# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0002061670
**File Stem:** 0002061670-26-000009
**Filing Date:** 2026-2
**Character Count:** 227339
**Document Hash:** f7729e29326917ca634e89a78a0b7e62
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0002061670-26-000009.hdr.sgml**: 20260220

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0002061670-26-000009

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 8-K

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 14

**CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT**: 20260220

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Other Events

**ITEM INFORMATION**: Financial Statements and Exhibits

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20260220

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20260220

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Monroe Capital Enhanced Corporate Lending Fund
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0002061670

**ORGANIZATION NAME:**
- **EIN:** 000000000
- **STATE OF INCORPORATION:** DE
- **FISCAL YEAR END:** 1231

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 8-K
- **SEC ACT:** 1934 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 814-01919
- **FILM NUMBER:** 26660080

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 155 NORTH WACKER DRIVE
- **STREET 2:** FLOOR 35
- **CITY:** CHICAGO
- **STATE:** IL
- **ZIP:** 60606
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 312-258-8300

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 155 NORTH WACKER DRIVE
- **STREET 2:** FLOOR 35
- **CITY:** CHICAGO
- **STATE:** IL
- **ZIP:** 60606

?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'? mlend-20260220

**UNITED STATES**

**SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION**

**Washington, D.C. 20549**

**FORM 8-K**

**CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO**

**SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE**

**SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934**

**Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 20, 2026**

**Monroe Capital Enhanced Corporate Lending Fund**

**(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Delaware** | **814-01919** | **33-6956497** |
| **(State or Other Jurisdiction<br>of Incorporation)** | **(Commission<br>File Number)** | **(IRS Employer<br>Identification No.)** |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **155 North Wacker Drive, 35th Floor**<br>**Chicago, Illinois** | **60606** |
| **(Address of Principal Executive Offices)** | **(Zip Code)** |

---

**Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (312) 258-8300**

**Not Applicable**

**(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)**

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

□ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

□ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

□ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

□ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Title of each class** | **Trading Symbol(s)** | **Name of each exchange on**<br>**which registered** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;None | N/A | N/A |

---

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).

Emerging growth company ⌧

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. □

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**Item 5.03. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws.**

***Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust***

On February 20, 2026, the Board of Trustees (the "Board") of Monroe Capital Enhanced Corporate Lending Fund (the "Fund") approved an amendment and restatement of the Fund's Second Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (as amended, the "Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust"). The Fund adopted the Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust as a result of comments issued by state securities regulators in connection with their review of the Fund's public registered offering. The Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, among other things: (1) revises the defined term "Liquidity Event" to include the receipt by shareholders of the Fund, in exchange for their shares of the Fund, of securities that are approved for trading on a national securities exchange or national securities association registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"); (2) clarifies liability under federal and state securities laws in connection with the use of appraisals in connection with a "roll-up transaction"; and (3) revises provisions relating to the ability of shareholders to bring a direct action against the Fund or the Board to state that such right is subject to the same conditions required for the bringing of a derivative action under the Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and the Delaware Statutory Trust Act. The Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust became effective immediately.

The foregoing description of the Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, which is attached as Exhibit 3.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

***Second Amended and Restated Bylaws***

On February 20, 2026, the Board approved an amendment and restatement of the Fund's Amended and Restated Bylaws (as amended, the "Second Amended and Restated Bylaws"). The Fund adopted the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws as a result of comments issued by state securities regulators in connection with their review of the Fund's public registered offering. The Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, among other things, revises provision related to contested election where no trustee receives sufficient votes to be elected. The Second Amended and Restated Bylaws became effective immediately.

The foregoing description of the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 3.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

**Item 8.01. Other Events.**

***Distribution***

On February 20, 2026, the Board declared a distribution in the form of a dividend for its Class I common shares of beneficial interest (the "Class I Shares") in the amount of $0.18 per Share to shareholders of record as of the open of business on February 27, 2026, to be paid in cash on or about March 24, 2026. This distribution will be paid in cash or reinvested in the Class I Shares for shareholders participating in the Fund's distribution reinvestment plan.

***Net Asset Value***

The net asset value per Share as of January 31, 2026, as determined in accordance with valuation policies and procedures of Monroe Capital BDC Advisors, LLC, the Fund's investment adviser (the "Adviser"), is $25.65. As of January 31, 2026, the Fund had total net asset value of approximately $101.3 million and had $110.5 million of principal debt outstanding, resulting in a debt-to-equity ratio of approximately 1.09x.

As of January 31, 2026, the Fund had no Class S common shares of beneficial interest (the "Class S Shares") or Class D common shares of beneficial interest (the "Class D Shares") outstanding.

------

***Portfolio Update***

As of January 31, 2026, the Fund had investments in 38 portfolio companies, having an aggregate fair value of approximately $207.3 million. As of January 31, 2026, 100% of the debt investments at fair value in the Fund's portfolio were floating rate.

The weighted-average closing date annual EBITDA of the portfolio companies in the Fund's debt investment portfolio as of January 31, 2026 was approximately $22.8 million. These calculations are based on the weighted-average last-twelve-month EBITDA (as of the initial deal closing date) for all debt investments, excluding ARR Loans. Amounts are weighted based on the fair value of each respective investment as of January 31, 2026. Amounts were derived from the most recently available portfolio company financial statements as of the initial deal closing date, have not been independently verified by the Fund, and may reflect a normalized or adjusted amount. Accordingly, the Fund makes no representation or warranty in respect of this information.

The closing date weighted average loan-to-value ("LTV") of the portfolio companies in the Fund's debt investment portfolio as of January 31, 2026 was approximately 35.1%. This figure includes all debt investments and represents the net ratio of LTV for each portfolio company as of the initial deal closing date, weighted based on the fair value of each respective investment as of January 31, 2026. Closing date LTV is calculated as the total net debt through each respective loan tranche divided by the estimated enterprise value of the portfolio company as of the initial closing date.

The following table shows the composition of the Fund's investment portfolio at fair value and as percentage of the Fund's total investments at fair value (in thousands) as of January 31, 2026:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | **January 31, 2026** | **January 31, 2026** |
| **Fair Value:** | | |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Senior secured loans | $195428 | 94.3% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Equity investments | 11850 | 5.7% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Total** | $207278 | 100.0% |

---

The following table shows the Fund's portfolio composition by industry at fair value and as percentage of the Fund's total investments at fair value (in thousands) as of January 31, 2026:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | **January 31, 2026** | **January 31, 2026** |
| **Fair Value:** | | |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Automotive | $7435 | 3.6% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Banking | 1620 | 0.8% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Chemicals, Plastics & Rubber | 6930 | 3.3% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Consumer Goods: Durable | 5083 | 2.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Consumer Goods: Non-Durable | 9896 | 4.8% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Containers, Packaging & Glass | 3950 | 1.9% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Environmental Industries | 5204 | 2.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;FIRE: Finance | 7628 | 3.7% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals | 30284 | 14.6% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;High Tech Industries | 33662 | 16.2% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Media: Advertising, Printing & Publishing | 8938 | 4.3% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Retail | 1266 | 0.6% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Services: Business | 56882 | 27.4% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Services: Consumer | 10063 | 4.9% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Software | 4963 | 2.4% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Transportation: Cargo | 13474 | 6.5% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Total** | $207278 | 100.0% |

---

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***Status of Public Offering***

The Fund is currently publicly offering on a continuous basis up to $1.0 billion of its Class I Shares, Class S Shares and Class D Shares (the "Common Shares"), pursuant to a registered offering (the "Public Offering"). The following table lists the Common Shares issued and total consideration for the Public Offering as of the date of this filing (through the February 2, 2026 subscription date). Additionally, the Fund has sold an aggregate of approximately 3,948,488 unregistered Class I Shares as part of private offerings to affiliates of the Adviser for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $100.0 million.

The table below does not include Common Shares issued through the Fund's distribution reinvestment plan. The Fund intends to continue selling Common Shares in the Public Offering on a monthly basis.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Common Shares Issued** | **Total Consideration<br>(in thousands)** |
| Class I | 41462 | $1064 |
| Class S |  |  |
| Class D |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Total Public Offering** | 41462 | $1064 |

---

**Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits**

(d) Exhibits.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Exhibit No.** | **Description** |
| <u>[3.1](m-lendxthirdamendedandrest.htm)</u> | <u>[Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of the Fund](m-lendxthirdamendedandrest.htm)</u> |
| <u>[3.2](m-lendxsecondamendedandres.htm)</u> | <u>[Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Fund](m-lendxsecondamendedandres.htm)</u> |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |

---

------

**SIGNATURES**

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| | **Monroe Capital Enhanced Corporate Lending Fund** | **Monroe Capital Enhanced Corporate Lending Fund** |
| Date: February 20, 2026 | By: | /s/ Christopher Lund |
|  | Name: | Christopher Lund |
|  | Title: | Chief Financial Officer |

---

## Exhibit 3.1

**Exhibit 3.1**

**THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION OF TRUST <br>OF <br>MONROE CAPITAL ENHANCED CORPORATE LENDING FUND**

**\* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \* \*** 

**THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION OF TRUST,** made February 20, 2026, by each of the Trustees whose signature is affixed hereto (the "Trustees").

**WHEREAS**, the initial Declaration of Trust was entered into effective as of March 3, 2025; and

**WHEREAS**, the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust was entered into effective as of October 10, 2025; and

**WHEREAS**, the Second Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the "Existing Declaration of Trust") was entered into effective as of November 20, 2025; and

**NOW, THEREFORE**, the Trustees desire to amend and restate the Existing Declaration of Trust in its entirety as herein set forth below.

**ARTICLE I<br>NAME; DEFINITIONS** 

Section 1.1<u>Name</u>. The name of the statutory trust is Monroe Capital Enhanced Corporate Lending Fund (the "Company"). So far as may be practicable, the business of the Company shall be conducted and transacted under that name, which name (and the word "Company" whenever used in this Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the "Declaration of Trust"), except where the context otherwise requires) shall refer to the Board of Trustees (as defined herein) collectively but not individually or personally and shall not refer to the Shareholders or to any officers, employees or agents of the Company or of such Trustees. Under circumstances in which the Trustees determine that the use of the name "Monroe Capital Enhanced Corporate Lending Fund" is not practicable, they may use any other designation or name for the Company, subject to applicable law. Any name change shall become effective upon the execution by a majority of the then Trustees of an instrument setting forth the new name and the filing of a certificate of amendment pursuant to Section 3810(b) of the Statutory Trust Act (as defined below). Any such instrument shall not require the approval of the Shareholders but shall have the status of an amendment to this Declaration of Trust.

Section 1.2<u>Definitions</u>. As used in this Declaration of Trust, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context otherwise requires:

"<u>1940 Act</u>" means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

"<u>Acquisition Expenses</u>" means expenses, including but not limited to legal fees and expenses, travel and communication expenses, costs regarding determination of

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creditworthiness and due diligence on prospective portfolio holding companies, non-refundable option payments on assets not acquired, accounting fees and expenses, and miscellaneous expenses relating to the purchase or acquisition of assets, whether or not acquired.

"<u>Acquisition Fees</u>" means any and all fees and commissions, exclusive of Acquisition Expenses, paid by any Person to any other Person (including any fees or commissions paid by or to any Affiliate of the Company or the Adviser) in connection with the initial purchase or acquisition of assets by the Company. Included in the computation of such fees or commissions shall be any commission, selection fee, supervision fee, financing fee, non-recurring management fee or any fee of a similar nature, however designated.

"<u>Administrator</u>" means Monroe Capital Management Advisors, LLC or an affiliated successor in interest thereto, any Person to whom the Administrator subcontracts any and all such services and any successor to an Administrator who enters into an administrative services agreement with the Company or who subcontracts with a successor Administrator.

"<u>Adviser</u>" means Monroe Capital BDC Advisors, LLC or an affiliated successor in interest thereto, any Person to whom the Adviser subcontracts services pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement and any successor to an Adviser who enters into an investment advisory agreement with the Company or who subcontracts with a successor Adviser. If the Adviser no longer serves as the investment adviser to the Company, the rights of the Adviser in this Declaration of Trust will become the rights of the Trustees.

"<u>Advisers Act</u>" means the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

"<u>Advisory Agreement</u>" means that certain investment advisory agreement between the Company and the Adviser named therein pursuant to which the Adviser will act as the investment adviser to the Company and provide investment advisory, investment management and other specified services to the Company, including any sub-advisory agreement.

"<u>Affiliate</u>" or "<u>Affiliated</u>" means (subject to the limits under the 1940 Act or an exemptive order from the SEC, as each may be applicable) with respect to any specified Person:

&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)any other Person directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding, with the power to vote, ten percent (10%) or more of the outstanding voting securities of such specified Person;

&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)any other Person ten percent (10%) or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned, controlled or held, with the power to vote, by such specified Person;

&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)any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such specified Person;

&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)any executive officer, director, trustee, or partner of such specified Person;

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&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)any legal entity for which such specified Person acts as an executive officer, director, trustee, or partner (other than an Independent Trustee); and

&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)if such specified Person is an investment company, any investment adviser thereof or any member of an advisory board thereof.

"<u>Assessment</u>" means an additional amount of capital that may be mandatorily required of, or paid voluntarily by, a Shareholder beyond his or her subscription commitment excluding deferred payments.

"<u>Benefit Plan Investor</u>" means a "benefit plan investor" as defined in the Plan Asset Regulations.

"<u>Bylaws</u>" means the bylaws of the Company, as the same are in effect and may be amended from time to time in accordance with the Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws, as applicable.

"<u>Capital Contribution</u>" means the total investment, including the original investment and amounts reinvested pursuant to a distribution reinvestment plan in a program by a participant, or by all participants, as the case may be. Unless otherwise specified, capital contributions shall be deemed to include principal amounts to be received on account of deferred payments.

"<u>Cash Available for Distribution</u>" means Cash Flow plus cash funds available for distribution from Company reserves less amounts set aside for restoration or creation of reserves.

"<u>Cash Flow</u>" means Company cash funds provided from operations, without deduction for depreciation, but after deducting cash funds used to pay all other expenses, debt payments, capital improvements and replacements. Cash withdrawn from reserves is not Cash Flow.

"<u>Code</u>" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, or any successor statute thereto. Reference to any provision of the Code shall mean such provision as in effect from time to time, as the same may be amended, and any successor provision thereto, as interpreted by any applicable regulations as in effect from time to time.

"<u>Common Shares</u>" means the common Shares, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company that may be issued from time to time in accordance with the terms of this Declaration of Trust and applicable law, as described in Article IV hereof, including any class or series of Common Shares.

"<u>Controlling Person</u>" shall include, but is not limited to, all Persons, whatever their titles, who perform functions for the Sponsor similar to those of: (a) chairman or member of the board of directors or managers; (b) executive officers; and (c) those holding ten percent or more equity interest in the Sponsor or a Person having the power to direct or cause the direction of the Sponsor, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise.

"<u>Covered Security</u>" has the meaning set forth in the Securities Act.

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"<u>DGCL</u>" means Delaware General Corporation Law, 8 Del. C. § 100, et. seq., as amended from time to time, or any successor statute thereto.

"<u>ERISA</u>" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

<u>"ERISA Controlling Person</u>" means a Person (other than a Benefit Plan Investor) who has discretionary authority or control with respect to the assets of the Company or who provides investment advice for a fee (direct or indirect) with respect to such assets, or any affiliate of such a Person within the meaning of 29 C.F.R. § 2510.3-101(f)(3).

"<u>Exchange Act</u>" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

"<u>Front End Fees</u>" means fees and expenses paid by any party for any services rendered to organize the Company and to acquire assets for the Company, including Organization and Offering Expenses, Acquisition Fees, Acquisition Expenses, and any other similar fees, however designated by the Board.

"<u>GAAP</u>" means generally accepted accounting principles as in effect in the United States of America from time to time or such other accounting basis mandated by the SEC.

"<u>Independent Expert</u>" means a Person with no material current or prior business or personal relationship with the Sponsor, who is engaged to a substantial extent in the business of rendering opinions regarding the value of assets of the type held by the Company, and who is qualified to perform such work.

"<u>Independent Trustee</u>" means a Trustee who is not an Interested Person.

"<u>Interested Person</u>" means a Person who is an "interested person" as that term is defined under Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act, of the Company (unless otherwise indicated herein).

"<u>Investment in program assets</u>" means the amount of capital contributions actually paid or allocated to the purchase or development of assets acquired by the program (including working capital reserves allocable thereto, except that working capital reserves in excess of three percent shall not be included) and other cash payments such as interest and taxes but excluding front-end fees.

"<u>Liquidity Event</u>" means any one of the following: (a) a Listing; (b) the receipt by the Shareholders of Securities that are approved for trading on a national securities exchange or national securities association registered with the SEC in exchange for the Common Shares; (c) any merger, reorganization, business combination, share exchange, acquisition by any Person or related group of Persons of beneficial ownership of all or substantially all of the Shares of the Company in one or more related transactions, or similar transaction involving the Company pursuant to which the Shareholders receive for their Shares, as full or partial consideration, cash, Listed equity Securities or combination thereof; or (d) a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company for cash or other consideration.

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"<u>Listing</u>" means the listing of the Common Shares (or any successor thereof) on a national securities exchange or national securities association registered with the SEC. The term "Listed" shall have the correlative meaning. With regard to the Common Shares, upon commencement of trading of the Common Shares on a national securities exchange or national securities association registered with the SEC, the Common Shares shall be deemed Listed.

"<u>Net Worth</u>" means the excess of total assets over total liabilities as determined by GAAP.

"<u>Omnibus Guidelines</u>" means the Omnibus Guidelines Statement of Policy adopted by the North American Securities Administrators Association on March 29, 1992 and as amended on May 7, 2007 and from time to time.

"<u>Organization and Offering Expenses</u>" means any and all costs and expenses incurred by and to be paid from the assets of the Company in connection with and in preparing for the formation, qualification and registration of the Company, and the marketing and distribution of shares, including, without limitation, total underwriting and brokerage discounts and commissions (including fees of the underwriters' attorneys), expenses for printing, engraving, amending, supplementing, mailing and distributing costs, salaries of employees while engaged in sales activity, telephone and other telecommunications costs, all advertising and marketing expenses (including the costs related to investor and broker-dealer sales meetings), charges of transfer agents, registrars, trustees, escrow agents or holders, depositories, experts, fees, expenses and taxes related to the filing, registration and qualification of the sale of the shares under federal and state laws, including taxes and fees and accountants' and attorneys' fees.

"<u>Person</u>" means an individual, corporation, partnership, estate, trust joint venture, limited liability company or other entity or association.

"<u>Plan Asset Regulation</u>" means 29 C.F.R. § 2510.3-101, as modified by section 3(42) of ERISA.

"<u>Roll-Up Entity</u>" means a partnership, trust, corporation, or similar entity that would be created or would survive after the successful completion of a proposed Roll-Up Transaction.

"<u>Roll-Up Transaction</u>" means a transaction involving the acquisition, merger, conversion or consolidation either directly or indirectly of the Company and the issuance of securities of a Roll-Up Entity to the Shareholders. Such term does not include:

&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 transaction involving Securities of the Company that have been Listed for at least twelve (12) months; 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;(b)a transaction involving the conversion to another corporate form or to a trust or association form of only the Company, if, as a consequence of the transaction, there will be no significant adverse change in any of the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)Shareholders' voting rights;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)the term of existence of the Company;

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii)Adviser and Sponsor compensation; 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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv)the Company's investment objective.

"<u>SEC</u>" means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

"<u>Securities</u>" means Common Shares, any other Shares or other evidences of equity or beneficial or other interests, voting trust certificates, bonds, debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness, secured or unsecured, convertible, subordinated or otherwise, or in general any instruments commonly known as "securities" or any certificates of interest, shares or participations in, temporary or interim certificates for, receipts for, guarantees of, or warrants, options or rights to subscribe to, purchase or acquire, any of the foregoing if and only if any such item is treated as a "security" under the Exchange Act, or applicable state securities laws.

"<u>Securities Act</u>" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

"<u>Shareholders</u>" means the registered holders of the Company's Shares.

"<u>Shares</u>" means the unit of beneficial interest in the trust estate of the Company.

"<u>Similar Law</u>" means any federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other law or regulation that is similar to the fiduciary responsibility provisions of ERISA or the provisions of Section 4975 of the Code.

"<u>Sponsor</u>" means any Person directly or indirectly instrumental in organizing, wholly or in part, a program or any Person who will control, manage or participate in the management of a program, and any affiliate of such Person. Not included is any Person whose only relation with the program is that of an independent manager of a portion of Program assets, and whose only compensation is as such. "Sponsor" does not include wholly independent third parties such as attorneys, accountants, and underwriters whose only compensation is for professional services rendered in connection with the offering of program interests. A Person may also be deemed a Sponsor of the program by:

&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)taking the initiative, directly or indirectly, in founding or organizing the business or enterprise of the program, either alone or in conjunction with one or more other Persons;

&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)receiving a material participation in the program in connection with the founding or organizing of the business of the program, in consideration of services or property, or both services and property;

&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)having a substantial number of relationships and contacts with the program;

&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)possessing significant rights to control program properties;

&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)receiving fees for providing services to the program which are paid on a basis that is not customary in the industry; or

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&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)providing goods or services to the program on a basis which was not negotiated at arm's length with the program.

For purposes of this definition, "<u>program</u>" shall be deemed to include the Company.

"<u>Statutory Trust Act</u>" means Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code, 12 Del. C. § 3801, et seq., as such act may be amended from time to time.

"<u>Trustees</u>," "<u>Board of Trustees</u>" or "<u>Board</u>" means, collectively, the individuals named in Section 3.1 of this Declaration of Trust so long as they continue in office and all other individuals who have been duly elected and qualify as Trustees of the Company hereunder.

**ARTICLE II<br>NATURE AND PURPOSE** 

The Company is a Delaware statutory trust within the meaning of the Statutory Trust Act, existing pursuant to this Declaration of Trust, the Company's certificate of trust filed with the Delaware Secretary of State's office on March 3, 2025 (which filing is hereby ratified), as may be amended or amended and restated from time to time.

The purpose of the Company is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which trusts may be organized under the Statutory Trust Act as now or hereafter in force, including to conduct, operate and carry on the business of a closed-end investment company operating as a business development company, as such terms are defined in the 1940 Act, subject to making an election therefor under the 1940 Act, and to carry on such other business as the Trustees may from time to time determine pursuant to their authority under this Declaration of Trust. In furtherance of the foregoing, it shall be the purpose of the Company to do everything necessary, suitable, convenient or proper for the conduct, promotion and attainment of any businesses and purposes which at any time may be incidental or may appear conducive or expedient for the accomplishment of the business of a business development company regulated under the 1940 Act and which may be engaged in or carried on by a trust organized under the Statutory Trust Act, and in connection therewith the Company shall have the power and authority to engage in the foregoing and may exercise all of the powers conferred by the laws of the State of Delaware upon a Delaware statutory trust. The Company may not, without the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, as such term is defined under Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act, of the Company entitled to vote on the matter, change the nature of the Company's business so that the Company ceases to be, or withdraws the Company's election to be, treated as a business development company under the 1940 Act.

Legal title to all of the assets of the Company shall be vested in the Company as a separate legal entity except that the Trustees shall have power to cause legal title to any assets of the Company to be held in the name of any other Person as nominee, custodian or pledgee, on such terms as the Trustees may determine, provided that such arrangement is permitted by the 1940 Act and the interest of the Company therein is appropriately protected.

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**ARTICLE III<br>PROVISIONS FOR DEFINING, LIMITING <br>AND REGULATING CERTAIN POWERS OF THE <br>COMPANY AND OF THE SHAREHOLDERS AND TRUSTEES** 

Section 3.1<u>Number of Trustees</u>. The business and affairs of the Company shall be managed under the direction of the Board. The Board shall have full, exclusive and absolute power, control and authority over the Company's assets and over the business of the Company to the same extent as a board of directors of a Delaware corporation. The Board may take any actions as in its sole judgment and discretion are necessary or desirable to conduct the business of the Company. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws, each Trustee and officer of the Company shall have duties including fiduciary duties (and liability therefore) identical to those of directors and officers of a private corporation for profit organized under the DGCL and shall not have any other duties, including any fiduciary duties, except for fiduciary duties identical to those of directors and officers of a private corporation for profit organized under the DGCL. The number of Trustees of the Company is three (3), which number may be increased or decreased from time to time only by the Trustees pursuant to the Bylaws, but shall never be less than three (3), except for a period of up to sixty (60) days after the death, removal or resignation of a Trustee pending the election of such Trustee's successor. The names of the initial Trustees are as follows:

Theodore L. Koenig

Thomas J. Allison

Kenneth R. Buckman

A majority of the Board shall be Independent Trustees, except for a period of up to sixty (60) days or such longer period permitted by law, after the death, removal or resignation of an Independent Trustee pending the election of such Independent Trustee's successor by the remaining Trustees.

Subject to applicable requirements of the 1940 Act, any and all vacancies on the Board may be filled only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining Trustees in office, even if the remaining Trustees do not constitute a quorum, and any Trustee elected or appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the trusteeship in which such vacancy occurred and until a successor is duly elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier resignation, removal from office, death or incapacity. There shall be no cumulative voting in the election or removal of Trustees.

Section 3.2<u>Classes of Trustees</u>. The Board shall be divided into three classes, designated Class I, Class II and Class III, as nearly equal in number as possible, and the term of office of Trustees of one class shall expire at each annual meeting of Shareholders, and in all cases as to each Trustee such term shall extend until his or her successor shall be elected and shall qualify or until his or earlier resignation, removal from office, death or incapacity. Additional trusteeships resulting from an increase in number of Trustees shall be apportioned among the classes as equally as possible. The initial term of office of Trustees of Class I shall expire at the Company's first annual meeting of Shareholders; the initial term of office of Trustees of Class II shall expire at the Company's second annual meeting of Shareholders; and the initial term of office of Trustees of Class III shall expire at the Company's third annual meeting of Shareholders. Following such initial terms, at each annual meeting of Shareholders,

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a number of Trustees equal to the number of Trustees of the class whose term expires at the time of such meeting (or, if less, the number of Trustees properly nominated and qualified for election) shall be elected to hold office until the third succeeding annual meeting of Shareholders after their election. Each Trustee may be re-elected to an unlimited number of succeeding terms in accordance with these provisions. The initial classifications of the Trustees are as follows:

Class I – Theodore L. Koenig

Class II – Thomas J. Allison

Class III – Kenneth R. Buckman

At each annual election, Trustees chosen to succeed those whose terms then expire shall be of the same class as the Trustees they succeed, unless by reason of any intervening changes in the authorized number of Trustees, the Board shall designate one or more trusteeships whose term then expires as trusteeships of another class in order to more nearly achieve equality of number of Trustees among the classes.

Notwithstanding the rule that the three classes shall be as nearly equal in number of Trustees as possible, in the event of any change in the authorized number of Trustees, each Trustee then continuing to serve as such shall nevertheless continue as a Trustee of the class of which such Trustee is a member until the expiration of his or her current term, or his or her prior death, resignation or removal. If any newly created trusteeship may, consistently with the rule that the three classes shall be as nearly equal in number of Trustees as possible, be allocated to any class, the Board shall allocate it to that of the available class whose term of office is due to expire at the earliest date following such allocation.

The voting procedures and the number of votes required to elect a Trustee shall be as set forth in the Bylaws, which may be amended by the Board.

Section 3.3<u>Shareholder Voting</u>. Except as provided in Article II, Section 3.9, Section 5.3, Section 5.4, Section 9.2, Section 10.1 and Section 12.2 of this Declaration of Trust, notwithstanding any provision of law permitting any particular action to be approved by the affirmative vote of the Shareholders of the Company entitled to cast a greater number of votes, any such action shall be effective and valid if declared advisable and approved by the Board, and approved by a majority of the votes cast at a meeting of Shareholders at which a quorum is present. All shares of all classes shall vote together as a single class provided that: (a) as to any matter with respect to which a separate vote of any class is required by the 1940 Act or any orders issued thereunder, such requirement as to a separate vote by that class shall apply in lieu of a general vote of all classes; (b) in the event that separate voting requirements apply with respect to one or more classes, then subject to subparagraph (c), the shares of all other classes not entitled to a separate vote shall vote together as a single class; and (c) as to any matter which in the judgment of the Board (which judgment shall be conclusive) does not affect the interest of a particular class, such class shall not be entitled to any vote and only the holders of shares of the one or more affected classes shall be entitled to vote. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws to the contrary, for such matters that require the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting Shares of the Company under the 1940 Act, such majority vote shall be determined as set forth in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act. The

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provisions of this Section 3.3 shall be subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act and other applicable statutes or regulations.

Section 3.4<u>Quorum</u>. The determination of whether a quorum has been established for a meeting of the Company's Shareholders shall be as set forth in the Bylaws.

Section 3.5<u>Preemptive Rights</u>. Except as may be provided by the Board in setting the terms of classified or reclassified Shares or as may otherwise be provided by contract approved by the Board, no Shareholder shall, as such Shareholder, have any preemptive right to purchase or subscribe for any additional Shares of the Company or any other Security of the Company that it may issue or sell.

Section 3.6<u>Appraisal Rights</u>. Except (a) as may be provided by the Board in setting the terms of any class or series of Shares or (b) as provided in connection with a Roll-Up Transaction pursuant to Section 11.1, no Shareholder shall be entitled to exercise appraisal rights in connection with any transaction.

Section 3.7<u>Determinations by the Board</u>. The determination as to any of the following matters, made in good faith, subject to the limitations set forth in the Omnibus Guidelines, by or pursuant to the direction of the Board consistent with this Declaration of Trust, shall be final and conclusive and shall be binding upon the Company and every Shareholder: (a) the amount of the net income of the Company for any period and the amount of assets at any time legally available for the payment of dividends, redemption or repurchase of its Shares or the payment of other distributions on its Shares; (b) the amount of stated capital, capital surplus, net assets, other surplus, annual or other net profit, net assets in excess of capital, undivided profits or excess of profits over losses on sales of assets; (c) the amount, purpose, time of creation, increase or decrease, alteration or cancellation of any reserves or charges and the propriety thereof (whether or not any obligation or liability for which such reserves or charges shall have been created shall have been paid or discharged); (d) any interpretation of the terms, preferences, conversion or other rights, voting powers or rights, restrictions, limitations as to dividends or other distributions, qualifications or terms or conditions of redemption of any class or series of Shares of the Company; (e) the fair value, or any sale, bid or asked price to be applied in determining the fair value, of any asset owned or held by the Company or any Shares of the Company; (f) any matter relating to the acquisition, holding and disposition of any assets by the Company; or (g) any other matter relating to the business and affairs of the Company or required or permitted by applicable law, this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws or otherwise to be determined by the Board provided, however, that any determination by the Board as to any of the preceding matters shall not render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination and no Trustee shall be liable for making or failing to make such a determination in accordance with this Section 3.7.

Section 3.8<u>Sole Discretion; Good Faith; Corporate Opportunities of Adviser</u>.

&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)Notwithstanding any other provision of this Declaration of Trust or otherwise applicable law, whenever in this Declaration of Trust the Trustees are permitted or required to make a decision:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)in their "discretion" or under a grant of similar authority, the Trustees shall be entitled to consider, subject to the limitations set forth in the Omnibus

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Guidelines, such interests and factors as they desire, including their own interest, and, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, including such Trustees' fiduciary duties under Delaware law, shall have no duty or obligation to give any consideration to any interest of or factors affecting the Company or any other Person; 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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)in their "good faith" or under another express standard, the Trustees shall act under such express standard, provided that such standard is consistent with such Trustees' fiduciary duties under Delaware law, and subject to the limitations set forth in the Omnibus Guidelines.

&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)Unless expressly provided otherwise herein or in the Company's offering document (as may be amended from time to time), the Adviser and any Affiliate of the Adviser may engage in or possess an interest in other profit-seeking or business ventures of any nature or description, independently or with others, whether or not such ventures are competitive with the Company and the doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any analogous doctrine. To the extent that the Adviser acquires knowledge of a potential transaction, agreement, arrangement or other matter that may be an opportunity for the Company, it shall not have any duty to communicate or offer such opportunity to the Company, subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, and any applicable co-investment order issued by the Commission, and the Adviser shall not be liable to the Company or to the Shareholders for breach of any fiduciary or other duty by reason of the fact that the Adviser pursues or acquires for, or directs such opportunity to, another Person or does not communicate such opportunity or information to the Company. Neither the Company nor any Shareholder shall have any rights or obligations by virtue of this Declaration of Trust or the trust relationship created hereby in or to such independent ventures or the income or profits or losses derived therefrom, and the pursuit of such ventures, even if competitive with the activities of the Company, shall not be deemed wrongful or improper.

Section 3.9<u>Resignation and Removal of Trustees</u>. Any of the Trustees may resign their trust (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing signed by such Trustee and delivered or mailed to the Trustees or the Chairman, if any, and such resignation shall be effective upon such delivery, or at a later date according to the terms of the instrument. Any Trustee, or the entire Board, may be removed from office at any time (provided the aggregate number of Trustees after such removal shall not be less than the minimum number required by Section 3.1 hereof) only for cause and only by a majority of the remaining Trustees (or in the case of the removal of a Trustee that is not an Interested Person a majority of the remaining Trustees that are not Interested Persons). A majority of the outstanding Shares are authorized to remove a Trustee with or without cause (provided that the aggregate number of Trustees after such removal shall not be less than the minimum required by Section 3.1). Upon the resignation or removal of a Trustee, each such resigning or removed Trustee shall execute and deliver such documents as the remaining Trustees shall require for the purpose of conveying to the Company or the remaining Trustees any Company property held in the name of such resigning or removed Trustee. Upon the incapacity or death of any Trustee, such Trustee's legal representative shall execute and deliver on such Trustee's behalf such documents as the remaining Trustees shall require as provided in the preceding sentence. Except to the extent expressly provided in a written agreement with the Company, no Trustee resigning and no Trustee removed shall have any right to any compensation for any period following the effective date of his or her resignation or removal, or any right to damages on account of a removal. For the purpose of this Section, "cause" shall mean, with respect to any particular Trustee, that the Trustee has (i) been convicted of a felony or a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction holding that such Trustee caused demonstrable, material harm to the Company through bad faith or active and deliberate dishonesty, (ii) been the subject of any order or determination by the SEC or similar agency of any country for any securities violation involving insider trading, fraud, misappropriation, dishonesty or willful misconduct or (iii) been

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convicted of, or pleaded guilty or no contest to, a crime involving moral turpitude that is reasonably likely to injure, tarnish, damage or otherwise negatively affect the reputation of the Company.

Section 3.10<u>Special Meetings</u>. Special meetings of Shareholders may be called in the manner provided in the Bylaws, including by a majority of the Trustees, the Chairman of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer, and shall be called by the secretary of the Company to act on any matter that may properly be considered at a meeting of Shareholders upon the written request of Shareholders entitled to cast not less than 10% of all the votes entitled to be cast on such matter at such meeting. Any business transacted at any special meeting of Shareholders shall be limited to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of the meeting.

Section 3.11<u>Trust Only</u>. It is the intention of the Trustees to create only the relationship of Trustee and beneficiary between the Trustees and each Shareholder from time to time. It is not the intention of the Trustees to create a general partnership, limited partnership, joint stock association, corporation, bailment or any form of legal relationship other than a Delaware statutory trust. Nothing in this Declaration of Trust shall be construed to make the Shareholders, either by themselves or with the Trustees, partners or members of a joint stock association.

Section 3.12<u>Trustee Action by Written Consent</u>. Any action which may be taken by Trustees by vote may be taken without a meeting, except to the extent otherwise required by the 1940 Act, if that number of the Trustees, or members of a committee, as the case may be, required for approval of such action at a meeting of the Trustees or of such committee consents to the action in writing and the written consents are filed with the records of the meetings of Trustees. Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of Trustees.

Section 3.13<u>Officers</u>. The Trustees shall elect a Chief Executive Officer, a Secretary, a Chief Financial Officer and/or Treasurer, and a Chief Compliance Officer, and may include one or more Vice Presidents or Junior Officers, a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Investment Officer, a Chief Legal Officer, one or more Assistant Secretaries and one or more Assistant Treasurers. The Trustees may elect or appoint or may authorize the Chief Executive Officer to appoint such other officers or agents with such powers as the Trustees may deem to be advisable. The Chief Executive Officer, Secretary, Chief Financial Officer and/or Treasurer, as applicable, may, but need not, be a Trustee. All officers shall owe to the Company and its Shareholders the same fiduciary duties (and only such fiduciary duties) as owed by officers of corporations to such corporations and their stockholders under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

Section 3.14<u>Principal Transactions</u>. Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law and the Omnibus Guidelines, the Trustees may, on behalf of the Company, buy any securities from or sell any securities to, or lend any assets of the Company to, any Trustee or officer of the Company or any firm of which any such Trustee or officer is a member acting as principal, or have any such dealings with any Affiliate of the Company, investment adviser, investment sub-adviser, distributor or transfer agent for the Company or with any Interested Person of such Affiliate or other person; and the Company may employ any such Affiliate or other person, or firm or company in which such Affiliate or other person is an Interested Person, as broker, legal counsel, registrar, investment adviser, investment sub-adviser, distributor, transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent, custodian or in any other capacity upon customary terms.

Section 3.15<u>Subsidiaries</u>. Without approval or vote by Shareholders, the Trustees may cause to be organized or assist in organizing one or more corporations, trusts, partnerships, associations or other organizations to take over all or substantially all of the Company's property or to carry on any business in which the Company shall directly or indirectly have any interest and to sell, convey, and transfer all or a portion of the Company's property to any such

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corporation, trust, limited liability company, association or organization in exchange for the shares or securities thereof, or otherwise, and to lend money to, subscribe for the shares or securities of and enter into any contracts with any such corporation, trust, limited liability company, partnership, association or organization, or any corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability company, association or organization in which the Company holds or is about to acquire shares or any other interests.

Section 3.16<u>Delegation</u>. The Trustees shall have the power to delegate from time to time to such of their number or to officers, employees or agents of the Company the doing of such things, including any matters set forth in this Declaration of Trust, and the execution of such instruments either in the name of the Company or the names of the Trustees or otherwise as the Trustees may deem expedient. The Trustees may designate one or more committees which shall have all or such lesser portion of the authority of the entire Board as the Trustees shall determine from time to time except to the extent action by the entire Board or particular Trustees is required by the 1940 Act.

Section 3.17<u>Meetings</u>. The Company shall hold a meeting of Shareholders at least annually to consider such matters as may appropriately come before such meeting.

**ARTICLE IV<br>SHARES** 

Section 4.1<u>Authorized Shares</u>. The beneficial interest in the Company shall at all times be divided into an unlimited number of Shares. The Shares of the Company shall initially consist of Common Shares, with such par value as may be authorized from time to time by the Trustees in their sole discretion without Shareholder approval. All Shares shall be fully paid and nonassessable when issued. Mandatory assessments of Shares shall be prohibited and the Company shall not make any mandatory assessment against any Shareholder beyond such Shareholder's subscription commitment. Any different classes or series shall be established and designated, and the variations in the relative rights and preferences as between the different classes shall be fixed and determined, by the Trustees without Shareholder approval. The Trustees may create a class of preferred shares (the "<u>Preferred Shares</u>") which may be divided into one or more series of Preferred Shares and with such par value as may be authorized from time to time by the Trustees in their sole discretion without Shareholder approval. The Company is authorized to offer and issue an unlimited number of Common Shares and an unlimited number of Preferred Shares.

Section 4.2<u>Authorization by Board of Share Issuance</u>. The Board may authorize the issuance from time to time of Shares of the Company of any class or series, whether now or hereafter authorized, or securities or rights convertible into Shares of any class or series, whether now or hereafter authorized, for such consideration as the Board may deem advisable (or without consideration in the case of a split of Shares or dividend), subject to such restrictions or limitations, if any, as may be set forth in this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws.

Section 4.3<u>Classification or Reclassification by the Board</u>. As contemplated by Section 4.1, the variations in the relative rights and preferences as between any classes of Common Shares and any potential Preferred Shares shall be fixed and determined by the Trustees; provided, that all Common Shares or Preferred Shares of the Company or of any series shall be identical to all other Common Shares or Preferred Shares of the Company or of the same series, as the case may be, except that, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, there may be variations between different classes as to allocation of expenses, rights of redemption, special and relative rights and preferences as to dividends and distributions and on liquidation, conversion rights, and conditions under which the several classes shall have separate voting rights. All of the outstanding Common Shares as of the date hereof issued to the initial

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shareholders shall be classified as Class I Shares with such terms as set forth in the initial prospectus of the Company, as thereafter subsequently modified from time to time. Any class of Preferred Shares shall have such rights and preferences and priorities over the Common Shares as may be established by the terms thereof; provided that the Company may not issue any shares of preferred shares that would limit or subordinate the voting rights of holders of Common Shares as set forth in the Omnibus Guidelines unless required by the 1940 Act.

The following provisions shall be applicable to any division of Shares of the Company into one or more classes or series:

&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)All provisions herein relating to the Shares, or any class or series of Shares of the Company, including common and preferred shares, shall apply equally to each class of Shares of the Company or of any series of the Company, except as the context requires otherwise.

&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 number of Shares of each class that may be issued shall be unlimited. The Trustees may classify or reclassify any Shares or any class of any Shares into one or more other classes that may be established and designated from time to time. The Company may purchase and hold Shares as treasury shares, reissue such treasury shares for such consideration and on such terms as the Trustees may determine, or cancel any Shares of any class acquired by the Company at the Trustees' discretion 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)Liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves related to the distribution of, and other identified expenses that should properly be allocated to, the Shares of a particular class or series within the class may be charged to and borne solely by such class or series, and the bearing of expenses solely by a class of shares or series may be appropriately reflected (in a manner determined by the Trustees) and cause differences in the net asset value attributable to, and the dividend, redemption and liquidation rights of, the Shares of different classes or series. Each allocation of liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves by the Trustees in their reasonable judgment shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders of all classes for all purposes.

&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 establishment and designation of any class or series of Shares shall be effective upon a majority of the Trustees, adopting a resolution which sets forth such establishment and designation and the relative rights and preferences of such class or series. Each such resolution shall be incorporated herein by reference upon adoption. The Trustees may, by resolution of a majority of the Trustees, abolish any class or series and the establishment and designation thereof, provided that no Shares of such class or series are outstanding. To the extent the provisions set forth in such resolution conflict with the provisions of this Declaration of Trust with respect to any such rights and privileges of the class or series of Shares, such resolution shall control.

Section 4.4<u>Dividends and Distributions</u>.

&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)Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Declaration of Trust, the holders of each class or series of Shares shall be entitled to dividends and distributions in such amounts and at such times as may be determined by the Board, and the dividends and distributions paid with respect to the various classes or series of Shares may vary among such classes or series. Expenses related to the distribution of, and other identified expenses that properly should be allocated to the shares of, a particular class or series may be appropriately reflected (in a manner determined by the Board, in its discretion) and cause a difference in the net asset value attributable to, and the dividend, redemption and liquidation rights of, the shares of each such class or series of Shares.

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&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 Trustees may always retain from the net profits such amount as they may deem necessary to pay the debts or expenses of the Company or to meet obligations of the Company, or as they otherwise may deem desirable to use in the conduct of its affairs or to retain for future requirements or extensions of the business. Normally, such amount shall not be less than 1% of the offering proceeds of the Company.

&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)From time to time and not less than quarterly, the Company shall review the Company's accounts to determine whether cash distributions are appropriate. The Company may, subject to authorization by the Board, distribute to the Shareholders funds received by the Company that the Board deems unnecessary to retain in the Company. The Board may authorize the Company to declare and pay to Shareholders such dividends or distributions, in cash or other assets of the Company or in Securities of the Company or from any other source, as the Board in its discretion shall determine. The Board shall endeavor to authorize the Company to declare and pay such dividends and distributions: (i) as shall be necessary for the Company to qualify as a "Regulated Investment Company" under the Code and a business development company under the 1940 Act, and (ii) to the extent that the Board deems it unnecessary for the Company to retain funds received by it; provided, however, that in each case Shareholders shall have no right to any dividend or distribution unless and until authorized by the Board and declared by the Company. Distributions pursuant to this Section 4.4 may be among the Shareholders of record of the applicable class or series of Shares at the time of declaring a distribution or among the Shareholders of record at such later date as the Trustees shall determine and specify. The exercise of the powers and rights of the Board pursuant to this Section 4.4 shall be subject to the provisions of any class or series of shares at the time outstanding. The receipt by any Person in whose name any shares are registered on the records of the Company or by his or her duly authorized agent shall be a sufficient discharge for all dividends or distributions payable or deliverable in respect of such shares and from all liability to see to the application thereof. Distributions in kind shall not be permitted, except for distributions of readily marketable Securities, distributions of cash from a liquidating trust established for the dissolution of the Company and the liquidation of its assets in accordance with the terms of this Declaration of Trust or distributions in which: (i) the Board advises each Shareholder of the risks associated with direct ownership of the property, (ii) the Board offers each Shareholder the election of receiving such in-kind distributions, and (iii) in-kind distributions are made only to those Shareholders that accept such offer.

&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)Inasmuch as the computation of net income and gains for Federal income tax purposes may vary from the computation thereof on the books, the above provisions shall be interpreted to give the Trustees the power in their discretion to distribute for any fiscal year as ordinary dividends and as capital gains distributions, respectively, additional amounts sufficient to enable the Company to avoid or reduce liability for taxes.

&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)If a declaration of dividends or distributions is made pursuant to this Section then, at any time prior to the related payment date, the Board may, in its sole discretion, rescind such declaration or change each of the record date and payment date to a later date or dates (in each case for a period of not greater than 180 days after each of the record date and payment date theretofore in effect and provided the payment date as so changed is not more than 60 days after the record date as so changed).

&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 no event, however, shall funds be advanced or borrowed for purpose of distributions, if the amount of such distributions would exceed the Company's accrued and received revenues for the previous four quarters, less paid and accrued operating costs with respect to such revenues, determined in accordance with GAAP, consistently applied. Cash distributions from the Company to the Sponsor shall only be made in conjunction with distributions to Shareholders and only out of funds properly allocated to the Sponsor's account. For the avoidance of doubt, payments to a Sponsor pursuant to a validly adopted Advisory

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Agreement shall not be deemed to be distributions from the Company for purposes of the foregoing sentence.

Section 4.5<u>Proportionate Rights</u>. All shares of each particular class shall represent an equal proportionate interest in the assets attributable to the class (subject to the liabilities of that class), and each share of any particular class shall be equal to each other share of that class. The Board may, from time to time, divide or combine the shares of any particular class into a greater or lesser number of shares of that class without thereby changing the proportionate interest in the assets attributable to that class or in any way affecting the rights of holders of shares of any other class.

Section 4.6<u>Distributions in Liquidation</u>. Unless otherwise expressly provided in this Declaration of Trust, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of all classes of Shares of the Company shall be entitled, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Company (as such liability may affect one or more of the classes and series of Shares of the Company), to share ratably in the remaining net assets of the Company.

Section 4.7<u>Deferred Payments</u>. The Company shall not have authority to make arrangements for deferred payments on account of the purchase price of shares of the Company's Shares unless all of the following conditions are met: (a) such arrangements are warranted by the Company's investment objectives; (b) the period of deferred payments coincides with the anticipated cash needs of the Company; (c) the deferred payments shall be evidenced by a promissory note of the Shareholder, which note shall be with recourse, shall not be negotiable, shall be assignable only subject to defenses of the maker and shall not contain a provision authorizing a confession of judgment; and (d) selling commissions and Front End Fees paid upon deferred payments are payable when payment is made on the note. The Company shall not sell or assign the deferred obligation notes at a discount. In the event of default in the payment of deferred payments by a Shareholder, the Shareholder may be subjected to a reasonable penalty.

Section 4.8<u>Fractional Shares</u>. The Company shall have authority to issue fractional shares. Any fractional Shares shall carry proportionately all of the rights of a whole share, including, without limitation, the right to vote and the right to receive dividends and other distributions.

Section 4.9<u>Declaration of Trust and Bylaws</u>. All persons who shall acquire Shares in the Company shall acquire the same subject to the provisions of this Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws.

Section 4.10<u>Redemptions</u>. Holders of Shares of the Company shall not be entitled to require the Company to repurchase or redeem Shares of the Company.

Section 4.11<u>Disclosure of Holding</u>. The holders of Shares or other securities of the Company shall upon demand disclose to the Trustees in writing such information with respect to direct and indirect ownership of Shares or other securities of the Company as the Trustees deem necessary to comply with the provisions of the Code, the 1940 Act or other applicable laws or regulations, or to comply with the requirements of any other taxing or regulatory authority.

Section 4.12<u>Repurchase of Shares</u>. The Trustees shall have the power to issue, sell, repurchase, redeem, retire, cancel, acquire, hold, resell, reissue, dispose of, transfer, and otherwise deal in, Shares, including Shares in fractional denominations, and, to apply to any such repurchase, redemption, retirement, cancellation or acquisition of Shares any funds or

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property. The Trustees may establish, from time to time, a program or programs by which the Company voluntarily repurchases Shares from the Shareholders; provided, however, that such repurchases do not impair the capital or operations of the Company.

Section 4.13<u>Power to Modify Foregoing Procedures</u>. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions of this Article IV, the Trustees may prescribe, in their absolute discretion except as may be required by the 1940 Act, such other bases and times for determining the per share asset value of the Company's Shares or net income, or the declaration and payment of dividends and distributions as they may deem necessary or desirable for any reason, including to enable the Company to comply with any provision of the 1940 Act, federal securities laws, state securities laws, or any securities exchange or association registered under the Exchange Act or any order of exemption issued by the SEC, all as in effect now or hereafter amended or modified.

Section 4.14<u>ERISA and Related Restrictions</u>. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, in order to avoid the possibility that the assets of the Company could be characterized as "plan assets" under the Plan Asset Regulation or Similar Law, the Company, at the direction of the Board or any duly-authorized committee of the Board, or, if authorized by the Board, any officer of the Company or the Adviser on behalf of the Company, shall have the power to (1) require any Person proposing to acquire Shares to furnish such information as may be necessary to determine whether such person is (i) a Benefit Plan Investor, or (ii) an ERISA Controlling Person, (2) (i) exclude any shareholder or potential shareholder from purchasing Shares (ii) prohibit any redemption of Shares, and (iii) redeem some or all Shares held by any Shareholder if, and to the extent that, the Board determines that there is a substantial likelihood that such Shareholder's purchase, ownership or redemption of Shares would result in the Company assets to be characterized as "plan assets" under the Plan Asset Regulation, and (3) take any other action it deems necessary or appropriate so that the assets of the Company will not be deemed, or at a substantial likelihood of being deemed, "plan assets" under the Plan Asset Regulation or Similar Law and/or to avoid the occurrence of a non-exempt prohibited transaction under section 406 of ERISA, section 4975 of the Code or Similar Law.

**ARTICLE V<br>AMENDMENTS; CERTAIN EXTRAORDINARY ACTIONS** 

Section 5.1<u>Amendments Generally</u>. The Board reserves the right, without any vote of Shareholders, from time to time to make any amendment to this Declaration of Trust, now or hereafter authorized by law, including any amendment altering the terms or contract rights, as expressly set forth in this Declaration of Trust, of any outstanding Shares, provided, however, that if any amendment or new addition to this Declaration of Trust materially alters or changes the powers, preferences or special rights of the Shares so as to affect them adversely, such amendment or addition must be approved by the holders of more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Shares of the Company entitled to vote thereon as set forth in Section 10.1(b)(i). All rights and powers conferred by this Declaration of Trust on Shareholders, Trustees and officers are granted subject to this reservation.

Section 5.2<u>Reserved</u>.

Section 5.3<u>Approval of Certain Amendments to Bylaws</u>. The Board shall have the exclusive power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of the Bylaws and to make new Bylaws; provided, however, that if any amendment or new addition to the Bylaws adversely affects the voting rights of Shareholders as identified in Article II, Section 7 of the Bylaws, such amendment or addition must be approved by the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote on the matter.

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Section 5.4<u>Amendments to Comply with Blue Sky Regulatory Requirements</u>. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws to the contrary, the Board may, without the approval or vote of the Shareholders, amend or otherwise supplement this Declaration of Trust for the purpose of complying or conforming this Declaration of Trust as necessary to satisfy any Omnibus Guidelines or the statutes, rules, regulations or requests of any state securities regulator, or otherwise necessary for the Company to publicly offer Shares in any state as determined by the Board of Trustees in good faith.

Section 5.5<u>Execution of Amendments</u>. Upon obtaining such approvals required by this Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws and without further action or execution by any other Person, including any Shareholder, (i) any amendment to this Declaration of Trust may be implemented and reflected in a writing executed solely by the requisite members of the Board, and (ii) the Shareholders shall be deemed a party to and bound by such amendment of this Declaration of Trust.

**ARTICLE VI<br>LIMITATION OF LIABILITY; INDEMNIFICATION AND <br>ADVANCE OF EXPENSES** 

Section 6.1<u>Limitation of Shareholder Liability</u>. Shareholders shall be entitled to the same limited liability extended to Shareholders of private Delaware for profit corporations formed under the DGCL. No Shareholder shall be liable for any debt, claim, demand, judgment or obligation of any kind of, against or with respect to the Company by reason of being a Shareholder, nor shall any Shareholder be subject to any personal liability whatsoever, in tort, contract or otherwise, to any Person in connection with the Company's assets or the affairs of the Company by reason of being a Shareholder.

Section 6.2<u>Limitation of Trustee and Officer Liability</u>.

&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)To the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, subject to any limitation set forth under the federal securities laws and Washington state securities laws, or in this Article VI, no Trustee or officer of the Company shall be liable to the Company or its Shareholders for money damages.

&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 anything to the contrary contained in paragraph (a) above, the Company shall not provide that a Trustee, the Adviser or any Affiliate of the Company or the Adviser be held harmless for any loss or liability suffered by the Company, unless all of the following conditions are met:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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 Trustee, the Adviser or any Affiliate of the Company or the Adviser has determined, in good faith, that the course of conduct that caused the loss or liability was in the best interests of the Company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)The Trustee, the Adviser or any Affiliate of the Company or the Adviser was acting on behalf of or performing services for the Corporation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii)Such liability or loss was not the result of (A) negligence or misconduct by the Trustee (other than an Independent Trustee), the Adviser or any Affiliate of the Company or the Adviser, or (B) in the case of an Independent Trustee, gross negligence or willful misconduct.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv)Such agreement to hold harmless is recoverable only out of the net assets of the Company and not from the Shareholders.

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&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)Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Section 6.2, nor the adoption or amendment of any other provision of this Declaration of Trust or Bylaws inconsistent with this Section 6.2, shall apply to or affect in any respect the applicability of the preceding sentence with respect to any act or failure to act that occurred prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption. The Company may not incur the cost of that portion of liability insurance which insures the Adviser for any liability as to which the Adviser is prohibited from being indemnified under the Omnibus Guidelines.

Section 6.3<u>Indemnification</u>.

&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)Each Person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative (hereinafter a "proceeding"), by reason of the fact:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)that he or she is or was a Trustee, officer, employee, Sponsor, Controlling Person or agent of the Company or the Adviser or its Controlling Person, 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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)that he or she, being at the time a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Company or the Adviser or its Controlling Person, is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, trustee, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (collectively, "another enterprise" or "other enterprise"), whether either in case (i) or in case (ii) the basis of such proceeding is alleged action or inaction (x) in an official capacity as a Trustee, officer, employee, Controlling Person or agent of the Company, or as a director, trustee, officer, employee or agent of such other enterprise, or as the Adviser or its Controlling Person or (y) in any other capacity related to the Company or such other enterprise while so serving as a director, trustee, officer, employee or agent, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company to the fullest extent not prohibited by Delaware law and subject to paragraphs (b) and (c) below, from and against all liability, loss, judgments, penalties, fines, settlements, and reasonable expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys' fees and amounts paid in settlement and including costs of enforcement of enforcement of rights under this Section) (collectively, "<u>Liability and Losses</u>") actually incurred or suffered by such Person in connection therewith. The Persons indemnified hereunder are hereinafter referred to as "<u>Indemnitees</u>." Such indemnification as to such alleged action or inaction shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has after such alleged action or inaction ceased to be a Trustee, officer, employee, Controlling Person or agent of the Company, or director, officer, employee or agent of another enterprise; and shall inure to the benefit of the Indemnitee's heirs, executors and administrators. The right to indemnification conferred under this Article VI: (A) shall be a contract right; (B) shall not be affected adversely as to any Indemnitee by any amendment or repeal of this Declaration of Trust with respect to any action or inaction occurring prior to such amendment or repeal; and (C) shall vest immediately upon election or appointment of such Indemnitee.

&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 anything to the contrary herein, the Company shall not provide any indemnification of an Indemnitee pursuant to paragraph (a) above, unless all of the following conditions are met:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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 Indemnitee has determined, in good faith, that any course of conduct of such Indemnitee giving rise to the Liability and Losses was in the best interests of the Company.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)The Indemnitee was acting on behalf of or performing services for the Company.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii)Such Liability and Losses were not the result of (1) negligence or misconduct, in the case that the Indemnitee is a Trustee (other than an Independent Trustee), officer, employee, Sponsor, Controlling Person or agent of the Company or the Adviser and its Controlling Person, or (2) gross negligence or willful misconduct, in the case that the Indemnitee is an Independent Trustee.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv)Such indemnification is recoverable only out of the net assets of the Company and not from the Shareholders.

&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)Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the Company shall not provide any indemnification of any person acting as a broker-dealer for the Company, or an Indemnitee pursuant to paragraph (a) above, for any Liability and Losses arising from or out of an alleged violation of federal or state securities laws by such Indemnitee unless one or more of the following conditions are met: (i) there has been a successful adjudication on the merits of each count involving alleged securities law violations as to the Indemnitee, (ii) such claims have been dismissed with prejudice on the merits by a court of competent jurisdiction as to the Indemnitee or (iii) a court of competent jurisdiction approves a settlement of the claims against the Indemnitee and finds that indemnification of the settlement and the related costs should be made, and the court considering the request for indemnification has been advised of the position of the SEC and of the published position of any state securities regulatory authority in which securities were offered or sold as to indemnification for violations of securities laws.

Section 6.4<u>Payment of Expenses</u>. The Company shall pay or reimburse reasonable legal expenses and other costs incurred by an Indemnitee or an Affiliate of the Sponsor who is not otherwise an Indemnitee, in advance of final disposition of a proceeding if all of the following are satisfied: (i) the proceeding relates to acts or omissions with respect to the performance of duties or services on behalf of the Company, (ii) the Indemnitee or Affiliate of the Sponsor, as applicable, provides the Company with written affirmation of such Person's good faith belief that such Person has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification by the Company as authorized by Section 6.3 hereof, (iii) the legal proceeding was initiated by a third party who is not a Shareholder or, if by a Shareholder of the Company acting in his or her capacity as such, a court of competent jurisdiction approves such advancement, and (iv) the Indemnitee or Affiliate of the Sponsor, as applicable, provides the Company with a written agreement to repay the amount paid or reimbursed by the Company, together with the applicable legal rate of interest thereon, if it is ultimately determined by final, non-appealable decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, that the Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification.

Section 6.5<u>Limitations to Indemnification</u>. The provisions of this Article VI shall be subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act.

Section 6.6<u>Express Exculpatory Clauses in Instruments</u>. Neither the Shareholders nor the Trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Company shall be liable under any written instrument creating an obligation of the Company by reason of their being Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Company, and all Persons shall look solely to the Company's net assets for the payment of any claim under or for the performance of that instrument. The omission of the foregoing exculpatory language from any instrument shall not affect the validity or enforceability of such instrument and shall not render any Shareholder, Trustee, officer, employee or agent liable thereunder to any third party, nor shall the Trustees or any officer, employee or agent of the Company be liable to anyone as a result of such omission.

Section 6.7<u>Non-exclusivity</u>. Subject to Section 6.3, the indemnification and advancement of expenses provided or authorized by this Article VI shall not be deemed

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exclusive of any other rights, by indemnification or otherwise, to which any Indemnitee may be entitled under the Bylaws, a resolution of Shareholders or Trustees, an agreement or otherwise.

Section 6.8<u>No Bond Required of Trustees</u>. No Trustee shall, as such, be obligated to give any bond or other security for the performance of any of his or her duties hereunder.

Section 6.9<u>No Duty of Investigation; No Notice in Trust Instruments, etc</u>. No purchaser, lender, transfer agent or other person dealing with the Trustees or with any officer, employee or agent of the Company shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction purporting to be made by the Trustees or by said officer, employee or agent or be liable for the application of money or property paid, loaned, or delivered to or on the order of the Trustees or of said officer, employee or agent. Every obligation, contract, undertaking, instrument, certificate, Share, other security of the Company, and every other act or thing whatsoever executed in connection with the Company shall be conclusively taken to have been executed or done by the executors thereof only in their capacity as Trustees under this Declaration of Trust or in their capacity as officers, employees or agents of the Company. The Trustees may maintain insurance for the protection of the Company's property, the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees and agents in such amount as the Trustees shall deem adequate to cover possible tort liability, and such other insurance as the Trustees in their sole judgment shall deem advisable or is required by the 1940 Act.

Section 6.10<u>Reliance on Experts, etc</u>. Each Trustee and officer or employee of the Company shall, in the performance of his or her duties, be fully and completely justified and protected with regard to any act or any failure to act resulting from reliance in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Company, upon an opinion of counsel, or upon reports made to the Company by any of the Company's officers or employees or by any adviser, administrator, manager, distributor, selected dealer, accountant, appraiser or other expert or consultant selected with reasonable care by the Trustees, officers or employees of the Company, regardless of whether such counsel or expert may also be a Trustee.

**ARTICLE VII<br>ADVISER, ADMINISTRATOR AND CUSTODIAN; DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS** 

Section 7.1<u>Supervision of Adviser and Administrator</u>.

&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)Subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Board may exercise broad discretion in allowing the Adviser and, if applicable, an Administrator, to administer and regulate the operations of the Company, to act as agent for the Company, to execute documents on behalf of the Company and to make executive decisions that conform to general policies and principles established by the Board. The Board shall monitor the Adviser, or if any, the Administrator, to assure that the administrative procedures, operations and programs of the Company are in the best interests of the Shareholders and are fulfilled and that (i) the expenses incurred are reasonable in light of the investment performance of the Company, its net assets and its net income, (ii) all Front End Fees shall be reasonable and shall not exceed eighteen percent (18%) of the gross proceeds of any offering, regardless of the source of payment, and (iii) the percentage of gross proceeds of any offering committed to investment shall be at least eighty-two percent (82%). All items of compensation to underwriters or dealers, including, but not limited to, selling commissions, expenses, rights of first refusal, consulting fees, finders' fees and all other items of compensation of any kind or description paid by the Company, directly or indirectly, shall be taken into consideration in computing the amount of allowable Front End Fees.

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&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 Board of Trustees is responsible for determining that compensation paid to the Adviser is reasonable in relation to the nature and quality of services performed and the investment performance of the Company and that the provisions of the Advisory Agreement are being carried out. The Board may consider all factors that they deem relevant in making these determinations. So long as the Company is a business development company under the 1940 Act, compensation to the Adviser shall be considered presumptively reasonable if the incentive fee is limited to the participation in net gains allowed by the Advisers Act and the 1940 Act, as applicable.

Section 7.2<u>Fiduciary Obligations of Adviser</u>. The Advisory Agreement shall provide that the Adviser has a fiduciary responsibility for the safekeeping and use of all funds and assets of the Company, whether or not in the Adviser's immediate possession or control, and that the Adviser shall not employ, or permit another to employ, such funds or assets in any manner except for the exclusive benefit of the Company. The Company shall not permit any Shareholder to contract away any fiduciary obligation owed by the Adviser under common law.

Section 7.3<u>Experience of Adviser</u>. The Board shall determine the sufficiency and adequacy of the relevant experience and qualifications for the officers of the Company given the business objective of the Company. The Board shall determine whether any Adviser possesses sufficient qualifications to perform the advisory function for the Company and whether the compensation provided for in its contract with the Company is justified.

Section 7.4<u>Termination of Advisory Agreement</u>. The Advisory Agreement shall provide that it is terminable (a) by the Company upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the Adviser: (i) upon the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote on the matter (as "majority" is defined in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act) or (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Board; or (b) by the Adviser upon not less than one hundred twenty (120) days' written notice to the Company, in each case without cause or penalty. In the event of termination, the Adviser will cooperate with the Company and the Board in making an orderly transition of the advisory function. In addition, if the Company elects to continue its operations following termination of the Advisory Agreement by the Adviser, the Adviser shall pay all expenses incurred as a result of its withdrawal. Upon termination of the Advisory Agreement, the Company shall pay the Adviser all amounts then accrued but unpaid to the Adviser. The method of payment must be fair and protect the solvency and liquidity of the Company. When the termination is voluntary, the method of payment will be presumed to be fair if it provides for a non-interest bearing unsecured promissory note with principal payable, if at all, from distributions which the terminated Adviser otherwise would have received under the applicable agreements among the parties had the Adviser not been terminated. When the termination is involuntary, the method of payment will be presumed to be fair if it provides for an interest bearing promissory note maturing in not more than five years with equal installment each year.

Section 7.5<u>Organization and Offering Expenses Limitation</u>. Unless otherwise provided in any resolution adopted by the Board, the Company shall reimburse the Adviser and its Affiliates for Organization and Offering Expenses incurred by the Adviser or its Affiliates; provided, however, that the total amount of all Organization and Offering Expenses shall be reasonable, as determined by the Board, and shall be included in Front End Fees for purposes of the limit on such Front End Fees set forth in Section 7.1.

Section 7.6<u>Acquisition Fees</u>. The Company may pay the Adviser and/or its Affiliates fees for the review and evaluation of potential investments; provided, however, that the Board shall conclude that the total of all Acquisition Fees and Acquisition Expenses shall be reasonable.

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Section 7.7<u>Reimbursement of Adviser</u>. The Company shall not reimburse the Adviser or its Affiliates for services for which the Adviser or its Affiliates are entitled to compensation in the form of a separate fee. Excluded from the allowable reimbursement shall be: (a) rent or depreciation, utilities, capital equipment, other administrative items of the Adviser; and (b) salaries, fringe benefits, travel expenses and other administrative items incurred or allocated to any Controlling Person of the Adviser.

Section 7.8<u>Reimbursement of Administrator</u>. In the event the Company executes an agreement for the provision of administrative services, the Company may reimburse the Administrator, at the end of each fiscal quarter, for all expenses of the Company incurred by the Administrator as well as the actual cost of goods and services used for or by the Company and obtained from entities not Affiliated with the Company. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Declaration of Trust, the Administrator may be reimbursed for the administrative services necessary for the prudent operation of the Company performed by it on behalf of the Company; provided, however, the reimbursement shall be an amount equal to the lower of the Administrator's actual cost or the amount the Company would be required to pay third parties for the provision of comparable administrative services in the same geographic location; and provided, further, that such costs are reasonably allocated to the Company on the basis of assets, revenues, time records or other method conforming with GAAP. Except as otherwise provided herein, no reimbursement shall be permitted for services for which the Administrator is entitled to compensation by way of a separate fee.

Section 7.9<u>Custodians</u> 

&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 Trustees may employ a custodian or custodians meeting the qualifications for custodians for portfolio securities of investment companies contained in the 1940 Act, as custodian with respect to the assets of the Company. Any custodian shall have authority as agent of the Company as determined by the custodian agreement or agreements, but subject to such restrictions, limitations and other requirements, if any, as may be contained in the Bylaws of the Company and the 1940 Act, including without limitation authority:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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 hold the securities owned by the Company and deliver the same upon written order;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)to receive any receipt for any moneys due to the Company and deposit the same in its own banking department (if a bank) or elsewhere as the Trustees may direct;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii)to disburse such funds upon orders or vouchers;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv)if authorized by the Trustees, to keep the books and accounts of the Company and furnish clerical and accounting services; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(v)if authorized to do so by the Trustees, to compute the net income or net asset value of the Company;

all upon such basis of compensation as may be agreed upon between the Trustees and the custodian.

The Trustees may also authorize each custodian to employ one or more sub-custodians from time to time to perform such of the acts and services of the custodian and upon such terms and conditions, as may be agreed upon between the custodian and such sub-

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custodian and approved by the Trustees, provided that in every case such sub-custodian shall meet the qualifications for custodians contained in the 1940 Act.

&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)Subject to such rules, regulations and orders as the SEC may adopt, the Trustees may direct the custodian to deposit all or any part of the securities owned by the Company in a system for the central handling of securities established by a national securities exchange or a national securities association registered with the SEC under the Exchange Act or such other Person as may be permitted by the SEC, or otherwise in accordance with the 1940 Act, pursuant to which system all securities of any particular class of any issuer deposited within the system are treated as fungible and may be transferred or pledged by bookkeeping entry without physical delivery of such securities, provided that all such deposits shall be subject to withdrawal only upon the order of the Company.

Section 7.10<u>Distribution Arrangements</u>. Subject to compliance with the 1940 Act, the Trustees may retain underwriters, distributors and/or placement agents to sell Shares and other securities of the Company. The Trustees may in their discretion from time to time enter into one or more contracts, providing for the sale of securities of the Company, whereby the Company may either agree to sell such securities to the other party to the contract or appoint such other party as its sales agent for such securities. In either case, the contract shall be on such terms and conditions as the Trustees may in their discretion determine not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article VII or the Bylaws, or the Omnibus Guidelines; and such contract may also provide for the repurchase or sale of securities of the Company by such other party as principal or as agent of the Company and may provide that such other party may enter into selected intermediary agreements and servicing and similar agreements to further the purposes of the distribution or repurchase of the securities of the Company.

**ARTICLE VIII<br>INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND LIMITATIONS** 

Section 8.1<u>Investment Objective</u>. The Company's investment objectives are to provide its Shareholders with consistent current income and attractive risk-adjusted returns that are uncorrelated with public markets. The Trustees shall have power with respect to the Company to manage, conduct, operate and carry on the business of a business development company. The Independent Trustees shall review the investment policies of the Company with sufficient frequency (not less often than annually) to determine that the policies being followed by the Company are in the best interests of its Shareholders. Each such determination and the basis therefor shall be set forth in the minutes of the meetings of the Board .

Section 8.2<u>Investments, Generally</u>. All transactions entered into by the Company shall be consistent with the investment permissions and limitations as established for business development companies under the 1940 Act, including any applicable exemptive orders that have been or may be issued in the future by the SEC.

Section 8.3<u>Investments in Programs</u>. For purposes of this Section, "<u>Program</u>" shall be defined as a limited or general partnership, joint venture, unincorporated association or similar organization, other than a corporation, formed and operated for the primary purpose of investment in and the operation of or gain from and interest in the assets to be acquired by such entity. A Program shall not include (and nothing in this Declaration of Trust shall prevent) investments by the Company directly in a master fund in a master/feeder fund structure permissible under the 1940 Act. A Program shall not include an "eligible portfolio company" as defined by the 1940 Act.

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&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 Company shall not invest in Programs with non-Affiliates that own and operate specific assets, unless the Company, alone or together with any publicly registered Affiliate of the Company meeting the requirements of subsection (b) below, acquires a controlling interest in such a Program, but in no event shall duplicate fees be permitted; provided, however that the foregoing is not intended to prevent the Company from carrying out its business of investing and reinvesting its assets in Securities of other issuers. For purposes of this Section, "controlling interest" means an equity interest possessing the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the Program, including the authority to: (i) review all contracts entered into by the Program that will have a material effect on its business or assets; (ii) cause a sale or refinancing of the assets or its interest therein subject, in certain cases where required by the Program agreement, to limits as to time, minimum amounts and/or a right of first refusal by the Program or consent of the Program; (iii) approve budgets and major capital expenditures, subject to a stated minimum amount; (iv) veto any sale or refinancing of the assets, or alternatively, to receive a specified preference on sale or refinancing proceeds; and (v) exercise a right of first refusal on any desired sale or refinancing by the Program of its interest in the assets, except for transfer to an Affiliate of the Program.

&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 Company shall have the authority to invest in Programs with other publicly registered Affiliates of the Company if all of the following conditions are met: (i) the Affiliate and the Company have substantially identical investment objectives; (ii) there are no duplicate fees; (iii) the compensation payable by the Program to the Adviser in each Company that invests in such Program is substantially identical; (iv) each of the Company and the Affiliate has a right of first refusal to buy if the other party wishes to sell assets held in the joint venture; (v) the investment of each of the Company and its Affiliate is on substantially the same terms and conditions; and (vi) any prospectus of the Company in use or proposed to be used when such an investment has been made or is contemplated discloses the potential risk of impasse on joint venture decisions since neither the Company nor its Affiliate controls the Program, and the potential risk that while the Company or its Affiliate may have the right to buy the assets from the Program, it may not have the resources to do so.

&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 Company shall have the authority to invest in Programs with Affiliates other than publicly registered Affiliates of the Company only if all of the following conditions are met: (i) the investment is necessary to relieve the Adviser from any commitment to purchase the assets entered into in compliance with Section 9.1 prior to the closing of the offering period of the Company; (ii) there are no duplicate fees; (iii) the investment of each entity is on substantially the same terms and conditions; (iv) the Company has a right of first refusal to buy if the Adviser wishes to sell assets held in the joint venture; and (v) any prospectus of the Company in use or proposed to be used when such an investment has been made or is contemplated discloses the potential risk of impasse on joint venture decisions.

&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 Company may be structured to conduct operations through separate single-purpose entities managed by the Adviser (multi-tier arrangements); provided, that the terms of any such arrangements do not result in the circumvention of any of the requirements or prohibitions contained herein or under the Omnibus Guidelines or applicable federal or state securities laws. Any agreements regarding such arrangements shall accompany any prospectus of the Company, if such agreement is then available, and the terms of such agreement shall contain provisions assuring that all of the following restrictions apply: (i) there will be no duplication or increase in Organization and Offering Expenses, Adviser compensation, program expenses or other fees and costs; (ii) there will be no substantive alteration in the fiduciary and contractual relationship between the Adviser, the Company and the Shareholders; and (iii) there will be no diminishment in the voting rights of the Shareholders.

&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)Other than as specifically permitted in subsections (b), (c) and (d) above, the Company shall not invest in Programs with Affiliates.

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&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)Unless otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act or applicable guidance or exemptive relief of the SEC, the Company shall be permitted to invest in general partnership interests of limited partnership Programs only if the Company, alone or together with any publicly registered Affiliate of the Company meeting the requirements of subsection (b) above, acquires a "controlling interest" as defined in subsection (a) above, there are no duplicate fees, no additional compensation beyond that permitted under applicable law is paid to the Adviser, and the limited partnership Program agreement or other applicable agreement complies with this Section 8.3.

Section 8.4<u>Other Goods or Services</u>.

&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 Company may accept other goods or other services provided by the Adviser in connection with the operation of assets, provided that: (i) the Adviser determines such self-dealing arrangement is in the best interest of the Company; (ii) the terms pursuant to which all such goods or services are provided to the Company by the Adviser shall be embodied in a written contract, the material terms of which must be fully disclosed to the Shareholders; (iii) the material terms of the written contract may only be modified by vote of a majority of then-outstanding Shares; and (iv) the contract shall contain a clause allowing termination without penalty on sixty (60) days' prior notice. Without limitation to the foregoing, arrangements to provide such goods or other services must meet all of the following criteria: (X) the Adviser must be independently engaged in the business of providing such goods or services to persons other than its Affiliates and at least thirty-three percent (33%) of the Adviser's associated gross revenues must come from persons other than its Affiliates; (Y) the compensation, price or fee charged for providing such goods or services must be comparable and competitive with the compensation, price or fee charged by persons other than the Adviser in the same geographic location who provide comparable goods or services which could reasonably be made available to the Company; and (Z) except in extraordinary circumstances, the compensation and other material terms of the arrangement must be fully disclosed to the Shareholders. Extraordinary circumstances are limited to instances when immediate action is required and the goods or services are not immediately available from persons other than the Adviser.

&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 subsection (a)(X), if the Adviser is not engaged in the business to the extent required by such clause, the Adviser may provide to the Company other goods or other services if all of the following additional conditions are met: (i) the Adviser can demonstrate the capacity and capability to provide such goods or services on a competitive basis; (ii) the goods or services are provided at the lesser of cost or the competitive rate charged by persons other than the Adviser in the same geographic location who are in the business of providing comparable goods or services; (iii) the cost is limited to the reasonable necessary and actual expenses incurred by the Adviser on behalf of the Company in providing such goods or services, exclusive of expenses of the type which may not be reimbursed under applicable federal or state securities laws and Section IV.F.1 of the Omnibus Guidelines; and (iv) expenses are allocated in accordance with GAAP and are made subject to any special audit required by applicable federal and state securities laws and Section IV.F.2 of the Omnibus Guidelines.

Section 8.5<u>Borrowing Money or Utilizing Leverage</u>. The Trustees shall have the power to cause the Company to borrow money or otherwise obtain credit or utilize leverage to the maximum extent permitted by law or regulation as such may be needed from time to time and to secure the same by mortgaging, pledging or otherwise subjecting as security the assets of the Company, including the lending of portfolio securities, and to endorse, guarantee, or undertake the performance of any obligation, contract or engagement of any other person, firm, association or corporation. In addition and notwithstanding any other provision of this Declaration of Trust, the Company is hereby authorized to borrow funds, incur indebtedness and

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guarantee obligations of any Person, and in connection therewith, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Trustees, on behalf of the Company, are hereby authorized to pledge, hypothecate, mortgage, assign, transfer or grant security interests in or other liens on (i) the Shareholders' subscription agreements and the Shareholders' obligations to make capital contributions thereunder and hereunder, and (ii) any other assets, rights or remedies of the Company or of the Trustees hereunder or under the subscription agreements, including without limitation, the right to issue capital call notices and to exercise remedies upon a default by a Shareholder in the payment of its capital contributions and the right to receive capital contributions and other payments, subject to the terms hereof and thereof. Notwithstanding any provision in this Declaration of Trust, (i) the Company may borrow funds, incur indebtedness and enter into guarantees together with one or more Persons on a joint and several basis or on any other basis that the Board, in its sole discretion, determines is fair and reasonable to the Company, and (ii) in connection with any borrowing, indebtedness or guarantee by the Company, all capital contributions shall be payable to the account of the Company designated by the Board, which may be pledged to any lender or other credit party of the Company. All rights granted to a lender pursuant to this Section 8.5 shall apply to its agents and its successors and permitted assigns.

**ARTICLE IX<br>CONFLICTS OF INTEREST** 

Section 9.1<u>Sales and Leases to Company</u>. Unless otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act or applicable guidance or exemptive relief of the SEC, the Company shall not purchase or lease assets in which the Adviser or any Affiliate thereof has an interest unless all of the following conditions are met: (a) the transaction occurs at the formation of the Company; (b) the transaction is fully disclosed to the Shareholders either in a prospectus or periodic report filed with the SEC or otherwise; and (c) the assets are sold or leased upon terms that are reasonable to the Company and at a price not to exceed the lesser of cost or fair market value as determined by an Independent Expert. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 9.1, the Adviser or any Affiliate may purchase assets in its own name (and assume loans in connection therewith) and temporarily hold title thereto, for the purposes of facilitating the acquisition of the assets, the borrowing of money, obtaining financing for the Company, or the completion of construction of the assets, provided that all of the following conditions are met: (i) the assets are purchased by the Company at a price no greater than the cost of the assets to the Adviser or its Affiliate; (ii) all income generated by, and the expenses associated with, the assets so acquired shall be treated as belonging to the Company; and (iii) there are no other benefits arising out of such transaction to the Adviser or its Affiliate.

Section 9.2<u>Sales and Leases to the Adviser, Trustees or Affiliates</u>. Unless otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act or applicable guidance or exemptive relief of the SEC, the Company shall not sell assets to the Adviser or any Affiliate thereof unless such sale is duly approved by the holders of more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding voting securities of the Company. Unless otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act or applicable guidance or exemptive relief of the SEC, the Company shall not lease assets to the Adviser or any Trustee or Affiliate thereof unless all of the following conditions are met: (i) the transaction occurs at the formation of the Company; (ii) the transaction is fully disclosed to the Shareholders either in a periodic report filed with the SEC or otherwise; and (iii) the terms of the transaction are fair and reasonable to the Company.

Section 9.3<u>Loans</u>. Unless otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act or applicable guidance or exemptive relief of the SEC and except for the advancement of funds pursuant to Sections 6.3 and 6.4, no loans, credit facilities, credit agreements or otherwise shall be made by the Company to the Adviser or any Affiliate thereof.

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Section 9.4<u>Commissions on Financing, Refinancing or Reinvestment</u>. Unless otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act or applicable guidance or exemptive relief of the SEC, the Company shall not pay, directly or indirectly, a commission or fee to the Adviser or any Affiliate thereof (except as otherwise specified in this Article IX) in connection with the reinvestment of cash available for distribution and available reserves or of the proceeds of the resale, exchange or refinancing of assets.

Section 9.5<u>Rebates, Kickbacks and Reciprocal Arrangements</u>. The Company shall cause the Adviser to agree that it shall not receive or accept any rebate or give-ups or similar arrangement that is prohibited under applicable federal or state securities laws or the Omnibus Guidelines. The Company shall cause the Adviser to agree that it shall not participate in any reciprocal business arrangement that would circumvent provisions of applicable federal or state securities laws governing conflicts of interest or investment restrictions, or enter into any agreement, arrangement or understanding that would circumvent the restrictions against dealing with affiliates or promoters under applicable federal or state securities laws. The Company shall cause the Adviser to agree that it shall not directly or indirectly pay or award any fees or commissions or other compensation to any Person engaged to sell Shares or give investment advice to a potential Shareholder; provided, however, that this Section 9.5 shall not prohibit the payment to a registered broker-dealer or other properly licensed agent of sales commissions or other compensation (including cash compensation and non-cash compensation (as such terms are defined under FINRA Rule 2310)) for selling or distributing Shares, including out of the Adviser's own assets, including those amounts paid to the Adviser under the Advisory Agreement.

Section 9.6<u>Exchanges</u>. The Company may not acquire assets in exchange for Shares of the Company without approval of a majority of the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees with consideration to an independent appraisal of such assets.

Section 9.7<u>Other Transactions</u>. Unless otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act or applicable guidance or exemptive relief of the SEC, the Company shall not engage in any other transaction with the Adviser or a Trustee or Affiliate thereof unless: (a) such transaction complies with all applicable law and (b) a majority of the Trustees (including a majority of the Independent Trustees) not otherwise interested in such transaction approve such transaction as fair and reasonable to the Company and on terms and conditions not less favorable to the Company than those available from non-Affiliated third parties.

Section 9.8<u>Lending Practices</u>. On financings made available to the Company by the Adviser, the Adviser may not receive interest in excess of the lesser of the Adviser's cost of funds or the amounts that would be charged by unrelated lending institutions on comparable loans for the same purpose. The Adviser shall not impose a prepayment charge or penalty in connection with such financings and the Adviser shall not receive points or other financing charges. The Adviser shall be prohibited from providing permanent financing for the Company. For purposes of this Section 9.8, "permanent financing" shall mean any financing with a term in excess of twelve (12) months.

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**ARTICLE X<br>SHAREHOLDERS** 

Section 10.1<u>Certain Voting Rights of Shareholders</u>.

&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)Subject to the mandatory provisions of any applicable laws or regulations and subject to the other provisions of this Declaration of Trust, the following actions may be taken by the Shareholders, without concurrence by the Board, upon a vote by the holders of more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Shares of the Company entitled to vote on the matters:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)modify this Declaration of Trust in accordance with Article V hereof;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)remove the Adviser and appoint a new Adviser pursuant to the procedures in Section 7.4; 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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii)sell all or substantially all of the Company' assets other than in the ordinary course of the Company's business.

&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)Without the approval of Shareholders entitled to cast a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on the matter, or such other approval as may be required under the mandatory provisions of any applicable laws or regulations, the Company shall not permit the Adviser or the Board of Trustees 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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i)modify this Declaration of Trust except for amendments which do not materially alter or change the powers, preferences, or special rights of the Shares so as to affect them adversely;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)appoint a new Adviser (other than a sub-adviser pursuant to the terms of an Advisory Agreement and applicable law);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii)sell all or substantially all of the Company's assets other than in the ordinary course of the Company's business; 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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iv)except as permitted under the Advisory Agreement, voluntarily withdraw as the Adviser unless such withdrawal would not affect the tax status of the Company and would not materially alter or change the powers, preferences, or special rights of the Shares so as to affect them adversely.

Section 10.2<u>Voting Limitations on Shares Held by the Adviser, Trustees and Affiliates</u>. With respect to shares owned by the Adviser, any Trustees, or any of their respective Affiliates, neither the Adviser, nor such Trustee(s), nor any of their Affiliates may vote or consent on matters submitted to the Shareholders regarding the removal of the Adviser, such Trustee(s) or any of their Affiliates or any transaction between the Company and any of them. In determining the requisite percentage in interest of shares necessary to approve a matter on which the Adviser, such Trustee(s) and any of their Affiliates may not vote or consent, any shares owned by any of them shall not be included.

Section 10.3<u>Right of Inspection</u>.

&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)Any Shareholder with any purpose reasonably related to the beneficial owner's interest as a beneficial owner of the statutory trust (a "proper purpose") may: (i) in person or by agent, on written request, inspect and copy at all reasonable times the books and

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records and ledger of the Company; (ii) present to any officer or resident agent of the Company a written request for a statement of its affairs; and (iii) in the event the Company does not maintain the original or a duplicate ledger at its principal office, present to any officer or resident agent of the Company a written request for the Shareholder List. As used in this Section 10.3, the term "<u>Shareholder List</u>" means an alphabetical list of names, addresses and business telephone numbers, if provided to the Company, of the Shareholders of the Company along with the number of equity shares held by each of them.

&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 copy of the Shareholder List, requested in accordance with this Section, shall be mailed within ten (10) days of the request and shall be printed in alphabetical order, on white paper, and in readily readable type size (no smaller than 10 point font). The Shareholder List shall be updated at least quarterly to reflect changes in the information contained therein.

&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 Company may impose a reasonable charge for expenses incurred in reproduction pursuant to the Shareholder request. A holder of Common Shares may request a copy of the Shareholder List in connection with matters relating to Shareholders' voting rights, the exercise of Shareholder rights under federal proxy laws or for any other proper and legitimate purpose. Each Shareholder who receives a copy of the Shareholder List shall keep such list confidential and shall sign a confidentiality agreement to the effect that such Shareholder will keep the Shareholder List confidential and share such list only with its employees, representatives or agents who agree in writing to maintain the confidentiality of the Shareholder List.

&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)If the Adviser or Trustees neglect or refuse to exhibit, produce or mail a copy of the Shareholder List as requested, the Adviser and the Trustees shall be liable to any Shareholder requesting the list for the costs, including attorneys' fees, incurred by that Shareholder for compelling the production of the Shareholder List, and for actual damages suffered by any Shareholder by reason of such refusal or neglect. It shall be a defense that the actual purpose and reason for the requests for inspection or for a copy of the Shareholder List is to secure such list of Shareholders or other information for the purpose of selling such list or copies thereof, or of using the same for a commercial purpose other than in the interest of the applicant as a Shareholder relative to the affairs of the Company. The Company may require the Shareholder requesting the Shareholder List to represent that the list is not requested for a commercial purpose unrelated to the Shareholder's interest in the Company. The remedies provided hereunder to Shareholders requesting copies of the Shareholder List are in addition, to and shall not in any way limit, other remedies available to Shareholders under federal law, or the laws of any state.

Section 10.4<u>Shareholder Reports</u>.

&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 Trustees, including the Independent Trustees, shall take reasonable steps to ensure that the Company shall cause to be prepared and delivered or made available by any reasonable means, including an electronic medium, to each Shareholder as of a record date after the end of the fiscal year within one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of the fiscal year to which it relates an annual report for each fiscal year ending after the commencement of the Company's initial public offering that shall include: (i) financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP that are audited and reported on by independent certified public accountants; (ii) a report of the activities of the Company during the period covered by the report; and (iii) where forecasts have been provided to the Shareholders, a table comparing the forecasts previously provided with the actual results during the period covered by the report; and (iv) a report setting forth distributions to Shareholders for the period covered thereby and separately identifying distributions from: (A) Cash Flow from operations during the period; (B) Cash Flow from operations during a prior period which have been held as reserves; (C) proceeds from disposition of assets of the Company; and (D) reserves from the gross

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proceeds of the offering originally obtained from the Shareholders. Such annual report must also contain a breakdown of the costs reimbursed to the Adviser.

&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 Trustees, including the Independent Trustees, shall take reasonable steps to ensure that the Company shall cause to be prepared and filed, as well as delivered or made available to Shareholders, within sixty (60) days after the end of each fiscal quarter of the Company, a Form 10-Q if required under the Exchange Act.

&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 Trustees, including the Independent Trustees, shall take reasonable steps to ensure that the Company shall cause to be prepared and delivered or made available within seventy-five (75) days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company to each Person who was at any time during such fiscal year a Shareholder all information regarding the Shareholder's holdings in the Company necessary for the preparation of the Shareholders' federal income tax returns.

&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)If capital stock has been purchased on a deferred payment basis, on which there remains an unpaid balance during any period covered by any report required by subsections (a) and (b) above; then such report shall contain a detailed statement of the status of all deferred payments, actions taken by the Company in response to any defaults, and a discussion and analysis of the impact on capital requirements of the Company.

&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 Board shall cause the Company, upon request from any state official or agency or official administering the securities laws of such state (a "<u>State Administrator</u>"), to submit to such State Administrator the reports and statements required to be distributed to Shareholders pursuant to this Section 10.4.

Section 10.5<u>Suitability of Shareholders</u>.

&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)<u>Investor Suitability Standards</u>. During any public offering of its Shares and until the earlier of a Liquidity Event or the date the Company is no longer subject to the Omnibus Guidelines, the Company and those selling shares on its behalf shall, with respect to share offers and sales in which they are broker of record, make every reasonable effort to assure that such shares are offered and sold only to prospective investors who, in each case, meet the income and Net Worth "<u>Suitability Standards</u>" as specified in the Company's prospectus for the Shares (as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time) and the Omnibus Guidelines.

&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 Sponsor or each Person selling Common Shares on behalf of the Company shall make this determination on the basis of information it has obtained from a prospective Shareholder. Relevant information for this purpose will include at least the age, investment objectives, investment experience, income, net worth, financial situation and other investments of the prospective Shareholder, as well as any other pertinent factors.

&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 Sponsor or each Person selling Common Shares on behalf of the Company shall maintain records of the information used to determine that an investment in Common Shares is suitable and appropriate for a Shareholder. The Sponsor or each Person selling Common Shares on behalf of the Company shall maintain these records for at least six years.

**ARTICLE XI<br>ROLL-UP TRANSACTIONS** 

Section 11.1<u>Roll-up Transactions</u>. In connection with any proposed Roll-Up Transaction, an appraisal of all of the Company's assets shall be obtained from a competent

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Independent Expert. If an appraisal will be included in a prospectus used to offer the securities of a Roll-Up Entity, such appraisal shall be filed with the SEC and the state securities administrators as an exhibit to the registration statement. Accordingly, an issuer using the appraisal shall be subject to liability for violation of Section 11 of the Securities Act of 1933 and comparable provisions under state law for any material misrepresentation or material omissions in the appraisal. The Company's assets shall be appraised on a consistent basis, and the appraisal shall be based on the evaluation of all relevant information and shall indicate the value of the assets as of a date immediately prior to the announcement of the proposed Roll-Up Transaction. The appraisal shall assume an orderly liquidation of the assets over a twelve-month period. The terms of the engagement of the Independent Expert shall clearly state that the engagement is for the benefit of the Company and the Shareholders. A summary of the appraisal, indicating all material assumptions underlying the appraisal, shall be included in a report to Shareholders in connection with a proposed Roll-Up Transaction. In connection with a proposed Roll-Up Transaction, the Person sponsoring the Roll-Up Transaction shall offer to Shareholders who vote against the proposed Roll-Up Transaction the choice of:

&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)accepting the securities of a Roll-Up Entity offered in the proposed Roll-Up Transaction; 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;(b)one of the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)remaining as Shareholders and preserving their interests therein on the same terms and conditions as existed previously; 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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)receiving cash in an amount equal to the Shareholder's pro rata share of the appraised value of the net assets of the Company.

The Company is prohibited from participating in any proposed Roll-Up Transaction:

&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)that would result in the Shareholders having voting rights in a Roll-Up Entity that are less than shareholder rights and other voting rights provided for in Sections 10.1, 10.2, 12.3 and 12.5 hereof or Section 3(b) of Article II of our 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;(d)that includes provisions that would operate as a material impediment to, or frustration of, the accumulation of capital stock by any purchaser of the securities of the Roll-Up Entity (except to the minimum extent necessary to preserve the tax status of the Roll-Up Entity), or which would limit the ability of an investor to exercise the voting rights of its securities of the Roll-Up Entity on the basis of the capital stock held by that investor;

&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)in which investor's rights to access of records of the Roll-Up Entity will be less than those described in Section 10.3 hereof; 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;(f)in which any of the costs of the Roll-Up Transaction would be borne by the Company if the Roll-Up Transaction is rejected by the Shareholders.

**ARTICLE XII<br>DURATION OF THE COMPANY** 

Section 12.1<u>Duration of the Company</u>. The Company shall continue perpetually unless terminated pursuant to the provisions contained herein or pursuant to any applicable provision of the Statutory Trust Act.

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Section 12.2<u>Dissolution by the Trustees</u>. Subject to the Shareholder approval required by Section 10.1(b)(iii), the Company may be dissolved at any time upon affirmative vote by a majority of the Trustees.

Section 12.3<u>Dissolution by Shareholder Vote</u>. The Company may be dissolved at any time, without the necessity for concurrence by the Board, upon affirmative vote by the holders of more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Shares entitled to vote on the matter.

Section 12.4<u>Liquidation</u>. Upon dissolution of the Company, the Board shall cause the Company to liquidate and wind-up in a manner consistent with Section 3808 of the Statutory Trust Act, including the distribution to the Shareholders of any assets of the Company. Upon dissolution and the completion of the winding up of the affairs of the Company, the Company shall be terminated by the executing and filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware by one or more Trustees of a certificate of cancellation of the certificate of trust of the Company.

Section 12.5<u>Merger or Other Reorganization of the Company</u>. The Sponsor or the Board may not cause the merger or other reorganization of the Company without the affirmative vote by the holders of more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding Shares of the Company entitled to vote on the matter.

**ARTICLE XIII<br>MISCELLANEOUS** 

Section 13.1<u>Construction and Governing Law</u>.

&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)This Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws, in combination, shall constitute the governing instrument of the Company, however to the extent that any provision of the Bylaws conflicts with this Declaration of Trust, the terms of this Declaration of Trust shall control. This Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws, and the rights and obligations of the Trustees and Shareholders hereunder, shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the Statutory Trust Act and 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)[Reserved.]

&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 fullest extent permitted by law, the Shareholders and the Trustees of the Company shall be deemed to have waived any non-mandatory rights of beneficial owners or trustees under the Statutory Trust Act or general trust law; and the Company, the Shareholders, and the Trustees shall not be subject to any applicable provisions of law pertaining to trusts that, in a manner inconsistent with the express terms of this Declaration of Trust or Bylaws, relate to or regulate (i) the filing with any court or governmental body or agency of trustee accounts or schedules of trustee fees and charges, (ii) affirmative requirements to post bonds for trustees, officers, agents or employees of a trust, (iii) the necessity for obtaining court or other governmental approval concerning the acquisition, holding or disposition of real or personal property, (iv) fees or other sums payable to trustees, officers, agents or employees of a trust, (v) the allocation of receipts and expenditures to income or principal, (vi) restrictions or limitations on the permissible nature, amount or concentration of trust investments or requirements relating to the titling, storage or other manner of holding or investing trust assets, or (vii) the establishment of fiduciary or other standards or responsibilities or limitations on the acts or powers of trustees, which are inconsistent with the limitations or liabilities or authorities and powers of Trustees as set forth or referenced in this Declaration of Trust.

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&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)Sections 3540 and 3561 of Title 12 of the Statutory Trust Act shall not apply to the Company.

Section 13.2<u>Conflicts of Law</u>. To the extent that any provision of the Statutory Trust Act or any provision of this Declaration of Trust or Bylaws conflicts with any mandatory requirement of the 1940 Act, the applicable requirement of the 1940 Act shall control; provided, however, that such conflict shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination. If any provision of this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, the invalidity or unenforceability shall attach only to such provision in such jurisdiction and shall not in any manner affect such provision in any other jurisdiction or any other provision of this Declaration of Trust in any jurisdiction.

Section 13.3<u>Derivative Actions</u>.

&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)No person, other than a Trustee, who is not a Shareholder shall be entitled to bring any derivative action, suit or other proceeding on behalf of the Company.

&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)In addition to the requirements set forth in Section 3816 of the Statutory Trust Act, a Shareholder may bring a derivative action on behalf of the Company only if the following conditions are met: (i) the Shareholder or Shareholders must make a pre-suit demand upon the Trustees to bring the subject action unless an effort to cause the Trustees to bring such an action is not likely to succeed; and a demand on the Trustees shall only be deemed not likely to succeed and therefore excused if a majority of the Trustees, or a majority of any committee established to consider the merits of such action, is composed of Trustees who are not "independent trustees" (as that term is defined in the Statutory Trust Act); and (ii) unless a demand is not required under clause (i) of this paragraph, the Trustees must be afforded a reasonable amount of time to consider such Shareholder request and to investigate the basis of such claim; and the Trustees shall be entitled to retain counsel or other advisers in considering the merits of the request and, except with respect to claims arising under federal securities laws, may require an undertaking by the Shareholders making such request to reimburse the Company for the expense of any such advisers in the event that the Trustees determine not to bring such action. Clause (b)(i) of this paragraph shall not apply to claims arising under federal securities laws or state securities laws.

Section 13.4<u>Direct Actions</u>. A Shareholders' right to bring direct actions against the Company and/or its Trustees shall be subject to the same conditions required for the bringing of a derivative action pursuant to Section 13.3 of this Declaration of Trust and Section 3816 of the Statutory Trust Act. Nothing in this Section 13.4 will apply to any claims, suits, actions or proceedings asserting a claim brought under federal securities laws or state securities laws.

Section 13.5<u>No Exclusive Right to Sell</u>. The Company shall not grant the Sponsor exclusive right to sell, or exclusive employment to sell, any assets of the Company.

Section 13.6<u>Commingling of Assets</u>. The funds of the Company shall not be commingled with the funds of any other Person and the Company funds will be protected from the claims of affiliated companies (including, for the avoidance of doubt, creditors of such companies).

Section 13.7<u>Exclusive Delaware Jurisdiction</u>. Each Trustee, each officer, each Shareholder and each Person beneficially owning an interest in a share of the Company (whether through a broker, dealer, bank, trust company or clearing corporation or an agent of any of the foregoing or otherwise), to the fullest extent permitted by law, including

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Section 3804(e) of the Statutory Trust Act, (i) irrevocably agrees that any claims, suits, actions or proceedings arising out of or relating in any way to the Company or its business and affairs, the Statutory Trust Act, this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws or asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs (or similar) doctrine (including, without limitation, any claims, suits, actions or proceedings to interpret, apply or enforce (A) the provisions of this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws, or (B) the duties (including fiduciary duties), obligations or liabilities of the Company to the Shareholders or the Trustees, or of officers or the Trustees to the Company, to the Shareholders or each other, or (C) the rights or powers of, or restrictions on, the Company, the officers, the Trustees or the Shareholders, or (D) any provision of the Statutory Trust Act or other laws of the State of Delaware pertaining to trusts made applicable to the Company pursuant to Section 3809 of the Statutory Trust Act, or (E) any other instrument, document, agreement or certificate contemplated by any provision of the Statutory Trust Act, this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws relating in any way to the Company or (F) the federal securities laws of the United States, including, without limitation, the 1940 Act, or the securities or antifraud laws of any international, national, state, provincial, territorial, local or other governmental or regulatory authority, including, in each case, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (regardless, in every case, of whether such claims, suits, actions or proceedings (x) sound in contract, tort, fraud or otherwise, (y) are based on common law, statutory, equitable, legal or other grounds, or (z) are derivative or direct claims)), shall be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, any other court in the State of Delaware with subject matter jurisdiction, (ii) irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in connection with any such claim, suit, action or proceeding, (iii) irrevocably agrees not to, and waives any right to, assert in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding that (A) it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such courts or any other court to which proceedings in such courts may be appealed, (B) such claim, suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, or (C) the venue of such claim, suit, action or proceeding is improper, (iv) consents to process being served in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding by mailing, certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices hereunder, and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof; provided, nothing in clause (iv) hereof shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law, and (v) irrevocably waives any and all right to trial by jury in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding. In the event that any claim, suit, action or proceeding is commenced outside of the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in contravention of this Section 13.7, all reasonable and documented out of pocket fees, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs, incurred by the prevailing party in such claim, suit, action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the non-prevailing party. Nothing in this Section 13.7 will apply to any claims, suits, actions or proceedings asserting a claim brought under federal securities laws or state securities laws.

Section 13.8<u>Agreement to be Bound</u>. EVERY PERSON, BY VIRTUE OF HAVING BECOME A SHAREHOLDER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THIS DECLARATION OF TRUST AND THE BYLAWS, AS AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME, SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE EXPRESSLY ASSENTED AND AGREED TO THE TERMS OF, AND SHALL BE BOUND BY, THIS DECLARATION OF TRUST AND THE BYLAWS.

Section 13.9<u>Delivery by Electronic Transmission or Otherwise</u>. Any notice, proxy, vote, consent, report, instrument or writing of any kind or any signature referenced in, or contemplated by, this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws may, in the sole discretion of the Trustees, be given, granted or otherwise delivered by electronic transmission (within the meaning of the Statutory Trust Act), including via the internet, or in any other manner permitted by applicable law. In furtherance thereof, any meetings of the Trustees or Shareholders may be held by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which

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all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a such meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting; provided, however, this <u>Section 13.9</u> does not apply to any action of the Trustees pursuant to the 1940 Act, that requires the vote of the Trustees to be cast in person at a meeting.

[*Remainder of page intentionally left blank*]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Declaration of Trust to be executed as of the day and year first above written.

<u>/s/ Theodore L. Koenig&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</u><br>Theodore L. Koenig, as Trustee0F0F<sup>\*</sup>

<u>/s/ Thomas J. Allison&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</u><br>Thomas J. Allison, as Trustee

<u>/s/ Kenneth R. Buckman&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</u><br>Kenneth R. Buckman, as Trustee

<sup>\*</sup> Interested Trustee.

[*Signature Page to MLEND Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust*]

## Exhibit 3.2

**Exhibit 3.2**

**MONROE CAPITAL ENHANCED CORPORATE LENDING FUND**

**SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS**

**ARTICLE I.<br>OFFICES**

Section 1.<u>PRINCIPAL OFFICE</u>. The principal office of Monroe Capital Enhanced Corporate Lending Fund (the "Company") in the State of Delaware shall be located at such place as the Board of Trustees of the Company (the "Trustees" or the "Board") may designate from time to time.

Section 2.<u>ADDITIONAL OFFICES</u>. The principal executive office of the Company is at 155 North Wacker Drive, Floor 35, Chicago, Illinois. The Company may have additional offices at such places as the Board may from time to time determine or the business of the Company may require.

**ARTICLE II.<br>MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS**

Section 1.<u>PLACE</u>. All meetings of shareholders shall be held at the principal executive office of the Company or at such other place or by virtual meeting as shall be set by the Board and stated in the notice of the meeting.

Section 2.<u>ANNUAL MEETING</u>. The Company shall hold a meeting of shareholders at least annually for such business to be properly considered at such meeting, to be held on the date and at the time and place set by the Board.

Section 3.<u>SPECIAL MEETINGS</u>.

&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)<u>General</u>. The (i) Chair of the Board, (ii) Chief Executive Officer or (iii) a majority of the Board may call a special meeting of the shareholders. Subject to subsection (b) of this Section 3 of Article II, the Secretary of the Company shall call a special meeting of shareholders upon receipt of one or more written requests for a special meeting signed by shareholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the request) as of the Request Record Date (as defined in subsection (b) of this Section 3 of Article II) entitled to cast not less than ten percent (10%) (the "Special Meeting Percentage") of all the votes entitled to be cast at such meeting (the "Special Meeting Request").

&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)<u>Shareholder Requested Special Meetings</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1)Any shareholder of record seeking to request a special meeting shall, by sending written notice to the Secretary (the "Record Date Request Notice") by registered mail, return receipt requested, request the Board to fix a record date to determine the shareholders entitled to request a special meeting (the "Request Record Date"). The Record Date Request Notice shall (A) set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it, (B) be signed by one or more shareholders of record as of the date of signature (or their agents duly authorized in a writing accompanying the Record Date Request Notice), (C) bear the date of signature of each such shareholder (or such agent) and (D) set forth all

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information relating to each such shareholder and each matter proposed to be acted on at the meeting that would be required to be disclosed in connection with the solicitation of proxies for election of Trustees in an election contest (even if an election contest is not involved), or as otherwise required in connection with such a solicitation, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor provision) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). Upon receiving the Record Date Request Notice and subject to the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, as amended from time to time, (the "DSTA"), the Board may fix a Request Record Date. The Request Record Date shall not precede and shall not be more than ten (10) days after the close of business on the date on which the resolution fixing the Request Record Date is adopted by the Board. If the Board, within ten (10) days after the date on which a valid Record Date Request Notice is received, fails to adopt a resolution fixing the Request Record Date, the Request Record Date shall be the close of business on the tenth (10th) day after the first date on which the Record Date Request Notice is received by the Secretary.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2)In order for a shareholder to request a special meeting, a Special Meeting Request shall be delivered to the Secretary. In addition, the Special Meeting Request shall (A) set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it (which shall be limited to the matters set forth in the Record Date Request Notice received by the Secretary), (B) bear the date of signature of each such shareholder (or such agent) signing the Special Meeting Request, (C) set forth the name and address, as they appear in the Company's books, of each shareholder signing such request (or on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is signed) and the class, series and number of all shares of the Company which are owned by each such shareholder, and the nominee holder for, and number of, shares owned beneficially but not of record, (D) be sent to the Secretary by registered mail, return receipt requested, and (E) be received by the Secretary within sixty (60) days after the Request Record Date (the "Special Meeting Request Deadline"). Any requesting shareholder may revoke their Special Meeting Request at any time by written revocation delivered to the Secretary (or agent duly authorized in a writing accompanying the revocation or the Special Meeting Request).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3)If the Special Meeting Percentage is met by the Special Meeting Request Deadline, the Secretary shall inform the requesting shareholders of the reasonably estimated cost of preparing and mailing the notice of meeting (including the Company's proxy materials). The Secretary shall not be required to call a special meeting upon shareholder request and such meeting shall not be held unless, in addition to the documents required by this subsection, the Secretary receives payment of such reasonably estimated cost prior to the mailing of any notice of the meeting.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4)Except as provided in the next sentence, any special meeting shall be held at such place, date and time as may be designated by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board, whoever has called the meeting. In the case of any special meeting called by the Secretary upon the request of shareholders (a "Shareholder Requested Meeting"), such meeting shall be held at such place, date and time as may be designated by the Board; provided, however, that the date of any Shareholder Requested Meeting shall be not less than fifteen (15) and not more than sixty (60) days after the Secretary gives notice for such meeting (the "Meeting Record Date"); and provided further that if the Board fails to designate, within fifteen (15) days after the date that a valid Special Meeting Request is actually received by the Secretary (the "Delivery Date"), a date and time for a Shareholder Requested Meeting, then such meeting shall be held at 2:00 p.m. local time on the sixtieth (60th) day after the Meeting Record Date or, if such sixtieth (60th) day is not a Business Day (as defined below), on the first preceding Business Day. The Secretary shall provide a notice to all shareholders of such Shareholder Requested Meeting within fifteen (15) days of the Delivery Date, by person or by mail, of the date, time and location of such Shareholder Requested Meeting and the purpose of the Shareholder Requested Meeting; provided that in the event that the Board fails to designate a place for a Shareholder Requested Meeting within fifteen (15) days after the Delivery Date, then such meeting shall be held at the

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principal executive office of the Company. In fixing a date for any special meeting, the Chief Executive Officer or the Board may consider such factors as the Trustees deem relevant within the good faith exercise of business judgment, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for meeting and any plan of the Board to call an annual meeting or a special meeting. In the case of any Shareholder Requested Meeting, the Board shall fix a Meeting Record Date that is a date not later than sixty (60) days after the Delivery Date. The Board may revoke the notice for any Shareholder Requested Meeting in the event that the requesting shareholders fail to comply with the provisions of paragraphs (2) or (3) of this Section 3(b) of Article II.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(5)If written revocations of requests for the Shareholder Requested Meeting have been delivered to the Secretary and the result is that shareholders of record (or their agents duly authorized in writing), as of the Request Record Date, entitled to cast less than the Special Meeting Percentage have delivered, and not revoked, requests for a special meeting to the Secretary, the Secretary shall: (i) if the notice of meeting has not already been mailed, refrain from mailing the notice of the meeting and send to all requesting shareholders who have not revoked such requests written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting, or (ii) if the notice of meeting has been mailed and if the Secretary first sends to all requesting shareholders who have not revoked requests for a special meeting written notice of any revocation of a request for the special meeting and written notice of the Secretary's intention to revoke the notice of the meeting, revoke the notice of the meeting at any time before ten (10) days before the commencement of the meeting. Any request for a special meeting received after a revocation by the Secretary of a notice of a meeting shall be considered a request for a new special meeting.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(6)The Board, the Chair of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer may appoint independent inspectors of elections to act as the agent of the Company for the purpose of promptly performing a ministerial review of the validity of any purported Special Meeting Request received by the Secretary. For the purpose of permitting the inspectors to perform such review, no such purported request shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Secretary until the earlier of (A) five (5) Business Days after receipt by the Secretary of such purported request and (B) such date as the independent inspectors certify to the Company that the valid requests received by the Secretary represent, as of the Request Record Date, not less than the Special Meeting Percentage. Nothing contained in this subsection (6) shall in any way be construed to suggest or imply that the Company or any shareholder shall not be entitled to contest the validity of any request, whether during or after such five (5) Business Day period, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution or defense of any litigation with respect thereto, and the seeking of injunctive relief in such litigation).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(7)For purposes of these Bylaws, "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

Section 4.<u>NOTICE OF MEETINGS</u>.

&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)<u>Method of Delivery; Minimum Contents; Waiver</u>. Written or printed notice of the purpose or purposes, in the case of a special meeting, and of the time and place of every meeting of the shareholders shall be given by the Secretary of the Company to each shareholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting and to each other shareholder entitled to notice of the meeting, by: (i) presenting the notice to such shareholder personally, (ii) placing the notice in the mail, (iii) delivering the notice by overnight delivery service, (iv) transmitting the notice by electronic mail or any other electronic means, or (v) any other means permitted by Delaware law, at least ten (10) days, but not more than ninety (90) days, prior to the date

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designated for the meeting, addressed to each shareholder at such shareholder's address appearing on the records of the Company or supplied by the shareholder to the Company for the purpose of notice. The notice shall state the time and place of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting or as otherwise may be required by statute or these Bylaws, the purpose for which the meeting is called. The notice of any meeting of shareholders may be accompanied by a form of proxy approved by the Board in favor of the actions or persons as the Board may select. Notice of any meeting of shareholders shall be deemed waived by any shareholder who attends the meeting in person or by proxy or who before or after the meeting submits a signed waiver of notice that is filed with the records of the meeting.

&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)<u>Scope of Notice</u>. Except as provided in Section 11 of Article II, any business of the Company may be transacted at an annual meeting of shareholders without being specifically designated in the notice of such meeting, except such business as is required by any statute to be stated in such notice. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting of shareholders except as specifically designated in the notice of such meeting.

Section 5.<u>ORGANIZATION AND CONDUCT</u>. Every meeting of shareholders shall be conducted by an individual appointed by the Board to be chairperson of the meeting or, in the absence of such appointment, by the Chair of the Board, if any, or, in the case of a vacancy in the office or absence of the Chair of the Board, by one of the following officers present at the meeting: the Chief Executive Officer, the President, if any, any Vice President, the Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer or, in the absence of such officers, a chairperson chosen by the shareholders by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by shareholders present in person or by proxy. The Secretary or, in the Secretary's absence, an Assistant Secretary or, in the absence of both the Secretary and Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board or, in the absence of such appointment, an individual appointed by the chairperson of the meeting shall act as Secretary. In the event that the Secretary presides at a meeting of the shareholders, an Assistant Secretary, or, in the absence of Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board or the chairperson of the meeting, shall record the minutes of the meeting. The order of business and all other matters of procedure at any meeting of shareholders shall be determined by the chairperson of the meeting. The chairperson of the meeting may prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and take such action as, in the discretion of such chairperson, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting, including, without limitation, (a) restricting admission to the time set for the commencement of the meeting; (b) limiting attendance at the meeting to shareholders of record of the Company, their duly authorized proxies or other such individuals as the chairperson of the meeting may determine; (c) limiting participation at the meeting on any matter to shareholders of record of the Company entitled to vote on such matter, their duly authorized proxies or other such individuals as the chairperson of the meeting may determine; (d) limiting the time allotted to questions or comments by participants; (e) maintaining order and security at the meeting; (f) removing any shareholder or any other individual who refuses to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as set forth by the chairperson of the meeting; and (g) recessing or adjourning the meeting to a later date and time and place announced at the meeting. Unless otherwise determined by the chairperson of the meeting, meetings of shareholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

Section 6.<u>QUORUM</u>. At any meeting of shareholders, the presence in person or by proxy of the shareholders of the Company holding at least fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding shares of the Company (without regard to class or series) shall constitute a quorum, except with respect to any such matter that, under applicable statutes or regulatory requirements, requires approval by a separate vote of one or more classes of capital shares of the Company, in which case the presence in person or by proxy of the holders of shares of the Company's capital shares holding at least fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding shares of such class shall constitute a quorum. This Section 6 of Article II shall not affect any requirement under any applicable law,

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any other provisions of these Bylaws or the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of the Company (as may be further amended and/or restated from time to time, the "Declaration of Trust"), for the vote necessary for the adoption of any measure. If such quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the shareholders, then the chairperson of the meeting or the shareholders entitled to vote at such meeting, present in person or by proxy, shall have the power to adjourn the meeting to a date not more than one hundred twenty (120) days after the original record date without further notice other than announcement at the meeting. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified.

Section 7.<u>VOTING</u>. A plurality of all votes cast at a meeting of shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to elect a Trustee; provided that, in the case where the number of nominees for the trusteeships (or, if applicable, the trusteeships of a particular class of trustees) exceeds the number of such trustees to be elected, a majority of all votes cast shall be required to elect such nominee. Each share may be voted for as many individuals as there are Trustees to be elected and for whose election the share is entitled to be voted. A majority of the votes cast at a meeting of shareholders duly called and at which a quorum is present shall be sufficient to approve any other matter which may properly come before the meeting, unless more than a majority of the votes cast is required by the Investment Company Act of 1940 (as amended from time to time, and including the rules promulgated thereunder, the "1940 Act") or other applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or Article III of these Bylaws. Unless otherwise provided in the Declaration of Trust, each outstanding share owned of record on the applicable record date, regardless of class, shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of shareholders.

Section 8.<u>PROXIES</u>. A shareholder may vote the shares owned of record by the shareholder, either in person or by proxy executed in writing by the shareholder or by the shareholder's duly authorized agent as permitted by law. Such proxy shall be filed with the Secretary of the Company before or at the meeting.

Section 9.<u>VOTING OF SHARES BY CERTAIN HOLDERS</u>. Shares of the Company registered in the name of a corporation, partnership, trust or other entity, if entitled to be voted, may be voted by the President or a Vice President, a general partner or trustee thereof, as the case may be, or a proxy appointed by any of the foregoing individuals, unless some other person who has been appointed to vote such share pursuant to a bylaw or a resolution of the governing body of such corporation or other entity or agreement of the partners of a partnership presents a certified copy of such bylaw, resolution or agreement, in which case such person may vote such share. Any fiduciary may vote shares registered in his or her name as such fiduciary, either in person or by proxy.

Shares of the Company directly owned by it or its subsidiaries shall not be voted at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares entitled to be voted at any given time, unless they are held by it in a fiduciary capacity, in which case they may be voted and shall be counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any given time.

The Board may adopt by resolution a procedure by which a shareholder may certify in writing to the Company that any shares registered in the name of the shareholder are held for the account of a specified person other than the shareholder. The resolution shall set forth the class of shareholders who may make the certification, the purpose for which the certification may be made, the form of certification and the information to be contained in it; if the certification is with respect to a record date or closing of the shares transfer books, the time after the record date

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or closing of the shares transfer books within which the certification must be received by the Company; and any other provisions with respect to the procedure which the Board considers necessary or desirable. On receipt of such certification, the person specified in the certification shall be regarded as, for the purposes set forth in the certification, the shareholder of record of the specified shares in place of the shareholder who makes the certification.

Section 10.<u>INSPECTORS</u>. The Board in advance of any meeting of shareholders, or the chairperson of the meeting at any meeting of shareholders, may, but need not, appoint one or more individual inspectors or one or more entities that designate individuals as inspectors to act at the meeting or any adjournment thereof. In case any person who may be appointed as an inspector fails to appear or act, the vacancy may be filled by appointment made by the Board in advance of the meeting or at the meeting by the chairperson of the meeting. The inspectors, if any, shall determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum, as defined in this Article II, the validity and effect of proxies, and shall receive votes, ballots or consents, hear and determine all challenges and questions arising in connection with the right to vote, count and tabulate all votes, ballots or consents, and determine the result, and do such acts as are proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all shareholders. Each such report of an inspector shall be in writing and signed by him or her or by a majority of them if there is more than one inspector acting at such meeting. If there is more than one inspector, the report of a majority shall be the report of the inspectors. The report of the inspector or inspectors on the number of shares represented at the meeting and the results of the voting shall be prima facie evidence thereof.

Section 11.<u>ADVANCE NOTICE OF SHAREHOLDER NOMINEES FOR TRUSTEES AND OTHER SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS</u>.

&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)<u>Annual Meetings of Shareholders</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1)Nominations of individuals for election to the Board, where applicable, and the proposal of other business to be considered by the shareholders may be made at an annual meeting of shareholders (A) pursuant to the Company's notice of meeting, (B) by or at the direction of the Board or (C) by any shareholder of the Company who was a shareholder of record both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 11(a) and at the time of the annual meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has complied with this Section 11(a).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2)For nominations of individuals for election to the Board or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a shareholder pursuant to clause (C) of subsection (a)(1) of this Section 11, the shareholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Company and such other business must otherwise be a proper matter for action by the shareholders. To be timely, a shareholder's notice shall set forth all information required under this Section 11 and shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Company not less than one hundred twenty (120) days nor more than one hundred fifty (150) days prior to the first anniversary of the date of mailing of the notice for the preceding year's annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the mailing of the notice for the annual meeting is advanced or delayed by more than thirty (30) days from the first anniversary of the date of mailing of the notice for the preceding year's annual meeting, notice by the shareholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred fiftieth (150th) day prior to the date of mailing of the notice for such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to the date of mailing of the notice for such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of mailing of the notice for such meeting is first made. In no event shall the public announcement of a postponement or

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adjournment of an annual meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a shareholder's notice as described above. Such shareholder's notice shall set forth: (i) as to each individual whom the shareholder proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a Trustee, (x) all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of Trustees, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A (or any successor regulations) under the Exchange Act (including such person's written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a Trustee if elected), (y) whether such shareholder believes any such individual is, or is not, an Interested Person (as such term is defined in the Declaration of Trust) of the Company and (z) information regarding such individual that is sufficient, in the discretion of the Board or any committee thereof or any authorized officer of the Company, to make such determination, including a written questionnaire about the background and qualifications of such person and a written representation and agreement that such person is not and will not become a party to any voting agreements, any agreement or understanding with any person with respect to any compensation or indemnification in connection with service on the Board, and would be in compliance with all of the Company's publicly disclosed corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality and share ownership and trading policies and guidelines; (ii) as to any other business that the shareholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such shareholder or any Shareholder Associated Person (as defined below) and of the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; and (iii) as to the shareholder giving the notice, any Shareholder Associated Person and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made, the name and address of such shareholder, as they appear on the Company's books, of any Shareholder Associated Person and of such beneficial owner and the class and number of shares of the Company which are owned beneficially and of record by such shareholder, Shareholder Associated Person and such beneficial owner.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4)For purposes of this Section 11, "Shareholder Associated Person" of any shareholder shall mean (i) any person controlling, directly or indirectly, or acting in concert with, such shareholder, (ii) any beneficial owner (as defined in the Declaration of Trust) of shares of the Company owned of record or beneficially by such shareholder and (iii) any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Shareholder Associated Person. For purposes of this Section 11, "control" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 2(a)(9) of the 1940 Act.

&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)<u>Special Meetings of Shareholders</u>. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of shareholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Company's notice of meeting. Nominations of individuals for election to the Board may be made at a special meeting of shareholders at which Trustees are to be elected (i) pursuant to the Company's notice of meeting, (ii) by or at the direction of the Board or (iii) provided that the Board has determined that Trustees shall be elected at such special meeting, by any shareholder of the Company who is a shareholder of record both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 11 and at the time of the special meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting

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and who complied with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 11. In the event the Company calls a special meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing one or more individuals to the Board, any such shareholder may nominate an individual or individuals (as the case may be) for election as a Trustee as specified in the Company's notice of meeting, if the shareholder's notice required by subsection (a)(2) of this Section 11 shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive office of the Company not earlier than the one hundred fiftieth (150th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall the public announcement of a postponement or adjournment of a special meeting commence a new time period for the giving of a shareholder's notice as described above.

&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)<u>General</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1)Upon written request by the Secretary or the Board or any committee thereof, any shareholder proposing a nominee for election as a Trustee or any proposal for other business at a meeting of shareholders shall provide, within five (5) Business Days of delivery of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), written verification, satisfactory, in the discretion of the Board or any committee thereof or any authorized officer of the Company, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the shareholder pursuant to this Section 11. If a shareholder fails to provide such written verification within such period, the information as to which written verification was requested may be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 11.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2)Only such individuals who are nominated in accordance with this Section 11 shall be eligible for election as Trustees, and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of shareholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 11. The chairperson of the meeting shall have the power to determine whether a nomination or any other business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with this Section 11.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3)For purposes of this Section 11, (a) the "date of mailing of the notice" shall mean the date of the proxy statement for the solicitation of proxies for election of Trustees and (b) "public announcement" shall mean disclosure (i) in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press Business Wire, PR Newswire or comparable news service or (ii) in a document publicly filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") pursuant to the Exchange Act or the 1940 Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4)Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 11, a shareholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of state law and of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 11. Nothing in this Section 11 shall be deemed to affect any right of a shareholder to request inclusion of a proposal in, nor the right of the Company to omit a proposal from, the Company's proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 (or any successor provision) under the Exchange Act.

Section 12.<u>VOTING BY BALLOT</u>. Voting on any question or in any election may be viva voce unless the presiding officer shall order or any shareholder shall demand that voting be by ballot.

**ARTICLE III.<br>TRUSTEES**

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Section 1.<u>GENERAL POWERS</u>. The business and affairs of the Company shall be managed under the direction of its Board. The Board may designate a Chair of the Board, who may also be an officer of the Company, and who will have such powers and duties as determined by the Board from time to time.

Section 2.<u>NUMBER, TENURE AND QUALIFICATIONS</u>. At any regular meeting or at any special meeting called for that purpose, a majority of the entire Board may establish, increase or decrease the number of Trustees, provided that the number thereof shall never be fewer than three, and further provided that the tenure of office of a Trustee shall not be affected by any decrease in the number of Trustees. A majority of Trustees shall be Independent Trustees (for purposes of these Bylaws, as such term is defined in the Declaration of Trust). An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall be at least twenty-one years of age and not older than the mandatory retirement age, if any, determined from time to time by the Trustees or a committee of the Trustees, in each case at the time the individual is nominated or seated.

Section 3.<u>ANNUAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS</u>. An annual meeting of the Board shall be held immediately after and at the same place (including by virtual meeting) as the annual meeting of shareholders, if any, no notice other than this Bylaw being necessary. In the event such meeting is not so held, the meeting may be held at such time and place (including by virtual meeting) as shall be specified in a notice given as hereinafter provided for special meetings of the Board. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held from time to time at such places and times (including by virtual meeting) as provided by the Board by resolution, without notice other than such resolution.

Section 4.<u>SPECIAL MEETINGS</u>. Special meetings of the Board may be called by or at the request of the Chair of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or by a majority of the Trustees then in office. The person or persons authorized to call special meetings of the Board may fix any place (including by virtual meeting) as the place for holding any special meeting of the Board called by them. The Board may provide, by resolution, the time and place (including by virtual meeting) for the holding of special meetings of the Board, without notice other than such resolution.

Section 5.<u>NOTICE</u>. Meetings of the Trustees may be held without call or notice. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the Board need be stated in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting, and no notice need be given of action proposed to be taken by unanimous written consent.

Section 6.<u>QUORUM</u>. At any time there is more than one Trustee, a quorum for all meetings of the Trustees shall be one-half, but not less than two, of the Trustees. Unless provided otherwise in the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws and except as required under the 1940 Act, any action of the Trustees may be taken at a meeting by vote of a majority of the Trustees present (a quorum being present) or without a meeting by written consent of a majority of the Trustees. Any committee of the Trustees, including an executive committee, if any, may act with or without a meeting. With respect to actions of the Trustees and any committee of the Trustees, Trustees who are Interested Persons in any action to be taken may be counted for quorum purposes under this Section 6 of Article III and shall be entitled to vote to the extent not prohibited by the 1940 Act. The Trustees present at a meeting which has been duly called and convened may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Trustees to leave less than a quorum.

Section 7.<u>VOTING</u>. The action of the majority of the Trustees present at a meeting at which a quorum, as defined in Section 6 of this Article III, is present shall be the action of the Board, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable statute or the Declaration of Trust. If enough Trustees have withdrawn from a meeting to leave

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less than a quorum, as defined in Section 6 of this Article III, but the meeting is not adjourned, the action of the majority of the Trustees still present at such meeting shall be the action of the Board, unless the concurrence of a greater proportion is required for such action by applicable statute or the Declaration of Trust.

Section 8.<u>ORGANIZATION</u>. At each meeting of the Board, the Chair of the Board or, in the absence of the Chair, the Chief Executive Officer shall act as chairperson of the meeting. In the absence of both the Chair and the Chief Executive Officer, a Trustee chosen by a majority of the Trustees present shall act as chairperson of the meeting. The Secretary or, in his or her absence, an Assistant Secretary of the Company, or in the absence of the Secretary and all Assistant Secretaries, a person appointed by the Chair, shall act as Secretary of the meeting.

Section 9.<u>REMOTE MEETINGS</u>. Any meetings of the Trustees or of any committee established by the Board pursuant to Article IV may be held by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment (including video technology) by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time, and participation in such meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting; provided however, this Section 9 does not apply to any action of the Trustees pursuant to the 1940 Act, that requires the vote of the Trustees to be cast in person at a meeting.

Section 10.<u>WRITTEN CONSENT BY TRUSTEES</u>. Any action which may be taken by Trustees by vote may be taken without a meeting if that number of the Trustees, or members of a committee, as the case may be, required for approval of such action at a meeting of the Trustees or of such committee consent to the action in writing and the written consents are filed with the records of the meetings of Trustees. Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of Trustees; provided however, this Section 10 does not apply to any action of the Trustees pursuant to the 1940 Act that requires the vote of the Trustees to be cast in person at a meeting.

Section 11.<u>VACANCIES</u>. If for any reason any or all the Trustees cease to be Trustees, such event shall not terminate the Company or affect these Bylaws or the powers of the remaining Trustees hereunder, if any. Subject to applicable requirements of the 1940 Act, except as may be provided by the Board in setting the terms of any class or series of preferred shares, (a) any vacancy on the Board may be filled only by a majority of the remaining Trustees, even if the remaining Trustees do not constitute a quorum, as defined in Section 6 of this Article III, and (b) any Trustee elected to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the term of such Trustee causing the vacancy and until a successor is elected and qualified.

Section 12.<u>COMPENSATION</u>. The Trustees shall have power to pay reasonable compensation from the funds of the Company to themselves as Trustees. The Trustees shall fix the compensation (if any) of all officers of the Company, employees of the Company (if any) and the Trustees. The Trustees may pay themselves such compensation for special services, including legal, underwriting, syndicating and brokerage services, as they in good faith may deem reasonable and reimbursement for expenses reasonably incurred by themselves on behalf of the Company.

Nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any Trustees from serving the Company in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.

Section 13.<u>LOSS OF DEPOSITS</u>. No Trustee shall be liable for any loss which may occur by reason of the failure of the bank, trust company, savings and loan association, or other institution with whom moneys or stock have been deposited.

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Section 14.<u>SURETY BONDS</u>. Unless required by law, no Trustee shall be obligated to give any bond or surety or other security for the performance of any of his or her duties.

Section 15.<u>RELIANCE</u>. Each Trustee, officer, employee and agent of the Company shall, in the performance of his or her duties with respect to the Company, be fully justified and protected with regard to any act or failure to act in reliance in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Company, upon an opinion of counsel or upon reports made to the Company by any of its officers or employees or by the advisers, accountants, appraisers or other experts or consultants selected by the Trustees or officers of the Company, regardless of whether such counsel or expert may also be a Trustee. Each Trustee, officer, employee and agent of the Company shall also otherwise be entitled to the benefit of Section 3806(k) of the DSTA.

Section 16.<u>CERTAIN RIGHTS OF TRUSTEES, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS</u>. The Trustees shall have no responsibility to devote their full time to the affairs of the Company. Any Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Company, in his or her personal capacity or in a capacity as an affiliate, employee, or agent of any other person, or otherwise, may have business interests and engage in business activities similar to or in addition to those of or relating to the Company, subject to the adoption of any policies relating to such interests and activities adopted by the Trustees and applicable law and the Omnibus Guidelines (as such term is defined in the Declaration of Trust).

**ARTICLE IV.<br>COMMITTEES**

Section 1.<u>NUMBER, TENURE AND QUALIFICATIONS</u>. The Board may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board, appoint from among its members an Audit Committee and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board, and other committees the Board shall determine from time to time to be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders, each of which shall be composed of one or more Trustees, who will serve at the pleasure of the Board. Each such committee shall be composed entirely of Trustees who are not Interested Persons of the Company.

Section 2.<u>POWERS</u>. The Board may delegate to committees appointed under Section 1 of this Article IV any of the powers of the Board, except as prohibited by law.

Section 3.<u>MEETINGS</u>. Each committee, if deemed advisable by the Board, shall have a written charter. Notice of committee meetings shall be given in the same manner as notice for special meetings of the Board. A quorum for all meetings of any committee of the Board shall be one-third, but not less than two, of the members thereof. Unless provided otherwise in the Declaration of Trust, any action of any such committee may be taken at a meeting by vote of a majority of the members present (a quorum being present) or without a meeting by written consent as provided in Section 10 of Article III. The Board may designate a chairperson of any committee, and such chairperson or, in the absence of a chairperson, any two members of any committee (if there are at least two (2) members of the committee) may fix the time and place of its meeting unless the Board shall otherwise provide. In the absence of any member of any such committee, the members thereof present at any meeting, whether or not they constitute a quorum, may appoint another Trustee to act in the place of such absent member. Each committee may fix rules of procedures for its business. Each committee shall keep minutes of its proceedings.

Section 4.<u>VACANCIES</u>. Subject to the provisions hereof, the Board shall have the power at any time to change the membership of any committee, to fill all vacancies, to designate alternate members to replace any absent or disqualified member or to dissolve any such

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committee. Subject to the power of the Board, the members of the committee shall have the power to fill any vacancies on the committee.

**ARTICLE V.<br>OFFICERS**

Section 1.<u>GENERAL PROVISIONS</u>. The officers of the Company shall include a Chief Executive Officer, a Secretary, a Treasurer and/or Chief Financial Officer and to the extent that Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act applies to the Company, a Chief Compliance Officer, and may include one or more Vice Presidents, a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Investment Officer, a Chief Legal Officer, one or more Assistant Secretaries and one or more Assistant Treasurers. In addition, the Board may from time to time elect such other officers with such powers and duties as it shall deem necessary or desirable. The officers of the Company shall be elected annually by the Board and initially at the organizational meeting of the Company, except that the Chief Executive Officer may from time to time appoint one or more Vice Presidents, Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Treasurers or other officers. Each officer shall hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualifies or until death, resignation or removal in the manner hereinafter provided. Any two (2) or more offices except Chief Executive Officer and Vice President may be held by the same person although any person holding more than one office in the Company may not act in more than one capacity to execute, acknowledge or verify an instrument required by law to be executed, acknowledged or verified by more than one officer. In their discretion, the Trustees may leave unfilled any office except that of the Chief Executive Officer, the Secretary, the Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Compliance Officer (to the extent that Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act applies to the Company). Election of an officer or agent shall not of itself create contract rights between the Company and such officer or agent.

Section 2.<u>REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION</u>. Any officer or agent of the Company may be removed, with or without cause, by a majority of the whole Board if in its judgment the best interests of the Company would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the person so removed. Any officer of the Company may resign at any time by giving written notice of his or her resignation to the Board, the Chair of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the Secretary. Any resignation shall take effect immediately upon its receipt or, if the time when it shall become effective is specified therein, at such later time specified in the notice of resignation. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise stated in the resignation. Such resignation shall be without prejudice to the contract rights, if any, of the Company. In addition, the termination or resignation of the Chief Compliance Officer shall be effected in accordance with Rule 38a-1(4) under the 1940 Act.

Section 3.<u>VACANCIES</u>. A vacancy in any office may be filled by the Board for the balance of the term.

Section 4.<u>CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER</u>. The Board may designate a chief executive officer from among its Board or elected officers. In the absence of such designation, the president shall be the chief executive officer of the Company. The chief executive officer shall have general responsibility for implementation of the policies of the Company, as determined by the Board, and for the management of the business and affairs of the Company. He or she may execute any deed, mortgage, bond, contract or other instrument, except in cases where the execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Trustees or by these Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Company or shall be required by law to be otherwise executed, and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of chief executive officer and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time.

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Section 5.<u>CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER</u>. The Board shall designate a Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall have the responsibilities and duties incident to the office of Chief Financial Officer and such other duties as may be prescribed as set forth by the Board or the Chief Executive Officer.

Section 6.<u>CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER</u>. The Board may designate a Chief Operating Officer. The Chief Operating Officer, under the direction of the Chief Executive Officer, shall have the responsibilities and perform the duties incident to the office of Chief Operating Officer, including general management authority and responsibility for the day-to-day implementation of the policies of the Company and such other responsibilities and duties prescribed by the Board or the Chief Executive Officer from time to time.

Section 7.<u>CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER</u>. The Board may designate a Chief Investment Officer. The Chief Investment Officer shall have the responsibilities and duties incident to the office of Chief Investment Officer and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board or the Chief Executive Officer.

Section 8.<u>CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER</u>. The Board shall designate a Chief Compliance Officer to the extent required by, and consistent with the requirements of, the 1940 Act. The Chief Compliance Officer, subject to the direction of, and reporting to, the Board, shall be responsible for the oversight of the Company's compliance with the U.S. federal securities laws and other applicable regulatory requirements. The designation, compensation and removal of the Chief Compliance Officer must be approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees of the Company. The Chief Compliance Officer shall perform such executive, supervisory and management functions and duties as may be assigned to him or her from time to time by the Board or the Chief Executive Officer.

Section 9.<u>VICE PRESIDENTS</u>. In the absence of the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, or in the event of a vacancy in all such offices, the Vice President (or in the event there be more than one Vice President, the Vice Presidents in the order designated at the time of their election or, in the absence of any designation, then in the order of their election) shall perform the duties of the Chief Executive Officer and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Chief Executive Officer; and shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to such Vice President by the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Operating Officer or by the Board. The Board may designate one or more Vice Presidents as executive Vice President, senior Vice President or as Vice President for particular areas of responsibility.

Section 10.<u>SECRETARY</u>. The Board shall designate a Secretary, which shall: (a) keep or cause to be kept the minutes of the proceedings of the shareholders, the Board and committees of the Board in one or more books provided for that purpose; (b) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws or as required by law; (c) be custodian of the corporate records and of the seal of the Company; (d) keep or cause to be kept a register of the post office address of each shareholder which shall be furnished to the Secretary by such shareholder; (e) have general charge of the shares transfer books of the Company; and (f) in general perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the Chief Executive Officer or by the Board.

Section 11.<u>TREASURER</u>. In the absence of a designation of a Chief Financial Officer by the Board, the Treasurer shall be the Chief Financial Officer of the Company. In the absence of a designation of a Treasurer by the Board, the Chief Financial Officer shall be responsible for the duties of the Treasurer specified in this Section 11. The Treasurer shall be responsible for: (a) the custody of the funds and securities of the Company; (b) the keeping of full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Company;

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and (c) the depositing of all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Company in such depositories as may be designated by the Board.

The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Company as may be ordered by the Board, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the Chief Executive Officer and Board, at the regular meetings of the Board or whenever it may so require, an account of all his or her transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Company. The Treasurer shall, if required by the Board, give bonds for the faithful performance of his or her duties in such sums and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board.

Section 12.<u>ASSISTANT SECRETARIES AND ASSISTANT TREASURERS</u>. The Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers, in general, shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to them by the Secretary or Treasurer, respectively, or by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board. The Assistant Treasurers shall, if required by the Board, give bonds for the faithful performance of their duties in such sums and with such surety or sureties as shall be satisfactory to the Board.

**ARTICLE VI.<br>CONTRACTS, LOANS, CHECKS AND DEPOSITS**

Section 1.<u>CONTRACTS</u>. The Board may authorize any officer or agent to enter into any contract or to execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Company and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Any agreement, deed, mortgage, lease or other document shall be valid and binding upon the Company when authorized or ratified by action of the Board and executed by an authorized person.

Section 2.<u>CHECKS AND DRAFTS</u>. All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Company shall be signed by such officer or agent of the Company in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by the Board.

Section 3.<u>DEPOSITS</u>. All funds of the Company not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Company in such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Board may designate.

Section 4.<u>NO EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO SELL</u>. The Company shall not grant any exclusive right to sell, or exclusive employment to sell, any assets of the Company.

Section 5.<u>COMMINGLING OF ASSETS</u>. The funds of the Company shall not be commingled with the funds of any other person and the Company funds will be protected from the claims of affiliated companies and creditors of affiliated companies.

**ARTICLE VII.<br>SHARES**

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Section 1.<u>CERTIFICATES</u>. The Company will not issue share certificates. A shareholder's investment in the Company will be recorded on the books of the Company. A shareholder wishing to transfer their Shares will be required to send a completed and executed form to the Company, such form to be provided upon a shareholder's request.

Section 2.<u>TRANSFERS</u>. All transfers of shares shall be made on the books of the Company, by the holder of the shares, in person or by their attorney, in such manner as the Board or any officer of the Company may prescribe.

The Company shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any shares as the holder in fact thereof and, accordingly, shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, transfers of shares of any class or series of shares will be subject in all respects to the Declaration of Trust and all of the terms and conditions contained therein.

Section 3.<u>NOTICE OF ISSUANCE OR TRANSFER</u>. Upon issuance or transfer of shares in the Company, the Company shall send the shareholder a written statement that reflects such investment or transfer containing such information, at a minimum, as required by law. The Company, alternatively, may furnish notice that a full statement of the information contained in the foregoing sentence will be provided to any shareholder upon request and without charge.

Section 4.<u>CLOSING OF TRANSFER BOOKS OR FIXING OF RECORD DATE</u>. The Board may set, in advance, a record date for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders or determining shareholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or the allotment of any other rights, or in order to make a determination of shareholders for any other proper purpose. Such date, in any case, shall not be prior to the close of business on the day the record date is fixed and shall be not more than ninety (90) days and, in the case of a meeting of shareholders, not less than ten (10) days, before the date on which the meeting or particular action requiring such determination of shareholders of record is to be held or taken.

In the context of fixing a record date, the Board may provide that the shares transfer books shall be closed for a stated period but not longer than twenty (20) days. If the shares transfer books are closed for the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of shareholders, such books shall be closed for at least ten (10) days before the date of such meeting.

If no record date is fixed and the shares transfer books are not closed for the determination of shareholders, (a) the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of shareholders shall be at the close of business on the day on which the notice of meeting is mailed or the thirtieth (30th) day before the meeting, whichever is the closer date to the meeting; and (b) the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to receive payment of a dividend or an allotment of any other rights shall be the close of business on the day on which the resolution of the Trustees, declaring the dividend or allotment of rights, is adopted.

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When a determination of shareholders entitled to vote at any meeting of shareholders has been made as provided in this Section 4 of Article VII, such determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof, except when (i) the determination has been made through the closing of the transfer books and the stated period of closing has expired or (ii) the meeting is adjourned to a date more than one hundred twenty (120) days after the record date fixed for the original meeting, in either of which case a new record date shall be determined as set forth herein.

Section 5.<u>SHARES LEDGER</u>. The Company shall maintain at its principal office or at the office of its counsel, accountants or transfer agent, an original or duplicate share ledger containing the name and address of each shareholder and the number of shares of each class held by such shareholder.

Section 6.<u>FRACTIONAL SHARES; ISSUANCE OF SHARES</u>. The Board may issue fractional shares or provide for the issuance of scrip, all on such terms and under such conditions as they may determine. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, the Board may issue units consisting of different securities of the Company. Any security issued in a unit shall have the same characteristics as any identical securities issued by the Company, except that the Board may provide that for a specified period securities of the Company issued in such unit may be transferred on the books of the Company only in such unit.

**ARTICLE VIII.<br>ACCOUNTING YEAR**

The fiscal year of the Company shall end on December 31 of each fiscal year and may thereafter be changed by duly adopted resolution of the Board from time to time.

**ARTICLE IX.<br>DISTRIBUTIONS**

Section 1.<u>AUTHORIZATION</u>. Dividends and other distributions upon the shares of the Company may be authorized by the Board, subject to the provisions of law and the Declaration of Trust. Dividends and other distributions may be paid in cash, property or shares of the Company, subject to the provisions of law and the Declaration of Trust.

Section 2.<u>CONTINGENCIES</u>. Before payment of any dividends or other distributions, there may be set aside out of any assets of the Company available for dividends or other distributions such sum or sums as the Board may from time to time, in its absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve fund for contingencies, for equalizing dividends or other distributions, for repairing or maintaining any property of the Company or for such other purpose as the Board shall determine to be in the best interest of the Company, and the Board may modify or abolish any such reserve.

**ARTICLE X.<br>SEAL**

Section 1.<u>SEAL</u>. The Board may authorize the adoption of a seal by the Company. The Board may authorize one or more duplicate seals and provide for the custody thereof.

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Section 2.<u>AFFIXING SEAL</u>. Whenever the Company is permitted or required to affix its seal to a document, it shall be sufficient to meet the requirements of any law, rule or regulation relating to a seal to place the word "(SEAL)" adjacent to the signature of the person authorized to execute the document on behalf of the Company.

**ARTICLE XI.<br>WAIVER OF NOTICE**

Whenever any notice is required to be given pursuant to the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws or pursuant to applicable law, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any meeting need be set forth in the waiver of notice, unless specifically required by statute. The attendance of any person at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where such person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

**ARTICLE XII.<br>1940 ACT**

If and to the extent that any provision of the DSTA, or any provision of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws conflicts with any provision of the 1940 Act, then the applicable provision of the 1940 Act shall control; provided, however, that such conflict shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of these Bylaws or the Declaration of Trust or render invalid or improper any action take or omitted prior to such determination.

**ARTICLE XIII.<br>AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS**

The Board shall have the exclusive power to adopt, alter or repeal any provision of these Bylaws and to make new Bylaws not inconsistent with the Declaration of Trust; provided, however, that if any amendment or new addition to the Bylaws adversely affects the voting rights of Shareholders as identified in Article II, Section 7 of these Bylaws, such amendment or addition must be approved by the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote on the matter. To the extent any provisions of the Bylaws conflict with the Declaration of Trust, the Declaration of Trust shall control.

Adopted: February 20, 2026

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