# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0001518042
**File Stem:** 0001580642-23-001614
**Filing Date:** 2023-3
**Character Count:** 640396
**Document Hash:** f72e35644d550323c3f4b31136ae96b2
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001580642-23-001614.hdr.sgml**: 20230321

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001580642-23-001614

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 497

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 3

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20230321

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20230320

**EFFECTIVENESS DATE**: 20230321

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST II
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0001518042
- **IRS NUMBER:** 000000000
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** DE

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 497
- **SEC ACT:** 1933 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 333-269370
- **FILM NUMBER:** 23747281

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 225 PICTORIA DRIVE
- **STREET 2:** SUITE 450
- **CITY:** CINCINNATI
- **STATE:** OH
- **ZIP:** 45246
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 631-470-2600

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 4221 NORTH 203RD STREET, SUITE 100
- **CITY:** ELKHORN
- **STATE:** NE
- **ZIP:** 68022

## Series and Classes Contracts Data

### North Star Small Cap Value Fund (Series ID: S000079928)

---

|  |  |
|:---|:---|
| Class Name                                          | Class ID   |
| North Star Small Cap Value Fund Investor Class      | C000241410 |
| North Star Small Cap Value Fund Institutional Class | C000241411 |

---

## Series and Classes Contracts Data

### North Star Small Cap Value Fund (Series ID: S000079928)

| Class ID   | Class Name                                          | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000241410 | North Star Small Cap Value Fund Investor Class      |  |
| C000241411 | North Star Small Cap Value Fund Institutional Class |  |

**WALTHAUSEN FUNDS**

**Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund**

20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1416

Chicago, IL 60606

March 20, 2023

Dear Shareholder:

On behalf of the Board of Trustees of Walthausen Funds, we are pleased to invite you to a Special Meeting of Shareholders (the "Special Meeting") of the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund (the "Target Fund"), a series of Walthausen Funds, on April 14, 2023, at the principal offices of Thompson Hine, LLP, 41 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215, and virtually via conference call at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

We intend to hold the Special Meeting in person and virtually via conference call. However, we are sensitive to the public health and travel concerns our shareholders may have and recommendations that public health officials may issue in light of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, we may impose additional procedures or limitations on Special Meeting attendees or may decide to hold the Special Meeting in a different location or solely by means of remote communication. We plan to announce any such updates on our proxy website www.Walthausen.com/the-funds, and we encourage you to check this website prior to the Special Meeting if you plan to attend. We also encourage you to consider your options to vote by internet, telephone, or mail, as discussed below, in advance of the Special Meeting in the event that, as of April 13, 2023, in-person attendance at the Special Meeting is either prohibited under a federal, state, or local order or contrary to the advice of public health care officials.

As discussed in more detail in the enclosed Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus (the "Proxy Statement"), at the Special Meeting, the shareholders of the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund will be asked to consider and vote on two separate proposals, the first, a proposal to approve an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the "Plan") to reorganize the Fund into the North Star Small Cap Value Fund (the "Acquiring Fund"), which is a newly created series of Northern Lights Fund Trust II ("NLFT II") (the "Reorganization"). Upon shareholder approval and effectiveness of the Plan, you will receive shares of the Acquiring Fund equivalent to the value of your Target Fund shares as of the closing date of the Reorganization in complete liquidation and dissolution of the Target Fund, and you will no longer be a shareholder of the Target Fund, but will become a shareholder of the Acquiring Fund. **Importantly, approval of the Reorganization will not result in any increase in shareholder fees or expenses.** North Star has entered into an Operating Expenses Limitation Agreement where it has agreed to reduce the advisory fees or waive the Acquiring Fund's expenses so that they will not exceed 0.98% and 1.21% (on an annual basis) of the Fund's average daily net assets for Institutional Class shares and Investor Class shares, respectively ("Expense Limitation") for at least two years following the Reorganization. However, should North Star ever choose to not extend the Expense Limitation Agreement beyond the initial two years after the Reorganization, the Acquiring Fund's fees and expenses could increase after the fee waivers expire.

Walthausen & Co., LLC ("Walthausen") provided notice to the Board of Trustees of the Walthausen Funds (the "Walthausen Board") in late September 2022, that it intended to resign from its role as investment adviser, and recommended to the Walthausen Board that it consider alternatives to liquidation, including hiring another adviser to manage the Fund. At a virtual telephonic meeting held on December 8, 2022, the Walthausen Board approved an interim investment advisory agreement between North Star and the Walthausen Funds, on behalf of the Target Fund ("Interim Advisory Agreement"), to provide for the uninterrupted management of the funds, and a new investment advisory agreement with North Star ("New Advisory Agreement"), subject to shareholder approval. Effective December 15, 2022, certain business assets of Walthausen relating to its mutual fund advisory business were acquired as part of an asset purchase agreement between Walthausen and North Star (the "Transition").

As a result of the Transition, the shareholders of the Target Fund are separately being asked to consider and vote on a second proposal to approve the New Advisory Agreement between Walthausen Funds, on behalf of the Target Fund and North Star. At its meeting on December 8, 2022, the Walthausen Board approved the Interim Advisory Agreement and the New Advisory Agreement between North Star and Walthausen Funds, on behalf of the

Target Fund. The terms and conditions of the Interim Advisory Agreement are identical to the New Advisory Agreement, except to reflect the effective and termination dates and escrow provisions described in more detail in the Proxy Statement. The Interim Advisory Agreement became effective on December 15, 2022, when North Star became the interim investment adviser to the Target Fund following the approval of the Walthausen Board, and, under SEC rules, can remain in effect for not more than 150 days. Pursuant to the requirements of Rule 15a-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"), because the Transition involves a sale of Walthausen's mutual fund advisory business, shareholder approval of the New Advisory Agreement is necessary to permit payment to North Star of the fees accrued under the Interim Advisory Agreement even if the Reorganization is separately approved. Neither proposal is contingent upon the other and shareholders will vote separately on each proposal.

If the proposal for the Reorganization is not approved by shareholders, the Target Fund will continue operating as series of Walthausen Funds under the New Advisory Agreement (if approved), and the Walthausen Board will consider alternatives for the Target Fund including soliciting approval of a new proposal or take such action as it deems necessary in the best interest of the Target Fund and its shareholders. If the proposal for the New Advisory Agreement is not approved, but the proposal for the Reorganization is, the Reorganization will still occur. The two separate proposals are not contingent upon one another.

The Acquiring Fund have the same investment objectives and substantially similar investment strategies, policies, and risks as the Target Fund. Additional information about the Acquiring Fund is included in the enclosed Proxy Statement, including <u>Appendix D</u> thereto, and the Statement of Additional Information related to the Proxy Statement.

The Reorganization is intended to qualify as a tax-free organization for U.S. federal tax purposes. No sales charges or redemption fees will be imposed in connection with the Reorganization. The shares of the Acquiring Fund you receive will have the same aggregate net asset value as that of your shares of the Target Fund at the time of the Reorganization. Shares will be exchanged as follows:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Walthausen Funds**<br> **(Target Fund)** |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Northern Lights Fund Trust II (Acquiring Fund)** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;*Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund* | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;🡪 | &nbsp;&nbsp;*North Star Small Cap Value Fund* |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;*Investor Class Shares* | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;🡪 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Investor Class Shares |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;*Institutional Class Shares* | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;🡪 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Institutional Class Shares |

---

**The Walthausen Board unanimously determined that the Reorganization of the Target Fund is in the best interests of the Target Fund and recommends that shareholders vote "FOR" the proposal.**

Sincerely,

Eric Kuby

President

Walthausen Funds

**Walthausen Funds**

**Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund**

**20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1416**

**Chicago, IL 60606**

---------------------------

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

To Be Held on April 14, 2023

---------------------------

*To the Shareholders of the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund:*

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Special Meeting of Shareholders (the "Special Meeting") of the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund (the "Target Fund"), a series of Walthausen Funds, is to be held April 14, 2023, at the principal offices of Thompson Hine, LLP, located at 41 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215 and virtually via conference call at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

We intend to hold the Special Meeting in person and virtually via conference call. However, we are sensitive to the public health and travel concerns our shareholders may have and recommendations that public health officials may issue in light of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, we may impose additional procedures or limitations on Special Meeting attendees or may decide to hold the Special Meeting in a different location or solely by means of remote communication. We plan to announce any such updates on our proxy website www.Walthausen.com/funds, and we encourage you to check this website prior to the Special Meeting if you plan to attend. We also encourage you to consider your options to vote by internet, telephone, or mail, as discussed below, in advance of the Special Meeting in the event that, as of April 13, 2023, in-person attendance at the Special Meeting is either prohibited under a federal, state, or local order or contrary to the advice of public health care officials.

At the Special Meeting, you and the other shareholders of the Target Fund will be asked to consider and vote on the following proposals:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.** To approve an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the "Plan"), under which the Walthausen
Small Cap Value Fund, a series of Walthausen Funds (the "Target Fund"), will be reorganized as the North Star Small Cap Value
Fund, a newly created series of Northern Lights Fund Trust II (the "Acquiring Fund") (the "Reorganization");

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.** To approve a new investment advisory agreement between North Star Investment Management Corp. ("North
Star") and Walthausen Funds, on behalf of the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund (the "Advisory Agreement"); and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.** To transact such other business, if any, as may properly come before the Special Meeting or any adjournments
or postponements thereof.

The persons named as proxies on the enclosed proxy card may, in their discretion, vote upon such other matters as may properly come before the Special Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof.

Holders of record of the shares of beneficial interest in the Target Fund as of the close of business on February 21, 2023, are entitled to vote at the Special Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof.

If the necessary quorum to transact business or the vote required to approve any proposal is not obtained at the Special Meeting, or if a quorum is obtained but sufficient votes required to approve either proposal are not obtained,

the chairman of the Special Meeting, with the approval of the majority of shareholders present, may adjourn the Special Meeting one or more times to permit, in accordance with applicable law, further solicitation of proxies with respect to the proposals.

This Notice of Special Meeting of Shareholders and the Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus are available on the internet at www.Walthausen.com/funds. On this webpage, you also will be able to access the Target Fund's Prospectus and any amendments or supplements to the foregoing material that are required to be furnished to shareholders. We encourage you to access and review all the important information contained in the proxy materials before voting.

By order of the Board of Trustees of Walthausen Funds,

Sincerely,

Eric Kuby

President

Walthausen Funds

**Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Special Meeting of Shareholders to be Held on** April 14, 2023**, or any adjournment or postponement thereof.** This Notice and Combined Prospectus/Proxy Statement are available on the internet at www.proxyvote.com. On this website, you will be able to access this Notice, the Combined Prospectus/Proxy Statement, any accompanying materials and any amendments or supplements to the foregoing material that are required to be furnished to shareholders. We encourage you to access and review all of the important information contained in the proxy materials before voting.

**IMPORTANT — We urge you to sign and date the enclosed proxy card and return it in the enclosed addressed envelope, which requires no postage and is intended for your convenience. You also may vote in person at the time and at the address indicated on your proxy card; through the internet, by visiting the website address on your proxy card; or by telephone, by using the toll-free number on your proxy card. Your prompt vote may save the Target Fund the necessity of further solicitations to ensure a quorum at the Special Meeting.**

**QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS**

We recommend that you read the complete Combined Prospectus/Proxy Statement. The following Questions and Answers provide an overview of the key features of the Reorganization and of the information contained in this Combined Prospectus/Proxy Statement.

**Q. What is happening?**

A. In late September 2022, Walthausen & Co., LLC ("Walthausen") began discussions with the
Board of Trustees of the Walthausen Funds (the "Walthausen Board") regarding Walthausen's intent to exit the investment
advisory business and terminate its agreements with the Walthausen Funds. The Walthausen Board agreed that it was in the best interests
of the shareholders of the Walthausen Funds to seek the services of a new investment adviser for the Walthausen Funds rather than liquidate
the Walthausen Funds, which could have negative tax consequences for some shareholders. Members of Walthausen contacted potential advisory
firms, engaged in preliminary negotiations with several firms and on October 24, 2022, presented to the Walthausen Board information regarding
three investment advisers and their proposals for the Walthausen Funds. At the direction of the Walthausen Board, Walthausen continued
discussions and negotiations with North Star Investment Management Corp. ("North Star").

At a December 8, 2022, meeting the Walthausen Board approved an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the "Reorganization Agreement") between the Walthausen Funds and Northern Lights Fund Trust II ("NLFT II") to reorganize the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund (the "Target Fund") into the North Star Small Cap Value Fund (the "Acquiring Fund") (the "Reorganization"). The Acquiring Fund is a new series of NLFT II that was created specifically for the purpose of acquiring the assets and liabilities of the Target Fund. The Reorganization Agreement requires approval by the shareholders of the Target Fund, and if approved, the Reorganization is expected to close on or around the close of business on May 12, 2023, or such other date as the parties may agree (the "Closing Date").

At the December 8, 2022, Board meeting, the Walthausen Board also approved an interim investment advisory agreement ("Interim Advisory Agreement) between North Star and the Walthausen Funds, on behalf of the Target Fund, to provide for the uninterrupted management of the Target Fund and approved a new definitive investment advisory agreement with North Star ("New Advisory Agreement") that is subject to shareholder approval. North Star began managing the Target Fund on December 15, 2022, and will continue managing the Target Fund under either the Interim Advisory Agreement or the New Advisory Agreement until the Reorganization is consummated. If the Reorganization is consummated, North Star will continue as the adviser to the Acquiring Fund.

The shareholders of the Target Fund are separately being asked to approve the Reorganization and the New Advisory Agreement. As required by Rule 15a-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"), because the Transition involves a sale of Walthausen's mutual fund advisory business, shareholder approval of the New Advisory Agreement is necessary to permit payment to North Star of the fees accrued

under the Interim Advisory Agreement even if the Reorganization is separately approved. The New Advisory Agreement is set to take effect upon shareholder approval to ensure continued and uninterrupted management of the Target Fund.

**Q. What is this document and why did we send it to you?**

A. The attached Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus (the "Proxy Statement") is a proxy statement
for the Target Fund and a prospectus for the Acquiring Fund. (The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund may each be referred to as a "Fund,"
or, together, the "Funds"). Included with this Proxy Statement is a Proxy Ballot for the Target Fund. It provides you with
information you should review before providing voting instructions on the matters listed in the Notice of Special Meeting.

Because you, as a shareholder of Target Fund as of the Record Date of February 21, 2023, are being asked to approve a Reorganization Agreement that will result in a transaction in which you will ultimately hold shares of the Acquiring Fund, this Proxy Statement also serves as a prospectus for the Acquiring Fund.

*The Proxy Statement contains information that you should know before voting on the Reorganization, including additional* information *about the Acquiring Fund in <u>Appendix D</u> and the Statement of Additional Information related to the Proxy Statement. The Proxy Statement should be retained for future reference.*

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Q.** **Why is the Reorganization being proposed?** 

A. The proposed Reorganization is intended to facilitate the transition of the Target Fund to the family
of funds advised by North Star. North Star will serve as investment adviser to the Acquiring Fund, and it is not anticipated that the
Reorganization will result in any material change to the fund's investment objectives, principal investment strategies or policies.

**Q.** **How will the Reorganization work?** 

A. The Reorganization Agreement provides for: (1) the transfer of all of the assets of the Target Fund in
exchange for shares of beneficial interest of the Acquiring Fund (as shown below), and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all of
the liabilities of the Target Fund, and (2) the distribution of the shares of the Acquiring Fund pro rata to the shareholders of the Target
Fund in complete liquidation and termination of the Target Fund.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Walthausen Funds**<br> **(Target Fund)** |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Northern Lights Fund Trust II <br> (Acquiring Fund)** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;*Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund* | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;🡪 | &nbsp;&nbsp;*North Star Small Cap Value Fund* |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;*Investor Class Shares* | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;🡪 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Investor Class Shares |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;*Institutional Class Shares* | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;🡪 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Institutional Class Shares |

---

If shareholders of the Target Fund approve the Reorganization, each owner of Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares of the Target Fund will become a shareholder of the Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares, respectively, of the Acquiring Fund. Each shareholder of the Target Fund will hold, immediately after the close of the Reorganization (the "Closing"), shares of the Acquiring Fund having an aggregate net asset value equal to the aggregate net asset value of the shares of the Target Fund held by that shareholder on the Closing Date. Subsequently, the Target Fund will be liquidated and terminated.

Please refer to the Proxy Statement for a detailed explanation of Proposal 1. If the Plan is approved by shareholders of the Target Fund at the Special Meeting of Shareholders (the "Special Meeting"), the Reorganization is expected to be effective on or about the close of business May 12, 2023.

**Q.** **Are the investment objectives and strategies of the Acquiring Fund different from those of the Target Fund?** 

A. No, the investment objective of the Acquiring Fund will be identical to that of the Target Fund, and the
investment strategies of the Acquiring Fund will be substantially similar to those of the Target Fund.

**Q.** **How will management of the Acquiring Fund differ from the management of the Target Fund as a result of the Reorganization?** 

A. Walthausen had served as investment adviser to the Target Fund since the Target Fund's inception
in February 1, 2008, until the closing of the Transition on December 15, 2022. North Star currently advises the Target Fund pursuant to
the Interim Advisory Agreement. North Star also advises the Acquiring Fund and will do so after the Reorganization. North Star is an SEC-registered
investment adviser established in 2003 that offers both high net worth individual and institutional clients portfolio management services
in a variety of alternative investment offerings. As of September 20, 2022, North Star had approximately $1.53 billion in assets under
management. North Star advises four other mutual funds that are each a series of NLFT II in addition to the Acquiring Fund. The members
of the portfolio management team responsible for the day-to-day management of the Acquiring Fund have each served as portfolio managers
of each of the other mutual funds advised by North Star. No personnel from Walthausen will serve as portfolio managers of the Acquiring
Fund.

**Q.** **Will the Reorganization affect the fees and expenses I pay as a shareholder of the Target Fund?** 

A. The fees and expenses you pay as a shareholder of the Target Fund are expected to be the same after you
become a shareholder of the Acquiring Fund. For the Target Fund and Acquiring Fund, the management fee is 1.00% of the Fund's average
daily net assets. The total annual fund operating expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursement) for Institutional Class shares
and Investor Class Shares (with respect to the Target Fund) and Institutional Class shares and Investor Class (with respect to the Acquiring
Fund) is 0.98% and 1.21% per annum of each Fund's average daily net assets for Institutional Class shares and Investor Class shares,
respectively. Neither the Target Fund nor the Acquiring Fund imposes any shareholder fees, including redemption fees. While the Target
Fund has not adopted a Distribution and Shareholder Service (12b-1) Plan, the Acquiring Fund has adopted a 12b-1 Plan with respect to
Investor Class shares pursuant to which Investor Class shares pay up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of Investor Class shares
for distribution and shareholder servicing.

North Star has contractually agreed to reduce its management fee and/or pay expenses of the Target Fund to ensure that the total amount of Target Fund operating expenses (excluding front-end or contingent deferred loads, brokerage fees and commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), taxes and extraordinary expenses such as litigation), do not exceed 0.98% and 1.21% of the Target Fund's average net assets for Institutional Class shares and Investor Class shares, respectively (the "Target Fund Expense Limitation Agreement"), through at least May 31, 2025. Once the Target Fund Expense Limitation Agreement expires, the Target Fund's expenses may increase. North Star is permitted to receive reimbursement from the Target Fund for fees it waived and Target Fund expenses it paid, subject to the limitation that: (1) the reimbursement for fees and expenses will be made only if payable within three years from the date the fees and expenses were initially waived or reimbursed; and (2) the reimbursement may not be made if it would cause the expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver or currently in effect, whichever is lower, to be exceeded. The Target Fund must pay its current ordinary operating expenses before North Star is entitled to any reimbursement of management fees and/or expenses. The Target Fund Operating Expense Limitation Agreement can be terminated only by, or with the consent, of the Walthausen Board of Trustees. North Star is not entitled to recoup Target Fund expenses previously waived by Walthausen, the Target Fund's prior investment adviser.

North Star has contractually agreed to reduce its management fees and/or pay expenses of the Acquiring Fund to ensure that total amount of Acquiring Fund operating expenses (excluding front-end or contingent deferred loads, brokerage fees and commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, borrowing costs (such as

interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), taxes and extraordinary expenses such as litigation) do not exceed 0.98% and 1.21% of the Acquiring Fund's average net assets for Institutional Class shares and Investor Class shares, respectively, through at least May 31, 2025 (the "Acquiring Fund Expense Limitation Agreement"). North Star is permitted to receive reimbursement from the Acquiring Fund for fees it waived and Acquiring Fund expenses it paid, subject to the limitation that: (1) the reimbursement for fees and expenses will be made only if payable within three years from the date the fees and expenses were initially waived or reimbursed; and (2) the reimbursement may not be made if it would cause the expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver or currently in effect, whichever is lower, to be exceeded. North Star is not entitled to recoup Target Fund expenses previously waived by Walthausen nor will North Star be entitled to recoup Target Fund expenses it waives while managing the Target Fund. Accordingly, to the extent that Walthausen waived its advisory fees or paid expenses of the Target Fund prior to December 15, 2022, when North Star became the adviser to the Target Fund, and to the extent that North Star waives its advisory fees or pays expenses of the Target Fund from December 15, 2022 through the closing date of the Reorganization, those amounts are not eligible to be recouped following the Reorganization. North Star may not terminate the Acquiring Fund Operating Expense Limitation Agreement before May 31, 2025. The NLFT II Board of Trustees may terminate the expense waiver upon notice to North Star.

The terms of the Target Fund Expense Limitation Agreement and Acquiring Fund Expense Limitation Agreement are substantially identical.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Q.** **Will I own the same number of shares of the Acquiring Fund as I currently own of the Target Fund?** 

A. Although the number of shares of the Acquiring Fund you receive may differ from the number of Target Fund
shares you hold, in exchange for your shares of the Target Fund, you will receive shares of the Acquiring Fund equal in value to the net
asset value of your Target Fund shares immediately prior to the Reorganization.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Q.** **Will there be changes to the Board of Trustees and service providers for the Acquiring Fund?** 

A. Yes, Walthausen Funds and NLFT II have different Boards of Trustees, legal counsel, independent registered
public accounting firms, administrators, fund accountants, and distributors but the same fund accountant, transfer agent, and custodian
as set forth in the table below.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Target Fund** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Acquiring Fund** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Administrator | &nbsp;&nbsp;Premier Fund Solutions, Inc. | &nbsp;&nbsp;Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Fund Accountant | &nbsp;&nbsp;Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC | &nbsp;&nbsp;Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Transfer Agent | &nbsp;&nbsp;Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC | &nbsp;&nbsp;Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Custodian | &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Bank National Association | &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Bank National Association |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Distributor and Principal Underwriter | &nbsp;&nbsp;Foreside Fund Services, LLC | &nbsp;&nbsp;Northern Lights Distributors, LLC |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Auditor | &nbsp;&nbsp;Cohen & Company, Ltd. | &nbsp;&nbsp;RSM US LLP |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Legal Counsel | &nbsp;&nbsp;Thompson Hine LLP | &nbsp;&nbsp;Alston & Bird LLP |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Q.** **Who is paying for expenses related to the Special Meeting and the Reorganization?** 

A. Neither the Target Fund, nor the Target Fund's shareholders will pay any expenses related to the
Reorganization. North Star will bear all expenses relating to the Reorganization, including expenses related to the Special Meeting and
solicitation of proxies, preparing and filing the registration statement that includes this Proxy Statement, and the cost of copying,
printing, and mailing proxy materials. North Star will not seek reimbursement from the Funds for the expenses paid relating to the Reorganization.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Q.** **Will the Reorganization result in any taxes?** 

A. The Reorganization is expected to qualify as a "reorganization" within the meaning of section
368(a) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Accordingly, it is expected that the Target Fund will not

recognize any gains or losses as a direct result of the transfer of all of their respective assets and liabilities in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund or as a result of the liquidation and termination, and shareholders of the Target Fund will not recognize any gain or loss upon receipt of shares of the Acquiring Fund in connection with the Reorganization. At any time up to and including the last business day before the Reorganization, Target Fund shareholders may redeem Target Fund shares. Any such redemptions will generally result in the recognition of gain or loss to the redeeming shareholder for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For more detailed information about the tax consequences of the Reorganization, please refer to the "Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reorganization" section below. Shareholders of the Target Fund should consult their own tax advisers regarding the federal, state, local, and other tax treatment and implications of the Reorganization in light of their individual circumstances.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Q.** **Will my basis change as a result of the Reorganization?** 

A. No, your aggregate tax basis for federal income tax purposes of the Acquiring Fund shares you receive
in the Reorganization will be the same as the basis of your Target Fund shares you held immediately before the Reorganization.

**Q. What are the differences in the rights of shareholders between the Target Fund and Acquiring Fund?**

A. The Acquiring Fund is a series of NLFT II, a Delaware statutory trust, while the Target Fund is a series of Walthausen Funds, an Ohio business trust. Each of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund may issue an unlimited number of shares. The shareholders of the Target Fund and Acquiring Fund are entitled to one vote for each whole share held of the Target Fund or Acquiring (or a class thereof) (or a proportionate fractional vote in respect of a fractional share), on matters on which shares of the Target Fund or Acquiring Fund (or a class thereof) is entitled to vote. Shares of the Target Fund and Acquiring Fund each have no preemptive rights.

The Target Fund's governing instruments provide that, generally, a majority of shares entitled to vote constitute a quorum to transact business, while the governing instruments of the Acquiring Fund provide that, generally, 33 1/3% of shares present in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum.

The governing instruments of the Target Fund provide that shareholders may remove a trustee (i) by vote of the shareholders holding not less than two-thirds of the shares of Walthausen Funds then outstanding, cast in person or by proxy at any meeting called for the purpose, or (ii) by a declaration in writing signed by shareholders holding not less than two-thirds of the shares of Walthausen Funds then outstanding and filed with the Walthausen Fund's Custodian. The governing instruments of the Acquiring Fund provide that shareholders have the power to remove a Trustee only to the extent provided by the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Target Fund shareholders may bring derivative actions to the same extent as the stockholders of an Ohio business corporation while Acquiring Fund shareholders may bring derivative action on behalf of the NLFT II only if, in addition to the requirements set forth in Delaware law, the shareholder or shareholders first make a pre-suit demand upon the NLFT II Trustees to bring the subject action.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Q.** **Will the Reorganization affect my ability to buy and sell shares?** 

A. No. You may continue to make additional purchases or sales of the Target Fund shares either directly through
the Transfer Agent or through your financial intermediary up to and including the business day prior to the Reorganization, which are
anticipated to be on or about the close of business on May 12, 2023. Any purchases or sales of Target Fund shares made after the Reorganization
will be purchases or sales of the Acquiring Fund. If the Reorganization is approved, your Target Fund shares will automatically be converted
to the Acquiring Fund shares.

**Q.** **Will I be charged a commission or other fee as a result of the Reorganization?** 

A. No, there will not be any commission or other transactional fees imposed on shareholders in connection
with the Reorganization.

**Q. What will happen if the Plan is not approved by shareholders?**

A. If the proposal for the Reorganization is not approved by shareholders, the Target Fund will continue
operating as series of Walthausen Funds under the New Advisory Agreement (if approved), and the Walthausen Board will consider alternatives
for the Target Fund including soliciting approval of a new proposal or take such action as it deems necessary in the best interest of
the Target Fund and its shareholders.

**Q. Why am I being asked to vote on the New Advisory Agreement?**

A. Walthausen resigned as investment adviser effective December 15, 2022. As such, the prior advisory agreement
between Walthausen and Walthausen Funds, on behalf of the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund (the "Previous Advisory Agreement")
was terminated. As a result, the Walthausen Board approved the Interim Advisory Agreement and New Advisory Agreement between North Star
and Walthausen Funds, on behalf of the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund. The Interim Advisory Agreement took effect on the closing date
of the Transition on December 15, 2022, and will remain in effect until the earlier of the closing date of the Reorganization or 150 days
following the closing date of the Transition. Pursuant to Rule 15a-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"),
compensation earned by North Star under the Interim Advisory Agreement is being held in escrow. The terms of the Interim Advisory Agreement
and New Advisory Agreement, including the amount of compensation payable to North Star thereunder, are identical to the terms of the Previous
Advisory Agreement, except for the effective date, termination date and fee escrow provisions for the Interim Advisory Agreement only
and the substitution of "North Star" for "Walthausen." Once shareholders of the Target Fund approve the Interim
Advisory Agreement, North Star will be able to receive the amounts held in escrow for its services provided to the Target Fund under the
Interim Advisory Agreement. The New Advisory Agreement is set to take effect, upon shareholder approval, to ensure continued and uninterrupted
management of the Target Fund. If the Reorganization is approved, the New Advisory Agreement will only remain in effect until the closing
of the Reorganization.

**Q. What happens if the New Advisory Agreement is not approved by shareholders?**

A. If the New Advisory Agreement is not approved for the Target Fund, North Star will receive the lesser
of its costs incurred in rendering its services (plus interest) under the Interim Advisory Agreement or the amount held in escrow (plus
interest). If the New Advisory Agreement is not approved, the Interim Advisory Agreement allows North Star to continue to advise the Target
Fund for up to 150 days following the date they became the adviser on December 15, 2022, or until May 14, 2023. If the New Advisory Agreement
is not approved by shareholders, but the Reorganization is approved, the Reorganization will occur. The Reorganization is not dependent
upon approval of the New Advisory Agreement.

**Q. Why do I need to vote?**

A. Your vote is needed to ensure that a quorum and sufficient votes are present at the Special Meeting so
that the Proposals can be acted upon. Your immediate response on the enclosed Proxy Card will help prevent the need for any further solicitations
for a shareholder vote. Your vote is very important to us regardless of the number of shares you own.

**Q. How do I cast my vote?**

A. You may vote by attending the Special Meeting in-person. You may vote according to the instructions provided
on your proxy card. You may vote by telephone using the toll free number found on your proxy

card. You may also use the enclosed postage-paid envelope to mail your proxy card. You may also vote via the Internet. Please follow the enclosed instructions to use these methods of voting. We encourage you to vote by telephone or via the Internet. Use of telephone or Internet voting will reduce the time and costs associated with this proxy solicitation.

**Q. May I revoke my proxy?**

A. Any shareholder who has given a proxy has the right to revoke it any time prior to its exercise by attending
the Special Meeting and voting his or her shares in person, or by submitting a letter of revocation or a later-dated proxy card at the
address indicated on the enclosed envelope provided with this Combined Prospectus/Proxy Statement. Any letter of revocation or later-dated
proxy card must be received prior to the Special Meeting and must indicate your name and account number to be effective. Proxies voted
by telephone or internet may be revoked at any time before they are voted at the Special Meeting in the same manner that proxies voted
by mail may be revoked (i.e., the shareholder may attend the Special Meeting and revoke their vote or submit a letter of revocation any
time prior to the Special Meeting, or the shareholder may submit a new vote (in any capacity) to change their vote as only the shareholder's
most recent vote counts).

**Q. What does the Walthausen Board recommend that I vote?**

A. The Proposals have been carefully reviewed by the Walthausen Board, who unanimously recommend that shareholders
vote **"FOR"** Proposal 1 and "**FOR**" Proposal 2.

**Q. Whom do I contact for further information?**

A. You can contact your financial adviser for further information. You may also contact the Target Fund at
(toll-free) 1-888-925-8428 or on the Target Fund's website https://www.walthausenfunds.com. You may also contact the Acquiring
Fund (toll-free) at 1-855-580-0900, or on the Acquiring Fund's website www.nsinvestfunds.com.

**PLEASE VOTE THE ENCLOSED PROXY BALLOT CARD.**

**YOUR VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT**

**INSTRUCTIONS FOR SIGNING PROXY CARDS**

The following general rules for signing proxy cards may be of assistance to you and will avoid the time and expense to Walthausen Funds in validating your vote if you fail to sign your proxy card properly.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· Individual Accounts: *Sign your name exactly as it appears in the registration on the proxy card.* 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· Joint Accounts: *Each party must sign the proxy card. Each party should sign exactly as shown in the registration on the proxy card.* 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· All Other Accounts: *The capacity of the individual signing the proxy card should be indicated unless it is reflected in the form of registration. For example:* 

**<u>Registration Valid Signature</u>**

**<u>Corporate Accounts</u>**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| · | ABC Corp. | ABC Corp. |
| · | ABC Corp. | John Doe, Treasurer |
| · | ABC Corp | John Doe |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c/o John Doe, Treasurer |  |
| · | ABC Corp. Profit Sharing Plan | John Doe, Trustee |

---

**<u>Trust Accounts</u>**

· ABC Trust Jane B. Doe, Trustee <br> · Jane B. Doe, Trustee Jane B. Doe <br> u/t/d 12/28/78

**<u>Custodial or Estate Accounts</u>**

· John B. Smith, Cust. John B. Smith <br> f/b/o John B. Smith, Jr. UGMA <br> · Estate of John B. Smith John B. Smith, Jr. Executor

**COMBINED PROSPECTUS/PROXY STATEMENT**

**FOR THE REORGANIZATION OF**

**Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund** 

(a series of Walthausen Funds)

<u>Managed by:</u>

North Star Investment Corp.

20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1416

Chicago, IL 60606

**IN EXCHANGE FOR SHARES OF**

**North star Small Cap Value Fund**

(a series of Northern Lights Fund Trust II)

<u>Managed by:</u> <br> North Star Investment Management Corp. <br> 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1416

Chicago, IL 60606

1-855-580-0900

March 20, 2023

This Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus (the "Proxy Statement") is being sent to you in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Trustees (the "Board") of Walthausen Funds for use at a Special Meeting of Shareholders (the "Special Meeting") of the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund (the "Target Fund"), a series of Walthausen Funds, on April 14, 2023 at the principal offices of Thompson Hine, LLP, located at 41 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215 and virtually via conference call at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

At the Special Meeting, shareholders of the Target Fund will be asked to consider and vote on the following proposals (the "Proposal"):

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.** **To approve an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the "Plan"), under which the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund, a series of Walthausen Funds (the "Target Fund") will be reorganized as the North Star Small Cap Value Fund, a newly created series of Northern Lights Fund Trust II (the "Acquiring Fund") (the "Reorganization");** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.** **To approve a new investment advisory agreement between North Star Investment Management Corp. ("North Star") and Walthausen Funds, on behalf of the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund (the "Advisory Agreement"); and** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.** **To transact such other business, if any, as may properly come before the Special Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof.** 

The Proposals have been carefully reviewed by the Walthausen Board, who unanimously recommend that shareholders vote **"FOR"** Proposal 1 and "**FOR**" Proposal 2.

The Reorganization Agreement provides for: (1) the transfer of all of the assets of the Target Fund in exchange for shares of beneficial interest of the Acquiring Fund (as shown below), and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all of the liabilities of the Target Fund, and (2) the distribution of the shares of the Acquiring

Fund pro rata to the shareholders of the Target Fund in complete liquidation and termination of the Target Fund. After the Reorganization, shareholders will no longer be shareholders of the Target Fund, but will become shareholders of the Acquiring Fund.

Shares will be exchanged as follows:

*Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund*   <u>*North Star Small Cap Value Fund*</u> <br> <u>Investor Class Shares</u> <u>🡪</u> <u>Investor Class Shares</u> <br> <u>Institutional Class Shares</u> <u>🡪</u> <u>Institutional Class Shares</u>

Those present and the appointed proxies also will transact such other business, if any, as may properly come before the Special Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof.

*This Proxy Statement sets forth concisely the information you should know before voting on the Proposals. You should read it and keep it for future reference.*

The following documents containing additional information about the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund, each having been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), are incorporated by reference into (legally considered to be part of) this Proxy Statement:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· the Statement of Additional Information dated March 20, 2023 relating to this Proxy Statement (the "Proxy
Statement SAI");

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· the [Prospectus of the Target Fund](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm) , dated June 1, 2022 [, as supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001418191/000141304222001076/fp0081188-1_497ixbrl.htm) (the "Target Fund Prospectus") (File Nos. 333-147324 and 811-221143);

The following documents containing additional information about the Target Fund, each having been filed with the SEC and available:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· the [Statement of Additional Information of the Target Fund](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm) , dated June 1, 2022, [as supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222001078/walthsains.htm) (the "Target Fund's SAI") (File Nos. 333-147324 and 811-221143);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· the [Annual Report for the Target Fund](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000334/walthausenn-csr01312022.htm) for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2022 (the "Target Fund Annual Report") (File No. 811-221143);
and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· the [Semi-Annual Report of the Target Fund](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000850/walthausenn-csr07312022.htm) for period ended July 31, 2022 (the "Target Fund Semi-Annual Report") (File No. 811-221143).

This Proxy Statement will be mailed on or about March 24, 2023 to shareholders of record of the Target Fund as of February 21, 2023.

The Target Fund is a registered open-end management investment company. The [Target Fund Prospectus](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm), the [Target Fund Annual Report](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000334/walthausenn-csr01312022.htm) and the [Target Fund Semi-Annual Report](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000850/walthausenn-csr07312022.htm) have previously been delivered to the Target Fund's shareholders. Additional information about the Acquiring Fund that will be included in the Acquiring Fund's Prospectus, when available, is included in Appendix D to this Proxy Statement. The Acquiring Fund is newly organized and currently has no assets or liabilities. The Acquiring Fund is an open-end management investment company that has been created in connection with the Reorganization for the purpose of acquiring the assets and liabilities of the Target Fund. The Acquiring Fund will not commence operations until the date of the Reorganization.

Copies of these documents are available without charge and can be obtained for the Target Fund by visiting the website www.walthausenfunds.com or calling (toll-free) 1-888-925-8428, or for the Acquiring Fund by visiting the website www.nsinvestfunds.com, or by calling (toll free) 1-855-580-0900.

Each Fund is subject to the information requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and files reports, proxy materials and other information with the SEC. These reports, proxy materials and other information can be inspected and copied at the Public Reference Room maintained by the SEC. Copies may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing to the Public Reference Branch of the SEC Office of Consumer Affairs and Information Services, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549-0102. In addition, copies of these documents may be viewed online or downloaded from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

**No person has been authorized to give any information or make any representation not contained in this Proxy Statement and, if so given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorized. This Proxy Statement does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction in which, or to any person to whom, it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation.**

**Please note that investments in the Funds are not bank deposits, are not federally insured, are not guaranteed by any bank or government agency and may lose value. There is no assurance that either Fund will achieve its investment objective.**

**AS WITH ALL OPEN-END MUTUAL FUNDS, THE SEC HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED ON THE ADEQUACY OF THIS COMBINED PROSPECTUS/PROXY STATEMENT. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.**

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| Overview | 2 |
| Comparison Fee Table and Example; Portfolio Turnover | 4 |
| Summary Comparison of Funds and Principal Risks | 6 |
| Board Considerations | 17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Key Information About the Reorganization | 18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Federal Income Tax Considerations | 19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Description of the Shares to be Issued | 21 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Capitalization | 21 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Comparison of Forms of Organization and Shareholder Rights | 22 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Comparison of Valuation Procedures | 24 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Investment Advisers | 25 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Miscellaneous Information. | 30 |
| APPENDIX B – FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TARGET FUND | 33 |
| APPENDIX C – OWNERSHIP OF SHARES OF THE TARGET FUND | 36 |
| APPENDIX D – SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION FOR THE ACQUIRING FUND | 37 |
| APPENDIX E – PRINCIPAL RISKS OF THE TARGET FUND | 38 |
| APPENDIX F – INTERIM ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND NEW ADVISORY AGREEMENT | 40 |

---

**PROPOSAL 1 - TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION**

**OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION**

The Walthausen Board, including all the Trustees who are not "interested persons," as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), proposes that shareholders of the Target Fund approve the Plan, pursuant to which the Target Fund will reorganize into the Acquiring Fund and each Target Fund shareholder will become a shareholder of the Acquiring Fund. A form of the Plan is attached to this Proxy Statement as <u>Appendix A</u>. The Walthausen Board considered the Reorganization at a meeting held on December 8, 2022. The Walthausen Board's evaluation of the terms of the Plan, and other relevant information presented to the Walthausen Board in advance of and at the meeting, and in light of its fiduciary duties under federal and state law, the Walthausen Board, including all of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" of Walthausen Funds under the 1940 Act, determined that the Reorganization is (1) in the best interests of the Target Fund and its shareholders and (2) that participation in the Reorganization will not dilute the interests of the existing shareholders of the Target Fund. See "Board Considerations" for a summary of the factors considered and conclusions drawn by the Walthausen Board in approving the Plan and authorizing the submission of the Plan to shareholders for approval.

To reorganize the Target Fund into a series of Northern Lights Fund Trust II ("NLFT II"), a fund with the same investment objective, substantially similar principal investment strategies and identical risk profile as the Target Fund -- North Star Small Cap Value Fund -- has been created as a new series of NLFT II. If the shareholders of the Target Fund approve the Plan, the Reorganization will have these primary steps:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

· All of the assets of the Target Fund will be transferred to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for Investor
and Institutional Class shares of the Acquiring Fund and the Acquiring Fund's assumption of the Target Fund's liabilities;

· Immediately after the transfer of the Target Fund's assets as provided for in the Plan, the Target
Fund will distribute the Investor and Institutional Class Acquiring Fund shares received by the Target Fund pro rata to the shareholders
of each respective class in redemption of the outstanding shares of the Target Fund; and

· The Target Fund will be liquidated and terminated.

Approval of the Plan will constitute approval of the transfer of the Target Fund's assets to the Acquiring Fund, the assumption of the Target Fund's liabilities by the Acquiring Fund, the distribution of the Acquiring Fund's shares to the Target Fund shareholders, and the liquidation and termination of the Target Fund. The Target Fund will be the accounting survivor after the Reorganization. As a result of the Reorganization, existing shareholders of the Target Fund will become shareholders of the Acquiring Fund. Shareholders of the Target Fund will receive shares of the applicable class of shares of the Acquiring Fund with a value equal to the aggregate net asset value ("NAV") of their shares of the Target Fund held immediately prior to the Reorganization. No commission or other transaction fees will be charged to the Target Fund's shareholders in connection with the Reorganization.

The Reorganization is expected to qualify as a tax-free reorganization for federal income tax purposes. As a result, in general, the Target Fund will not recognize any gain or loss as a result of the transfer of all of its assets and its liabilities in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund or as a result of its liquidation and termination, and shareholders of the Target Fund will not recognize any gain or loss upon receipt of shares of the Acquiring Fund in connection with the Reorganization. The Reorganization will not take place unless NLFT II and Walthausen Funds receive an opinion from tax counsel confirming such tax treatment, which receipt is a non-waivable condition of the Reorganization.

**EFFECT OF THE REORGANIZATION**

As explained further in Proposal 2, effective December 15, 2022, North Star Investment Management Corp. ("North Star") acquired certain business assets of Walthausen & Co., LLC ("Walthausen'") relating to Walthausen's mutual fund advisory business. Accordingly, the primary purpose

of the Reorganization is to move the investment portfolio and shareholders presently associated with the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund, a series of NLFT II, which includes additional mutual funds advised by North Star.

Certain basic information about the Target Fund and Acquiring Fund is provided in the table below. The Target Fund and Acquiring Fund are sometimes referred to together as the "Funds."

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund<br> Target Fund** | &nbsp;&nbsp; **North Star Small Cap Value Fund<br> Acquiring Fund** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Identity of Fund** | &nbsp;&nbsp;A series of Walthausen Funds (an open-end management investment company registered with the SEC) | &nbsp;&nbsp;A series of Northern Lights Fund Trust II (an open-end management investment company registered with the SEC) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Ticker Symbol** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Institutional Class: WFICX<br> Investor Class: WSCVX | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same following the Reorganization |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Diversification Status** | &nbsp;&nbsp;Diversified | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same |

---

The Target Fund currently operates on a fiscal year ending January 31. Following the Reorganization, the Acquiring Fund will assume the financial history of the Target Fund. The Acquiring Fund anticipates changing the fiscal year of the Acquiring Fund to November 30 of each year in the future to reflect the fiscal year end of the other North Star series of NLFT II. The Walthausen Funds is organized as an Ohio business trust, NLFT II is organized as a Delaware statutory trust. As further described below, there are no material differences in shareholder rights based on the two states of organization and their respective governing documents.

After the Reorganization, there will be no change in the management of the Funds as currently in place as North Star currently serves as the adviser of the Target Fund under the Interim Advisory Agreement. The investment objective of the Acquiring Fund will be the same as that of the Target Fund, and the investment strategies of the Acquiring Fund will be substantially similar to those of the Target Fund. The principal investment risks of the Acquiring Fund will also be materially identical to those of the Target Fund.

The fees and expenses you pay as a shareholder of the Target Fund are expected to be the same after you become a shareholder of the Acquiring Fund. For each of the Target Fund and Acquiring Fund, the management fee is 1.00% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The total annual fund operating expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursement) for Institutional Class shares and Investor class shares with respect to the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund is 0.98% and 1.21%, respectively, per annum of each Fund's average daily net assets, respectively. Neither the Target Fund nor the Acquiring Fund imposes any shareholder fees, including redemption fees. While the Target Fund has not adopted a Distribution and Shareholder Service (12b-1) Plan, the Acquiring Fund has adopted a 12b-1 Plan with respect to Investor Class shares pursuant to which Investor Class shares pay up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of Investor Class shares for distribution and shareholder servicing.

Shareholders will continue to be able to make additional purchases or sales of the Target Fund's shares through their financial intermediary up to and including the business day prior to the Reorganization. If the Reorganization is approved, shares of the Target Fund will automatically be converted to shares of the Acquiring Fund.

**SUMMARY COMPARISON OF THE FUNDS**

**Fees and Expenses**

The tables below describes the fees and expenses that you pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Target Fund and the *pro forma* fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Acquiring Fund after giving effect to the Reorganization. **These tables and the following Examples do not include any brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries that investors may pay on their purchases and sales of Fund shares pursuant to the terms of their individual account agreements with such financial intermediaries.** Expenses for the Target Fund are based on operating expenses of the Target Fund for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2022. Expenses for the Acquiring Fund are *pro forma* operating expenses based on the Target Fund for the same period, assuming the Reorganization had occurred prior to the start of the period and includes restatements to reflect current fees.

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund**<br> **Target Fund**<br> *(Current)* | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund**<br> **Target Fund**<br> *(Current)* | &nbsp;&nbsp; **North Star Small Cap Value Fund**<br> **Acquiring Fund**<br> *(Pro Forma)* | &nbsp;&nbsp; **North Star Small Cap Value Fund**<br> **Acquiring Fund**<br> *(Pro Forma)* |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Shareholder Fees *(fees paid directly from your investment)*** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Institutional Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Investor Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Institutional Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Investor Class** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Maximum sales charge (load) (as a percentage of offering price) |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)<br> (as a percentage of the original offering price) |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Redemption fee |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Annual Fund Operating Expenses *(expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)*** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Management Fees | &nbsp;&nbsp;1.00% | &nbsp;&nbsp;1.00% | &nbsp;&nbsp;1.00% | &nbsp;&nbsp;1.00% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | &nbsp;&nbsp;0.00% | &nbsp;&nbsp;0.00% | &nbsp;&nbsp;0.00% | &nbsp;&nbsp;0.25% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Other Expenses<sup>(1),(2)</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp;0.45% | &nbsp;&nbsp;0.45% | &nbsp;&nbsp;0.46% | &nbsp;&nbsp;0.46% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | &nbsp;&nbsp;1.45% | &nbsp;&nbsp;1.45% | &nbsp;&nbsp;1.46% | &nbsp;&nbsp;1.71% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Less: Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements<sup>(3), (4)</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp;(0.47%) | &nbsp;&nbsp;(0.24%) | &nbsp;&nbsp;(0.48%) | &nbsp;&nbsp;(0.50%) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements<sup>,</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp;0.98%<sup>(3)</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp;1.21%<sup>(3)</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp;0.98%<sup>(4)</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp;1.21%<sup>(4)</sup> |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) Other Expenses for the Acquiring Fund are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year with
the Acquiring Fund's anticipated service providers.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) Prior to December 15, 2022, the Target Fund had in place a Services Agreement pursuant to which the Target
Fund's prior investment adviser, Walthausen, assumed and paid all ordinary expenses of the Target Fund except for all management
fees, brokerage fees and commissions, taxes, borrowing costs (such as (a) interest and (b) dividend expenses on securities sold short),
underlying fund fees and expenses, and extraordinary or non-recurring expenses in exchange for an annual fee of 0.45% of the average daily
net assets of the Fund up to $100 million, 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets between $100 million and $500 million, and
0.15% of such assets in excess of $500 million.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3) North Star has contractually agreed to reduce its management fee and/or pay expenses of the Target Fund
to ensure that the total amount of Target Fund operating expenses (excluding front-end or contingent deferred loads, brokerage fees and
commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), taxes
and extraordinary expenses such as litigation), do not exceed 0.98% and 1.21% of the Target Fund's average net assets for Institutional
Class shares and Investor Class shares, respectively (the "Target Fund Expense Limitation Agreement"), through at least May
31, 2025. North Star is permitted to receive reimbursement from the Target Fund for fees it waived and Target Fund expenses it paid, subject
to the limitation that: (1) the reimbursement for fees and expenses will be made only if payable within three years from the

date the fees and expenses were initially waived or reimbursed; and (2) the reimbursement may not be made if it would cause the expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver or currently in effect, whichever is lower, to be exceeded. The Target Fund must pay its current ordinary operating expenses before North Star is entitled to any reimbursement of management fees and/or expenses. The Target Fund Operating Expense Limitation Agreement can be terminated only by, or with the consent, of the Walthausen Board of Trustees.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4) North Star has contractually agreed to reduce its management fees and/or pay expenses of the Acquiring
Fund to ensure that the total amount of Acquiring Fund operating expenses (excluding front-end or contingent deferred loads, brokerage
fees and commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short),
taxes and extraordinary expenses such as litigation) do not exceed 0.98% and 1.21% of the Acquiring Fund's average net assets
for Institutional Class shares and Investor Class shares, respectively, through May 31, 2025. North Star is permitted to receive reimbursement
from the Acquiring Fund for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid, subject to the limitation that: (1) the reimbursement for fees and
expenses will be made only if payable within three years from the date the fees and expenses were initially waived or reimbursed; and
(2) the reimbursement may not be made if it would cause the expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver or currently in effect,
whichever is lower, to be exceeded. North Star may not terminate the fee waiver before May 31, 2025. The NLFT II Board of Trustees
may terminate the expense waiver upon notice to North Star.

**<u>Examples</u>**

The Examples below are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Target Fund with the cost of investing in shares of the Acquiring Fund after giving effect to the Reorganization. The expenses used in the Examples for the Target Fund are based on operating expenses of the Target Fund for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2022. The expenses used in the Example for the Acquiring Fund are *pro forma* operating expenses of the Acquiring Fund for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2022, assuming the Reorganization had occurred prior to the start of the period. The Examples assume that you invest $10,000 in a Fund and then redeem or hold all of your shares at the end of each period. The Examples also assume that your investment has a 5% annual return and that operating expenses remain the same. The Examples takes into account the Expense Cap for the Target Fund which are only reflected through May 31, 2025 and May 31, 2025, for the Acquiring Fund. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

**Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund / North Star Small Cap Value Fund** 

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**One Year** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Three Years** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Five Years** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Ten Years** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Target Fund** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Institutional Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$100 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$312 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$650 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$1606 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Investor Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$123 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$384 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$720 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$1670 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Acquiring Fund *(Pro Forma)*** |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Institutional Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$100 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$364 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$701 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$1654 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Investor Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$123 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$437 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$829 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$1925 |

---

**Fund Performance**

The Acquiring Fund have no performance history, since they will not commence operations until after the closing of the Reorganization. At that time, the Acquiring Fund will adopt the financial statements and the performance history of the Target Fund.

The bar charts and the performance tables illustrate the risks and volatility of an investment in Investor Class shares of the Target Fund for the past ten calendar years (or shorter as the case may be) and show how the Target Fund's average annual total returns for one year, five years, ten years and since inception, before and after taxes, compared with those of the Russell 2000 Value Index, a broad measure of market performance. Total returns would have been lower had certain fees and expenses not been waived or reimbursed. The following performance information illustrates the risks of investing in the Target Fund by showing changes in the Target Fund's performance from year to year and by showing how the Target Fund's performance compares to that of a broad-based securities market index. Returns and performance below are for Investor Class shares of the Target Fund. Because the Investor Class of the Target Fund has higher expenses than the Institutional Class of the Target Fund, its performance typically would have been lower than that of the Institutional Class. As always, past performance of the Target Fund (before and after taxes) is not an indication of how it or the Acquiring Fund will perform in the future. To obtain updated performance information for the Target Fund, please visit www.walthausen.com or call 1-888-925-8428.

**Target Fund<br> Calendar Year Total Return for Investor Class Shares as of December 31**![](image_001.jpg)

During the period of time shown in the bar chart, the Target Fund's highest quarterly return was 27.27% for the quarter ended December 31, 2020. The worst performance was -34.21% for the quarter ended March 31, 2020.

The table below shows the average annual total return of the Target Fund as of December 31, 2022, compared with the performance of a broad-based market index.

**Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended December 31, 2022** 

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**One<br> Year** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Five**<br> **Years** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Ten**<br> **Years** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Investor Class** |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Return Before Taxes | &nbsp;&nbsp;-10.18% | &nbsp;&nbsp;3.73% | &nbsp;&nbsp;7.87% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Return After Taxes on Distributions | &nbsp;&nbsp;-14.63% | &nbsp;&nbsp;0.12% | &nbsp;&nbsp;5.04% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | &nbsp;&nbsp;-4.50% | &nbsp;&nbsp;2.22% | &nbsp;&nbsp;5.73% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Institutional Class\* Return Before Taxes** | &nbsp;&nbsp;-10.08% | &nbsp;&nbsp;– | &nbsp;&nbsp;– |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Russell 2000 Value Index (does not reflect deductions for fees,** | &nbsp;&nbsp;-14.48% | &nbsp;&nbsp;4.13% | &nbsp;&nbsp;8.48% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **expenses or taxes)** |  |  |  |

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\*Institutional Class inception date 12/31/18.

**Comparison of Portfolio Turnover**

Each 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 Examples, affect the Fund's performance. Because the Acquiring Fund is newly organized, no portfolio turnover data is available. For the fiscal year ended January 31, 2022, the portfolio turnover rate for the Target Fund was 71.40% the average value of the Fund's portfolio.

**Comparison of Principal Investment Objectives, Strategies, and Policies**

The Target Fund and Acquiring Fund have the same investment objective and substantially similar investment strategies, which are presented below. The investment objective of each Fund is not a fundamental policy and thus may be changed without notice or shareholder approval, although there is no present intention to do so.

The Acquiring Fund has been created as a new series of NLFT II solely for the purpose of acquiring the Target Fund's assets and continuing its business and will not conduct any investment operations until after the closing of the Reorganization. If the Reorganization is approved, all of the Target Fund's assets will be transferred to and held by the Acquiring Fund immediately following the Reorganization.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Target Fund</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Acquiring Fund</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;***Investment Objective*** | &nbsp;&nbsp;The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation. | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same. |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Target Fund</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Acquiring Fund</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;***Principal Investment Strategies*** | &nbsp;&nbsp; **The Principal Investment Strategy of the Fund**<br> The Fund invests primarily in common stocks of small capitalization companies that the Advisor believes have the potential for capital appreciation. Small capitalization companies are defined as those with market capitalizations of $2 billion or less at the time of purchase. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets plus any borrowing for investment purposes in common stocks of small capitalization companies, as defined above. The Fund emphasizes a "value"\*investment style, investing in companies that appear underpriced according to certain financial measurements of their worth or business prospects.<br>**The Principal Investment Strategy of the Fund**<br> The Fund invests primarily in common stocks of small capitalization companies that the Advisor believes have the potential for capital appreciation. Small capitalization companies are defined as those with market capitalizations of $2 billion or less at the time of purchase. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets plus any borrowing for investment purposes in common stocks of small capitalization companies, as defined above. The Fund emphasizes a "value" investment style, investing in companies that appear underpriced according to certain financial measurements of their worth or business | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Principal Investment Strategies.** <br> The Fund invests primarily in common stocks of small capitalization U.S. companies that the Adviser believes have the potential for capital appreciation. Small capitalization companies are defined as those with market capitalizations of $2 billion or less at the time of purchase. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets plus any borrowing for investment purposes in common stocks of small capitalization companies, as defined above. The Fund emphasizes a "value" investment style, investing in companies that appear underpriced according to certain financial measurements of their worth or business prospects. While the Fund manages risk by investing in securities across a broad range of industries and market sectors, the Fund may at times focus its investments in a particular sector or sectors of the U.S. equity markets.<br> *Investment Strategies*.** The Fund invests primarily in common stocks of small capitalization U.S. companies that the Adviser believes have the potential for capital appreciation. Small capitalization companies are defined as those with market capitalizations of $2 billion or less at the time of purchase.<br> Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets plus any borrowing for investment purposes in common stocks of small capitalization companies, as defined above. The Fund emphasizes a "value" investment style, investing in companies that appear underpriced according to certain financial measurements of their worth or business |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;prospects. The Board of Trustees can change this policy without shareholder approval. The Fund will notify you in writing at least 60 days before implementing any change to this policy.<br> The Fund may invest in other securities as described in the Statement of Additional Information, which is available upon request.<br> **The Investment Selection Process Used by the Fund**<br> The Advisor searches for securities by using a proprietary valuation model to identify companies that are trading at a discount to intrinsic value. The starting universe is small capitalization companies defined as those with market capitalizations of $2 billion or less. Once investment ideas meet screening criteria, the Advisor studies public filings and constructs detailed models to project earnings and cash flows. The Advisor frequently contacts company management and/or industry experts to develop a clearer understanding of each investment idea. Final investment decisions are based on the Advisor's internally prepared models and valuation metrics.<br> The Advisor may sell a security when it reaches the Advisor's appraised value, when there is a more attractively priced company as an alternative, when the fundamentals of the business have changed, or when the Advisor determines that management of the company is not enhancing shareholder value. These portfolio reviews are conducted continuously through close monitoring of stock prices, changes in the economy, and corporate developments.<br> For temporary defensive purposes, the Fund may hold cash or cash-equivalents and invest without limit in obligations of the U.S. Government and its agencies, money market funds and money market securities, including high-grade commercial paper, certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements and short-term debt securities. Under these circumstances, the Fund may not participate in stock market advances or declines to the same extent it would had it remained more fully invested in common stocks. | &nbsp;&nbsp; prospects. The Board of Trustees can change this policy without shareholder approval. The Fund will notify you in writing at least 60 days before implementing any change to this policy.<br> While the Fund manages risk by investing in securities across a broad range of industries and market sectors, the Fund may at times focus its investments in a particular sector or sectors of the U.S. equity markets.<br> The Fund may invest in other securities as described in the Statement of Additional Information, which is available upon request.<br> *Investment Selection*. The Adviser searches for securities by using a proprietary valuation model to identify companies that are trading at a discount to intrinsic value. The starting universe is small capitalization companies defined as those with market capitalizations of $2 billion or less. Once investment ideas meet screening criteria, the Adviser studies public filings and constructs detailed models to project earnings and cash flows. The Adviser frequently contacts company management and/or industry experts to develop a clearer understanding of each investment idea. Final investment decisions are based on the Adviser's internally prepared models and valuation metrics.<br> The Adviser may sell a security when it reaches the Adviser's appraised value, when there is a more attractively priced company as an alternative, when the fundamentals of the business have changed, or when the Adviser determines that management of the company is not enhancing shareholder value. These portfolio reviews are conducted continuously through close monitoring of stock prices, changes in the economy, and corporate developments.<br> *Temporary or Cash Investments*. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will stay fully invested according to its principal investment strategies as noted above. The Fund, however, may temporarily depart from its principal investment strategies by making short-term investments in cash, cash equivalents, and high-quality, short-term debt securities and money market instruments for temporary defensive purposes in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions, or other  |

---

&nbsp;&nbsp; events (including, for example, terrorism, war, natural disasters and disease/virus epidemics). This may result in the Fund not achieving its investment objectives during that period.<br> For longer periods of time (*i.e.*, more than 12 months), the Fund may hold a substantial cash position if abnormal conditions persist or the Adviser is unable to find securities that meet their valuation criteria. If the market advances during periods when the Fund is holding a large cash position, the Fund may not participate to the extent it would have if the Fund had been more fully invested. To the extent that the Fund uses a money market fund for its cash position, there will be some duplication of expenses because the Fund would bear its pro rata portion of such money market Fund's advisory fees and operational expenses.<br>

**Principal Investment Risks**. The principal risks of investing in the Acquiring Fund are discussed below. The principal risks of the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund are the same, except the Acquiring Fund considers Cyber Security Risk to be an "Other Risk" rather than a Principal Investment Risk, because the principal investment strategies of the Funds are substantially similar, although the description of those risks may vary between the Funds. The principal risks for the Acquiring Fund are described below. For the principal risks associated with an investment in the Target Fund, please consult <u>Appendix E</u>.

The value of your investment in the Acquiring Fund and Target Fund will fluctuate, which means you could lose money.

*The following principal risks apply to the North Star Small Cap Value Fund:*

*Equity Securities Risk.* The Fund invests in common stock, which subjects the Fund and its shareholders to the risks associated with common stock investing. These risks include the financial risk of selecting securities that do not perform as anticipated, the risk that the stock markets in which the Fund invests may experience periods of turbulence and instability, and the general risk that domestic and global economies may go through periods of decline and cyclical change. Many factors affect the performance of each company, including the strength of the company's management or the demand for its product or services. You should be aware that the value of a company's share price may decline as a result of poor decisions made by management or lower demand for the company's products or services. In addition, a company's share price may also decline if its earnings or revenues fall short of expectations. If you held common stock of any given issuer, you would generally be exposed to greater risk than if you held preferred stocks and debt obligations of the issuer because common stockholders generally have inferior rights to receive payments from issuers in comparison with the rights of preferred stockholders, bondholders and other creditors of such issuers. Additionally, there are overall stock market risks that may also affect the value of the Fund. Over time, the stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods when stock prices rise generally and periods when stock prices decline generally. The value of the Fund's investments may increase or decrease more than the stock markets in general.

*General Market Risk.* The market value of a security may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. These fluctuations may cause a security to be worth less than the price originally paid for it, or less than it was worth at an earlier time. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, sector of the economy or the market as a whole. Domestic and foreign economic growth and market conditions,

interest rate levels, political events, terrorism, war, natural disasters, disease/virus epidemics and other events are among the factors affecting the securities markets in which the Fund invests. There is risk that these and other factors may adversely affect the Fund's performance. These events could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closure, travel restrictions or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the economy. These events could also impair the information technology and other operational systems upon which the Fund's service providers, including the Adviser, rely, and could otherwise disrupt the ability of employees of the Fund's service providers to perform essential tasks on behalf of the Fund. Governmental and quasi-governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world have in the past responded to major economic disruptions with a variety of significant fiscal and monetary policy changes, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions into companies, new monetary programs and dramatically lower interest rates. An unexpected or quick reversal of these policies, or the ineffectiveness of these policies, could increase volatility in securities markets, which could adversely affect the Fund's investments. You should consider your own investment goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance before investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund may not be appropriate for all investors and is not intended to be a complete investment program. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit in the bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. You may lose money by investing in the Fund.

*Investment Management Risk*. The Adviser's strategy may fail to produce the intended results.

*Sector Risk*. Sector risk is the possibility that stocks within the same group of industries will decline in price due to sector-specific market or economic developments. If the Adviser invests a significant portion of its assets in a particular sector, the Fund is subject to the risk that companies in the same sector are likely to react similarly to legislative or regulatory changes, adverse market conditions and/or increased competition affecting that market segment. The sectors in which the Fund may be overweighted will vary.

*Small- Company Risk.* Generally, small-cap, and less seasoned companies, have more potential for rapid growth. They also often involve greater risk than large- or mid-cap companies, and these risks are passed on to the Fund. These small-cap companies may not have the management experience, financial resources, product diversification and competitive strengths of large- or mid-cap companies, and, therefore, their securities tend to be more volatile than the securities of larger, more established companies, making them less liquid than other securities. Small-cap company stocks tend to be bought and sold less often and in smaller amounts than larger company stocks. Because of this, if the Fund wants to sell a large quantity of a small-cap company's stock, it may have to sell at a lower price than the Adviser might prefer, or it may have to sell in smaller than desired quantities over a period of time. An investment in the Fund that is subject to these risks may be more suitable for long-term investors who are willing to bear the risk of these fluctuations.

Additionally, as compared to companies with larger market capitalizations, smaller capitalization companies may target narrower geographic regions, have shallower market penetrations, offer less diverse product or service lines, lack management depth, and, generally speaking, have fewer resources. There may also be less public information available about them. Moreover, the securities of such smaller companies are often less well known to the investment community and therefore have less market liquidity; as a result, their stock prices may be more volatile and react more strongly to changes in the marketplace. Generally, these risks increase as the size of a company's market capitalization falls.

*Value Style Investing Risk.* Value stocks can perform differently from the market as a whole and from other types of stocks. Value stocks may be purchased based upon the belief that a given security may be out of favor. Value investing seeks to identify stocks that have depressed valuations, based upon a number of factors which are thought to be temporary in nature, and to sell them at superior profits when their prices rise in response to resolution of the issues which caused the valuation of the stock to be depressed. While certain value stocks may increase in value more quickly during periods of anticipated economic upturn, they may also lose value more quickly in periods of anticipated economic downturn. Furthermore, there is the risk that the factors which caused the depressed valuations are longer term or even permanent in nature, and that there will not be any rise in valuation. Finally, there is the increased risk in such situations that such companies may not have sufficient resources to continue as ongoing businesses, which would result in the stock of such companies potentially becoming worthless.

*The following "Other Risk" applies to the North Star Small Cap Value Fund:*

*Cyber Security Risk.* As the use of technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become more susceptible to operational, financial and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks and/or technological malfunctions. Cyber-attacks include, among other things, the attempted theft, loss, misuse, improper release, corruption or destruction of, or unauthorized access to, confidential or highly restricted data relating to the Fund and its shareholders; and attempted compromises or failures to systems, networks, devices and applications relating to the operations of the Fund and its service providers. Cyber security breaches may result from unauthorized access to digital systems (*e.g.*, through "hacking" or malicious software coding) or from outside attacks, such as denial-of-service attacks on websites (*i.e*., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users).

**Comparison of Investment Restrictions**. The investment restrictions adopted by the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund as fundamental investment restrictions (*i.e.*, cannot be changed by either Funds' Board of Trustees without affirmative shareholder approval) are materially identical. A fundamental restriction cannot be changed without the affirmative vote of the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the voting securities of the Fund present at the meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the Fund's outstanding voting securities are present or represented by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The investment restrictions adopted by the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund as non-fundamental investment restrictions are materially identical. A non-fundamental restriction may be changed by a Fund's Board of Trustees without shareholder approval.

A comparison of the Target Fund's and the Acquiring Fund's fundamental and non-fundamental investment restrictions is set forth below. The Target Fund's fundamental and non-fundamental investment restrictions are also summarized under the section entitled "Investment Restrictions" in the [Target Fund's SAI](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm), [as supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222001078/walthsains.htm), which is incorporated by reference into this Proxy Statement. The Acquiring Fund's fundamental and non-fundamental investment restrictions, as well as the Acquiring Fund's interpretations of those restrictions, are also described in the Proxy Statement SAI.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Fundamental Investment Restrictions</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Fundamental Investment Restrictions</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Target Fund</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Acquiring Fund</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;1. Borrowing Money. The Target Fund will not borrow money, except: (a) from a bank, provided that immediately after such borrowing there is an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings of the Target Fund; or (b) from a bank or other persons for temporary purposes only, provided that such temporary borrowings are in an amount not exceeding 5% of the Target Fund's total assets at the time when the borrowing is made. This limitation does not preclude the Target Fund from entering into reverse repurchase transactions, provided that the Fund has an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings and repurchase commitments of the Target Fund pursuant to reverse repurchase transactions. | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;2. Senior Securities. The Target Fund will not issue senior securities. This limitation is not applicable to activities that may be deemed to involve the issuance or sale of a senior security by the Target Fund, provided that the Target Fund's engagement in such activities is consistent with or permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or interpretations of the SEC or its staff. | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same. |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Fundamental Investment Restrictions</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Fundamental Investment Restrictions</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Target Fund</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Acquiring Fund</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;3. Underwriting. The Target Fund will not act as underwriter of securities issued by other persons. This limitation is not applicable to the extent that, in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities (including restricted securities), a Fund may be deemed an underwriter under certain federal securities laws. | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;4. Real Estate. The Target Fund will not purchase or sell real estate. This limitation is not applicable to investments in marketable securities which are secured by or represent interests in real estate. This limitation does not preclude the Target Fund from investing in mortgage-related securities or investing in companies engaged in the real estate business or that have a significant portion of their assets in real estate (including real estate investment trusts). | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;5. Commodities. The Target Fund will not purchase or sell commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other investments. This limitation does not preclude the Target Fund from purchasing or selling options or futures contracts, from investing in securities or other instruments backed by commodities or from investing in companies which are engaged in a commodities business or have a significant portion of their assets in commodities. | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;6. Loans. The Target Fund will not make loans to other persons, except: (a) by loaning portfolio securities; (b) by engaging in repurchase agreements; or (c) by purchasing nonpublicly offered debt securities. For purposes of this limitation, the term "loans" shall not include the purchase of a portion of an issue of publicly distributed bonds, debentures or other securities. | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;7. Concentration. The Target Fund will not invest 25% or more of its total assets in a particular industry. This limitation is not applicable to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities or repurchase agreements with respect thereto. | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Non-Fundamental Investment Restrictions</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Non-Fundamental Investment Restrictions</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;1. Pledging. The Target Fund will not mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or in any manner transfer, as security for indebtedness, any assets of the Target Fund except as may be necessary in connection with borrowings described in limitation (1) above. Margin deposits, security interests, liens and collateral arrangements with respect to transactions involving options, futures contracts, short sales and other permitted investments and techniques are not deemed | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same. |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Fundamental Investment Restrictions</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Fundamental Investment Restrictions</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Target Fund</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Acquiring Fund</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;to be a mortgage, pledge or hypothecation of assets for purposes of this limitation. |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;2. Borrowing. The Target Fund will not purchase any security while borrowings (including reverse repurchase agreements) representing more than one third of its total assets are outstanding. | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;3. Margin Purchases. The Target Fund will not purchase securities or evidences of interest thereon on "margin." This limitation is not applicable to short term credit obtained by the Target Fund for the clearance of purchases and sales or redemption of securities, or to arrangements with respect to transactions involving options, futures contracts, short sales and other permitted investments and techniques. | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;4. Options. The Target Fund will not purchase or sell puts, calls, options or straddles, except as described in the Statement of Additional Information. | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;5. Illiquid Investments. The Target Fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in securities for which there are legal or contractual restrictions on resale and other illiquid securities. | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;6. 80% Investment Policy. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund's assets (defined as net assets plus the amount of any borrowing for investment purposes) will be invested in small capitalization companies. The Acquiring Fund will not change this policy unless the Acquiring Fund's shareholders are provided with at least 60 days prior written notice. | &nbsp;&nbsp;Same. |

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<u>Target Fund and Acquiring Fund</u>

With respect to the percentages adopted by a Fund as maximum limitations on its investment policies and limitations, an excess above the fixed percentage will not be a violation of the policy or limitation unless the excess results immediately and directly from the acquisition of any security or the action taken; provided, however, that the asset coverage requirement applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.

**Management Comparisons**

***Boards of Trustees***

Overall responsibility for oversight of Walthausen Funds rests with its Board (the "Walthausen Board"). The Walthausen Board is responsible for overseeing North Star and other service providers in the operations of Walthausen Funds in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act, applicable provisions of state and other laws and Walthausen Fund's governing documents. The Walthausen Board currently has

three Trustees. A list of the Trustees and officers of Walthausen Funds, and their present positions and principal occupations, is provided under "Trustees and Officers" in the [Target Fund's SAI](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm), as [supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222001078/walthsains.htm).

Overall responsibility for oversight of NLFT II rests with its Board of Trustees (the "NLFT II Board"). The NLFT II Board is responsible for overseeing North Star and other service providers in the operations of NLFT II in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act, applicable provisions of state and other laws and NLFT II's governing documents. NLFT II currently has five Trustees, all of whom are not "interested persons" as that term is defined under the 1940 Act, of NLFT II. A list of the Trustees and officers of NLFT II, and their present positions and principal occupations, is provided under the section entitled "Management of the Trust" in the Proxy Statement SAI.

***Investment Adviser of the Funds***

The following table describes the management of the Funds.

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Target Fund** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Acquiring Fund** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Investment <br> Adviser** | &nbsp;&nbsp; North Star Investment Management Corp. ("North Star")<br> (Prior to December 8, 2022, Walthausen & Co., LLC ("Walthausen") was the investment adviser to the Fund) | &nbsp;&nbsp;North Star Investment Management Corp. ("North Star") |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Management Fee** (as a percentage of average daily net assets) | &nbsp;&nbsp;1.00% | &nbsp;&nbsp;1.00% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Portfolio<br> Managers** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Eric Kuby<br> Peter Gottlieb<br> (Prior to December 8, 2022, Gerard S.E. Hefferman had managed the Fund since March 2018) | &nbsp;&nbsp;Eric Kuby<br> Peter Gottlieb |

---

The portfolio managers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. The [Target Fund's SAI](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm), as [supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222001078/walthsains.htm) provides additional information about the portfolio managers' compensation structure, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers, and the portfolio managers' ownership of shares of the Funds.

*Eric Kuby.* Mr. Kuby has over 37 years of experience serving both individual and institutional clients. Mr. Kuby joined the Adviser in 2004 and has been Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2005. As Chairman of the Investment Committee, Mr. Kuby is responsible for overseeing the firm's various investment strategies. Mr. Kuby holds an MBA in Finance as well as a BA in Economics from The University of Chicago.

*Peter Gottlieb.* Mr. Gottlieb has over 31 years' experience in the financial industry as a financial advisor as well as serving on the Board of Directors of a community bank, a publicly traded business development company and a community hospital. Mr. Gottlieb is the Founder and President of the Adviser since 2003. Mr. Gottlieb earned his BA degree from the University of Michigan, School of Business.

***Section 15(f) of the 1940 Act***

Section 15(f) of the 1940 Act provides a non-exclusive "safe harbor" under which an investment adviser to a registered investment company or an affiliated person of such an investment adviser may receive any amount or benefit in connection with a sale of securities of, or a sale of any other interest in, such adviser which results in an assignment of an investment advisory contract with such company if (i) for a period of three years following such assignment, at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the board of directors of such company are not interested persons of the investment adviser of such company or the predecessor adviser of such company and (ii) no "unfair burden" is imposed on such company as a result of such assignment or any express or implied terms, conditions or understandings applicable thereto. The NLFT II Board will satisfy the first condition at the time of the Reorganization. North Star has agreed not to take any action that would have the effect, directly or indirectly, of causing the requirements of any of the provisions of Section 15(f) of the 1940 Act not to be met in connection with the Reorganization.

***Operating Expense Limitation Agreements***

The total fees and expenses you pay as a shareholder of the Target Fund are expected to be the same after you become a shareholder of the Acquiring Fund. For each of the Target Fund and Acquiring Fund, the management fee is 1.00% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The total annual fund operating expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursement) for Institutional Class and Investor Class shares (with respect to the Target Fund) and Institutional Class and Investor Class shares (with respect to the Acquiring Fund) is 0.98% and 1.21% per annum of each Fund's average net assets, respectively. Neither the Target Fund nor the Acquiring Fund impose any shareholder fees, including redemption fees. While the Target Fund has not adopted a Distribution and Shareholder Service (12b-1) Plan, the Acquiring Fund has adopted a 12b-1 Plan with respect to Investor Class shares pursuant to which Investor Class shares pay up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of Investor Class shares for distribution and shareholder servicing. North Star has contractually agreed to reduce its management fee and/or pay expenses of the Target Fund (excluding front-end or contingent deferred loads, brokerage fees and commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), taxes and extraordinary expenses such as litigation) at least until May 31, 2025 such that net annual fund operating expenses of the Target Fund do not exceed 0.98% for Institutional Class shares and 1.21% for Investor Class shares. This expense limitation agreement can be terminated only by, or with the consent of, the Walthausen Funds Board of Trustees. North Star is permitted to receive reimbursement from the Target Fund for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid, subject to the limitation that: (1) the reimbursement for fees and expenses will be made only if payable within three years from the date the fees and expenses were initially waived or reimbursed; and (2) the reimbursement may not be made if it would cause the expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver or currently in effect, whichever is lower, to be exceeded. North Star is not entitled to recoup Target Fund expenses previously waived by Walthausen, the Target Fund's prior investment adviser.

North Star has contractually agreed to reduce its management fees and/or pay expenses of the Acquiring Fund to ensure that the total amount of Acquiring Fund operating expenses (excluding front-end or contingent deferred loads, brokerage fees and commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), taxes and extraordinary expenses such as litigation) do not exceed 0.98% and 1.21% of the Acquiring Fund's average net assets for Institutional Class shares and Investor Class shares, respectively, through May 31, 2025. North Star is permitted to receive reimbursement from the Acquiring Fund for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid, subject to the limitation that: (1) the reimbursement for fees and expenses will be made only if payable within three years from the date the fees and expenses were initially waived or reimbursed; and (2) the reimbursement may not be made if it would cause the expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver or currently in effect, whichever is lower, to be exceeded. North Star may not terminate the fee waiver before May 31, 2025. The NLFT II Board may terminate the expense waiver upon notice to North Star.

North Star is not entitled to recoup Target Fund expenses previously waived by Walthausen nor will North Star be entitled to recoup Target Fund expenses it waives while managing the Target Fund. Accordingly, to the extent that Walthausen waived its advisory fees or paid expenses of the Target Fund prior to December 15, 2022, when North Star became the adviser to the Target Fund, and to the extent that North Star waives its advisory fees or pays expenses of the Target Fund from December 15, 2022 through

the closing date of the Reorganization, those amounts are not eligible to be recouped following the Reorganization..

The terms of the Target Fund Expense Limitation Agreement and Acquiring Fund Expense Limitation Agreement are substantially identical.

**Other Service Providers**

The following table identifies the principal service providers that service the Target Fund and that are expected to service the Acquiring Fund:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Target Fund** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Acquiring Fund** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Administrator | &nbsp;&nbsp;Premier Fund Solutions, Inc. | &nbsp;&nbsp;Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Fund Accountant | &nbsp;&nbsp;Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC | &nbsp;&nbsp;Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Transfer Agent | &nbsp;&nbsp;Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC | &nbsp;&nbsp;Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Custodian | &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Bank National Association | &nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Bank National Association |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Distributor and Principal Underwriter | &nbsp;&nbsp;Foreside Fund Services, LLC | &nbsp;&nbsp;Northern Lights Distributors, LLC |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Auditor | &nbsp;&nbsp;Cohen & Company, Ltd. | &nbsp;&nbsp;RSM US LLP |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Legal Counsel | &nbsp;&nbsp;Thompson Hine LLP | &nbsp;&nbsp;Alston & Bird LLP |

---

**Purchase and Redemption of Shares** 

With respect to the Acquiring Fund, all purchase requests received in good order by the Acquiring Fund's transfer agent (the "Transfer Agent") or by an Authorized Intermediary before the close of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) will be processed at that day's NAV per share. Purchase requests received by the Transfer Agent or an Authorized Intermediary after the close of the NYSE (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) will receive the next business day's NAV per share. An "Authorized Intermediary" is a financial intermediary that has made arrangements with the Acquiring Fund to receive purchase and redemption orders on its behalf. For additional information about purchasing Acquiring Fund's shares through financial intermediaries, see "Purchasing Shares Through a Financial Intermediary" in <u>Appendix D</u>. For information about how the Target Fund's shares may be purchased and redeemed, as applicable, see "Buying and Selling Fund Shares" and "How to Buy or Sell Shares" in the [Target Fund's Prospectus](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm)<u>, as</u> [supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001418191/000141304222001076/fp0081188-1_497ixbrl.htm)<u>,</u> incorporated by reference herein.

Each account application (an "Account Application") to purchase Acquiring Fund's shares is subject to acceptance by the Acquiring Fund and is not binding until so accepted. The Acquiring Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order if, in its discretion, it is in the Acquiring Fund's best interest to do so. For example, a purchase order may be refused if it appears to be so large that it would disrupt the management of the Acquiring Fund. Purchases may also be rejected from persons believed to be "market timers." See <u>Appendix D</u> below. A service fee, currently $25, as well as any loss sustained by the Acquiring Fund, will be deducted from a shareholder's account for any payment that is returned to the Transfer Agent unpaid. The Acquiring Fund and the Transfer Agent are not responsible for any losses, liability, cost or expense resulting from rejecting any purchase order. Your order will not be accepted until a completed Account Application is received by the Acquiring Fund or the Transfer Agent.

The minimum investment amounts for the Fund are as follows:

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Minimum Investment Amounts** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Minimum Investment Amounts** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Minimum Investment Amounts** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Minimum Investment Amounts** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Target Fund** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Target Fund** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Acquiring Fund** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Acquiring Fund** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Institutional Class</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Investor Class</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Institutional Class</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Investor Class</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Regular Account |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Initial Investment | &nbsp;&nbsp;$100000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$2500 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$100000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$2500 |

---

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Additional Investments | &nbsp;&nbsp;$1000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$100 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$1000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$100 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Individual Retirement Account |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Initial Investment | &nbsp;&nbsp;$100000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$2500 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$100000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$2500 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Additional Investments | &nbsp;&nbsp;$1000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$100 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$1000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$100 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Automatic Investment Plan |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Initial Investment | &nbsp;&nbsp;$100000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$2500 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$100000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$2500 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Minimum Monthly Investment | &nbsp;&nbsp;$1000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$100 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$1000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$100 |

---

For a discussion of how the Target Fund's shares may be purchased and redeemed, as applicable, see "Investing in the Fund" and "Instructions for Selling Fund Shares" in the [Target Fund's Prospectus](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm), as [supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001418191/000141304222001076/fp0081188-1_497ixbrl.htm) incorporated by reference herein. For more information regarding how the Acquiring Fund's shares may be purchased and redeemed, as applicable, see "How to Purchase Shares" and "How to Redeem Shares" in <u>Appendix D</u> attached to this Proxy Statement.

**Distributions and Tax Information**

The Target Fund, and likewise the Acquiring Fund, intend to distribute substantially all of their net investment income and net capital gains annually in December. Both types of distributions will be reinvested in shares of the Acquiring Fund unless you elect to receive cash. Dividends from net investment income (including any excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) are taxable to investors as ordinary income, while distributions of net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are generally taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of your holding period for the shares. Any dividends or capital gain distributions you receive from the Acquiring Fund will normally be taxable to you when made, regardless of whether you reinvest dividends or capital gain distributions or receive them in cash. Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year the Acquiring Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.

Changes in income tax laws, potentially with retroactive effect, could impact the Acquiring Fund's investments or the tax consequences to you of investing in the Acquiring Fund. Some of the changes could affect the timing, amount, and tax treatment of the Acquiring Fund's distributions made to shareholders. Please consult your tax advisor before investing. The Acquiring Fund intends to qualify and elect to be treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code, provided that it complies with all applicable requirements regarding the source of its income, diversification of its assets, and the timing and amount of its distributions. However, there can be no assurance that the Acquiring Fund will satisfy all requirements to be taxed as RIC.

Distributions of the Acquiring Fund's investment company taxable income (which includes, but is not limited to, interest, dividends, net short-term capital gain and net gain from foreign currency transactions), if any, are generally taxable to the Acquiring Fund's shareholders as ordinary income. For a non-corporate shareholder, to the extent that the Acquiring Fund's distributions of investment company taxable income are attributable to and reported as "qualified dividend" income, such income may be subject to tax at the reduced federal income tax rates applicable to long-term capital gain, if certain holding period requirements have been satisfied by the shareholder. For a corporate shareholder, a portion of the Acquiring Fund's distributions of investment company taxable income may qualify for the intercorporate dividends-received deduction to the extent an Acquiring Fund receives dividends directly or indirectly from U.S. corporations, reports the amount distributed as eligible for the deduction and the corporate shareholder meets certain holding period requirements with respect to its shares. To the extent that an Acquiring Fund's distributions of investment company taxable income are attributable to net short-term capital gain, such distributions will be treated as ordinary income and generally cannot be offset by a shareholder's capital losses from other investments.

For a discussion of the Target Fund's policies with respect to dividends and distributions and federal income tax considerations, see "Dividends and Distributions" and "Taxes," respectively, in the [Target Fund's Prospectus](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm), as [supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001418191/000141304222001076/fp0081188-1_497ixbrl.htm), which is incorporated by reference herein. For a discussion of the Acquiring Fund's policies with respect to dividends and distributions and federal income tax considerations, see "Distributions and Taxes" in <u>Appendix D</u> attached to this Proxy Statement.

**WALTHAUSEN BOARD CONSIDERATIONS**

At a Special Meeting of the Board held on December 8, 2022, the Walthausen Board considered the proposed Reorganization. Walthausen's reasons for proposing the Reorganization, and the Walthausen Board's consideration of the Reorganization, are described below.

The Walthausen Board reviewed North Star's responses to the Thompson Hine questionnaire seeking information about the proposed Reorganization and the Acquiring Fund. The Walthausen Board observed that North Star proposed to employ Northern Lights Distributors, LLC as distributor, Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC as administrator, and RSM US LLP as auditor of the Acquiring Fund, and that U.S. Bank N.A. would remain as custodian, and Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC remain as transfer agent and fund accountant of the Acquiring Fund. The Walthausen Board agreed that the proposed service providers were well established and capable of providing quality service to the Acquiring Fund similar to the quality currently provided by the service providers to the Target Fund. The Walthausen Board discussed that Acquiring Fund would have substantially the same investment strategy as that of Target Fund. The Walthausen Board agreed that the New Trust was an established series trust with an experienced board of trustees and that the officers of the New Trust possessed strong backgrounds in the asset management industry.

The Walthausen Board examined the proposed fees and expenses of the Acquiring Fund and compared those with the fees and expenses of the Target Fund. The Walthausen Board noted that the proposed advisory fee for the Acquiring Fund was the same as the advisory fee for the Target Fund. The Walthausen Board observed that the Acquiring Fund's estimated gross operating expenses, excluding 12b-1 fees and advisory fees, of 0.72% were higher than the Walthausen Fund's gross operating expenses of 0.38% but acknowledged that the lower expenses were primarily the result of a management services agreement with Walthausen under which Walthausen had agreed to pay all ordinary operating expenses of the Target Fund. The Walthausen Board further observed that the net operating expenses for Walthausen Fund would be equal to the Acquiring Fund because North Star had agreed to waive its fees or reimburse expenses to maintain expenses at current levels for two years. The Walthausen Board considered that, once the expense limitation agreement was no longer in place for the Acquiring Fund, the shareholders of the Target Fund could pay higher fees.

The Walthausen Board discussed the anticipated tax-free nature of the transaction for the Target Fund and its shareholders and that the transactions constituted a "reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. They noted that the Walthausen Board would receive a legal opinion stating that the Reorganization would be a tax-free transaction to the Target Fund and its shareholders. They confirmed that North Star would bear all expenses pertaining to the proposed Reorganization. They further noted that the Reorganization was recommended by North Star, and it was North Star's belief that a transition of the Target Fund to a new trust could result in enhanced shareholder services, exchange privileges among the other North Star Funds, distribution support, and growth of assets. The Walthausen Board concluded that the terms of the Reorganization were fair and reasonable and that the interests of existing shareholders of the Target Fund would not be diluted as a result of the proposed Reorganization.

After further discussion, the Walthausen Board determined that approval of the Reorganization was in the best interests of the shareholders of the Target Fund. The Walthausen Board agreed that if shareholders of the Target Fund did not approve the Reorganization, the Target Fund would not be merged into the Acquiring Fund and the Walthausen Board would take such further action as it deemed to be in the best interests of the Target Fund.

In light of these factors, and their fiduciary duty under federal and state law, the Trustees approved the Reorganization. The Trustees also determined that the Plan providing for the Reorganization should be submitted to the Target Fund's shareholders for approval. In their deliberations, the Trustees did not identify any single factor as paramount or controlling. The Walthausen Board recommends that the shareholders of the Target Fund vote "FOR" the approval of the Plan relating to the Reorganization of the Target Fund.

**KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION**

The primary purpose of the Reorganization is to move the investment portfolio and shareholders presently associated with the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund. If shareholders of the Target Fund approve the Reorganization, each owner of Institutional Class shares and Investor Class Shares of the Target Fund will become a shareholder of the Institutional Class shares and Investor Class shares, respectively, of the Acquiring Fund. Each shareholder of the Target Fund will hold, immediately after the close of the Reorganization (the "Closing"), shares of the Acquiring Fund having an aggregate net asset value equal to the aggregate net asset value of the shares of the Target Fund held by that shareholder on the Closing Date. Subsequently, the Target Fund will be liquidated and terminated.

Effective December 15, 2022, certain business assets of Walthausen relating to its mutual fund advisory business were acquired as part of an asset purchase agreement between the two firms (the "Transition"). No Walthausen personnel, including the Target Fund's previous portfolio manager joined North Star. North Star personnel have assumed management of the Target Fund as portfolio managers and will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Target Fund. With the Transition, the Target Fund is able to benefit from the personnel, experience, and resources of North Star. **After careful consideration, the Walthausen Board unanimously recommends that shareholders vote "FOR" Proposal 1.**

Shareholders of the Target Fund are being asked to approve the Plan, which sets forth the terms and conditions under which the Reorganization will be implemented. Material provisions of the Plan are summarized below.

**The Plan**

The Plan provides for the transfer of all of the assets and liabilities of the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for shares of the Acquiring Fund of equal value to the net assets of the Target Fund being acquired, and the Acquiring Fund's assumption of the Target Fund's liabilities, if any, as of the closing date of the Reorganization. The NAV of the Acquiring Fund shares issued in the exchange will equal the NAV of the Target Fund at the Effective Time (as defined in the Plan). As soon as is reasonably practicable after the Closing (as defined in the Plan), the Target Fund will distribute the Acquiring Fund shares to the Target Fund's shareholders of record in accordance with their respective interests in the Target Fund determined as of the Effective Time by NLFT II's transfer agent establishing accounts on the Acquiring Fund's share records in the names of those shareholders and transferring those shares of the Acquiring Fund to those accounts in redemption of the Target Fund shares and in complete liquidation of the Target Fund. The outstanding shares of the Target Fund held by the shareholders will then be canceled. As a result of the Reorganization, each shareholder of the Target Fund will receive the number of shares of the Acquiring Fund equal in value to such shareholder's holdings in the Target Fund immediately before the Reorganization. Shares will be held in book entry form only.

The value of the Target Fund's assets to be acquired and the liabilities to be assumed, if any, by the Acquiring Fund and the NAV per share of the Target Fund will be determined as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on the business day immediately preceding the Closing Date (as defined in the Plan) of the Reorganization. The NAV per share amount will be determined in accordance with the valuation methodologies approved by the NLFT II Board. North Star will bear all expenses relating to the Reorganization, including expenses related to the Special Meeting and solicitation of proxies, preparing and filing the registration statement that includes this Proxy Statement, and the cost of copying, printing, and mailing proxy materials.

The Reorganization is subject to a number of conditions, including the approval of the Plan by the shareholders of the Target Fund and the receipt of a legal opinion from Thompson Hine LLP, counsel to

Walthausen Funds, with respect to certain tax matters (see "Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reorganization," below), which receipt is a non-waivable condition of the Reorganization. Assuming satisfaction of the conditions in the Plan, the Closing Date of the Reorganization is expected to be on or about the close of business on May 12, 2023, or another date agreed to by Walthausen Funds and NLFT II. The Plan may be amended or terminated and the Reorganization abandoned at any time by mutual consent of Walthausen Funds, on behalf of the Target Fund, and NLFT II, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund.

**Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Reorganization**

The following is a general summary of the material federal income tax consequences of the Reorganization and is based upon the current provisions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Code"), the existing U.S. Treasury Regulations thereunder, current administrative rulings of the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") and published judicial decisions, all of which are subject to change. This discussion is limited to U.S. persons who hold shares of beneficial interest of the Target Fund as capital assets for federal income tax purposes. Shareholders who are not U.S. persons are strongly urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences of the Reorganization and of an investment in the shares of the Acquiring Fund. This summary does not address all of the U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to a particular shareholder or to shareholders who may be subject to special treatment under federal income tax laws. Because the discussion only relates to the federal income tax consequences of the proposed Reorganization, shareholders should also consult their tax advisors as to state, local and foreign tax consequences, if any, of the proposed Reorganization.

The Reorganization is intended to qualify as a tax-free reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code. Accordingly, it is expected that no gain or loss will be recognized by the Target Fund or Target Fund's shareholders as a direct result of the Reorganization. Specifically, it is expected that the Target Fund will recognize no gain or loss upon the acquisition by the Acquiring Fund of the assets and the assumption of the liabilities, if any, of the Target Fund. In addition, when shares held by the Target Fund shareholders are exchanged for shares of the Acquiring Fund pursuant to the Reorganization, it is expected that Target Fund shareholders will recognize no gain or loss on the exchange, and that Target Fund shareholders will have the same aggregate tax basis and holding period with respect to the shares of the Acquiring Fund as the shareholder's tax basis and holding period in its Target Fund shares immediately before the exchange.

If, as expected, the Reorganization is tax-free, the tax attributes of the Target Fund, if any, move to the Acquiring Fund, including, as of the date of the Reorganization, the Target Fund's cost basis in its assets, its unrealized gains and losses and its capital loss carryforwards, if any. The Reorganization is not expected to result in limitations on an Acquiring Fund's ability to use any capital loss carryforwards of the Target Fund. At January 31, 2023, the Target Fund had no capital loss carry forwards (unaudited).

At any time, up to and including the last business day before the Reorganization, Target Fund shareholders may redeem Target Fund shares. Any such redemptions will generally result in the recognition of gain or loss to the redeeming shareholder for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

As a condition to the Reorganization, the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund have requested an opinion of Thompson Hine LLP substantially to the effect that with respect to the Reorganization, based on the facts, representations and assumptions stated in the opinion and conditioned on consummation of the Reorganization in accordance with the Plan, that the Reorganization is a "reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"): As a condition to closing the Reorganization, Thompson Hine LLP will render an opinion substantially to the effect that:

1. The Acquiring Fund's acquisition of the assets of the Target Fund in exchange solely for Acquiring
Fund Shares and its assumption of the liabilities of the Target Fund, followed by Target Fund's distribution of those shares pro
rata to the Target Fund shareholders actually or constructively in exchange for their Target Fund shares in complete liquidation of the
Target Fund, will qualify as a "reorganization" (as defined in section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code), and the Acquiring Fund and
Target Fund each will be "a party to a reorganization" (within the meaning of section 368(b) of the Code);

2. The Target Fund will not recognize gain or loss on the transfer of its assets to the Acquiring Fund in
exchange solely for Acquiring Fund Shares and Acquiring Fund's assumption of the Target Fund's liabilities or on the subsequent
distribution of those shares to the Target Fund shareholders in exchange for their Target Fund shares in complete liquidation of the Target
Fund;

3. The Acquiring Fund will not recognize gain or loss on its receipt of the assets of the Target Fund in
exchange solely for Acquiring Fund shares and its assumption of the Target Fund's liabilities;

4. The Acquiring Fund's adjusted basis in each asset received from the Target Fund will be the same
as the Target Fund's adjusted basis therein immediately before the Reorganization, and the Acquiring Fund's holding period
for each asset will include the Target Fund's holding period therefor (except where the Acquiring Fund's investment activities
have the effect of reducing or eliminating an asset's holding period);

5. A Target Fund shareholder will recognize no gain or loss on the exchange of all its Target Fund shares
solely for Acquiring Fund shares pursuant to the Reorganization;

6. A Target Fund shareholder's aggregate adjusted basis in the Acquiring Fund shares it receives in
the Reorganization will be the same as the aggregate adjusted basis in its Target Fund shares it actually or constructively surrenders
in exchange for those Acquiring Fund shares, and its holding period for those Acquiring Fund shares will include, in each instance, its
holding period for those Target Fund shares, provided the Target Fund shareholder held those Target Fund shares as capital assets at the
closing of the Reorganization; and

7. The Acquiring Fund will succeed to and take into account the items of the Target Fund described in Section
381I of the Code, subject to the conditions and limitations specified in Sections 381, 382, 383 and 384 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations
thereunder. In particular, under Treasury Regulations § 1.381(b)-1(a)(2), the Acquiring Fund will be treated for purposes of Section
381 of the Code as the Target Fund would have been treated if there had been no Reorganization, the Target Fund's tax attributes
enumerated in Section 381(c) of the Code will be taken into account by the Acquiring Fund as if there had been no Reorganization, and
the taxable year of the Target Fund will not end on the closing date of the Reorganization merely because of the closing of the Reorganization.

An opinion of counsel is not binding on the IRS or the courts and neither the Target Fund nor the Acquiring Fund have sought a ruling with respect to the tax treatment of the Reorganization. The opinion of counsel, if delivered, will be based on the Code, regulations issued by the Treasury Department under the Code, court decisions, and administrative pronouncements issued by the IRS with respect to all of the foregoing, all as in effect on the date of the opinion, and all of which may be repealed, revoked or modified thereafter, possibly on a retroactive basis.

If the Reorganization is consummated and the IRS or a court were to determine that the Reorganization do not qualify as tax-free Reorganization under the Code, and thus a taxable, the Target Fund would recognize gain or loss on the transfer of its assets to the Acquiring Fund and each shareholder of the Target Fund that held shares in a taxable account would recognize a taxable gain or loss equal to the difference between its tax basis in its Target Fund shares and the fair market value of the Acquiring Fund shares it received.

The Target Fund do not intend to sell portfolio securities in connection with the Reorganization. In the event the Target Fund sell any portfolio securities in connection with the Reorganization, the actual tax impact of such sales will depend on the difference between the price at which such portfolio assets are sold and the Target Fund's tax basis in such assets. The explicit transaction costs associated with any repositioning of the Target Fund's portfolio in connection with the Reorganization will be borne by the Funds. Any capital gains recognized in these sales, after reduction by any available losses (including losses recognized in the taxable year in which such sales occur), will be distributed to shareholders as capital gain dividends (to the extent of net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized short-term capital

losses) or ordinary dividends (to the extent of net realized short-term capital gains in excess of net realized long-term capital losses).

**Description of the Acquiring Fund's Shares**

Shares of the Acquiring Fund issued to the shareholders of the Target Fund pursuant to the Reorganization will be validly issued, fully paid, and non-assessable when issued in accordance with the Plan and will be transferable without restriction and will have no preemptive or conversion rights.

**Capitalization**

The capitalization of the Target Fund as of December 31, 2022, and the Acquiring Fund's *pro forma* combined capitalization as of that date, after giving effect to the Reorganization, are as follows:

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Target Fund</u>** | | &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Acquiring Fund</u>** |
| <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;***(unaudited)*** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Institutional Class** | <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;***Pro Forma* adjustments** | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Institutional Class**<br> ***(pro forma)*** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Net Assets** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$5501065.76 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$0 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$5501065.76 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Shares Outstanding** | &nbsp;&nbsp;381926.217 | &nbsp;&nbsp;0 | &nbsp;&nbsp;381926.217 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Net Asset Value per Share** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$14.40 |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;$14.40 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Investor Class** |  | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Investor Class**<br> **(*pro forma)*** |
| **Net Assets** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$39872842.10 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$0 | $39872842.10 |
| **Shares Outstanding** | 2754536.263 | 0 | 2754536.263 |
| **Net Asset Value per Share** | $14.48 |  | $14.48 |

---

**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS**

**General**

For a general discussion of the operation and organization of the Target Fund, see "General Information" in the [Target Fund's SAI](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm), [as supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222001078/walthsains.htm). For a general discussion of the operation and organization of the Acquiring Fund, see "The Trust" in the Proxy Statement SAI.

**Comparison of Rights of the Funds' Shareholders**

The Acquiring Fund is a series of NLFT II, which is a Delaware statutory trust. The Target Fund is a series of Walthausen Funds, which is an Ohio business trust. The Acquiring Fund is governed by the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated August 26, 2010, as amended ("Acquiring Fund's Declaration"), its bylaws and Delaware law. The Target Fund is governed by an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated October 10, 2007, as amended December 1, 2010 ("Target Fund's Declaration"), its bylaws and Ohio law. Information about the shareholder rights provided for in each Fund's governing instruments and governing law is provided below.

*Shares*. The trustees of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund each have the power to issue shares without shareholder approval. The governing instruments of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund indicate that the amount of shares that the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund each may issue is unlimited. Shares of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund have no preemptive rights.

The shareholders of NLFT II are entitled to one vote for each whole share held of the Acquiring Fund (or a class thereof) (or a proportionate fractional vote in respect of a fractional share), on matters on which shares of the Acquiring Fund (or a class thereof) shall be entitled to vote. Each share of the Acquiring Fund represents an equal proportionate interest in the Target Fund with each other share. Upon liquidation of the Target Fund, shareholders are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets of the Target Fund available for distribution to such shareholders. Shares of the Acquiring Fund have no preemptive or other right to subscribe to any additional shares or other securities issued by the NLFT II. For a description of other significant attributes of shares of the Acquiring Fund, see "Appendix D - Shareholder Information For the Acquiring Fund," to this Proxy Statement, and "The Trust" in the Proxy Statement SAI.

The governing instruments of the Acquiring Fund further provide that all shares of NLFT II entitled to vote on a matter shall vote separately by series. That is, the shareholders of each series have the right to approve or disapprove matters affecting NLFT II and each respective series as if the series were separate companies. That said, if the 1940 Act requires all shares of NLFT II to be voted in the aggregate without differentiation between the separate series, then all NLFT II's shares shall be entitled to vote on a one-vote-per-share basis. Additionally, if any matter affects only the interests of some but not all series or classes, then only the shareholders of such affected series or class shall be entitled to vote on the matter.

The shareholders of Walthausen Funds are entitled to one vote for each whole share held of the Target Fund (or a class thereof) (or a proportionate fractional vote in respect of a fractional share), on matters on which shares of an Acquiring Fund (or a class thereof) shall be entitled to vote. Shares of the Target Fund have no preemptive or other right to subscribe to any additional shares or other securities issued by the Walthausen Funds. The rights of redemption and exchange are described in the [Target Fund's Prospectus](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm) and the [Target Fund's SAI](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm), [as supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222001078/walthsains.htm). For a description of other significant attributes of shares of the Target Fund, see "Shareholder Information" in the [Target Fund's Prospectus](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm)<u>, as</u> [supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001418191/000141304222001076/fp0081188-1_497ixbrl.htm)<u>,</u> and "Description of the Trust and the Fund" in the [Target Fund's SAI](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm), [as supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222001078/walthsains.htm), which are incorporated by reference herein.

*Shareholder Meetings.* None of the Funds is required to hold annual meetings of shareholders. Shareholder meetings for the Acquiring Fund or any series may be called by the Trustees of NFLT II, Chairman of the Board or the President of the Trust from time to time for any lawful purpose, including electing Trustees. Special meetings of the shareholders of NLFT II or any series shall be called by the Board of Trustees, Chairman, or President upon the written request of shareholders owning at least one-third of the outstanding shares entitled to vote. By the Trustees from time to time for the purpose of taking action upon any matter requiring the vote or authority of the Shareholders as herein provided or upon any other matter deemed by the Trustees to be necessary or desirable.

*Quorum*. The governing instruments of the Acquiring Fund provides that, except as otherwise required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law, 33 1/3% of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at a shareholder meeting shall constitute a quorum. The governing instruments of the Target Fund provides that a majority of shares entitled to vote, constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business at a shareholder meeting, except that where any provision of law or the Target Fund's governing documents permit or require that holders of any series or class thereof shall vote as a series or class, then a majority of the aggregate number of shares of that series or class thereof entitled to vote is necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business by that series or class.

*Adjournment of Shareholder Meetings.* The governing instruments of the Acquiring Fund and Target Fund provide that any meeting of shareholders may be adjourned from time to time, by the vote of a majority of shares present at the meeting, with or without a quorum, and the meeting may be held as adjourned within a reasonable time after the date set for the original meeting without further notice.

*Vote Required.* The governing documents of both the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund provide that, except as otherwise required by applicable law or the governing documents, if a quorum is present at any meeting, a majority of the shares voted decide any question, except a plurality vote is necessary for the election of trustees.

*Removal of Trustees by Shareholders.* The governing instruments of the Target Fund provide that shareholders may remove a trustee (i) by vote of the shareholders holding not less than two-thirds of the shares of Walthausen Funds then outstanding, cast in person or by proxy at any meeting called for the purpose, or (ii) by a declaration in writing signed by shareholders holding not less than two-thirds of the shares of Walthausen Funds then outstanding and filed with the Walthausen Fund's Custodian.. The governing instruments of the Acquiring Fund provide that shareholders shall have the power to remove a Trustee only to the extent provided by the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

*Personal Liability of Shareholders.* The governing instruments for the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund generally provide that shareholders will not be subject to personal liability for the obligations of a Fund.

*Amendments of Governing Instruments.* The governing instruments of the Target Fund provide that the Trustees may amend the governing instruments at any time in writing so long as such amendment does not adversely affect the rights of any Shareholder with respect to which such amendment is or purports to be applicable and so long as such amendment is not in contravention of applicable law, including the 1940 Act. Any amendment that adversely affects the rights of shareholders may be adopted at any time by an instrument signed in writing by a majority of the Target Fund Trustees when authorized to do so by the vote of Shareholders holding a majority of shares entitled to vote.

The governing instruments of the Acquiring Fund provide that a majority of Trustees may amend the governing instruments at any time in writing and, if required, by approval of such amendment by shareholders.

*Derivative Actions.* The governing instruments of the Target Fund state shareholders may bring derivative actions to the same extent as the stockholders of an Ohio business corporation as to whether or not a court action, proceeding or claim should or should not be brought or maintained derivatively or as a class action on behalf of the Trust or the shareholders.

The governing instruments of the Acquiring Fund state that, in addition to the requirements set forth in Delaware law, shareholders may bring derivative action on behalf of the Trust only if the shareholder or shareholders first make a pre-suit demand upon the Trustees to bring the subject action unless an effort to cause the Trustees to bring such action is excused. A demand on the Trustees shall only be excused if a majority of the Board of Trustees, or a majority of any committee established to consider the merits of such action, has a personal financial interest in the action at issue.

**Pricing of Fund Shares**

For information on how the NAV per share of each Fund is calculated, see "How Shares are Priced" in the [Target Fund's Prospectus](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm)<u>, as</u> [supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001418191/000141304222001076/fp0081188-1_497ixbrl.htm)<u>,</u> and "Pricing of Fund Shares" in <u>Appendix D</u> attached to this Proxy Statement.

**Comparison of Portfolio Holdings Information**

Information about the Target Fund's portfolio holdings is available at www.Walthausen.com. A complete description of the Target Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Target Fund's portfolio holdings is available in the [Target Fund's SAI](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm), [as supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222001078/walthsains.htm). Information about the Acquiring Fund's portfolio holdings will be available at www.North Star.com.

In addition, each Fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings as of the end of its fiscal year and its second fiscal quarter in its reports to shareholders. No later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, each Fund files with the SEC on Form N-PORT a complete list of its portfolio holdings as of each month-end during the relevant quarter. You can find the SEC filings on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov. A summarized description of the Acquiring Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Acquiring Fund's portfolio holdings is included in the Proxy Statement SAI.

**Frequent Purchases and Redemptions**

For a discussion of the Target Fund's policies with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions, see "Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares" in the [Target Fund's Prospectus](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm), as [supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001418191/000141304222001076/fp0081188-1_497ixbrl.htm), which is incorporated by reference herein. For a discussion of the Acquiring Fund's policies with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions, see "Tools to Combat Frequent Transactions" in <u>Appendix D</u> attached to this Proxy Statement.

**Purchases Through Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries**

If shareholders purchase shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), a Fund and its related companies (including, in the case of the Target Fund, Walthausen Funds and North Star) may pay the intermediary for the sale of shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend Fund shares over another investment. Shareholders should ask their salespersons or visit their financial intermediary's website for more information.

**Financial Information**

For certain financial information about the Target Fund, see "Financial Highlights of the Target Fund" which is appended to this Proxy Statement as <u>Appendix B</u>.

**BOARD RECOMMENDATION**

The Board of the Target Fund unanimously recommends that shareholders of each Fund vote **FOR** the proposed Reorganization.

**REQUIRED VOTE**

The holders of a majority of the shares of the Target Fund entitled to vote present in person or by proxy constitute a quorum for the transaction of business with respect to the Target Fund. Approval of the Plan will require the affirmative vote of the lesser of: (a) 67% of the Target Fund's shares present at the Special Meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the Target Fund's outstanding shares are present in person or represented by proxy; or (b) more than 50% of the Target Fund's outstanding shares.

If shareholders of the Target Fund do not approve the Reorganization, the Target Fund will continue to be managed by North Star as described in the [Target Fund's Prospectus](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm)<u>,</u> as [supplemented on December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/0001418191/000141304222001076/fp0081188-1_497ixbrl.htm), until the earlier of 150 days following the closing date of the Transition or such time as the Walthausen Funds Board will consider alternatives for the Target Fund including soliciting approval of a new proposal or take such action as it deems necessary in the best interest of the Target Fund and its shareholders.

**PROPOSAL–2 - TO APPROVE THE ADVISORY AGREEMENT**

**OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSAL**

Walthausen provided notice to the Walthausen Board in late September 2022, that it intended to resign from its role as investment adviser, and recommended to the Walthausen Board that it consider alternatives to liquidation, including hiring another adviser to manage the Fund. As a result, at its meeting on December 8, 2022, the Walthausen Board approved an interim investment advisory agreement and a new investment advisory agreement, both between North Star and Walthausen Funds, on behalf of the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund (the "Interim Advisory Agreement" and "New Advisory Agreement"), as set forth in <u>Appendix F</u>.

The Interim Advisory Agreement took effect on the closing date of the Transition on December 15, 2022, and will remain in effect until the earlier of the closing date of the Reorganization or 150 days following the closing date of the Transition. Pursuant to Rule 15a-4 under the 1940 Act, compensation earned by North Star under the Interim Advisory Agreement is being held in escrow. The terms of the Interim Advisory Agreement and New Advisory Agreement, including the amount of compensation payable to North Star thereunder, are substantially similar to the terms of the prior advisory agreement between

Walthausen and Walthausen Funds, on behalf of the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund (the "Previous Advisory Agreement"), except for the effective date, termination date, substitution of "North Star" for "Walthausen." and, in the case of the Interim Advisory Agreement only, the fee escrow provisions. Once shareholders of the Target Fund approve the Interim Advisory Agreement, North Star will be able to receive the amounts held in escrow for its services provided to the Target Fund under the Interim Advisory Agreement. The New Advisory Agreement is set to take effect, upon shareholder approval, to ensure continued and uninterrupted management of the Target Fund. If the Reorganization is approved, the New Advisory Agreement will only remain in effect until the closing of the Reorganization.

**Information about *North Star***

North Star Investment Management Corp., ("North Star") located at 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1416, Chicago, IL 60606, acts as the investment adviser to the Acquiring Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (the "North Star Advisory Agreement") under which North Star manages the Acquiring Fund's investments subject to the supervision of the NLFT II Board. North Star offers both high net worth individual and institutional clients portfolio management services in a variety of alternative investment offerings, and is a registered investment adviser. As of September 20, 2022, the Adviser had approximately $1.53 billion in assets under management. Under the Advisory Agreement, the Acquiring Fund compensates the Adviser for its investment advisory services at the annual rate of 1.00% on the first $100,000,000 of the respective Fund's average daily net assets and 0.90% thereafter.

**TARGET FUND'S PREVIOUS ADVISORY AGREEMENT**

Pursuant to the Previous Advisory Agreement, Walthausen served as the investment adviser to the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund from its inception until December 8, 2022.

Under the Previous Advisory Agreement, Walthausen provided for the overall management of the Target Fund including by: (i) furnishing the Fund with advice and recommendations with respect to the investment of the Fund's assets and the purchase and sale of portfolio securities for the Fund, including the taking of such steps as may be necessary to implement such advice and recommendations (*i.e.,* placing the orders); (ii) managing and overseeing the investments of the Fund, subject to the ultimate supervision and direction of the Board; (iii) voting proxies for the Fund and taking other actions on behalf of the Fund; (iv) maintaining the books and records required to be maintained by the Fund except to the extent arrangements have been made for such books and records to be maintained by the administrator or another agent of the Fund. The Previous Advisory Agreement further provided that Walthausen was responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund, for broker-dealer selection and for negotiation of brokerage commission rates.

For its advisory services to the Target Fund, Walthausen was entitled to an investment advisory fee, calculated daily and paid monthly at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.

The shareholders of the Target Fund approved the Previous Advisory Agreement on November 10, 2021. A discussion regarding the Trustees' basis for approving the renewal of the Previous Advisory Agreement is available in the Fund's November 10, 2021 Proxy Statement. You may obtain a copy of the Proxy Statement, without charge, upon request to the Walthausen Funds by calling 1-855-936-3863.

**INTERIM AND NEW ADVISORY AGREEMENT**

As discussed above, Walthausen provided notice to the Walthausen Board that it intended to exit the investment advisory business and would resign as investment adviser to the Target Fund when a successor adviser was engaged. As such, the Previous Advisory Agreement was terminated effective December 15, 2022.

As a result of the termination of the Previous Advisory Agreement, the Walthausen Funds Board has approved the Interim Advisory Agreement and New Advisory Agreement between North Star and Walthausen Funds, on behalf of the Target Fund, which took effect on the closing date of the Transition. The Interim Advisory Agreement will remain in effect until the earlier of the closing date of the Reorganization or 150 days following the closing date of the Transition. Pursuant to Rule 15a-4 under the

1940 Act, compensation earned by North Star under the Interim Advisory Agreement is being held in escrow for a period of up to 150 days following the effective date of the Interim Advisory Agreement. The New Advisory Agreement is set to take effect, upon shareholder approval, to ensure continued and uninterrupted management of the Target Fund. The terms of the Interim Advisory Agreement and New Advisory Agreement, including the amount of compensation payable to North Star thereunder, are substantially similar to the terms of the prior advisory agreement between Walthausen and Walthausen Funds, on behalf of the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund (the "Previous Advisory Agreement"), except for the effective date, termination date, substitution of "North Star" for "Walthausen." and, in the case of the Interim Advisory Agreement only, the fee escrow provisions. Rule 15a-4 also generally requires approval of the New Advisory Agreement by the Fund's shareholders before North Star may receive the amounts held in escrow for its services provided to the Target Fund thereunder.

**COMMISSIONS PAID TO AFFILIATED BROKERS**

During the Target Fund's most recently completed fiscal year, the Fund did not pay any commissions to any affiliated brokers.

**WALTHAUSEN BOARD CONSIDERATIONS**

At a December 8, 2022, Board meeting, the Walthausen Board approved the Interim Advisory Agreement between Walthausen Board and North Star on behalf of the Target Fund, in order to enable the portfolio managers to continue managing the day-to-day investments of the Target Fund upon the closing of the Transition. The Walthausen Board considered that the Advisory Agreement was an interim agreement that was in compliance with Rule 15a-4 of the 1940 Act and would permit North Star to continue managing the Target Fund for up to 150 days after the closing of the Transition while obtaining shareholder approval of the Reorganization, which the Walthausen Board approved at the meeting held on December 8, 2022.

At the meeting of the Board of Trustees held on December 8, 2022, the Board, all of whom are the Independent Trustees, deliberated whether to approve the Interim Advisory Agreement and the New Advisory Agreement (together, the "New Agreements") with North Star. The Trustees relied upon the advice of Counsel, and their own business judgment in determining the material factors to be considered in evaluating the Interim and New Advisory Agreements and the weight to be given to each such factor. The Trustees' conclusions were based on an evaluation of all of the information provided and were not the result of any one factor. Moreover, each Trustee may have afforded different weight to the various factors in reaching his conclusions with respect to the Interim and New Advisory Agreements. The following summarizes the Board's review process and the information on which the conclusions were based.

*Nature, Extent & Quality of Services.* The Board observed that North Star, founded in 2003, was a 100% employee-owned Registered Investment Advisor, and currently managed currently managed $1.22 billion in separately managed accounts and $312 million in four mutual funds (as of 9/30/2022). The considered that North Star had 27 investment professionals and administrative staff. They further noted that the adviser also provided customized advice for individual accounts based on the clients' investment objectives, guidelines, and risk thresholds. They reviewed the background information of North Star's key investment personnel that would provide services to the Fund, noting the wide range of industry experience in asset management positions. They considered that there would be no change to the investment strategy or the approach to managing the strategy. The Board expressed their satisfaction with the adviser's intention to continue the current adviser's focus on value investing and fundamental analysis. They discussed the adviser's process for monitoring compliance with investment limitations, noting its use of an order management system that performed pre-trade and post-trade checks against the Fund's investment guidelines and produced real-time compliance reports that were reviewed by compliance staff. The Board noted that the adviser selected broker-dealers based on its best execution policy with a focus on certain factors including, but not limited to, execution efficiency and timing, the viability of the broker-dealer and responsiveness. They considered the adviser's cyber-security protocols and its use of a third-party service provider to monitor its technology infrastructure. They noted that the adviser reported no cyber security, material compliance or litigation issues. The Board concluded that Walthausen and North Star had similar investment philosophies and corporate cultures and that shareholders would benefit from the additional resources available at North Star and continue to receive high quality service.

*Performance.* The Board considered the prior performance of other mutual funds there were managed by North Star, focusing on the performance of two equity funds that North Star believed were most relevant. They observed that the two funds had recently underperformed the relevant benchmark, but the long term (since inception_ returns demonstrated an ability to deliver strong returns and outperform the applicable benchmark. The Board considered North Star's risk mitigation strategies, which included target allocation maximums and a consistent security selection process that provided portfolio managers a defined universe of equities to purchase. The Board concluded that it expected North Star could provide reasonable returns to the Fund.

*Fees and Expenses.* The Board noted that the proposed advisory fee of 1.00% was the same fee as under the current advisory agreement between the Trust and Walthausen. They noted that the advisory fee was higher than the Fund's peer group and Morningstar category averages but below the peer and category highs. The Board further noted that the Fund's advisory fee was equal to the fee changed by North Star for advising similar mutual funds. The Board considered the effort required of a fundamental actively managed portfolio compared to funds that are more passively managed. The Board concluded that the Fund's proposed advisory fee was not unreasonable.

*Economies of Scale.* The Board considered whether economies of scale would likely be realized by North Star during the initial terms of the New Agreements. They discussed North Star's opinion that it did not anticipate any significant growth in assets during the first twelve months as efforts would largely be focused on the Reorganization. The Board agreed that in light of the expense limitation agreement and the current size of the Fund', the absence of breakpoints was acceptable.

*Profitability.* The Board reviewed the information provided by North Star regarding the projected profitability of North Star with respect to the Fund. They considered that North Star estimated a modest profit, before distribution expenses, for the next two years. The Board agreed that excessive profitability was not an issue at this time.

*Conclusion.* Having requested and received such information from the adviser as the Board believed to be reasonably necessary to evaluate the terms of the New Agreements, and as assisted by the advice of Counsel, the Board concluded that approval of the New Agreements was in the best interests of shareholders of the Target Fund. The Board further concluded that the New Agreements and related Transition met the requirements of Section 15 of the 1940 Act because North Star had represented to the Board that for two years following the Transition, there would be no unfair burden on the Fund or shareholders, and that for three years after the Transition, the Board of the other Trust will remain at least 75% independent.

**BOARD RECOMMENDATION**

The Board of the Target Fund unanimously recommends that shareholders of the Fund vote **FOR** the Interim Advisory Agreement and the proposed New Advisory Agreement.

**REQUIRED VOTE**

The holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Target Fund entitled to vote present in person or by proxy constitute a quorum for the transaction of business with respect to the Target Fund.

Approval of the Interim Advisory Agreement and New Advisory Agreement by shareholders of the Target Fund requires the affirmative vote of a "majority of the outstanding voting securities," which is defined by the 1940 Act to mean the affirmative vote of the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the voting securities present at the Special Meeting if more than 50% of the outstanding shares are present or represented by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities.

If the New Advisory Agreement is not approved, North Star will receive the lesser of its costs incurred in rendering its services (plus interest) under the Interim Advisory Agreement or the amount held in escrow (plus interest).

**VOTING INFORMATION**

**RECORD DATE, VOTING RIGHTS, AND VOTES REQUIRED**

Proxies are being solicited from the shareholders of the Target Fund by the Walthausen Funds for the Special Meeting to be held on April 14, 2023, at the principal offices of Thompson Hine, LLP, 41 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215, and virtually via conference call at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Unless revoked, all valid proxies will be voted in accordance with the specification thereon or, in the absence of specifications, **"FOR"** approval of Proposals 1 and 2.

The Target Fund have fixed the close of business on February 21, 2023 as the record date (the "Record Date") for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Special Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof. Shareholders of record as of the Record Date will be entitled to one vote for each share held and to a proportionate fractional vote for each fractional share held. As of the Record Date, the total number of issued and outstanding shares of the Target Fund was as follows:

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Target Fund** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Institutional Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Investor Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Total** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;367078.798 | &nbsp;&nbsp;2653246.143 | &nbsp;&nbsp;3020324.941 |

---

Shareholders of record who owned five percent or more of the shares of a Target Fund as of the Record Date are set forth on <u>Appendix C</u> to this Proxy Statement.

Approval of each Proposal by shareholders of the Target Fund requires the affirmative vote of a "majority of the outstanding voting securities," which is defined by the 1940 Act to mean the affirmative vote of the lesser of: (1) 67% or more of the voting securities present at the Special Meeting if more than 50% of the outstanding shares are present or represented by proxy; or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities.

**HOW TO VOTE YOUR SHARES**

You can vote your shares in person at the Special Meeting or by mail, by the internet, and by automated touch tone as set forth below:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Mail:** To vote your proxy by mail, check the appropriate voting box on your proxy card, sign and date the card and return it in the enclosed postage-prepaid envelope. **If you sign, date, and return the proxy card but give no voting instructions, the proxies will vote FOR the Proposal.**

***The options below are available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week.***

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Internet:** The web address and instructions for voting online can be found on the enclosed proxy card. You will be required to provide your control number found on your proxy card.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Automated Touch tone:** The toll-free number for automated touch tone telephone voting can be found on the enclosed proxy card. You must have the control number found on your proxy card.

If you can attend the Special Meeting and wish to vote your shares at that time, you will be able to do so. If you hold your shares through a broker, bank, or other nominee (that is, in street name), you will receive instructions from your broker, bank or nominee that you should follow in order to submit your voting instructions and have your shares voted at the Special Meeting.

**PROXIES**

All proxies solicited by the Board that are properly executed and received by the Target Fund prior to the Special Meeting, and are not revoked, will be voted at the Special Meeting. A proxy with respect to shares held in the name of two or more persons is valid if executed by any one of them unless at or prior to

its use, the Target Fund receives written notification to the contrary from any one of such persons. Shares represented by such proxies will be voted in accordance with the instructions thereon. If no specification is made on a proxy, it will be voted **"FOR"** the matters specified on the proxy. All shares that are voted and votes to **"ABSTAIN"** will be counted towards establishing a quorum.

You may revoke a proxy once it is given. If you desire to revoke a proxy, you must submit a subsequent later dated proxy or a written notice of revocation to the Target Fund. You may also give written notice of revocation in person at the Special Meeting. Attendance by a shareholder at the Special Meeting does not, by itself, revoke a proxy.

**QUORUM AND ADJOURNMENTS**

The holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Target Fund entitled to vote present in person or by proxy constitute a quorum for the transaction of business with respect to the Target Fund. If the necessary quorum to transact business or the vote required to approve any proposal is not obtained at the Special Meeting, or if a quorum is obtained but sufficient votes required to approve either proposal are not obtained, the chairman of the Special Meeting, with the approval of the majority of shareholders present, may adjourn the Special Meeting one or more times to permit, in accordance with applicable law, further solicitation of proxies with respect to the proposals. Any business that might have been transacted at the Special Meeting with respect to the Target Fund may be transacted at any such adjourned session(s) at which a quorum is present. The persons named as proxies on the enclosed proxy card may, in their discretion, vote upon such other matters as may properly come before the Special Meeting and any adjournments or postponements thereof.

**EFFECT OF ABSTENTIONS AND BROKER "NON-VOTES"**

Abstentions do not represent votes cast for a proposal but will be counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present.

"Broker non-votes" are proxies from brokers or nominees indicating that such persons have not received instructions from the beneficial owners or other persons entitled to vote shares as to a particular matter with respect to which the brokers or nominees do not have discretionary power to vote. Ordinarily, broker non-votes, if any, would be counted as shares present and entitled to vote for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present, but would not be counted as a vote in favor of the Proposal.

However, pursuant to certain rules promulgated by the New York Stock Exchange LLC that govern the voting by such broker-dealers, a broker-dealer holding shares of record for a beneficial owner may not exercise discretionary voting power with respect to certain non-routine matters. Because both Proposals are considered non-routine and are the only proposals expected to be voted on at the Meeting, the Target Fund do not expect to receive any broker non-votes in connection with this solicitation. Accordingly, the Target Fund expect that broker non-votes will have no impact on establishing quorum or the votes cast for or against the Proposals.

**SOLICITATION OF PROXIES**

The Target Fund expect that the solicitation of proxies will be primarily by mail and telephone. The solicitation also may include facsimile, Internet, or oral communications. AST has been retained to aid in the solicitation of proxies, at an anticipated cost of approximately $20,000 exclusive of printing costs. North Star will bear all expenses relating to the Reorganization, including expenses related to the Special Meeting and solicitation of proxies, preparing and filing the registration statement that includes this Proxy Statement, and the cost of copying, printing, and mailing proxy materials.

**OTHER INFORMATION**

**OTHER BUSINESS**

The Walthausen Board knows of no other business to be brought before the Special Meeting. If any other matters come before the Special Meeting, the Walthausen Board intends that proxies that do not contain specific restrictions to the contrary will be voted on those matters in accordance with the judgment of the persons named in the enclosed proxy card.

**APPRAISAL RIGHTS**

Shareholders will have no appraisal rights in connection with the Reorganization.

**NEXT MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS AND SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS**

The Trust has not received any shareholder proposals to be considered for presentation at the Meeting. Under the proxy rules of the SEC, shareholder proposals may, under certain conditions, be included in the Trust's Proxy Statement and proxy for a particular meeting. Under these rules, proposals submitted for inclusion in the Trust's proxy materials must be received by the Trust within a reasonable time before the solicitation is made. The fact that the Trust receives a shareholder proposal in a timely manner does not ensure its inclusion in its proxy materials, because there are other requirements in the proxy rules relating to such inclusion. You should be aware that annual meetings of shareholders are not required as long as there is no particular requirement under the 1940 Act that must be met by convening such a shareholder meeting. Any shareholder proposal should be sent to Walthausen Funds, Attention: Secretary, 20 N. Wacker Dr., Suite 1416, Chicago, IL 60606. Shareholder proposals may also be raised from the floor at the Meeting without prior notice to the Trust.

**LEGAL MATTERS**

Certain legal matters concerning the issuance of shares of the Acquiring Fund in connection with the Reorganization will be passed upon by Alston & Bird LLP. Legal matters concerning the federal income tax consequences of the Reorganization will be passed upon by Thompson Hine LLC.

**INFORMATION FILED WITH THE SEC** 

The Funds are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the 1940 Act, and in accordance therewith, file reports and other information, including proxy materials, with the SEC. Reports and other information filed by Walthausen Funds and NLFT II may be inspected without charge and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20549, and at the following regional offices of the SEC: Northeast Regional Office, 200 Vesey Street, Suite 400, New York, NY 10281-1022; Southeast Regional Office, 801 Brickell Avenue, Suite 1950, Miami, FL 33131; Midwest Regional Office, 175 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 1450, Chicago, IL 60604; Central Regional Office, 1961 Stout Street, Suite 1700, Denver, CO 80294; and Pacific Regional Office, 444 South Flower Street, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90071. Copies of such materials may also be obtained from the Public Reference Branch, Office of Consumer Affairs and Information Services, Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, DC 20549 at prescribed rates.

**APPENDIX A**

**AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION**

**AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION AND TERMINATION**

THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION AND TERMINATION (the "Agreement") is made as of this [__] day of [_______], , 2023 by Northern Lights Fund Trust II, a Delaware statutory trust (the "Acquiring Trust"), on behalf of it series the North Star Small Cap Value Fund (the "Acquiring Fund"); Walthausen Funds, an Ohio business trust (the "Selling Trust"), on behalf of the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund (the "Selling Fund") (the Acquiring Fund and Selling Fund referred to herein as a "Fund" and collectively, the "Funds"); North Star Investment Management Corp, a Delaware corporation (the "Adviser"), the investment adviser to the Acquiring Fund and Selling Fund (only for purposes of Sections 1.7, 5.11, and 9.1 of this Agreement). The principal place of business of the Acquiring Trust is 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450, Cincinnati, OH 45246; the principal place of business of the Selling Trust is 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1416, Chicago, IL 60606; and the principal place of business of the Adviser is 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1416, Chicago, IL 60606.

This Agreement is intended to be and is adopted as a plan of "reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder. The reorganization will consist of:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) the transfer of all the assets of the Selling Fund
(the "Assets") to the Acquiring Fund, in exchange solely for Institutional Class and Investor Class shares of beneficial interest,
no par value per share, of the Acquiring Fund (collectively, the "Acquiring Fund Shares") and the assumption by the Acquiring
Fund of all the liabilities of the Selling Fund (the "Liabilities"); and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) the pro rata distribution of all the Institutional
Class and Investor Class shares of the Acquiring Fund to the Institutional Class and Investor Class (collectively, the "Selling Fund
Shares") shareholders of the Selling Fund, respectively, and the termination, dissolution and complete liquidation of the Selling
Fund as provided herein, all upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement (the "Reorganization").

WHEREAS, the Acquiring Fund is a separate series of the Acquiring Trust, the Selling Fund is a separate series of the Selling Trust, the Acquiring Trust and the Selling Trust are open-end management investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and the Selling Fund owns securities that generally are assets of the character in which the Acquiring Fund is permitted to invest;

WHEREAS, the Acquiring Fund has been organized to continue the business and operations of the Selling Fund;

WHEREAS, the Acquiring Fund is authorized to issue the Acquiring Fund Shares;

WHEREAS, the Acquiring Fund currently has no assets and has carried on no business activities prior to the date first written above and will have no assets and will have carried on no business activities prior to the consummation of the Reorganization, except as necessary to consummate the Reorganization and to issue the Initial Shares (as defined in Section 1.10 of this Agreement) as part of the organization of the Acquiring Fund;

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Acquiring Trust, including a majority of the trustees who are not "interested persons" as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act (the "Independent Trustees"), has determined that the Reorganization is in the best interests of the Acquiring Fund; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Selling Trust, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, has determined that the Reorganization is in the best interests of the Selling Fund and that the interests of the existing shareholders of the Selling Fund will not be diluted as a result of the Reorganization.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

**ARTICLE I<br> TRANSFER OF ASSETS OF THE SELLING FUND IN EXCHANGE FOR ACQUIRING FUND SHARES AND THE ASSUMPTION OF THE SELLING FUND'S LIABILITIES, AND TERMINATION AND LIQUIDATION OF THE SELLING FUND**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.1 THE EXCHANGE. Subject to the terms and conditions contained herein and on the basis of the representations and warranties contained herein, the Selling Fund agrees to transfer all its assets, as set forth in Section 1.2 of this Agreement, to the Acquiring Fund. In consideration for such transfer, the Acquiring Fund agrees (a) to deliver to the Selling Fund the number of full and fractional Acquiring Fund Shares, computed in the manner set forth in Section 2.3 of this Agreement; and (b) to assume all the liabilities of the Selling Fund, as set forth in Section 1.3 of this Agreement. All Acquiring Fund Shares delivered to the Selling Fund shall be delivered at net asset value without a sales load, commission or other similar fee being imposed. Such transactions shall take place at the closing provided for in Section 3.1 of this Agreement (the "Closing").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.2 ASSETS TO BE TRANSFERRED. The Selling Fund shall transfer all its assets to the Acquiring Fund, including, without limitation, all cash, securities, commodities, interests in futures and dividends or interest receivables, owned by the Selling Fund and any deferred or prepaid expenses shown as an asset on the books of the Selling Fund on the Closing Date (as defined in Section 3.1 of this Agreement).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.3 LIABILITIES TO BE ASSUMED. The Selling Fund will endeavor to discharge all its known liabilities and obligations to the extent possible before the Closing Date other than those liabilities and obligations which would otherwise be discharged at a later date in the ordinary course of business. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Acquiring Fund shall assume all liabilities of the Selling Fund, which assumed liabilities shall include all the Selling Fund's liabilities, debts, obligations, and duties of whatever kind or nature, whether absolute, accrued, contingent, or otherwise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, whether or not determinable at the Closing Date, and whether or not specifically referred to in this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.4 LIQUIDATION AND DISTRIBUTION. On or as soon after the Closing Date as is possible, (the "Liquidation Date"):

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) the Selling Fund will distribute, in complete liquidation of the Selling Fund, to its shareholders of record of each class determined as of the close of business on the Valuation Date (as defined in Section 2.1 of this Agreement) (the "Selling Fund Shareholders"), all the corresponding classes of Acquiring Fund Shares received by the Selling Fund pursuant to Section 1.1 of this Agreement on a pro rata basis within the applicable class; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) the Selling Fund will thereupon proceed to dissolve and terminate as set forth in Section 1.8 of this Agreement. Such distribution will be accomplished with respect to each class of shares of the Selling Fund by the transfer of Acquiring Fund Shares representing the corresponding class then credited to the account of the Selling Fund on the books of the Acquiring Fund to open accounts on the share records of the Acquiring Fund in the name of the Selling Fund Shareholders of such class, and representing the respective pro rata number of Acquiring Fund Shares due such shareholders. All issued and outstanding shares of the Selling Fund will simultaneously be redeemed by the Selling Trust and canceled on its books. The Acquiring Fund shall not issue certificates representing Acquiring Fund Shares in connection with such transfer.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.5 OWNERSHIP OF SHARES. Ownership of Acquiring Fund Shares will be shown on the books of the Acquiring Fund's transfer agent. Shares of the Acquiring Fund will be issued at the Closing to the Selling Fund, in an amount computed in the manner set forth in Section 2.3 of this Agreement, to be distributed to the Selling Fund Shareholders.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.6 STATE FILINGS. Promptly following the Closing Date, the Selling Trust shall make any filings with the State of Ohio that may be required under state law to effect the termination of the Selling Fund, and shall file any required final tax returns with the State of New York and elsewhere to the extent required under applicable law.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.7 TRANSFER TAXES. Any transfer taxes payable upon the issuance of Acquiring Fund Shares in a name other than the registered holder of the Selling Fund shares on the books of the Selling Fund as of that time shall, as a condition of such issuance and transfer, be paid by the person to whom such

Acquiring Fund Shares are to be issued and transferred. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any other transfer taxes payable upon the issuance of the Acquiring Fund Shares shall be paid by the Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.8 TERMINATION. The Selling Fund shall be dissolved, terminated and have its affairs wound up in accordance with Ohio state law, promptly following the Closing Date and the making of all distributions pursuant to Section 1.4 of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.9 BOOKS AND RECORDS. All books and records of the Selling Fund, including all books and records required to be maintained under the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, shall be available to the Acquiring Fund from and after the Closing Date and copies thereof shall be turned over to the Acquiring Fund as soon as practicable following the Closing Date. The Acquiring Fund shall maintain all books and records relating to the Reorganization for the time periods required under applicable law.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.10 INITIAL SHARES. Prior to the Closing, the Acquiring Fund will issue Institutional Class and Investor Class shares of the Acquiring Fund (each, an "Initial Share" and collectively, the "Initial Shares") to the initial shareholder of the Acquiring Fund (the "Sole Shareholder") in exchange for nominal seed capital for the sole purpose of allowing the Sole Shareholder to approve certain organizational items on behalf of the Acquiring Fund. The Initial Shares shall be redeemed and cancelled by the Acquiring Fund for the price for which they were issued immediately prior to the Closing.

**ARTICLE II<br> VALUATION**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.1 VALUATION OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES. The value of the Selling Fund's net assets shall be the value of all the Selling Fund's assets computed as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") on the Closing Date (such time and date being hereinafter called the "Valuation Date") after the declaration and payment of any dividends and/or other distributions on that date, less the amount of all the Selling Fund's liabilities. The value of the Selling Fund's assets and liabilities shall be determined by using the valuation procedures set forth in the Selling Trust's Pricing Policy and Procedures and the Selling Fund's then-current prospectus and statement of additional information, or such other valuation procedures as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties. The aggregate net asset value of the Acquiring Fund Shares shall be the aggregate net asset value of the Selling Fund computed on the Valuation Date, using the valuation procedures set forth above.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2 VALUATION OF SHARES. The net asset value per share for the Institutional Class and Investor Class of the Acquiring Fund shall be equal to the net asset value per share for the Institutional Class and Investor Class, respectively, of the Selling Fund computed on the Valuation Date, using the valuation procedures set forth in Section 2.1 of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.3 SHARES TO BE ISSUED. The number of full and fractional Institutional Class and Investor Class shares to be issued by the Acquiring Fund in exchange for the net assets of the Selling Fund shall be equal to the number of full and fractional Institutional Class and Investor Class shares of the Selling Fund, respectively, issued and outstanding on the Valuation Date, calculated to the third decimal place after the decimal point. Each Institutional Class and Investor Class shareholder of the Selling Fund will receive the number of full and fractional shares of Institutional Class and Investor Class shares of the Acquiring Fund, respectively, equal as of the Valuation Date to the number of full and fractional Institutional Class and Investor Class shares of the Selling Fund held by that shareholder immediately prior to the Reorganization, calculated to the third decimal place after the decimal point.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.4 EFFECT OF SUSPENSION IN TRADING. The Valuation Date and Closing Date (as defined in Section 3.1 of this Agreement) shall be postponed, if on the Valuation Date, either:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (a) the NYSE or another primary exchange on which the portfolio securities of the Acquiring Fund or the Selling Fund are purchased or sold, shall be closed to trading or trading on such exchange shall be restricted; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (b) trading or the reporting of trading on the NYSE or elsewhere shall be disrupted so that accurate appraisal of the value of the net assets of the Acquiring Fund or the Selling Fund is impracticable as mutually agreed upon by the parties.

The postponement shall continue until the first business day after the day when trading is fully resumed and reporting is restored.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.5 DETERMINATION OF VALUE. All computations of value shall be made by Gemini Fund Services, LLC, the Selling Fund's and Buying Fund's accounting agent, in accordance with its regular practice in pricing the shares and assets of the Selling Fund.

**ARTICLE III<br> CLOSING AND CLOSING DATE**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.1 CLOSING DATE. The Closing shall occur on May 12, 2023 or such other date as the parties may agree in writing (the "Closing Date"). Unless otherwise provided, all acts taking place at the Closing shall be deemed to take place immediately after the close of regular trading on the NYSE on the Valuation Date. The Closing shall be held immediately after the close of regular trading on the NYSE at the offices of Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC in Hauppauge, New York or at such other time and/or place as the parties may agree.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.2 CUSTODIAN'S CERTIFICATE. The Selling Fund shall cause U.S. Bank N. A., as custodian for the Selling Fund (the "Custodian"), to deliver to the Acquiring Fund at the Closing a certificate of an authorized officer stating that (a) the Selling Fund's portfolio securities, cash, and any other assets shall have been delivered in proper form to the Acquiring Fund on the Closing Date; and (b) all necessary taxes including all applicable U.S. federal and state stock transfer stamps, if any, shall have been paid, or provision for payment shall have been made, in conjunction with the delivery of portfolio securities by the Selling Fund. The Selling Fund's portfolio securities represented by a certificate or other written instrument shall be presented by the Custodian for the Selling Fund to the custodian for the Acquiring Fund for examination no later than five (5) business days preceding the Closing Date and transferred and delivered by the Selling Fund as of the Closing Date for the account of the Acquiring Fund, duly endorsed in proper form for the transfer in such condition as to constitute good delivery thereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.3 TRANSFER AGENT'S CERTIFICATE. The Selling Fund shall cause Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, as transfer agent for the Selling Fund, to deliver to the Acquiring Fund at the Closing a certificate of an authorized officer stating that its records contain the names and addresses of the Selling Fund Shareholders, and the number, class and percentage ownership of outstanding shares owned by each such shareholder immediately prior to the Closing. The Acquiring Fund shall issue and deliver or cause Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, its transfer agent, to issue and deliver to the Secretary of the Selling Trust at the Closing (a) a certificate as to the opening of accounts in the Selling Fund Shareholders' names on the Acquiring Fund's share transfer books; and (b) a confirmation evidencing the Acquiring Fund Shares by class to be credited at the Closing or provide evidence satisfactory to the Selling Fund that such Acquiring Fund Shares have been credited to the Selling Fund's account on the books of the Acquiring Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.4 DELIVERY OF ADDITIONAL ITEMS. At the Closing, each party shall deliver to the other such bills of sale, checks, assignments, share certificates, receipts and other documents, if any, as such other party or its counsel may reasonably request to effect the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

**ARTICLE IV<br> REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.1 REPRESENTATIONS OF THE SELLING FUND. The Selling Trust, on behalf of the Selling Fund, represents and warrants to the Acquiring Fund as follows:

&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 Selling Trust is a business trust duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Ohio.

&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 Selling Fund is a separate series of the Selling Trust duly authorized in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Selling Trust's Declaration of Trust, as may be amended from time to 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;(c) The Selling Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act, and such registration has not been revoked or rescinded and is in full force and effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) The Selling Fund is not, and the execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement (subject to shareholder approval) will not result, in the violation of any provision of the Selling Trust's Declaration of Trust as may be amended form time to time, or the Bylaws (collectively, the "Selling Trust Governing Documents") or of any material agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease, or other undertaking to which the Selling Fund is a party or by which it is bound.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) Except for any conversion fees to be payable to the Selling Fund's transfer agent and custodian in connection with the Reorganization or as otherwise disclosed in writing to and accepted by the Acquiring Fund, the Selling Fund has no material contracts or other commitments (other than this Agreement) that will be terminated with liability to the Selling Fund before the Closing Date, except for liabilities, if any, to be discharged as provided in Section 1.3 of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) No litigation, administrative proceeding, or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or to its knowledge threatened against the Selling Fund or any of its properties or assets, which, if adversely determined, would materially and adversely affect its financial condition, the conduct of its business, or the ability of the Selling Fund to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The Selling Fund knows of no facts that might form a reasonable basis for the institution of such proceedings and is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree, or judgment of any court or governmental body that materially and adversely affects its business or its ability to consummate the transactions contemplated herein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) The annual financial statements of the Selling Fund for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2022 have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and have been audited by an independent registered public accounting firm, and such statements (copies of which have been furnished to the Acquiring Fund) fairly reflect the financial condition of the Selling Fund as of January 31, 2022, and there are no known contingent liabilities of the Selling Fund as of such date that are not disclosed in such statements. The unaudited semi-annual financial statements of the Selling Fund for the semi-annual period ended July 31, 2022 have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and such statements (copies of which have been furnished to the Acquiring Fund) fairly reflect the financial condition of the Selling Fund as of July 31, 2022, and there are no known contingent liabilities of the Selling Fund as of such date that are not disclosed in such statements.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) Since the date of the financial statements referred to in subsection (g) above, there have been no material adverse changes in the Selling Fund's financial condition, assets, liabilities or business (other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business) and there are no known contingent liabilities of the Selling Fund arising after such date, except as otherwise disclosed in writing to and accepted by the Acquiring Fund. For the purposes of this subsection (h), a decline in the net asset value or net assets of the Selling Fund shall not constitute a material adverse change.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) All U.S. federal, state, local and other tax returns and reports of the Selling Fund required by law to be filed by it (taking into account permitted extensions for filing) have been timely filed and are correct in all material respects. All U.S. federal, state, local and other taxes required to be paid (whether shown on any such return or report) have been paid, or provision shall have been made for the payment thereof and any such unpaid taxes are properly reflected on the financial statements referred to in subsection (h) above. To the best of the Selling Fund's knowledge, no tax authority is currently auditing or preparing to audit the Selling Fund, and no assessment for taxes, interest, additions to tax, or penalty has been asserted or threatened against the Selling Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j) All issued and outstanding shares of the Selling Fund are duly and validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable by the Selling Fund. All the issued and outstanding shares of the Selling Fund will, at the time of the Closing, be held by the persons and in the amounts set forth in the records of the Selling Fund's transfer agent as provided in Section 3.3 of this Agreement. The Selling Fund has no outstanding options, warrants, or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any shares of the Selling Fund, and has no outstanding securities convertible into shares of the Selling Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(k) At the time of the Closing, the Selling Fund will have good and marketable title to the Selling Fund's assets to be transferred to the Acquiring Fund pursuant to Section 1.2 of this Agreement, and full right, power, and authority to sell, assign, transfer, and deliver such assets, and, upon delivery and payment for such assets, the Acquiring Fund will acquire good and marketable title thereto, subject to no other restrictions on the full transfer thereof, including such restrictions as might arise under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), except those restrictions as to which the Acquiring Fund has received notice and necessary documentation at or prior to the Closing.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(l) Other than approval by the Selling Fund Shareholders, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Selling Fund. Subject to approval by the Selling Fund Shareholders, this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Selling Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(m) The information to be furnished by the Selling Fund for use in no-action letters, applications for orders, registration statements, including the N-1A Registration Statement and N-14 Registration Statement, proxy materials, and other documents that may be necessary in connection with the transactions contemplated herein shall be accurate and complete in all material respects and shall comply in all material respects with applicable U.S. federal securities and other applicable laws and regulations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(n) The current prospectus and statement of additional information of the Selling Fund conform in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and do not include, with respect to the Selling Trust or the Selling Fund, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(o) From the date of this Agreement, through the time of the meeting of the Selling Fund Shareholders and on the Closing Date, any written information furnished by the Selling Fund or any other materials provided in connection with the Reorganization, does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the statements, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(p) For each taxable year of its operations prior to the Closing Date, the Selling Fund (i) has elected to qualify, and has qualified, as a "regulated investment company" under Subchapter M of the Code (a "RIC"), (ii) has been eligible to and has computed its U.S. federal income tax under Section 852 of the Code, and (iii) has been, and will be as of the Closing Date treated as a separate corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes pursuant to Section 851(g) of the Code. The Selling Fund will qualify as a RIC as of the Closing Date and will have satisfied as of the close of its most recent prior quarter of its taxable year, the diversification requirements of Section 851(b)(3) of the Code without regard to the last sentence of Section 851(d)(1) of the Code. The Selling Fund has not taken any action, caused any action to be taken or caused any action to fail to be taken which action or failure could cause the Selling Fund to fail to qualify as a RIC under the Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(q) No governmental consents, approvals, authorizations or filings are required under the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), the 1940 Act or Ohio state law, as applicable, for the execution of this Agreement by the Selling Trust on behalf of the Selling Fund, except for the effectiveness of the N-14 Registration Statement (as defined in Section 5.7 of this Agreement) and the filing of any documents that may be required under Ohio state law and except for such other consents, approvals, authorizations and filings as have been made or received and such consents, approvals, authorizations and filings as may be required subsequent to the Closing Date, it being understood, however, that this Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein must be approved by the shareholders of the Selling Fund as described in Section 5.2 of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(r) The Selling Trust's Board of Trustees satisfies the fund governance standards defined in Rule 0-1(a)(7) under the 1940 Act as they currently apply to the Selling Trust.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.2 REPRESENTATIONS OF THE ACQUIRING FUND. The Acquiring Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, represents and warrants to the Selling Fund as follows:

&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 Acquiring Trust is a statutory trust, duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

&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 Acquiring Fund is a separate series of the Acquiring Trust duly authorized in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Acquiring Trust's Declaration of Trust.

&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 Acquiring Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act, and such registration has not been revoked or rescinded and is in full force and effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) The Acquiring Fund was formed solely for the purpose of effecting the Reorganization, has not commenced operations or engaged in any business and will not do so until after the Closing and, except with respect to the consideration received in exchange for the issuance of the Initial Shares, has not owned any assets and will not own any assets prior to the Closing. There shall be no issued and outstanding shares of the Acquiring Fund prior to the Closing Date other than the Initial Shares issued to the Sole Shareholder in association with the organization of the Acquiring Fund. The Acquiring Fund will

redeem and cancel such Initial Shares immediately prior to the Closing in exchange for an amount equal to the consideration received by the Acquiring Fund for such Initial Shares so that the Acquiring Fund will own no assets at the time of the Closing.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) The Acquiring Fund is not, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will not result, in a violation of the Acquiring Trust's Declaration of Trust or Bylaws or of any material agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease, or other undertaking to which the Acquiring Fund is a party or by which it is bound.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) No litigation, administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or to its knowledge threatened against the Acquiring Trust or the Acquiring Fund or any of its properties or assets, which, if adversely determined, would materially and adversely affect its financial condition, the conduct of its business or the ability of the Acquiring Trust or the Acquiring Fund to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Neither the Acquiring Trust nor the Acquiring Fund knows of any facts that might form a reasonable basis for the institution of such proceedings and it is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree, or judgment of any court or governmental body that materially and adversely affects its business or its ability to consummate the transaction contemplated herein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Acquiring Fund, and this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Acquiring Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, and other laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) The Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued and delivered to the Selling Fund for the account of the Selling Fund Shareholders pursuant to the terms of this Agreement will, at the Closing Date, have been duly authorized and will, after taking into account the redemption and cancellation of the Initial Shares, constitute all the issued and outstanding shares of the Acquiring Fund as of the Closing Date. When so issued and delivered, such shares will be duly and validly issued shares of the Acquiring Fund, and will be fully paid and non-assessable. The Acquiring Fund has no outstanding options, warrants or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any shares of the Acquiring Fund, and has no outstanding securities convertible into shares of the Acquiring Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) The information to be furnished by the Acquiring Fund for use in no-action letters, applications for orders, registration statements, proxy materials, and other documents that may be necessary in connection with the transactions contemplated herein shall be accurate and complete in all material respects and shall comply in all material respects with U.S. federal securities and other laws and regulations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(j) The prospectus and statement of additional information of the Acquiring Fund filed as part of the Post-Effective Amendment (as defined in Section 8.6 of this Agreement), which will become effective on or prior to the Closing Date, conform, and as of the effective date of the Post-Effective Amendment will conform, in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and do not, and as of the effective date of the Post-Effective Amendment will not, include, with respect to the Acquiring Trust or the Acquiring Fund, any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(k) From the date of this Agreement, the N-1A Registration Statement (as defined in Section 5.7 of this Agreement), through the time of the meeting of the Selling Fund shareholders and on the Closing Date, any written information furnished by the Acquiring Trust with respect to the Acquiring Fund for use in the Proxy Materials (as defined in Section 5.7 of this Agreement), or any other materials provided in connection with the Reorganization, does not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated or necessary to make the statements, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(l) The Acquiring Fund (i) will elect to be taxed as a RIC, will qualify for the tax treatment afforded RICs under the Code for its taxable year that includes the Closing Date, and intends to continue to qualify for such treatment for its subsequent taxable years, (ii) will be eligible to compute its U.S. federal income tax under Section 852 of the Code for the taxable year that includes the Closing Date, and (iii) will be treated as a separate corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes pursuant to Section 851(g) of the Code for the taxable year that includes the Closing Date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(m) No governmental consents, approvals, authorizations or filings are required under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act or Delaware law for the execution of this Agreement by the Acquiring Trust, for itself and on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, or the performance of this Agreement by the Acquiring Trust, for itself and on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, except for the effectiveness of the N-1A Registration Statement (as defined in Section 5.7 of this Agreement) and the Post-Effective Amendment (as defined in Section 8.6 of this Agreement) and the filing of any documents that may be required under Delaware state law and except for such other consents, approvals, authorizations and filings as have been made or received and except for such consents, approvals, authorizations and filings as may be required subsequent to the Closing Date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(n) The Acquiring Fund agrees to use all reasonable efforts to obtain the approvals and authorizations required by the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, and any state securities laws as it may deem appropriate to continue its operations after the Closing Date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(o) The Acquiring Trust's Board of Trustees satisfies the fund governance standards defined in Rule 0-1(a)(7) under the 1940 Act as they currently apply to the Acquiring Trust.

**ARTICLE V<br> COVENANTS OF ACQUIRING FUND AND SELLING FUND**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.1 OPERATION IN ORDINARY COURSE. The Selling Fund will operate its business in the ordinary course between the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date, it being understood that such ordinary course of business will include customary dividends and distributions, any other distribution necessary or desirable to avoid U.S. federal income or excise taxes, and shareholder purchases and redemptions. The Acquiring Fund shall not conduct any business prior to the Closing Date, other than such activity as is necessary to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. No party shall take any action that would, or reasonably would be expected to, result in any of its representations and warranties set forth in this Agreement being or becoming untrue in any material respect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.2 SHAREHOLDER APPROVAL. The Selling Fund will call a special meeting of Selling Fund shareholders to consider and act upon this Agreement (or transactions contemplated thereby) and to take all other appropriate action necessary to obtain approval of the transactions contemplated herein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.3 INVESTMENT REPRESENTATION. The Selling Fund covenants that the Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement are not being acquired for the purpose of making any distribution, other than in connection with the Reorganization and in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.4 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. The Selling Fund will assist the Acquiring Fund in obtaining such information as the Acquiring Fund reasonably requests concerning the beneficial ownership of the Selling Fund's shares as permitted by shareholder account registrations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.5 FURTHER ACTION. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, each Fund will take or cause to be taken, all action, and do or cause to be done, all things reasonably necessary, proper or advisable to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including any actions required to be taken after the Closing Date. In particular, the Selling Fund covenants that it will, as and when reasonably requested by the Acquiring Fund, execute and deliver or cause to be executed and delivered all such assignments and other instruments and will take or cause to be taken such further action as the Acquiring Fund may reasonably deem necessary or desirable in order to vest in and confirm the Acquiring Fund's title to and possession of all the Selling Fund's assets and otherwise to carry out the intent and purpose of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.6 STATEMENT OF EARNINGS AND PROFITS. As promptly as practicable, but in any case within sixty (60) days after the Closing Date, the Selling Trust shall furnish the Acquiring Fund, in such form as is reasonably satisfactory to the Acquiring Fund and which will be certified by an officer of the Selling Trust, a statement of the earnings and profits of the Selling Fund for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as well as any net operating loss carryovers and capital loss carryovers, that will be carried over to the Acquiring Fund as a result of Section 381 of the Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.7 PREPARATION OF REGISTRATION STATEMENTS AND PROXY MATERIALS. The Acquiring Trust will prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") an amendment to its registration statement on Form N-1A relating to the Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued to

the Selling Fund Shareholders (the "N-1A Registration Statement"). The Acquiring Trust, with the assistance of the Selling Trust, will prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement on Form N-14 under the 1933 Act which shall properly register the Acquiring Fund shares to be issued in connection with the Reorganization and include a proxy statement with respect to the votes of the shareholders of the Selling Fund to approve the Reorganization (the "N-14 Registration Statement"). The N-1A Registration Statement and N-14 Registration Statement shall each be in compliance in all material respects with the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, and the 1940 Act, as applicable. Each party will provide the other party with the materials and information necessary to prepare the N-1A Registration Statement and N-14 Registration Statement and related materials (the "Proxy Materials"), for inclusion therein, in connection with the meeting of Selling Fund shareholders to consider the approval of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.8 REPORTING RESPONSIBILITY. Any reporting responsibility of the Selling Fund, including, without limitation, the responsibility for filing of regulatory reports, tax returns or other documents with the Commission, any state securities commission, and any U.S. federal, state or local tax authorities or any other relevant authority, is and shall remain the responsibility of the Selling Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.9 TAX STATUS OF REORGANIZATION. The parties intend that the Reorganization will qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code. None of the Selling Trust, the Selling Fund, the Acquiring Trust or the Acquiring Fund shall (either before or after the Closing Date) take any action or cause any action to be taken (including, without limitation the filing of any tax return) that is inconsistent with such treatment or that results in the failure of the Reorganization to qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code. At or prior to the Closing Date, the parties to this Agreement will take such reasonable action, or cause such action to be taken, as is reasonably necessary to enable Thompson Hine to render the tax opinion contemplated in this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.10 STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES. The Selling Fund shall, as soon as is reasonably practicable after the Closing Date, deliver to the Acquiring Fund a statement of the Selling Fund's assets and liabilities, together with a list of the Selling Fund's portfolio securities showing the tax basis of such securities by lot and the holding periods of such securities, as of the Closing Date, certified by the Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer of the Selling Trust.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.11 CONFIDENTIALITY.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) The Acquiring Trust, the Acquiring Fund, the Selling Trust, the Selling Fund, and the Adviser (the "Protected Persons") will hold, and will cause their board members, officers, employees, representatives, agents and affiliates to hold, in strict confidence, and not disclose to any other person, and not use in any way except in connection with the transactions herein contemplated, without the prior written consent of the other Protected Persons, all non-public, confidential or proprietary information obtained from the other Protected Persons in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such information may be disclosed (i) to governmental or regulatory bodies, and, where necessary, to any other person in connection with the obtaining of consents or waivers as contemplated by this Agreement; (ii) if required by court order or decree or applicable law; (iii) if it is publicly available through no act or failure to act of such party; (iv) if it was already known to such party on a non-confidential basis on the date of receipt; (v) during the course of or in connection with any litigation, government investigation, arbitration, or other proceedings based upon or in connection with the subject matter of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the failure of the transactions contemplated hereby to be consummated; or (vi) if it is otherwise expressly provided for herein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) In the event of a termination of this Agreement, the Protected Persons agree that they along with their board members, employees, representatives, agents and affiliates shall, and shall cause their affiliates to, except with the prior written consent of the other Protected Persons, keep secret and retain in strict confidence, and not use for the benefit of itself or themselves, nor disclose to any other persons, any and all non-public, confidential or proprietary information relating to the other Protected Persons and their related parties and affiliates, whether obtained through their due diligence investigation, this Agreement or otherwise, except such information may be disclosed (i) if required by court order or decree or applicable law; (ii) if it is publicly available through no act or failure to act of such party; (iii) if it was already known to such party on a non-confidential basis on the date of receipt; (iv) during the course of or in connection with any litigation, government investigation, arbitration, or other proceedings based upon or in connection with the subject matter of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the failure of the transactions contemplated hereby to be consummated; or (v) if it is otherwise expressly provided for herein.

**ARTICLE VI<br> CONDITION PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE SELLING FUND**

The obligations of the Selling Fund to consummate the transactions provided for herein shall be subject to the fulfillment or waiver of the following conditions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.1 All representations, covenants, and warranties of the Acquiring Trust and the Acquiring Fund contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Closing Date. The Acquiring Fund shall have delivered to the Selling Fund a certificate executed in the Acquiring Fund's name by the Acquiring Trust's President, in form and substance satisfactory to the Selling Fund and dated as of the Closing Date, to such effect and as to such other matters as the Selling Fund shall reasonably request.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.2 The Acquiring Fund shall have performed and complied in all material respects with all terms, conditions, covenants, obligations, agreements and restrictions required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Acquiring Fund prior to or at the Closing.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.3 The Selling Fund shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion from Alston & Bird LLP, dated as of the Closing Date, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Selling Fund substantially to the effect that:

&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 Acquiring Trust has been formed as a statutory trust and is existing under the laws of the State of Delaware and, as far as counsel's knowledge, has the power as a statutory trust under its Declaration of Trust to carry on its business as an open-end management investment company. The Acquiring Fund has been established as a separate series of the Trust under the Declaration of Trust.

&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 Acquiring Trust is registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act, and, to such counsel's knowledge, such registration under the 1940 Act is in full force and effect.

&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) Assuming that the consideration of not less than net asset value has been paid, the Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued and delivered to the Selling Fund on behalf of the Selling Fund Shareholders, as provided by this Agreement, are duly authorized and upon such delivery will be legally issued and outstanding and fully paid and non-assessable, and no shareholder of the Acquiring Fund has any preemptive rights with respect to Acquiring Fund Shares.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) Each of the N-1A Registration Statement, Post-Effective Amendment and N-14 Registration Statement is effective and to such counsel's knowledge, no stop order under the 1933 Act pertaining thereto has been issued, and to the knowledge of such counsel, no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority of the United States or the State of Delaware is required for consummation by the Acquiring Fund of the transactions contemplated herein, except as have been obtained.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) The execution and delivery of this Agreement did not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not, result in a violation of the Acquiring Trust's Declaration of Trust or Bylaws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Acquiring Trust on behalf of the Acquiring Fund and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Selling Trust, on behalf of the Selling Fund, is a valid and binding obligation of the Acquiring Trust on behalf of the Acquiring Fund enforceable against the Acquiring Fund in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally and to general equity principles.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) In the ordinary course of such counsel's representation of the Acquiring Trust, and without having made any investigation, such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceedings, only insofar as they relate to the Acquiring Fund, existing on or before the effective date of the N-1A Registration Statement, Post-Effective Amendment, or the N-14 Registration Statement, or the Closing Date required to be described in the N-1A Registration Statement, Post-Effective Amendment or N-14 Registration Statement or to be filed as exhibits to the N-1A Registration Statement, Post-Effective Amendment or N-14 Registration Statement which are not described or filed as required.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) In the ordinary course of such counsel's representation of the Acquiring Trust, and without having made any investigation, and except as otherwise disclosed, to the knowledge of such counsel, no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or threatened as to the Acquiring Trust or any of its properties or assets and the Acquiring Trust is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body, which materially and adversely affects its business, other than as previously disclosed in the N-1A Registration Statement and Post-Effective Amendment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i) To the knowledge of such counsel no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority of the United States or the State of Delaware is required for consummation by the Acquiring Trust and the Acquiring Fund of the transaction contemplated herein, except as has and as may be obtained under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act, and as may be required under state securities laws.

In rendering its opinion, such opinion shall be based on customary assumptions and such representations as Alston & Bird LLP may reasonably request of the Funds, and the Selling Fund and the Acquiring Fund will cooperate to make and certify the accuracy of such representations.

**ARTICLE VII<br> CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE ACQUIRING FUND**

The obligations of the Acquiring Fund to consummate the transactions provided for herein shall be subject to the fulfillment or waiver of the following conditions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.1 All representations, covenants, and warranties of the Selling Trust and the Selling Fund contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Closing Date. The Selling Fund shall have delivered to the Acquiring Fund on the Closing Date a certificate executed in the Selling Fund's name by the Selling Trust's President, in form and substance satisfactory to the Acquiring Fund and dated as of the Closing Date, to such effect and as to such other matters as the Acquiring Fund shall reasonably request.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.2 The Selling Fund shall have performed and complied in all material respects with all terms, conditions, covenants, obligations, agreements and restrictions required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Selling Fund prior to or at the Closing.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.3 The Acquiring Fund shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion from Thompson Hine LLP, dated as of the Closing Date, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Acquiring Fund substantially to the effect that:

&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 Selling Trust been formed as a business trust and is existing under the laws of the State of Ohio and, as far as counsel's knowledge, has the power as a statutory trust under its Declaration of Trust to carry on its business as an open-end management investment company. The Selling Fund has been established as a separate series of the Trust under the Declaration of Trust.

&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 Selling Trust is registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act, and, to such counsel's knowledge, such registration under the 1940 Act is in full force and effect.

&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) To the knowledge of such counsel, no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority of the United States or the State of Ohio is required for consummation by the Selling Fund of the transactions contemplated herein, except as have been obtained.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) The execution and delivery of this Agreement did not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not, result in a violation of the Selling Trust's Declaration of Trust, as amended (assuming approval of Selling Fund shareholders has been obtained) or its Bylaws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Selling Trust on behalf of the Selling Fund and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Acquiring Trust on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, is a valid and binding obligation of the Selling Trust on behalf of the Selling Fund enforceable against the Selling Fund in accordance with its terms,

subject as to enforcement to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally and to general equity principles.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f) In the ordinary course of such counsel's representation of the Selling Trust, and without having made any investigation, such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceedings, only insofar as they relate to the Selling Fund, existing on or before the effective date of the N-14 Registration Statement or the Closing Date required to be described in the N-14 Registration Statement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g) In the ordinary course of such counsel's representation of the Acquiring Trust, and without having made any investigation, and except as otherwise disclosed, to the knowledge of such counsel, no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or threatened as to the Acquiring Trust or any of its properties or assets and the Acquiring Trust is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body, which materially and adversely affects its business, other than as previously disclosed in the N-14 Registration Statement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(h) To the knowledge of such counsel no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority of the United States or the State of Ohio is required for consummation by the Acquiring Trust and the Acquiring Fund of the transaction contemplated herein, except as has and as may be obtained under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act, and as may be required under state securities laws.

Such opinion shall be based on customary assumptions and such representations as Thompson Hine LLP may reasonably request of the Funds, and the Selling Fund and the Acquiring Fund will cooperate to make and certify the accuracy of such representations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.4 (a) As of the Closing Date, the assets of the Selling Fund to be acquired by the Acquiring Fund will include no assets which the Acquiring Fund has identified to the Selling Fund at least two (2) business days prior to the Closing Date as being unsuitable for the Acquiring Fund to acquire by reason of limitations in the Acquiring Trust's trust instrument or bylaws, or of investment restrictions disclosed in the N-1A Registration Statement. The Selling Fund will, within five (5) business days prior to the Closing Date, as such term is defined in Section 3.1 of this Agreement, furnish the Acquiring Fund with a list of the Selling Fund's portfolio securities and other investments.

&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) Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein will require the Selling Fund to dispose of any investments or securities if, in the reasonable judgement of the Board of Trustees of the Selling Fund or the Adviser, such disposition would adversely affect the status of the Reorganization as a "reorganization" as such term is used in the Code or would otherwise not be in the best interest of the Selling Fund.

**ARTICLE VIII<br> FURTHER CONDITIONS PRECEDENT**

The obligations of each Fund shall also be subject to the fulfillment of the following conditions (or waiver by the affected parties, except for Section 8.1 and Section 8.7 of this Agreement):

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.1 This Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein, with respect to the Selling Fund, shall have been approved by the requisite vote of the holders of the outstanding shares of the Selling Fund in accordance with applicable law and the provisions of the Selling Trust Governing Documents. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither Fund may waive the conditions set forth in this Section 8.1 of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.2 This Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein shall have been approved by the Board of Trustees of the Acquiring Trust and the Board of Trustees of the Selling Trust, and each Fund shall have delivered to the other a copy of the resolutions approving this Agreement adopted by its Board, certified by the Secretary or equivalent officer.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.3 The Acquiring Trust, on behalf of and with respect to the Acquiring Fund, shall have entered into or adopted any and all agreements necessary for the Acquiring Fund's operation as a series of an open-end investment company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.4 On the Closing Date, the Commission shall not have issued an unfavorable report under Section 25(b) of the 1940 Act, or instituted any proceeding seeking to enjoin the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement under Section 25(c) of the 1940 Act. Furthermore, no action, suit or other proceeding shall be threatened or pending before any court or governmental agency in which it is sought to restrain or prohibit, or obtain damages or other relief in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.5 All required consents of other parties and all other consents, orders, and permits of U.S. federal, state and local regulatory authorities (including those of the Commission and of state securities authorities, including any necessary "no-action" positions and exemptive orders from such U.S. federal and state authorities) to permit consummation of the transactions contemplated herein shall have been obtained.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.6 The N-1A Registration Statement and post-effective amendment to the Acquiring Trust's registration statement on Form N-1A relating to the Acquiring Fund Shares under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act, as applicable (the "Post-Effective Amendment"), shall have become effective, and any additional post-effective amendments to any such registration statement as are determined by the Trustees of the Acquiring Trust to be necessary and appropriate shall have been filed with the Commission and shall have become effective; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement shall have been issued. To the best knowledge of the parties to this Agreement, no investigation or proceeding for that purpose shall have been instituted or be pending, threatened or contemplated under the 1933 Act. The N-14 Registration Statement shall have become effective under the 1933 Act, and no stop orders suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been issued.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.7 The Selling Trust and Acquiring Trust shall have received an opinion of Tax Counsel [Thompson Hine] as to the federal income tax consequences mentioned below ("Tax Opinion"). In rendering the Tax Opinion, Tax Counsel may rely as to factual matters, exclusively and without independent verification, on the representations and warranties made in this Agreement, which Tax Counsel may treat as representations and warranties made to it (that, notwithstanding Article XI, shall survive the Closing), and in separate letters, if Tax Counsel requests, addressed to it and any certificates delivered pursuant to Section 6.1 and Section 7.1. The Tax Opinion shall be substantially to the effect that -- based on the facts and assumptions stated therein and conditioned on those representations and warranties' being true and complete at the Closing and consummation of the Reorganization in accordance with this Agreement (without the waiver or modification of any terms or conditions hereof and without taking into account any amendment hereof that Tax Counsel has not approved) -- for federal income tax purposes:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**(a)** Acquiring Fund's acquisition of the Assets in exchange solely for Acquiring Fund Shares and its assumption of the Liabilities, followed by Selling Fund's distribution of those shares pro rata to the Selling Fund shareholders actually or constructively in exchange for their Selling Fund Shares in complete liquidation of the Selling Fund, will qualify as a "reorganization" (as defined in section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code), and each Fund will be "a party to a reorganization" (within the meaning of section 368(b) of the Code);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**(b)** Selling Fund will not recognize gain or loss on the transfer of the Assets to the Acquiring Fund in exchange solely for Acquiring Fund Shares and Acquiring Fund's assumption of the Liabilities or on the subsequent distribution of those shares to the Selling Fund shareholders in exchange for their Selling Fund Shares in complete liquidation of the Selling Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**(c)** Acquiring Fund will not recognize gain or loss on its receipt of the Assets in exchange solely for Acquiring Fund Shares and its assumption of the Liabilities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**(d)** Acquiring Fund's adjusted basis in each Asset will be the same as the Selling Fund's adjusted basis therein immediately before the Reorganization, and Acquiring Fund's holding period for each Asset will include the Selling Fund's holding period therefor (except where Acquiring Fund's investment activities have the effect of reducing or eliminating an Asset's holding period);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**(e)** A Selling Fund shareholder will recognize no gain or loss on the exchange of all its Selling Fund Shares solely for Acquiring Fund Shares pursuant to the Reorganization;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**(f)** A Selling Fund shareholder's aggregate adjusted basis in the Acquiring Fund Shares it receives in the Reorganization will be the same as the aggregate adjusted basis in its Selling Fund Shares it actually

or constructively surrenders in exchange for those Acquiring Fund Shares, and its holding period for those Acquiring Fund Shares will include, in each instance, its holding period for those Selling Fund Shares, provided the Selling Fund shareholder held those selling Fund Shares as capital assets at the Closing; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**(g)** The Acquiring Fund will succeed to and take into account the items of the Selling Fund described in Section 381(c) of the Code, subject to the conditions and limitations specified in Sections 381, 382, 383 and 384 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder. In particular, under Treasury Regulations § 1.381(b)-1(a)(2), the Acquiring Fund will be treated for purposes of Section 381 of the Code as the Selling Fund would have been treated if there had been no Reorganization, the Selling Fund's tax attributes enumerated in Section 381(c) of the Code will be taken into account by the Acquiring Fund as if there had been no Reorganization, and the taxable year of the Selling Fund will not end on the Closing Date merely because of the Closing of the Reorganization.

Notwithstanding subparagraphs (b) and (d), the Tax Opinion may state that no opinion is expressed as to the effect of the Reorganization on the Funds or any shareholder with respect to any Asset as to which any unrealized gain or loss is required to be recognized for federal income tax purposes at the end of a taxable year (or on the termination or transfer thereof) under a mark-to-market system of accounting

No opinion will be expressed as to (1) the effect of the Reorganization on (A) the taxable year of any Selling Fund shareholder, or (B) the Selling Fund or the Acquiring Fund with respect to any stock held in a passive foreign investment company as defined in Section 1297(a) of the Code or (2) any other U.S. federal tax issues (except those set forth above) and all state, local or foreign tax issues of any kind.

Such opinion shall be based on customary assumptions and such representations as tax counsel may reasonably request of the Funds, and the Selling Fund and the Acquiring Fund will cooperate to make and certify the accuracy of such representations. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the Acquiring Fund nor the Selling Fund may waive the conditions set forth in this Section 8.7 of this Agreement.

**ARTICLE IX<br> EXPENSES**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.1 The Funds will pay no expenses associated with their participation in the Reorganization. The Adviser will pay all expenses incurred by the Acquiring Fund and the Selling Fund in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby whether or not the Reorganization is consummated (the "Reorganization Expenses"). The Reorganization Expenses include, but are not limited to: (a) expenses associated with the preparation and filing of the N-1A and N-14 Registration Statements and amendments thereto; (b) postage; (c) accounting fees; (d) legal fees incurred by each Fund; (e) solicitation costs of the transaction; (f) expenses associated with special meetings of the Boards of Trustees of the Acquiring Trust and Selling Trust in connection with the Reorganization; and (g) other related administrative or operational costs (including, for example, brokerage commissions, transfer fees, exchange fees, and securities registration fees). For avoidance of doubt, if the Reorganization is not consummated, the Adviser will bear full responsibility for payment of the Reorganization Expenses.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.2 Each party represents and warrants to the other that there is no person or entity entitled to receive any broker's fees or similar fees or commission payments in connection with the transactions provided for herein.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.3 Notwithstanding the foregoing, expenses will in any event be paid by the party directly incurring such expenses if and to the extent that the payment by another party of such expenses would result in the disqualification of the Selling Fund or the Acquiring Fund, as the case may be, as a RIC.

**ARTICLE X<br> INDEMNIFICATION**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10.1 Each party, i.e. the Selling Fund and Acquiring Fund, (each an "Indemnitor") shall indemnify and hold harmless the other party, each of such other party's affiliated companies, and all trustees, officers, employees and agents of such other party ("Indemnified Parties"), against any and all losses, damages, or liabilities or any pending or completed actions, claims, suits complaints or investigations (including all reasonable expenses of litigation or arbitration), judgments, fines, or amounts paid in any settlement consented by the Indemnitor (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld), to which any

Indemnified Party may become subject to (collectively, "Losses") as a result or arising out of or relating to: (1) any grossly negligent acts, omissions, bad faith or willful misconduct in the performance of Indemnitor's duties and obligations hereunder; (2) any material breach of the Indemnitor's representations or warranties contained in this Agreement; (3) Indemnitor's failure to comply with any material terms of this Agreement; or (4) any action of an Indemnified Party, upon instructions believed in good faith by the Indemnified Party to have been executed by a duly authorized officer or representative of the Indemnitor. No Indemnified Party, however, shall be indemnified hereunder against any Losses arising directly from such Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in such Indemnified Party's position.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10.2 The Adviser and the Acquiring Fund (the "Acquiring Fund Indemnitors") shall indemnify and hold harmless the Selling Trust and all trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Selling Trust ("Selling Trust Indemnified Parties"), against any and all losses, damages, or liabilities or any pending or completed actions, claims, suits, complaints, examinations or investigations (including all reasonable expenses of investigations, examinations, litigation or arbitration), judgments, fines or amounts paid in any settlement consented by the Acquiring Fund Indemnitors (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld), to which any Selling Trust Indemnified Party may become subject to (collectively, "Losses") after the Reorganization as a result or arising out of or relating to the Selling Fund to the extent such Losses would have been an expense payable by the Selling Fund under the Selling Trust Governing Documents but only to the extent such Losses are not covered by or payable under any insurance policy of the Selling Trust, including any amounts subject to the deductible of such policy. No Selling Trust Indemnified Party, however, shall be indemnified hereunder against any Losses arising directly from such Selling Trust Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in such Selling Trust Indemnified Party's position.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10.3 The Indemnified Party shall use its best efforts to minimize any liabilities, damages, deficiencies, claims, judgments, assessments, costs and expenses in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder. In order that the indemnification provisions contained herein shall apply, upon the assertion of a claim or a loss for which either party may be required to indemnify the other, the party seeking indemnification shall promptly notify the other party of such assertion or loss, and shall keep the other advised with respect to all developments concerning such claim. The party who may be required to indemnify shall have the option to participate at its expense with the party seeking indemnification in the defense of such claim. In this event, the party seeking indemnification may not settle, compromise or consent to judgment except with the other party's prior written consent. The obligations of the parties hereto under this Section shall survive termination of the Agreement.

**ARTICLE XI<br> ENTIRE AGREEMENT; SURVIVAL OF COVENANTS**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.1 The parties agree that no party has made to the other parties any representation, warranty and/or covenant not set forth herein, and that this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between and among the parties.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.2 Except for the covenants set forth in Sections 1.4, 1.9, 5.5, 5.6, 5.10, 5.11, 9.1, 10.1, 10.2, and 11.2 of this Agreement, the representations, warranties, and covenants contained in this Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall not survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder.

**ARTICLE XII<br> TERMINATION**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12.1 This Agreement may be terminated by the mutual agreement of the Acquiring Trust and the Selling Trust and such termination may be effected by the Presidents of the Acquiring Trust and the Selling Trust in writing without further action by their respective Boards of Trustees. In addition, either the Acquiring Trust or the Selling Trust may at its option terminate this Agreement at or before the Closing Date due to:

&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) a material breach by the other party of any representation, warranty, or agreement contained herein to be performed at or before the Closing Date, if not cured within thirty (30) days of written notice thereof to the breaching party and prior to the Closing Date;

&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) a condition precedent to the obligations of the terminating party that has not been met and it reasonably appears that it will not or cannot be met; or

&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) a determination by the Board of Trustees of the Acquiring Trust or the Board of Trustees of the Selling Trust that the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein is not in the best interests of the Acquiring Fund or Selling Fund, respectively.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12.2 In the event of any such termination, in the absence of willful default, there shall be no liability for damages on the part of the Acquiring Trust, the Acquiring Fund, the Selling Trust, the Selling Fund, the Adviser, or their respective board members, members, shareholders and officers. In the event of willful default, all remedies at law or in equity of the party adversely affected shall survive.

**ARTICLE XIII<br> AMENDMENTS**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13.1 This Agreement may be amended, modified, or supplemented in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon in writing by the officers of the Acquiring Trust and the Selling Trust as specifically authorized by their respective Boards of Trustees; provided, however, that following the meeting of the Selling Fund Shareholders called by the Selling Fund pursuant to Section 5.2 of this Agreement, no such amendment may have the effect of changing the provisions hereof to the detriment of such shareholders without their further approval.

**ARTICLE XIV<br> HEADINGS; COUNTERPARTS; GOVERNING LAW;<br> ASSIGNMENT; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14.1 The article and section headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14.2 This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14.3 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflict of laws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14.4 This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, but, except as provided in this section, no assignment or transfer hereof or of any rights or obligations hereunder shall be made by any party without the written consent of the other parties. Nothing herein expressed or implied is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any person, firm, or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14.5 It is expressly agreed that the obligations of each Fund hereunder shall not be binding upon any of the trustees, directors, shareholders, nominees, officers, agents, or employees of the Acquiring Trust or the Selling Trust personally, but shall bind only the property of the respective Fund, as provided in the trust instrument of the Acquiring Trust and the Selling Trust Governing Documents. Moreover, no series of the Selling Trust or Acquiring Trust other than the Selling Fund or Acquiring Fund, shall be responsible for the obligations of the Selling Fund or Acquiring Fund, respectively, hereunder, and all persons shall look only to the assets of the applicable Fund to satisfy the obligations of such Fund hereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement have been authorized by the Board of Trustees of the Acquiring Trust on behalf of the Acquiring Fund and the Board of Trustees of the Selling Trust on behalf of the Selling Fund and signed by authorized officers of the Acquiring Trust and the Selling Trust, respectively, acting as such. Neither the authorization by such Board of Trustees, as applicable, nor the execution and delivery by such officers shall be deemed to have been made by any of them individually or to impose any liability on any of them personally, but shall bind only the property of the respective Fund.

**ARTICLE XV<br> NOTICES**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15.1 Any notice, report, statement or demand required or permitted by any provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given if delivered by hand (including by FedEx or similar express courier) or transmitted by facsimile or three days after being mailed by prepaid registered or

certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the Selling Trust or to the Acquiring Trust at the applicable address set forth in the first paragraph of this Agreement, or to any other address that the Selling Trust or the Acquiring Trust shall have last designated by notice to the other party.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Agreement, all as of the date first written above.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST II,**<br> **on behalf of North Star Small Cap Value Fund** | **NORTHERN LIGHTS FUND TRUST II,**<br> **on behalf of North Star Small Cap Value Fund** |
| By: |  |
| Name: | Kevin Wolf |
| Title: | President |
| **WALTHAUSEN FUNDS,** <br> **on behalf of Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund** | **WALTHAUSEN FUNDS,** <br> **on behalf of Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund** |
| By: |  |
| Name: | Eric Kuby |
| Title: | President |
| The undersigned is a party to this Agreement for the purposes of Sections 1.7, 5.11, and 9.1 only | The undersigned is a party to this Agreement for the purposes of Sections 1.7, 5.11, and 9.1 only |
| **NORTH STAR INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CORP.** | **NORTH STAR INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CORP.** |
| By: |  |
| Name: | Peter Gottlieb |
| Title: | President |

---

**APPENDIX B**

**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TARGET FUND**

The Acquiring Fund will adopt the financial statements of the Target Fund, the accounting survivor of the Reorganization. The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Target Fund's financial performance for the past five fiscal years and are included in the [Target Fund's Prospectus](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm) which is incorporated herein by reference. The audited financials of the Target Fund are also included in the Target Fund's [Annual Report](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000334/walthausenn-csr01312022.htm) which is incorporated herein by reference. The financial performance and unaudited financial statements of the Target Fund for the six month period ended July 31, 2022m, are also included in the Target Fund's [Semi-Annual Report](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000850/walthausenn-csr07312022.htm) which is incorporated herein by reference.

*The table below sets forth financial data for one share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year.*

 

---

| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Financial Highlights - Investor Class**<br> Selected data for a share outstanding throughout the period: | (Unaudited)<br> 2/1/2022<br> to<br> 7/31/2022 |  | 2/1/2021<br> to<br> 1/31/2022 | 2/1/2020<br> to<br> 1/31/2021 | 2/1/2019<br> to<br> 1/31/2020 | 2/1/2018<br> to<br> 1/31/2019 | 2/1/2017<br> to<br> 1/31/2018 |
| Net Asset Value - |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Beginning of Period | $18.23 |  | $20.49 | $18.80 | $18.71 | $23.87 | $22.12 |
| Net Investment Income (Loss)<sup>(a)</sup> | 0.02 |  | (0.00) | 0.05 | 0.07 | (0.02) | (0.07) |
| Net Gain (Loss) on Investments (Realized and Unrealized)<sup>(b)</sup> | (0.87) |  | 5.12 | 1.83 | 0.43 | (2.74) | 2.99 |
| Total from Investment Operations | (0.85) |  | 5.12 | 1.88 | 0.50 | (2.76) | 2.92 |
| Distributions (From Net Investment Income) |  |  |  | (0.19) | (0.02) |  |  |
| Distributions (From Capital Gains) | - |  | (7.38) | - | (0.39) | (2.40) | (1.17) |
| Total Distributions |  |  | (7.38) | (0.19) | (0.41) | (2.40) | (1.17) |
| Proceeds from Redemption Fee <sup>(e)</sup> | - |  | - | - | - | - | - |
| Net Asset Value - |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| End of Period | $17.38 |  | $18.23 | $20.49 | $18.80 | $18.71 | $23.87 |
| Total Return<sup>(c)</sup> | (4.66)% | \* | 23.66% | 10.04% | 2.55% | (10.27)% | 13.22% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net Assets - End of Period (Thousands) | $50407 |  | $64007 | $71784 | $177627 | $422206 | $621122 |
| Before Reimbursement |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets | 1.45% | \*\* | 1.38% | 1.35% | 1.30% | 1.27% | 1.26% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets | 0.01% | \*\* | -0.17% | 0.16% | 0.27% | -0.09% | -0.32% |
| After Reimbursement<sup>(d)</sup> |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets | 1.21% | \*\* | 1.21% | 1.21% | 1.21% | 1.27% | 1.26% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets | 0.25% | \*\* | -0.00% | 0.30% | 0.36% | -0.09% | -0.32% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate | 18.09% | \* | 71.40% | 65.91% | 56.71% | 45.51% | 45.20% |

---

\* Not Annualized.<br> \*\* Annualized.<br> + Amount less than $0.005 per share.<br> (a) Per share amounts were calculated using the average shares method.<br> (b) Realized and unrealized gains and losses per share in this caption are balancing amounts necessary to reconcile the change in net asset value for the period and may not reconcile with the aggregate gains and losses in the Statement of Operations due to share transactions for the period.<br> (c) Total return represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of dividends.<br> (d) Effective December 31, 2018, the Advisor has agreed to waive a portion of its service fees and management fees.<br>

(e) Prior to June 1, 2021, shares were subject to a redemption fee of 2% if redeemed after holding them for 90 days or less.

---

| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Financial Highlights - Institutional Class**<br> Selected data for a share outstanding throughout the period: | (Unaudited)<br> 2/1/2022<br> to<br> 7/31/2022 |  | 2/1/2021<br> to<br> 1/31/2022 | 2/1/2020<br> to<br> 1/31/2021 | 2/1/2019<br> to<br> 1/31/2020 | 2/1/2018<br> to<br> 1/31/2019 |  |
| Net Asset Value - |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Beginning of Period | $18.22 |  | $20.53 | $18.83 | $18.70 | $16.71 |  |
| Net Investment Income (Loss)<sup>(a)</sup> | 0.04 |  | 0.05 | 0.09 | 0.11 |  | + |
| Net Gain (Loss) on Investments (Realized and Unrealized)<sup>(b)</sup> | (0.88) |  | 5.14 | 1.84 | 0.43 | 1.99 |  |
| Total from Investment Operations | (0.84) |  | 5.19 | 1.93 | 0.54 | 1.99 |  |
| Distributions (From Net Investment Income) |  |  | (0.12) | (0.23) | (0.02) |  |  |
| Distributions (From Capital Gains) | - |  | (7.38) | - | (0.39) | - |  |
| Total Distributions |  |  | (7.50) | (0.23) | (0.41) |  |  |
| Proceeds from Redemption Fee <sup>(e)</sup> | - |  | - | - | - | - |  |
| Net Asset Value - |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| End of Period | $17.38 |  | $18.22 | $20.53 | $18.83 | $18.70 |  |
| Total Return<sup>(c)</sup> | (4.61)% | \*\* | 23.92% | 10.33% | 2.80% | 11.91% | \*\* |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Net Assets - End of Period (Thousands) | $24515 |  | $36005 | $96863 | $132207 | $7741 |  |
| Before Reimbursement |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets | 1.45% | \*\*\* | 1.38% | 1.35% | 1.30% | 1.37% | \*\*\* |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets | 0.00% | \*\*\* | -0.20% | 0.15% | 0.23% | -0.23% | \*\*\* |
| After Reimbursement<sup>(d)</sup> |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.98% | \*\*\* | 0.98% | 0.98% | 0.98% | 0.98% | \*\*\* |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets | 0.47% | \*\*\* | 0.20% | 0.52% | 0.55% | 0.16% | \*\*\* |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate | 18.09% | \*\* | 71.40% | 65.91% | 56.71% | 45.51% | \*\* |

---

\* Commencement of Class.<br> \*\* Not Annualized.<br> \*\*\* Annualized.<br> + Amount less than $0.005 per share.<br> (a) Per share amounts were calculated using the average shares method.<br> (b) Realized and unrealized gains and losses per share in this caption are balancing amounts necessary to reconcile the change in net asset value for the period and may not reconcile with the aggregate gains and losses in the Statement of Operations due to share transactions for the period.<br> (c) Total return represents the rate that the investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund assuming reinvestment of dividends.<br> (d) Effective December 31, 2018, the Advisor has agreed to waive a portion of its service fees and management fees.<br> (e) Prior to June 1, 2021, shares were subject to a redemption fee of 2% if redeemed after holding them for 90 days or less.

**APPENDIX C**

**OWNERSHIP OF SHARES OF THE TARGET FUND**

As of February 21, 2023, the Target Fund's shareholders of record and/or beneficial owners (to the Target Fund's knowledge) who owned 5% or more of each of the Target Fund's shares are set forth below:

**Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund – Institutional Class**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Address** | **Shares Owned** | **Percentage Held** | **Type of Ownership** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;National Financial Services<br> FBO Customers<br> 200 Liberty Street<br> New York, NY 10281-1033 | &nbsp;&nbsp;204076.208 | &nbsp;&nbsp;55.59% | &nbsp;&nbsp;Record |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> FBO Customers<br> 101 Montgomery St.<br> San Francisco CA 94104-4122 | &nbsp;&nbsp;106520.928 | &nbsp;&nbsp;29.02% | &nbsp;&nbsp;Record |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Raymond James & Assoc. Inc.<br> FBO The Evah C. Cray Residuary Charitable Trust TTEE<br> The Sawmill Trust Company | &nbsp;&nbsp;20705.413 | &nbsp;&nbsp;5.64% | &nbsp;&nbsp;Record |

---

**Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund – Investor Class**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Address** | **Shares Owned** | **Percentage Held** | **Type of Ownership** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;National Financial Services<br> FBO Customers<br> 200 Liberty Street<br> New York, NY 10281-1033 | &nbsp;&nbsp;1328271.815 | &nbsp;&nbsp;50.06% | &nbsp;&nbsp;Record |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> FBO Customers<br> 101 Montgomery St.<br> San Francisco CA 94104-4122 | &nbsp;&nbsp;781662.873 | &nbsp;&nbsp;29.46% | &nbsp;&nbsp;Record |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Ameritrade Inc.<br> FBO Customers<br> PO Box 2226<br> Omaha, NE 68103-2226 | &nbsp;&nbsp;227619.319 | &nbsp;&nbsp;8.58% | &nbsp;&nbsp;Record |

---

Persons or entities that own 25% or more of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Target Fund as of February 27, 2023, may be presumed to "control" the Fund under the 1940 Act. An entity or person that "controls" the Target Fund could have effective voting control over the Target Fund. It may not be possible for matters subject to a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Target Fund to be approved without the affirmative vote of such "controlling" shareholders, and it may be possible for such matters to be approved by such shareholders without the affirmative vote of any other shareholders.

As of February 27, 2023, the Trustees and Officers of Walthausen Funds, as a group, owned less than 1.0% of the outstanding shares of the Target Fund's Investor Class. The Trustees and Officers did not own any shares of the Target Fund's Institutional Class.

**APPENDIX D**

 **SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION FOR THE ACQUIRING FUND**

**Share Price**

Shares of the Fund are sold at net asset value ("NAV"). The NAV of the Fund is determined at close of regular trading of the New York Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") is open. NAV is computed by determining, on a per class basis, the aggregate market value of all assets of the Fund, less its liabilities, divided by the total number of shares outstanding ((assets-liabilities)/number of shares = NAV). The NYSE is closed on weekends and 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. The NAV takes into account, on a per class basis, the expenses and fees of the Fund, including management, administration, and distribution fees, which are accrued daily. The determination of NAV for a share class for a particular day is applicable to all applications for the purchase of shares, as well as all requests for the redemption of shares, received by the Fund (or an authorized broker or agent, or its authorized designee) before the close of trading on the NYSE on that day.

Generally, the Fund's securities listed on an exchange are valued each day at the last quoted sales price on each security's primary exchange. Securities traded or dealt in upon one or more securities exchanges (whether domestic or foreign) for which market quotations are readily available and not subject to restrictions against resale shall be valued at the last quoted sales price on the primary exchange or, in the absence of a sale on the primary exchange, at the mean between the current bid and ask prices on such exchanges. Securities primarily traded in the National Association of Securities Dealers' Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") National Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price. Securities that are not traded or dealt in any securities exchange (whether domestic or foreign) and for which over-the-counter market quotations are readily available generally shall be valued at the last sale price or, in the absence of a sale, at the mean between the current bid and ask price on such over-the-counter market. Debt securities not traded on an exchange may be valued at prices supplied by a pricing agent(s) based on broker or dealer supplied valuations or matrix pricing, a method of valuing securities by reference to the value of other securities with similar characteristics, such as rating, interest rate and maturity.

If market quotations are not readily available, securities will be valued at their fair market value as determined using the "fair value" procedures approved by the Board. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may be materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security. The fair value prices can differ from market prices when they become available or when a price becomes available. The Board has appointed the Adviser as its designee (the "Valuation Designee") for all fair value determinations and responsibilities other than overseeing pricing service providers used by the Trust. This designation is, subject to Board oversight and certain reporting and other requirements designed to facilitate the Board's ability to oversee the Valuation Designee's fair value determinations effectively. The Valuation Designee may also enlist third party consultants such as an audit firm or financial officer of a security issuer on an as-needed basis to assist in determining a security-specific fair value. The Board is responsible for reviewing and approving fair value methodologies utilized by the Valuation Designee, which approval shall be based upon whether the Valuation Designee followed the valuation procedures established by the Board.

The Fund may use independent pricing services to assist in calculating the value of the Fund's securities.

In addition, market prices for foreign securities are not determined at the same time of day as the NAV for the Fund. Because the Fund may invest directly or indirectly through underlying exchanged traded funds ("ETFs") in securities primarily listed on foreign exchanges, and these exchanges may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund or underlying ETFs do not price their shares, the value of some of the Fund's portfolio securities may change on days when you may not be able to buy or sell Fund shares.

In computing the NAV, the Fund values foreign securities held by the Fund at the latest closing price on the exchange in which they are traded immediately prior to closing of the NYSE. Prices of foreign securities quoted in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at current rates. If events materially affecting the value of a security in the Fund's portfolio, particularly foreign securities, occur after the close of trading on a foreign market but before the Fund prices its shares, the security will be valued at fair value. For example, if trading in a portfolio security is halted and does not resume before the Fund calculates its NAV, the Adviser may need to price the security using the Fund's fair value pricing guidelines. The determination of fair value involves subjective judgments. As a result, using fair value to price a security may result in a price materially different from the prices used by other funds to determine net asset value, or from the price that may be realized upon the actual sale of the security.

With respect to any portion of the Fund's assets that are invested in one or more open-end management investment companies registered under the 1940 Act, the Fund's net asset value is calculated based upon the net asset values of those open-end management investment companies, and the prospectuses for these companies explain the circumstances under which those companies will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing.

**Choosing a Share Class**

The Trust has adopted a multiple class plan that allows the Fund to offer one or more classes of shares. The Fund has registered two classes of shares—Institutional Class shares, and Investor Class shares. The different classes of shares represent investments in the same portfolio of securities, but the classes are subject to different expenses and may have different share prices as outlined below: Not all share classes may be available for purchase in all states.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· Institutional Class shares of the Fund are sold at NAV without an initial sales charge. This means that 100%
of your initial investment is placed into shares of a Fund. Institutional Class shares require a minimum initial investment of $100,000.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· Investor Class shares of the Fund are sold at NAV without an initial sales charge. This means that 100% of
your initial investment is placed into shares of a Fund. Investor Class shares require a minimum initial investment of $2,500. Investor
Class shares are charged a 0.25% Rule 12b-1 distribution and servicing fee.

The Fund offers Institutional Class shares primarily for direct investment by investors such as pension and profit-sharing plans, employee benefit trusts, endowments, foundations, corporations and high net worth individuals. Institutional Class shares may also be offered through certain financial intermediaries (including broker-dealers) and their agents in fee based and other programs. In these programs financial intermediaries have made arrangements with a Fund and are authorized to buy and sell shares of the Fund that charge their customers transaction or other distribution or service fees with respect to their customers' investments in the Fund.

**More About Institutional Class Shares**

Institutional Class shares may be purchased without the imposition of any sales charges. The Fund offers Institutional Class shares primarily for direct investment by investors such as pension and profit-sharing plans, employee benefit trusts, endowments, foundations, corporations and high net worth individuals. Institutional Class shares may also be offered through certain financial intermediaries (including broker-dealers) and their agents in fee based and other programs. In these programs financial intermediaries have made arrangements with the Fund and are authorized to buy and sell shares of the Fund that charges its customers transaction or other distribution or service fees with respect to its customer's investments in the Fund. Institutional Class shares are sold at NAV without an initial sales charge. The minimum initial investment in Institutional Class shares of a Fund is $100,000, and the minimum subsequent investment in Investor Class shares is $1,000.

**More About Investor Class Shares**

Investor Class shares of the Fund are sold at NAV without an initial sales charge and are subject to 12b-1 distribution and shareholder servicing fees of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of Investor Class shares. This means that 100% of your initial investment is placed into shares of a Fund. The minimum

initial investment in Investor Class shares is $2,500, and the minimum subsequent investment in Investor Class shares is $500.

**How to Purchase Shares**

*Purchase by Mail.* To purchase the Fund's shares by mail, simply complete and sign the Account Application and mail it, along with a check made payable to "**North Star Small Cap Value Fund**":

**via Regular mail: via Overnight mail:**

Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC

P.O. Box 541150 4221 North 203<sup>rd</sup> Street, Suite 100

Omaha, NE 68154 Elkhorn, NE 68022

*Purchase through Brokers.* You may invest in the Fund through brokers or agents who have entered into selling agreements with the Fund's distributor. The brokers and agents are authorized to receive purchase and redemption orders on behalf of the Fund. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker or its designee receives the order. The broker or agent may set their own initial and subsequent investment minimums. You may be charged a fee if you use a broker or agent to buy or redeem shares of the Fund. Finally, various servicing agents use procedures and impose restrictions that may be in addition to, or different from those applicable to investors purchasing shares directly from the Fund. You should carefully read the program materials provided to you by your servicing agent. Such brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Fund's behalf.

*Purchase by Wire.* If you wish to wire money to make an investment in the Fund, please call the Fund at 1-855-580-0900 for wiring instructions and to notify the Fund that a wire transfer is coming. Any commercial bank can transfer same day to the Fund via wire. The Fund will normally accept wired transfers for investment on the day received if they are received by the Fund's designated bank before the close of regular trading on the NYSE. Your bank may charge you a fee for wiring same day to the Fund.

*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 business day after the order is placed. 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.

*Automatic Investment Plan.* You may participate in the Fund's Automatic Investment Plan, an investment plan that automatically moves money from your bank account and invests it in a Fund through the use of electronic Fund transfers or automatic bank drafts. You may elect to make subsequent investments by transfers of a minimum of $100 on specified days of each month into your established Fund account. Please contact the Fund at 1-855-580-0900 for more information about the Fund's Automatic Investment Plan. Minimum initial investment requirements may be waived for Automatic Investment Plan investors, at a Fund's discretion.

The Fund, however, reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any application to purchase shares. Applications will not be accepted unless they are accompanied by a check drawn on a U.S. bank, thrift institutions, or credit union in U.S. Fund for the full amount of the shares to be purchased. After you open an account, you may purchase additional shares by sending a check together with written instructions stating the name(s) on the account and the account number, to the above address. Make all checks payable to "**North Star Small Cap Value Fund**". The Fund will not accept payment in cash, cashier's checks or money orders. To prevent check fraud, the Fund will not accept third party checks, U.S. Treasury checks, credit card checks or starter checks for the purchase of shares. Redemptions of shares of the Fund purchased by check

may be subject to a hold period until the check has been cleared by the issuing bank. To avoid such holding periods, shares may be purchased through a broker or by wire, as described in this section.

*Note:* Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, the Fund's transfer agent, will charge a $25 fee against a shareholder's account, in addition to any loss sustained by a Fund, for any check returned to the transfer agent for insufficient Fund.

*Anti-Money Laundering Program.* 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 should supply your full name, date of birth, social security number and permanent street address. Mailing addresses containing a P.O. Box will not be accepted. This information will assist the Fund in verifying your identity. Until such verification is made, a 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.

In order to ensure compliance with these laws, the Account Application asks for, among other things, the following information for all "customers" seeking to open an "account" (as those terms are defined in rules adopted pursuant to the USA PATRIOT Act):

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· full name;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· date of birth (individuals only);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· Social Security or taxpayer identification number; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· permanent street address (P.O. Box only is not acceptable).

Accounts opened by entities, such as corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships or trusts, will require additional documentation.

Please note that if any information listed above is missing, your Account Application will be returned and your account will not be opened. In compliance with the USA PATRIOT Act and other applicable anti-money laundering laws and regulations, the Transfer Agent will verify the information on your application as part of the Program. The Fund reserves the right to request additional clarifying information and may close your account if such clarifying information is not received by the Fund within a reasonable time of the request or if the Fund cannot form a reasonable belief as to the true identity of a customer. If you require additional assistance when completing your Account Application, please contact the Transfer Agent at 1-855-580-0900.

**How to Redeem Shares**

The Fund typically expects that it will take up to 7 days following the receipt of your redemption request to pay out redemptions from cash, cash equivalents, proceeds from the sale of the Fund shares, any line of credit, and then from the sale of portfolio securities. These redemption payment methods will be used in regular and stressed market conditions.

You may redeem all or any portion of the shares credited to your account by submitting a written request for redemption to the Fund:

**via regular mail: via overnight mail:**

c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC

P.O. Box 541150 4221 North 203<sup>rd</sup> Street, Suite 100

Omaha, NE 68154 Elkhorn, NE 68022

*Redemptions by Telephone:* The telephone redemption privilege is automatically available to all new accounts. If you do not want the telephone redemption privilege, you must indicate this in the appropriate area on your account application or you must write to the Fund and instruct it to remove this privilege from your account.

The proceeds will be sent by mail to the address designated on your account or wired directly to your existing account in a bank or brokerage firm in the United States as designated on your application. To redeem by telephone, call 1-855-580-0900. The redemption proceeds normally will be sent by mail or by wire within three business days after receipt of your telephone instructions. IRA accounts are not redeemable by telephone.

The Fund reserve the right to suspend the telephone redemption privileges with respect to your account if the name(s) or the address on the account has been changed within the previous 30 days. Neither the Fund, the transfer agent nor their respective affiliates will be liable for complying with telephone instructions they reasonably believe to be genuine or for any loss, damage, cost or expenses in acting on such telephone instructions and you will be required to bear the risk of any such loss. The Fund or the transfer agent, or both, will employ reasonable procedures to determine that telephone instructions are genuine. If the Fund and/or the transfer agent do not employ these procedures, they may be liable to you for losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. These procedures may include, among others, requiring forms of personal identification prior to acting upon telephone instructions, providing written confirmation of the transactions and/or tape recording telephone instructions.

During periods of high market activity, you may encounter higher than usual wait times. Please allow sufficient time to ensure that you will be able to complete your telephone transaction prior to market close. Neither the Fund nor its transfer agent will be held liable if you are unable to place your trade due to high call volume.

*Redemptions through Broker:* If shares of the Fund are held by a broker-dealer, financial institution or other servicing agent, you must contact that servicing agent to redeem shares of the Fund. The servicing agent may charge a fee for this service.

*Redemptions by Wire:* You may request that your redemption proceeds be wired directly to your bank account. The Fund's transfer agent imposes a $15 fee for each wire redemption and deducts the fee directly from your account. Your bank may also impose a fee for the incoming wire.

*Systematic Withdrawal Plan:* If your individual accounts, IRA or other qualified plan account have a current account value of at least $10,000, you may participate in the Fund's Systematic Withdrawal Plan, an investment plan that automatically moves money to your bank account from the Fund through the use of electronic Fund transfers. You may elect to make subsequent withdrawals by transfers of a minimum of $100 on specified days of each month into your established bank account. Please contact the Fund at 1-855-580-0900 for more information about the Fund Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

**Redemptions in Kind:** The Fund reserve the right to honor requests for redemption or repurchase orders made by a shareholder during any 90-day period by making payment in whole or in part in portfolio securities ("redemption in kind") if the amount of such a request is large enough to affect operations (if the request is greater than the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the Fund's net assets at the beginning of the 90-day period). The securities will be chosen by the Fund and valued using the same procedures as used in calculating the Fund's NAV. A shareholder may incur transaction expenses in converting these securities to cash and securities redeemed in-kind remain at the risk of the market until they are sold and the shareholder will bear market risk until the securities are converted to cash.

**When Redemptions are Sent:** Once the Fund receives your redemption request in "good order" as described below, it will issue a check based on the next determined NAV following your redemption request. The redemption proceeds normally will be sent by mail or by wire within three business days after receipt of a request in "good order." If you purchase shares using a check and soon after request a redemption, your redemption proceeds will not be sent until the check used for your purchase has cleared your bank.

&nbsp;&nbsp; **Good Order: Your redemption request will be processed if it is in "good order." To be in good order, the following conditions must be satisfied:** <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· **The request should be in writing, unless redeeming by telephone, indicating the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed;**<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· **The request must identify your account number;** <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· **The request should be signed by you and any other person listed on the account, exactly as the shares are registered; and**<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· **If you request that the redemption proceeds be sent to a person, bank or an address other than that of record or paid to someone other than the record owner(s), or if the address was changed within the last 30 days, or if the proceeds of a requested redemption exceed $50,000, the signature(s) on the request must be medallion signature guaranteed by an eligible signature guarantor.**<br>

**When You Need Medallion Signature Guarantees:** If you wish to change the bank or brokerage account that you have designated on your account, you may do so at any time by writing to the Fund with your signature guaranteed. A medallion signature guarantee assures that a signature is genuine and protects you from unauthorized account transfers. You will need your signature guaranteed if:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· you request a redemption to be made payable to a person not on record with the Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· you request that a redemption be mailed to an address other than that on record with the Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· the proceeds of a requested redemption exceed $50,000;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· any redemption is transmitted by federal wire transfer to a bank other than the bank of record; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· your address was changed within 30 days of your redemption request.

Signatures may be guaranteed by any eligible guarantor institution (including banks, brokers and dealers, credit unions, national securities exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies and savings associations). Further documentation will be required to change the designated account if shares are held by a corporation, fiduciary or other organization. *A notary public cannot guarantee signatures.* 

**Retirement Plans:** If you own an IRA or other retirement plan, you must indicate on your redemption request whether the Fund should withhold federal income tax. Unless you elect in your redemption request that you do not want to have federal tax withheld, the redemption will be subject to withholding.

**Low Balances:** If at any time your account balance falls below $5,000 for Institutional Class shares, the Fund may notify you that, unless the account is brought up to at least $5000 for Institutional Class shares within 60 days of the notice; your account could be closed. After the notice period, the Fund may redeem all of your shares and close your account by sending you a check to the address of record. Your account will not be closed if the account balance drops below required minimum due to a decline in NAV.

**Internet Transactions**

To establish internet transaction privileges, you must enroll through the website, <u>www.nsinvestfunds.com</u>. You automatically have the ability to establish internet transaction privileges unless you decline the privileges on your New Account Application or IRA Application. You will be required to enter into a user's agreement through the website in order to enroll in these privileges. To purchase shares through the website, you must also have ACH instructions on your account. Redemption proceeds may be sent to you by check to the address or record, or if your account has existing bank information, by wire or ACH. Only bank accounts held at domestic financial institutions that are ACH members can be used for transactions through the Fund's website. Transactions through the website are subject to the same minimums and maximums as other transaction methods. You should be aware that the internet is an unsecured, unstable, unregulated and unpredictable environment. Your ability to use the website for transactions is dependent upon the internet and equipment, software, systems, data and services provided by various vendors and third parties. While the Fund and its service providers have established certain security procedures, the Fund, their distributor and their transfer agent cannot assure you that trading information will be completely secure. There may also be delays, malfunctions, or other inconveniences generally associated with this medium. There also may be times when the website is unavailable for Fund transactions or other purposes. Should this happen, you should consider purchasing or redeeming shares by another method. Neither the Fund nor their transfer agent, distributor nor Adviser will be liable for any such delays or malfunctions or unauthorized interception or access to communications or account information.

**Conversion of Shares**

A share conversion is a transaction in which shares of one class of the Fund are exchanged for shares of another class of the Fund. Share conversions can occur between Investor Class and Institutional Class shares of the Fund. Generally, share conversions occur when a shareholder becomes eligible for another share class of the Fund or no longer meets the eligibility criteria of the share class owned by the shareholder (and another class exists for which the shareholder would be eligible). Please note that a share conversion is generally a non-taxable event, but you should consult with your personal tax advisor on your particular circumstances. Please also note, all share conversion requests must be approved by the Adviser.

A request for a share conversion will not be processed until it is received in "good order" (as defined above) by the Fund or your financial intermediary. To receive the NAV of the new class calculated that day, conversion requests must be received in good order by the Fund or your financial intermediary before 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time or the financial intermediary's earlier applicable deadline. Please note that, because the NAV of each class of the Fund will generally vary from the NAV of the other class due to differences in expenses, you will receive a number of shares of the new class that is different from the number of shares that you held of the old class, but the total value of your holdings will remain the same.

The Fund's frequent trading policies will not be applicable to share conversions. If you hold your shares through a financial intermediary, please contact the financial intermediary for more information on share conversions. Please note that certain financial intermediaries may not permit all types of share conversions. The Fund reserve the right to terminate, suspend or modify the share conversion privilege for any shareholder or group of shareholders.

The Fund reserves the right to automatically convert shareholders from one class to another if they either no longer qualify as eligible for their existing class or if they become eligible for another class. Such mandatory conversions may be as a result of a change in value of an account due to market movements, exchanges or redemptions. The Fund will notify affected shareholders in writing prior to any mandatory conversion.

**Tools to Combat Frequent Transactions**

The Fund discourages and does not accommodate market timing. Frequent trading into and out of the Fund can harm all Fund shareholders by disrupting the Fund's investment strategies, increasing Fund expenses, decreasing tax efficiency and diluting the value of shares held by long-term shareholders. The Fund is designed for long-term investors and is not intended for market timing or other disruptive trading activities. Accordingly, the Fund's Board has approved policies that seek to curb these disruptive activities while recognizing that shareholders may have a legitimate need to adjust their Fund investments as their financial needs or circumstances change. The Fund currently uses several methods to reduce the risk of market timing. These methods include:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· Committing staff to review, on a continuing basis, recent trading activity in order to identify trading activity
that may be contrary to the Fund's "Market Timing Trading Policy;" and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· Rejecting or limiting specific purchase requests.

Though these methods involve judgments that are inherently subjective and involve some selectivity in their application, the Fund seeks to make judgments and applications that are consistent with the interests of the Fund's shareholders.

Based on the frequency of short-term trades, the Adviser or Transfer Agent may in its sole discretion determine that your trading activity is detrimental to the Fund as described in the Fund's Market Timing Trading Policy and elect to (i) reject or limit the amount, number, frequency or method for requesting future purchases into the Fund and/or (ii) reject or limit the amount, number, frequency or method for requesting future exchanges or redemptions out of the Fund.

The Fund reserves the right to reject or restrict purchase or exchange requests for any reason, particularly when the shareholder's trading activity suggests that the shareholder may be engaged in market timing or other disruptive trading activities. Neither the Fund nor the Adviser will be liable for any losses resulting

from rejected purchase or exchange orders. The Adviser may also bar an investor who has violated these policies (and the investor's financial adviser) from opening new accounts with the Fund.

Although the Fund attempts to limit disruptive trading activities, some investors use a variety of strategies to hide their identities and their trading practices. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will be able to identify or limit these activities. Omnibus account arrangements are common forms of holding shares of the Fund. While the Fund will encourage financial intermediaries to apply the Fund's Market Timing Trading Policy to their customers who invest indirectly in the Fund, the Fund is limited in its ability to monitor the trading activity or enforce the Fund's Market Timing Trading Policy with respect to customers of financial intermediaries. For example, should it occur, the Fund may not be able to detect market timing that may be facilitated by financial intermediaries or made difficult to identify in the omnibus accounts used by those intermediaries for aggregated purchases, exchanges and redemptions on behalf of all their customers. More specifically, unless the financial intermediaries have the ability to apply the Fund's Market Timing Trading Policy to their customers through such methods as implementing short-term trading limitations or restrictions and monitoring trading activity for what might be market timing, the Fund may not be able to determine whether trading by customers of financial intermediaries is contrary to the Fund's Market Timing Trading Policy. Brokers maintaining omnibus accounts with the Fund have agreed to provide shareholder transaction information to the extent known to the broker to the Fund upon request. If the Fund or their transfer agent or shareholder servicing agent suspects there is market timing activity in the account, the Fund will seek full cooperation from the service provider maintaining the account to identify the underlying participant. At the request of the Adviser, the service providers may take immediate action to stop any further short-term trading by such participants.

*Householding.* To reduce expenses, the Fund mail only one copy of the Prospectus and each annual and semi-annual report to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, please call the Fund at 1-855-580-0900 on days the Fund is open for business or contact your financial institution. The Fund will begin sending you individual copies thirty days after receiving your request.

**Distribution of Fund Shares**

**The Distributor**

Northern Lights Distributors, LLC (the "Distributor") is located at 4221 North 203<sup>rd</sup> Street, Suite 100, Elkhorn, NE 68022, and serves as distributor and principal underwriter to the Fund. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. ("FINRA"). Shares of the Fund are offered on a continuous basis.

**Distribution and Shareholder Servicing (12b-1) Plan**

The Fund has adopted a Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (the "12b-1 Plan") under the 1940 Act for Investor Class shares. Under the Investor Class 12b-1 Plan, Investor Class shares of the Fund are authorized to pay the distributor, or such other entities as approved by the Board of Trustees, a fee for the promotion and distribution of the Fund and the provision of personal services to shareholders. The maximum amount of the fee authorized is 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets annually for the Investor Class shares. The Distributor may pay any or all amounts received under the 12b-1 Plans to other persons, including the Adviser, for any distribution or service activity. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund's assets on an on-going basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment in the Fund and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. In addition to the fees paid under the 12b-1 Plan, the Fund may pay service fees to intermediaries such as banks, broker-dealers, financial advisors or other financial institutions, including the Adviser and affiliates of the Adviser, for sub-administration, sub-transfer agency and other shareholder services associated with shareholders whose shares are held of record in omnibus, other group accounts or accounts traded through registered securities clearing agents.

**Additional Compensation to Financial Intermediaries**

The distributor, its affiliates and the Adviser, out of its own resources, and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may provide additional cash payments or non-cash compensation to intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. Such payments and compensation are in addition to service fees paid by the Fund, if any. These additional cash payments are generally made to intermediaries that provide shareholder servicing, marketing support and/or access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary. Cash compensation may also be paid to intermediaries for inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, in other sales programs or as an expense reimbursement in cases where the intermediary provides shareholder services to the Fund's shareholders. The Adviser may also pay cash compensation in the form of finder's fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of the shares sold.

**Distributions and Taxes**

**Tax Status, Dividends and Distributions**

Any sale or exchange of the Fund's shares may generate tax liability (unless you are a tax-exempt investor or your investment is in a qualified retirement account). When you redeem your shares you may realize a taxable gain or loss. This is measured by the difference between the proceeds of the sale and the tax basis for the shares you sold. (To aid in computing your tax basis, you generally should retain your account statements for the period that you hold shares in the Fund.)

The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains annually in December. The distributions will be reinvested in shares of the respective Fund unless you elect to receive cash. Dividends from net investment income (including any excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) are taxable to investors as ordinary income, while distributions of net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are generally taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of your holding period for the shares. Any dividends or capital gain distributions you receive from the Fund will normally be taxable to you when made, regardless of whether you reinvest dividends or capital gain distributions or receive them in cash. Certain dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December will be taxed to shareholders as if received in December if they are paid during the following January. Each year the Fund will inform you of the amount and type of your distributions. IRAs and other qualified retirement plans are exempt from federal income taxation until retirement proceeds are paid out to the participant.

Your redemptions, including exchanges, may result in a capital gain or loss for federal income tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment is the difference between the cost of your shares, including any sales charges, and the amount you receive when you sell them. The Fund must report to the IRS and furnish to shareholders the cost basis information for shares purchased and sold. The Fund has chosen average cost as its standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders, which means this is the method the Fund will use to determine which specific shares are deemed to be sold when there are multiple purchases on different dates at differing NAVs, and the entire position is not sold at one time. Shareholders may, however, choose a method other than the Fund's standing method at the time of their purchase or upon sale of covered shares. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the best IRS-accepted cost basis method for their tax situation and to obtain more information about how cost basis reporting applies to them. Shareholders also should carefully review the cost basis information provided to them by the Fund and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required when reporting these amounts on their federal income tax returns.

On the account application, you will be asked to certify that your social security number or taxpayer identification number is correct and that you are not subject to backup withholding for failing to report income to the IRS. If you are subject to backup withholding or you did not certify your taxpayer identification number, the IRS requires the Fund to withhold a percentage of any dividend, redemption or exchange proceeds. Each Fund reserves the right to reject any application that does not include a certified social security or taxpayer identification number. If you do not have a social security number,

you should indicate on the purchase form that your application to obtain a number is pending. Each Fund is required to withhold taxes if a number is not delivered to the Fund within seven days.

This summary is not intended to be and should not be construed to be legal or tax advice. This summary is general in nature and should not be regarded as an exhaustive presentation of all possible tax ramifications. The tax considerations relevant to a specific shareholder depend upon its specific circumstances, and this summary does not attempt to discuss all potential tax considerations that could be relevant to a prospective shareholder with respect to the Fund or its investments. This general summary is based on the Code, the Federal Income Tax Regulations promulgated thereunder, and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change (potentially on a retroactive basis). You should consult your own independent tax advisors to determine the tax consequences of owning the Fund's shares.

*Other Reporting and Withholding Requirements.* Payments to a shareholder that is either a foreign financial institution ("FFI") or a non-financial foreign entity ("NFFE") within the meaning of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act ("FATCA") may be subject to a 30% withholding tax on: (a) income and dividends paid by the Fund and (b) certain capital gain distributions and the gross proceeds arising from the sale of Fund shares paid by the Fund after December 31, 2018. FATCA withholding tax generally can be avoided: (a) by an FFI, subject to any applicable intergovernmental agreement or other exemption, if it either enters into a valid agreement with the IRS or otherwise complies with the specific requirements and provisions of an applicable intergovernmental agreement, in each case to, among other requirements, to collect and report required information about certain direct and indirect ownership of foreign financial accounts held by U.S. persons with the FFI and (b) by an NFFE, if it: (i) certifies that it has no substantial U.S. persons as owners or (ii) if it does have such owners, reports information relating to them. The Fund may disclose the information that it receives from its shareholders to the IRS, non-U.S. taxing authorities or other parties as necessary to comply with FATCA. Withholding also may be required if a foreign entity that is a shareholder of the Fund fails to provide the Fund with appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA.

**APPENDIX E**

**PRINCIPAL RISKS OF THE TARGET FUND**

*The following risks apply to the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund:*

**The Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund**

As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose some or all of your investment in the Fund.

**Risks of Investing in Small Capitalization Companies**

The Fund invests in the stocks of small capitalization companies, which may subject the Fund to additional risks. The earnings and prospects of these companies are generally more volatile than larger companies. Small capitalization companies may experience higher failure rates than do larger companies. The trading volume of securities of small capitalization companies is normally less than that of larger companies and, therefore, may disproportionately affect their market price, tending to make them fall more in response to selling pressure than is the case with larger companies. Small capitalization companies may have limited markets, product lines or financial resources and may lack management experience.

**Risks in General**

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Domestic economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels, and political events are among the factors affecting the securities markets of the Fund's investments. There is risk that these and other factors may adversely affect the Fund's performance. You should consider your own investment goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance before investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund may not be appropriate for all investors and is not intended to be a complete investment program. You may lose money by investing in the Fund.

Additionally, unexpected local, regional or global events, such as war; acts of terrorism; financial, political or social disruptions; natural, environmental or man-made disasters; the spread of infectious illnesses or other public health issues; and recessions and depressions could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and may impair market liquidity. Such events can cause investor fear, which can adversely affect the economies of nations, regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. These risks may be magnified if certain events or developments adversely interrupt the global supply chain; in these and other circumstances, such risks might affect companies worldwide. As a result, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions or other events could have a significant negative impact on global economic and market conditions. The COVID-19 global pandemic and the aggressive responses taken by many governments or voluntarily imposed by private parties, including closing borders, restricting international and domestic travel, and imposing prolonged quarantines or similar restrictions, as well as the closure of, or operational changes to, many retail and other businesses, has had negative impacts, and in many cases severe negative impacts, on markets worldwide. It is not known how long such impacts, or any future impacts of other significant events described above, will or would last, but there could be a prolonged period of global economic slowdown, which may be expected to impact the Fund and its investments.

**Risks of Investing in Common Stocks**

The Fund invests primarily in common stocks, which subjects the Fund and its shareholders to the risks associated with common stock investing. These risks include the financial risk of selecting individual

companies that do not perform as anticipated, the risk that the stock markets in which the Fund invests may experience periods of turbulence and instability, and the general risk that domestic and global economies may go through periods of decline and cyclical change. Many factors affect the performance of each company that the Fund invests in, including the strength of the company's management or the demand for its product or services. You should be aware that a company's share price may decline as a result of poor decisions made by management or lower demand for the company's products or services. In addition, a company's share price may also decline if its earnings or revenues fall short of expectations.

There are overall stock market risks that may also affect the value of the Fund. Over time, the stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods when stock prices rise generally and periods when stock prices decline generally. The value of the Fund's investments may increase or decrease more than the stock markets in general.

**Value Investing Risk**

Value investing attempts to identify companies selling at a discount to their intrinsic value. Value investing is subject to the risk that a company's intrinsic value may never be fully realized by the market or that a company judged by the Advisor to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced.

**Sector Risk**

Sector risk is the possibility that stocks within the same group of industries will decline in price due to sector-specific market or economic developments. If the Advisor invests a significant portion of its assets in a particular sector, the Fund is subject to the risk that companies in the same sector are likely to react similarly to legislative or regulatory changes, adverse market conditions and/or increased competition affecting that market segment. The sectors in which the Fund may be overweighted will vary.

**Investment Management Risk**

The Advisor's strategy may fail to produce the intended results.

**<br>** 

**APPENDIX F**

**INTERIM ADVISORY AGREEMENT AND NEW ADVISORY AGREEMENT**

INTERIM INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT<br> Between<br> WALTHAUSEN FUNDS<br> and<br> NORTH STAR INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

AGREEMENT, made as of December 15, 2022, between Walthausen Funds, an Ohio business trust (the "Trust"), and North Star Investment Management Corporation, an Illinois corporation (the "Adviser"), located at 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1416, Chicago, Illinois 60606

RECITALS:

WHEREAS, the Trust is an open-end management investment company and is registered as such under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Act");

WHEREAS, the Trust is authorized to issue shares of beneficial interest in separate series, each having its own investment objective or objectives, policies and limitations;

WHEREAS, the Trust offers shares in the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund (the "Fund");

WHEREAS, the Adviser registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; and

WHEREAS, the Trust desires to retain the Adviser to render investment advisory services to the Trust with respect to the Fund in the manner and on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth;

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:<br> 1. Services of the Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.1 Investment Advisory Services. The Adviser shall act as the investment adviser to the Fund and, as such, shall (i) obtain and evaluate such information relating to the economy, industries, business, securities markets and securities as it may deem necessary or useful in discharging its responsibilities hereunder, (ii) formulate a continuing program for the investment of the assets of the Fund in a manner consistent with its investment objective(s), policies and restrictions, and (iii) determine from time to time securities to be purchased, sold, retained or lent by the Fund, and implement those decisions, including the selection of entities with or through which such purchases, sales or loans are to be effected; provided, that the Adviser will place orders pursuant to its investment determinations either directly with the issuer or with a broker or dealer, and if with a broker or dealer, (a) will attempt to obtain the best price and execution of its orders, and (b) may nevertheless in its discretion purchase and sell portfolio securities from and to brokers who provide the Adviser with research, analysis, advice and similar services and pay such brokers in return a higher commission than may be charged by other brokers.

The Trust hereby authorizes any entity or person associated with the Adviser or any sub-adviser retained by the Adviser pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement, which is a member of a national securities exchange, to effect any transaction on the exchange for the account of the Trust which is permitted by Section 11(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 11a2-2(T) thereunder, and the Trust hereby consents to the retention of compensation for such transactions in accordance with Rule 11a2-2(T)(a)(2)(iv).

The Adviser shall carry out its duties with respect to the Fund's investments in accordance with applicable law and the investment objectives, policies and restrictions set forth in the Fund's then-current Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, and subject to such further limitations as the Trust may from time to time impose by written notice to the Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.2 Administrative Services. The Trust has engaged the services of an administrator. The Adviser shall provide such additional administrative services as reasonably requested by the Board of Trustees or officers of the Trust; provided, that the Adviser shall not have any obligation to provide under this Agreement any direct or indirect services to Trust shareholders, any services related to the distribution of Trust shares, or any other services which are the subject of a separate agreement or arrangement between the Trust and the Adviser. Subject to the foregoing, in providing administrative services hereunder, the Adviser shall:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.2.1 Office Space, Equipment and Facilities. Provide such office space, office equipment and office facilities as are adequate to fulfill the Adviser's obligations hereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.2.2 Personnel. Provide, without remuneration from or other cost to the Trust, the services of individuals competent to perform the administrative and officer functions which are not performed by employees or other agents engaged by the Trust or by the Adviser acting in some other capacity pursuant to a separate agreement or arrangement with the Trust.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.2.3 Agents. Assist the Trust in selecting and coordinating the activities of the other agents engaged by the Trust, including the Trust's shareholder servicing agent, custodian, administrator, independent auditors and legal counsel.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.2.4 Trustees and Officers. Authorize and permit the Adviser's directors, officers and employees who may be elected or appointed as Trustees or officers of the Trust to serve in such capacities, without remuneration from or other cost to the Trust.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.2.5 Books and Records. Assure that all financial, accounting and other records required to be maintained and preserved by the Adviser on behalf of the Trust are maintained and preserved by it in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.2.6 Reports and Filings. Assist in the preparation of (but not pay for) all periodic reports by the Fund to its shareholders and all reports and filings required to maintain the registration and qualification of the Fund and Fund shares, or to meet other regulatory or tax requirements applicable to the Fund, under federal and state securities and tax laws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.3 Additional Series. In the event that the Trust establishes one or more series after the effectiveness of this Agreement ("Additional Series"), this Agreement may be amended to make such Additional Series subject to this Agreement upon the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Trust and the shareholder(s) of the Additional Series, in accordance with the provisions of the Act. The Trust or the Adviser may elect not to make any such series subject to this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.4 Change in Management or Control. The Adviser shall provide at least sixty (60) days' prior written notice to the Trust of any change in the ownership or management of the Adviser, or any event or action that may constitute a change in "control," as that term is defined in Section 2 of the Act. The Adviser shall provide prompt notice of any change in the portfolio manager(s) responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

2. Expenses of the Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.1 Expenses to be Paid by Adviser. The Adviser shall pay all salaries, expenses and fees of the officers, Trustees and employees of the Trust who are officers, directors, members or employees of the Adviser.

In the event that the Adviser pays or assumes any expenses of the Trust not required to be paid or assumed by the Adviser under this Agreement, the Adviser shall not be obligated hereby to pay or assume the same or any similar expense in the future; provided, that nothing herein contained shall be deemed to relieve the Adviser of any obligation to the Fund under any separate agreement or arrangement between the parties.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2 Expenses to be Paid by the Fund. The Fund shall bear all expenses of its operation, except those specifically allocated to the Adviser under this Agreement or under any separate agreement between the Trust and the Adviser. Subject to any separate agreement or arrangement between the Trust and the Adviser, the expenses hereby allocated to the Fund, and not to the Adviser, include but are not limited to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.1 Custody. All charges of depositories, custodians, and other agents for the transfer, receipt, safekeeping, and servicing of the Fund's cash, securities, and other property.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.2 Shareholder Servicing. All expenses of maintaining and servicing shareholder accounts, including but not limited to the charges of any shareholder servicing agent, dividend disbursing agent, transfer agent or other agent engaged by the Trust to service shareholder accounts.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.3 Shareholder Reports. All expenses of preparing, setting in type, printing and distributing reports and other communications to shareholders.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.4 Prospectuses. All expenses of preparing, converting to EDGAR format, filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission or other appropriate regulatory body, setting in type, printing and mailing annual or more frequent revisions of the Fund's Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information and any supplements thereto and of supplying them to shareholders.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.5 Pricing and Portfolio Valuation. All expenses of computing the Fund's net asset value per share, including any equipment or services obtained for the purpose of pricing shares or valuing the Fund's investment portfolio.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.6 Communications. All charges for equipment or services used for communications between the Adviser or the Trust and any custodian, shareholder servicing agent, portfolio accounting services agent, or other agent engaged by the Trust.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.7 Legal and Accounting Fees. All charges for services and expenses of the Trust's legal counsel and independent accountants.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.8 Trustees' Fees and Expenses. All compensation of Trustees other than those affiliated with the Adviser, all expenses incurred in connection with such unaffiliated Trustees' services as Trustees, and all other expenses of meetings of the Trustees and committees of the Trustees.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.9 Shareholder Meetings. All expenses incidental to holding meetings of shareholders, including the printing of notices and proxy materials, and proxy solicitations therefor.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.10 Federal Registration Fees. All fees and expenses of registering and maintaining the registration of the Fund under the Act and the registration of the Fund's shares under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act"), including all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, converting to EDGAR format, setting in type, printing, and filing of any Registration Statement, Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information under the 1933 Act or the Act, and any amendments or supplements that may be made from time to time.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.11 State Registration Fees. All fees and expenses of taking required action to permit the offer and sale of the Fund's shares under securities laws of various states or jurisdictions, and of registration and qualification of the Fund under all other laws applicable to the Trust or its business activities (including registering the Trust as a broker-dealer, or any officer of the Trust or any person as agent or salesperson of the Trust in any state).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.12 Confirmations. All expenses incurred in connection with the issue and transfer of Fund shares, including the expenses of confirming all share transactions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.13 Bonding and Insurance. All expenses of bond, liability, and other insurance coverage required by law or regulation or deemed advisable by the Trustees of the Trust, including, without limitation, such bond, liability and other insurance expenses that may from time to time be allocated to the Fund in a manner approved by its Trustees.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.14 Brokerage Commissions. All brokers' commissions and other charges incident to the purchase, sale or lending of the Fund's portfolio securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.15 Taxes. All taxes or governmental fees payable by or with respect to the Fund to federal, state or other governmental agencies, domestic or foreign, including stamp or other transfer taxes.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.16 Trade Association Fees. All fees, dues and other expenses incurred in connection with the Trust's membership in any trade association or other investment organization.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.18 Compliance Fees. All charges for services and expenses of the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.2.19 Nonrecurring and Extraordinary Expenses. Such nonrecurring and extraordinary expenses as may arise including the costs of actions, suits, or proceedings to which the Trust is a party and the expenses the Trust may incur as a result of its legal obligation to provide indemnification to its officers, Trustees and agents.

3. Advisory Fee.

As compensation for all services rendered, facilities provided and expenses paid or assumed by the Adviser under this Agreement, the Fund shall pay the Adviser on the last day of each month, or as promptly as possible thereafter, a fee calculated by applying a monthly rate, based on an annual percentage rate of 1.00% of the Fund's average daily net assets for the month. If

this Agreement shall be effective for only a portion of a month with respect to the Fund, the aforesaid fee shall be prorated for the portion of such month during which this Agreement is in effect for the Fund.

The fees earned under this Agreement will be held in escrow. If a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities approves an advisory agreement with the Adviser within 150 days of the execution of this Agreement (the "Effective Date"), the amount in the escrow account, including any interest earned, will be paid to the Adviser. If a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities do not approve an advisory agreement with the Adviser, the Adviser will be paid with respect to the Fund, out of the escrow account, the lesser of: any costs incurred in performing this Agreement (plus interest earned on that amount while in escrow); or the total amount in the escrow account (plus interest earned).

4. Proxy Voting.

The Adviser will vote, or make arrangements to have voted, all proxies solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the Fund may be invested from time to time. Such proxies will be voted in a manner that Adviser deem, in good faith, to be in the best interest of the Fund and in accordance with its proxy voting policy. The Adviser agrees to provide a copy of its proxy voting policy to the Trust prior to the execution of this Agreement, and any amendments thereto promptly.

5. Records.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.1 Tax Treatment. Both the Adviser and the Trust shall maintain, or arrange for others to maintain, the books and records of the Trust in such a manner that treats the Fund as a separate entity for federal income tax purposes.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.2 Ownership. All records required to be maintained and preserved by the Trust pursuant to the provisions or rules or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 31(a) of the Act and maintained and preserved by the Adviser on behalf of the Trust are the property of the Trust and shall be surrendered by the Adviser promptly on request by the Trust; provided, that the Adviser may at its own expense make and retain copies of any such records.

6. Reports to Adviser.

The Trust shall furnish or otherwise make available to the Adviser such copies of the Fund's Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, financial statements, proxy statements, reports and other information relating to its business and affairs as the Adviser may, at any time or from time to time, reasonably require in order to discharge its obligations under this Agreement.

7. Reports to the Trust.

The Adviser shall prepare and furnish to the Trust such reports, statistical data and other information in such form and at such intervals as the Trust may reasonably request.

8. Code of Ethics.

The Adviser has adopted a written code of ethics complying with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the Act and will provide the Trust with a copy of the code and evidence of its adoption. Within 45 days of the last calendar quarter of each year while this Agreement is in effect, the Adviser will provide to the Board of Trustees of the Trust a written report that describes any issues

arising under the code of ethics since the last report to the Board of Trustees, including, but not limited to, information about material violations of the code and sanctions imposed in response to the material violations; and which certifies that the Adviser has adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent "access persons" (as that term is defined in Rule 17j-1) from violating the code.

9. Retention of Sub-Adviser.

Subject to the Trust's obtaining the initial and periodic approvals required under Section 15 of the Act, the Adviser may retain one or more sub-advisers, at the Adviser's own cost and expense, for the purpose of managing the investments of the assets of the Fund of the Trust. Retention of one or more sub-advisers shall in no way reduce the responsibilities or obligations of the Adviser under this Agreement and the Adviser shall, subject to Section 11 of this Agreement, be responsible to the Trust for all acts or omissions of any sub-adviser in connection with the performance of the Adviser's duties hereunder.

10. Services to Other Clients.

Nothing herein contained shall limit the freedom of the Adviser or any affiliated person of the Adviser to render investment management and administrative services to other investment companies, to act as investment adviser or investment counselor to other persons, firms or corporations, or to engage in other business activities.

11. Limitation of Liability of Adviser and its Personnel.

Neither the Adviser nor any director, manager, officer or employee of the Adviser performing services for the Trust at the direction or request of the Adviser in connection with the Adviser's discharge of its obligations hereunder shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with any matter to which this Agreement relates, and the Adviser shall not be responsible for any action of the Trustees of the Trust in following or declining to follow any advice or recommendation of the Adviser or any sub-adviser retained by the Adviser pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement; PROVIDED, that nothing herein contained shall be construed (i) to protect the Adviser against any liability to the Trust or its shareholders to which the Adviser would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of the Adviser's duties, or by reason of the Adviser's reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (ii) to protect any director, manager, officer or employee of the Adviser who is or was a Trustee or officer of the Trust against any liability of the Trust or its shareholders to which such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such person's office with the Trust.

12. Effect of Agreement.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to require to the Trust to take any action contrary to its Declaration of Trust or its By-Laws or any applicable law, regulation or order to which it is subject or by which it is bound, or to relieve or deprive the Trustees of the Trust of their responsibility for and control of the conduct of the business and affairs of the Trust.

13. Term of Agreement.

The term of this Agreement began on the Effective Date, and unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided, this Agreement shall remain in effect until the earlier of (i) 150 days from

the Effective Date, or (ii) the effective date of a new investment management agreement by and between the Adviser and the Fund, that has been approved by a vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund; provided, however, that it shall remain in effect for such longer period as the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") or its staff shall permit.

14. Amendment or Assignment of Agreement.

Any amendment to this Agreement shall be in writing signed by the parties hereto; PROVIDED, that no such amendment shall be effective unless authorized (i) by resolution of the Trustees of the Trust, including the vote or written consent of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of either party hereto, and (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund affected by such amendment as required by applicable law. This Agreement shall terminate automatically and immediately in the event of its assignment.

15. Termination of Agreement.

This Agreement may be terminated with respect to the Fund at any time by either party hereto, without the payment of any penalty, upon sixty (60) days' prior written notice to the other party; PROVIDED, that in the case of termination by the Fund, such action shall have been authorized (i) by resolution of the Trust's Board of Trustees, including the vote or written consent of Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of either party hereto, or (ii) by vote of majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.

16. Use of Name.

The Trust is named the Walthausen Funds. And the Fund may be identified, in part, by the name "Walthausen."

17. Declaration of Trust.

The Adviser is hereby expressly put on notice of the limitation of shareholder liability as set forth in the Trust's Declaration of Trust and agrees that the obligations assumed by the Trust or the Fund pursuant to this Agreement shall be limited in all cases to the Trust or the Fund, as the case may be, and its assets, and the Adviser shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation from the shareholders or any shareholder of the Trust. In addition, the Adviser shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligations from the Trustees or any individual Trustee. The Adviser understands that the rights and obligations of the Fund under the Declaration of Trust are separate and distinct from those of any and all other funds of the Trust. The Adviser further understands and agrees that the Fund shall be liable for any claims against any other fund of the Trust and that the Adviser must look solely to the assets of the pertinent fund of the Trust for the enforcement or satisfaction of any claims against the Trust with respect to that Fund.

18. Confidentiality.

The Adviser agrees to treat all records and other information relating to the Trust and the securities holdings of the Fund as confidential and shall not disclose any such records or information to any other person unless (i) the Board of Trustees of the Trust has approved the disclosure or (ii) such disclosure is compelled by law. In addition, the Adviser and the Adviser's officers, directors and employees are prohibited from receiving compensation or other consideration, for themselves or on behalf of the Fund, as a result of disclosing the Fund's portfolio holdings. The Adviser agrees that, consistent with the Adviser's Code of Ethics, neither

the Adviser nor the Adviser's officers, directors, members or employees may engage in personal securities transactions based on nonpublic information about a Fund's portfolio holdings.

19. This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

20. Interpretation and Definition of Terms.

Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a term or provision of the Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or provision of the Act and to interpretation thereof, if any, by the United States courts, or, in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court, by rules, regulations or orders of the Securities and Exchange Commission validly issued pursuant to the Act. Specifically, the terms "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities," "interested persons," "assignment" and "affiliated person," as used in this Agreement shall have the meanings assigned to them by Section 2(a) of the Act. In addition, when the effect of a requirement of the Act reflected in any provision of this Agreement is modified, interpreted or relaxed by a rule, regulation or order of the Securities and Exchange Commission, whether of special or of general application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.

21. Captions.

The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.

22. Execution in Counterparts.

This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but both of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

[*Signature Page Follows*]

WALTHAUSEN FUNDS<br>By: ______________________

Name: Gerard S.E. Hefferman, Jr.

Title: President

NORTH STAR INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CORP.

By:____________ <br> Name: Peter Gottlieb<br> Title: President

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**

**RELATING TO THE ACQUISITION OF ASSETS OF THE**

**Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund** 

**a series of Walthausen Funds**

**<u>Managed by:</u> <br>** 

<br> **North Star Investment Management Corp. <br> 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1416**

**Chicago, IL 60606**

**IN EXCHANGE FOR**

**SHARES OF THE**

**North star Small Cap Value Fund**

**a series of Northern Lights Fund Trust II**

**<u>Managed by:</u> <br> North Star Investment Management Corp. <br> 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1416**

**Chicago, IL 60606**

**1-855-580-0900**

**March 20, 2023**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Acquisition of the Assets and Assumption of the Liabilities of: |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;By and in Exchange for Shares of: |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;*Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund* | &nbsp;&nbsp;🡪 | &nbsp;&nbsp;*North Star Small Cap Value Fund* |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Institutional Class Shares | &nbsp;&nbsp;🡪 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Institutional Class Shares |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Investor Class Shares | &nbsp;&nbsp;🡪 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Investor Class Shares |

---

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") relates specifically to the proposed reorganization of the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund (the "Predecessor Fund"), a series of Walthausen Funds, into the North Star Small Cap Value Fund (the "Fund"), which is each newly created series of Northern Lights Fund Trust II ("NLFT II") (the "Reorganization"). In connection with the Reorganization, the Predecessor Fund will transfer all of its assets to the Fund in return for shares of the Fund and the Fund's assumption of all of the Predecessor Fund's liabilities.

This SAI, which is not a prospectus, supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Proxy Statement and Prospectus dated March 20, 2023 (the "Prospectus/Proxy Statement/Prospectus"), relating to the Reorganization. A copy of the Prospectus/Proxy Statement may be obtained without charge by calling 1-855-580-0900. Please retain this document for future reference.

THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS DATED March 20, 2023

The SEC has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this Prospectus/Proxy Statement is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

**CONTENTS OF THE SAI**

This SAI consists of the cover page and the information set forth below. The Fund has not commenced operations as of the date hereof. Accordingly, financial statements for the Fund are not available. Copies of the Fund's Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report may be obtained when available, without charge, upon request by calling 1-855-580-0900 or visiting www.nsinvestfunds.com.

**INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE**

This SAI incorporates by reference the following documents, each of which was filed electronically with the Securities and Exchange Commission:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

*i.* the Prospectus dated March 20, 2023 relating to this Proxy Statement (the "Proxy Statement Prospectus");

*ii.* the [Statement of Additional Information](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm) of the Predecessor Fund, dated [June 1, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000486/fp0076328_485bpos-ixbrl.htm) , a s <u>supplemented</u> on [December 15, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222001078/walthsains.htm) , (the "Predecessor Fund's SAI") (File Nos. 333-147324 and 811-22143);

*iii.* the [Annual Report](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000334/walthausenn-csr01312022.htm) for the Predecessor Fund for the fiscal year ended [January 31, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000334/walthausenn-csr01312022.htm) (the "Predecessor Fund's Annual Report") (File Nos. 333-147324 and 811-22143); and

*iv.* the [Semi-Annual Report](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000850/walthausenn-csr07312022.htm) for the Predecessor Fund for the fiscal year ended [July 31, 2022](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000850/walthausenn-csr07312022.htm) (the "Predecessor Fund's Semi-Annual Report") (File Nos. 333-147324 and 811-22143).

**SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION**

Fee and expense information, including current fees and *pro forma* fees, is included by reference to the Proxy Prospectus.. The Reorganization will not result in (1) a material change to the Fund's investment portfolio due to investment restrictions, or (2) a change in accounting policies.

---------------------------------

**TABLE OF CONTENTS**

---------------------------------

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| The Trust | 1 |
| The Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust - General | 1 |
| The Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust – Shareholder Derivative Actions | 2 |
| Investment Policies, Strategies and Associated Risks | 2 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Investment Limitations | 25 |
| Management of the Fund | 27 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Board of Trustees | 27 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Board Leadership Structure | 27 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Board Responsibilities | 28 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Board Risk Oversight. | 28 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Trustee Qualifications. | 29 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Trustees and Officers | 29 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Board Committees | 32 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Trustee Compensation | 33 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Trustee Ownership | 33 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Control Persons and Principal Shareholders | 34 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Investment Adviser | 34 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Portfolio Managers | 37 |
| Other Service Providers | 39 |
| Distribution of Fund Shares | 41 |
| 12b-1 Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan | 41 |
| Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage Allocation | 43 |
| Portfolio Turnover | 44 |
| Code of Ethics | 45 |
| Proxy Voting Procedures | 45 |
| Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program | 45 |
| Portfolio Holdings Information | 45 |
| Determination of Net Asset Value | 47 |
| Financial Statements | 57 |
| APPENDIX "A" RATINGS DEFINITIONS | 58 |
| APPENDIX "B" Proxy Voting Policy | 74 |

---

**<u>The Trust</u>**

The North Star Small Cap Value Fund (the "Fund") is a series of Northern Lights Fund Trust II, a Delaware statutory trust (the "Trust") organized on August 26, 2010.

The Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company. The Trust is governed by its Board of Trustees (the "Board" or "Trustees"). The Fund may issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest. All shares of the Fund have equal rights and privileges. Each share of the Fund is entitled to one vote on all matters as to which shares are entitled to vote. In addition, each share of the Fund is entitled to participate equally with other shares (i) in dividends and distributions declared by the Fund and (ii) on liquidation to its proportionate share of the assets remaining after satisfaction of outstanding liabilities. Shares of the Fund are fully paid, non-assessable and fully transferable when issued and have no pre-emptive, conversion or exchange rights. Fractional shares have proportionately the same rights, including voting rights, as are provided for a full share.

The Fund is a diversified series of the Trust. The Fund's investment objectives, restrictions and policies are more fully described here and in the Prospectus. The Board may add classes to and reclassify the shares of the Fund, start other series and offer shares of a new fund under the Trust at any time.

The Fund has registered two classes of shares: Institutional Class shares and Investor Class shares. Each share class represents an interest in the same assets of the Fund, has the same rights and is identical in all material respects except that (i) each class of shares may be subject to different (or no) sales loads, (ii) each class of shares may bear different (or no) distribution fees; (iii) each class of shares may have different shareholder features, such as minimum investment amounts; (iv) certain other class-specific expenses will be borne solely by the class to which such expenses are attributable, including transfer agent fees attributable to a specific class of shares, printing and postage expenses related to preparing and distributing materials to current shareholders of a specific class, registration fees paid by a specific class of shares, the expenses of administrative personnel and services required to support the shareholders of a specific class, litigation or other legal expenses relating to a class of shares, Trustees' fees or expenses paid as a result of issues relating to a specific class of shares and accounting fees and expenses relating to a specific class of shares and (v) each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to matters relating to its own distribution arrangements. Each share of the Fund is entitled to one vote on all matters as to which shares are entitled to vote. In addition, each share of the Fund is entitled to participate equally with other shares on a class-specific basis (i) in dividends and distributions declared by the Fund and (ii) on liquidation to its proportionate share of the assets remaining after satisfaction of outstanding liabilities. Shares of the Fund are fully paid, non-assessable and fully transferable when issued and have no pre-emptive, conversion or exchange rights. Fractional shares have proportionately the same rights, including voting rights, as are provided for a full share.

<u>History of the Fund</u>. The Fund is a series of the Trust, and is expected to commence operations on May 15, 2023. Prior to becoming a series of the Trust, the Fund was organized as a series of the Walthausen Funds, an Ohio business trust, and was known as the Walthausen Small Cap Value Fund ("Predecessor Fund"). The Predecessor Fund's Investor Class shares and Institutional Class shares commenced operations on February 1, 2008, and December 31, 2018, respectively. The Predecessor Fund's fiscal year was from February 1 to January 31. The Fund's fiscal year will be from December 1 to November 30.

**The Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust - General**

Under the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust, each Trustee will continue in office until the termination of the Trust or his/her earlier death, incapacity, resignation or removal. Shareholders can remove a Trustee to the extent provided by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940

Act") and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. Vacancies may be filled by a majority of the remaining Trustees, except insofar as the 1940 Act may require the election by shareholders. As a result, normally no annual or regular meetings of shareholders will be held unless matters arise requiring a vote of shareholders under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust or the 1940 Act.

The Trust is not required to and does not intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders.

**The Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust – Shareholder Derivative Actions**

A shareholder may bring derivative action on behalf of the Trust only if the shareholder or shareholders first make a pre-suit demand upon the Trustees to bring the subject action unless an effort to cause the Trustees to bring such action is excused. A demand on the Trustees shall only be excused if a majority of the Board of Trustees, or a majority of any committee established by the Board to consider the merits of such action, has a personal financial interest in the action at issue.

North Star Investment Management Corp. (the "Adviser") serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

**<u>Investment Policies, Strategies and Associated Risks</u>**

The investment objective of the North Star Small Cap Value is to achieve long-term capital appreciation.

The following pages contain more detailed information about the types of instruments in which the Fund may invest, strategies the Adviser may employ in pursuit of the Fund's investment objective and a summary of related risks.

***Equity Securities***

An equity security (such as a stock, partnership interest or other beneficial interest in an issuer) represents a proportionate share of the ownership of a company. Its value is based on the success of the company's business, any income paid to stockholders, the value of its assets and general market conditions. Common stocks and preferred stocks are examples of equity securities. Preferred stocks are equity securities that often pay dividends at a specific rate and have a preference over common stocks in dividend payments and liquidation of assets. Some preferred stocks may be convertible into common stock. Convertible securities are securities (such as debt securities or preferred stock) that may be converted into or exchanged for a specified amount of common stock of the same or different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula.

The risks of investing in companies in general include business failure and reliance on erroneous reports. To the extent the Fund is invested in the equity securities of small- or medium-size companies, it will be exposed to the risks of smaller sized companies. Small- and medium-size companies, directly or indirectly, often have narrower markets for their goods and/or services and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies. Furthermore, those companies often have limited product lines or services, markets or financial resources, or are dependent on a small management group. In addition, because these securities are not well-known to the investing public, do not have significant institutional ownership and are followed by relatively few security analysts, there will normally be less publicly available information concerning these securities compared to what is available for the securities of larger companies. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, can decrease the value and liquidity of securities held by the Fund. As a result, their performance can be more volatile and they face greater risk of business failure, which could increase the volatility of the Fund's portfolio.

***Preferred Stock***

A preferred stock is a blend of the characteristics of a bond and common stock. It can offer the higher yield of a bond and has priority over common stock in equity ownership, but does not have the seniority of a bond and, unlike common stock, its participation in the issuer's growth may be limited. Preferred stock has preference over common stock in the receipt of dividends and in any residual assets after payment to creditors should the issuer be dissolved. Although the dividend is set at a fixed annual rate, in some circumstances it can be changed or omitted by the issuer.

***Short Sales***

The Fund may seek to hedge investments or realize additional gains through short sales. Short sales are transactions in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the value of that security relative to the long positions held by the Fund. To complete such a transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund then is obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at or prior to the time of replacement. The price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by the Fund. Until the security is replaced, the Fund is required to repay the lender any dividends or interest that accrues during the period of the loan. To borrow the security, the Fund also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. The net proceeds of the short sale will be retained by the broker (or by the Fund's custodian, Union Bank, National Association (the "Custodian")) in a special custody account, to the extent necessary to meet margin requirements, until the short position is closed out. The Fund also will incur transaction costs in effecting short sales.

The Fund will incur a loss as a result of the short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the borrowed security. Short sales may, however, protect the Fund against the risk of losses in the value of its portfolio securities because any unrealized losses with respect to such portfolio securities should be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding gain in the short position. However, any potential gains in such portfolio securities should be wholly or partially offset by a corresponding loss in the short position. The extent to which such gains or losses are offset will depend upon the amount of securities sold short relative to the amount the Fund owns, either directly or indirectly, and, in the case where the Fund owns convertible securities, changes in the conversion premium. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to close out a short position at any particular time or at an acceptable price.

The Fund also must segregate liquid assets equal to the difference between (a) the market value of the securities sold short at the time they were sold short and (b) the value of the collateral deposited with the broker in connection with the short sale (not including the proceeds from the short sale). While the short position is open, the Fund must maintain segregated assets at such a level that the amount segregated plus the amount deposited with the broker as collateral equal the current market value of the securities sold short.

***Other Investment Companies***

The Fund may invest up to 100% of its net assets in shares of other investment companies, including money market mutual fund, other mutual fund or exchange traded fund ("ETFs"). The Fund's investments in money market mutual fund may be used for cash management purposes and to maintain liquidity in order to satisfy redemption requests or pay unanticipated expenses. The Fund limits its investments in securities issued by other investment companies in accordance with the 1940 Act or with certain terms and conditions of applicable exemptive orders issued by the SEC and approved by the Board of Trustees. Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act precludes the Fund from acquiring (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding shares of another investment company; (ii) shares of another investment company having an aggregate value in excess of 5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund; or (iii) shares of another registered investment company and all other investment companies having an aggregate value in

excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the Fund. However, Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act provides that the provisions of paragraph 12(d)(1) shall not apply to securities purchased or otherwise acquired by the Fund if (i) immediately after such purchase or acquisition not more than 3% of the total outstanding shares of such investment company is owned by the Fund and all affiliated persons of the Fund; and (ii) the Fund has not offered or sold, and is not proposing to offer or sell its shares through a principal underwriter or otherwise at a public or offering price that includes a sales load of more than 1 1/2%. SEC Rule 12d1-3 provides, however, that the Fund may rely on the Section 12(d)(1)(F) exemption and charge a sales load in excess of 1 1/2% provided the sales load and any service fee charged does not exceed limits set forth in applicable Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. ("FINRA") rules.

If the Fund invests in investment companies, including ETFs, pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(F), it must comply with the following voting restrictions: when the Fund exercises voting rights, by proxy or otherwise, with respect to investment companies owned by the Fund, the Fund will either seek instruction from the Fund's shareholders with regard to the voting of all proxies and vote in accordance with such instructions, or vote the shares held by the Fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other holders of such security. In addition, an investment company purchased by the Fund pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(F) shall not be required to redeem its shares in an amount exceeding 1% of such investment company's total outstanding shares in any period of less than thirty days. In addition to the advisory and operational fees the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operation, the Fund also bears its *pro rata* portion of the advisory and operational expenses incurred indirectly through investments in other investment companies. In addition, ETFs are subject to the following risks that do not apply to conventional mutual fund: (1) the market price of the ETF's shares may trade at a discount to their net asset value; (2) an active trading market for an ETF's shares may not develop or be maintained; or (3) trading of an ETF's shares may be halted if the listing exchange's officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are de-listed from the exchange, or the activation of market-wide "circuit breakers" (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts stock trading generally. Additionally, ETFs have management fees, which increase their cost.

***Exchange-Traded Fund ("ETFS")***

An ETF generally is an open-end investment company, unit investment trust or a portfolio of securities deposited with a depository in exchange for depository receipts. The portfolios of ETFs generally consist of common stocks that closely track the performance and dividend yield of specific securities indices, either broad market, sector or international. ETFs provide investors the opportunity to buy or sell throughout the day an entire portfolio of stocks in a single security. Although index mutual fund are similar, they are generally sold and redeemed only once per day at market close. Broad securities market index ETFs include Standard & Poor's Depository Receipts ("SPDRs"), which are interests in a unit investment trust representing an undivided interest in a portfolio of all of the common stocks of the S&P 500 Index. The ETFs in which the Fund invests are subject to liquidity risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the sale of the security at an advantageous time or price. To the extent that the ETFs in which the Fund invests hold securities of companies with smaller market capitalizations or securities with substantial market risk, they will have a greater exposure to liquidity risk.

***Foreign Investments and Currencies***

The Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers that are not publicly traded in the United States. The Fund may also invest in American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs"), foreign securities traded on a national securities market and may purchase and sell foreign currency on a spot basis and enter into forward currency contracts (see "Forward Currency Contracts," below).

*<u>Depositary Receipts</u>*. The Fund may invest its assets in securities of foreign issuers in the form of depositary receipts, including ADRs, EDRs and GDRs, which are securities representing securities of foreign issuers. A purchaser of unsponsored depositary receipts may not have unlimited voting rights and may not receive as much information about the issuer of the underlying securities as with a sponsored depositary receipt. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are denominated in U.S. dollars and are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying securities. For purposes of the Fund's investment policies, ADRs are deemed to have the same classification as the underlying securities they represent. Thus, an ADR representing ownership of common stock will be treated as common stock.

*<u>Risks of Investing in Foreign Securities</u>*. Investments in foreign securities involve certain inherent risks, including the following:

*<u>Political and Economic Factors</u>*. Individual foreign economies of certain countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, diversification and balance of payments position. The internal politics of certain foreign countries may not be as stable as those of the United States. Governments in certain foreign countries also continue to participate to a significant degree, through ownership interest or regulation, in their respective economies. Action by these governments could include restrictions on foreign investment, nationalization, expropriation of goods or imposition of taxes, and could have a significant effect on market prices of securities and payment of interest. The economies of many foreign countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by the trade policies and economic conditions of their trading partners. Enactment by these trading partners of protectionist trade legislation could have a significant adverse effect upon the securities markets of such countries.

*<u>Currency Fluctuations</u>*. The Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies. Accordingly, a change in the value of any such currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding change in the U.S. dollar value of the Fund's assets denominated in that currency. Such changes will also affect the Fund's income. The value of the Fund's assets may also be affected significantly by currency restrictions and exchange control regulations enacted from time to time.

*<u>Market Characteristics</u>*. Many foreign securities in which the Fund may invest could be purchased in over-the-counter markets or on exchanges located in the countries in which the principal offices of the issuers of the various securities are located, if that is the best available market. Foreign exchanges and markets may be more volatile than those in the United States. While growing in volume, they usually have substantially less volume than U.S. markets, and the Fund's foreign securities may be less liquid and more volatile than U.S. securities. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets, and may include delays beyond periods customary in the United States. Foreign security trading practices, including those involving securities settlement where Fund assets may be released prior to receipt of payment or securities, may expose the Fund to increased risk in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of a foreign broker-dealer.

*<u>Legal and Regulatory Matters</u>*. Certain foreign countries may have less supervision of securities markets, brokers and issuers of securities, and less financial information available from issuers, than is available in the United States.

*<u>Taxes</u>*. The interest and dividends payable on certain of the Fund's foreign portfolio securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, thus reducing the net amount of income available for distribution to Fund shareholders.

*<u>Costs</u>*. To the extent that the Fund invests in foreign securities, its expense ratio is likely to be higher than those of investment companies investing only in domestic securities, because the cost of maintaining the custody of foreign securities is higher.

*<u>Emerging Markets</u>*. The Fund's investments in foreign securities may include securities of companies located in developing or emerging markets, which entail additional risks, including: less social, political and economic stability; smaller securities markets and lower trading volume, which may result in less liquidity and greater price volatility; national policies that may restrict the Fund's investment opportunities, including restrictions on investments in issuers or industries, or expropriation or confiscation of assets or property; and less developed legal structures governing private or foreign investment.

*<u>Forward Currency Contracts</u>*. The Fund may enter into forward currency contracts in anticipation of changes in currency exchange rates. A forward currency contract is 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. For example, the Fund might purchase a particular currency or enter into a forward currency contract to preserve the U.S. dollar price of securities it intends to or has contracted to purchase. Alternatively, it might sell a particular currency on either a spot or forward basis to hedge against an anticipated decline in the dollar value of securities it intends to or has contracted to sell. Although this strategy could minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, it could also limit any potential gain from an increase in the value of the currency.

In considering whether to invest in the securities of a foreign company, the Adviser considers such factors as the characteristics of the particular company, differences between economic trends and the performance of securities markets within the U.S. and those within other countries, and also factors relating to the general economic, governmental and social conditions of the country or countries where the company is located. The extent to which the Fund will be invested in foreign companies and countries and depositary receipts will fluctuate from time to time within the limitations described in the Prospectus, depending on the Adviser's assessment of prevailing market, economic and other conditions.

***Swap Agreements***

The Fund may enter into swap agreements for purposes of attempting to gain exposure to equity or debt securities without actually purchasing those securities, or to hedge a position. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a day 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 calculated with respect to a "notional amount," i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a "basket" of securities representing a particular index.

Most swap agreements entered into by the Fund 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"). Payments may be made at the conclusion of a swap agreement or periodically during its term.

Swap agreements do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, if a swap is entered into on a net basis, if the other party to a swap agreement defaults, the Fund's risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any.

The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund's obligations over its entitlements with respect to a swap agreement entered into on a net basis will be accrued daily and an amount of cash or liquid asset having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess will be maintained in an account with the Custodian. The Fund will also establish and maintain such accounts with respect to its total obligations under any swaps that are not entered into on a net basis. Obligations under swap agreements so covered will not be construed to be "senior securities" for purposes of the Fund's investment restriction concerning senior securities.

Because they are two-party contracts and because they may have terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid for the Fund's illiquid investment limitations. The Fund will not enter into any swap agreement unless the Adviser believes that the other party to the transaction is creditworthy. 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 may enter into a swap agreement in circumstances where the Adviser believes that it may be more cost effective or practical than buying the securities represented by such index or a futures contract or an option on such index. The counterparty to any swap agreement will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker/dealer. The counterparty will generally agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the swap agreement would have increased in value had it been invested in the particular stocks represented in the index, plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. The Fund will agree to pay to the counterparty a floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the swap agreement plus the amount, if any, by which the notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stocks. Therefore, the return to the Fund on any swap agreement should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount.

The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid in comparison with the markets for other similar instruments that are traded in the OTC market.

***Fixed-Income Securities***

The Fund may invest in a wide range of fixed-income securities, which may include obligations of any rating or maturity.

The Fund may invest in investment grade corporate debt securities and lower-rated corporate debt securities (commonly known as "junk bonds"). Lower-rated or high yield debt securities include corporate high yield debt securities, zero-coupon securities, payment-in kind securities and strips. Investment grade corporate bonds are those rated BBB or better by Standard & Poor's Rating Service ("S&P") or Baa or better by Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's"). Securities rated BBB by S&P are considered investment grade, but Moody's considers securities rated Baa to have speculative characteristics. The Fund may also invest in unrated securities.

*<u>Junk Bonds</u>*. The Fund may invest in junk bonds. Junk bonds generally offer a higher current yield than that available for higher-grade issues. However, lower-rated securities involve higher risks, in that they are especially subject to adverse changes in general economic conditions and in the industries in which the issuers are engaged, to changes in the financial condition of the issuers and to price fluctuations in response to changes in interest rates. During periods of economic downturn or rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers may experience financial stress that could adversely affect their ability to make payments of interest and principal and increase the possibility of default. In addition, the market for lower-rated debt securities has expanded rapidly in recent years, and its growth paralleled a long

economic expansion. At times in recent years, the prices of many lower-rated debt securities declined substantially, reflecting an expectation that many issuers of such securities might experience financial difficulties. As a result, the yields on lower-rated debt securities rose dramatically, but such higher yields did not reflect the value of the income stream that holders of such securities expected, but rather, the risk that holders of such securities could lose a substantial portion of their value as a result of the issuers' financial restructuring or default. There can be no assurance that such declines will not recur. The market for lower-rated debt issues generally is thinner and less active than that for higher quality securities, which may limit the Fund's ability to sell such securities at fair value in response to changes in the economy or financial markets. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may also decrease the values and liquidity of lower-rated securities, especially in a thinly traded market. Changes by recognized rating services in their rating of a fixed-income security may affect the value of these investments. The Fund will not necessarily dispose of a security when its rating is reduced below its rating at the time of purchase. However, the Adviser will monitor the investment to determine whether continued investment in the security will assist in meeting the Fund's investment objective.

*<u>Corporate Debt Securities</u>*. Corporate debt securities are fixed-income securities issued by businesses to finance their operations, although corporate debt instruments may also include bank loans to companies. Notes, bonds, debentures and commercial paper are the most common types of corporate debt securities, with the primary difference being their maturities and secured or unsecured status. Commercial paper has the shortest term and is usually unsecured.

The broad category of corporate debt securities includes debt issued by domestic or foreign companies of all kinds, including those with small-, mid- and large-capitalizations. Corporate debt may be rated investment-grade or below investment-grade and may carry variable or floating rates of interest.

Because of the wide range of types and maturities of corporate debt securities, as well as the range of creditworthiness of its issuers, corporate debt securities have widely varying potentials for return and risk profiles. For example, commercial paper issued by a large established domestic corporation that is rated investment-grade may have a modest return on principal, but carries relatively limited risk. On the other hand, a long-term corporate note issued by a small foreign corporation from an emerging market country that has not been rated may have the potential for relatively large returns on principal, but carries a relatively high degree of risk.

Corporate debt securities carry both credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk is the risk that the Fund could lose money if the issuer of a corporate debt security is unable to pay interest or repay principal when it is due. Some corporate debt securities that are rated below investment-grade are generally considered speculative because they present a greater risk of loss, including default, than higher quality debt securities. The credit risk of a particular issuer's debt security may vary based on its priority for repayment. For example, higher ranking (senior) debt securities have a higher priority than lower ranking (subordinated) securities. This means that the issuer might not make payments on subordinated securities while continuing to make payments on senior securities. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, holders of higher-ranking senior securities may receive amounts otherwise payable to the holders of more junior securities. Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of certain corporate debt securities will tend to fall when interest rates rise. In general, corporate debt securities with longer terms tend to fall more in value when interest rates rise than corporate debt securities with shorter terms.

*<u>Zero-Coupon Securities</u>*. Zero-coupon securities make no periodic interest payments, but are sold at a deep discount from their face value. The buyer recognizes a rate of return determined by the gradual appreciation of the security, which is redeemed at face value on a specified maturity date. The discount varies depending on the time remaining until maturity, as well as market interest rates, liquidity of the

security and the issuer's perceived credit quality. If the issuer defaults, the holder may not receive any return on its investment. Because zero-coupon securities bear no interest and compound semiannually at the rate fixed at the time of issuance, their value generally is more volatile than the value of other fixed-income securities. Since zero-coupon bondholders do not receive interest payments, when interest rates rise, zero-coupon securities fall more dramatically in value than bonds paying interest on a current basis. When interest rates fall, zero-coupon securities rise more rapidly in value because the bonds reflect a fixed rate of return. An investment in zero-coupon and delayed interest securities may cause the Fund to recognize income and make distributions to shareholders before it receives any cash payments on its investment.

*<u>Unrated Debt Securities</u>*. Unrated debt, while not necessarily lower in quality than rated securities, may not have as broad a market. Because of the size and perceived demand for the issue, among other factors, certain issuers may decide not to pay the cost of getting a rating for their bonds. The creditworthiness of the issuer, as well as any financial institution or other party responsible for payments on the security, will be analyzed to determine whether to purchase unrated bonds.

There is a risk that an issuer may redeem a bond prior to the stated maturity date. The early redemption may occur through a call provision that allows the issuer to retire the bonds on a certain date at a predetermined price. The details of the call and/or sinking fund are typically outlined in the bond indenture. If bonds are redeemed earlier than anticipated, either through a call or sinking fund, the Fund may incur a loss.

*<u>Municipal Debt Obligations</u>*. The Fund may invest in municipal obligations. Municipal securities generally are fixed-income securities, and include debt obligations issued by governmental entities to obtain Fund for various public purposes, including the construction of a wide range of public facilities, the refunding of outstanding obligations, the payment of general operating expenses, and the extension of loans to public institutions and facilities. In some cases, municipal obligations are represented by custodial receipts evidencing rights to receive specific future interest payments, principal payments, or both, on the underlying municipal securities held by the custodian. Under such arrangements, the holder of the custodial receipt has the option to tender the underlying municipal securities at its face value to the sponsor (usually a bank or broker dealer or other financial institution), which is paid periodic fees equal to the difference between the bond's fixed coupon rate and the rate that would cause the bond, coupled with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of a rate adjustment.

*Taxable Obligations*. The Fund may invest in taxable municipal obligations. Taxable municipal obligations are typically issued by municipalities or their agencies for purposes which do not qualify for federal tax exemption, but do qualify for state and local tax exemption. These debt obligations are issued to finance the cost of buying, building or improving various projects, such as sporting facilities, health care facilities, housing projects, electric, water and sewer utilities, and colleges or universities. Generally, payments on these debt obligations depend on the revenues generated by the projects, excise taxes or state appropriations, or the debt obligations can be backed by the government's taxing power. Due to federal taxation, taxable municipal obligations offer yields more comparable to other taxable sectors such as corporate bonds or agency bonds than to other municipal obligations. These debt obligations are federally taxable to individuals but may be exempt from state and local taxes.

*Tax-Exempt Obligations*. The Fund may invest in Tax-Exempt Obligations. Tax-Exempt Obligations include debt obligations issued by governmental entities to obtain Fund for various public purposes, such as the construction of a wide range of public facilities, the refunding of outstanding obligations, the payment of general operating expenses, and the extension of loans to other public institutions and facilities. Private activity bonds that are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to finance various privately-operated facilities are included within the term Tax-Exempt Obligations if the interest paid

thereon is both exempt from federal income tax and not treated as a preference item for individuals for purposes of the federal alternative minimum tax.

The two principal classifications of Tax-Exempt Obligations consist of "general obligation" and "revenue" issues. General obligation bonds are typically backed by the full faith and credit of the issuer, whereas revenue bonds are payable from a specific project or other limited source of revenue. The Fund may also acquire "moral obligation" issues, which are normally issued by special purpose authorities.

***Convertible Securities***

The Fund may invest in convertible securities. A convertible security is a fixed-income security (a debt instrument or a preferred stock) which may be converted at a stated price within a specified period of time into a certain quantity of the common stock of the same or a different issuer. Convertible securities are senior to common stocks in an issuer's capital structure, but are usually subordinated to similar non-convertible securities. While providing a fixed-income stream (generally higher in yield than the income derivable from common stock but lower than that afforded by a similar non-convertible security), a convertible security also gives an investor the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation of the issuing company depending upon a market price advance in the convertible security's underlying common stock.

***Warrants***

The Fund may invest in warrants. A warrant gives the holder a right to purchase at any time during a specified period a predetermined number of shares of common stock at a fixed price. Unlike convertible debt securities or preferred stock, warrants do not pay a fixed coupon or dividend. Investments in warrants involve certain risks, including the possible lack of a liquid market for resale of the warrants, potential price fluctuations as a result of speculation or other factors and failure of the price of the underlying security to reach or have reasonable prospects of reaching a level at which the warrant can be prudently exercised (in which event the warrant may expire without being exercised, resulting in a loss of the Fund's entire investment therein).

***Borrowing***

The Fund may borrow money for investment purposes, which is a form of leveraging. Leveraging investments, by purchasing securities with borrowed money, is a speculative technique that increases investment risk while increasing investment opportunity. Leverage will magnify changes in the Fund's net asset value and on the Fund's investments. Although the principal of such borrowings will be fixed, the Fund's assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. Leverage also creates interest expenses for the Fund. To the extent the income derived from securities purchased with borrowed Fund exceeds the interest the Fund will have to pay, the Fund's net income will be greater than it would be if leverage were not used. Conversely, if the income from the assets obtained with borrowed Fund is not sufficient to cover the cost of leveraging, the net income of the Fund will be less than it would be if leverage were not used, and therefore the amount available for distribution to shareholders as dividends will be reduced. The use of derivatives in connection with leverage creates the potential for significant loss.

The Fund may also borrow Fund to meet redemptions or for other emergency purposes. Such borrowings may be on a secured or unsecured basis at fixed or variable rates of interest. The 1940 Act requires the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage of not less than 300% with respect to all borrowings. If such asset coverage should decline to less than 300% due to market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to dispose of some of its portfolio holdings within three days in order to reduce the Fund's debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to dispose of assets at that time.

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.

Borrowing by the Fund creates an opportunity for increased net income, but at the same time, creates special risk considerations. For example, leveraging may exaggerate the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio.

***Securities Lending***

The Fund may lend securities from its portfolio to brokers, dealers and financial institutions (but not individuals) in order to increase the return on its portfolio. The value of the loaned securities may not exceed one-third of a Fund's total net assets and loans of portfolio securities are fully collateralized based on values that are marked-to-market daily. The Fund will not enter into any portfolio security lending arrangement having a duration of longer than one year. The principal risk of portfolio lending is potential default or insolvency of the borrower. In either of these cases, the Fund could experience delays in recovering securities or collateral or could lose all or part of the value of the loaned securities. The Fund may pay reasonable administrative and custodial fees in connection with loans of portfolio securities and may pay a portion of the interest or fee earned thereon to the borrower or a placing broker.

In determining whether or not to lend a security to a particular broker, dealer or financial institution, the Adviser considers all relevant facts and circumstances, including the size, creditworthiness and reputation of the broker, dealer or financial institution. Any loans of portfolio securities are fully collateralized based on values that are marked-to-market daily. Any securities that the Fund may receive as collateral will not become part of the Fund's investment portfolio at the time of the loan and, in the event of a default by the borrower, the Fund will, if permitted by law, dispose of such collateral except for such part thereof that is a security in which the Fund is permitted to invest. During the time securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Fund any accrued income on those securities, however, such payments of accrued income will not constitute "qualified dividend" income and will be taxable as ordinary income. For loaned securities, the Fund may invest the cash collateral and earn income or receive an agreed-upon fee from a borrower that has delivered cash-equivalent collateral. The Fund will be responsible for the risks associated with the investment of the cash collateral, including the risk that the Fund may lose money on the investment or may fail to earn sufficient income to meet its obligations to the borrower.

***Options, Futures and Other Strategies***

*<u>General</u>.* The Fund may use certain options (both traded on an exchange and over-the-counter ("OTC")), futures contracts (sometimes referred to as "futures") and options on futures contracts (collectively, "Financial Instruments") as a substitute for a comparable market position in the underlying security, to attempt to hedge or limit the exposure of the Fund's position, to create a synthetic money market position, for certain tax-related purposes and to effect closing transactions.

The use of Financial Instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the SEC, the several exchanges upon which they are traded and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the "CFTC"). In addition, the Fund's ability to use Financial Instruments will be limited by tax considerations. In addition to the instruments, strategies and risks described below and in the Prospectus, the Fund's Adviser may discover additional opportunities in connection with Financial Instruments and other similar or related techniques. These new opportunities may become available as the Adviser develops new techniques, as regulatory authorities broaden the range of permitted transactions and as new Financial Instruments or other techniques are developed. The Adviser may utilize these opportunities to the extent that they are consistent with the Fund's investment objective and permitted by the Fund's investment limitations and applicable regulatory authorities. The Prospectus or this SAI will be supplemented to the extent that new products or techniques involve materially different risks than those described below or in the Prospectus.

*<u>Special Risks</u>.* The use of Financial Instruments involves special considerations and risks, certain of which are described below. Risks pertaining to particular Financial Instruments are described in the sections that follow.

(1) Successful use of most Financial Instruments depends upon the Adviser's ability to predict movements of the overall securities markets, which requires different skills than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and futures markets, due to the differences in the natures of those markets, are subject to distortion. Due to the possibility of distortion, a correct forecast of stock market trends by the Adviser may still not result in a successful transaction. The Adviser may be incorrect in their expectations as to the extent of market movements or the time span within which the movements take place, which, thus, may result in the strategy being unsuccessful.

(2) Options and futures prices can diverge from the prices of their underlying instruments. Options and futures prices are affected by such factors as current and anticipated short-term interest rates, changes in volatility of the underlying instrument and the time remaining until expiration of the contract, which may not affect security prices the same way. Imperfect or no correlation also may result from differing levels of demand in the options and futures markets and the securities markets, from structural differences in how options and futures and securities are traded and from imposition of daily price fluctuation limits or trading halts.

(3) As described below, the Fund might be required to maintain assets as "cover," maintain segregated accounts or make margin payments when it takes positions in Financial Instruments involving obligations to third parties (e.g*.*, Financial Instruments other than purchased options). If the Fund were unable to close out its positions in such Financial Instruments, it might be required to continue to maintain such assets or accounts or make such payments until the position expired or matured. These requirements might impair the Fund's ability to sell a portfolio security or make an investment when it would otherwise be favorable to do so or require that the Fund sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time. The Fund's ability to close out a position in a Financial Instrument prior to expiration or maturity depends on the existence of a liquid secondary market or, in the absence of such a market, the ability and willingness of the other party to the transaction (the "counter-party") to enter into a transaction closing out the position. Therefore, there is no assurance that any position can be closed out at a time and price that is favorable to the Fund.

Losses may arise due to unanticipated market price movements, lack of a liquid secondary market for any particular instrument at a particular time or due to losses from premiums paid by the Fund on options transactions.

*<u>Cover</u>.* Transactions using Financial Instruments, other than purchased options, expose the Fund to an obligation to another party. The Fund will not enter into any such transactions unless it owns either (1) an offsetting ("covered") position in securities or other options or futures contracts or (2) cash and liquid assets with a value, marked-to-market daily, sufficient to cover its potential obligations to the extent not covered as provided in (1) above. The Fund will comply with SEC guidelines regarding cover for these instruments and will, if the guidelines so require, set aside cash or liquid assets in an account with its Custodian, or another approved custodian, in the prescribed amount as determined daily.

Assets used as cover or held in an account cannot be sold while the position in the corresponding Financial Instrument is open, unless they are replaced with other appropriate assets. As a result, the commitment of a large portion of the Fund's assets to cover accounts could impede portfolio management or the Fund's ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.

*<u>Options</u>.* The value of an option position will reflect, among other things, the current market value of the underlying investment, the time remaining until expiration, the relationship of the exercise price to the market price of the underlying investment and general market conditions. Options that expire unexercised have no value. Options currently are traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the NYSE Amex Options exchange and other exchanges, as well as the OTC markets.

By buying a call option on a security, the Fund has the right, in return for the premium paid, to buy the security underlying the option at the exercise price. By writing (selling) a call option and receiving a premium, the Fund becomes obligated during the term of the option to deliver securities underlying the option at the exercise price if the option is exercised. By buying a put option, the Fund has the right, in return for the premium, to sell the security underlying the option at the exercise price. By writing a put option, the Fund becomes obligated during the term of the option to purchase the securities underlying the option at the exercise price.

Because options premiums paid or received by the Fund are small in relation to the market value of the investments underlying the options, buying and selling put and call options can be more speculative than investing directly in securities.

The Fund may effectively terminate its right or obligation under an option by entering into a closing transaction. For example, the Fund may terminate its obligation under a call or put option that it had written, by purchasing an identical call or put option. This is known as a closing purchase transaction. Conversely, the Fund may terminate a position in a put or call option it had purchased by writing an identical put or call option. This is known as a closing sale transaction. Closing transactions permit the Fund to realize profits or limit losses on an option position prior to its exercise or expiration.

*<u>Risks of Options on Securities</u>.* Exchange-traded options in the United States are issued by a clearing organization affiliated with the exchange on which the option is listed that, in effect, guarantees completion of every exchange-traded option transaction. In contrast, OTC options are contracts between the Fund and its counterparty (usually a securities dealer or a bank) with no clearing organization guarantee. Thus, when the Fund purchases an OTC option, it relies on the counterparty from whom it purchased the option to make or take delivery of the underlying investment upon exercise of the option. Failure by the counterparty to do so would result in the loss of any premium paid by the Fund as well as the loss of any expected benefit of the transaction.

The Fund's ability to establish and close out positions in exchange-traded options depends on the existence of a liquid market. However, there can be no assurance that such a market will exist at any particular time. Closing transactions can be made for OTC options only by negotiating directly with the counterparty or by a transaction in the secondary market if any such market exists. There can be no assurance that the Fund will in fact be able to close out an OTC option position at a favorable price prior to expiration. In the event of insolvency of the counterparty, the Fund might be unable to close out an OTC option position at any time prior to its expiration.

If the Fund were unable to affect a closing transaction for an option it had purchased, it would have to exercise the option to realize any profit. The inability to enter into a closing purchase transaction for a covered call option written by the Fund could cause material losses because the Fund would be unable to sell the investment used as cover for the written option until the option expires or is exercised.

*<u>Options on Indices</u>.* An index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the securities included in the index. Options on indices give the holder the right to receive an amount of cash upon exercise of the option. Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the index upon which the option is based being greater than (in the case of a call) or less than (in the case of a put) the exercise

price of the option. Some stock index options are based on a broad market index such as the S&P 500 Index, the NYSE Composite Index or the NYSE Arca Major Market Index or on a narrower index such as the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Over-the-Counter Index.

Each of the exchanges has established limitations governing the maximum number of call or put options on the same index that may be bought or written by a single investor, whether acting alone or in concert with others (regardless of whether such options are written on the same or different exchanges or are held or written on one or more accounts or through one or more brokers). Under these limitations, option positions of all investment companies advised by the Adviser are combined for purposes of these limits. Pursuant to these limitations, an exchange may order the liquidation of positions and may impose other sanctions or restrictions. These positions limits may restrict the number of listed options that the Fund may buy or sell.

Puts and calls on indices are similar to puts and calls on securities or futures contracts except that all settlements are in cash and gain or loss depends on changes in the index in question rather than on price movements in individual securities or futures contracts. When the Fund writes a call on an index, it receives a premium and agrees that, prior to the expiration date, the purchaser of the call, upon exercise of the call, will receive from the Fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the call is based is greater than the exercise price of the call. The amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the call times a specified multiple ("multiplier"), which determines the total value for each point of such difference. When the Fund buys a call on an index, it pays a premium and has the same rights to such call as are indicated above. When the Fund buys a put on an index, it pays a premium and has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the seller of the put, upon the Fund's exercise of the put, to deliver to the Fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the put is based is less than the exercise price of the put, which amount of cash is determined by the multiplier, as described above for calls. When the Fund writes a put on an index, it receives a premium and the purchaser of the put has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the Fund to deliver to it an amount of cash equal to the difference between the closing level of the index and the exercise price times the multiplier if the closing level is less than the exercise price.

*<u>Risks of Options on Indices</u>.* If the Fund has purchased an index option and exercises it before the closing index value for that day is available, it runs the risk that the level of the underlying index may subsequently change. If such a change causes the exercised option to fall out-of-the-money, the Fund will be required to pay the difference between the closing index value and the exercise price of the option (times the applicable multiplier) to the assigned writer.

*<u>OTC Options</u>.* Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size and strike price, the terms of OTC options (options not traded on exchanges) generally are established through negotiation with the other party to the option contract. While this type of arrangement allows the Fund great flexibility to tailor the option to its needs, OTC options generally involve greater risk than exchange-traded options, which are guaranteed by the clearing organization of the exchanges where they are traded.

*<u>Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts</u>.* A futures contract obligates the seller to deliver (and the purchaser to take delivery of) the specified security on the expiration date of the contract. An index futures contract obligates the seller to deliver (and the purchaser to take) an amount of cash equal to a specific dollar amount times the difference between the value of a specific index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the agreement is made. No physical delivery of the underlying securities in the index is made.

When the Fund writes an option on a futures contract, it becomes obligated, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in the futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time during the term of the option. If the Fund writes a call, it assumes a short futures position. If it writes a put, it assumes a long futures position. When the Fund purchases an option on a futures contract, it acquires the right in return for the premium it pays to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put).

Whether the Fund realizes a gain or loss from futures activities depends upon movements in the underlying security or index. The extent of the Fund's loss from an unhedged short position in futures contracts or from writing unhedged call options on futures contracts is potentially unlimited. The Fund only purchases and sells futures contracts and options on futures contracts that are traded on a U.S. exchange or board of trade.

No price is paid upon entering into a futures contract. Instead, at the inception of a futures contract the Fund is required to deposit "initial margin" in an amount generally equal to 10% or less of the contract value. Margin also must be deposited when writing a call or put option on a futures contract, in accordance with applicable exchange rules. Unlike margin in securities transactions, initial margin does not represent a borrowing, but rather is in the nature of a performance bond or good-faith deposit that is returned to the Fund at the termination of the transaction if all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Under certain circumstances, such as periods of high volatility, the Fund may be required by an exchange to increase the level of its initial margin payment, and initial margin requirements might be increased generally in the future by regulatory action.

Subsequent "variation margin" payments are made to and from the futures commission merchant daily as the value of the futures position varies, a process known as "marking-to-market." Variation margin does not involve borrowing, but rather represents a daily settlement of the Fund's obligations to or from a futures commission merchant. When the Fund purchases an option on a futures contract, the premium paid plus transaction costs is all that is at risk. In contrast, when the Fund purchases or sells a futures contract or writes a call or put option thereon, it is subject to daily variation margin calls that could be substantial in the event of adverse price movements. If the Fund has insufficient cash to meet daily variation margin requirements, it might need to sell securities at a time when such sales are disadvantageous.

Purchasers and sellers of futures contracts and options on futures can enter into offsetting closing transactions, similar to closing transactions in options, by selling or purchasing, respectively, an instrument identical to the instrument purchased or sold. Positions in futures and options on futures contracts may be closed only on an exchange or board of trade that provides a secondary market. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for a particular contract at a particular time. In such event, it may not be possible to close a futures contract or options position.

Under certain circumstances, futures exchanges may establish daily limits on the amount that the price of a futures contract or an option on a futures contract can vary from the previous day's settlement price. Once that limit is reached, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond the limit. Daily price limits do not limit potential losses because prices could move to the daily limit for several consecutive days with little or no trading, thereby preventing liquidation of unfavorable positions.

If the Fund were unable to liquidate a futures contract or an option on a futures position due to the absence of a liquid secondary market or the imposition of price limits, it could incur substantial losses. The Fund would continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position. In addition, except in the case of purchased options, the Fund would continue to be required to make daily variation margin payments and might be required to maintain cash or liquid assets in an account.

*<u>Risks of Futures Contracts and Options Thereon</u>.* The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and futures markets (including the options on futures markets), due to differences in the natures of those markets, are subject to the following factors, which may create distortions. First, all participants in the futures market are subject to margin deposit and maintenance requirements. Rather than meeting additional margin deposit requirements, investors may close futures contracts through offsetting transactions, which could distort the normal relationships between the cash and futures markets. Second, the liquidity of the futures market depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the futures market could be reduced, thus producing distortion. Third, from the point of view of speculators, the deposit requirements in the futures market are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities market. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the futures market may cause temporary price distortions.

*<u>Combined Positions</u>.* The Fund may purchase and write options in combination with each other. For example, the Fund may purchase a put option and write a call option on the same underlying instrument, in order to construct a combined position whose risk and return characteristics are similar to selling a futures contract. Another possible combined position would involve writing a call option at one strike price and buying a call option at a lower price, in order to reduce the risk of the written call option in the event of a substantial price increase. Because combined options positions involve multiple trades, they result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open and close out.

***Publicly Traded Partnerships/Master Limited Partnerships***

The Fund may invest in publicly traded partnerships, including Master Limited Partnerships ("MLPs"). These are limited partnerships the interests in which (known as "units") are traded on public exchanges, just like corporate stock. Such limited partnerships provide an investor with a direct interest in a group of assets (generally, oil and gas properties). Publicly traded partnership units typically trade publicly, like stock, and thus may provide the investor more liquidity than ordinary limited partnerships. Publicly traded partnerships are also called master limited partnerships and public limited partnerships. A limited partnership has one or more general partners (they may be individuals, corporations, partnerships or another entity) which manage the partnership, and limited partners, which provide capital to the partnership but have no role in its management. When an investor buys units in a publicly traded partnership, he or she becomes a limited partner. Publicly traded partnerships are formed in several ways. A non-traded partnership may decide to go public. Several non-traded partnerships may "roll up" into a single publicly traded partnership. A corporation may spin off a group of assets or part of its business into a partnership of which it is the general partner, either to realize what it believes to be the assets' full value or as an alternative to issuing debt. A corporation may fully convert to a partnership, although since 1986 the tax consequences have made this unappealing; or, a newly formed company may operate as a publicly traded partnership from its inception.

There are different types of risks to investing in publicly traded partnerships including regulatory risks and interest rate risks. Currently most partnerships enjoy pass through taxation of their income to partners, which avoids double taxation of earnings. If the government were to change publicly traded partnerships business tax structure, unitholders would not be able to enjoy the relatively high yields in the sector for long. In addition, publicly traded partnerships which charge government-regulated fees for transportation of oil and gas products through their pipelines are subject to unfavorable changes in government-approved rates and fees, which would affect a publicly traded partnerships revenue stream negatively. Publicly traded partnerships also carry some interest rate risks. During increases in interest rates, publicly traded partnerships may not produce meaningful returns to shareholders.

***Real Estate Investment Trusts***

The Fund may invest in the securities of real estate investment trusts ("REITs"). REITs offer investors greater liquidity and diversification than direct ownership of properties. A REIT is a corporation or business trust that invests substantially all of its assets in interests in real estate. Equity REITs are those which purchase or lease land and buildings and generate income primarily from rental income. Equity REITs may also realize capital gains (or losses) when selling property that has appreciated (or depreciated) in value. Mortgage REITs are those that invest in real estate mortgages and generate income primarily from interest payments on mortgage loans. Hybrid REITs generally invest in both real property and mortgages. Unlike corporations, REITs do not pay income taxes if they meet certain IRS requirements. Real estate related equity securities also include those insured by real estate developers, companies with substantial real estate holdings (for investment or as part of their operations), as well as companies whose products and services are directly related to the real estate industry, such as building supply manufacturers, mortgage lenders or mortgage servicing companies. Like any investment in real estate, though, a REITs performance depends on several factors, such as its ability to find tenants, renew leases and finance property purchases and renovations. Other risks associated with REIT investments include the fact that equity and mortgage REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills and are not fully diversified. These characteristics subject REITs to the risks associated with financing a limited number of projects. They are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and self-liquidation. Additionally, equity REITs may be affected by any changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the trusts, and mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. By investing in REITs indirectly through the Fund, a shareholder bears not only a proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also may indirectly bear similar expenses of some of the REITs in which it invests.

***Temporary and Cash Investments***

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will stay fully invested according to its principal investment strategies as noted above. The Fund, however, may temporarily depart from its principal investment strategies by making short-term investments in cash, cash equivalents, and high-quality, short-term debt securities and money market instruments for temporary defensive purposes in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions, or other events (including, for example, terrorism, war, natural disasters and disease/virus epidemics). This may result in the Fund not achieving its investment objectives during that period.

For longer periods of time, the Fund may hold a substantial cash position. If the market advances during periods when the Fund is holding a large cash position, the Fund may not participate to the extent it would have if the Fund had been more fully invested. To the extent that the Fund uses a money market fund for its cash position, there will be some duplication of expenses because the Fund would bear its pro rata portion of such money market Fund's advisory fees and operational expenses.

The Fund may invest in any of the following securities and instruments:

*<u>Money Market Mutual Fund</u>*. The Fund may invest in money market mutual fund in connection with its management of daily cash positions or as a temporary defensive measure. Generally, money market mutual fund seek to earn income consistent with the preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity. They primarily invest in high quality money market obligations, including securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities, bank obligations and high-grade corporate instruments. These investments generally mature within 397 days from the date of purchase. An investment in a money market mutual fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any government agency. The Fund's investments in money market mutual fund may be used for cash management purposes and to maintain liquidity in order to satisfy redemption requests or pay unanticipated expenses.

Your cost of investing in the Fund will generally be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying money market mutual fund shares. You will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged by the underlying money market mutual fund in addition to the Fund's direct fees and expenses. Furthermore, the use of this strategy could affect the timing, amount and character of distributions to you and therefore may increase the amount of taxes payable by you.

*<u>Bank Certificates of Deposit, Bankers' Acceptances and Time Deposits</u>*. The Fund may acquire certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against monies 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. Certificates of deposit and bankers' acceptances acquired by the Fund will be dollar-denominated obligations of domestic or foreign banks or financial institutions which at the time of purchase have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (including assets of both domestic and foreign branches), based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such bank obligations are fully insured by the U.S. Government.

Domestic banks and foreign banks are subject to different governmental regulations with respect to the amount and types of loans that may be made and interest rates that may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the banking industry depends largely upon the availability and cost of Fund for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. General economic conditions as well as exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers play an important part in the operations of the banking industry.

As a result of federal and state laws and regulations, domestic banks are, among other things, required to maintain specified levels of reserves, limited in the amount which they can loan to a single borrower and subject to other regulations designed to promote financial soundness. However, such laws and regulations do not necessarily apply to foreign bank obligations that the Fund may acquire.

In addition to purchasing certificates of deposit and bankers' acceptances, to the extent permitted under the investment objective and policies stated above and in the Prospectus, the Fund may make interest-bearing time or other interest-bearing deposits in commercial or savings banks. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained at a banking institution for a specified period of time at a specified interest rate.

*<u>Savings Association Obligations</u>*. The Fund may invest in certificates of deposit (interest-bearing time deposits) issued by savings banks or savings and loan associations that have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million, based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such obligations is fully insured by the U.S. Government.

*<u>Commercial Paper, Short-Term Notes and Other Corporate Obligations</u>*. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in commercial paper and short-term notes. Commercial paper consists of unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations. Issues of commercial paper and short-term notes will normally have maturities of less than nine months and fixed rates of return, although such instruments may have maturities of up to one year.

Commercial paper and short-term notes will consist of issues rated at the time of purchase "A-2" or higher by S&P, "Prime-1" or "Prime-2" by Moody's, or similarly rated by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization or, if unrated, will be determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality.

Corporate obligations include bonds and notes issued by corporations to finance longer-term credit needs than supported by commercial paper. While such obligations generally have maturities of ten years or more, the Fund may purchase corporate obligations which have remaining maturities of one year or less from the date of purchase and which are rated "A" or higher by S&P or "A" or higher by Moody's.

***Asset-Backed Securities***

The Fund may invest in certain types of asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities are securities issued by trusts and special purpose entities that are backed by pools of assets, such as automobile and credit-card receivables and home equity loans, which pass through the payments on the underlying obligations to the security holders (less servicing fees paid to the originator or fees for any credit enhancement). Typically, the originator of the loan or accounts receivable paper transfers it to a specially created trust, which repackages it as securities with a minimum denomination and a specific term. The securities are then privately placed or publicly offered. Examples include certificates for automobile receivables and so-called plastic bonds, backed by credit card receivables.

The value of an asset-backed security is affected by, among other things, changes in the market's perception of the asset backing the security, the creditworthiness of the servicing agent for the loan pool, the originator of the loans and the financial institution providing any credit enhancement. Payments of principal and interest passed through to holders of asset-backed securities are frequently supported by some form of credit enhancement, such as a letter of credit, surety bond, limited guarantee by another entity or by having a priority to certain of the borrower's other assets. The degree of credit enhancement varies, and generally applies to only a portion of the asset-backed security's par value. Value is also affected if any credit enhancement has been exhausted.

***U.S. Government Obligations***

The Fund may invest in various types of U.S. Government obligations. U.S. Government obligations include securities issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, such as the U.S. Treasury. U.S. Government obligations may include securities such as Treasury Inflation Protected Securities, or "TIPS." Payment of principal and interest on U.S. Government obligations may be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States or may be backed solely by the issuing or guaranteeing agency or instrumentality itself. In the latter case, the investor must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment, which agency or instrumentality may be privately owned. There can be no assurance that the U.S. Government would provide financial support to its agencies or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises) where it is not obligated to do so. See also "Mortgage-Backed Securities," below.

***Mortgage-Backed Securities***

The Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities. A mortgage-backed security is a type of pass-through security, which is a security representing pooled debt obligations repackaged as interests that pass income through an intermediary to investors. In the case of mortgage-backed securities, the ownership interest is in a pool of mortgage loans.

Mortgage-backed securities are most commonly issued or guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA"), Federal Home Loan Banks ("FHLB") or Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC"), but may also be issued or guaranteed by other private issuers. GNMA is a government-owned corporation that is an agency of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It guarantees, with the full faith and credit of the United States, full and timely payment of all monthly principal and interest on its mortgage-backed securities. FNMA is a publicly owned, government-sponsored corporation that mostly packages mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration, but also sells some non-governmentally backed mortgages. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of

principal and interest only by FNMA. The FHLMC is a publicly chartered agency that buys qualifying residential mortgages from lenders, re-packages them and provides certain guarantees. Pass-through securities issued by the FHLMC are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest only by the FHLMC.

Some of these obligations are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. 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. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government would provide, or continue to provide, financial support to U.S. Government-sponsored instrumentalities if it is not obligated to do so by law. As a result, there is a risk that these entities will default on a financial obligation.

The U.S. Treasury has historically had the authority to purchase obligations of FNMA and FHLMC (collectively, the "GSEs"). However, in 2008, due to capitalization concerns, Congress provided the U.S. Treasury with additional authority to lend the GSEs emergency Fund and to purchase their stock. In September 2008, those capital concerns led the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Housing Finance Authority ("FHFA") to announce that the GSEs had been placed in conservatorship.

Since that time, the GSEs have received significant capital support through U.S. Treasury preferred stock purchases as well as U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve purchases of their mortgage backed securities ("MBS"). While the MBS purchase programs ended in 2010, the U.S. Treasury announced in December 2009 that it would continue its support for the entities' capital as necessary to prevent a negative net worth. However, no assurance can be given that the Federal Reserve, U.S. Treasury, or FHFA initiatives will ensure that the GSEs will remain successful in meeting their obligations with respect to the debt and MBS they issue into the future.

In 2012 the FHFA initiated a strategic plan to develop a program of credit risk transfer intended to reduce Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's overall risk through the creation of credit risk transfer assets ("CRTs"). CRTs come in two primary series: Structured Agency Credit Risk ("STACRs") for Freddie Mac and Connecticut Avenue Securities ("CAS") for Fannie Mae, although other series may be developed in the future. CRTs are typically structured as unsecured general obligations of the GSEs and their cash flows are based on the performance of a pool of reference loans. Unlike traditional residential MBS securities, bond payments typically do not come directly from the underlying mortgages and are instead remitted by the GSEs to CRT investors. CRTs are typically floating rate securities and may have multiple tranches with losses first allocated to the most junior or subordinate tranche and this structure results in increased sensitivity to dramatic housing downturns, especially for the subordinate tranches. Many CRTs also have collateral performance triggers (e.g., based on credit enhancement, delinquencies or defaults, etc.) that could shut off principal payments to subordinate tranches. Generally, GSEs are required to buy back all of the CRT tranches at par in 10 years.

In addition, the future of the GSEs is in serious question as the U.S. Government is considering multiple options, ranging on a spectrum from significant reform, nationalization, privatization, consolidation, or abolishment of the entities. Congress is considering several pieces of legislation that would reform the GSEs, proposing to address their structure, mission, portfolio limits, and guarantee fees, among other issues.

The FHFA and the U.S. Treasury (through its agreement to purchase GSE preferred stock) have imposed strict limits on the size of GSEs' mortgage portfolios. In August 2012, the U.S. Treasury amended its preferred stock purchase agreements to provide that the GSEs' portfolios will be wound down at an annual rate of 15 percent (up from the previously agreed annual rate of 10 percent), requiring the GSEs to

reach the $250 billion target by December 31, 2018. In 2017, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reduced their mortgage portfolios appropriately and, as a result, each met the December 31, 2017 portfolio targets of $288 billion. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are also now below the $250 billion cap for year-end 2018.

Mortgage-backed securities may have either fixed or adjustable interest rates. Tax or regulatory changes may adversely affect the mortgage securities market. In addition, changes in the market's perception of the issuer may affect the value of mortgage-backed securities. The rate of return on mortgage-backed securities may be affected by prepayments of principal on the underlying loans, which generally increase as market interest rates decline; as a result, when interest rates decline, holders of these securities normally do not benefit from appreciation in market value to the same extent as holders of other non-callable debt securities.

Because many mortgages are repaid early, the actual maturity and duration of mortgage backed securities are typically shorter than their stated final maturity and their duration calculated solely on the basis of the stated life and payment schedule. In calculating its dollar weighted average maturity and duration, the Fund may apply certain industry conventions regarding the maturity and duration of mortgage-backed instruments. Different analysts use different models and assumptions in making these determinations. The Fund uses an approach that the Manager believes is reasonable in light of all relevant circumstances. If this determination is not borne out in practice, it could positively or negatively affect the value of the Fund when market interest rates change. Increasing market interest rates generally extend the effective maturities of mortgage-backed securities, increasing their sensitivity to interest rate changes.

Collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs") are debt obligations collateralized by mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through securities (collateral collectively hereinafter referred to as "Mortgage Assets"). Multi-class pass-through securities are interests in a trust composed of Mortgage Assets and all references in this section to CMOs include multi-class pass-through securities. Principal prepayments on the Mortgage Assets may cause the CMOs to be retired substantially earlier than their stated maturities or final distribution dates, resulting in a loss of all or part of the premium if any has been paid. Interest is paid or accrues on all classes of the CMOs on a monthly, quarterly or semiannual basis. The principal and interest payments on the Mortgage Assets may be allocated among the various classes of CMOs in several ways. Typically, payments of principal, including any prepayments, on the underlying mortgages are applied to the classes in the order of their respective stated maturities or final distribution dates, so that no payment of principal is made on CMOs of a class until all CMOs of other classes having earlier stated maturities or final distribution dates have been paid in full.

Stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS") are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. The Fund will only invest in SMBS whose mortgage assets are U.S. Government obligations and are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions from a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will be structured so that one class receives some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class receives most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to fully recoup its initial investment in these securities. The market value of any class which consists primarily or entirely of principal payments is generally unusually volatile in response to changes in interest rates.

Investment in mortgage-backed securities poses several risks, including among others, prepayment, market and credit risk. Prepayment risk reflects the risk that borrowers may prepay their mortgages faster than expected, thereby affecting the investment's average life and perhaps its yield. Whether a mortgage loan is prepaid is almost entirely controlled by the borrower. Borrowers are most likely to exercise prepayment options at the time when it is least advantageous to investors, generally prepaying mortgages

as interest rates fall, and slowing payments as interest rates rise. Besides the effect of prevailing interest rates, the rate of prepayment and refinancing of mortgages may also be affected by home value appreciation, ease of the refinancing process and local economic conditions. Market risk reflects the risk that the price of a security may fluctuate over time. The price of mortgage-backed securities may be particularly sensitive to prevailing interest rates, the length of time the security is expected to be outstanding and the liquidity of the issue. In a period of unstable interest rates, there may be decreased demand for certain types of mortgage-backed securities, and the Fund, to the extent that it is invested in such securities and desires to sell them, may find it difficult to find a buyer, which may in turn decrease the price at which they may be sold. Credit risk reflects the risk that the Fund may not receive all or part of its principal because the issuer or credit enhancer has defaulted on its obligations. Obligations issued by U.S. Government-related entities are guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. However, as described above, the U.S. Government has taken steps with respect to FNMA and FHLMC to ensure that they are able to fulfill their financial obligations. The performance of private label mortgage-backed securities, issued by private institutions, is based on the financial health of those institutions. With respect to GNMA certificates, although GNMA guarantees timely payment even if homeowners delay or default, tracking the "pass-through" payments may, at times, be difficult.

***Repurchase Agreements***

The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements fully collateralized by obligations issued by the U.S. government or agencies of the U.S. government ("U.S. Government Obligations"). A repurchase agreement is a short term investment in which the purchaser (i.e., the Fund) acquires ownership of a U.S. Government Obligation (which may be of any maturity) and the seller agrees to repurchase the obligation at a future time at a set price, thereby determining the yield during the purchaser's holding period (usually not more than 7 days from the date of purchase). Any repurchase transaction in which the Fund engages will require full collateralization of the seller's obligation during the entire term of the repurchase agreement. In the event of a bankruptcy or other default of the seller, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying security and losses in value. However, the Fund intends to enter into repurchase agreements only with the custodian, other banks with assets of $1 billion or more and registered securities dealers determined by the Advisor to be creditworthy. The Advisor monitors the creditworthiness of the banks and securities dealers with which the Fund engages in repurchase transactions.

***Restricted Securities***

The Fund may invest in securities that are subject to restrictions on resale because they have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). These securities are sometimes referred to as private placements. Although securities that may be resold only to "qualified institutional buyers" in accordance with the provisions of Rule 144A under the Securities Act are technically considered "restricted securities," the Fund may purchase Rule 144A securities without regard to the limitation on investments in illiquid securities described below in the "Illiquid Securities" section, provided that a determination is made that such securities have a readily available trading market. The Fund may also purchase certain commercial paper issued in reliance on the exemption from registration in Section 4(2) of the Securities Act ("4(2) Paper"). The Adviser will determine the liquidity of Rule 144A securities and 4(2) Paper under the supervision of the Board of Trustees. The liquidity of Rule 144A securities and 4(2) Paper will be monitored by the Adviser, and if as a result of changed conditions it is determined that a Rule 144A security or 4(2) Paper is no longer liquid, the Fund's holdings of illiquid securities will be reviewed to determine what, if any, action is required to assure that the Fund does not exceed its applicable percentage limitation for investments in illiquid securities.

Limitations on the resale of restricted securities may have an adverse effect on the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund might be unable to dispose of restricted securities promptly or at

reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemption requirements. The Fund might also have to register such restricted securities in order to dispose of them, resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities.

***When-Issued Securities***

The Fund may from time to time purchase securities on a "when-issued" basis. The price of such securities, which may be expressed in yield terms, is fixed at the time the commitment to purchase is made, but delivery and payment for the when-issued securities take place at a later date. Normally, the settlement date occurs within one month of the purchase. During the period between purchase and settlement, the Fund makes no payment to the issuer and no interest accrues to the Fund. To the extent that assets of the Fund are held in cash pending the settlement of a purchase of securities, the Fund would earn no income. While when-issued securities may be sold prior to the settlement date, the Fund intends to purchase such securities with the purpose of actually acquiring them unless a sale appears desirable for investment reasons. At the time the Fund makes the commitment to purchase a security on a when-issued basis, it will record the transaction and reflect the value of the security in determining its net asset value. The market value of the when-issued securities may be more or less than the purchase price. The Fund does not believe that its net asset value or income will be adversely affected by the purchase of securities on a when-issued basis. The Fund will segregate liquid assets equal in value to commitments for when-issued securities, which may reduce but does not eliminate leverage.

***Illiquid Securities***

As a non-principal strategy, the Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in securities that are illiquid at the time of purchase, which means that there may be legal or contractual restrictions on their disposition, or that there are no readily available market quotations for such a security. Illiquid securities present the risks that the Fund may have difficulty valuing these holdings and/or may be unable to sell these holdings at the time or price desired. There are generally no restrictions on the Fund's ability to invest in restricted securities (that is, securities that are not registered pursuant to the Securities Act), except to the extent such securities may be considered illiquid. Securities issued pursuant to Rule 144A of the Securities Act will be considered liquid if determined to be so under procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. The Adviser is responsible for making the determination as to the liquidity of restricted securities (pursuant to the procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees). The Fund will determine a security to be illiquid if it cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at the value at which the Fund has valued the security. Factors considered in determining whether a security is illiquid may include, but are not limited to: the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; the number of dealers willing to purchase and sell the security and the number of potential purchasers; the number of dealers who undertake to make a market in the security; the nature of the security, including whether it is registered or unregistered, and the market place; whether the security has been rated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization ("NRSRO"); the period of time remaining until the maturity of a debt instrument or until the principal amount of a demand instrument can be recovered through demand; the nature of any restrictions on resale; and with respect to municipal lease obligations and certificates of participation, there is reasonable assurance that the obligation will remain liquid throughout the time the obligation is held and, if unrated, an analysis similar to that which would be performed by an NRSRO is performed. If a restricted security is determined to be liquid, it will not be included within the category of illiquid securities, which may not exceed 15% of the Fund's net assets. Investing in Rule 144A securities could have the effect of increasing the level of the Fund's illiquidity to the extent that the Fund, at a particular point in time may be unable to find qualified institutional buyers interested in purchasing the securities. The Fund is permitted to sell restricted securities to qualified institutional buyers.

**Additional Risks.**

***Risks Associated With Recent Market Events***

The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. The value of a security or other instrument may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other instrument, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. Changes in market conditions and interest rates generally do not have the same impact on all types of securities and instruments.

Stresses associated with the 2008 financial crisis in the United States and global economies peaked approximately a decade ago, but periods of unusually high volatility in the financial markets and restrictive credit conditions, sometimes limited to a particular sector or a geography, continue to recur. Some countries, including the United States, have adopted and/or are considering the adoption of more protectionist trade policies, a move away from the tighter financial industry regulations that followed the financial crisis, and/or substantially reducing corporate taxes. The exact shape of these policies is still being considered, but the equity and debt markets may react strongly to expectations of change, which could increase volatility, especially if the market's expectations are not borne out. A rise in protectionist trade policies, and the possibility of changes to some international trade agreements, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected. As a result, whether or not the Fund invest in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries experiencing economic, political and/or financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of the Fund's investments may be negatively affected by such events.

An outbreak of infectious respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 was first detected in China in December 2019 and has now been detected globally. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization announced that it had made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic. COVID-19 has resulted in travel restrictions, closed international borders, enhanced health screenings at ports of entry and elsewhere, disruption of and delays in healthcare service preparation and delivery, prolonged quarantines, cancellations, business and school closings, supply chain disruptions, and lower consumer demand, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact of COVID-19, and other infectious illness outbreaks that may arise in the future, could adversely affect the economies of many nations or the entire global economy, individual issuers and capital markets in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. In addition, the impact of infectious illnesses in emerging market countries may be greater due to generally less established healthcare systems. Public health crises caused by the COVID-19 outbreak may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries or globally. The duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and its effects cannot be determined with certainty. The value of the Fund and the securities in which the Fund invest may be adversely affected by impacts caused by COVID-19 and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and corresponding events in late February 2022, have had, and could continue to have, severe adverse effects on regional and global economic markets for securities and commodities. Following Russia's actions, various governments, including the United States, have issued broad-ranging economic sanctions against Russia, including, among other actions, a prohibition on doing business with certain Russian companies, large financial institutions, officials and oligarchs; the removal by certain countries and the European Union of selected Russian banks from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications ("SWIFT"), the electronic banking network that connects banks globally; and restrictive measures to prevent the Russian Central Bank from undermining the impact of the sanctions. The current events, including sanctions and the potential for future sanctions, including any

impacting Russia's energy sector, and other actions, and Russia's retaliatory responses to those sanctions and actions, may continue to adversely impact the Russian economy and may result in the further decline of the value and liquidity of Russian securities, a continued weakening of the ruble and continued exchange closures, and may have other adverse consequences on the Russian economy that could impact the value of Russian investments and impair the ability of the Fund to buy, sell, receive or deliver those securities. Moreover, those events have, and could continue to have, an adverse effect on global markets performance and liquidity, thereby negatively affecting the value of the Fund's investments beyond any direct exposure to Russian issuers. The duration of ongoing hostilities and the vast array of sanctions and related events cannot be predicted. Those events present material uncertainty and risk with respect to markets globally and the performance of the Fund and its investments or operations could be negatively impacted.

**Europe Recent Events Risk.**

A number of countries in Europe have experienced severe economic and financial difficulties. Many non-governmental issuers, and even certain governments, have defaulted on, or been forced to restructure, their debts; many other issuers have faced difficulties obtaining credit or refinancing existing obligations; financial institutions have in many cases required government or central bank support, have needed to raise capital, and/or have been impaired in their ability to extend credit; and financial markets in Europe and elsewhere have experienced extreme volatility and declines in asset values and liquidity. These difficulties may continue, worsen or spread within and beyond Europe. Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets and asset valuations around the world. In addition, the United Kingdom ("UK") has formally withdrawn from the European Union ("EU") and one or more other countries may withdraw from the EU and/or abandon the Euro, the common currency of the EU. The UK and EU reached an agreement effective January 1, 2021 on the terms of their future trading relationship relating to the trading of goods, however, this does not cover financial services. The Fund may face risks associated with the potential uncertainty and consequences of the new relationship between the UK and EU, including volatility in exchange and interest rates and politically divergent national laws and regulations. Ukraine has experienced ongoing military conflict; this conflict may expand and military attacks could occur elsewhere in Europe. Europe has also been struggling with mass migration from the Middle East and Africa. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, is not clear but could be significant and far-reaching. Whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in Europe or with significant exposure to European issuers or countries, these events could negatively affect the value and relative liquidity of the Fund's investments. The occurrence of terrorist incidents throughout Europe could also impact financial markets.

**Government Intervention in Financial Markets Risk**

Instability in the financial markets may lead the U.S. government and foreign governments to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that may experience extreme volatility, and in some cases a lack of liquidity. U.S. federal and state governments and foreign governments, their regulatory agencies or self-regulatory organizations may take additional actions that affect the regulation of the securities in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such securities, in ways that are unforeseeable. Issuers of corporate securities might seek protection under the bankruptcy laws. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the Fund itself is regulated. Such legislation or regulation could limit or preclude the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective.

**Investment Limitations**

***Fundamental***. The Trust (on behalf of the Fund) has adopted the following restrictions as fundamental policies, which may not be changed without the favorable vote of the holders of a "majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund," as defined in the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the "vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities" means the vote of the holders of the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of its outstanding shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.

The Fund may not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Borrowing Money. The Fund will not borrow money, except: (a) from a bank, provided that immediately after such borrowing there is an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings of the Fund; or (b) from a bank or other persons for temporary purposes only, provided that such temporary borrowings are in an amount not exceeding 5% of the Fund's total assets at the time when the borrowing is made. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from entering into reverse repurchase transactions, provided that the Fund has an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings and repurchase commitments of the Fund pursuant to reverse repurchase transactions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Senior Securities. The Fund will not issue senior securities. This limitation is not applicable to activities that may be deemed to involve the issuance or sale of a senior security by the Fund, provided that the Fund's engagement in such activities is consistent with or permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or interpretations of the SEC or its staff.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Underwriting. The Fund will not act as underwriter of securities issued by other persons. This limitation is not applicable to the extent that, in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities (including restricted securities), the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under certain federal securities laws.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Real Estate. The Fund will not purchase or sell real estate. This limitation is not applicable to investments in marketable securities which are secured by or represent interests in real estate. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from investing in mortgage-related securities or investing in companies engaged in the real estate business or that have a significant portion of their assets in real estate (including real estate investment trusts).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Commodities. The Fund will not purchase or sell commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other investments. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from purchasing or selling options or futures contracts, from investing in securities or other instruments backed by commodities or from investing in companies which are engaged in a commodities business or have a significant portion of their assets in commodities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. Loans. The Fund will not make loans to other persons, except: (a) by loaning portfolio securities; (b) by engaging in repurchase agreements; or (c) by purchasing nonpublicly offered debt securities. For purposes of this limitation, the term "loans" shall not include the purchase of a portion of an issue of publicly distributed bonds, debentures or other securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. Concentration. The Fund will not invest 25% or more of its total assets in a particular industry. This limitation is not applicable to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities or repurchase agreements with respect thereto.

With respect to the percentages adopted by the Trust as maximum limitations on its investment policies and limitations, an excess above the fixed percentage will not be a violation of the policy or limitation unless the excess results immediately and directly from the acquisition of any security or the action taken. This paragraph does not apply to the borrowing policy set forth in paragraph 1 above.

Notwithstanding any of the foregoing limitations, any investment company, whether organized as a trust, association or corporation, or a personal holding company, may be merged or consolidated with or acquired by the Trust, provided that if such merger, consolidation or acquisition results in an investment in the securities of any issuer prohibited by said paragraphs, the Trust shall, within ninety days after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or acquisition, dispose of all of the securities of such issuer so acquired or such portion thereof as shall bring the total investment therein within the limitations imposed by said paragraphs above as of the date of consummation.

***Non-Fundamental***. The following lists the non-fundamental investment restrictions applicable to the Fund. These restrictions can be changed by the Board of Trustees, but the change will only be effective after notice is given to shareholders of the Fund.

The Fund may not:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. Pledging. The Fund will not mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or in any manner transfer, as security for indebtedness,
any assets of the Fund except as may be necessary in connection with borrowings described in limitation (1) above. Margin deposits, security
interests, liens and collateral arrangements with respect to transactions involving options, futures contracts, short sales and other
permitted investments and techniques are not deemed to be a mortgage, pledge or hypothecation of assets for purposes of this limitation.;
or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. Borrowing. The Fund will not purchase any security while borrowings (including reverse repurchase agreements)
representing more than one third of its total assets are outstanding.; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Margin Purchases. The Fund will not purchase securities or evidences of interest thereon on "margin."
This limitation is not applicable to short term credit obtained by the Fund for the clearance of purchases and sales or redemption of
securities, or to arrangements with respect to transactions involving options, futures contracts, short sales and other permitted investments
and techniques; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Options. The Fund will not purchase or sell puts, calls, options or straddles, except as described in
the Statement of Additional Information; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Illiquid Investments. The Fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in securities for which
there are legal or contractual restrictions on resale and other illiquid securities; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. 80% Investment Policy. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund's assets (defined as
net assets plus the amount of any borrowing for investment purposes) will be invested in small capitalization companies. The Fund will
not change this policy unless the Fund's shareholders are provided with at least 60 days prior written notice.

Except with respect to borrowing and illiquid securities, if a percentage or rating restriction on investment or use of assets set forth herein or in the Prospectus is adhered to at the time a transaction is affected, later changes in percentage resulting from any cause other than actions by the Fund will not be considered a violation.

**<u>Management of the Fund</u>**

**Board of Trustees**

The management and affairs of the Fund are supervised by the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees consists of five individuals, all of whom are not "interested persons" (as defined under the 1940 Act) of the Trust and the Adviser ("Independent Trustees"). The Trustees are fiduciaries for the Fund's shareholders and are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware in this regard. The Board of Trustees establishes policies for the operation of the Fund and appoints the officers who conduct the daily business of the Fund.

**Board Leadership Structure**

The Trust is led by Mr. Brian Nielsen, who has served as the Chairman of the Board since 2011. The Board of Trustees is comprised of Mr. Nielsen and four (4) other Independent Trustees. Under certain 1940 Act governance guidelines that apply to the Trust, the Independent Trustees will meet in executive session, at least quarterly. Under the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, the Chairman of the Board is responsible for (a) presiding at board meetings, (b) calling special meetings on an as-needed basis, (c) setting the agendas for board meetings and (d) ensuring board members are provided necessary materials in advance of each board meeting. The Trust believes that (i) its Chairman, (ii) Keith Rhoades, the independent chair of the Audit Committee, and, (iii) as an entity, the full Board of Trustees, provide effective leadership that is in the best interests of the Trust, each of its Fund and each shareholder. The Independent Trustees have selected Anthony Lewis as the Lead Independent Trustee.

In accordance with the fund governance standards prescribed by the SEC under the 1940 Act, the Independent Trustees on the Nominating Committee select and nominate all candidates for Independent Trustee positions. Each Trustee was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees because of his experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills. The Board of Trustees reviews its leadership structure regularly on at least an annual basis. The Board of Trustees believes that the structure described above facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the Trustees from the officers of the Trust, the advisers of the Fund that comprise the Trust and other service providers, and facilitates the effective evaluation of the risks and other issues, including conflicts of interest, that may impact the Trust as a whole as well as the Fund individually. The Board of Trustees believes that the orderly and efficient flow of information and the ability of the Board of Trustees to bring each Trustee's experience and skills to bear in overseeing the Trust's operations is important given the characteristics and circumstances of the Trust, including: the unaffiliated nature of each investment adviser and the fund(s) managed by such adviser; the number of Fund that comprise the Trust; the variety of asset classes that those Fund reflect; the net assets of the Trust; the committee structure of the Trust; and the independent arrangements of each of the Trust's series. For these reasons, the Board of Trustees believes that its leadership structure is appropriate.

**Board Responsibilities**

The Board of Trustees' role is one of oversight rather than day-to-day management of any of the Trust's series. The Trust's Audit Committee assists with this oversight function. The Board of Trustees' oversight extends to the Trust's risk management processes. Those processes are overseen by Trust officers, including the President, the Treasurer, the Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO"), who regularly report to the Board of Trustees on a variety of matters at Board meetings.

**Board Risk Oversight.**

The Board of Trustees is comprised of Mr. Nielsen and four (4) other Independent Trustees with a standing independent Audit Committee with a separate chair. The Board is responsible for overseeing risk management, and the full Board regularly engages in discussions of risk management and receives compliance reports that inform its oversight of risk management from its CCO at quarterly meetings and on an ad hoc basis, when and if necessary. The Audit Committee considers financial and reporting risk within its area of responsibilities. Generally, the Board believes that its oversight of material risks is adequately maintained through the compliance-reporting chain where the CCO is the primary recipient and communicator of such risk-related information and oversees the Trust's service providers' adherence to the Trust's policies and procedures.

Investment advisers managing the Trust's series report to the Trust's CCO and the Board of Trustees, on a regular and as-needed basis, on actual and possible risks affecting the Trust's series. These investment advisers report to the CCO and the Board of Trustees on various elements of risk, including investment, credit, liquidity, valuation, operational and compliance risks, as well as any overall business risks that could impact the Trust's series.

The Board of Trustees has appointed the CCO, who reports directly to the Board of Trustees and who participates in its regular meetings. In addition, the CCO conducts on-going and continuous compliance testing and presents an annual report to the Board of Trustees in accordance with the Trust's compliance policies and procedures. The CCO, together with the Trust's President, Treasurer and Secretary, regularly discusses risk issues affecting the Trust and its series during Board of Trustee meetings. The CCO also provides updates to the Board of Trustees on the operation of the Trust's compliance policies and procedures and on how these procedures are designed to mitigate risk. Finally, the CCO and/or other officers of the Trust report to the Board of Trustees in the event that any material risk issues arise in between Board meetings.

**Trustee Qualifications.**

Generally, the Trust believes that each Trustee is competent to serve because of their individual overall merits including: (i) experience, (ii) qualifications, (iii) attributes and (iv) skills. Mr. Nielsen has over twenty years of experience in the investment management and brokerage business including a focus in compliance, legal and regulatory oversight and possesses a strong understanding of the regulatory framework under which investment companies must operate. Since 2010, Thomas Sarkany has been the President of TTS Consultants, LLC, a financial services firm and from 1994 through 2010, held various roles at Value Line, Inc. (a publicly held company providing financial research, publications and money management services to retail and institutional investors), including Director of Marketing and Asset Management, Director of Index Licensing, and member of the Board of Directors. Anthony Lewis has been Chairman and CEO of The Lewis Group USA, an executive consulting firm, for the past ten years, and also serves as a Director, the Chairman of the Compensation Committee, and a Member of the Audit Committee of Torotel Inc., and also serves as a Trustee, the Chairman of the Valuation Committee, and a Member of the Audit Committee of the Wildermuth Endowment Fund, a registered closed-end fund operating as an interval fund. Keith Rhoades held various accounting roles at Union Pacific Railroad, including Senior Director of General Ledger/Financial Research. Randy Skalla has more than 20 years of investment management experience including serving as President of L5 Enterprises, Inc. since 2001 and from 2001 through 2017 Mr. Skalla was a member of the Orizon Investment Counsel Board. The Trust does not believe any one factor is determinative in assessing a Trustee's qualifications, but that the collective experience of each Trustee makes them each highly qualified.

The Board of Trustees has established three standing board committees – the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Nominating Committee. All Independent Trustees are members of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and the Nominating Committee ("Standing Board Committees"). Inclusion of all Independent Trustees as members of all three of the Standing Board Committees allows all such Trustees to participate in the full range of the Board of Trustees' oversight duties, including oversight of risk management processes.

**Trustees and Officers**

The Trustees and the officers of the Trust are listed below with their addresses, present positions with the Trust and principal occupations over at least the last five years. The business address of each Trustee and Officer is 225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450, Cincinnati, OH 45246. All correspondence to the Trustees and Officers should be directed to c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, P.O. Box 541150, Omaha, Nebraska 68154.

**<u>Independent Trustees</u>**

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Name, Address and Year of Birth** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Position/Term of Office\*** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Principal Occupation** <br> **During the Past Five Years** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee\*\*** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Other Directorships held by Trustee During the Past Five Years** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Brian Nielsen<br> 1972 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Trustee <br> since May 2011 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Trustee of Northern Lights Fund Trust II (since 2011); Special Projects Counsel of NorthStar Financial Services Group, LLC (from 2018 to 2019); Secretary of CLS Investments, LLC (from 2001 to 2018); Secretary of Orion Advisor Services, LLC (from 2001 to 2018); Manager (from 2012 to 2015), General Counsel and Secretary (from 2003 to 2018) of NorthStar Financial Services Group, LLC; CEO (from 2012 to 2018), Secretary (from 2003 to 2018) and Manager (from 2005 to 2018) of Northern Lights Distributors, LLC; Director, Secretary and General Counsel of Constellation Trust Company (from 2004 to 2018); CEO (from 2015 to 2018), Manager (from 2008 to 2015), General Counsel and Secretary (from 2011 to 2018) of Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC; General Counsel and Secretary of Blu Giant, LLC (from 2011 to 2018); Secretary of Gemini Fund Services, LLC (from 2012 to 2018); Manager of Arbor Point Advisors, LLC (from 2012 to 2018); Secretary and General Counsel of NorthStar Holdings, LLC (from 2013 to 2015); Director, Secretary and General Counsel of NorthStar CTC Holdings, Inc. (from 2015 to 2018) and Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of AdvisorOne Fund (from 2003 to 2018). | &nbsp;&nbsp;5 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Manager of Northern Lights Distributors, LLC (from 2005 to 2018); Manager of NorthStar Financial Services Group, LLC (from 2012 to 2015); Manager of Arbor Point Advisors, LLC (from 2012 to 2018); Director of Constellation Trust Company (from 2004 to 2018) |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Thomas T. Sarkany<br> 1946** | &nbsp;&nbsp;Trustee since October 2011 | &nbsp;&nbsp; President, TTS Consultants, LLC (since 2010) (financial services firm); President, TTS Associates, Inc. (financial services) (since December 2022).<br> .<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;5 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Trustee, Arrow ETF Trust; Trustee, Arrow Investments Trust; Trustee, Northern Lights Fund Trust IV |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Anthony H. Lewis<br> 1946** | &nbsp;&nbsp;Trustee since May 2011 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Chairman and CEO of The Lewis Group USA (since 2007) (executive consulting firm). | &nbsp;&nbsp;5 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Director, Member of the Compensation Committee and Member of the Risk Committee of Torotel Inc. (Magnetics, Aerospace and Defense), Trustee, Chairman of the Fair Valuation Committee and Member of the Audit Committee of the Wildermuth Endowment Strategy Fund |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Keith Rhoades 1948** | &nbsp;&nbsp;Trustee since May 2011 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Retired since 2008. | &nbsp;&nbsp;5 |  |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Randy Skalla<br> 1962** | &nbsp;&nbsp;Trustee since May 2011 | &nbsp;&nbsp;President, L5 Enterprises, Inc. (since 2001) (financial services company). | &nbsp;&nbsp;5 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Board Member, Orizon Investment Counsel (financial services company) (2001 through 2017) |

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***<u>Officers</u>***

 ****

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Name, Address and Year of Birth** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Position/Term of Office\*** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Principal Occupation** <br> **During the Past Five Years** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex**<br> **Overseen by Trustee\*\*** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Other Directorships held by Trustee During the Past Five Years** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Kevin Wolf <br> 1969** | &nbsp;&nbsp;President <br> since January 2013 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Vice President of The Ultimus Group, LLC and Executive Vice President, Head of Fund Administration and Product of Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (formerly, Gemini Fund Services, LLC) (since 2019), President, Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (formerly, Gemini Fund Services, LLC) (2012 - 2019). | &nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Eric Kane**<br> **1981** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Secretary<br> Since August 2022 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Vice President and Managing Counsel, Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (since 2020); Vice President and Counsel, Gemini Fund Services, LLC (2017-2020) | &nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Erik Naviloff<br> 1968** | &nbsp;&nbsp;Treasurer <br> since January 2013 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Vice President of Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (formerly, Gemini Fund Services, LLC) (since 2012). | &nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Jared Lahman<br> 1986** | &nbsp;&nbsp;Anti-Money Laundering Officer since<br> January 2022 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Compliance Analyst, Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (since January 2019); Manager, Fund Accounting, Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (formerly, Gemini Fund Services, LLC) (January 2014 to December 2018). | &nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Emile Molineaux<br> 1962** | &nbsp;&nbsp;Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer<br> since May 2011 | &nbsp;&nbsp;Senior Compliance Officer and CCO of various clients of Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (since 2011). | &nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;N/A |

---

\* The term of office for each Trustee and Officer listed above will continue indefinitely.

\*\*As of December 31, 2022, the Trust was comprised of 19 active portfolios managed by unaffiliated investment advisers. The term "Fund Complex" applies only to the Fund and not to any other series of the Trust. The Fund does not hold itself out as related to any other series within the Trust for investment purposes, nor do they share the same investment adviser with any other series not included in the Fund Complex.

**Board Committees**

<u>Audit Committee</u>. The Board has an Audit Committee, which is comprised of the Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee reviews financial statements and other audit-related matters for the Fund. The Audit Committee also holds discussions with management and with the Fund's independent auditor concerning the scope of the audit and the auditor's independence and will meet at least four times annually. During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2022, the Audit Committee met ten times.

<u>Nominating Committee</u>. The Board has a Nominating Committee, which is comprised of the Independent Trustees. The Nominating Committee is responsible for seeking and reviewing candidates for consideration as nominees for the position of trustee and meets only as necessary. The Nominating Committee generally will not consider shareholder nominees.

<u>Compensation Committee</u>. The Board has a Compensation Committee, which is comprised of the Independent Trustees. The role of the Compensation Committee is to oversee the evaluation of, and review and approve compensation for, the Independent Trustees. The Compensation Committee will generally meet annually.

**Trustee Compensation**

Each Trustee will receive a quarterly fee of $21,250 (the "Trustee Fee") to be paid at the beginning of each calendar quarter, allocated among each of the various portfolios comprising the Trust. Each Trustee will also receive reimbursement for any reasonable expenses incurred attending the regular quarterly meetings of the Trust. In addition to the Trustee Fee, the Audit Committee Chairman will receive an additional quarterly fee of $4,000 and the Chairman of the Trust will receive an additional quarterly fee of $5,250. For special in-person meetings, each Trustee will receive a $2,500 special in-person meeting fee, as well as reimbursement for any reasonable expenses incurred attending the special in-person meeting, which fees will generally be paid by the Adviser requesting the special in-person meeting. None of the executive officers will receive compensation from the Trust.

The following table details the estimated amount of compensation the Trustees will receive from the Fund and the Fund Complex for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2023.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Name** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**North Star Small Cap Value Fund** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of Fund Expenses** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Total Compensation From Fund Complex Paid to Trustees\*\*\*** |
| **Thomas T. Sarkany** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$4103 |  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;$20515 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Anthony Lewis** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$4103 |  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;$20515 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Keith Rhoades\*** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$4875 |  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;$24375 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Randy Skalla** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$4103 |  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;$20375 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Brian Nielsen\*\*** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$5116 |  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;$25580 |

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\*Mr. Rhoades also serves as Chairman of the Audit Committee.

\*\*Mr. Nielsen also serves as Chairman of the Board.

\*\*\* There are currently multiple series comprising the Trust. The term "Fund Complex" refers only to the North Star Small Cap Value Fund, North Star Bond Fund, North Star Dividend Fund, North Star Microcap Fund and the North Star Opportunity Fund, and not to any other series of the Trust.

**Trustee Ownership**

The following table indicates the dollar range of equity securities that each Trustee beneficially owned in the Fund and other series of the Trust as of December 31, 2022:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Name of Trustee** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Trustee in Family of Investment Companies** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Thomas T. Sarkany** | &nbsp;&nbsp;None | &nbsp;&nbsp;None |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Anthony Lewis** | &nbsp;&nbsp;None | &nbsp;&nbsp;None |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Keith Rhoades** | &nbsp;&nbsp;None | &nbsp;&nbsp;None |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Randal Skalla** | &nbsp;&nbsp;None | &nbsp;&nbsp;None |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Brian Nielsen** | &nbsp;&nbsp;None | &nbsp;&nbsp;None |

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As of February 21, 2023, the Trustees and officers, as a group, owned less than 1.00% of the Predecessor Fund's outstanding shares and the Fund Complex's outstanding shares.

**Control Persons and Principal Shareholders**

A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. A control person is one who owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund or acknowledges the existence of control. A controlling person possesses the ability to control the outcome of matters submitted for shareholder vote by the Fund.

As of February 21, 2023, the Predecessor Fund's shareholders of record and/or beneficial owners (to the Predecessor Fund's knowledge) who owned 5% or more of the Predecessor Fund's shares are set forth below:

**Institutional Class**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Address** | **Shares Owned** | **Percentage Held** | **Type of Ownership** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;National Financial Services<br> FBO Customers<br> 200 Liberty Street<br> New York, NY 10281-1033 | &nbsp;&nbsp;204076.208 | &nbsp;&nbsp;55.59% | &nbsp;&nbsp;Record |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> FBO Customers<br> 101 Montgomery St.<br> San Francisco CA 94104-4122 | &nbsp;&nbsp;106520.928 | &nbsp;&nbsp;29.02% | &nbsp;&nbsp;Record |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Raymond James & Assoc. Inc.<br> FBO The Evah C. Cray Residuary Charitable Trust TTEE<br> The Sawmill Trust Company | &nbsp;&nbsp;20705.413 | &nbsp;&nbsp;5.64% | &nbsp;&nbsp;Record |

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**Investor Class**

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name and Address** | **Shares Owned** | **Percentage Held** | **Type of Ownership** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;National Financial Services<br> FBO Customers<br> 200 Liberty Street<br> New York, NY 10281-1033 | &nbsp;&nbsp;1328271.815 | &nbsp;&nbsp;50.06% | &nbsp;&nbsp;Record |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.<br> FBO Customers<br> 101 Montgomery St.<br> San Francisco CA 94104-4122 | &nbsp;&nbsp;781662.873 | &nbsp;&nbsp;29.46% | &nbsp;&nbsp;Record |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Ameritrade Inc.<br> FBO Customers<br> PO Box 2226<br> Omaha, NE 68103-2226 | &nbsp;&nbsp;227619.319 | &nbsp;&nbsp;8.58% | &nbsp;&nbsp;Record |

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**Investment Adviser**

As stated in the Prospectus, investment advisory services are provided to the Fund by North Star Investment Management Corp., 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 1416, Chicago, IL 60606, pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (the "Advisory Agreement"). North Star Financial Services Corp. is the sole shareholder of the Adviser. Messrs. Peter Gottlieb and Eric Kuby are the principal shareholders of North Star Financial Services Corp. Subject to such policies as the Board of Trustees may determine, the Adviser is ultimately responsible for investment decisions for the Fund. Pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser provides the Fund with such investment advice and supervision as it deems necessary for the proper supervision of the Fund's investments.

After an initial period of two years, the Advisory Agreement will continue in effect from year to year only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities and by a majority of the trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested persons of any such party, at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Advisory Agreement. The Advisory Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Fund upon 60 days' prior written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Fund's shareholders or by a vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees, or by the Adviser upon 60 days' prior written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its "assignment" (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser, under such agreement, shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of portfolio transactions for the Fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties thereunder.

Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser, under the supervision of the Board, agrees (directly or through a subadviser) to invest the assets of the Fund in accordance with applicable law and the investment objectives, policies and restrictions set forth in the Fund's current Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, and subject to such further limitations as the Trust may from time to time impose by written notice to the Adviser. The Adviser shall act as the investment adviser to the Fund and, as such shall (directly or through a subadviser) (i) obtain and evaluate such information relating to the economy, industries, business, securities markets and securities as it may deem necessary or useful in discharging its responsibilities here under, (ii) formulate a continuing program for the investment of the assets of the Fund in a manner consistent with its investment objective, policies and restrictions, and (iii) determine from time to time securities to be purchased, sold or retained by the Fund, and implement those decisions, including the selection of entities with or through which such purchases or sales are to be effected; provided, that the Adviser (directly or through a subadviser) will place orders pursuant to its

investment determinations either directly with the issuer or with a broker or dealer, and if with a broker or dealer, (a) will attempt to obtain the best price and execution of its orders, and (b) may nevertheless in its discretion purchase and sell portfolio securities from and to brokers who provide the Adviser with research, analysis, advice and similar services and pay such brokers in return a higher commission or spread than may be charged by other brokers. The Adviser also provides the Fund with all necessary office facilities and personnel for servicing the Fund's investments, compensates all officers, Trustees and employees of the Trust who are officers, directors or employees of the Adviser, and all personnel of the Fund or the Adviser performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities. The Advisory Agreement was approved by the Board of the Trust, including by a majority of the Independent Trustees, at a meeting held on December 22, 2022. Prior to entering into this Advisory Agreement, the Adviser managed the Predecessor Fund since December 15, 2022, under a separate investment advisory agreement with Walthausen Funds.

In addition, the Adviser, directly subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, provides the management services necessary for the operation of the Fund and such additional administrative services as reasonably requested by the Board of Trustees. These services include providing such office space, office equipment and office facilities as are adequate to fulfill the Adviser's obligations under the Advisory Agreement; assisting the Trust in supervising relations with custodians, transfer and pricing agents, accountants, underwriters and other persons dealing with the Fund; assisting in preparing all general shareholder communications and conducting shareholder relations; assuring the Fund's records and the registration of the Fund's shares under federal securities laws and making necessary filings under state securities laws; developing management and shareholder services for the Fund; and furnishing reports, evaluations and analyses on a variety of subjects to the Trustees. Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the North Star Small Cap Value Fund pays the Adviser a management fee at the annual rate of 1.00%. The fee is computed daily and payable monthly.

Expenses not expressly assumed by the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement are paid by the Fund. Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Fund is responsible for the payment of the following expenses among others: (a) the fees payable to the Adviser, (b) the fees and expenses of Trustees who are not affiliated persons of the Adviser or Distributor (as defined under the section entitled ("The Distributor") (c) the fees and certain expenses of the Custodian (as defined under the section entitled "Custodian") and Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent (as defined under the section entitled "Transfer Agent"), including the cost of maintaining certain required records of the Fund and of pricing the Fund's shares, (d) the charges and expenses of legal counsel and independent accountants for the Fund, (e) brokerage commissions and any issue or transfer taxes chargeable to the Fund in connection with its securities transactions, (f) all taxes and corporate fees payable by the Fund to governmental agencies, (g) the fees of any trade association of which the Fund may be a member, (h) the cost of share certificates representing shares of the Fund, (i) the cost of fidelity and liability insurance, (j) the fees and expenses involved in registering and maintaining registration of the Fund and of their shares with the SEC, qualifying its shares under state securities laws, including the preparation and printing of the Fund's registration statements and prospectuses for such purposes, (k) all expenses of shareholders and Trustees' meetings (including travel expenses of trustees and officers of the Trust who are directors, officers or employees of the Adviser) and of preparing, printing and mailing reports, proxy statements and prospectuses to shareholders in the amount necessary for distribution to the shareholders, and (l) litigation and indemnification expenses and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Trust's business.

The Adviser has agreed contractually to waive its management fee and to reimburse operating expenses (excluding front-end or contingent deferred loads, brokerage fees and commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short), taxes and

extraordinary expenses such as litigation) at least until May 31, 2025, such that net annual fund operating expenses of the Fund do not exceed the percentages in the table below.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**North Star Small Cap Value Fund** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Expense Limitation** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Institutional Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;0.98% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Investor Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;1.21% |

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This operating expense limitation agreement can be terminated only by, or with the consent of, the Board of Trustees. The Adviser is permitted to receive reimbursement from the Fund for fees it waived and Fund expenses it paid, subject to the limitation that: (1) the reimbursement for fees and expenses will be made only if payable within three years from the date the fees and expenses were initially waived or reimbursed; and (2) the reimbursement may not be made if it would cause the expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver or currently in effect, whichever is lower, to be exceeded. Fee waiver and reimbursement arrangements can decrease the Fund's expenses and increase its performance. The Adviser is not entitled to recoup expenses of the Predecessor Fund previously waived by Walthausen & Co., LLC ("Walthausen"), the previous investment adviser to the Predecessor Fund. Accordingly, to the extent that Walthausen waived its advisory fees or paid expenses of the Predecessor Fund prior to December 15, 2022, when North Star became the adviser to the Predecessor Fund, those amounts are not eligible to be recouped. As investment adviser prior to December 15, 2022, Walthausen was entitled to receive 1.00% of the Predecessor Fund's average daily net assets.

For the fiscal years ended January 31, 2020, 2021, and 2022, the Predecessor Fund's previous investment adviser, Walthausen, earned management fees equal to $3,825,006, $1,927,500 and $1,545,977, respectively. Under a services agreement with the Predecessor Fund, Walthausen also received an annual services agreement fee of 0.45% of the average daily net assets of the Fund up to $100 million, 0.25% of the Fund's average daily net assets between $100 million and $500 million, and 0.15% of such assets in excess of $500 million in exchange for assuming and paying all ordinary expenses of the Predecessor Fund, except that the Predecessor Fund paid all management fees, brokerage fees and commissions, taxes, borrowing costs (such as (a) interest and (b) dividend expenses on securities sold short), underlying fund fees and expenses, and extraordinary or non-recurring expenses. For the fiscal years ended January 31, 2020, 2021, and 2022, Walthausen earned services agreement fees equal to $1,156,203, $681,922 and $585,921, respectively, from the Predecessor Fund. For the fiscal years ending January 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, Walthausen waived services agreement fees and advisory fees for the Investor Class Shares of the Predecessor Fund totaling $266,242, $128,150 and $135,919, respectively. For the fiscal year ending January 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, Walthausen waived services agreement fees and advisory fees for the Institutional Class Shares totaling $292,613, $385,194 and $303,619, respectively, for the Predecessor Fund.

**Portfolio Managers**

The following section provides information regarding each Portfolio Manager's other accounts managed, compensation, material conflicts of interests, and any ownership of securities in the Fund. The Portfolio Managers are shown together in this section only for ease in presenting the information and should not be viewed for purposes of comparing the Portfolio Managers against one another. Eric Kuby and Peter Gottlieb are Portfolio Managers for the Fund.

*Eric Kuby*. Mr. Kuby has over 37 years of experience, serving both individual and institutional clients. Mr. Kuby joined the Adviser in 2004 and has been Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser since 2005. As Chairman of the Investment Committee, he is responsible for overseeing the firm's various investment

strategies. Mr. Kuby holds an MBA in Finance as well as a BA in Economics from The University of Chicago.

*Peter Gottlieb*. Mr. Gottlieb has over 31 years' experience in the financial industry as a financial advisor as well as serving on the Board of Directors of a community bank, a publicly traded business development company and a community hospital. Mr. Gottlieb is the Founder and President of the Adviser since 2003. Mr. Gottlieb earned his BA degree from the University of Michigan, School of Business.

In addition to the Fund, the following table lists the number and types of accounts managed by the portfolio managers and assets under management in those accounts as of December 31, 2022

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| | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Portfolio Managers** | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Registered**<br> **Investment Companies (excluding the Fund)** | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Other Pooled**<br> **Investment Vehicles** | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Other Pooled**<br> **Investment Vehicles** | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Other Pooled**<br> **Investment Vehicles** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Other Accounts** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Other Accounts** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Other Accounts** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Other Accounts** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Number of Accounts** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Total Assets in the Accounts** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Number of Accounts** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Total Assets in the Accounts** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Total Assets in the Accounts** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Number of Accounts** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Number of Accounts** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Total Assets in the Accounts** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Eric Kuby** | &nbsp;&nbsp;4 | $&nbsp;&nbsp;0 | &nbsp;&nbsp;0 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$0 | &nbsp;&nbsp;368 | &nbsp;&nbsp;368 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$525217386 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$525217386 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Peter Gottlieb** | &nbsp;&nbsp;4 | $&nbsp;&nbsp;0 | &nbsp;&nbsp;0 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$0 | &nbsp;&nbsp;466 | &nbsp;&nbsp;466 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$430905988 | &nbsp;&nbsp;$430905988 |

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**Material Conflicts of Interest**

Actual or apparent material conflicts of interest may arise when a Portfolio Manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one investment account or in other circumstances. Portfolio Managers who manage other investment accounts in addition to the Fund may be presented with the potential conflicts described below.

The Adviser receives research that may be appropriate for clients in multiple strategies. However, in most cases, the research is targeted to a specific strategy. In cases where the research would be applicable to multiple strategies, the portfolio managers will base their decision to allocate ideas for each account independently and in a manner consistent with previous trading and investment patterns.

Trade allocation decisions are made among client accounts on a fair and equitable basis to ensure that no single relationship has a trading advantage. When two or more client accounts are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, to the extent possible, the transactions will be aggregated in a single trade and these accounts will receive the security at an average share price on the aggregated trade. Partially-filled block trades will be allocated on a percentage basis.

The Adviser simultaneously manages accounts for which it receives performance-based compensation and accounts for which it receives fees based on the assets under management (such as the Fund). Typically, under this scenario, a conflict of interest arises in that the Adviser will have an incentive to favor accounts for which it is receiving the performance-based fee. The Adviser believes that this conflict of interest is mitigated due to the fact that the Fund for which the Adviser receives performance-based fees have investment strategies that are distinct from those for which the Adviser receives asset-based compensation. The Adviser and its affiliates may from time to time own shares of the Fund and/or the same securities owned by the Fund.

The Chief Compliance Officer regularly reviews investment allocations for irregularities or abuses. Additionally, trades may be executed by NewEdge Securities, Inc., an affiliate of the Adviser. Any potential conflicts will be resolved in accordance with the Fund's Rule 17e-1 procedures.

**Portfolio Managers' Compensation**

The following section describes the structure of, and the methods used to determine the different types of compensation (e.g., salary, bonus, deferred compensation, and retirement plans and arrangements) for each of the Fund's Portfolio Managers.

The Portfolio Managers' compensation is a fixed salary that is set by reference to industry standards. Bonuses paid to the Portfolio Managers are based on the profitability of the Adviser and the Portfolio Managers' equity ownership in the Adviser.

**Portfolio Managers' Ownership of the Fund**

The following table shows the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the portfolio managers of the Fund as of November 30, 2022:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Name of Portfolio Manager** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Eric Kuby | &nbsp;&nbsp;None |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Peter Gottlieb | &nbsp;&nbsp;None |

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**<u>Other Service Providers</u>**

**Administrator**

Pursuant to a Fund Services Agreement (the "Administration Service Agreement"), Ultimus Fund Solution, LLC ("UFS"), 4221 North 203rd Street, Suite 100, Elkhorn, NE 68022 (the "Administrator"), acts as administrator for the Fund, subject to the supervision of the Board. UFS is primarily in the business of providing administrative, fund accounting and transfer agent services to retail and institutional mutual fund. GFS is an affiliate of the Distributor. UFS may provide persons to serve as officers of the Fund. Such officers may be directors, officers or employees of UFS or its affiliates.

The Administration Service Agreement is terminable by the Board or UFS on 60 days' prior written notice and may be assigned provided the non-assigning party provides prior written consent. This Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of UFS or reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder, UFS shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder.

Under the Administration Service Agreement, UFS provides facilitating administrative services, including: (i) providing services of persons competent to perform such administrative and clerical functions as are necessary to provide effective administration of the Fund; (ii) facilitating the performance of administrative and professional services to the Fund by others, including the Fund's Custodian; (iii) preparing, but not paying for, the periodic updating of the Fund's Registration Statement, Prospectuses and Statement of Additional Information in conjunction with Fund counsel, including the printing of such documents for the purpose of filings with the SEC and state securities administrators, and preparing reports to the Fund's shareholders and the SEC; (iv) preparing in conjunction with Fund counsel, but not paying for, all filings under the securities or "Blue Sky" laws of such states or countries as are designated by the Distributor, which may be required to register or qualify, or continue the registration or qualification, of the Fund and/or their shares under such laws; (v) preparing notices and agendas for meetings of the Board and minutes of such meetings in all matters required by the 1940 Act to be acted upon by the Board; and (vi) monitoring daily and periodic compliance with respect to all requirements and restrictions of the 1940 Act, the Internal Revenue Code and the Prospectus.

For the services rendered to the Fund by the Administrator, the Fund pays the Administrator the greater of an annual minimum fee or an asset based fee, which scales downward based upon net assets for fund administration services. All basis point fees will be calculated based upon the average net assets of the Fund complex for the previous month.

***Fund Accounting*** 

UFS, pursuant to the Administration Service Agreement, provides the Fund with accounting services, including: (i) daily computation of net asset value; (ii) maintenance of security ledgers and books and records as required by the 1940 Act; (iii) production of the Fund's listing of portfolio securities and general ledger reports; (iv) reconciliation of accounting records; (v) calculation of yield and total return for the Fund; (vi) maintaining certain books and records described in Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act, and reconciling account information and balances among the Fund's custodian or Adviser; and (vii) monitoring and evaluating daily income and expense accruals, and sales and redemptions of shares of the Fund.

For the services rendered to the Fund by the Administrator, the Fund pays the Administrator the greater of an annual minimum fee or an asset based fee, which scales downward based upon net assets for fund accounting services. All basis point fees will be calculated based upon the average net assets of the Fund complex for the previous month. The Fund also pay UFS for equity and bond price quotes, as well as any out-of-pocket expenses.

***Transfer Agent***

UFS, 4221 North 203<sup>rd</sup> Street, Suite 100, Elkhorn, NE 68022, acts as transfer, dividend disbursing, and shareholder servicing agent for the Fund pursuant to a written agreement with the Fund. Under the agreement, UFS is responsible for administering and performing transfer agent functions, dividend distribution, shareholder administration, and maintaining necessary records in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.

Predecessor Fund Admin, Fund Accounting and Transfer Agent Services

Ultimus previously provided the Predecessor Fund with pricing, accounting, dividend disbursing, shareholder servicing and transfer agent services. For the fiscal year ended January 31, 2020, the Advisor paid Ultimus $88,572 for transfer agent and accounting services. For the fiscal year ended January 31, 2021, the Predecessor Fund's prior investment adviser, Walthausen, paid Ultimus $80,790 for transfer agent and accounting services. For the fiscal year ended January 31, 2022, Walthausen paid Ultimus $66,977 for transfer agent and accounting services.

Premier Fund Solutions, Inc. ("PFS"), 1939 Friendship Drive, Suite C, El Cajon, CA 92020,previously provided the Predecessor Fund with administrative services. For the fiscal years ended January 31, 2020, 2021, and 2022, Walthausen paid PFS $173,344, $99,507 and $81,051, respectively, for administrative services for the Predecessor Fund.

***Custodian*** 

U.S. Bank, National Association ("U.S. Bank"), 1555 North River Center Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212, (the "Custodian"), serves as the custodian of the Fund's assets pursuant to a Custody Agreement by and between the Custodian and the Trust on behalf of the Fund. The Custodian's responsibilities include safeguarding and controlling the Fund's cash and securities, handling the receipt and delivery of securities, and collecting interest and dividends on the Fund's investments. Pursuant to the Custody

Agreement, the Custodian also maintains original entry documents and books of record and general ledgers; posts cash receipts and disbursements; and records purchases and sales based upon communications from the Adviser. The Fund may employ foreign sub-custodians that are approved by the Board to hold foreign assets.

***Compliance Services***

Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC ("NLCS"), 4221 North 203<sup>rd</sup> Street, Suite 100, Elkhorn, NE 68022, an affiliate of GFS and the Distributor, provides a Chief Compliance Officer to the Trust as well as related compliance services pursuant to a consulting agreement between NLCS and the Trust. The Fund pay a compliance service fee to NLCS.

**Legal Counsel**

Alston & Bird, LLP, 950 F Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20004, serves as counsel to the Trust.

Blank Rome LLP, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, serves as counsel to the Independent Trustees.

**Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm**

RSM US LLP, 555 17<sup>th</sup> Street, Suite 1200, Denver, CO 80202, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Fund.

**<u>Distribution of Fund Shares</u>**

Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, located at 4221 North 203<sup>rd</sup> Street, Suite 100, Elkhorn, NE 68022 (the "Distributor") serves as the principal underwriter and national distributor for the shares of the Fund pursuant to an underwriting agreement with the Trust (the "Underwriting Agreement"). The Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and each state's securities laws and is a member of FINRA. The offering of the Fund's shares are continuous. The Underwriting Agreement provides that the Distributor, as agent in connection with the distribution of Fund shares, will use reasonable efforts to facilitate the sale of the Fund's shares.

The Underwriting Agreement has an initial term of two years and will continue in effect only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees or by vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of the trustees who are not parties to the Underwriting Agreement or "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party. The Underwriting Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Fund on 60 days' notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Fund's outstanding voting securities or by vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the trustees who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust, or by the Distributor on 60 days' notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its "assignment" (as defined in the 1940 Act).

The Distributor may enter into selling agreements with broker-dealers that solicit orders for the sale of shares of the Fund and may allow concessions to dealers that sell shares of the Fund.

Compensation for the services performed by Predecessor Fund's prior distributor were paid by the Predecessor Fund's prior adviser from its own resources, not the Fund.

**<u>12b-1 Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan</u>**

As noted in the Prospectus, the Trust has adopted a Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act for the Investor Class shares for the Fund. Such fees are to be paid by the Fund monthly, or at such other intervals, as the Board shall determine. Such fees shall be based upon each share class's average daily net assets during the preceding month, and shall be calculated and accrued daily. The Fund may pay fees to the Distributor at a lesser rate, as agreed upon by the Board of the Trust and the Distributor. The Plan authorizes payments to the Distributor as compensation for providing account maintenance services to Fund shareholders, including arranging for certain securities dealers or brokers, administrators and others ("Recipients") to provide these services and paying compensation for these services.

The services to be provided by Recipients may include, but are not limited to, the following: assistance in the offering and sale of Fund shares and in other aspects of the marketing of the shares to clients or prospective clients of the respective recipients; answering routine inquiries concerning the Fund; assisting in the establishment and maintenance of accounts or sub-accounts in the Fund and in processing purchase and redemption transactions; making the Fund's investment plan and shareholder services available; and providing such other information and services to investors in shares of the Fund as the Distributor or the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, may reasonably request. The distribution services shall also include any advertising and marketing services provided by or arranged by the Distributor with respect to the Fund. The Adviser may be compensated by the Distributor for its distribution and marketing efforts.

The Distributor is required to provide a written report, at least quarterly to the Board of the Trust, specifying in reasonable detail the amounts expended pursuant to the Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. Further, the Distributor will inform the Board of any Rule 12b-1 fees to be paid by the Distributor to Recipients.

The initial term of the Plan is one year and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter, provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Board of the Trust and a majority of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Trust and do not have a direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan ("Rule 12b-1 Trustees") by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plan. The Plan may be terminated at any time by the Trust or the Fund by vote of a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting shares of the Fund.

The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of the Distributor's compensation to be paid by the Fund, unless such amendment is approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the affected class of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act). All material amendments must be approved by a majority of the Board of the Trust and a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plan. During the term of the Plan, the selection and nomination of non-interested Trustees of the Trust will be committed to the discretion of current non-interested Trustees. The Distributor will preserve copies of the Plan, any related agreements, and all reports, for a period of not less than six years from the date of such document and for at least the first two years in an easily accessible place.

Any agreement related to the Plan will be in writing and provide that: (a) it may be terminated by the Trust or the Fund at any time upon sixty days' written notice, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the respective Rule 12b-1 Trustees, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust or Fund; (b) it will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act); and (c) it will continue in effect for a period of more than one year from the date of its execution or adoption only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by

a majority of the Board and a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such agreement.

To the extent these asset-based fees and other payments made under the Distribution Plan to these financial intermediaries for the distribution services they provide to the Fund's shareholders exceed the Distribution Fees available, these payments are made by the Adviser from its own resources, which may include its profits from the advisory fee it receives from the Fund. In addition, the Fund may participate in various "fund supermarkets" in which a mutual fund supermarket sponsor (usually a broker-dealer) offers many mutual fund to the sponsor's customers without charging the customers a sales charge. In connection with its participation in such platforms, the Adviser may use all or a portion of the Distribution Fee to pay one or more supermarket sponsors a negotiated fee for distributing the Fund's shares. In addition, in its discretion, the Adviser may pay additional fees to such intermediaries from its own assets.

The Predecessor Fund did not have a Rule 12b-1 Plan in place.

**<u>Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage Allocation</u>**

Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser determines which securities are to be purchased and sold by the Fund and which broker-dealers are eligible to execute the Fund's portfolio transactions. Purchases and sales of securities in the OTC market will generally be executed directly with a "market-maker" unless, in the opinion of the Adviser, a better price and execution can otherwise be obtained by using a broker for the transaction.

Purchases of portfolio securities for the Fund will be effected through broker-dealers (including banks) that specialize in the types of securities that the Fund will be holding, unless better executions are available elsewhere. Dealers usually act as principal for their own accounts. Purchases from dealers will include a spread between the bid and the asked price. If the execution and price offered by more than one dealer are comparable, the order may be allocated to a dealer that has provided research or other services as discussed below.

In placing portfolio transactions, the Adviser will use reasonable efforts to choose broker-dealers capable of providing the services necessary to obtain the most favorable price and execution available. The full range and quality of services available will be considered in making these determinations, such as the size of the order, the difficulty of execution, the operational facilities of the firm involved, the firm's risk in positioning a block of securities and other factors. In those instances where it is reasonably determined that more than one broker-dealer can offer the services needed to obtain the most favorable price and execution available, consideration may be given to those broker-dealers that furnish or supply research and statistical information to the Adviser that they may lawfully and appropriately use in their investment advisory capacities, as well as provide other brokerage services in addition to execution services. The Adviser considers such information, which is in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by it under its Advisory Agreement with the Fund, to be useful in varying degrees, but of indeterminable value.

While it is the Fund's general policy to first seek to obtain the most favorable price and execution available in selecting a broker-dealer to execute portfolio transactions for the Fund, weight is also given to the ability of a broker-dealer to furnish brokerage and research services to the Fund or to the Adviser, even if the specific services are not directly useful to the Fund and may be useful to the Adviser in advising other clients. In negotiating commissions with a broker or evaluating the spread to be paid to a dealer, the Fund may therefore pay a higher commission or spread than would be the case if no weight were given to the furnishing of these supplemental services, provided that the amount of such commission

or spread has been determined in good faith by the Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such broker-dealer. The standard of reasonableness is to be measured in light of the Adviser's overall responsibilities to the Fund.

Investment decisions for the Fund may or may not be made independently from those of other client accounts of the Adviser. In certain instances, investment decisions will be made similar to other accounts managed. In the case where the Fund use similar strategies, applicable procedures will be taken to ensure trading allocations will be handled fairly and abide by all appropriate rules and regulations. Nevertheless, it is possible that at times identical securities will be acceptable for both the Fund and one or more of such client accounts. In such event, the position of the Fund and such client account(s) in the same issuer may vary and the length of time that each may choose to hold its investment in the same issuer may likewise vary. However, to the extent any of these client accounts seek to acquire the same security as the Fund at the same time, the Fund may not be able to acquire as large a portion of such security as it desires, or it may have to pay a higher price or obtain a lower yield for such security. Similarly, the Fund may not be able to obtain as high a price for, or as large an execution of, an order to sell any particular security at the same time. If one or more of such client accounts simultaneously purchases or sells the same security that the Fund is purchasing or selling, each day's transactions in such security will be allocated between the Fund and all such client accounts in a manner deemed equitable by the Adviser, taking into account the respective sizes of the accounts and the amount being purchased or sold. It is recognized that in some cases this system could have a detrimental effect on the price or value of the security insofar as the Fund is concerned. In other cases, however, it is believed that the ability of the Fund to participate in volume transactions may produce better executions for the Fund. Notwithstanding the above, the Adviser may execute buy and sell orders for accounts and take action in performance of their duties with respect to any of their accounts that may differ from actions taken with respect to another account, so long as the Adviser shall, to the extent practical, allocate investment opportunities to accounts, including the Fund, over a period of time on a fair and equitable basis and in accordance with applicable law.

The Fund is required to identify any securities of its "regular brokers or dealers" that the Fund have acquired during its most recent fiscal year. The Fund is also required to identify any brokerage transactions during its most recent fiscal year that were directed to a broker because of research services provided, along with the amount of any such transactions and any related commissions paid by the Fund.

Brokers or dealers executing a portfolio transaction on behalf of the Fund may receive a commission in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for executing the transaction if the Adviser determines in good faith that such commission is reasonable in relation to the value of brokerage, research and other services provided to the Fund. In allocating portfolio brokerage, the Adviser may select brokers or dealers who also provide brokerage, research and other services to other accounts over which the Adviser exercises investment discretion. Some of the services received as the result of Fund transactions may primarily benefit accounts other than the Fund, while services received as the result of portfolio transactions effected on behalf of those other accounts may primarily benefit the Fund.

The table below shows the broker commissions paid by the Predecessor Fund during the years indicated.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Brokerage Commissions** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Fiscal year ended January 31, 2022** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$317037 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Fiscal year ended January 31, 2021** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$480021 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Fiscal year ended January 31, 2020** | &nbsp;&nbsp;$628103 |

---

**<u>Portfolio Turnover</u>**

Although the Fund generally will not invest for short-term trading purposes, portfolio securities may be sold without regard to the length of time they have been held when, in the opinion of the Adviser, investment considerations warrant such action. Portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing (i) the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by (ii) the monthly average of the value of portfolio securities owned during the fiscal year. A 100% turnover rate would occur if all the securities in the Fund's portfolio, with the exception of securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less, were sold and either repurchased or replaced within one year. A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) generally leads to above-average transaction costs, could generate capital gains that must be distributed to shareholders as short-term capital gains taxed at ordinary income tax rates (currently as high as 37%) and could increase brokerage commission costs. To the extent that the Fund experiences an increase in brokerage commissions due to a higher portfolio turnover rate, the performance of the Fund could be negatively impacted by the increased expenses incurred by the Fund and may result in a greater number of taxable transactions.

The Predecessor Fund's historical portfolio turnover rates are included in the Financial Highlights tables in the Fund's Prospectus.

**<u>Code of Ethics</u>**

The Fund, the Adviser, and the Distributor have each adopted Codes of Ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These Codes permit, subject to certain conditions, personnel of the Adviser, and Distributor to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund.

**<u>Proxy Voting Procedures</u>**

The Board of Trustees has adopted proxy voting policies and procedures ("Proxy Policies") wherein the Trust has delegated to the Adviser the responsibility for voting proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Fund as part of its investment advisory services, subject to the supervision and oversight of the Board of Trustees. The Proxy Voting Policies of the Adviser are included as Appendix B.

<u>More Information</u>. Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the twelve-month period ended June 30 will be available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free, 1-800-SEC-0330 or by accessing the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.

**<u>Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program</u>**

The Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the "Program") as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 ("USA PATRIOT Act"). To ensure compliance with this law, the Trust's Program provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program. The Trust's secretary serves as its Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer.

Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that the Fund's Distributor and Transfer Agent have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity and a providing a complete and thorough review of all new opening

account applications. The Trust will not transact business with any person or entity whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.

As a result of the Program, the Trust may be required to "freeze" the account of a shareholder if the shareholder appears to be involved in suspicious activity or if certain account information matches information on government lists of known terrorists or other suspicious persons, or the Trust may be required to transfer the account or proceeds of the account to a governmental agency.

**<u>Portfolio Holdings Information</u>**

The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that govern the disclosure of the Fund's portfolio holdings. These policies and procedures are designed to ensure that such disclosure is in the best interests of Fund shareholders.

It is the Trust's policy to: (1) ensure that any disclosure of portfolio holdings information is in the best interest of Trust shareholders; (2) protect the confidentiality of portfolio holdings information; (3) have procedures in place to guard against personal trading based on the information; and (4) ensure that the disclosure of portfolio holdings information does not create conflicts between the interests of the Trust's shareholders and those of the Trust's affiliates.

The Fund disclose their portfolio holdings in regulatory filings and shareholder reports, as required by federal and state securities laws and may disclose portfolio holdings information in response to requests by governmental authorities. The Fund disclose their portfolio holdings directly to shareholders by mailing said annual and semi-annual shareholder reports to shareholders approximately two months after the end of the fiscal year and semi-annual period. In addition, the Fund file their portfolio holdings in periodic reports with the SEC on Forms N-CSR, and N-PORT on a sixty day lag and on Form N-CEN on a, 75 days lag, at, the end of the relevant quarter/semi-annual or annual period. These filings are available to the public on the SEC's website at SEC.gov.

The Fund may choose to make portfolio holdings information available to rating agencies such as Lipper, Morningstar or Bloomberg earlier and more frequently on a confidential basis.

Under limited circumstances, as described below, the Fund's portfolio holdings may be disclosed to, or known by, certain third parties in advance of their filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-CSR or Form N-PORT. In each case, a determination has been made that such advance disclosure is supported by a legitimate business purpose and that the recipient is subject to a duty to keep the information confidential.

The Adviser currently makes the Fund's complete portfolio holdings, top ten holdings, sector weightings and other portfolio characteristics publicly available on its web site, www.nsinvestfunds.com as disclosed in the following table:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Information Posting** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Frequency of Disclosure** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Date of Web Posting** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Complete Portfolio Holdings** | &nbsp;&nbsp;Quarterly | &nbsp;&nbsp;15 days after the end of each calendar month for the Fund |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Top 10 Portfolio Holdings and other portfolio characteristics** | &nbsp;&nbsp;Quarterly | &nbsp;&nbsp;10 days after the end of each calendar month for the Fund |

---

The scope of the information relating to the Fund's portfolios that is made available on the web site may change from time to time without notice. The Adviser or its affiliates may include the Fund's portfolio

information that has already been made public through a Web posting or SEC filing in marketing literature and other communications to shareholders, advisors or other parties, provided that, in the case of information made public through the Web, the information is disclosed no earlier than the day after the date of posting to the Web site.

**The Adviser**. Personnel of the Adviser, including personnel responsible for managing the Fund's portfolio, may have full daily access to Fund portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for the Adviser to provide their management, administrative, and investment services to the Fund. As required for purposes of analyzing the impact of existing and future market changes on the prices, availability, demand and liquidity of such securities, as well as for the assistance of portfolio managers in the trading of such securities, Adviser personnel may also release and discuss certain portfolio holdings with various broker-dealers.

**Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC.** Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC is the transfer agent, fund accountant and administrator for the Fund; therefore, its personnel have full daily access to the Fund's portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for the Trust.

**Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC.** Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC provides consulting services to the Fund as well as related compliance services; therefore, its personnel have full daily access to the Fund's portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for the Trust.

**U.S Bank, National Association.** U.S. Bank, National Association is custodian for the Fund; therefore, its personnel have full daily access to the Fund's portfolio holdings since that information is necessary in order for them to provide the agreed-upon services for the Trust.

**RSM US LLP.** RSM US LLP is the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm; therefore, its personnel have access to the Fund's portfolio holdings in connection with auditing of the Fund's annual financial statements and providing other audit, tax and related services to the Fund.

**Alston & Bird, LLP.** Alston & Bird, LLP is counsel to the Trust; therefore, its personnel have access to the Fund's portfolio holdings in connection with review of the Fund's annual and semi-annual shareholder reports and SEC filings.

**Blank Rome, LLP.** Blank Rome, LLP is counsel to the Independent Trustees

**Additions to List of Approved Recipients** 

The Trust's Chief Compliance Officer is the person responsible, and whose prior approval is required, for any disclosure of the Fund's portfolio securities at any time or to any persons other than those described above. In such cases, the recipient must have a legitimate business need for the information and must be subject to a duty to keep the information confidential. There are no ongoing arrangements in place with respect to the disclosure of portfolio holdings. In no event shall the Fund, the Adviser, or any other party receive any direct or indirect compensation in connection with the disclosure of information about the Fund's portfolio holdings.

**Compliance With Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Procedures** 

The Trust's Chief Compliance Officer will report periodically to the Board with respect to compliance with the Fund's portfolio holdings disclosure procedures, and from time to time will provide the Board any updates to the portfolio holdings disclosure policies and procedures.

There is no assurance that the Trust's policies on disclosure of portfolio holdings will protect the Fund from the potential misuse of holdings information by individuals or firms in possession of that information.

**<u>Determination of Net Asset Value</u>**

As indicated in the Prospectus under the heading "Share Price," the net asset value ("NAV") of the Fund's shares, by class, is determined by dividing the total value of the Fund's portfolio investments and other assets, less any liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding of the Fund, by class.

Generally, the Fund's domestic securities (including underlying ETFs which hold portfolio securities primarily listed on foreign (non-U.S.) exchanges) are valued each day at the last quoted sales price on each security's primary exchange. Securities traded or dealt in upon one or more securities exchanges for which market quotations are readily available and not subject to restrictions against resale shall be valued at the last quoted sales price on the primary exchange or, in the absence of a sale on the primary exchange, at the mean between the current bid and ask prices on such exchange. Securities primarily traded in the National Association of Securities Dealers' Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") National Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price. The Board has appointed the Adviser as its designee (the "Valuation Designee") for all fair value determinations and responsibilities, other than overseeing pricing service providers used by the Trust. If market quotations are not readily available, securities will be valued at their fair market value as determined in good faith by the Fund's Valuation Designee in accordance with procedures approved by the Board and as further described below. Securities that are not traded or dealt in any securities exchange (whether domestic or foreign) and for which over-the-counter market quotations are readily available generally shall be valued at the last sale price or, in the absence of a sale, at the mean between the current bid and ask price on such over-the- counter market.

Certain securities or investments for which daily market quotes are not readily available may be fair valued by the Valuation Designee, pursuant to guidelines established by the Board, with reference to other securities or indices. Debt securities not traded on an exchange may be valued at prices supplied by a pricing agent(s) based on broker or dealer supplied valuations or matrix pricing, a method of valuing securities by reference to the value of other securities with similar characteristics, such as rating, interest rate and maturity. Short-term investments having a maturity of 60 days or less may be generally valued at amortized cost when it approximates fair value.

Exchange traded options are valued at the last quoted sales price or, in the absence of a sale, at the mean between the current bid and ask prices on the exchange on which such options are traded. Futures and options on futures are valued at the settlement price determined by the exchange. Other securities for which market quotes are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by Valuation Designee. Swap agreements and other derivatives are generally valued daily based upon quotations from market makers or by a pricing service in accordance with the valuation procedures approved by the Board.

Under certain circumstances, the Fund may use an independent pricing service to calculate the fair market value of foreign equity securities on a daily basis by applying valuation factors to the last sale price or the mean price as noted above. The fair market values supplied by the independent pricing service will generally reflect market trading that occurs after the close of the applicable foreign markets of comparable securities or the value of other instruments that have a strong correlation to the fair-valued securities. The independent pricing service will also take into account the current relevant currency exchange rate. A security that is fair valued may be valued at a price higher or lower than actual market quotations or the value determined by other Fund using their own fair valuation procedures. Because

foreign securities may trade on days when Fund shares are not priced, the value of securities held by the Fund can change on days when Fund shares cannot be redeemed or purchased. In the event that a foreign security's market quotations are not readily available or are deemed unreliable (for reasons other than because the foreign exchange on which it trades closed before the Fund's calculation of NAV), the security will be valued at its fair market value as determined in good faith by the Fund's Valuation Designee in accordance with procedures approved by the Board as discussed below. Without fair valuation, it is possible that short-term traders could take advantage of the arbitrage opportunity and dilute the NAV of long-term investors. Fair valuation of the Fund's portfolio securities can serve to reduce arbitrage opportunities available to short-term traders, but there is no assurance that it will prevent dilution of the Fund's NAV by short-term traders. In addition, because the Fund may invest in underlying ETFs which hold portfolio securities primarily listed on foreign (non-U.S.) exchanges, and these exchanges may trade on weekends or other days when the underlying ETFs do not price their shares, the value of these portfolio securities may change on days when you may not be able to buy or sell Fund shares.

Investments initially valued in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are converted to U.S. dollars using exchange rates obtained from pricing services. As a result, the NAV of the Fund's shares may be affected by changes in the value of currencies in relation to the U.S. dollar. The value of securities traded in markets outside the United States or denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar may be affected significantly on a day that the New York Stock Exchange is closed and an investor is not able to purchase, redeem or exchange shares.

Fund shares are valued at the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) (the "NYSE Close") on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open. For purposes of calculating the NAV, the Fund normally use pricing data for domestic equity securities received shortly after the NYSE Close and does not normally take into account trading, clearances or settlements that take place after the NYSE Close. Domestic fixed income and foreign securities are normally priced using data reflecting the earlier closing of the principal markets for those securities. Information that becomes known to the Fund or its agents after the NAV has been calculated on a particular day will not generally be used to retroactively adjust the price of the security or the NAV determined earlier that day.

When market quotations are not readily available or deemed unreliable, the Fund may value securities at fair value as determined in good faith by the Valuation Designee, pursuant to procedures approved by the Board. Fair valuation may also be used by the Valuation Designee if extraordinary events occur after the close of the relevant market but prior to the NYSE Close.

Purchase of Shares

Orders for shares received by the Fund in good order prior to the close of business on the NYSE on each day during such periods that the NYSE is open for trading are priced at NAV per share computed as of the close of the regular session of trading on the NYSE. Orders received in good order after the close of the NYSE, or on a day it is not open for trading, are priced at the close of such NYSE on the next day on which it is open for trading at the next determined NAV or offering price per share.

**Redemption of Shares** 

The Fund will redeem all or any portion of a shareholder's shares in the Fund when requested in accordance with the procedures set forth in the "Redemptions" section of the Prospectus. Under the 1940 Act, a shareholder's right to redeem shares and to receive payment therefore may be suspended at times:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) when the NYSE is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b) when trading on that exchange is restricted for any reason;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c) when an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the value of its net assets, provided that applicable rules and regulations of the SEC (or any succeeding governmental authority) will govern as to whether the conditions prescribed in (b) or (c) exist; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d) when the SEC by order permits a suspension of the right to redemption or a postponement of the date of payment on redemption.

In case of suspension of the right of redemption, payment of a redemption request will be made based on the NAV next determined after the termination of the suspension.

The Fund may purchase shares of certain series which charge a redemption fee to shareholders that redeem shares of the underlying fund within a certain period of time (such as one year). The fee is payable to the underlying fund. Accordingly, if the Fund were to invest in an underlying fund and incur a redemption fee as a result of redeeming shares in such underlying fund, the Fund would bear such redemption fee. The Fund will not, however, invest in shares of an underlying fund that is sold with a contingent deferred sales load.

Supporting documents in addition to those listed under "Redemptions" in the Prospectus will be required from executors, administrators, Trustees, or if redemption is requested by someone other than the shareholder of record. Such documents include, but are not restricted to, stock powers, Trust instruments, certificates of death, appointments as executor, certificates of corporate authority and waiver of tax required in some states when settling estates.

Under section 72.1021(a) of the Texas Property Code, initial investors in the Fund who are Texas residents may designate a representative to receive notices of abandoned property in connection with Fund shares. Texas shareholders who wish to appoint a representative should notify the Trust's Transfer Agent by writing to the respective Fund at the address below to obtain a form for providing written notice to the Trust:

\

Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC

4221 North 203<sup>rd</sup> Street, Suite 100

Elkhorn, Nebraska 68022

**Tax Status** 

The following discussion is general in nature and should not be regarded as an exhaustive presentation of all possible tax ramifications. The tax considerations relevant to a specific shareholder depend upon its specific circumstances, and the following general summary does not attempt to discuss all potential tax considerations that could be relevant to a prospective shareholder with respect to the Fund or its investments. This general summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), the Federal Income Tax Regulations promulgated thereunder, and administrative and judicial interpretations thereof as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change (potentially on a retroactive basis).

The following discussion of tax consequences is for the general information of shareholders that are subject to tax. Shareholders that are IRAs or other qualified retirement plans are exempt from income taxation under the Code. All shareholders should consult a qualified tax advisor regarding their investment in the Fund.

The Fund has elected to qualify and intends to continue to qualify to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, for each taxable year by complying with all applicable requirements regarding the source of its income, the diversification of its assets, and the timing and amount of its distributions. The Fund's policy is to distribute to its shareholders all of its investment company taxable income and any net realized capital gains for each fiscal year in a manner that complies with the distribution requirements of the Code, so that the Fund will not be subject to any federal income or excise taxes based on net income. However, the Board may elect to pay such excise taxes if it determines that payment is, under the circumstances, in the best interests of the Fund. If the Fund does not qualify as a regulated investment company, it may be taxed as a corporation.

In order to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, the Fund must, among other things, derive at least 90% of its gross income each year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to loans of stock and securities, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currency gains related to investments in stock or securities, or other income (generally including gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to the business of investing in stock, securities or currency, and net income derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. The Fund must also satisfy the following two asset diversification tests. At the end of each quarter of each taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets must be represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. Government securities, the securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities, with such other securities being limited in respect of any one issuer to an amount not greater than 5% of the market value of such Fund's total assets and not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. Government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies), the securities of any two or more issuers (other than the securities of other regulated investment companies) that such Fund controls (by owning 20% or more of their outstanding voting stock) and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships. The Fund must also distribute each taxable year sufficient dividends to its shareholders to claim a dividends paid deduction equal to at least the sum of 90% of such Fund's investment company taxable income (which generally includes dividends, interest, and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) and 90% of such Fund's net tax-exempt interest, if any. Following the enactment of the Regulated Investment Company Act of 2010, if the Fund fails to satisfy these qualifying income and asset tests, and such failure was due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect, it may be permitted to "cure" such failures (and thereby not jeopardize its tax status as a regulated investment company) under certain circumstances.

If the Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code in any fiscal year (and such failure is not subject to cure as discussed above), it will be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. The Fund would be required to pay income taxes on its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, at the rates generally applicable to corporations. Shareholders of such Fund generally would not be liable for income tax on the Fund's net investment income or net realized capital gains in their individual capacities. Distributions to shareholders, whether from the Fund's net investment income or net realized capital gains, would be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of current or accumulated earnings and profits of such Fund.

In addition to the taxable year 90% distribution requirement described in the previous paragraph, and in order to avoid the imposition of a nondeductible 4% excise tax, the Fund must distribute (or be deemed to have distributed) by December 31 of each calendar year (i) at least 98% of its ordinary income for such year, (ii) at least 98.2% of the excess of its realized capital gains over its realized capital losses for the 12-month period ending on October 31 during such year, and (iii) any amounts from prior years that were not

distributed and on which no federal income tax was paid. The Fund intend to declare and pay dividends and other distributions, as stated in the Prospectus.

Net investment income generally consists of interest and dividend income, less expenses. Net realized capital gains for a fiscal period are computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund.

Under recently enacted legislation, capital losses sustained and not used in a taxable year may be carried forward indefinitely to offset capital gains of the Fund in future years.

Distributions of net investment income and net realized capital gains by the Fund will be taxable to shareholders whether made in cash or reinvested by the Fund in shares. Shareholders receiving a distribution from the Fund in the form of additional shares will have a cost basis for federal income tax purposes in each share so received equal to the NAV of a share of the Fund on the reinvestment date. Fund distributions also will be included in individual and corporate shareholders' income on which the alternative minimum tax may be imposed.

The Fund or the securities dealer affecting a redemption of the Fund's shares by a shareholder will be required to file information reports with the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") with respect to distributions and payments made to the shareholder. In addition, the Fund will be required to withhold federal income tax on taxable dividends, redemptions and other payments made to accounts of individual or other non–exempt shareholders who have not furnished their correct taxpayer identification numbers and certain required certifications on the New Account application or with respect to which the Fund or the securities dealer has been notified by the IRS that the number furnished is incorrect or that the account is otherwise subject to withholding.

The Fund may receive dividend distributions from U.S. corporations. To the extent that the Fund receive such dividends and distributes them to its shareholders, and meets certain other requirements of the Code, corporate shareholders of the Fund may be entitled to the "dividends received" deduction. Availability of the deduction is subject to certain holding period and debt–financing limitations.

Distributions of net investment income and net short-term capital gains are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Under current law, distributions of certain qualified dividend income paid out of the Fund's investment company taxable income may be taxable to non-corporate shareholders at long-term capital gain rates, which are currently significantly lower than the highest rate that applies to ordinary income.

The Fund may be subject to foreign withholding taxes on dividends and interest earned with respect to securities of foreign corporations.

The use of hedging strategies, such as entering into futures contracts and forward contracts and purchasing options, involves complex rules that will determine the character and timing of recognition of the income received in connection therewith by the Fund. Income from foreign currencies (except certain gains therefrom that may be excluded by future regulations) and income from transactions in options, futures contracts and forward contracts derived by the Fund with respect to its business of investing in securities or foreign currencies will qualify as permissible income under Subchapter M of the Code.

For accounting purposes, when the Fund purchases an option, the premium paid by the Fund is recorded as an asset and is subsequently adjusted to the current market value of the option. Any gain or loss realized by the Fund upon the expiration or sale of such options held by the Fund generally will be capital gain or loss.

Any security, option, or other position entered into or held by the Fund that substantially diminishes the Fund's risk of loss from any other position held by the Fund may constitute a "straddle" for federal income tax purposes. In general, straddles are subject to certain rules that may affect the amount, character and timing of the Fund's gains and losses with respect to straddle positions by requiring, among other things, that the loss realized on disposition of one position of a straddle be deferred until gain is realized on disposition of the offsetting position; that the Fund's holding period in certain straddle positions not begin until the straddle is terminated (possibly resulting in the gain being treated as short–term capital gain rather than long–term capital gain); and that losses recognized with respect to certain straddle positions, which would otherwise constitute short–term capital losses, be treated as long–term capital losses. Different elections are available to the Fund that may mitigate the effects of the straddle rules.

Certain options, futures contracts and forward contracts that are subject to Section 1256 of the Code ("Section 1256 Contracts") and that are held by the Fund at the end of its taxable year generally will be required to be "marked to market" for federal income tax purposes, that is, deemed to have been sold at market value. Sixty percent of any net gain or loss recognized on these deemed sales and 60% of any net gain or loss realized from any actual sales of Section 1256 Contracts will be treated as long–term capital gain or loss, and the balance will be treated as short–term capital gain or loss.

Section 988 of the Code contains special tax rules applicable to certain foreign currency transactions that may affect the amount, timing and character of income, gain or loss recognized by the Fund. Under these rules, foreign exchange gain or loss realized with respect to foreign currency–denominated debt instruments, foreign currency forward contracts, foreign currency denominated payables and receivables and foreign currency options and futures contracts (other than options and futures contracts that are governed by the mark–to–market and 60/40 rules of Section 1256 of the Code and for which no election is made) is treated as ordinary income or loss. Some part of the Fund's gain or loss on the sale or other disposition of shares of a foreign corporation may, because of changes in foreign currency exchange rates, be treated as ordinary income or loss under Section 988 of the Code rather than as capital gain or loss.

A shareholder who purchases shares of the Fund by tendering payment for the shares in the form of other securities may be required to recognize gain or loss for income tax purposes on the difference, if any, between the adjusted basis of the securities tendered to the fund and the purchase price of the Fund's shares acquired by the shareholder.

Section 475 of the Code requires that a "dealer" in securities must generally "mark to market" at the end of its taxable year all securities which it owns. The resulting gain or loss is treated as ordinary (and not capital) gain or loss, except to the extent allocable to periods during which the dealer held the security for investment. The "mark to market" rules do not apply, however, to a security held for investment which is clearly identified in the dealer's records as being held for investment before the end of the day in which the security was acquired. The IRS has issued guidance under Section 475 that provides that, for example, a bank that regularly originates and sells loans is a dealer in securities, and subject to the "mark to market" rules. Shares of the Fund held by a dealer in securities will be subject to the "mark to market" rules unless they are held by the dealer for investment and the dealer property identifies the shares as held for investment.

Redemptions of shares of the Fund will result in gains or losses for tax purposes to the extent of the difference between the proceeds and the shareholder's adjusted tax basis for the shares. Any loss realized upon the redemption of shares within six months from their date of purchase will be treated as a long–term capital loss to the extent of distributions of long–term capital gain dividends during such six–month period. All or a portion of a loss realized upon the redemption of shares may be disallowed to the extent

shares are purchased (including shares acquired by means of reinvested dividends) within 30 days before or after such redemption.

Distributions and redemptions may be subject to state and local income taxes, and the treatment thereof may differ from the federal income tax treatment. Foreign taxes may apply to non–U.S. investors.

Nonresident aliens and foreign persons are subject to different tax rules, and may be subject to withholding of up to 30% on certain payments received from the Fund. Shareholders are advised to consult with their own tax advisers concerning the application of foreign, federal, state and local taxes to an investment in the Fund.

Options, Futures, Forward Contracts and Swap Agreements

To the extent such investments are permissible for the Fund, the Fund's transactions in options, futures contracts, hedging transactions, forward contracts, straddles and foreign currencies will be subject to special tax rules (including mark-to-market, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale and short sale rules), the effect of which may be to accelerate income to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities, convert long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains and convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to shareholders.

To the extent such investments are permissible, certain of the Fund's hedging activities (including its transactions, if any, in foreign currencies or foreign currency-denominated instruments) are likely to produce a difference between its book income and its taxable income. If the Fund's book income exceeds its taxable income, the distribution (if any) of such excess book income will be treated as (i) a dividend to the extent of the Fund's remaining earnings and profits (including earnings and profits arising from tax-exempt income), (ii) thereafter, as a return of capital to the extent of the recipient's basis in the shares, and (iii) thereafter, as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset. If the Fund's book income is less than taxable income, the Fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a regulated investment company that is accorded special tax treatment.

Passive Foreign Investment Companies

Investment by the Fund in certain "passive foreign investment companies" ("PFICs") could subject the Fund to a U.S. federal income tax (including interest charges) on distributions received from the company or on proceeds received from the disposition of shares in the company, which tax cannot be eliminated by making distributions to Fund shareholders. However, the Fund may elect to treat a PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" ("QEF"), in which case the Fund will be required to include its share of the company's income and net capital gains annually, regardless of whether it receives any distribution from the company.

The Fund also may make an election to mark the gains (and to a limited extent losses) in such holdings "to the market" as though it had sold and repurchased its holdings in those PFICs on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. Such gains and losses are treated as ordinary income and loss. The QEF and mark-to-market elections may accelerate the recognition of income (without the receipt of cash) and increase the amount required to be distributed for the Fund to avoid taxation. Making either of these elections therefore may require the Fund to liquidate other investments (including when it is not advantageous to do so) to meet its distribution requirement, which also may accelerate the recognition of gain and affect the Fund's total return.

Foreign Currency Transactions

The Fund's transactions in foreign currencies, foreign currency-denominated debt securities and certain foreign currency options, futures contracts and forward contracts (and similar instruments) 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 Taxation

Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties and conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of securities of foreign corporations, the Fund may be able to elect to "pass through" to its shareholders the amount of eligible foreign income and similar taxes paid by the Fund. If this election is made, a shareholder generally subject to tax will be required to include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) his or her pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund, and may be entitled either to deduct (as an itemized deduction) his or her pro rata share of foreign taxes in computing his or her taxable income or to use it as a foreign tax credit against his or her U.S. federal income tax liability, subject to certain limitations. In particular, a shareholder must hold his or her shares (without protection from risk of loss) on the ex-dividend date and for at least 15 more days during the 30-day period surrounding the ex-dividend date to be eligible to claim a foreign tax credit with respect to a gain dividend. No deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by a shareholder who does not itemize deductions. Each shareholder will be notified within 60 days after the close of the Fund's taxable year whether the foreign taxes paid by the Fund will "pass through" for that year.

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 shareholders of the Fund. With respect to the Fund, gains from the sale of securities will be treated as derived from U.S. sources and certain currency fluctuation gains, including fluctuation gains from foreign currency-denominated debt securities, receivables and payables will be treated as ordinary income derived from U.S. sources. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. A shareholder may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of his or her proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. The foreign tax credit can be used to offset only 90% of the revised alternative minimum tax imposed on corporations and individuals and foreign taxes generally are not deductible in computing alternative minimum taxable income.

Original Issue Discount and Pay-In-Kind Securities

Current federal tax law requires the holder of a U.S. Treasury or other fixed income zero coupon security to accrue as income each year a portion of the discount at which the security was purchased, even though the holder receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year. In addition, pay-in-kind securities will give rise to income, which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund holding the security receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year.

Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as debt securities that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of the original issue discount ("OID") is treated as interest income and is included in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. A portion of the OID includable in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities (including certain pay-in-kind securities) may be treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

In addition, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act requires that taxpayers, such as the Fund, that use an accrual method of accounting for U.S. federal income tax purposes are generally required to include certain amounts in income no later than the time such amounts are reflected on such taxpayer's applicable financial statements. Certain fees treated as OID may be included as income for financial statement purposes when received (as opposed to being accrued into income over the term of the debt instrument), which may thus require such amounts be treated as taxable income of the Fund upon their receipt.

Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund in the secondary market may be treated as having market discount. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt security having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the "accrued market discount" on such debt security. Market discount generally accrues in equal daily installments. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having market discount, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.

Some debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as having acquisition discount, or OID in the case of certain types of debt securities. Generally, the Fund will be required to include the acquisition discount, or OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received 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 acquisition discount, or OID, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.

If the Fund holds the foregoing kinds of securities, it may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount that is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary (including when it is not advantageous to do so). The Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. 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 in the absence of such transactions.

Shareholders of the Fund may be subject to state and local taxes on distributions received from the Fund and on redemptions of the Fund's shares.

A brief explanation of the form and character of the distribution accompanies each distribution. In January of each year the Fund issues to each shareholder a statement of the federal income tax status of all distributions.

Shareholders should consult their tax advisors about the application of federal, state and local and foreign tax law in light of their particular situation.

**Dividends and Distributions**

The Fund will receive income in the form of dividends and interest earned on its investments in securities. This income, less the expenses incurred in its operations, is the Fund's net investment income, substantially all of which will be declared as dividends to the Fund's shareholders.

The amount of income dividend payments by the Fund is dependent upon the amount of net investment income received by the Fund from its portfolio holdings, is not guaranteed and is subject to the discretion of the Board. The Fund does not pay "interest" or guarantee any fixed rate of return on an investment in its shares.

The Fund also may derive capital gains or losses in connection with sales or other dispositions of its portfolio securities. Any net gain the Fund may realize from transactions involving investments held less than the period required for long–term capital gain or loss recognition or otherwise producing short–term capital gains and losses, although a distribution from capital gains, will be distributed to shareholders with and as a part of dividends giving rise to ordinary income. If during any year the Fund realizes a net gain on transactions involving investments held more than the period required for long–term capital gain or loss recognition or otherwise producing long–term capital gains and losses, the Fund will have a net long–term capital gain. For more information concerning applicable capital gains tax rates, see your tax advisor.

Any dividend or distribution paid by the Fund reduces the Fund's NAV per share on the date paid by the amount of the dividend or distribution per share. Accordingly, a dividend or distribution paid shortly after a purchase of shares by a shareholder would represent, in substance, a partial return of capital (to the extent it is paid on the shares so purchased), even though it would be subject to income taxes.

Dividends and other distributions will be made in the form of additional shares of the Fund unless the shareholder has otherwise indicated. Investors have the right to change their elections with respect to the reinvestment of dividends and distributions by notifying the Transfer Agent in writing, but any such change will be effective only as to dividends and other distributions for which the record date is seven or more business days after the Transfer Agent has received the written request.

There are and will likely continue to be proposals for amendments to federal income tax laws that could, if enacted, have adverse effects on the Fund, their investments or their shareholders. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors about the application of federal, state and local and foreign tax law in light of their particular situation.

The above discussion and the related discussion in the Prospectus are not intended to be complete discussions of all applicable federal tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. Alston & Bird LLP has expressed no opinion in respect thereof.

**<u>Financial Statements</u>**

The Predecessor Fund's [annual report](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000334/walthausenn-csr01312022.htm) for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2022, and [semi-annual report](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1418191/000141304222000850/walthausenn-csr07312022.htm) for the period ended July 31, 2022, are available, without charge, upon request by calling (855) 580-0900 and the financial statements, accompanying notes and report of the independent registered public accounting firm appearing therein are incorporated by reference into this SAI.

**<u>APPENDIX "A" RATINGS DEFINITIONS</u>**

**<u>Standard & Poor's Issue Credit Rating Definitions</u>**

A Standard & Poor's 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 Standard & Poor's view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and 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 ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days—including commercial paper. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. The result is a dual rating, in which the short-term rating addresses the put feature, in addition to the usual long-term rating. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

**<u>Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings</u>**

**A-1**

A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment 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 commitment 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 commitment 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 lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

**B**

A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. Ratings of 'B-1', 'B-2', and 'B-3' may be assigned to indicate finer distinctions within the 'B' category. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

**B-1**

A short-term obligation rated 'B-1' is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, but the obligor has a relatively stronger capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

**B-2**

A short-term obligation rated 'B-2' is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has an average speculative-grade capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

**B-3**

A short-term obligation rated 'B-3' is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has a relatively weaker capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

**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 commitment on the obligation.

**D**

A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in payment default. The 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation, including a regulatory capital instrument, are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

**SPUR (Standard & Poor's Underlying Rating)**

This is a rating of a stand-alone capacity of an issue to pay debt service on a credit-enhanced debt issue, without giving effect to the enhancement that applies to it. These ratings are published only at the request of the debt issuer/obligor with the designation SPUR to distinguish them from the credit-enhanced rating that applies to the debt issue. Standard & Poor's maintains surveillance of an issue with a published SPUR.

**Dual Ratings**

Standard & Poor's assigns "dual" ratings to all debt issues that have a put option or demand feature as part of their structure. The first rating addresses the likelihood of repayment of principal and interest as due, and the second rating addresses only the demand feature. The long-term rating symbols are used for bonds to denote the long-term maturity and the short-term rating symbols for the put option (for example, 'AAA/A-1+'). With U.S. municipal short-term demand debt, note rating symbols are used with the short-term issue credit rating symbols (for example, 'SP-1+/A-1+').

The ratings and other credit related opinions of Standard & Poor's and its affiliates are statements of opinion as of the date they are expressed and not statements of fact or recommendations to purchase, hold, or sell any securities or make any investment decisions. Standard & Poor's assumes no obligation to update any information following publication. Users of ratings and credit related opinions should not rely on them in making any investment decision. Standard &Poor's opinions and analyses do not address the suitability of any security. Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC does not act as a fiduciary or an investment advisor. While Standard & Poor's has obtained information from sources it believes to be reliable, Standard & Poor's does not perform an audit and undertakes no duty of due diligence or

independent verification of any information it receives. Ratings and credit related opinions may be changed, suspended, or withdrawn at any time.

**Active Qualifiers (Currently applied and/or outstanding)**

**i**

This subscript is used for issues in which the credit factors, terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of interest are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of principal on the obligation. The 'i' subscript indicates that the rating addresses the interest portion of the obligation only. The 'i' subscript will always be used in conjunction with the 'p' subscript, which addresses likelihood of receipt of principal. For example, a rated obligation could be assigned ratings of "AAAp NRi" indicating that the principal portion is rated "AAA" and the interest portion of the obligation is not rated.

**L**

Ratings qualified with 'L' apply only to amounts invested up to federal deposit insurance limits.

**p**

This subscript is used for issues in which the credit factors, the terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of principal are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of interest on the obligation. The 'p' subscript indicates that the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only. The 'p' subscript will always be used in conjunction with the 'i' subscript, which addresses likelihood of receipt of interest. For example, a rated obligation could be assigned ratings of "AAAp NRi" indicating that the principal portion is rated "AAA" and the interest portion of the obligation is not rated.

**pi**

Ratings with a 'pi' subscript are based on an analysis of an issuer's published financial information, as well as additional information in the public domain. They do not, however, reflect in-depth meetings with an issuer's management and therefore may be based on less comprehensive information than ratings without a 'pi' subscript. Ratings with a 'pi' subscript are reviewed annually based on a new year's financial statements, but may be reviewed on an interim basis if a major event occurs that may affect the issuer's credit quality.

**pr**

The letters 'pr' indicate that the rating is provisional. A provisional rating assumes the successful completion of the project financed by the debt being rated and indicates that payment of debt service requirements is largely or entirely dependent upon the successful, timely completion of the project. This rating, however, while addressing credit quality subsequent to completion of the project, makes no comment on the likelihood of or the risk of default upon failure of such completion. The investor should exercise his own judgment with respect to such likelihood and risk.

**preliminary**

Preliminary ratings are assigned to issues, including financial programs, in the following circumstances.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations, most commonly structured and project finance issues,
pending receipt of final documentation and legal opinions. Assignment of a final rating is conditional on the receipt and approval by
Standard & Poor's of appropriate documentation. Changes in the information provided to Standard & Poor's could result
in the assignment of a different rating. In addition, Standard & Poor's reserves the right not to issue a final rating.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· preliminary ratings are assigned to Rule 415 Shelf Registrations. As specific issues, with defined terms,
are offered from the master registration, a final rating may be assigned to them in accordance with Standard & Poor's policies.
The final rating may differ from the preliminary rating.

**t**

This symbol indicates termination structures that are designed to honor their contracts to full maturity or, should certain events occur, to terminate and cash settle all their contracts before their final maturity date.

**unsolicited**

Unsolicited ratings are those credit ratings assigned at the initiative of Standard & Poor's and not at the request of the issuer or its agents.

**Inactive Qualifiers (No longer applied or outstanding)**

\*

This symbol indicated continuance of the ratings is contingent upon Standard & Poor's receipt of an executed copy of the escrow agreement or closing documentation confirming investments and cash flows. Discontinued use in August 1998.

**c**

This qualifier was used to provide additional information to investors that the bank may terminate its obligation to purchase tendered bonds if the long-term credit rating of the issuer is below an investment-grade level and/or the issuer's bonds are deemed taxable. Discontinued use in January 2001.

**q**

A 'q' subscript indicates that the rating is based solely on quantitative analysis of publicly available information. Discontinued use in April 2001.

**r**

The 'r' modifier was assigned to securities containing extraordinary risks, particularly market risks, that are not covered in the credit rating. The absence of an 'r' modifier should not be taken as an indication that an obligation will not exhibit extraordinary non-credit related risks. Standard & Poor's discontinued the use of the 'r' modifier for most obligations in June 2000 and for the balance of obligations (mainly structured finance transactions) in November 2002.

**Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks**

Country risk considerations are a standard part of Standard & Poor's analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligor's capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign government's own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.

**<u>Moody's Credit Rating Definitions</u>**

**Purpose** 

The system of rating securities was originated by John Moody in 1909. The purpose of Moody's ratings is to provide investors with a simple system of gradation by which relative creditworthiness of securities may be noted.

**Rating Symbols** 

Gradations of creditworthiness are indicated by rating symbols, with each symbol representing a group in which the credit characteristics are broadly the same. There are nine symbols as shown below, from that used to designate least credit risk to that denoting greatest credit risk:

**Aaa Aa A Baa Ba B Caa Ca C** 

Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa.

**Absence of a Rating** 

Where no rating has been assigned or where a rating has been withdrawn, it may be for reasons unrelated to the creditworthiness of the issue.

Should no rating be assigned, the reason may be one of the following:

1. An application was not received or accepted.

2. The issue or issuer belongs to a group of securities or entities that are not rated as a matter of policy.

3. There is a lack of essential data pertaining to the issue or issuer.

4. The issue was privately placed, in which case the rating is not published in Moody's publications.

Withdrawal may occur if new and material circumstances arise, the effects of which preclude satisfactory analysis; if there is no longer available reasonable up-to-date data to permit a judgment to be formed; if a bond is called for redemption; or for other reasons.

**Changes in Rating** 

The credit quality of most issuers and their obligations is not fixed and steady over a period of time, but tends to undergo change. For this reason, changes in ratings occur so as to reflect variations in the intrinsic relative position of issuers and their obligations.

A change in rating may thus occur at any time in the case of an individual issue. Such rating change should serve notice that Moody's observes some alteration in creditworthiness, or that the previous rating did not fully reflect the quality of the bond as now seen. While because of their very nature, changes are to be expected more frequently among bonds of lower ratings than among bonds of higher ratings. Nevertheless, the user of bond ratings should keep close and constant check on all ratings — both high and low — to be able to note promptly any signs of change in status that may occur.

**Limitations to Uses of Ratings\*** 

Obligations carrying the same rating are not claimed to be of absolutely equal credit quality. In a broad sense, they are alike in position, but since there are a limited number of rating classes used in grading thousands of bonds, the symbols cannot reflect the same shadings of risk which actually exist.

As ratings are designed exclusively for the purpose of grading obligations according to their credit quality, they should not be used alone as a basis for investment operations. For example, they have no value in forecasting the direction of future trends of market price. Market price movements in bonds are influenced not only by the credit quality of individual issues but also by changes in money rates and general economic trends, as well as by the length of maturity, etc. During its life even the highest rated bond may have wide price movements, while its high rating status remains unchanged.

The matter of market price has no bearing whatsoever on the determination of ratings, which are not to be construed as recommendations with respect to "attractiveness". The attractiveness of a given bond may depend on its yield, its maturity date or other factors for which the investor may search, as well as on its credit quality, the only characteristic to which the rating refers.

Since ratings involve judgments about the future, on the one hand, and since they are used by investors as a means of protection, on the other, the effort is made when assigning ratings to look at "worst" possibilities in the "visible" future, rather than solely at the past record and the status of the present. Therefore, investors using the rating should not expect to find in them a reflection of statistical factors alone, since they are an appraisal of long-term risks, including the recognition of many non-statistical factors.

Though ratings may be used by the banking authorities to classify bonds in their bank examination procedure, Moody's ratings are not made with these bank regulations in mind. Moody's Investors Service's own judgment as to the desirability or non-desirability of a bond for bank investment purposes is not indicated by Moody's ratings.

Moody's ratings represent the opinion of Moody's Investors Service as to the relative creditworthiness of securities. As such, they should be used in conjunction with the descriptions and statistics appearing in Moody's publications. Reference should be made to these statements for information regarding the issuer. Moody's ratings are not commercial credit ratings. In no case is default or receivership to be imputed unless expressly stated.

\*As set forth more fully on the copyright, credit ratings are, and must be construed solely as, statements of opinion and not statements of fact or recommendations to purchase, sell or hold any securities. Each rating or other opinion must be weighed solely as one factor in any investment decision made by or on behalf of any user of the information, and each such user must accordingly make its own study and evaluation of each security and of each issuer and guarantor of, and each provider of credit support for, each security that it may consider purchasing, selling or holding.

**<u>Short-Term Ratings</u>**

Moody's short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs or to individual short-term debt instruments. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months, unless explicitly noted.

Moody's employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

**P-1**

Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

**P-2**

Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

**P-3**

Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have 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.

**Note:** Canadian issuers rated P-1 or P-2 have their short-term ratings enhanced by the senior-most long-term rating of the issuer, its guarantor or support-provider.

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**Fitch's National Credit Ratings**

For those countries in which foreign and local currency sovereign ratings are below 'AAA', and where there is demand for such ratings, Fitch Ratings will provide National Ratings. It is important to note that each National Rating scale is unique and is defined to serve the needs of the local market in question.

The National Rating scale provides a relative measure of creditworthiness for rated entities only within the country concerned. Under this rating scale, a 'AAA' Long-Term National Rating will be assigned to the lowest relative risk within that country, which, in most but not all cases, will be the sovereign state.

The National Rating scale merely ranks the degree of perceived risk relative to the lowest default risk in that same country. Like local currency ratings, National Ratings exclude the effects of sovereign and transfer risk and exclude the possibility that investors may be unable to repatriate any due interest and principal repayments. It is not related to the rating scale of any other national market. Comparisons between different national scales or between an individual national scale and the international rating scale are therefore inappropriate and potentially misleading. Consequently, they are identified by the addition of a special identifier for the country concerned, such as 'AAA(arg)' for National Ratings in Argentina.

In certain countries, regulators have established credit rating scales, to be used within their domestic markets, using specific nomenclature. In these countries, the agency's National Short-Term Rating definitions for 'F1+(xxx)', 'F1(xxx)', 'F2(xxx)' and 'F3(xxx)' may be substituted by the regulatory scales, e.g. 'A1+', 'A1', 'A2' and 'A3'. The below definitions thus serve as a template, but users should consult the individual scales for each country listed on the agency's website to determine if any additional or alternative category definitions apply.

**<u>National Short-Term Credit Ratings</u>**

**F1(xxx)**<br> 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. Where the liquidity profile is particularly strong, a "+" is added to the assigned rating.

**F2(xxx)**<br> Indicates a good capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. However, the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

**F3(xxx)**<br> Indicates an adequate capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. However, such capacity is more susceptible to near-term adverse changes than for financial commitments in higher rated categories.

**B(xxx)**<br> Indicates an uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Such capacity is highly susceptible to near-term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

**C(xxx)**<br> Indicates a highly uncertain capacity for timely payment of financial commitments relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.

**D(xxx)**<br> Indicates actual or imminent payment default.

**Notes to Long-Term and Short-Term National Ratings:**

The ISO country code suffix is placed in parentheses immediately following the rating letters to indicate the identity of the National market within which the rating applies. For illustrative purposes, (xxx) has been used.

"+" or "-" may be appended to a National Rating to denote relative status within a major rating category. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA(xxx)' Long-Term National Rating category, to categories below 'CCC(xxx)', or to Short-Term National Ratings other than 'F1(xxx)'.

**LONG-TERM RATINGS**

**<u>Standard & Poor's Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings</u>**

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on Standard & Poor's analysis of the following considerations:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· Likelihood of payment—capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on
an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· Nature of and provisions of the obligation;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· Protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization,
or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

Issue ratings are 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 the 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.)

**AAA**

An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment 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 commitment 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 commitment 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 lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment 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 exposures 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 which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment 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 commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment 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 commitment 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 commitment on the obligation.

**CC**

An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.

**C**

A 'C' rating is assigned to obligations that are currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, obligations that have payment arrearages allowed by the terms of the documents, or obligations of an issuer that is the subject of a bankruptcy petition or similar action which have not experienced a payment default. Among others, the 'C' rating may be assigned to subordinated debt, preferred stock or other obligations on which cash payments have been suspended in accordance with the instrument's terms or when preferred stock is the subject of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.

**D**

An obligation rated 'D' is in payment default. The 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation, including a regulatory capital instrument, are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor's believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized. An obligation's rating is lowered to 'D' upon completion of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.

**Plus (+) or minus (-)**

The ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

**NR**

This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor's does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.

*See active and inactive qualifiers following Standard & Poors Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings beginning on page A-3.*

**<u>Moody's Long-Term Debt Ratings</u>**

**Long-Term Obligation Ratings**

Moody's long-term obligation ratings are opinions of the relative credit risk of fixed-income obligations with an original maturity of one year or more. They address the possibility that a financial obligation will not be honored as promised. Such ratings reflect both the likelihood of default and any financial loss suffered in the event of default.

**Moody's Long-Term Rating Definitions:**

**Aaa**

Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit 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 subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

**Ba**

Obligations rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements 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 or 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.

**<u>Fitch's National Long-Term Credit Ratings</u>**

**AAA(xxx)**<br> 'AAA' National Ratings denote the highest rating assigned by the agency in its National Rating scale for that country. This rating is assigned to issuers or obligations with the lowest expectation of default risk relative to all other issuers or obligations in the same country.

**AA(xxx)**<br> 'AA' National Ratings denote expectations of very low default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. The default risk inherent differs only slightly from that of the country's highest rated issuers or obligations.

**A(xxx)**<br> 'A' National Ratings denote expectations of low default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. However, changes in circumstances or economic conditions may affect the capacity for timely repayment to a greater degree than is the case for financial commitments denoted by a higher rated category.

**BBB(xxx)**<br> 'BBB' National Ratings denote a moderate default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. However, changes in circumstances or economic conditions are more likely to affect the capacity for timely repayment than is the case for financial commitments denoted by a higher rated category.

**BB(xxx)**<br> 'BB' National Ratings denote an elevated default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Within the context of the country, payment is uncertain to some degree and capacity for timely repayment remains more vulnerable to adverse economic change over time.

**B(xxx)**<br> 'B' National Ratings denote a significantly elevated default risk relative to other issuers or obligations in the same country. Financial commitments are currently being met but a limited margin of safety remains and capacity for continued timely payments is contingent upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment. For individual obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for extremely high recoveries.

**CCC(xxx)**<br> 'CCC' National Ratings denote that default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable business or economic conditions.

**CC(xxx)**<br> 'CC' National Ratings denote that default of some kind appears probable.

**C(xxx)**<br> 'C' National Ratings denote that default is imminent.

**D(xxx)**<br> 'D' National Ratings denote an issuer or instrument that is currently in default.

**Notes to Long-Term and Short-Term National Ratings:**

The ISO country code suffix is placed in parentheses immediately following the rating letters to indicate the identity of the National market within which the rating applies. For illustrative purposes, (xxx) has been used.

"+" or "-" may be appended to a National Rating to denote relative status within a major rating category. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA(xxx)' Long-Term National Rating category, to categories below 'CCC(xxx)', or to Short-Term National Ratings other than 'F1(xxx)'.

**MUNICIPAL NOTE RATINGS**

**<u>Standard & Poor's Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings Definitions</u>**

A Standard & Poor's U.S. municipal note rating reflects Standard & Poor's 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, Standard & Poor's analysis will review the following considerations:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· Amortization schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely
it will be treated as a note; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;· 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.

Note rating symbols 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.

*See active and inactive qualifiers following Standard & Poors Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings beginning on page A-3.*

**<u>Moody's US Municipal Short-Term Debt And Demand Obligation Ratings</u>**

**<u>Short-Term Debt Ratings</u>**

There are three rating categories for short-term municipal obligations that are considered investment grade. These ratings are designated as Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) and are divided into three levels -- MIG 1 through MIG 3. In addition, those short-term obligations that are of speculative quality are designated SG, or speculative grade. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation.

**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.

**<u>Demand Obligation Ratings</u>**

In the case of variable rate demand obligations (VRDOs), a two-component rating is assigned; a long or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moody's evaluation of the degree of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moody's evaluation of the degree of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand ("demand feature"), using a variation of the MIG rating scale, the Variable Municipal Investment Grade or VMIG rating.

When either the long- or short-term aspect of a VRDO is not rated, that piece is designated NR, e.g., Aaa/NR or NR/VMIG 1.

VMIG rating expirations are a function of each issue's specific structural or credit features.

**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 that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

**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 that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

**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 that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

**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 an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

**<u>APPENDIX "B" Proxy Voting Policy</u>**

**NORTH STAR INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION**

**PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES**

A. **Responsibility of Advisor to Vote Proxies** - **Advisor's Proxy Voting Policies and Principles** 

Advisor's proxy voting positions have been developed based on years of experience with proxy voting and corporate governance issues. These principles have been reviewed by various members of Advisor's organization, including portfolio management, legal counsel, and Advisor's officers. The Board of Directors of Advisor will approve the proxy voting policies and procedures annually.

B. **How Advisor Votes Proxies** - **Fiduciary Considerations** 

Advisor does not consider recommendations from any other third party to be determinative of Advisor's ultimate decision. As a matter of policy, the officers, directors and employees of Advisor will not be influenced by outside sources whose interests conflict with the interests of Advisory Clients.

C. **Conflicts of Interest** 

All conflicts of interest will be resolved in the interests of the Advisory Clients. In situations where Advisor perceives a material conflict of interest, Advisor will disclose the conflict to the relevant Advisory Clients. In these cases, the Advisor will defer to the voting recommendation of an independent third party provider of proxy services, send the proxy directly to the relevant Advisory Clients for a voting decision, or take such other action in good faith (in consultation with counsel) which would protect the interests of the Advisory Clients.

D. **Weight Given Management Recommendations** 

One of the primary factors Advisor considers when determining the desirability of investing in a particular company is the quality and depth of that company's management. Accordingly, the recommendation of management on any issue is a factor which Advisor considers in determining how proxies should be voted. However, Advisor does not consider recommendations from management to be determinative of Advisor's ultimate decision. As a matter of practice, the votes with respect to most issues are cast in accordance with the position of the company's management. Each issue, however, is considered on its own merits, and Advisor will not support the position of a company's management in any situation where it determines that the ratification of management's position would adversely affect the investment merits of owning that company's shares.

E. **General Proxy Voting Guidelines** 

Advisor has adopted general guidelines for voting proxies as summarized below. Although these guidelines are to be followed as a general policy, in all cases each proxy will be considered based on the relevant facts and circumstances. These guidelines cannot provide an exhaustive list of all the issues that may arise nor can Advisor anticipate all future situations. Corporate governance issues are diverse and continually evolving and Advisor devotes significant time and resources to monitor these changes.

The following guidelines reflect what Advisor believes to be good corporate governance and behavior:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1. **Board of Directors.** The election of directors and an independent board are key to good corporate
governance. Directors are expected to be competent individuals and they should be accountable and responsive to shareholders. Advisor
supports an independent board of directors, and prefers that key committees such as audit, nominating, and compensation committees be
comprised of independent directors. Advisor will generally vote against management efforts to classify a board and will generally support
proposals

to declassify the board of directors. While generally in favor of separating Chairman and CEO positions, Advisor will review this issue on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration other factors including the company's corporate governance guidelines and performance.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2. **Ratification of Auditors.** In light of several high profile accounting scandals, Advisor will closely
scrutinize the role and performance of auditors. On a case-by-case basis, Advisor will examine proposals relating to non-audit relationships
and non-audit fees. Advisor will also consider, on a case-by-case basis, proposals to rotate auditors, and will vote against the ratification
of auditors when there is clear and compelling evidence of accounting irregularities or negligence attributable to the auditors.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3. **Management & Director Compensation.** A company's equity-based compensation plan should
be in alignment with the shareholders' long-term interests. Advisor evaluates plans on a case-by-case basis by considering several
factors to determine whether the plan is fair and reasonable. Advisor will review on a case-by-case basis any shareholder proposals to
adopt policies on expensing stock option plans, and will continue to closely monitor any future developments in this area.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4. **Anti-Takeover Mechanisms and Related Issues.** Advisor generally opposes anti-takeover measures since
they tend to reduce shareholder rights. However, as with all proxy issues, Advisor conducts an independent review of each anti-takeover
proposal.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5. **Changes to Capital Structure.** Advisor realizes that a company's financing decisions have
a significant impact on its shareholders, particularly when they involve the issuance of additional shares of common or preferred stock
or the assumption of additional debt. Advisor will carefully review, on a case-by-case basis, proposals by companies to increase authorized
shares and the purpose for the increase. Advisor will generally not vote in favor of dual-class capital structures to increase the number
of authorized shares where that class of stock would have superior voting rights. Advisor will generally vote in favor of the issuance
of preferred stock in cases where the company specifies the voting, dividend, conversion and other rights of such stock and the terms
of the preferred stock issuance are deemed reasonable. Advisor will review proposals seeking preemptive rights on a case-by-case basis.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6. **Mergers and Corporate Restructuring.** Mergers and acquisitions will be subject to careful review
by the research analyst to determine whether they would be beneficial to shareholders. Advisor will analyze various economic and strategic
factors in making the final decision on a merger or acquisition. Corporate restructuring proposals are also subject to a thorough examination
on a case-by-case basis.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7. **Social and Corporate Policy Issues.** As a fiduciary, Advisor is primarily concerned about the financial
interests of its Advisory Clients. Advisor will generally give management discretion with regard to social, environmental and ethical
issues although Advisor may vote in favor of those issues that are believed to have significant economic benefits or implications.

F. **Proxy Procedures** 

The Advisor is fully cognizant of its responsibility to process proxies and maintain proxy records pursuant to SEC rules and regulations. In addition, Company understands its fiduciary duty to vote proxies and that proxy voting decisions may affect the value of shareholdings. Therefore, Company will

attempt to process every proxy it receives for all domestic and foreign proxies. However, there may be situations in which Company cannot vote proxies. For example, if the cost of voting a foreign proxy outweighs the benefit of voting, the Advisor may refrain from processing that vote. Additionally, the Advisor may not be given enough time to process the vote. For example, the Advisor may receive a meeting notice from the company too late, or may be unable to obtain a timely translation of the agenda. In addition, if Company has outstanding sell orders, the proxies for those meetings may not be voted in order to facilitate the sale of those securities. Although Company may hold shares on a company's record date, should it sell them prior to the company's meeting date, Company ultimately may decide not to vote those shares.

The following describes the standard procedures that are to be followed with respect to carrying out Company's proxy policy:

* The Advisor will identify all Company Clients, maintain a list of those clients,
and indicate those Company Clients who have delegated proxy voting authority to the Company. The Advisor will periodically review and
update this list.

* In determining how to vote, the relevant portfolio manager(s) will consider the General
Proxy Voting Guidelines set forth above, their in-depth knowledge of the company, and any readily available information and research
about the company.

* The Advisor is responsible for maintaining the documentation that supports Company's
voting position. Such documentation will include, but is not limited to, any information provided by proxy service providers, and, especially
as to non-routine, materially significant or controversial matters, memoranda describing the position it has taken, why that position
is in the best interest of its Company Clients (including separate accounts such as ERISA accounts as well as mutual fund), an indication
of whether it supported or did not support management and any other relevant information. Additionally, the Advisor may include documentation
obtained from the research analyst, portfolio manager and/or legal counsel.

* The Advisor will prepare reports for each client that has requested a record of votes
cast. The report will specify the proxy issues that have been voted for the client during the requested period and the position taken
with respect to each issue. The Advisor will send one copy to the client, will retain a copy in the client's file and will forward
a copy to the appropriate portfolio manager.

* The Advisor will ensure that all required disclosure about proxy voting of the investment
Advisory clients is made in such clients' disclosure documents.

* Periodically, the Advisor will verify that:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;▪ All annual proxies for the securities held by Company Clients have been received;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;▪ Each proxy or a sample of proxies received has been voted in a manner consistent with these Procedures
and the Proxy Voting Guidelines;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;▪ Adequate disclosure has been made to clients and fund shareholders about the procedures and how proxies
were voted; and timely filings were made with the SEC related to proxy voting.

G. **Recordkeeping.** 

The Advisor is responsible for maintaining appropriate proxy voting records. Such records will include, but are not limited to, a copy of all materials returned to the issuer and/or its agent, the documentation described above, listings of proxies voted by issuer and by client, and any other relevant information.