouraged to notify EIC if any such report has been made.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**5.** **No Retaliation Policy.** 

It is EIC's policy that no employee who submits a complaint made in good faith will experience retaliation, harassment, or unfavorable or adverse employment consequences. A person who retaliates against an employee reporting a complaint will be subject to disciplinary action, which may include termination of employment. An employee who believes s/he has been subject to retaliation or reprisal as a result of reporting a concern or making a complaint is to report such action to the CCO, or designee, or to other senior management in the event the concern pertains to the CCO.

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February 2025

**D.** **CONFIDENTIALITY** 

Supervised persons routinely have knowledge, reports or statements about EIC's business or possess confidential information about the private or business affairs of EIC and its clients and vendors. Such information is privileged and must be held in the strictest confidence. Supervised persons must exercise care in maintaining the confidentiality of any nonpublic information about EIC that nay be helpful to competitors, or otherwise harmful to EIC or its clients, except when disclosure is authorized or legally mandated. EIC has established a Privacy Policy, as required by SEC Regulation S-P. To fulfill its obligations thereunder, corporate-wide and individually, EIC has established a procedure whereby all supervised persons complete and sign a Confidentiality and Non-Solicitation Agreement.

Confidential information is to be used only for corporate purposes. Under no circumstances may a supervised person use such information for personal gain or pass it on to any person outside of EIC, including family or friends, or even to other EIC employees who do not need such information to carry out their duties.

Supervised persons may possess confidential information about those with whom EIC has business relationships. If released, such information could have a significant effect on their operations, business reputation or the market price of their securities. Disclosing such information could expose both the supervised person and EIC to liability for damages. Such information must be kept confidential.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.** **Financial.** 

Financial information about EIC is confidential unless it has been published in reports to shareholders or otherwise has been made available to the public. Except as required by law, financial information is not to be released to any person. Any questions about disclosing financial information shall be referred to the CCO.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.** **Regulatory.** 

EIC is periodically examined by regulatory examiners. Any reports made by those regulatory agencies are the property of those agencies and strictly confidential.

There may be civil and/or criminal sanctions for giving a regulatory report to an unauthorized person. Giving information from those reports to anyone not officially connected with EIC is a criminal offense. Any questions about disclosing regulatory information shall be referred to the CCO.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.** **Proprietary.** 

Certain non-financial information developed by EIC, such as business plans, methods of doing business, computer software and databases, is information that is proprietary and confidential. Supervised persons are not to disclose proprietary and confidential information to anyone outside of EIC or to use it directly or indirectly for their personal benefit or for the benefit of any third party that is not entitled to such information.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.** **Investment.** 

EIC forbids any supervised person from trading, either personally or on behalf of a client account, on material nonpublic information, or communicating material nonpublic information to other persona in violation of the law. This conduct, frequently referred to as "insider trading", is a part of EIC's Policy & Procedures Regarding Personal Securities Transactions & Insider Trading set forth in Section III of the Code**.**

**III. <u>POLICY & PROCEDURES REGARDING PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS & INSIDER TRADING</u>**

SEC Rule 204A-1 (the "Rule") requires reporting and monitoring of the investment activities of access persons of an investment advisory firm.

Generally, all supervised persons of EIC are regarded as access persons and are therefore subject to all applicable personal **securities** trading procedures and reporting obligations as set forth in the Code.

**Security** is defined under Section 202(a)(18) of the Advisers Act and Section 2(a)(36) of the Investment Company Act, as follows:

*Any note, stock, treasury stock, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement, collateral-trust certificate, pre-organization certificate or subscription, transferable share, investment contract, voting-trust certificate, certificate of deposit for a security, fractional undivided interest in oil, gas or other mineral rights, any put, call straddle, option, or privilege on any security (including a certificate of deposit) or on any group or index of securities (including any interest therein or based on the value thereof), or any put, call straddle, option or privilege entered into on a national securities exchange relating to a foreign currency, or in general, any interest or instrument commonly known as a "security" or any certificate of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, guarantee of, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase, any of the foregoing.*

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In July 2017, in a release commonly referred to the DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) Report, published in response to a 2016 incident in which promoters of an unincorporated virtual organization ("The DAO") commenced an ICO, the SEC determined that certain digital assets are securities for purposes of the U.S. federal securities laws. Some digital assets are explicitly designed to be treated as securities from the outset and are meant to represent traditional interests.

For purposes of the Code, the term "**covered security** shall mean all such securities described above except:

● securities that are direct obligations of the United States;

● money market instruments, including bankers' acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements;

● securities issued by any state or municipal subdivision thereof;

● shares of money market funds;

● shares of any registered open-end investment company except those advised by EIC (however, shares of the EIC Value Fund, which is advised by EIC, that may be purchased or sold in the EIC 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan shall not be included in the term "covered security");

● units of a unit investment trust as long as the trust is invested exclusively in unaffiliated mutual funds;

● any transaction exempt from registration is not subject to the prior clearance provisions of this Section.

Although the term "covered security" under the Advisers Act and the Investment Company Act represents an all-inclusive list of investment products, for purposes of the Code, the term will most often apply to those securities listed on any of the nationally recognized stock exchanges of the United States (i.e., New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange, Chicago Stock Exchange, Pacific Stock Exchange, Philadelphia/Baltimore Stock Exchange, or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System (NASDAQ) market, etc.). However, if there is any question by an access person as to whether a security is "covered" under the Code, an access person should consult with the CCO for clarification on the issue before entering any trade for their personal account. In addition to the above restrictions, no access person shall purchase or sell any covered security for any account in which they have beneficial ownership, if:

● such security is being considered for purchase or sale by the research team even though no order(s) has been entered with EIC's trading personnel;

● there is any possible conflict of interest or appearance thereof.

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An access person may not execute a securities transaction in their account or in any account in which they have a beneficial interest in a direction contrary to that currently recommended by the research team, i.e., selling a security when the research team is recommending the purchase of that security or vice versa. [Note: This provision may be waived by the CCO in special situations upon written request by the access person.]

**A.** **POLICY STATEMENT ON INSIDER TRADING** 

EIC forbids any access person from trading, either personally or on behalf of others, on material nonpublic information or communicating material nonpublic information to others in violation of the law. This conduct is frequently referred to as "**insider trading**". EIC's policy applies to every access person and extends to activities within and outside their duties at EIC. Every access person must read and retain this policy statement. Any questions an access person has after reviewing this policy statement on insider trading should be directed to the CCO.

The term "**insider trading**" is not defined in the federal securities laws, but generally is used to refer to the use of material nonpublic information to trade in securities (whether or not one is an "insider") or to communications of material nonpublic information to others.

While the law concerning insider trading is not static, it is generally understood that the law prohibits:

● trading by an insider, while in possession of material nonpublic information; or

● trading by a non-insider, while in possession of material nonpublic information, where the information either was disclosed to the non-insider in violation of an insider's duty to keep it confidential or was misappropriated; or

● communicating material nonpublic information to others.

The elements of insider trading and the penalties for such unlawful conduct are discussed below.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.** **Who Is An Insider?** 

The concept of "insider" is broad. It includes officers, directors and employees of a company. In addition, a person can be a "temporary insider" if they enter into a special confidential relationship in the conduct of a company's affairs and as a result is given access to information solely for the company's purposes. A temporary insider can include, among others, a company's attorneys, accountants, consultants, bank lending officers, and the employees of such organizations. In addition, EIC could become a temporary insider of a company for which it provides services. According to the Supreme Court, the company must expect the outsider to keep the disclosed nonpublic information confidential and the relationship must at least imply such a duty before the outsider will be considered an insider.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.** **What is Material Information?** 

Trading on inside information is not a basis for liability unless the information is material. "Material information" generally is defined as information for which there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider it important in making their investment decisions, or information that is reasonably certain to have a substantial effect on the price of a company's securities. Information that officers, directors and employees should consider material includes, but is not limited to: dividend changes, earnings estimates, changes in previously released earnings estimates, significant merger or acquisition proposals or agreements, major litigation, liquidation problems, and extraordinary management developments.

Material information does not have to relate to a company's business. For example, in Carpenter vs. U.S., 108 U.S. 316 (1987), the Supreme Court considered as material certain information about the contents of a forthcoming newspaper column that was expected to affect the market price of a security. In that case, a Wall Street Journal reporter was found criminally liable for disclosing to others the dates that reports on various companies would appear in the Journal and whether those reports would be favorable or not.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.** **What is Nonpublic Information?** 

Information is nonpublic until it has been effectively communicated to the market place. One must be able to point to some fact to show that the information is generally public. For example, information found in a report filed with the SEC, or appearing in Dow Jones, Reuters Economic Services, The Wall Street Journal or other publications of general circulation would be considered public.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.** **Basis for Liability.** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**a.** **Fiduciary Duty Theory.** 

In 1980, the Supreme Court found that there is no general duty to disclose before trading on material nonpublic information, but that such a duty arises only where there is a fiduciary relationship. That is, there must be a relationship between the parties to the transaction such that one party has a right to expect that the other party will disclose any material nonpublic information or refrain from trading. Chiarella v. U.S., 445 U.S. 22 (1980).

In Dirks vs. SEC, 463 U.S. 646 (1983), the Supreme Court stated alternate theories under which non-insiders can acquire the fiduciary duties of insiders: they can enter into a confidential relationship with the company through which they gain information (e.g., attorneys, accountants), or they can acquire a fiduciary duty to the company's shareholders as "tipees" if they are aware or should have been aware that they have been given confidential information by an insider who has violated their fiduciary duty to the company's shareholders.

However, in the "tipee" situation, a breach of duty occurs only if the insider personally benefits, directly or indirectly, from the disclosure. The benefit does not have to be pecuniary, but can be a gift, a reputational benefit that will translate into future earnings, or even evidence of a relationship that suggests a quid pro quo.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**b.** **Misappropriation Theory.** 

Another basis for insider trading liability is the "misappropriation" theory, where liability is established when trading occurs on material nonpublic information that was stolen or misappropriated from any other person. In U.S. v. Carpenter, supra, the Court found, in 1987, a columnist defrauded The Wall Street Journal when he stole information from the Journal and used it for trading in the securities markets. It should be noted that the misappropriation theory can be used to reach a variety of individuals not previously thought to be encompassed under the fiduciary duty theory.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**5.** **Penalties for Insider Trading.** 

Penalties for trading on or communication of material nonpublic information are severe, both for individuals involved in such unlawful conduct and their employers. A person can be subject to some or all of the penalties below even if they do not personally benefit from the violation. Penalties include:

● civil injunctions,

● treble damages,

● disgorgement of profits,

● jail sentences,

● fines for the person who committed the violation of up to three times the profit gained or loss avoided, whether or not the person actually benefited, and

● fines for the employer or other controlling person of up to the greater of $1,000,000 or three times the amount of the profit gained or loss avoided.

In addition, any violation of this policy statement can be expected to result in serious sanctions by EIC, including dismissal of the persons involved.

**B.** **POLICY STATEMENT ON IMPROPER PERSONAL TRADING** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.** **Prohibited Transactions.** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**a.** No access person shall engage in any act, practice or course of conduct, which would violate the provisions of Rule 17j-1 concerning personal investment activities of investment company personnel. Refer to the applicable trading restrictions set forth on Appendix B.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**b.** No access person shall engage in "**front-running** ". **Front-running** is the advance buying or selling with the knowledge of research recommendations or substantial orders by clients and mass trades for clients' accounts to be executed in the market. Front-running gives an access person substantial advantages over a client and is therefore prohibited.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**c.** Except as otherwise provided, no access person shall:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) purchase or sell, directly or indirectly, any security in which they have or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership and which at the time of such purchase or sale:

● is being considered for purchase or sale by EIC

● is being purchased or sold by EIC;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) disclose to other persons the securities activities engaged in or contemplated for the various portfolios of EIC;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) buy or sell a security before EIC has completed any planned purchase or sale of such security for all active EIC client accounts. However, an access person's purchase or sale may be allowed in the following circumstances:

● the planned purchase or sale has been completed for all EIC client accounts that are *eligible* (as determined by the trade parameters entered into portfolio management software; e.g.: sufficient cash is available for a purchase) to participate in the trade at the time the purchase or sale is initiated; *and* 

● the security in question has a market capitalization of $1.0 billion or greater at the time of the trade; *and* 

● the access person's proposed trade involves, in number of shares, less than 3% of the security's 6-month average daily trading volume (as recorded by the trader, using data from Telemet Orion software); *and* 

● the access person receives prior written approval for the trade;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) seek or accept anything of value, either directly or indirectly, from broker-dealers or other persons providing services to EIC. For the purposes of this provision, the following gifts will not be considered to be in violation of this section:

● an occasional meal;

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● an occasional ticket to a sporting event, the theater or comparable entertainment;

● a holiday gift of fruit or other foods; <u>provided</u>, however, that such gift is made available to all members of the recipient's department; *or* 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(v) trade on or communicate material nonpublic information, or "inside information" of any sort, whether obtained in the course of research activities, through a client relationship or otherwise.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**d.** Additionally, without prior notification to and receipt of approval from the CCO, or designee, no access person shall:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) acquire directly or indirectly any beneficial ownership in any securities in an IPO or ICO;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) purchase any securities in a Limited Offering or Private Placement; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) serve on the board of directors of any publicly traded company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.** **Exempted Transactions.** 

The prohibitions of Sections 1(c), and 1(d) above shall not apply to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**a.** purchases or sales effected in any account over which the access person has no direct or indirect influence or control;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**b.** purchases that are part of an automatic dividend reinvestment plan;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**c.** purchases or sales that are part of a systematic investment plan whereby assets are moved from one type of account to another, provided such accounts, together with the related security transactions, do not include securities owned by EIC or its client accounts; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**d.** purchases effected upon the exercise of rights issued by an issuer pro rata to all holders of a class of its securities, to the extent such rights were acquired from such issuer, and sales of such rights so acquired.

**Notwithstanding these general exemptions, the SEC has full authority to examine all personal securities transactions to determine any violation of federal securities laws.**

Violations of this policy on improper personal trading constitute grounds for trade cancellations and other sanctions, including fines, and dismissal of the persons involved if violations are repeated or deemed to be willful.

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**C.** **PROCEDURES TO IMPLEMENT EIC'S POLICIES AGAINST INSIDER TRADING AND IMPROPER PERSONAL TRADING** 

The following procedures have been established to aid access persons of EIC in avoiding improper personal trading, and to aid EIC in preventing, detecting and imposing sanctions against insider trading. Access persons must follow these procedures or risk serious sanctions, including dismissal, substantial personal liability and criminal penalties. Questions about these procedures should be directed to the CCO.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.** **Identifying Inside Information.** 

Before trading for oneself or others in the securities of a company, including investment companies or private accounts managed by EIC, about which an access person may have potential inside information, ask the following questions:

● Is the information material? Is this information that an investor would consider important in making their investment decisions? Is this information that would substantially affect the market price of the securities if generally disclosed?

● Is the information nonpublic? To whom has this information been provided? Has the information been effectively communicated to the marketplace by being published in Reuters, The Wall Street Journal or other publications of general circulation?

If, after consideration of the above, it is deemed that the information is material and nonpublic, or there are questions as to whether the information is material and nonpublic, an access person should take the following steps.

● Report the matter immediately to the CCO via the Portal.

● Do not purchase or sell the securities on behalf of oneself or others, including investment companies or private accounts managed by EIC.

● Do not communicate the information inside or outside EIC, other than to the CCO.

● After the CCO has reviewed the information, the access person will be instructed to continue the prohibitions against trading and communication or allowed to trade and communicate the information.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.** **Personal Securities Trading.** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**a.** **Pre-Clearance Requirements.** All access persons of EIC must obtain pre-clearance from the CCO, or designee, prior to executing any securities transaction in which they, their family/household members (including their spouse, minor and adult children and other adults living in the same household) or trusts of which they are trustees or in which they have a beneficial interest or are parties. Request for pre-clearance will be made through the Portal. Pre-clearance requests through the Portal require the access person to state whether they have material nonpublic information regarding the trade. If the answer is "Yes", the access person must complete a Material Nonpublic Information Disclosure via the Portal.

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Approval or denial of the trade will be communicated to the access person through email via the Portal. Pre-clearance authorization will be valid through the end of the business day in which the pre-clearance is requested. If the order for a securities transaction is not placed within that period, a new authorization must be obtained.

EIC's CCO will follow the same procedures outlined above, except clearance for their transactions will be obtained from Mr. W. Andrew Bruner.

Reporting of securities transactions pursuant to an automatic investment plan or in accounts in which the access person has a beneficial interest, but over which they have no direct or indirect control, are not required by Rule 204A-1 and are not subject to the trading restrictions of the Code.

In 2015, the SEC's Investment Management Division issued guidance with respect to what is "control". The fact that an access person provides a third-party manager discretionary investment authority over their account or provides a trustee with management authority over a trust for which they are a grantor or beneficiary, by itself, is insufficient for an adviser to reasonably believe that the access person has no direct or indirect influence or control over the account or trust for the purpose of the exception allowed in Rule 204A-1. "**Control**" would include:

● suggesting purchases or sales of investments to the trustee or third-party discretionary manager;

● directing purchases or sales of investments;

● ordering trades in the account; or

● consulting with the trustee or third-party discretionary manager as to the particular allocation of investments to be made in the account.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**b.** **Pre-clearance exceptions.** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) **Third-party investment manager.** To obtain an exception to the pre-clearance requirement for trading in account(s) where the access person does not have control over account(s) as defined above, they must submit a Personal Brokerage Account Disclosure along with a copy of the agreement(s) governing the account(s) via the Portal. Additionally, the third-party investment manager and the access person must attest in a letter addressed to the CCO that the access person does not have control over the account(s). The CCO, or designee, will then determine whether the accounts are under the control of the access person and whether the pre-clearance exception can be granted.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) **De minimis trades.** Access persons who do not have knowledge of client trading activity in a particular equity security or exchange traded fund ("ETF") are not required to pre-clear certain "de minimis" trades that meet the following criteria and may place these trades at any time:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) The total dollar value of a trade, or series of trades within a 30-day calendar period, of a particular equity security or ETF does not exceed $25,000.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) The equity security or ETF trades on a domestic exchange or financial market.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) The transaction is not in an IPO, ICO or limited offering. All transactions in IPOs, ICOs and limited offerings must be pre-cleared, without exception.

Access persons should err on the side of conservatism and should seek pre-clearance if there is any doubt of qualification under the de minimis trades exception.

Access persons who have executed de minimis trades must:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) Report de minimis trades on their quarterly securities transactions report and attestation (described below).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) Attest on their quarterly securities transactions report and attestation that they did not have knowledge of client trading activity when transacting de minimis trades.

**NOTE: The de minimis trade exception is not available to the Investment Team and trading personnel.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**c.** **Initial holdings report *.*** An initial holdings report must be submitted via the Portal to the CCO, or designee, no later than 10 days after becoming an access person of EIC. The information must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date of becoming an access person. The initial holdings report must contain the following information:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) the title and type of security;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, as applicable;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) the number of shares and principal amount of each reportable security or fund in which the access person has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership;

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) the name of any broker, dealer or bank with which the access person maintains an account in which any securities are held for the access person's direct or indirect benefit; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(v) the date the report was submitted.

As required by SEC Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act, an access person must also attest to holdings and transactions automatically linked in the Portal. If an account is not linked in the Portal, an access person's initial holdings report must be recorded manually on the Portal.

Additionally, brokerage accounts opened by an access person during their tenure with EIC will need to be disclosed via the Portal. If the account does not have a link to the Portal, the access person will need to upload a copy of the first statement to the Portal and record holdings manually.

Initial holdings reports must also include securities held in certificate form and private placement investments.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**d.** **Quarterly securities transactions report and attestation.** At the end of each quarter, an access person must review a quarterly transactions report generated via the Portal that details each of transaction in a "covered security" during the quarter. Additionally, an access person must submit an attestation to the CCO, or designee, no later than 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter that the report is accurate and complete.

Before submitting their attestation, an access person must provide trade confirmations and record all trading activity on the Portal for accounts not linked to the Portal.

All reportable transactions for the quarter must include the following information:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) the date of the transaction;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii) the security name;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii) the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, as applicable;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv) the number of shares;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(v) the nature of transaction (i.e. purchase, sale, exchange, etc.),

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(vi) the price and principal amount;

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(vii) name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through which the transaction was effected; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(viii) the date the report was submitted.

Each quarter, access persons will be required to attest to and/or disclose whether they have investment or trading discretion over accounts for which they have direct or indirect beneficial ownership that are managed by a third-party investment adviser or are held in trust.

As required by SEC Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act, an access person must also attest quarterly to holdings of covered securities. If an account is not linked in the Portal, an access person's quarterly transactions must be recorded manually on the Portal prior to submitting their attestation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**e.** **Annual holdings report.** An annual holdings report must be submitted via the Portal to the CCO, or designee, no later than 30 days after July 31<sup>st</sup> each year containing the same information required in the initial holdings report as described above. The information submitted must be current as of a date no more than forty-five (45) days before July 31st.

As required by SEC Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act, an access person must also attest annually to their holdings of covered securities. If an account is not linked to the Portal, an access person's annual holdings report must be submitted manually via the Portal prior to completing their annual attestation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.** **Violations Reporting.** 

Based upon a review of such reports, statements, pre-clearance requests and other documents, the CCO shall prepare a report of possible policy violations, which shall be submitted to EIC's Management Committee.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.** **Restricting Access to Material Nonpublic and Market-Sensitive Information.** 

Material nonpublic and market-sensitive information may not be communicated to anyone, including persons within EIC, except as provided in Item 1 above. In addition, care should be taken so that such information is secure when at rest.

An ethical wall is a process for mitigating conflicts of interest by limiting the communication of information between individuals or groups, whether written or oral, which could give rise to a conflict of interest. An ethical wall between Marketing employees and Portfolio Managers and Trading employees will be observed to prevent the improper or unintended dissemination of market sensitive information from one functional area of EIC to another in violation of a duty of trust or confidence. For example, during periods of mass trades that occur over several days, Trading employees and Portfolio Managers will not communicate with Marketing employees about such trades. Further, only completed trades will be included in RFIs and attributions.

Quarterly an access person will be required to confirm, via the Portal, whether they have been in the possession of material nonpublic information.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**5.** **Resolving Issues Concerning Insider Trading.** 

If, after consideration of the items set forth in Item 1 above, doubt remains as to whether information is material and nonpublic, or if there is any unresolved question as to the applicability or interpretation of the foregoing procedures, or as to the propriety of any action, it must be discussed with the CCO before trading or communicating the information to anyone.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**6.** **Recordkeeping.** 

EIC retains books and records related to the implementation of the Code in accordance with the provisions of the Rule 204A-1 and Rule 17j-1. Accordingly, EIC retains the following records:

● A copy of each Code in effect at any time within the past 5 years;

● A record of any violation of the Code, and of any action taken as a result of the violation for at least 5 years after the end of the fiscal year in which the violation occurs;

● A copy of each report made by an Access Person for at least 5 years after the end of the fiscal year in which the report is made;

● A record of all persons, currently or within the past 5 years, who are or were required to make reports or who are or were responsible for reviewing these reports;

● A record of any decision, and the reasons supporting the decision, to pre-approve investments in IPOs, ICOs, and Limited Offerings for at least 5 years after the end of the fiscal year in which the approval is granted.

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**APPENDIX B**

To Policy and Procedures Regarding Personal Securities Transactions and Insider Trading<br> (under Section 204A-1 of Investment Advisors Act)

**<u>SUMMARY OF RULE 17j-1(b)</u>**

**IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR:**

● any affiliated person of, or principal underwriter for, a registered investment company ("a Fund"), or

● any affiliated person of an investment adviser of, or of a principal underwriter for, a Fund, in connection with the purchase or sale, directly or indirectly, by the person of a Security Held or to be Acquired (see definition below) . . . by the Fund:

1) to employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud the Fund;

2) to make any untrue statement of a material fact to the Fund or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements made to the Fund, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading;

3) to engage in any act, practice, or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit on the Fund; or

4) to engage in any manipulative practice with respect to the Fund.

**Note:**

For purposes of Rule 17j-1, a "security held or to be acquired" by a Fund means:

1) any covered security within the meaning of the Rule (see the definition of the term "covered security" in the Code) which, within the most recent 15 days:

● is or has been held by the Fund; or

● is being or has been considered by the Fund or its investment adviser for purchase by the Fund; and

2) any option to purchase or sell, and any security convertible into or exchangeable for, a covered security.